> I received notice that someone received a file attachment appearing to
come
> from [log in to unmask] that contained a virus.
> BEE-L will not distribute file attachments...
> If one EVER receives a file attachment purported to be from
> [log in to unmask], IT IS A HOAX and the file with attachment
> should be deleted immediately and without question.

Although these are normally 'closed' topics, and not normally presented to
the list, since we have opened the topic let me, speaking as just one
moderator or several, make several comments that may be helpful:

First, let me add to Aaron's comments that if you receive a message form
BEE-L that is bigger than about 25 KB, consider that it is very likely not
from BEE-L and that the headers have been forged by one of the clever
viruses out there.  Many virus emails that use bogus 'from' lines are in
the size range from 100 KB to 175 KB and that characteristic alone should
be a warning to look before opening.  I might (strongly) suggest that
members consider obtaining and using MailWasher, available at
http://www.mailwasher.net/ or a similar freeware email previewer that
permits previewing and deleting and bouncing SPAM or viruses while still on
your ISP's server, before downloading into your normal email reader.  This
is in addition to a good firewall and a good, up-to-date virus checker as
recommended in more detail in our periodic post.

And from another writer...
> It isn't clear to me if there is a joke in there.  Is it the policy of
this
> list's moderators to approve or reject messages based on whether they
> believe the contents to be true?  I am hoping that the answer is "No!"

To answer the above and other unspoken questions, the moderators do
exercise some judgement in selecting articles and favour those that appear
to have potential to contribute to intelligent discussion.  Many posts that
have the best potential may fly directly in the face of conventional wisdom
or what we personally believe, but if they fit our guidelines, we approve
them.  Even if the only apparent virtue of a particular post is novelty, it
will pass if it meets the guidelines.

Aaron questioned in his mind whether the recent washboarding thread had
merit since it is a common, repetitive question and thus answerable from
the archives.  I saw merit in it due to the novelty aspect and the fact
that it was seasonally interesting.  Moreover a good explanation has never
been proposed to my knowledge.  Although we don't want to become a beginner
Q&A list, we do want to cover the whole range of bee experience.  We are
often surprised at the new insight that comes from examining old and basic
questions.

If a writer is merely repeating something that has been said, and said well
recently, unless there is some novel aspect, that post may not find a
sponsor to approve it.  Topics that have been covered in the past are often
permitted to be presented again, but in the hopes that something new will
emerge, or because it is a seasonal topic that is in season.  We are,
however in the lookout for trolls and sockpuppets or those who would flood
the list with one point of view.  If we see an preponderance of posts
favouring one point of view and a shortage of posts supporting the other
side, we tend to throttle back or encourage as appropriate to keep a civil
and balanced debate, or even write an argument that supports the losing
side, just to even things out.

As for rejecting articles on the basis of whether we believe the contents
to be true, I personally try not to reject anything that has even a glimmer
of plausibility.  We are often surprised to learn that what we have
believed is either wrong, or not universally true.  Only by exposing new
and seemingly ludicrous ideas can we learn.

This letter of explanation and comment is not intended to open the
floodgates to all manner of comment and opinion, but merely to inform and
also to encourage members to read the periodic post each time. Normally, we
do not discuss either viruses or the way the BEE-L is operated on BEE-L
itself, since we are here to discuss bees and beekeeping, and such
discussions can quickly ruin a list.  Such matters are dealt with by our
info page at http://www.internode.net/honeybee/BEE-L/, our periodic post,
and by polite private email exchanged with one or all moderators.  We are
interested in constructive comments and nothing is cast in stone, but BEE-L
is not a public forum, but rather an open private list that has criteria
for acceptable posts. The main criterion is that at least one of several
diverse moderators has to independently decide that any post to the list
has some merit, is on-topic, is well-composed, non-inflammatory, and is of
interest to a significant number of our members.  We try to err on the side
of generosity.  By the act of participating, however all members indicate
acceptance that they have read the guidelines and welcome messages, and
that in case of disagreement on  how the list is run, the list owner
(Aaron) has the final say.

allen
http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Diary/