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INTRO
How to contact moderation is given at the end of this post. In addition
to the Charter, this monthly posting may also contain news about the
group, its website
www.altastrologymoderated.com
or, though very rarely, about changes to the Charter itself. If such
news are included, they are always included in this Intro, in the
very beginning of the post.
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CHARTER
alt.astrology.moderated is a moderated newsgroup for the discussion
of all things astrological, including theory, traditions,
innovations, questions, study, practice, and connections to related
disciplines. There are no restrictions regarding methods, systems,
philosophies, or techniques.
1. Submission rules
This group is intended specifically as a forum for students and
practitioners of astrology. If you are uncertain about what is
acceptable after reading the charter, please contact the moderators.
1.1 Delays
You may notice a delay in the appearance of your posts; this is
normal in moderated newsgroups. The moderators will try to be prompt
about processing the mail, and hope to have no more than a 24 hour
delay in sending your posts to the newsgroup. Some posters may be
robomoderated, which means their posts will appear more quickly on
the newsgroup.
1.2 Refused posts
Refused postings will be returned to posters for modification, if
their overall content falls within the acceptable category as
outlined below. This does not include commercial solicitations,
abuse, flames or malicious provocation, or repeats of recently
submitted posts. Posts which appear on the newsgroup that
have not been approved by the moderators will be cancelled.
1.3 Habitual violations
The moderators reserve the right to prohibit access from posters in
habitual violation of the rules. We define "habitual violation" to be
no fewer than three disallowed (as outlined below) posts, submitted
within thirty days or less. Abusive email sent to moderators will
also result in the sender's prohibition from the newsgroup, as well
as possible actions taken by his or her ISP to terminate his or her
account.
2. Prohibited/off-topic posts
The following types of posts are not allowed:
2.1 Binary files
Posts containing binary files, with the exception of PGP keys (or
similar schemes). Binaries should be posted in the appropriate binary
group with appropriate pointers.
2.2 Crossposting
Crossposts to more than four groups, to groups unrelated to the
topic, or to other moderated groups.
2.3 Spam
a) Commercial advertisements and solicitations (more specifically,
spam) except identification in signature lines, or legitimate
conference, book, publications, and educational courses
notifications.
b) Product and service advertisements unless a fee is paid for such,
in the sum of five United States dollars per ad, which will be
applied to the newsgroup's yearly technical expenses. The option to
advertise for this fee may be offered within an appended comment to
the refused post. Advertisers may then respond to their refusal
notice, to receive instructions as to how to pay the fee, and when
they may repost their ad.
Please note that this offer applies *only* to products and services
of interest to the astrological community, and that our stipulation,
and acceptance, of the fee in no way indicates that the moderators of
this newsgroup personally will endorse your product or service. This
option of ads for fees is entirely within the domain of moderator
discretion and will be offered according to the judgment of each or
any moderator on duty.
2.4 Non-English
Non-English language posts (without translation), posts formatted in
HTML, posts with signature lines exceeding the Usenet recommended
five lines, or posts which the moderators deem to be incoherent.
2.5 Copyright violations
Posts that violate copyright. You must own the copyright, or have
permission to use copyrighted materials that do not originate from
Usenet. Only short excerpts from copyrighted materials are allowed
under "fair use", with full author and publisher credits.
2.6 Reposting
Previously composed articles that have already been posted within the
last month. You may post pointers to articles in response to
requests, or offer to send articles via email.
2.7 Abuse and flaming
a) All personal attacks, abuse, and flames, including those based on
astrology. Claims of methodological, ideological, or systemical
sovereignty, or other forms of provocation, are also prohibited.
(Flaming is here defined as abuse, insults, harassment, and
suggestive slurs. Provocation is here defined as content primarily
intended to incite aggravation, indignation, or outrage. All of the
preceding is subject to the judgment of the moderators.)
b) Any comments pertaining to any chart placement of another poster
in the course of a discussion without receiving prior consent or
invitation to make such comments.
2.8 Posts of skeptics
Posts skeptical of the general validity of astrology, which are more
properly posted to sci.skeptic, or other newsgroups.
2.9 Comments and complaints regarding moderation
Comments pertaining to moderation policy or performance. Questions,
comments, or complaints regarding moderation policies or performance,
or regarding the modbot / technical difficulties must be mailed
directly to the moderators.
Complaints will be dealt with as promptly as schedules permit,
usually within a few days. Abuse of moderators, either in posts
submitted to this newsgroup, or in email, is strictly prohibited.
Abusive mail can and will be used as grounds for imposing bans.
See rules 7a, and 7b, for the current overview of what is here
considered abuse.
3. What posts are on-topic?
3.1 Astrology and related topics
On-topic posts include discussions of techniques and applications of
astrology and related disciplines, including history, traditions, and
innovations. Questions from novices are welcome, along with requests
for horoscope and chart interpretations which are accompanied by full
birth data.
However, please note that while astrologers do often answer such
posts, this constitutes a form of pro bono (free) service and, as
many posters are professional astrologers, they may not have the
time or interest to do free work on the newsgroup. Professional
astrologers are as serious about their work as any other set of
professionals and frequently devote hours of preparation time for a
single client consultation. It is not difficult to understand that
this amount of work (and it *is* work!) can be burdensome and self-
defeating for an astrologer in the absence of remuneration or
compensation.
Please do not expect that any response to a request for astrological
advice will be as comprehensive or adequate for your needs, as would
be a full consultation with a professional, certified or peer-
esteemed, astrologer. Also, please note that astrologers, like
psychologists, can be very individual and eclectic in terms of the
techniques they use and favor.
4. Miscellanea
4.1 Indemnification / disclaimer
The moderators of alt.astrology.moderated may or may not be in
agreement with any statements or advice offered in response to
questions on the newsgroup, and we (the moderators) are not
responsible for the astrological opinions and advice which other
posters offer on the newsgroup, whether those opinions be offered by
professional astrologers, amateur astrologers, or beginning,
intermediate, or advanced students of astrology.
4.2 Freedom of opinion; agreeable disagreements
Additionally welcome are posts pertaining, and related, to the field
of astrology, such as ethics, counseling, psychology, mythology,
metaphysics, divination, prediction, history, spirituality,
education, and certification programs. Although this is a moderated
group, moderators will not attempt to inhibit the free flow of ideas
or self expression posted in accordance with the rules. This forum
expects, and accepts, the civil expression of disagreements and
criticisms pertaining to the symbological interpretations, methods,
theories, and ideas encountered both here, in the posts of others,
and in materials published elsewhere.
5. Addendum
5.1 Clarification of the Charter regarding publishing of private data
a) For reasons of privacy and reasons of copyright, publishing a
person's private data (specifically place of birth; time of birth;
date of birth; birth chart but also other data of private nature) is
only allowed if the owner of the data, normally the individual whose
birth data it is, has expressed their wish, acceptance or
acknowledgment that it be posted in a setting such as this newsgroup.
b) Posts containing private data, of any kind, submitted to the group
may be rejected if the moderator finds that advisable (posting from
an invalid email address may be a cause if the poster is unknown or
has a record of rejected posts).
c) Exceptions from this rule may be made if a person's records are
already publicly known and their publishing elsewhere has not been a
cause of legal action from the public person in question, in which
case they are effectively in the public domain, or if the person is
not alive, for instance if the person is an ancestor of the poster.
d) Posting isolated astrological facts that cannot lead to decisive
identification is not prohibited. Posting your own personal data is
allowed without restrictions, so also posting data of historical
persons whose records are in the public domain.
5.2 Crossposting to alt.astrology
Crossposting to alt.astrology is considered posting to a group
irrelevant to the topic, given the current status of that group, and
will thus lead to a rejection of the post.
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Notes
.
Regarding the Charter
The Charter is also available at our website, at the following URL:
http://www.altastrologymoderated.com/charter
The Charter posted to the newsgroup monthly is the
'master Charter', should there be any differences between
versions.
Changes from the original Charter are the following:
- For clarification purposes, paragraph numbers have been
modified and a few headlines added to the original charter.
- Paragraph 5.1, Clarification, was added November 2009; 5.2,
re: Crossposting to alt.astrology, in December 2010.
- How to contact moderation has been changed, see next
paragraph.
.
Regarding email
Email references have been changed from the original ones, due
to malicious attacks against the email accounts. However, the
submission address remains the same.
To contact moderation, for questions or giving feedback, please
get in touch with Kjell Pettersson, who moderates the group.
Kjell can be reached one of these ways:
1. via replying PRIVATELY to this post,
2. via the "email button" on his contact page at
about.me/kjellpettersson, or
3. via Google Plus:
plus.google.com/+KjellPettersson/
where "Send an email" can be chosen in the column to the right.
.
Some background
The current moderator in charge posts the Charter, but is
not the author of it. It is written by Gail, the founder of our
newsgroup. Others have made contributions, but should one
single person be named, it is Gail.
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Moderator in charge: Kjell | Newsgroup Administration: Kjell, Igor
Chudov | Technical Counsel and Services: Igor Chudov
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The original, foundational, charter is available at the following
address:
http://stump.algebra.com/~aam/Charter.txt
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