As a very, very long time reader of RMN, and more recently a member of the CGI side, I TOTALLY oppose the idea of making agents provide an email address with their posts. This would ruin RMN, and turn it into a discussion board, or bulletin board type operation, and RMN IS NOT ANY OF THOSE THINGS! RMN is rather unique in many ways, and it is that uniqueness that makes it such a fantastic place to aggregate new, strange, often obscure, and always well thought out ideas, information, news, and sometimes controversial subject mater. It is not a place to have extended discussions about things, but rather a place to acquire information -- what the reader does with that information is totally up to them. And I might add here, that one man's radical or extremist view, is another man's truth. RMN is not a place to establish truth, nor to try and tell anyone what to think or believe, but rather a place to acquire information and viewpoints.

If readers are offended or upset by a post (or one of the agents) then they are free to leave, to go to places where such conversations are routinely discussed. But, RMN is a highly structured set up designed by a fantastic woman many years ago who had the idea that selected individuals would be able to provide a perspective on the world that would be unique and beneficial to many, many people. And she had the wisdom to understand that for this to work certain criteria had to be followed, agents had to be vetted, and then protected, or the system would be overrun by tolls, idiots, and fools.

It is my profound hope that this DOES NOT CHANGE!

For the record, I often disagree with a post, and there are some agents working here that I routinely ignore, but that is my choice, and under no circumstances would I want them to be unable to post . . . even people I don't agree with sometimes get it right *big smile*

In part, that is why I decided to join the CGI side, and I have found that Lynda/RumorMail has been very accommodating in transferring my stuff to the other side. She has not shown me anything but respect and proper discretion. And I think I can say that for many of us over here in the "Little league" ball park.

So, in closing let me personally thank the agents who do play in the "big league" side -- some of my favorites being Crystal River, Georgeaton, hobie of course, Mr Ed, RumorMail and the rest of the regulars. Keep up the fantastic work that you are doing, and I really honestly do think that you guys are making more of an impact than you might realize. I do believe that many powerful people read RMN -- and do so often!

You are making a difference. You are being heard in high places, and you are helping move mankind into a better world.