[meteorite-list] List policy

From: Michael L Blood <mlblood_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:08:32 2004
Message-ID: <B9B8AD37.1195%mlblood_at_cox.net>

Hi Rafael & all,
        Not a bad idea - that's why Art set it up already, as stated in the
"list policies" - pertinent policies are cited below:

3. Do not post -private messages- or -personal attacks- to the list
4. Please include the 'subject' of the post in the subject box
9. If you are posting a URL for a sale, include 'SALE' in the subject bo=
x

        What I have to say next is not aimed at you, Rafael, but at the
dozens of individuals who just seem never to "get it."
        I have read with interest and not a little humor, comments by some
list members to the effect of, "Let's add this (or that) to the policy,"
etc. This shows such a lack of comprehension of the basic functioning
of the list as to stagger me.
        EVERYONE: it is very simple. Go to Meteorite Central. READ what is
written about this list.
        That's it. That's all there is.
        Not you, not I, not self appointed "leaders," nor the most highly
opinionated list contributors have any say whatsoever in running of
this list. It is a list by Meteorite Central. Art was so kind and generous
as to provide it to the meteorite community. Furthermore, he set it up
VERY, VERY well to function smoothly without further modification.
    It is NOT a democracy - it is a NEWSLETTER! It is privately sponsored,
 "unmoderated" and Art, and ONLY ART can or will ever have anything
to say about list rules, guidelines, etc. On very rare occasion he has
suspended individuals who CHRONICALLY and dramatically violate
list policy - particularly about attacking other list members and especiall=
y
when profanity is used. (Yes, I know there is no STATED policy on
obscenity, but that is because it is OBVIOUSLY unacceptable) On only a
couple of occasions have people been permanently banned from the list,
and they were extreme examples of chronic violators of both attacking
and using obscenity. In other words, he will only intervene in extreme
cases. (In this instance, all that is required is to include the word,
"SALE" in any post promoting a sale of material).
        IF YOU READ THE LIST POLICIES and other procedural information
clearly articulated at Meteorite Central, you should be able to get this.
        I have found meteorite collectors to be exceptionally intelligent
people, with the exception being how some relate to this list. Then,
somehow, they completely loose all rationale. Not a few have used this
list as some sort of opportunity to "vent" - choosing some "offender" and
then beating the hell out of him.
        I could be wrong, but I believe all email programs now offer a
"filter" of some sort to block email from individual email addresses.
This is one option that would easily solve any problem these people have
with another list member's posts. Then, there is always the "delete"
button if your system does not offer the option of a filter.
        So, what is WRONG with these people....it is simple: Email, coupled
with a public forum, such as a newsletter, gives these people an opportunit=
y
to ATTACK! - vent their spleen - engage in some sort of email-road rage.
When this occurs, it is usually as (or even more) offensive than the
original problem.=20
        Now, personally, I must confess that I occasionally find such
behavior amusing....or even a little "satisfying" ala vicarious pleasure at
seeing some jerk getting bonked for doing/saying something I thought
was obnoxious. What I do find less "entertaining" is when people start
ganging up and I feel I am watching a "stoning of the whore" scene from
the bible.=20
    However, what really, really bothers me is when people start
fantasizing that they can set "rules" for this list.
        That is the exclusive prerogative of Art Jones - and he has
demonstrated for years a calm wisdom in honoring freedom of speech -
which, of course, gives everyone a chance to hang themselves. As you
likely have noticed, many make use of this opportunity.
        So, if you want to abuse list policy, hop to it, but be prepared to
be flamed. If you are a flamer, you'd best keep it clean. If you are a
person to engage in any of these behaviors, be prepared to hear from
Art, should he decide you have used enough rope to hang yourself and
are in need of a few months "time out."
        But, under no circumstances, assume that you or anyone else can
"elect," dictate or otherwise change or add to list policy. That just ain't
gunna happen.=20
        Sincerely, Michael Blood
       =20


on 9/25/02 6:47 PM, Rafael B. Torres at spacecollection2001_at_hotmail.com
wrote:

> Hello all good and good night=A1=A1=A1=A1. I was looking at some e-mails and ther=
e
> are some people that don't like Ad mails about Steve. I think we can have=
 a
> solution here with a simple header in the mail. We should do this on ever=
y
> mail we send in order to discriminate mails that we don't want to read,
> classifing them. Here is how I think:
>=20
> a)If somebody wants to send and Ad, or homepage update, we can put a head=
er
> like: [meteorite-list] Ad, Trade, etc: Topic so people that don't like ad=
s,
> sales, trades just delete them.
>=20
> b) If you want to ask a question about whatever we can write:
> [meteorite-list] Info: Topic
>=20
> c) Whenever we se a "Re: [meteorite-list]" we know that its a reply from =
a
> previous mail so we can follow discussions.
>=20
> d) If we want to send an article or specific info on whatever we can writ=
e
> down: [meteorite-list]Article: Subject
>=20
> e) If we want to start a discussion we can put: [meteorite-list]Discussio=
n
>=20
> f) And so on, the point is to classify mails with Headers as Identifiers
> whenever we send them, so we know what we want to read, or what we want t=
o
> delete. So there won't be any problems, fights or unpolite answers in the
> list.
>=20
> What do you think list??? The point is to make this list as better as we =
can
> and Ive learned a lot since I entered this list, so I think its a pretty
> good one with people answering each other. Am I right?
>=20
>=20
>=20
> =3D0)
> Rafael B. Torres
> Space Collection 2001
> http://www.geocities.com/rafael_blando
>=20
> _________________________________________________________________
> MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:
> http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
>=20
>=20
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
=20
Received on Thu 26 Sep 2002 03:25:27 PM PDT