This is what I think:
    Most of us who subscribe to shell newsletters and magazines, avidly devour
the ads because they may have something we are interested in. Leave the book
ads, the shell ads, the travel ads IN. Just keep OUT the ads for arthritis
relief, quilting and tuperware parties, stock options, and those damn flying pig
notices.
        Art


Mail wrote:

> Tom, well put first of all,
>
> Second:
> I am sorry to keep this thread alive, but I must respond to the list on
> this. After reading all of the replies on this subject, it seems to me that
> it is ok to post some (commercial) things, but not others.  To the
> academically inclined, it seems ok to post items related to new books
> (commercial advertising), but not related to shell collecting trips.  I take
> exception to this line.  I personally AM interested in this subject as well,
> which is one of the reasons I subscribe to the list in the first place-so I
> can be provided with, and subjected to, as much shell related data as
> possible. Having a short message with a link to a site with shell trips (or
> other items of interest) is welcome. As welcome as a message that has a link
> to someone's museum site in their address line (Commercial advertising, none
> the less) the note saves me time, and I need that.
>
> While I certainly do not want to be inundated with spam advertising, there
> has been no objection in the past to postings (from commercial vendors) that
> say "check out my new site" or similar.  Where do we draw the line?  Who
> gets to draw it?  If some people get to advertise written material, then
> others should be able to plug their site as well.
>
> We need to be responsible adults who can choose to read, consume, or discard
> the messages we find. I don't read every piece of mail either. And I am not
> insulted by messages that of no interest. I came here because of my love for
> shells and shell collecting.
>
> Period.
>
> Feel free to contact me at the address below
>
> ///////////////////////////////////////////////
> James I. Movich
> Long Beach, CA
> [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Thomas E. Eichhorst
> Sent: Friday, March 03, 2000 9:24 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Controversy
>
> The rules are very short and easy to understand.  Check out:
>
> http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/CONCH-L/CONCH-Lrules.html
>
> Or if you want a condensed version:
>
> 1. NO Commercial Advertising (Very Important!!!)
> 2. NO Big Files or 'Attached' Files (won't let you do it anyway)
> 3. NO Off-Topic Postings (uh huh)
> 4. NO Flaming (even if I do get a chuckle out of most like this)
>
> Thankfully, Amy doesn't act like an overbearing cop and lets the list
> self-police itself as much as is possible.  Every now and again she has had
> to step in, but most infractions are inadvertent.  In my view a notice of
> something like a new book or special event is not the same as commercial
> advertising.  It's a slippery slope but we seem to have held to a pretty
> reasonable standard for the past few years.  In fact, the only real hassles
> have been an occasional missive that tends to be a bit of a flamer.  As I
> understand it the commercial ban has as much to do with the institution that
> hosts Conch-L (free of charge).  We are graciously hosted by Georgia Museum
> of Natural History (GMNH) and their rules as well as Georgia law specifiy
> that a public service type site such as Conch-L is not allowed commercial
> advertising.  So some of the rules are "let's be nice" types and others are
> legal requirements.
>
> Now, let's get back to shells.
>
> Thomas Eichhorst
> 4528 Quartz Dr. N.E.
> Rio Rancho, NM 87124-4908
> USA