From: crb7q@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Cameron Randale Bass)
Subject: Re: Moderator Fitness
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 20:38:20 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.184710.2906@coe.montana.edu> uphrrmk@terra.oscs.montana.edu (Michael Kellen) writes:
>The current referrendum states the charter of the proposed sci.physics.research,
>which includes in part:
>
>"  [the moderators] will only reject clearly inappropriate postings, and will
>accept any that has serious physics content or that is likely to be of interest
>to an audience of professional physicists.  Clearly inappropriate postings
>include:
>
> ***>>  (1) Personal attacks;
>        (2) Discussion that isn't about or related to physics;
>        (3) Multiple responses that all say the same things; and
>        (4) Crackpot postings that are "not even wrong."              
>
>The moderators are:
>       John Baez (jbaez@math.mit.edu)
> ***>> Dale Bass (crb7q@virginia.edu)  <<***
>       Bill Johnson (mwj@beta.lanl.gov)
>       Lee Sawyer (sawyer@utahep.uta.edu)                                "
>
>  (All ***>>'s are mine, placed for emphasis)
>
>
>In sci.physics, crb7q@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Cameron Randale Bass) writes:
>
>>    [quoted article by Jack Sarfatti deleted]
>>
>>     Yes, but at least I know how to work *my* spell checker.
>>
>>     You crack me up, Jack.  But just for you, I promise I'll *never*
>>     offer to moderate a physics gorup.
>>
>
>
>  I must point out that whatever one's opinions of Mr. Sarfatti's physics, the
>issue raised about the qualifications of moderators does fall within the
>category of a valid and important discussion.
>
>  It gives me great misgivings to see a proposed MODERATOR violating one of the
>principles he will supposedly be responsible for enforcing, namely screening
>personal attacks out as a waste of bandwidth.  While I realize that this is not
>the proposed newsgroup, one would hope that a MODERATOR would naturally follow
>the netiquette of confining useless flames to eMail, and would not try to 
>obscure a valid point (ie, what does a mathematician know about physics
>research?) with an (un)professional & personal attack.

     I was trying to *make* a valid point, and it had nothing to 
     do with spelling. 

>  Lastly, this ain't a comp.* group. While typos & mispellings can distract,
>not all readers/authors are computer gurus.  Again, Mr. Bass's attack is 
>inappropriate, and raises questions as to his impartiallity.

     Actually, I was calmly pointing out that knowledge of 
     the use of the computer is arguably a more important skill in
     the context of moderating a new group than the acquisition of 
     a higher degree.  

     And it may raise questions about my sense of humour in this forum, 
     though that particular idiom is certainly inappropriate for the new
     forum.

     I would also like to point out in a calm, sedate manner,
     that Mr. Sarfatti's posting was rife with substantive error indicating
     an extreme misreading and misunderstanding of the fairly
     clear professional credentials presented in the CFV.

                             dale bass

-- 
C. R. Bass                                          crb7q@virginia.edu        
Department of Mechanical, 
     Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering
University of Virginia                              (804) 924-7926