At 11:03 PM 2000/06/08 -0400, bill parrette <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>....There is absolutely no PD content in this note at all...
>... Although I agree with you that the topic you replied to is far
>from off-topic in *any*  Internet  discussion-forum,  there  have
>been a few comments on-list about straying from the defined list-
>topic recently and I wanted to try to help those people  who  are
>only interested in Parkinson's Disease topics pass on this one if
>they wanted to...

i'm sure you know as a list-owner
that 1900 members means 1900 different opinions

based on my experience
as both a silent and a vocal list-member
and as a co-list-owner here for a few memorable months this time last year,
i feel that the only opinion that really 'counts' in these matters
[aside from my own conscience] is our list-mom's [yea barb patterson!]
and i don't think her 'list-rules' are that restrictive
[they are available on my site in the newbie section]

since we are all doing something here that no one has ever done before
- sure there are other interest list groups
but not a parkinson support group like this
especially not one that started in 1993! -
for a lot of us, this list is what has kept us plugging away as 'newbies'
to the computer- and cyber-worlds despite sometimes
seemingly insurmountable technical difficulties
and
seemingly endless 'stupid' mistakes by other, newer 'newbies'

helping each other understand this new medium in any way
whether it's
cyber-crimes and misdemeanours
or
the latest parkinsn wwwebsites
or
listserv instructions
or
word 97 buttons
or
ascii text,
it's all grist for our 'information exchange' skills
and only makes us stronger as a 'cyber-family'

if we post humour
someone complains
if we don't post humour
someone complains
if we post spirituality
someone complains
if someone complains about posting spirituality
someone complains
if we post 50 messages a day
someone complains
if we post 5 messages a day
someone complains
if we don't post at all
someone complains

the trick is, imho of course, and in my experience,
remembering that for every one complainer
there are at least ten "hear! hear!"-ers
who are silent supporters

sadly, we all tend to find it 'easier' or more 'comfortable'
to hand out criticism rather than praise
to tear others down rather than
to build others up

there seems to be 'a fear of losing' something in giving praise
and a feeling of 'superiority' in dishing out non-constructive criticism

i am learning that
no one of us is 'superior' or 'inferior'
that there is nothing to lose and everything to gain

ooops,
i got onto a rant there myself didn't i?


>What  is so different about the 'Net that these creeps get off
>scott-free?...

absolutely nuthin!
except that there is no precedent in the history of the world
for what's happening here

>"...nothing you can do."
> Like hell there isn't!

huzzah!

>> does "privacy" equal "anonymity"? ...
> In a word, "!*NO*!"

huzzah!

>...  And, the abuse cycles on.
>This has got to stop!

huzzah!

>... " nobody can do a thing to me."
> This is wrong!

huzzah!

>> i feel no need for "privacy" or "anonymity" in this pd community ...
>I am a little more liberal than you on this point.
>I feel no need for anonymity in any forum....

same here! huzzah!
[i can't remember more than one user name and password anyway!]

>...I have very few skeletons in my closet, even fewer secrets to keep...

ahah!
reminds me of my 'hiding awareness?' mull the other day...
huzzah!


thanks for making me think
i think!


janet

janet paterson
53 now / 41 dx / 37 onset
613 256 8340 / PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada
visit my website "a new voice" at: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/