Hi Gloria, I hope I didn't upset you too much with my initial comment on this post. Actually I know I don't have to write that because you are the kind who easily forgets perceived upsets against yourself. But it's better to write it anyway.

Gloria, you have a lot to juggle on this site, I mean with different writers and their points of view. And you are trying to best accomodate the needs of all. I am not trying to change your policy concerning religion or political writing. It is only that the guidelines are more clear to you because you wrote them, and you have tried to make them more clear over time. I would only suggest (this doesn't really have to do with anything I might want to post) that the more guidelines there are, the more misunderstandings of what the guidelines allow there will be.

For instance, in one post I had, I felt that I needed to source my material since I kind of took someone else's writing and added my own touches to it. So I listed the website where the original writing could be found. I remembered you didn't want us to list our own website, so I wasn't doing that.

But after I wrote the post, and listed the site, I wondered if I kind of brushed up against the guidelines so I read the guidelines more carefully. And I really am not too sure everyone would agree that I obeyed the guidelines as written.

I'm not trying to get an answer here as to whether that was fine with the guidelines; what is printed is printed. But the more rules there are, the more it is difficult to understand all the ins and outs of them. By promoting, do you mean listing a website to promote it (at this time I think yes). Or do you mean you don't want us to list a website which will indirectly promote whatever the website might be selling?

I have no suggestion for you as to what should be done about this. It's something you will work out over time in the grace of your understanding. I'm not looking for an answer here, we'll see how the guidelines change over the years and we will have our answer. Others will give you feedback and you will incorporate what needs to be incorporated into the guidelines, if anything. It's up to you, Gloria, I'm not trying to lead you in any particular direction.

Anyway, I feel as though I am taking away from mike's moment in the sun, this is his post and somewhat of a farewell after all. But mike's moment is always in the sun, as he is about the sun. As are your moments Gloria...so I know he understands, as you also do. love,
markw