On Thu, 13 Jan 2000, maxdog wrote:
> unmediated to avoid bias. Now we have the bias of whoever yells loudest and
> longest.

Been there, heard that.  If that's what they want make it a usenet
newsgroup and have at it.
>
> The really annoying part is that the flames a cyclical, the same old stuff keeps

Of course they are cyclical, they always are in my ten years of
observation.  On some lists it will run its course in three or so days and
disappear, on others has to be stopped by the owner.  Course the same
thing can flare up again when someone mentions a "hot"term or concept.
Being firm about no flames nor incititing to such can go a long way
toward maintaining vigorous disussion in a more or less civil manner.

> coming back around. In my opinion there are two types of flame wars. There are the
> ones where two sides disagree, call each other names, then retreat to their corners
> agreeing to disagree. The other is much worse. This is the one where someone has an
> agenda or is on a mission. Those people don't give up, they are out to "convert"
> the other side with an almost religious zeal. It is the focus of their lives. And
> they are going to cram their ideas down your throat no matter what.

You hadn't said but I suspected a list of that type.  A blues list.  Lord
save me from the fanatics on such lists; have dealt with them and don't
much like it.  Tell you what, chat with Maureen LeBlanc, Dylan list, she
has been through everything you describe for years and I have spelled her
as listowner at times when she has been exhausted and her husband in the
hospital.  I value what I like to think is my sanity too much to engage in
such lists on any long term basis. But, here we see the backing of the
host site: Jim dismissed out of hand "first amendment" gripes against
Maureen, just more piffle to toss in the bit bucket.

> Yeah but I think we can weed them out easily enough if the host would stand behind
> us.

Maybe possible, if your host will back you.  Seems you need to convince
the powers at your host that the list finally has a concientious listowner
and no real risk to the host long as the host supports the listowner when
he is properly dong his job.

Douglas