[APML] Re-subscribed, new e-mail address, and current issues

Hey all,

I unsubscribed for 2 reasons: 1. To protest the way a fellow list member was treated and 2. my old e-mail was getting so much junk and spam it was almost unuseable. Here is the new one: alanv12952@yahoo.com

I will still check the old one but those of you who keep track of these things may want to add the new and delete the old one.

About our list's charter. I'm not sure if I've ever seen it, but we have agreed in the past to allow CCD posts if marked OT and there is relevant processing information included. It's my understanding that it's OK if this information is located at the website where the CCD images are located.

To my thinking though, that is not the issue. The issue seems to be that certain members feel obligated to attack and criticise other members whenever the subject of CCD usage arises. If there is nothing in the charter to define proper list behavior toward other list members, then I feel there should be. It's not my duty to revise the charter as I see fit, and to be honest it seems that we as members should be self-regulating. We all know that there are a couple areas where this doesn't happen and things go all to hell. In the past, I have made attempts to police some areas and have asked members to stop the BS or take it off list. Sometimes these discussions were continued off-list. That's where they should have been originally. In almost all cases the members cooperated reasonably.

The bottom line here is that when things move past the point where civility is left behind, something needs to happen. I also feel that no member, despite his or her astrophotography background, should ever be run off this list because of their astrophotogaphic practices. That is not what we are all here for.

In that vein I have attempted to talk to the other list members whio have left, and have encouraged them to come back and participate. My guess is that some people who do not post regularly also left, if anyone knows who these might be, I'd like to request that you make an effort to contact them and convince them to return. I've also asked Rob Gendler to consider returning. Have not heard back form him though.

I made a mistake a few days ago by ignoring the way the thread was going. When I checked back later in the day all hell had broken loose and it was WAY too late for words, only action. I took what I think was the right course at the time to make a point. The point is that I, and many others are tired of the way certain discussions deteriorate into anarchy. And that we as a group need to be more respectful of all contributors on this list. We don't have to love everyone, but we do need to respect the values and opinons of others. If we can't do that in a public forum, we need to shut up or take it off list. Can anyone possibly disagree with that?

I neglected to mention Gene Horr's name the other day. He has always responde to my requests for equipment help and I think he runs an excellent list. Let's all give him a helping hand when needed so he doesn't have to deal with this stuff alone.