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Posted By: Joann

No Leon - it's not the board's fault. I think some of the problems arise because this board is so completely successful at what it sets out to do. There are a lot of people here that are very passionate, very knowledgeable, and very regular contributors. It's not a post-once-fly-by kind of forum. It's inevitbable that people in such frequent close contact would start squabbling - probably frequently. But that's part of the success. People do these things and, for the most part, continue to return. Where else in society would you have such very, very different people continue to return to find common ground with one another in between the flame wars? I really do think this is a unique thing.

I also think that Leon has just the perfect temperament to be moderator. I always marvel at the delicate balance he finds on the censorship issue. He lets it go, enforces non-anonymity rules for controversial posts, and if he is going to lock something down he gives warning. That really contributes to the positive aspects of the board, and even the extent to which Leon's "all are welcome" philosophy leads to flaming, I still think that's what helps keep the board so complete and so diverse.

To me the analogy is a bar and Leon is the bartender. Ignore geographic impossibilities for now, but suppose it's a bar that everyone can get to easily. Rich people and less rich people, conservatives and liberals, grading fans versus raw-philes - all of it - come together night after night and talk cards. And arguments break loose and there's insults, name calling, whatever, and yet this same strange and completely different group of people continue to show up and talk cards.

Can you imagine such a thing? Of course not - but that's what we have here.

And to get back around to point - to Leon's question - if someone decides they aren't going to show up anymore, is that somehow the bar's fault?

Nuf ced.

lol

Joann