Nan:2011-05-29-mvi-rec.gambling.blackjack.moderated

From: Steve Bonine <spb@pobox.com>
Subject: Moderator Vacancy Investigation:  rec.gambling.blackjack.moderated
Date: Sun, 29 May 2011 09:23:44 EDT
Message-ID: <94evauFeu2U4@mid.individual.net>

                   MODERATOR VACANCY INVESTIGATION (MVI)
             moderated group rec.gambling.blackjack.moderated

This is a formal Moderator Vacancy Investigation (MVI), begun because 
moderated newsgroup rec.gambling.blackjack.moderated is not functioning, 
and has been closed by its moderators.

This investigation will attempt to verify the reasons for non-function, 
and may result in the removal of the group or the selection and 
installation of a new moderator.  In practice, the Big-8 Management 
Board considers the third alternative -- changing the status of the 
group from moderated to unmoderated -- as likely to cause more harm than 
good.

NEWSGROUPS LINE:
rec.gambling.blackjack.moderated Blackjack gambling. (Moderated)

RATIONALE:

The group was closed by its moderators on August 11, 2001. 
<pgpmoose.200108110410.5900@shell9.ba.best.com>

An attempt to submit to the newsgroup resulted in a bounce on 4 
September 2010 and in no response on 26 May 2011.

DISTRIBUTION:

news.announce.newgroups
news.groups.proposals
rec.gambling.blackjack.moderated
rec.gambling.blackjack
rec.gambling.misc

CHARTER

Rec.gambling.blackjack.moderated is to contain gambling-related articles 
focusing on blackjack but not strictly denied from having articles on 
other gambling games or other gambling related topics relevant to the 
rec.gambling.* "community".

Commercial ads having nothing to do with gambling have no place. 
Products or services indistinguishable from scams, including the pyramid 
chain letters, are not allowed.

Excessive, repetitive, and/or multiple copy posts from any individual 
will not be tolerated.  Attempts to disrupt the group with malicious, 
slanderous, threatening, or trolling type statements will not be posted 
if the moderators judge them as such.

Simple questions well covered by the FAQ should be gently avoided. 
Normally, upon receiving such a frequently asked question, the 
moderator(s) should email back the FAQ along with the rejected article. 
  Also in this return message will be a recommendation for the user to 
read the FAQ and then, if still confused, to resubmit his question while 
quoting the relevant section of the FAQ and explaining what else he 
wishes to know.

Controversial topics and statements the moderators themselves question 
will be allowed, provided the articles do not run afoul of the other 
criteria here.  Otherwise, what would we have to discuss?

We will use multiple moderators to provide for rapid approval of 
articles and to prevent unfair personal biases from coloring the group. 
  They should not think too hard.  Their duty is primarily to filter out 
inappropriate ads and disruptive wacko posts.  The moderators may use 
lists of responsible participants to "auto-approve" articles from some 
users.  Rejected articles may be redirected to rec.gambling.blackjack.

Rec.gambling.blackjack is to be left as is, unmoderated, as a bastion of 
free speech.

HISTORY OF THE GROUP:

The group passed its vote by 195:52 on 2 December 1997.  It was active 
from December 1997 until August 2001.

PROPONENT:  Steve Bonine <spb@pobox.com>

PROCEDURE:

Those who wish to comment on this moderator vacancy investigation should 
subscribe to news.groups.proposals and participate in the relevant 
threads in that newsgroup.  To this end, the followup header of this MVI 
has been set to news.groups.proposals.

For more information on the MVI process, please see
http://www.big-8.org/wiki/Moderator_Vacancy_Investigations

CHANGE HISTORY:

29 May 2011: Moderator Vacancy Investigation