Why do I post a joke nearly every day?

I received a rather long email from someone who has been posting regularly lately. It said: Though I have no idea why anyone would want to post daily humor to a chip collector BBS, unless that humor was chip related, I would not contest your right to do so."

The answer is simple. I have been reading and posting on this Chipboard for a few years and enjoy the different posts. To me, the Chipboard is like an on-screen newspaper, only better. It's probably one of the best kept secrets on the internet. The group of people, ALL of them, is second to none.

My daily posts are, quite simply, my way of contributing or reciprocating. Actually, my daily jokes began shortly after Ralph Myers stopped posting his Question of the Day. I looked forward to reading them every day and reading the funny responses to them as well as responding to them myself when I could. Someone, I've forgotten who, criticized the posts and more or less, said they had no place on the Chipboard. The Chipboard lost a little when Ralph's witty daily posts stopped.

To say I've learned a lot about chips would be a huge understatement. For the most part, I don't have a large knowledge base on chips and am grateful for what I've learned here. A number of people like Archie Black, James Campiglia, Paul Hegge, Andy Hughes, Travis Lewin, Tyrus Mulkey, Allan Myers, Mike Pasternak, Jerry and Janice O'Neal, Terry Shaffer, Jim Perlowski, Mike Poole, Chuck Smorse, David Spragg and Gene Trimble have provided chip information that I'd never learn anywhere else. While I may not always agree with some of their posts, I hold them in high respect. I know I've left some people out and for that I apologize, but you know you are. I also enjoy the different non-chip opinions and comments that I read here every day. These include those about postcards and ashtrays from Mark Englebretson and Pam Goertler.

I almost forgot the most important person of all: Greg Susong. Without him, there would be no Chipboard. If Greg were to tell me not to post joke, I would immediately stop.

The jokes I post are received from friends. It's been asked if I write them and I only wish God had given me such a talent. Many of the jokes I post are sent to me by fellow chippers and I always credit them. Since I feel they wish to remain anonymous, I give them aliases. In no way are the jokes that I post intended to hurt anyone. That is hardly my style, or theirs.

My apologies for being so long winded, but I did want to set the record straight.