From my experience with many lists, the paleodiet list is one of the better
lists (by far) for being focused.  Thought the list may go a bit off topic from
time to time, I think it has remained remarkably on topic.  I'm not sure what
you mean by 'outright combat', by I enjoy 'lively discussion' :)  Though I
think personal insults should be kept out of the debate, I think it is
appropriate in this list to say you think an IDEA is stupid and then back it
up.  Respect should be given to the person, but here we have a semi-public
forum of ideas.  I think most would agree with me that we shouldnt have any
'sacred cows' (yum! :))  that should be safe from attack provided you have some
rational arguement. In a discussion list, I think the participants must not
take their challenges to their ideas personally, no matter how strong the
challenge.  From what I've seen through the years on this list, there are many
people that I will never reach agreement, but I certainly dont 'hate' them.
Some of the discussions on this list have changed my understanding of diet and
nutrition, some have strenthened my beliefs by challenging them, and some have
simply made me cry ;)  I think we have a wide range of backgrounds of people
that contribute to this list, and I DO find their input valuable irregardless
if I agree with them.  But I for one, would like to keep the discussion fairly
tight on paleo DIET.  As an example, I find discussions regarding evolution and
fundamentalist christianity tedious.  As someone who thinks that evolution is
proven beyond a shadow of a doubt and that the bible has little historic value
and questionable moral value, discussions that wander into those arenas would
generate alot of... off topic discussion. :)  There are plenty of other news
groups and mail lists for those topics.  Anyway, I just wanted to clarify to
you Molly that *I* do not want to *censor* you, but explain what I think is the
spirit of this mail list, to discuss the paleo diet.  Of course, Don Wiss is
moderator of the list and I apologize to him in advance for any headaches my
post may cause.  I've read it through a few times, and changed a few things...
I hope I was not offensive, it is not my intention.  I hope you continue to
post.

On Fri, 14 May 2004 20:44:07 +0000, Molly Kate McGinn wrote:

> On 14 May 2004 at 23:26, WADE REESER wrote:
>
> > The paleodiet list is suppose to only discuss the diet.
>
>
> well, that would be ok, if it happened. Given that this list seems rather
lacking in focus,
> except for what I have observed in the way of outright combat, perhaps it's
just too boring.
> But I will certainly stop posting while I make up my mind. I have plenty of
other discussions
> available to me. This one has been in my list a long time, that's all.
>
> Molly
>
>