Subject: Poetry for computers
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 97 09:28:13 -0500
From: Miranda Barrows 

The dreaded Monday is upon us an hour early this week.  The Message 
Mistress trusts everyone enjoyed their shortened weekends, and hence
probably needs a shot of caffeine or sugar to get the week started.
If the rest of the collective have their watches set correctly
by now, expect the usual assortment of such in the usual spot at 10.


The following bit of humor was contributed by Sharad Singhai:
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Only a computer nerd could appreciate the following poem appeared
recently in INFOCUS magazine. The original authors were Fred Bremmer
and Steve Kroese of Calvin College & Seminary of Grand Rapids, MI.
     
A poll conducted among INFOCUS readers had established "waka" as the
proper pronunciation for the angle-bracket characters < and >, though
some readers held out resolutely for "norkies."

The text of the poem follows:
 
         <>!*''#
         ^"`$$-
         !*=@$_
         %*<>~#4
         &[]../
         |{,,SYSTEM HALTED
 
 
The poem can only be appreciated by reading it aloud, to wit:
 
         Waka waka bang splat tick tick hash, 
         Caret quote back-tick dollar dollar dash, 
         Bang splat equal at dollar under-score,
         Percent splat waka waka tilde number four, 
         Ampersand bracket bracket dot dot slash, 
         Vertical-bar curly-bracket comma comma CRASH.

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