Re: Old worn thread- was Raw Food Perspective

[Guest guest]

>

> I've considered asking the handful of people that post a

> disproportionate number of messages to keep their posts to, say,

three

> per day. This would allow for self-expression while imposing

> restraint. Of course has no way to manage this automatically

and

> it would give me more work than I really want to handle.

>

> What do you think?

>

Well, as one who has joined the belaborers, I'm probably not

objective on the subject. But speaking as internet geek who works in

computers, I don't think asking people to reduce their posting is a

good idea. As message boards start to hit a 'catch fire' a real

community can be formed. I used to play a certain video game that now

bores me, but I still post to one of the boards because I know and

like the group. Over time the more prolific posters start to get to

know each other and make up the foundation of the community. If

people limit their postings this will remain a 'drop in and ask about

grass-fed butter' group. I think overall a strong community here

would help the WAP movement grow.

Having said that, discussion groups can get nasty. Here is my advice

on dealing with this. I can be an abrassive personality at times, so

this applies to me just as much as anyone else!

1. Don't allow anonymous posters. Require that everyone post with

their full name, which must corroborate their email address. You may

even want to forbid using free email services like hotmail (which I

use, btw). People with anonymous accounts are usually either passing

trolls that just want to cause trouble, and regular posters with a

second account that want to cause trouble.

2. Have a no personal attacks policy and make it visible. Email

people a private warning when they violate it. Temporarily ban people

if they violate it a second time, and after a third strike ban them.

3. Try to recruit other moderators. The ideal moderator should be a

regular poster who is even tempered, gets along with everyone, and

does not usually participate in heated threads except perhaps to try

and make peace. Don't recruit new posters as moderators because

sometimes as people feel more veteran they often get more aggressive

about 'their turf'. Wait until you really have a feel for them first.

I know myself - I've never tried to become a moderator on any of the

boards I frequent.

4. Set up a private email list just for the moderators so they can

all be on the same page.

5. In cases where a topic is getting too hot but people aren't really

doing anything that would merit a warning, just summarily delete the

topic.

I use the message board for reading this group and not the email, so

I don't know what to do about the traffic spamming up people's

emails. Overall I think more traffic is a good thing - it means the

word is getting out!

just my $0.02

[Guest guest]

Hiya!

I think that when a thread becomes a dialogue it should be capped.

So when one person posts 5 posts, all about different and interesting

things, that is very different from the same two people talking about a

single issue. I don;t want to silence interesting and informed people, I

just want to limit repetition. Few minds are changed by such dialogues.

Actually, I would ask people to self-limit " ideological " emails, but NT

specifics and information and practice be limitless.

Ramit

[Guest guest]

emails. Overall I think more traffic is a good thing - it means the

> word is getting out!

>>

>>>>>>>>>>>Dennis writes: I agree. I've read approximately 300 posts

since joining earlier in February, 2002 and the RAF thread was a bit

interesting but overall mere confusion for me. Dennis Kemnitz

Authentic Farmer and BS Food Science, 1977

[Guest guest]

s_lederman wrote:

> Are you annoyed with the conversations that seem to consume much of the

> list

> energy? If so, what should I do?

>

This group became interesting to me only recently. I've learned a lot from it

and my horizons and intellectual freedom expanded, and I would be saddened if

those who have something new and helpful to say would be limited to X

messages per day, get bored and leave this group.

Like , I wouldn't want this group to turn into " Where to get this and

that " group. If somebody has a problem with somebody or some topic, pressing

Delete button seems like a good compromise that would get rid of unwanted

messages and allow others to enjoy intellectual discussions. One could also

opt for using a filter to drop messages from a particular poster one doesn't

like.

I consider this list, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, a lively, interesting, thought

provoking, and civilized at the same time group, and I don't see a smallest

need to step in to moderate it.

Roman

[Guest guest]

My two cents:

I think it would be a big mistake to place limits on certain people's

posts to this list. I, for one, have really enjoyed the discussions

lately, and the increased volume has not bothered me one bit.

Actually, I'm glad to see more people joining and becoming active

participants. Sure, different and unusual topics will come up

occasionally and may not be interesting to everyone, but I don't see

that as detracting from this group as a whole. We all have one

common goal of better health and a better food supply and I still see

this goal portrayed in most of the posts to this list. You may not

be comfortable with so many health related issues being brought to

the group, but I find that they are very helpful to me and give alot

of useful information.

A group of moderators may be necessary if this group continues to

grow. In fact, I would be really concerned if this group DIDN'T

grow! I'm thrilled at all the new folks and feel that each one of us

has much to contribute. There is nothing stopping anyone from

starting a new topic if they don't care to discuss parasites or some

such thing.

I remember the days when there would only be 5 messages to read for

the day...and remember thinking, " I can't wait for this group to get

more active and get into the nitty-gritty health issues and

such " ...Now, I'm learning how this diet can be modified for the

terminally ill, how to remineralize teeth, and other health related

issues are coming up and it's so wonderful! Even the soil fertility

topics are extremely fascinating to me and I long to know more.

Weston Price's research is just so incredibly important that for us

to want to limit this group in any way or discourage people from

posting is counterproductive to getting his message out! People NEED

to know this stuff! And we NEED a forum to discuss these things.

I'm a member of about 20 now (not that I keep up with

them all...) and this group is by far my favorite and I look forward

to reading the posts each and every day...

Thanks for listening to me,

Becky

> > " The Weston Price Movement is a big tent, with room for

> > the followers of the Masai and the Eskimos *as well as* the

> followers

> > of other less raw food oriented groups...

> >

> > Nourishing Traditions, and it is certainly worth exploring, at

> least

> > for some of us. "

> >

> > I am not the moderator here however as I do completely agree with

> > both of the above statements and have found value in SOME of this

> > ongoing saga that is " to raf or no to raf too much " .

> >

> > I must say that raf is certainly worth exploring as " bianca "

states

> > however this entire thread and those related to it have far

exceeded

> > the realm of " exploring " and I believe I can speak for at least a

> few

> > others on this forum when I say that it has moved long ago into

the

> > realm of b e l a b o r i n g

> > and it is old.