Subject: PROPOSAL: alt.folklore.herbs

From: [email-masked] (G. Wolfe Woodbury)
Date: 20 May 93 03:02:55 GMT

Note the followups are set to alt.config and news.groups.

This is the third go-around on this proposal.  The first effort was
suspended when the creator of rec.foods.historic piped up and said that
herbalism postings were welcome there.   The second foundered when the
proposer became the target of a flamewar and forgery fest by some
net.idiot.  This time, I think we can get through the hoops.

Why alt.folklore.herbs?

	There are quite a few requests from a number of groups for a
location to concentrate the traffic that does occur on herbs and
herbalism in one place.   This traffic exists on such diverse groups as:
	alt.magick
	alt.pagan
	alt.folklore.urban
	rec.food.historic
	misc.health.alternatives
	talk.abortion
	talk.religion.misc
	talk.religion.newage
	sci.skeptic

In none of these groups is the topic completely at home, and in none of
these groups is the topic completely welcome.

Why not alt.herbs?

	I am of the opinion that the top level of alt is getting much to
big, and expansion in the downward level is a better alternative.  The
alt.folklore hierarchy already exists, and the topic of herbs is a
natural for that hierarch.

Why not in rec.foods.historic?

	Several folks have started herb threads in r.f.historic, only to
get singed when the topic gets away from the use of herbs for
not-strictly-food purposes.  This group avoids that problem.

What happened to the alt.herbalism proposal?

	The "convenor" of that effort got attacked by a clueless
net.idiot who could not tell the difference between "herbalism" and the
"herbalife" multi-level-marketing system.  Someone threw a few
ill-tempered language posts into the mix, and the clueless one mailed
the whole mess off to the convenor's employer, with accusations of
"illegal activities."   In the three weeks it took to calm down the
management, the proposal got dropped on the floor.

Pseudo-Charter

	alt.folklore.herbs - an unmoderated group.

	The use of herbs in food, health, ritual and otherwise.

	Appropriate will be all discussion of the use of herbs and other
plant derived materials in health, magick, ritual, and (occasionally)
cooking.

Discussion:
	Please allow several days for discussion to occur, since I'm out
on a UUCP link.  If there are no serious objections or corrections to
the proposal, I will send a newgroup message on or after the 25th of
May, 1993.

Celebrate!
Wolfe
-- 
G. Wolfe Woodbury @ The Wolves Den, Durham NC	[This site is NOT affiliated  ]
[email-masked]			[with Duke University! Idiots!]
UUCP: ...!duke!wolves!wolfe      <Standard Disclaimers apply>
    Above All, we celebrate!  --Celebrate the Circle, Statement of Purpose.

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From: [email-masked] (Ben Delisle 02/15/93)
Date: 20 May 93 12:10:24 GMT

I beleive that it would be better to go with a mainstream 
higerarchy such as 'misc' or 'rec' for .herbs  than 'alt' due to the
fact that the mainline groups tend to get better distribution than the
'alt' groups. 
	I propose that 'rec.herbs' be considered over 'alt..herbs''

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