On Sep 25, 2008, at 9:57 PM, Doug Pensinger wrote: > Jon wrote: > >>> You are Eric Reuter and I demand my 10 bucks. >> >> Who are you, John, who is Eric Reuter, and why does he owe you 10 >> clams? > > Eric is a former Brin-ler, a libertarian, and he didn't pull any > verbal > punches. He told by Dr. Brin to leave the list (or he would) after a > heated exchange.
... and the claim of $10 relates to a early 20th C. British newspaper's marketing ploy in which readers could locate the author of a column, written under the pseudonym "Lobby Lud", and say "You are Lobby Lud, and I claim my 5 pounds", which the writer would then hand over. Apparently, it caught on (mostly in Britain?) and carries the connotation that the person to whom it is said is masquerading as the person named in the phrase: In this case, Jon claims that John Williams is channeling erstwhile list-member Eric Rueter with his gruff posts. Dave _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
