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