Am I missing the point of specific newgroups?  I thought that this
was an ASTRONOMY newsgroup?  So why are there all these postings of
PHILOSOPHICAL questions and theories, i.e. peace injections, nature vs.
nurture, and science proving god's existence.  And why-oh-why are there
so damn many pyramid schemes hatched here, and in other sci.astro sub
groups?  If you want to argue philosophy, couldn't you just 'yell' at
one another through one-on-one e-mail.
     Don't get me wrong.  I like to discuss other things besides
astronomy, but I do it WHERE IT IS APPROPRIATE!!  Such as newsgroups
just for such topics.  Please spare the rest of us, who may be less than
willing to discuss those topics.  Some of us are just looking for
answers to questions of a scientific nature, and may not want to wade
through your philosophical baggage.  And for sanity's sake, check your
spelling before you post!!!
                     thank you.

  This newsgroup has a vast array of topics.  This is both an astronomical and
science newsgroup.  Over the past half year I have subscribed to both
sci.astro and sci.astro.amateur and I would have to say that more of the
general astronomy questions and answers reside in sci.astro.amateur.  
Sci.astro has been a place where more scientific data is present.  Theories
relating to the dynamics of astronomy and astro-physics are all welcome here
from what I've seen.  I read this newsgroup to expand my thinking on the
actual happenings in our universe.  I read sci.astro.amateur for more
practical questions and answers.  The easiest way to eliminate these problems
you've so dubiously pointed out would be to just stop subscribing; create your
own newsgroup and carry your one-sided views there.  This is a place where
people can ask a variety of questions and not get "flamed" for it.   The
ignorance of knowledge lies in the medium.  Granted there are some postings
that need not be posted in both the newsgroups, BUT if you had taken ANY time
to read the FAQ for these "astro" newsgroups you would understand that from
time to time we recieve many "Astrological, UFO, Alien" postings.  These
postings are "off-topic" and are cared for by guidelines posted in the FAQ.  
It seems to me that either you care not for the expansion of knowledge or that
stick has ridden up your "high and mighty ass"  just a little to far!

My .02 worth!

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: Am I missing the point of specific newgroups?  I thought that this
: was an ASTRONOMY newsgroup?  So why are there all these postings of
: PHILOSOPHICAL questions and theories, i.e. peace injections, nature vs.
: nurture, and science proving god's existence.  And why-oh-why are there
: so damn many pyramid schemes hatched here, and in other sci.astro sub
: groups?  If you want to argue philosophy, couldn't you just 'yell' at
: one another through one-on-one e-mail.

It is rather tragic how this newsgroup seems especially prone to
garbage posts.  When I started reading it 4 years or so ago it was
mostly scientific.  Now it is mostly garbage, and I only come to visit
on rare occasions.

Don

: : Am I missing the point of specific newgroups?  I thought that this
: : was an ASTRONOMY newsgroup?  So why are there all these postings of
: : PHILOSOPHICAL questions and theories, i.e. peace injections, nature vs.
: : nurture, and science proving god's existence.  And why-oh-why are there
: : so damn many pyramid schemes hatched here, and in other sci.astro sub
: : groups?  If you want to argue philosophy, couldn't you just 'yell' at
: : one another through one-on-one e-mail.

: It is rather tragic how this newsgroup seems especially prone to
: garbage posts.  When I started reading it 4 years or so ago it was
: mostly scientific.  Now it is mostly garbage, and I only come to visit
: on rare occasions.

Same here, although I started reading only about 2 years ago.  BTW, I
have become increasingly fed up with Archimedes Plutonium.  Every once in
a while I will see some subject that looks interesting (and normal) and
will start reading.  Then it starts too get all wacky and very strange
and then lo and behold I look at who wrote it and golly it was AP.  If he
annoys me too much I may have to send him 60,000 e-mail messages :-)

AMEN!  However, if you have been on this group for any length of time,
you will have seen that there is a lot of "noise" here
(multi-posted off-topic stuff, UFOs, astrology, wild speculative
theories, other garbage), which has little to do with the science of
astronomy.  If you are interested in looking at the sky, try
sci.astro.amateur (amateur astronomy).  If you are interested in more
serious astronomical discussions, try sci.astro.research (moderated).  As
it is, this group really needs a moderator!  Cheers.
--

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Prairie Astronomy Club, Inc.  http://www.infoanalytic.com/pac/

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