[meteorite-list] Suspect Seller?

From: Mike Fowler <mqfowler_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 19:13:15 -0500
Message-ID: <A2C1C74F-9977-4E5A-933B-B26D3ACC409F_at_mac.com>

>
Jason,

Thanks for speaking up for civility on the list.

Mike Fowler
Chicago


> Hello Ken, Bill, Mark, All,
>
> Ken's message just informed 600+ people that there was a fraudulent
> seller on ebay.
>
> Ben's post told 600+ people that *he* was fed up with reading other
> peoples' posts about fraudulent sellers.
>
> This is one of those cases where I would have to say that, without a
> doubt, Ken had every right to post his message, and you had no right
> to tell him off, Bill.
> Even if you don't care to read posts about suspicious/fraudulent
> sellers, posts such as Ken's obey all list rules, and perform a
> service to novices who may be lurking on the list (or scanning list
> archives on google), hoping to find information on what and what not
> to buy.
>
> If you don't like reading them, delete them, and if you get fed up
> with a single person's posts, by all means, block them or filter out
> there posts through selective email scanning (most email services have
> this sort of feature) - but don't post personal attacks to the list
> like you just did, because posts such as that are actually in direct
> violation of list policies.
>
> All talk must be meteorite-related and non-combative, at least with
> regard to pointed statements such as "Are you bored to death?"
>
> It's simply uncalled for. If you don't like posts such as this, and
> feel a need to respond, please do so privately (and, I hope, politely
> in the future).
>
> Bill, the person you mentioned in your message, Matteo, came onto the
> list while I was here and has come and gone a few times since then.
> He was blocked a few times for posting private messages to the list
> and using...inappropriate language.
> People may have gotten onto his case for posting ebay warnings, but I
> believe that they actually did so because of his warnings pertaining
> to the classic 'Nigerian scam' postings that everyone seems to get
> (They're so easy to recognize in general, that people get annoyed when
> warned of such things.)
> ...That, and he's an easy target - people on this list seem to get
> into a frenzy when someone who's not too eloquent or perhaps not a
> native English speaker comes on and posts...it's sad, but even true
> meteorite enthusiasts with good intentions get beaten up on here; it's
> just a fact that hasn't changed in, well, the nine years I've been on
> here.
>
> Sorry this goes out to the list, but I do think it has something to do
> with list policy in general - perhaps attacks could become a little
> less...prolific.
>
> Regards,
> Jason
>
Received on Tue 15 May 2007 08:13:15 PM PDT