CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Hi folks, Thank you for sharing your opinions, as I requested. I hope that those that are threatening to leave will hang around long enough to see the end of this discussion and take part in forming its results. A number of quite interesting points are being made, and others are being demonstrated, although not by anyone's specific remarks... One of the latter points this discussion shows, confirming over a decade of experience for me, is that our group has been and always will be divided between those who want more free-flowing discussion and others who want us to remain closer to the topic -- and neither group will ever be completely satisfied with any compromise that I ever strike between the two extremes! (Yes, there are folks who are pretty well satisfied in the middle ground, too! ) So, on this first point, please let me offer a few remarks that I hope will help everyone understand better what it takes to keep this forum even half-way successful in its mission... ***POINTS TO PONDER Remember, first of all, that I don't see messages before they go out! I do all my "moderating" after the fact. I depend on EACH OF YOU to regulate your own behavior, consistent with the list rules and the culture I try to instill in the membership by public guidance and private coaching. Your self-control is the price I demand of you for the privelege of staying in the group. Next, one of the very first things I learned when I took over ownership of the list is that I would NEVER be allowed to stop ALL off-topic posting if our group were going to continue to accomplish what we should and could with our efforts. Here's why: Inevitably, easily half the questions people will ask have a non-CS related component: "Will CS cure...?" "My friend has ... will CS help?" "Does anybody know anything to do for ...? Whether CS is useful in each case or not, a lot of the time there are non-CS-related answers that these people need and deserve to hear. I've never prohibited non-CS- related information that might be able to HELP somebody. Other questions people ask have no relationship to CS to begin with, yet are obviously important or urgent for them, and frequently interesting to many of the rest of us. The guideline for these worthwhile off-topic discussions? Make them fairly brief, a day or two, giving out basic information and pointers to other resources so folks can continue their research elsewhere. For me to re-evaluate this fundamenal aspect of the list would require some pretty convincing arguments. Many members have just finished saying how much valuable stuff they've learned from the group on topics besides CS. I would not want those questions to go unanswered. Another point to consider is the members' responsibility to mold the discussion to their own needs. All new members are urged (in the instructions they receive upon joining) to ASK QUESTIONS in order to get the conversation moving in a direction that will help them. When they do this they normally get answers. If they don't, the conversation moves on without them. This is not an organized lecture series, where you can sit back passively and have all your questions answered, but rather more like a cocktail party, with folks milling around and talking amongst themselves. Anyone who wants to pick up the microphone and ask a question about the main topic is welcome to do so, and they'll get plenty of help as long as they need it. If I demanded that everybody sit quietly until somebody asks a proper question, it would be a very different place, and I think we'd lose a whole lot more people than we probably do when things get too noisy for too long. Who's to say what's the right balance? Ummm... Well, me, I'm afraid. Which is why I'm asking questions. *** DEFINING THE PROBLEM Now, as I consider specific actions or possible changes in policy in response to the present complaints, I think we might all benefit from some analysis to see just how things really look. I've surveyed list traffic for the first 23 days of August. Here are some statistics: *** Posts per day: average 24.26 mean22.04 min 8 max 50 stdev 10.68 There've been 5 days over 30 messages and 8 days under 20. *** Counting threads and posts: Threads ranged from single unanswered posts to multi-day 40-post behemoths. For this analysis I looked at Subject: lines and samplings of posts, but did not account for subject drift within threads or count threads with "Unidentified Topic" or "Silver Digest" titles. On topic threads have a significant CS component. Threads for Other Questions offer information not related to CS but relevant to health- related questions raised by members. Off topic counts everything from Kurt's polemics to computer questions to humor and chit-chat. On topic: 44 threads; 194 posts Other questions: 32 threads; 198 posts Off-Topic: 30 threads; 136 posts Frankly, I'm not willing to analyse and rat
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
I go along with all that you say Mike, and appreciate your tolerance to OT subjects. I for one am only on *this* list (and silverpets) and because it *is* an alternative health list (when did *your* doctor prescribe CS?) it is the only place I feel there may be someone with enough knowledge or experience to help with other alternative health matters. I am therefore grateful that these questions are allowed. I also like to hear from people like Kurt because who knows what is going on out there, and I for one like to be kept informed about what could be happening. He does not go on about what he posts, but others do, so whose fault is it that the thread gets carried on? I suppose the answer is as always, moderation (no pun intended) in all things. dee M. G. Devour wrote: Hi folks, Thank you for sharing your opinions, as I requested. I hope that those that are threatening to leave will hang around long enough to see the end of this discussion and take part in forming its results. A number of quite interesting points are being made, and others are being demonstrated, although not by anyone's specific remarks... One of the latter points this discussion shows, confirming over a decade of experience for me, is that our group has been and always will be divided between those who want more free-flowing discussion and others who want us to remain closer to the topic -- and neither group will ever be completely satisfied with any compromise that I ever strike between the two extremes! (Yes, there are folks who are pretty well satisfied in the middle ground, too! ) So, on this first point, please let me offer a few remarks that I hope will help everyone understand better what it takes to keep this forum even half-way successful in its mission... ***POINTS TO PONDER Remember, first of all, that I don't see messages before they go out! I do all my "moderating" after the fact. I depend on EACH OF YOU to regulate your own behavior, consistent with the list rules and the culture I try to instill in the membership by public guidance and private coaching. Your self-control is the price I demand of you for the privelege of staying in the group. Next, one of the very first things I learned when I took over ownership of the list is that I would NEVER be allowed to stop ALL off-topic posting if our group were going to continue to accomplish what we should and could with our efforts. Here's why: Inevitably, easily half the questions people will ask have a non-CS related component: "Will CS cure...?" "My friend has ... will CS help?" "Does anybody know anything to do for ...? Whether CS is useful in each case or not, a lot of the time there are non-CS-related answers that these people need and deserve to hear. I've never prohibited non-CS- related information that might be able to HELP somebody. Other questions people ask have no relationship to CS to begin with, yet are obviously important or urgent for them, and frequently interesting to many of the rest of us. The guideline for these worthwhile off-topic discussions? Make them fairly brief, a day or two, giving out basic information and pointers to other resources so folks can continue their research elsewhere. For me to re-evaluate this fundamenal aspect of the list would require some pretty convincing arguments. Many members have just finished saying how much valuable stuff they've learned from the group on topics besides CS. I would not want those questions to go unanswered. Another point to consider is the members' responsibility to mold the discussion to their own needs. All new members are urged (in the instructions they receive upon joining) to ASK QUESTIONS in order to get the conversation moving in a direction that will help them. When they do this they normally get answers. If they don't, the conversation moves on without them. This is not an organized lecture series, where you can sit back passively and have all your questions answered, but rather more like a cocktail party, with folks milling around and talking amongst themselves. Anyone who wants to pick up the microphone and ask a question about the main topic is welcome to do so, and they'll get plenty of help as long as they need it. If I demanded that everybody sit quietly until somebody asks a proper question, it would be a very different place, and I think we'd lose a whole lot more people than we probably do when things get too noisy for too long. Who's to say what's the right balance? Ummm... Well, me, I'm afraid. Which is why I'm asking questions. *** DEFINING THE PROBLEM Now, as I consider specific actions or possible changes in policy in response to the present complaints, I think we might all benefit from some analysis to see just how things really look. I've surveyed list traffic for the first 23 days of August. Here are some statistics: ***
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Sir, It was not my intent to start a firestorm. For that I apologize. Perhaps my blood sugar was a little low and I got cranky and responded too quickly to Kurt's email. Normally I would wait a day before hitting the send button and likely or not I wouldn't have sent it or I would have heavily edited it. I think perhaps I did not put across exactly why I think that post should not be on this list. There are certain conspiracy theories out there that have a small basis in fact but then take the facts and extrapolate out until they make good science fiction plots but are no longer factual. Kurt invariably likes to copy and paste from websites devoted to these conspiracy theories and post them to the list. I do not mind the off topic health type questions. But Kurt does not post questions, he proselytizes like a politician or priest about subjects that cause division where ever they are discussed. If, in the course of answering health related questions, those topics Kurt loves happen to come up and in his own words he discussed them in relation to the question then I would not object. Indeed, I would likely respond with a counterpoint post. But it is his method to drop a copy/paste email bomb out of the blue not in response to any current threads. This type of post is not conducive to the conversation. One cannot create a counter post as you would not be talking to the poster but to the person who wrote the website Kurt is copying and pasting from and that person will never see the counter post. If you have saved all the posts do a sort on kmilkowski. He started posting 9-14-07. He consistently posts off topic about his 3 favorite pet conspiracy theories chemtrails, vaccinations, and poisoned food supplies, which have nothing to do with our current conversations. He usually starts these as new threads and pulls the list way out there into science fiction land. I think your existing policies are good and don't need changing. My beef is with Kurts obsession with conspiracy theories about chemtrails, vaccinations, and poisoned food supplies and his need to share that obsession with us over and over and his method of sharing which excludes argument. David At 12:03 AM 8/24/2008, you wrote: So, I'm open to specific suggestions or ideas. In light of the points I've made above, please tell me: How much traffic is too much? Off topic versus on-topic? Do you feel my basic policies need to be changed or updated? Should I do a better job of enforcing them? How, specifically? Should we stop answering non-CS-related health questions entirely? Should we ban *all* politics-related posts, no matter their importance? Or is the existing policy (brief, occasional, little or no discussion) good enough if it's enforced? Should I more vigorously police the "style" of certain messages so as not to scare new people off or annoy the regulars? Any other points you think I've not covered yet? Thank you for your patience, ladies and gentlemen. It's not a bad thing to air grievances and sound each other out every once in a while, though I *will* get riled if folks make a habit of spouting off their objections on the list instead of privately! -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Dear David: Very well put. I do have to agree. Faith G. - Original Message - From: "David Bearrow" To: Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2008 10:57 AM Subject: Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics... Sir, It was not my intent to start a firestorm. For that I apologize. Perhaps my blood sugar was a little low and I got cranky and responded too quickly to Kurt's email. Normally I would wait a day before hitting the send button and likely or not I wouldn't have sent it or I would have heavily edited it. I think perhaps I did not put across exactly why I think that post should not be on this list. There are certain conspiracy theories out there that have a small basis in fact but then take the facts and extrapolate out until they make good science fiction plots but are no longer factual. Kurt invariably likes to copy and paste from websites devoted to these conspiracy theories and post them to the list. I do not mind the off topic health type questions. But Kurt does not post questions, he proselytizes like a politician or priest about subjects that cause division where ever they are discussed. If, in the course of answering health related questions, those topics Kurt loves happen to come up and in his own words he discussed them in relation to the question then I would not object. Indeed, I would likely respond with a counterpoint post. But it is his method to drop a copy/paste email bomb out of the blue not in response to any current threads. This type of post is not conducive to the conversation. One cannot create a counter post as you would not be talking to the poster but to the person who wrote the website Kurt is copying and pasting from and that person will never see the counter post. If you have saved all the posts do a sort on kmilkowski. He started posting 9-14-07. He consistently posts off topic about his 3 favorite pet conspiracy theories chemtrails, vaccinations, and poisoned food supplies, which have nothing to do with our current conversations. He usually starts these as new threads and pulls the list way out there into science fiction land. I think your existing policies are good and don't need changing. My beef is with Kurts obsession with conspiracy theories about chemtrails, vaccinations, and poisoned food supplies and his need to share that obsession with us over and over and his method of sharing which excludes argument. David At 12:03 AM 8/24/2008, you wrote: So, I'm open to specific suggestions or ideas. In light of the points I've made above, please tell me: How much traffic is too much? Off topic versus on-topic? Do you feel my basic policies need to be changed or updated? Should I do a better job of enforcing them? How, specifically? Should we stop answering non-CS-related health questions entirely? Should we ban *all* politics-related posts, no matter their importance? Or is the existing policy (brief, occasional, little or no discussion) good enough if it's enforced? Should I more vigorously police the "style" of certain messages so as not to scare new people off or annoy the regulars? Any other points you think I've not covered yet? Thank you for your patience, ladies and gentlemen. It's not a bad thing to air grievances and sound each other out every once in a while, though I *will* get riled if folks make a habit of spouting off their objections on the list instead of privately! -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
He does not go on about what he posts, but others do, so whose fault is it that the thread gets carried on? I suppose the answer is as always, moderation (no pun intended) in all things. dee I agree with Dee on this. I am very surprised at the way this thread was handled by the members of this list. I noticed that the person was attacked and nothing was really spoken about the message itself. I happened to be very interested in this as my husband came home and told me he heard somthing about it on the radio, my son came across a small blurb about it in the local newspaper and I found another article from another source in my inbox. Honestly, for the intellagence that is on this list, I was really hoping for some useful information since I happen to like feeding my family food that won't possibly eventually kill us. Especially since this popped up so quick with no heads up on this action. I think what disturbs me the most is that people here can make generators but not know how it use a delete key even when you say you know you can't stand a certain persons posts. I mean, nobody is *making* anyone read those posts. Commenting on the article itself, I don't like Mike Adams and the way he writes BUT there is usually some truth to what he writes about and it's up to me to figure out what is garage and to disregard it. At the moment, his article continued to back up other sources that showed up all in one day. I do hope that this list stays pretty much on the same course it has (thank you Mike) without all the bickering. Debbie -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Okay, I will put in my little piece too. I've been with the group for a few years now, and was recommended to join after I bought my CS generator. It has not been a disappointment. Mike is a great moderator. It's nice to feel that pretty much any subject can be raised, that there isn't someone in charge who has a strong opinion that weeds out any comments that don't fall in line with his own ideas. He will act behind the scenes if necessary, though. And people really helped me get the confidence with my CS making. We have lost some great members along the way, people in practice or with experience, who had very useful input. And new members have come along. My impression - and I haven't been keeping any vigorous survey - is that while people may join and inject a new feel foreign to the existing group for a while, they do in time get a feel for the group and kind of fit in. I can't keep up with every post all the time, so go largely by the subject lines. So if you don't look after your subject lines appropriately, you may not get read. But at least you got your comment off your chest, and you are not taking up valuable archives space, because there aren't any archives. And if anyone was consistently cross they would tend not to get read. Some groups are tightly moderated and done well and are useful, with watchful eyes kindly reminding transgressors of the rules, the manners, the subject lines, whatever. Some are not so much moderated as censored, so your comment may not even appear. This group must be just about the most comfortable there is. "Out there" in forum land there are some nasty characters who have to speak contemptuously of others' opinions in one way or another like some sort of internet bullies. We seem to be a pretty friendly bunch, pretty well mannered at least. The character and comments vary over time, as people come and go, and people who came to learn about CS and succeeded stay to chat about other things too. I think this is the group where I have had the biggest input on the widest range of subjects, and I've appreciated it. It has led me up many different paths, and some of you have consistently turned in posts so valuable you have your own box where your posts get preserved. Others of you have your posts forwarded to my private little share-circle of health buddies around the world, which is the equivalent of having a gold star stuck on your essay; these posts are also preserved. And as various ones remind us - the delete button works for when the sheer weight of input gets too much. Every now and then I think to myself that I really need to thin out my groups. But I know I will stick to my CS group. Daddybob has a policy whereby even if he is not active on a group, he remains a member and looks in every now and then. That's kind of what I do now - when a group gets less interesting, or if I feel the weight of posts too great, I set my preferences to no mail so that I can look in on the archives from time to time, or start to receive the mail again, and can still access any files they may have. Some groups I don't go "no mail" on are the Rife forum, microelectricity, Frex, Crock Lakhovsky and now DMSO (again). And the silver list of course. Thanks Mike. Speaking for myself. Rowena
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Dear Debbie: You are discussing everything but Colloidal Silver. Do you use it? Do you buy it or make it yourself? Faith G. - Original Message - From: To: Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2008 11:26 AM Subject: Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics... He does not go on about what he posts, but others do, so whose fault is it that the thread gets carried on? I suppose the answer is as always, moderation (no pun intended) in all things. dee I agree with Dee on this. I am very surprised at the way this thread was handled by the members of this list. I noticed that the person was attacked and nothing was really spoken about the message itself. I happened to be very interested in this as my husband came home and told me he heard somthing about it on the radio, my son came across a small blurb about it in the local newspaper and I found another article from another source in my inbox. Honestly, for the intellagence that is on this list, I was really hoping for some useful information since I happen to like feeding my family food that won't possibly eventually kill us. Especially since this popped up so quick with no heads up on this action. I think what disturbs me the most is that people here can make generators but not know how it use a delete key even when you say you know you can't stand a certain persons posts. I mean, nobody is *making* anyone read those posts. Commenting on the article itself, I don't like Mike Adams and the way he writes BUT there is usually some truth to what he writes about and it's up to me to figure out what is garage and to disregard it. At the moment, his article continued to back up other sources that showed up all in one day. I do hope that this list stays pretty much on the same course it has (thank you Mike) without all the bickering. Debbie -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
From this list I have learned to buy it, use it and make it myself. Am I to be attacked now? BTW, I have also been here for years. Debbie - Original Message - From: "Faith Gagne" To: Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2008 11:32 AM Subject: Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics... Dear Debbie: You are discussing everything but Colloidal Silver. Do you use it? Do you buy it or make it yourself? Faith G. - Original Message - From: To: Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2008 11:26 AM Subject: Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics... He does not go on about what he posts, but others do, so whose fault is it that the thread gets carried on? I suppose the answer is as always, moderation (no pun intended) in all things. dee I agree with Dee on this. I am very surprised at the way this thread was handled by the members of this list. I noticed that the person was attacked and nothing was really spoken about the message itself. I happened to be very interested in this as my husband came home and told me he heard somthing about it on the radio, my son came across a small blurb about it in the local newspaper and I found another article from another source in my inbox. Honestly, for the intellagence that is on this list, I was really hoping for some useful information since I happen to like feeding my family food that won't possibly eventually kill us. Especially since this popped up so quick with no heads up on this action. I think what disturbs me the most is that people here can make generators but not know how it use a delete key even when you say you know you can't stand a certain persons posts. I mean, nobody is *making* anyone read those posts. Commenting on the article itself, I don't like Mike Adams and the way he writes BUT there is usually some truth to what he writes about and it's up to me to figure out what is garage and to disregard it. At the moment, his article continued to back up other sources that showed up all in one day. I do hope that this list stays pretty much on the same course it has (thank you Mike) without all the bickering. Debbie -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
well.. I don't have time to edit this list of all the off topic stuff.. because people refuse to actually use the subject line properly you can't just wholesale delete.. I'm have many other responsibilities in my life.. I came here to learn about CS, not every other alternative health idea that comes to somebodies head.. so, I'm gone.. again... thanks to the folks who have actually taught me about CS... Helen --- Helen Martin Nanaimo, BC Vancouver Island, Canada http://mypage.uniserve.com/~hrmartin/ -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Hi gang, I've been on this list "forever", except for the long period of time when Comcast blocked it (stifling rant on that topic). I love this list! I think we have the best moderator on the 'net-kudos to you, Mike! I love getting all the varied bits of info that you nice people throw out for all the rest of us. And, yes, I do get a little crazed now and then when the "off topic" gets overwhelming. When my keyboard needs to be replaced, it will be because of the death of the delete key first. I have been on other lists where the moderation got so tight that the list eventually just died out. I hate to see that happen! Mike seems to step in when the heat gets quite high, and he manages to be so tactful that almost anyone can hang in there peacefully. If this were a referendum, I'd vote to keep the list as is-just reminding others about that wonderful little key called "delete"! Just my 1+1/2 cents worth, Sharon -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Well, I've been mulling this over -- and for me, I guess I've come to the conclusion that I pretty much like the list the way that it is. I agree that it's easy for a list to become stagnant if there's too much restriction of topic matter, and I think that the current rules and regs pretty well keep things under control. But I do understand David's position, and actually agree with his points regarding Kurt's posts -- but it's an easy matter to solve. David, if I understand you correctly, it's only Kurt's posts that bug you, yes? So when you open your inbox, you can check for and delete all of Kurt's incoming email. That way you don't have to read it. Or better yet, you can set your email program to block all of Kurt's mail so that it doesn't get into your inbox to begin with. Problem solved. I think that's more reasonable than asking Mike to spend ever more time trying to meet all of our individual needs. I do think that we all can do a better job of changing the subject line when we respond to posts and the subject matter is morphing. That way folks can more easily delete posts in their inbox in which they have no interest. I guess where this is leading me is that as list members we need to accept the responsibility for our own use of and participation in the list, rather than asking Mike to do it for us. MA -- Original message from David Bearrow : -- > Sir, > > It was not my intent to start a firestorm. For that I apologize. > Perhaps my blood sugar was a little low and I got cranky and > responded too quickly to Kurt's email. Normally I would wait a day > before hitting the send button and likely or not I wouldn't have sent > it or I would have heavily edited it. > > I think perhaps I did not put across exactly why I think that post > should not be on this list. There are certain conspiracy theories out > there that have a small basis in fact but then take the facts and > extrapolate out until they make good science fiction plots but are no > longer factual. Kurt invariably likes to copy and paste from websites > devoted to these conspiracy theories and post them to the list. I do > not mind the off topic health type questions. But Kurt does not post > questions, he proselytizes like a politician or priest about subjects > that cause division where ever they are discussed. If, in the course > of answering health related questions, those topics Kurt loves happen > to come up and in his own words he discussed them in relation to the > question then I would not object. Indeed, I would likely respond with > a counterpoint post. But it is his method to drop a copy/paste email > bomb out of the blue not in response to any current threads. This > type of post is not conducive to the conversation. One cannot create > a counter post as you would not be talking to the poster but to the > person who wrote the website Kurt is copying and pasting from and > that person will never see the counter post. > > If you have saved all the posts do a sort on kmilkowski. He started > posting 9-14-07. He consistently posts off topic about his 3 favorite > pet conspiracy theories chemtrails, vaccinations, and poisoned food > supplies, which have nothing to do with our current conversations. He > usually starts these as new threads and pulls the list way out there > into science fiction land. > > I think your existing policies are good and don't need changing. My > beef is with Kurts obsession with conspiracy theories about > chemtrails, vaccinations, and poisoned food supplies and his need to > share that obsession with us over and over and his method of sharing > which excludes argument.
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Well said Debbie, The bickering, bickering and more bickering is a waste of energy, time and thought; profiting no one. Peter - Original Message - From: To: Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2008 11:26 AM Subject: Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics... He does not go on about what he posts, but others do, so whose fault is it that the thread gets carried on? I suppose the answer is as always, moderation (no pun intended) in all things. dee I agree with Dee on this. I am very surprised at the way this thread was handled by the members of this list. I noticed that the person was attacked and nothing was really spoken about the message itself. I happened to be very interested in this as my husband came home and told me he heard somthing about it on the radio, my son came across a small blurb about it in the local newspaper and I found another article from another source in my inbox. Honestly, for the intellagence that is on this list, I was really hoping for some useful information since I happen to like feeding my family food that won't possibly eventually kill us. Especially since this popped up so quick with no heads up on this action. I think what disturbs me the most is that people here can make generators but not know how it use a delete key even when you say you know you can't stand a certain persons posts. I mean, nobody is *making* anyone read those posts. Commenting on the article itself, I don't like Mike Adams and the way he writes BUT there is usually some truth to what he writes about and it's up to me to figure out what is garage and to disregard it. At the moment, his article continued to back up other sources that showed up all in one day. I do hope that this list stays pretty much on the same course it has (thank you Mike) without all the bickering. Debbie -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Hey Mike! Cut the silverlist traffic by a third by starting another sub-list. Call it the "Bitch-Box"... For ALL complaints. Chuck Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position. On 8/24/2008 12:58:12 AM, M. G. Devour (mdev...@eskimo.com) wrote: > Hi folks, > > Thank you for sharing your opinions, as I requested. I hope that those > that are threatening to leave will hang around long enough to see the > end of this discussion and take part in forming its results. > > A number of quite interesting points are being made, and others are > being demonstrated, although not by > anyone's specific remarks... > > One of the latter points this discussion shows, confirming over a > decade of experience for me, is that our group has been and always will > be divided between those who want more free-flowing discussion and > others who want us to remain closer to the topic -- and neither group > will ever be completely satisfied with any compromise that I ever > strike between the two extremes! > > (Yes, there are folks who are pretty well satisfied in the middle > ground, too! ) > > So, on this first point, please let me offer a few remarks that I hope > will help everyone understand better what it takes to keep this forum > even half-way successful in its mission... > > ***POINTS TO PONDER > > Remember, first of all, that I don't > see messages before they go out! I > do all my "moderating" after the fact. I No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.7/1629 - Release Date: 8/23/2008 1:16 PM -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Thanks Dee!! :) dee wrote: > I go along with all that you say Mike, and appreciate your tolerance to > OT subjects. I for one am only on *this* list (and silverpets) and > because it *is* an alternative health list (when did *your* doctor > prescribe CS?) it is the only place I feel there may be someone with > enough knowledge or experience to help with other alternative health > matters. I am therefore grateful that these questions are allowed. I > also like to hear from people like Kurt because who knows what is going > on out there, and I for one like to be kept informed about what could be > happening. He does not go on about what he posts, but others do, so > whose fault is it that the thread gets carried on? I suppose the answer > is as always, moderation (no pun intended) in all things. dee > > M. G. Devour wrote: > > Hi folks, > > > > Thank you for sharing your opinions, as I requested. I hope > > that those > > that are threatening to leave will hang around long enough to see > > the > > end of this discussion and take part in forming its results. > > > > A > > number of quite interesting points are being made, and others are > > being > > demonstrated, although not by anyone's specific remarks... > > > > One of the latter > > points this discussion shows, confirming over a > > decade of experience for me, > > is that our group has been and always will > > be divided between those who > > want more free-flowing discussion and > > others who want us to remain closer > > to the topic -- and neither group > > will ever be completely satisfied with > > any compromise that I ever > > strike between the two extremes! > > > > (Yes, there > > are folks who are pretty well satisfied in the middle > > ground, too! ) > > > > > > So, on this first point, please let me offer a few remarks that I hope > > > > will help everyone understand better what it takes to keep this forum > > even half-way successful in its mission... > > > > ***POINTS TO PONDER > > > > Remember, > > first of all, that I don't see messages before they go out! I > > do all my > > "moderating" after the fact. I depend on EACH OF YOU to > > regulate your own > > behavior, consistent with the list rules and the > > culture I try to instill > > in the membership by public guidance and > > private coaching. Your > > self-control is the price I demand of you for > > the privelege of staying in the group. > > > > > > Next, one of the very first things I learned when I took over ownership > > > > of the list is that I would NEVER be allowed to stop ALL off-topic > > posting if our group were going to continue to accomplish what we > > should and > > could with our efforts. Here's why: > > > > Inevitably, easily half the questions > > people will ask have a non-CS > > related component: "Will CS cure...?" "My > > friend has ... will CS help?" > > "Does anybody know anything to do for ...? > > Whether CS is useful in each > > case or not, a lot of the time there are > > non-CS-related answers that > > these people need and deserve to hear. I've never > > prohibited non-CS- > > related information that might be able to HELP somebody. > > > > Other questions people ask have no relationship to CS to begin with, > > yet > > are obviously important or urgent for them, and frequently > > interesting to > > many of the rest of us. > > > > The guideline for these worthwhile off-topic > > discussions? Make them > > fairly brief, a day or two, giving out basic information > > and pointers > > to other resources so folks can continue their research > > elsewhere. > > > > For me to re-evaluate this fundamenal aspect of the list would > > require > > some pretty convincing arguments. Many members have just finished > > saying how much valuable stuff they've learned from the group on topics > > besides CS. I would not want those questions to go unanswered. > > > > Another point to > > consider is the members' responsibility to mold the > > discussion to their > > own needs. All new members are urged (in the > > instructions they receive upon > > joining) to ASK QUESTIONS in order to > > get the conversation moving in a > > direction that will help them. When > > they do this they normally get answers. > > If they don't, the conversation > > moves on without them. > > > > This is not an > > organized lecture series, where you can sit back > > passively and have all > > your questions answered, but rather more like a > > cocktail party, with folks > > milling around and talking amongst > > themselves. Anyone who wants to pick up > > the microphone and ask a > > question about the main topic is welcome to do so, > > and they'll get > > plenty of help as long as they need it. > > > > If I demanded > > that everybody sit quietly until somebody asks a proper > > question, it would > > be a very different place, and I think we'd lose a > > whole lot mor
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Wow! Seems it's been a busy weekend for da list!! My "vote" would be to leave the list "as-is". There are a lot topics I learn from that I didn't know I wanted/needed to know about until someone else brought them up. On the other hand, if there are topics I'm not interested in, I do know how to use the delete button. Kurt usually puts enough in the subject line to know if it's a topics of interest or not, so read or "delete". No commentary is asked for nor required on any of his postings. Seems to me the topics are prolonged by complainers, whiners, etc., whereas the topic would naturally have ended if no comments had been posted. Just my opinion. But then I always respect others' willingness to learn and be open about and have differing opinions regarding various topics. The one thing that irritates me are direct attacks from one member to another because "they aren't doing it right". Those tend to drag things on and on and on. And since we have such a GREAT leader to moderate these things for us, why burden yourselves with "patrolling the troops"? Bottom line: Mike does a fabulous job and I vote to keep things as they are. I like learning about new things! Ruth
Re: CS>[List Owner] Some comments and statistics...
Hey thanks, Ruth! You're my newest bestest friend! Ruth Bertella wrote: > Wow! Seems it's been a busy weekend for da list!! > > My "vote" would be to leave the list "as-is". There are a lot topics I learn > from that I didn't know I wanted/needed to know about until someone else > brought them up. On the other hand, if there are topics I'm not interested > in, I do know how to use the delete button. Kurt usually puts enough in the > subject line to know if it's a topics of interest or not, so read or > "delete". No commentary is asked for nor required on any of his postings. > Seems to me the topics are prolonged by complainers, whiners, etc., whereas > the topic would naturally have ended if no comments had been posted. Just my > opinion. But then I always respect others' willingness to learn and be open > about and have differing opinions regarding various topics. The one thing > that irritates me are direct attacks from one member to another because "they > aren't doing it right". Those tend to drag things on and on and on. And > since we have such a GREAT leader to moderate these things for us, why burden > yourselves with "patrolling the troops"? > > Bottom line: Mike does a fabulous job and I vote to keep things as they are. > I like learning about new things! > > Ruth -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour
