Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 18:09:03 -0500
From: Sandi and Scott Spaeth <vespass-AT-swbell.net>
Subject: Re: moorish temple


At 10:22 AM 10/19/02 -0700, Maldoror wrote:

>  whop/daygo for italians, etc.


Actually, the correct spellings are wop and dago.  As in, did you hear the 
one about Pirelli tires?  Dago left, dago right and when dago flat, dago 
wop, wop, wop.

As an absolute nut for Italian esthetics, culture, food, automobiles, bikes 
and women (including the best 1/4 of my wife), I'm more than comfortable in 
using these "derogatory" terms, I revel in them.

On a slightly less serious note, as a scooterist (that is proponent of 
Italian motor scooters and the allied culture which they have spawned), I 
used to be very touchy about the word "moped" - in fact most scooterists 
are.  But my Vespas got referred to as mopeds so often that about two years 
ago, I said 'fuck it, I'm turning this word around' and just like 
homosexuals with the word queer, I'm taking moped to my heart and 
proclaiming it proudly.

I'm here.  I ride a moped.  Get used to it.

In coming up with the new 10th anniversary design of my scooter club's 
jacket back patch, I've included the text "Spanking you with mopeds since 
1992".  A few have seen things my way, others are deeply offended.  I 
designed the patch to be in two pieces so those offended by the word don't 
have to display it, but I've adopted it, I like it and I won't get rid of 
it completely.  I can't take responsibility for what people choose to be 
offended by, but only for what I mean.  I think, trivial as it may seem, 
there's a lesson there.

Anyway, here's a poem for you:

C'est la vie,
C'est la guerre,
C'est la pomme de terre.

Which I think says it all.

cheers,
scott