Please do not grieve excessively for me in my bleak grey world, Lisa,
it isn't all that bad.  I don't go out looking for wrongs to right
nor suspect perfidy around every corner but I also no not shrink
from questioning that which seems to need questions.  Yeah, I as
a charter subscriber for SPAM-L when it split from LSTOWN-L so you have
me there, but I'm afraid I gave it up as a lost cause - I may rail against
reality but I do not fight it.

As to evil, I cannot say that I have encountered it in any listowner with
whom I have had dealings.  Misleading, scheming, manipulating, greedy,
lustful for power, etc., yes, and shame on me for having helped some of
them.  But I would not call even the worst of them evil, despite the
mental anguish they have inflicted on me and others.

If you want a net guardian you had best look elsewhere, 'casue I ain't it.
I'm guardian of my wife and family, my home and property (which includes
every last scorpion, cactus spine and wren feather), myself and my lists.
That is quite enough.  It does not, hoever, preclude asking questions if
I think questions should be asked.

There is always a bright spot in my grey limbo when I can get listowners
to engage in serious discussion of the philosophy of listownership, the
morals and ethics.  There are many different types of lists, established
for different legitimate reasons; appropriate listowner behaviour can be
influenced by this.  I find this fascinating and definitely worth
exploring.  Problem is every time we get a good discussion going (I know
of no better forum for this than LSTOWN-L) the gripes start coming to end
the boring philosophy thread or someone takes offense and the thread must
be cut to avoid a flame war.  I find that sad, in my drifting murk.  The
psychologists who are lurking (they are you know, sometimes they ask us
to answer questionnaires) are doubtless as fascinated by this as I am,
and that we cannot discuss what we do, how we do it and why we do it as we
do, without getting into fights, doubtles gives them much to theorize on.

Oh well, I imagine that is more than enough from the mud at the
bottom of the swanp.

Douglas