[CRS_META] declined: CR Society - global warming topicality

[Tim C.]

This is my off-list message below.
-Tim C.


micro wrote:
> Excuse me!???  That nut is allowed to post that global warming is
> fiction, but nobody is allowed to reply???  I don't think that's
> right.  You should censor his post.  If you don't censor his post,
> then you can not censor my direct reply.  This is outrageous.
> Who can I appeal to?
>
> M

Hi M,

To address your points one at a time:
"That nut is allowed to post that global warming is fiction, but nobody
is allowed to reply???".

All posts should meet our posting guidelines, in particular, the first
in this case:
http://www.calorierestriction.org/node/130

Specifically, your post was not topical to CR and was a personal attack.

You replied to Richard's comment,

	And since when does opposition to global warming hysteria --
	an opposition shared by thousands of distinguished scientists --
	discredit one's views on nutrition?

with

	You're nuts.  Global warming driven by human behavior has been
	accepted by 99.9% of scientists in the field for many years.
	You are of the same cloth as those who persecuted Galileo because
	of his evidence that the sun and planets did not go around the
	Earth, those who argued for Creationism over evolution, and those
	who claimed the moon landings were a Hollywood fake.

	Science lives or dies on the basis of facts and evidence, not
	political motivations.

	What makes me boiling mad is that thanks to the right wing nuts
	who prevented action on global warming for the past couple decades,
	it is going to end up costing us many times more to deal with the
	problem in a responsible way.  And Lord help us if we reach the
	'tipping point' before that happens!

	Yes, I have a Ph.D.

	M

Did Richard deny "global warming"? Your reply strongly suggests he did.
If my facts are mistaken and people are abusing the list to discuss global
warming (to the exclusion of CR, without topical content, or in a manner
detracting from CR content), the course of action is to moderate their posts
and decline to post as suited.

"I don't think that's right.  You should censor his post."

We cannot unsend any email.  One of the thread participants has been added
to our moderated posters but that is related to a "trim" issue not
topicality (but that will be watched too).

"If you don't censor his post, then you can not censor my direct reply."

There is a stated goal of maintaining topicality on the CR Society list
but the resources for this are limited.  I thought favjr's comment was
appropriate, "Sorry I hit a nerve on the global warming issue, but this
isn't the place to get into the substance of that."

"This is outrageous. Who can I appeal to?"

The Meta list is a good start ("Issues Related to List Rules/Management
and the CR Society"):

http://lists.calorierestriction.org/mailman/listinfo

Your first post was declined by our other moderator, Jack, and I declined
this one this morning:

	At this point in the progression of science, those who deny that
	our species is generating massive global warming are in a similar
	position to those who feel the Earth is flat ...
	
	M

If your post would be the last post on the subject, then it might worth-
while to permit even if not topical.  The reality is people will discuss
it and those who were compared to creationists and moon-landing hoaxers
may then demand their comments on the issue.  A descendant of Galileo's
inquisitors could take offense at comparison to global warming deniers.

CR Society list members have a reasonable expectation that we attempt to
maintain topical discussion.

-Tim C.