COG OWNERSHIP Moderator Rules of the Discussions

1) Messages will not be screened beforehand that flow into COG's OWNERSHIP discussions. After being posted, they will be read for basic rules of civil discourse, such as not attacking the messenger, name calling, using vulgar profanity, not staying on subject, etc. A moderator calls for human judgment, and my intention is not to interfere unless it's obviously called for as perceived by any common man or woman.

2) It appears a consensus exists for NOT posting across elists. Your messages and postings must stay on topic or respond to what someone poster earlier on COG's OWNERSHIP. Discretion will be exercised here also.

3) Enforcement of these rules will be as follows:

· First offense will be a brown card warning (patterned after soccer or football);

· Second offense--yellow card warning;

· Third and last offense--red card warning and the offending individual will be unsubscribed from OWNERSHIP discussions.

4) If someone was red-carded, they could apply to rejoin the discussions six months later. They could be afforded one last opportunity to demonstrate that they can participate in the electronic community by being civil in their postings. If they get brown-yellow-red carded again--they would be banned from OWNERSHIP discussions permanently.

5) Extremely offensive postings can be deleted from the archives. My intention is to use deletion as a last resort. People should be able to read how someone's writing got them into trouble--and hopefully learn from it. If I did delete any messages, I would always timely advise the group that the deletion was being done.

6) As moderator, I can be removed from my duties by a general consensus of the group, or after X-number of complaints to COG overseers at Kent State. If required, the details of this consensus can be built later if my actions warrant.

Thank you. ~~Steve Nieman, Brush Prairie, WA 09-05-05