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[David Skolnik]

So who'se most egregiously responsible for this 
first-lather-of-the-year?  Blaming Jim Bryant is too easy but would 
certainly be enjoyable.

My vote, however, would go to Horace, who not only cowardly attempts 
to shift the blame for his utterly failed effort to  lighten the mood 
to the inadequacies of email as an effective form of communication, 
but then attempts to use that self-same medium to convey ideas which 
would clearly be better absorbed by our average reader in a format 
akin to American Splendor.

But really, here's the deal:

There are a couple of issues embedded within this thread.

Unlike the web-based format, which attempts to restrict each forum to 
a narrow focus, this list is, for the most part, subject-inclusive, 
with the exception of OT (discouraged), issues clearly unique to 
institutional venues (CAUT), and PTG business (PTG-L)  While the 
web-based site has a list dedicated to issues regarding the site's 
own functionality, this list must exercise its metacognitivity in 
situ.  We share our pleasures and displeasures with each other and, 
on some level, we presume or hope, with those responsible for its 
maintenance.  It would be perfectly reasonable to grouse to, and 
about them, normally. however, this relationship is complicated in 
that these administrators also serve in a official capacity in the 
PTG organization.  The confusion derives from our own perceptions of 
the 'ownership' and mission of this list, as Horace alluded to.

This list originated and persisted for many years outside the purview 
of PTG, although  likely most of its pioneers were guild members.  It 
has been hosted by a number of venues before alighting @ptg.org.  To 
my knowledge, there was never a tiered level of participation, 
distinguishing between members and non-members. If I am correct about 
this, then all this stuff about non-members not having an equal right 
to voice an opinion about the way the list functions is bogus.

The rub, so to speak, is the indistinctness of the line between what 
is list business and what is PTG business.  This obfuscation is not 
new...we have engaged in it for years, and we continue to do 
so.   This thread was walking the line until, I regret to say, Ryan 
stepped unmistakably over it in expressing opinions that related 
specifically to the politics of the organization.

 From that point on, there were a number of sub-threads:

Technical pros/cons of old vs. new list
Conjecture on the organizational dynamics and their impact on how the 
list communication issues will be addressed
What this list is and who has what rights?
Membership in PTG - obligation? benifits?

And then, there's Duaine.
Whatever justification there may be for the animosity that has 
accrued over the years, to the newer, objective reader, the stuff 
that gets directed at him is nothing but nasty.  Admittedly, Duaine 
brought this upon himself for his "horse-wipped" comment, which, 
while expressing some of the frustration shared by many of the list 
members, managed still to err in two significant ways:
1) In the charged political climate this country has been and is 
currently experiencing,  the comment was much too close in tone to 
those like Rick Perry's,  about Ben Bernanke "...we would treat him 
pretty ugly down in Texas".
2) It is inappropriate for a non-guild member to comment on the 
organizational politics, HOWEVER,

we had already blurred the line but discussing membership or Board 
issues on this list.  That was also inappropriate.  If Clarence 
Thomas can't see the 'conflict of interest' lines, why should Duaine 
be able to?

His next post was also over the line, in its use of CAPS, which, in 
the context of email, is aggressive, and the use of 'wtf', which is 
yellow flag time.

All of the rest of this aside, it seems like we need to do some 
'intervention' to work out this 'Duaine' thing.  He may have some 
legitimate points mixed in with the seeming provocativeness.  They 
need to be worked out in the right way, in the right place.  For this 
sort of thing to persist de-legitimizes everything else we profess to 
honor about this list.

See, I told you it was all Horace's fault.

Cheers
David Skolnik








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