Stuff to know about the news conference, in fact, more stuff that you may want to know. Please try to fit your posting into one of the existing topics, before starting a new topic. The hosts will move new topics that have a doubtful shelf-life over into existing topics, in an attempt to keep the news conference to a manageable size. In some cases, where the hosts believe a topic is inappropriate to the news conference, we may ask that it be linked to a more appropriate conference, then, after informing the topic author and posting our intentions in the topic, linking it to the chosen conference and killing it in news. If other hosts wish to link from news, they should email their request to both the news hosts (terry and wer) and await a reply. Our policy is that if the first of us who sees it deems it a slam dunk, they email the requestor an affirmative answer immediately. If there's any question, the news host who first sees the request emails the other host, and awaits an answer. Once the hosts are in agreement, one emails the requestor. In the interests of keeping the news conference to a reasonable size, topics which have had no postings for 60 days are subject to removal from the conference. If a old topic is linked to another conference, we'll typically unlink it from news and let it live on in the linked conference. If an old topic is not linked to another conference, we'll freeze it, usually, though not always, with a post warning of its upcoming disappearance. After an inactive topic is frozen, it will be retained for at least 3 days, during which time it may be moved to the attic conference. Continuing topics, such as Spring Members in/out of the News, Experts on the Spring, etc., will be frozen and rolled over when they contain about 300 responses. Though we try to refrain from interrupting the flow of conversation, expect that one or more threads are very likely to cross from one topic to its continuation topic. Continuing topics not started by the hosts, such as Network Status, should be rolled over by their starters. We'll still treat the old topics the same, i.e., 60 days and they're either unlinked or sent to the attic. Topics are very rarely linked into the news conference. spring Party topics are an exception, however. There are usually at least two Spring Party topics in news, the "next" party and the "last" party. One of the two is frozen. The hosts may opt to keep some topics longer than the normal 60 days, and some other topics that are event-specific, such as a Treasure Hunt, less than the full 60 days. In the latter case, more like a week or two after the last posts come in, we'll send it to the attic. Personal attacks are destructive to the conversation generally, but like most other things on the Spring, we'll try and leave 'em alone. But they're not encouraged. news conference Main Menu