The meaning of "B.C.E."?

[Steve Manning]

At 08:37 PM 4/18/2005 -0400, HJJACOBSON at AOL.COM wrote:
>In a message dated 4/18/2005 11:54:20 AM Pacific Standard Time,
>lammers at uwosh.edu writes:
>
> > I guess I lost track -- Which is the "courteous" way?  To be
> > "religiophobic" and change a 1200 year old way of doing things, or (as
> I do) to just stay
> > the course despite a lack of interest in things religious?
> >
>
>Sorry if this a repeat but I am not certain which button I punch on my first
>response
>
>I have that problem, too. I never know when I am at a performance if I should
>be courteous and ignore the person next to me who emits a strong perfume or
>whether they should have been courteous to me and wear less. Like-wise with
>cell phone users in public places like a restaurant - should I be
>courteous and
>ignore them? Fortunately I don't have to worry any longer about cigarette
>smokers. You just never know who should be the courteous one.
>
>For example the Canadians decided out of courtesy to refer to certain
>northern people as Intuits instead of Eskimos, which a Canadian told me
>means "people
>eaters."

This, to me, gives a whole new slant to the meaning of the word "intuitive"!

>But the Intuits in Alaska decided to be courteous let those of us in
>the lower 48 continue to call them Eskimos.
>
>You never know which way to go.

Dr. Steve Manning
Arkansas State University--Beebe
Mathematics and Science
Professor of Biology
P.O. Box 1000
Beebe, AR  72012
Phone: 501-882-8203
Fax: 501-882-4437