.... by Lexie

Welcome to Jo-land. You are about to meet one of the Net's most colorful and complex personalities. A writer for In Pittsburgh Weekly, Kathy Jo Kramer has developed a faithful following for her "On the Bus" column, where she shares her observatio ns about the human state from the point of view of the public transit user. Recently, Jo expanded her bus-trip to parts of the Northeast and Canada in order to meet some of the people who have been deeply affected by her presence in Cyberspace.

Called the "Jack Kerouac" of the Information Highway, Jo has taken the Net experience to a whole new definition of virtual reality, by reaching out and meeting some of the people who belong to her Usenet newsgroup, alt.fan.dirty-whores. It would b e easy to assume that a.f.d-w is a gathering of the horny and curious. While this may be true, that would be missing the entire point. Those who are looking for a quick jolly will discover that a.f.d-w is a place where horniness is just one facet of a v ery complicated and contradictory discussion of life taking place among a group of people who know that "whore" isn't just a defamatory description, but a way of life and love in a tough world. The Jo experience can also be found at the newly-formed a lt.fan.kathy-Jo newsgroup...and cross-posting is encouraged.

Who is Jo? She's a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University, and a home-spun Pittsburgh girl with a passion for life, love and Adam Duritz of Counting Crows. If you're looking for fluffy sweetness, you're in for a rude awakening. Jo is cotton candy chase d with a shot of Gin. She's earthy, sexy, tough and vulnerable all at the same time. She shares with us her trials and fears, her joy and anger, her lust and disappointment. Sometimes her honesty will make you cringe, so if you're thinking about enteri ng Jo's world, you'd better gird your loins. As one of her fans says, "Jo can spot bullshit from 20 yards".

But if you're ready to hear one of the most interesting voices in literary Cyberspace, then put on your favorite CD, spark one up and step into Kathy Jo's world.