The Floating Newspaper of Death!

OK, a while back I started looking at what the guidelines were for helpstaff and wizardships, to figure out how to better organize the administration of the muck and keep the place healthy. It sprawled a little out of the original purpose, but I've got a more or less acceptable *to me* delineation of what our responsibilities to the community we live in should be.

But I want feedback. I want to know what people think the expected behavior from regular folks, helpstaff, and wizards should be, what we should be doing for one another, how we should be treating one another. This is distinct from the Acceptable Use Policy, which outlines what people should not do against one another. These civic guidelines represent what we should be doing for one another.

Please respond to the bulletin board; it's easier to develop your thoughts and have them debated by a better cross section of the muck that way. This needs to be something the whole muck considers and decides on, and page #mailing me with a paragraph or two doesn't encourage the cross talk that will make it a successful guideline.

I'm including the current draft below; it's also up in the news files as news civics (but it will be modified as appropriate). Please note that people aren't going to be punished for not living up to the guidelines, except to the extent that people might not want to play with them any more.

 Also note that when we get the wording all thrashed out, we'll start the helpstaff over from scratch. This isn't a condemnation of our helpstaff, just starting from a clean sweep under different expectations for the helpers.

Austin Dern

Managing editor

Civic Guidelines Draft:

Expectations for all users:

All users of the muck do what they enjoy, and share what they enjoy with others.

Expectations for the helpstaff:

Helpstaff members are regulars who serve the muck community, encouraging communication and creativity among all participants and solving technical, social, and conceptual problems. They are developing as leaders of the community, seeking out people and ideas that make the place more interesting and rewarding. They also alleviate or solve interpersonal conflicts.

Expectations for the wizards:

Wizards are helpstaff members, established leaders of the community who are granted Wizard status because the community benefits from their having this level of permission and trust. They demonstrate extraordinary skill at helping the muck grow and demonstrate a sustained, continuing interest in doing so. They are also the final arbiters of interpersonal conflicts.

These are important considerations that effect us all.  Please comment on and discuss them not only in person, but through the Muck's bulletin board.  The bulletin board can be read from anyplace on SpinDizzy by typing in  +read  then +read #  the # being the number of the post you want to read.  (ex:  +read 24 )  To make a post on the bulletin board, enter   + write and then answer the questions, 'What is the subject of this post?' , and then anwering 'What keywords fit this post?' with some examples.  After entering that you'll be told that you are 'entering the list editor'.  Just type in your comments, and when you are done, hit enter and then  .end   (That's period end, no space)

Morticon Puts On The Dog

    Morticon in another alleged attempt at evil was seen in the Promenade of the space station (TPOTD) with a Hot Dog stand.  A  hastily disguised OBT Portable BioContainment Unit PBC130.  A  sign on it had been erased with new words, 'HOTDOG STAND put in their place. Morticon was noted as being unusually friendly and accommodating, and offered everyone in the Promenade hot dogs. The hotdogs smelled and looked quite real, and Morticon claimed that they probably were.   Most folks were suspicious and politely refused Morticon's offer, however, Terra, the Minky seemed hungry and gladly ate one. 

    Knowing Morticon's history, Terra was watched carefully as it was expected that she would drop dead, turn into a zombie, or have an alien pop out of her stomach.  These fears were amplified as Terra's stomach began gurgling, and she began holding her tummy and looking uncomfortable.  It was with relief to both her and the crowd  when with a wiggle she opened her mouth and released a loud burp!  Morticon smiled at this and said, "See, there's nothing wrong with these hotdogs."  He then offered Tugsbear one.

    Tugsbear, probably knowing Morticon's history, was more direct in his decline of Morticon's hot dogs and kicked the Biotech cart / hot dog stand over.  At this point, an acidic substance began pouring out of the cart.  Morticon and Tugsbear both fled, but the acid was made safe by tossing some Tums in it.

    Terra seems to have survived the hotdog, and mourns the loss of more of what she considers a great food.  Other are still hoping that the acid doesn't leak through the wall of the Promenade and release the atmosphere of the space station into the vacuum of space.

Maxl Takes Break

Due to having a Real Life, Maxl has decided to spend some time catching up on it. He will be missed during what I hope is a short break.

In the mean time, he has asked me to keep the paper going in his absence.  I will do my best to live up to the challenge.  I can't do it alone though.  Just as Austin mentioned in his Civic Duties post, making things happen here in SpinDizzy is up to all of us.  And things need to happen in SpinDizzy for there to be any thing to put in the paper.  It's called a NEWS paper to tell NEWS.  

So when something interesting, funny, strange, clever, or just worth noting happens, write a quite paragraph about it and send it my way.  Let the folks who weren't around when it happened see what they missed.  I think it was Austin who once jokingly said when connecting, "I hope I missed something."  I'd like folks to be able to see what they missed. You can email it to me at:  argon@spindizzy.org  or just do a page mail: To page mail enter:  qmail Argon=Your story.  Just write what happened in place of the words 'Your story' and hit enter.  I'll see it when I next connect if I'm not already on.

Thanks for your help everyone!

Argon

The Comic of the Week: (Better drawn, and / or funnier comics gladly accepted.  No, pleaded for!)

Don't Forget Nikon's Giant Robot Days this weekend!  (April 29th and 30th)