TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: New York City Fires Employee for Surfing the Web

Re: New York City Fires Employee for Surfing the Web

Linc Madison (lincmad@suespammers.org)
Tue, 09 May 2006 02:46:44 -0700

In article <telecom25.174.7@telecom-digest.org>, Linc Madison
<lincmad@suespammers.org> wrote:

> In article <telecom25.173.15@telecom-digest.org>, Ron Chapman
> <ronchapman@wideopenwest.com> wrote:

>>> Choudhri's "abuse of the Internet at the time he is supposed to be
>>> performing his job demonstrates his disinterest in the job," Klein
>>> said.

>> I would feel much better if "Schools Chancellor" Joel Klein knew the
>> meaning of the word "disinterest" and how it differs from "lack of
>> interest".

Ron's point was that the meaning of "disinterest" is "impartiality,"
rather than "lack of interest." Ron was upbraiding the NYC Schools
Chancellor for his supposed misuse of the word "disinterest."

> Well, I, for one, do know the meaning of the word "disinterest," and I
> therefore know that Joel Klein used it correctly.

> Disinterest: (noun) 2. lack of interest; indifference.
> [source: American Heritage online dictionary, via ask.com]

I pointed out that Ron is in fact wrong. Although "disinterest" does
mean "impartiality," it also means "lack of interest" -- precisely
what Ron said it does not mean. Since "lack of interest" is verbatim
one of the definitions of "disinterest," there is no difference at all
between "disinterest" and "lack of interest."

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I went back to the original message
> and am quoting from it here in the hopes someone will explain all
> this to me:

There you have it.

Linc Madison * San Francisco, California * lincmad@suespammers.org
<http://www.LincMad.com> * primary e-mail: Telecom at LincMad dot com
Read my political blog, "The Third Path" <http://LincMad.blogspot.com>
DO NOT SEND UNSOLICITED E-MAIL TO THIS ADDRESS. You have been warned.

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