Sorry about the GUEST prefix, and I'm sorry I haven't been able to respond to anyone who's addressed me in this thread recently: my computer's been off-line since mid-morning Thursday; today's the first chance I've had to read any threads since then. So this post is going to be long...sorry again.

First of all, Joe, thank you very sincerely for removing your 16-Jul-01 post from the FAQ. Please do continue to let your opinions be known in the Forum. They are interesting to read, and apparently they sometimes spark lively discussion!


To Wolfgang: I'm pleased to see that you are reading my posts in various threads. I do wish, however, that you would read them more carefully before commenting on them. You wrote in the other "Dear Joe" thread: "...As for how easy it is to construct inconsistencies in argumnetation, I'll do it with you for instance. You wrote 'Please, Joe, don't prohibit us from asking for good thoughts or expressing our support. If you make it a hard-and-fast rule that we need to do so through private messages only, then please say so in the FAQ with a blueclickey reference to some starting points to do so, for the benefit of GUESTs and new members who won't know better.' Hasn't he done that and you're still not contented?"

No, Wolfgang, Joe had NOT made a hard-and-fast rule in his 16-Jul-01 post to the FAQ; he had made it very clear that he was expressing his opinion and suggesting guidelines, and I made it very clear in my comments about his post that I was aware that it did not contain hard-and-fast rules. So I don't see your point in pulling that quote of mine. (By the way, I AM contented that Joe's post is off the FAQ, and happy that it still lives on the "Dear Joe" thread where people can read it and take his suggestions under consideration. If, with Max's blessing, Joe HAD made some rules for posting to the Forum, I would follow them.)

Wolfgang, you also say, "...Your accusation of [Joe]turning the FAQ into a private platform and deleting what he doesn't like is mean and wrong." I admit that I may have gone too far with that comment. Joe, I apologize.


To Jim Dixon: Thanks for your compliment about my being articulate. I are reel emmbarsed cuz yew thanks i kin takk gud.

In response to the points you raise: *deep breath* (1)I suppose that all, or at least most, people want freedom & responsibility (although dictators and other nasties across the world don't seem to want it for other people, just themselves). I was trying to say that the FAQ/Newcomer's Guide should be consistent, not that Joe himself should be. (2) Yep, he ascribed the "civil anarchy" policy to Max, the "Ultimate Authority" and the man who runs Mudcat. I was saying that the FAQ should state Max's policy, not Joe's opinion about it. (3) No, the Newcomer's Guide is not scripture or law... but Joe's comment seemed to me to be too strong for a "guide". (4) I certainly had no intention of treating Joe's word as law, but I think Max's policy should be treated as policy. ("screwed"? C'mon, play nice!) (5) Yes, actually, a consistent set of rules and/or guidelines WOULD make me happy and I'd stick to 'em; see my comment to Wolfgang in this post. (6) Opinions on the "right" amount of BS in the Forum vary, and I have no suggestions or even desire to reduce it; I just don't think the FAQ is the place for BS. Again, thanks to Joe for removing it. (7) I was afraid of possible future abridgement of that freedom. I've lived my whole life in the Philadelphia PA area, "The Cradle of Liberty", where I'm constantly reminded of people who spoke out and fought and died for the sake of "unalienable rights" like freedom of speech, so I dearly want to protect those rights. (8) 'Scuse me? The threads addressed to Joe are focusing too much on Joe??? *G* I understand what you're saying, so if you want to see a thread that focuses on the issue itself... in the immortal words of Steve from Blue's Clues, "You know what to do!"


Whew! Enuff arreddy! I'm DONE with talking about this whole subject (though if someone says something else to fire me up, I may come back to it). I'm off to check out the latest SONG CHALLENGE! See ya!

SharonA