>>It was FLAMEBAIT, Fernando!
>
>Sorry Jerry, but in both english to portuguese dictionaries I have, couldn't find the word FLAMEBAIT. I found FLAME and found BAIT. Is flamebait a kind of bait someone uses to call for flame (to put fire on)?
>
>Fernando

When Compuserv, and later the internet newsgroups, arose, discussions between folks were usually friendly because they were professional colleagues. Later, when folks begin to sign onto groups anomynously, they became more bold in their rhetoric and would begin writing the most outlandish things. Sometimes someone would jump into the middle of a discussion and insert inflamatory remarks. Others in the discussion would send scathing emails back to the intruder, saying all sorts of unkind things about his breeding, his intelligence, his education, etc.... They called that treatment "FLAMING" him. The outrageous comment became known as FLAMEBAIT because it usually resulted in the poster gettng flamed.

Some folks have developed flaming, and flamebaiting to a high art. They have collected a whole roster of put-downs, insults, etc..., and a whole roster of hot-topics. Examples: The Jewish Hollocost never happened, Blacks are naturally less intelligent than asians, Elivis is still alive, folks who believe in God are idiots..., VB is better than VFP...

Of course, one person's opinion is another person's flamebait. :)