
 As some of you might know the enforcement of the rules on RIME depends on:

   1) Which way the wind is blowing.
   2) Who you're blowing.
   3) Who's blowing you.
   4) If Howard has anything to do with your problem, or even if he doesn't.
   5) If you've been a "repeat offender" or "first time offender" or just
      offended Howie.

 One poor soul recently had the misfortune of being classified as a "#4".
 All editors comments will be noted as such.

 ===========================================================================
 From: PETER FACCENDA               Refer#: NONE
   To: HOWARD BELASCO                Recvd: YES
 Subj: 30 day Suspension              Conf: RIME USERS
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

  -=> Quoting Howard Belasco to Peter Faccenda <=-

  HB> You have been warned before about quoting your ads as responses to
  HB> peoples questions.Now take 30 days off to really learn the rules.

  HB> this is a formal moderation. You are hereby removed form this
  HB> conference for 30 days.

 Howard--

 My apologies, but I am very surprised by the above suspension! First of all,
 while I agree that once before, because I inadvertently forgot to route a
 series of 3 messages to the same individual in the same packet, I received a
 private, and very polite, warning to "cut back a bit" and not quote my ad as
 a reply, but whatever happened to the public warning I was promised if this
 ever happened again, or to the standard 10 day suspension handed out to first
 time offenders?

    (ed.) I'd like to know what happened to this guys warning
          and 10 day suspension also. Howard has the habit of
          handing out 30 day suspensions in violation of the
          RIME rules, especially in the conferences he hosts.

 Further, I would like to point out that the message in question was a
 specific message, sent TO ME personally, not a public plea or question, and
 the reply was a specific reply to that same query sent to me. Also the
 PORTIONS of my ads that I sent in the body of that reply were relevent to the
 question I was asked, and was not my complete ad, but rather an editted
 version that specifically addressed the question I was asked. I IMPORTED my
 ad into the message, and then edited it to fit the answer to the question I
 was asked.

 To make matters worse, the entire message was meant to be a private, routed
 reply to the message sent me, as I was aware that you might have difficulty
 with it....and I simply goofed and didn't r/o & route it.

    (ed.) Poor Pete goes through the trouble to edit his ad so
          it pertains to the message he received so not to cause
          any flack and he still gets the shaft. To top it off
          he forgot to make it private and routed.
          Ohhhhhhhh....Pete committed a crime on RIME so severe
          that Howie's cummin' in his pants because now he can
          play god again.

 I am of the understanding that the "no ad quote" rule was meant to prevent
 people from cluttering up the NET with multiple ads, or to prevent
 circumventing the 5 ads per day/1 per week rule. Clearly this is not the case
 here.

    (ed.) Nope it's not the case at all. It's another chance for
          Howie to play.

 Howard, in over a year, we have had no problems with the exception of the
 incident discussed above, and again now, both of which were inadvertent and
 accidental errors of omission <failure to send the message r/o routed as
 intended> While I will certainly abide by any decision you reach, I would ask
 you to review whether you feel a 30 day suspension is appropriate for a human
 error with no malice intended. We are all human, Howard, and make mistakes.
 Cutting me off from the NET for making a mistake is, in my opinion, wrong. I
 hope you agree. While I would never presume to tell you your job, I would ask
 that perhaps a modification to maybe 10 days would be possible??

 I ask this because, according to RIME rules, that is what is most
 appropriate. Acording to the Rime Manual:

    (ed.) Why bother quoting the RIME manual Pete, "Howie don't
          play dat".

 CONFERENCE PROBLEM SOLVING

 General Steps taken in Handling Problems in RIME Conference

 If a problem arises, the Conference Host will approach you in his/her most
 courteous fashion and ask you to review the rules of the conference and/or
 network and to please abide by them. This initial message will is        If
 the problem continues, the next step the CH will take is to
 ---
  * The Garden Spot  Scituate, MA  (617) 545-6239 (USR DS)
  * PostLink(tm) v1.11  GARDEN (#157) : RelayNet(tm)

    (ed.) Shit, that crappy "PostLink" software even butchered
          the rest of Pete's message. More about "PostLink" in
          another article.

