Date:  Tue, 13 Feb 1996 11:48:29 EST

From:  Undetermined origin c/o LISTSERV maintainer

     <owner-LISTSERV[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>

Subject: new usage of an old word



This is a new, and I hope temporary, usage. Various people on the net

have been using "exonerated" to mean "obscene words have been replaced

by the names of conservative legislators." A typical message might

include a phrase like "motherexoning" and then end with



    This text has been "exonerated" by performing certain textual

    substitutions in order to bring the text into compliance with

    the Communications Decency Act.



The quote marks are appearing intermittently, suggesting that the

writers are aware of the neologism and/or want us to think of it as

clever.





Vicki Rosenzweig

vr%acmcr.uucp[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]murphy.com | rosenzweig[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]acm.org

New York, NY