From: merritt@macro.bu.edu (Sean Merritt)
Newsgroups: news.groups,sci.physics
Subject: Re: sci.physics.research: proposed panel of moderators
Date: 7 Jan 93 19:41:44 GMT
	<1993Jan7.004542.7517@galois.mit.edu>
	<1993Jan7.173127.1975@newshost.lanl.gov>
Followup-To: news.groups
Organization: Boston University Physics Department
In-reply-to: mwj@beta.lanl.gov's message of 7 Jan 93 17:31:27 GMT

In article <1993Jan7.173127.1975@newshost.lanl.gov> mwj@beta.lanl.gov (William Johnson) writes:



   In article <1993Jan7.004542.7517@galois.mit.edu> jbaez@riesz.mit.edu (John C. Baez) writes:
   >In article <1993Jan6.221804.14184@cs.yale.edu> jhh@waldzell.physics.yale.edu (Jim Horne) writes:
   >
   >>Mostly a good cast of characters, but like a few other people, I'm not sure  
   >>whether Dale Bass would be a good moderator.   
   >
   >Dale does tend to flame on but if he attempts to do so on
   >sci.physics.research I think the rest of us moderators can be counted on
   >to take action quite firmly.  (However, I have no idea if there is an
   >institutional mechanism for booting out bad co-moderators of newsgroups,
   >other than good old peer pressure.)

#   I'll second this, and go a bit further: If I had any reservations about the
#   ability of the other co-moderators to evaluate contributions to the new group
#   fairly and honorably, I would withdraw as one of the co-moderators myself, or
#   insist that the suspect co-moderator do so.

Baez has posted similar feelings. Fine you all share mutual admiration,
or at least respect. The will of the majority is however where
the power of the right of imposing imprimatur privilige.
The fact that you all may accept each other is has less weight
than that of everybody who may choose to participate.  

I am not closed minded, I do think there is a way of appeasing those
who have concerns about DB...

#   I am *not* withdrawing as a co-moderator, nor am I suggesting that Dale or
#   the others should do so.

I am suggesting that if DB doesn't someone else should. 3 people would
always reach a majority decision. With four there is the probability
of deadlock.(however slim it does exist)

#   Any questions?

No, it seems clear to me that you accept DB as a moderator. I do not based
on the original post explination of how things are to be.

			   * * *

#   Part of professionalism in any field is the ability to lay aside personal
#   grievances, personality quirks, etc., and do the job.  The considerable e-mail
#   that the prospective co-moderators have exchanged demonstrates clearly to me
#   that we all have a strong interest in doing this job right.  I too get 
#   irritated at some of what Dale says in sci.physics, but sci.physics.research is
#   going to be something different, and I am confident of his ability to put all
#   that stuff behind him and function honorably as a co-moderator.  If I wasn't,
#   I wouldn't make the above statements.

Fine words indeed. For the most part I agree with them, 
and if there are only 3 people I feel more comfortable with Dale 
being one of them. If there are 4 I feel much less so. 



-sjm

--
Sean J. Merritt		         | "Every revolt is a cry of innocence    
Dept of Physics Boston University|  and an appeal to the essence of being."
merritt@macro.bu.edu             | Albert Camus, The Rebel
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