Subject: ** List Administrivia **
From: ACTION ALERT Moderator
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 21:54:26 -0600 (CST)

** ACTION-ALERT List Administrivia **
Last Updated:  26-NOV-97

This is a regular posting from your moderator which outlines the
basic guidelines for the ACTION-ALERT mailing list.

Please save this mail for future reference.

* ACTION ALERT is for publishing alerts when immediate action is needed.

* Please do not send press releases or attempt to follow up with some
  sort of dialogue to the action alert list.  This is not a discussion list.
  Other lists, such as GLB-PRESS, GLB-NEWS, and GLB-DISCUSS are more
  appropriate forums for this.  Responding to the original sender is
  certainly appropriate.  The moderator makes every attempt to set the
  Reply-To field in the mail headers to facilitate this.

* Please include contact information about the alert.  Examples of this
  are the names, telephone numbers (with up-to-date area codes),
  FAX numbers, electronic mail address, street address, city, state
  and zip code of the parties to contact.  In addition, it's beneficial
  to inform others of the specific action to be taken, such as "veto a bill"
  or "sign a bill".

* Minimally, some way of contacting the individuals MUST be provided.
  Please do not expect the moderator or subscribers to research or
  validate the contact information.

* Make your ACTION ALERT short, concise, and to the point.  Think of it
  as a resume.  Nobody wants to read paragraphs of editorializing
  followed a few lines of contact information.

* If you do not happen to agree with the alert, do not send mail to the
  list or the moderator telling us we are overly sensitive or need to get a
  sense of humor.  Not all alerts are approved and the moderator is
  sensitive to the fact that if too many are sent, there will be ACTION-ALERT
  overload among the subscribers.

* If possible, please include an expiration date on the alert.  Keep in mind
  that not everyone reads their mail on the day it is sent.  And nobody wants
  to call or write after a particular deadline has passed.

* Please do some basic preparation of the alert.  This may include
  breaking the alert down into sections, such as a *brief* OVERVIEW or
  SUMMARY, followed by ACTION TO BE TAKEN, followed by any other information
  that is pertinent.  These section names are simply suggestions.

* Please do not forward copies of email or Usenet News threads that have,
  in turn, been forwarded numerous times, each with several paragraphs of
  text, followed by message headers, followed by more text, followed by more
  message headers.  Something that may have been written for soc.motss
  or GLB-NEWS or GLB-PRESS (other forums), will most likely need to
  be tailored (read: shortened!) for ACTION-ALERT.  Please do not expect
  the moderator to be a mind reader and edit your alert for you.  The
  moderator isn't your mother.  :-)

* Do NOT subscribe mailing lists to ACTION ALERT!!  This can and does
  cause havoc with lists.  Instead, add the subscriber names *individually*
  to ACTION-ALERT.

* Do NOT include other recipients on the mail to ACTION ALERT.  Send ONLY
  to ACTION ALERT, then send separately to any other recipients.

* Do NOT include ACTION ALERT as part of a 'group reply' message,
  where it would be one of several addresses on either the To: or Cc: lines.
  Send ONLY to ACTION ALERT, then send separately to any other recipients.

* Do NOT declare mail aliases which include ACTION ALERT and other
  mailing lists or recipients.  Send ONLY to ACTION ALERT, then send
  separately to any other recipients.

* Do NOT send attached files or images in your alert.  The moderator
  has no way of knowing what the file or image is and it will be rejected.

* Do NOT try to enhance the appearance of the alert by sending a message
  containing embedded HTML tags.  Not everyone reads their mail with a
  Web browser (yet :-).  Note that it is acceptable to include hyperlinks
  to a Web site in your message, if it is applicable.

* Do NOT send action alerts containing alternate character sets.
  Not all mail programs can handle these sets and it's possible that
  readers may see blinking characters or strings like \021 which may
  confuse some people.  If composing your message with a word processor
  please export it to plain ASCII text prior to sending it.  Also
  remember to place line breaks (press the RETURN key) around column 72.

* When replying to the ACTION-ALERTs, such as to a newspaper or legislator,
  do NOT include other recipients. Send only to the intended recipient,
  as defined in the ACTION-ALERT.  Remember, you want your response to be
  considered personal, not part of a "blast it out to everyone" mass mailing.

* If you know that your internet address will be expiring, please
  "unsubscribe" from ACTION-ALERT.  This request especially applies to
  those of you in schools or universities or to those of you who are
  temporarily trying the various online services (e.g.,America Online).
  There have been a few instances when schools recycle login-ids for the
  next session and the newly assigned user is completely baffled as to how
  and why they are receiving the alerts.

Thanks for your cooperation!  And remember, those with opposing viewpoints
do eavesdrop on this list (and I know who some of you are) and will act
CONTRARY to what the action recommends.  

So every letter, every FAX, every phone call, and every email DOES count!

Regards,

---
Moderator Email:  [email-masked]

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