[at-l] Decorum Maintenance Contest.

[stephensadams@hotmail.com (Steve Adams)]

Hi all,

Hostile posts erupt with the mere mention of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named
(HWMNBN).  I propose the following as an initial idea leading hopefully
toward a possible remedy.

Whoever submits a post which detracts from and/or praises HWMNBN, (i.e., a
SUBJECTIVE post) agrees by his act, to meet others who have similarly
indulged themselves, on a field of battle to settle the disagreement.

Rules which readily come to mind:

1.  Weapons.  Water balloons seem reasonable.  Each potential combatant must
display a certain pre-specified number of water balloons to qualify for
participation.

2.  Personnel.  Potential combatants come from two classes of hikers: Those
who have committed "The Sin Of Comment" during the previous year (whose
attendance is mandatory), and; any other interested current, future, or
former hiker.

The number of combatants representing the larger side must equal the number
of combatants for the smaller side.  Combatants of the larger side will be
selected by lot; e.g., drawing straws, picking numbers from a hat, etc.

3.  Winning.  The team with the driest remaining combatant "wins".

4.  Field of Battle.  Borders delineate an area within which all combatants
must remain.  The two sides must remain separated, on opposite sides of a
common border.  Combatants are NOT to touch, or threaten to touch,
combatants on the other side.

5.  The wager.  Combatants on the losing side, who have committed "The Sin
Of Comment," forfeit all comment rights about HWMNBN on this site for
approximately one year, when the next contest is concluded.  Combatants on
the losing side, who did not commit  "The Sin Of Comment," retain all the
rights enjoyed by others to comment OBJECTIVELY regarding HWMNBN.

6.  Event title.  (The term "TP" is often used to designate some of the work
of HWMNBN.)  Tentatively,  "The Annual Toilet Paper Celebration" would avoid
damage by libel or slander.  [HWMNBN should be welcome to attend; to cheer
his champions or to participate, as he wishes.]

Housekeeping:

Location:  To Be Determined (TBD).  Perhaps in a park or other convenient
site at the approximate mid-point of the AT.

Date and time:  TBD.  Perhaps at a convenient approximate midpoint of the
usual hiking calendar (March 15 to October 15) maybe a weekend.

Participation is voluntary.  Participants would agree, by a post on this
list, to abide by these, self-imposed, restrictions.  Violating any
principle violates a participant's ethics; no other penalty would apply.

After everything is said and done, we have formed this list-society because
each of us enjoys the same thing - - walking about in a natural environment.
  We should be able to meet and/or hike together in a collegial relationship
regardless of our other beliefs.

Steve

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