What to do about off-topic/inappropriate postings?

[Guest guest]

Each newsgroup has a specific topic and anything not related to the topic is

considered off topic and technically should be labeled so. It has always

been a problem and always will be a problem on all newsgroups that people

will sometimes post OT articles. The problem with OT posts is that it makes

the group less useful to those only there for information on the intended

topic of the group.

In the case of our group, it is not cut and dried. We're not talking about

1957 engines and how they work. We're talking about a group of people that

share the same illness, but unfortunately that illness can have impacts on

every facet of our lives. It affects our families, our friends, our

careers, our hobbies, our past, out future, and presents challenges to

everything we do in life.

So how do we distinguish between what is on and off topic when it affects us

in so many ways?

Cooking cannot be considered off topic because we all need to cook and may

need special tools to help. Many suggestions have been made here to make

life easier in the kitchen which can benefit someone that needs help.

Recipes are technically off topic, but if they help someone find a better

way to prepare food, is it really off topic?

Our families and how they cope or don't cope cannot be considered off topic

because our families directly influence how we cope as an individual.

Having a helpful partner makes a big difference. Having kids that help

rather than make life more difficult can mean a lot to an arthritic that

struggles to care for them the best way they can. Living in a stressful

situation will cause flares and many times coming here to vent is very

helpful. So I guess we can't consider our family lives off topic either.

Poetry is sent in to help others feel better. We even have a poet in our

group that writes poetry specific to a member's crisis in attempts to make

them feel better. Even JOKES are meant to cheer us up, so how do we

say they are off topic if they are meant to bring a smile to someone dealing

with pain?

Our jobs are not off topic because arthritis affects how we continue to work

while disabled. Maybe someone needs help in deciding if permanent

disability is the right option. Maybe someone feels a little better and

wants to try working part time.

Death, divorce, disability, illness, financial difficulty, homelessness, no

access to meds, all these types of things will alter the course of our

disease and possibly our access to doctors and medicines.

As you see, and I have our work cut out for us if we are going to try

to make decisions as to what is or isn't acceptable. There are some things

that are clear cut and can be labeled OT, making it easier for those that

want to create message rules to filter it out.

I would appreciate if chain letters never were sent. I haven't seen one yet

that had any truth to it. After it is posted, or I will go to

hoaxbusters or a similar site and post the information verifying it is a

hoax, which creates more junk mail. And then there are responses to the

chain letter which creates more junk mail. So please don't post them at

all. If you are really concerned about it, sent it to or myself and we

will find out if it's fact or fiction and post it if it's beneficial to the

group.

If you see an inappropriate posting in our group, please refrain from

following up with a posting complaining that such postings are inappropriate

or off topic. Consider that if a mere 1% of the members of this group were

to do so, it would generate 8 more complaint emails, each of which would

also be off topic. That is besides the hurt feeling the complaining cause.

If you are bothered by something going on in our group, please write

privately to either or myself.

Basic courtesy is all that we ask. Have respect for members that don't have

the time to read every post and is only looking for medically related posts.

Marking your subject as close to the topic as you can will help readers

filter the email. Put in the letters OT for jokes, poems, recipes or

anything else obviously not related to rheumatic diseases or the life we

live with them.

But most of all and more important than anything else, be kind and

understanding to our fellow members. Forgive us if we forget. We're

medicated, stressed, worried, depressed, hopeful, anxious, fearful........

This group has been in existence for around 7 years when it started on

onelist, and rules are one thing I shy away from if I can help it. I had

to many of them as a kid and I'm not going to take it anymore!!!! I know we

can coexist in peace and harmony because we are a great bunch of people

brought together to find ways to deal with a life altering disease.

a

> Perhaps and a can clarify. I consider jokes, poems and

> recipes to be clearly OT. I previously thought posts about us and

> our personal lives were on-topic. RA and other medical issues our

> members have certainly affect our jobs, our families and every

> aspect of our lives. ? a?

>

> Jennie

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