From burkhart@goodyear.com  Thu Apr 21 09:30:19 1994
Received: from goodyear.com  for burkhart@goodyear.com
	by www.ccl.net (8.6.4/930601.1506) id JAA04366; Thu, 21 Apr 1994 09:07:37 -0400
Received: from rdsrv2 by goodyear.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA15303; Thu, 21 Apr 94 09:07:35 EDT
Received: from rds325 by rdsrv2 (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA24074; Thu, 21 Apr 94 09:07:34 EDT
Received: by rds325 (920330.SGI/920502.SGI.AUTO)
	for @rdsrv2:chemistry@ccl.net id AA05239; Thu, 21 Apr 94 09:07:34 -0400
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 94 09:07:34 -0400
From: burkhart@goodyear.com (Craig W. Burkhart)
Message-Id: <9404211307.AA05239@rds325>
To: chemistry@ccl.net
Subject: A fire extinguisher/olive branch.



Netters:

Andy Holder is right when he talks about lack of electronic body language,
and what may be meant to be harmless in the writers mind turns out to
be an insult to others. With this in mind, it is easy to see where things
got blown out of proportion in the last few days. 

I would STRONGLY SUGGEST that in the future we make extra pains for
the clearest possible language. This community does NOT always know
that "he/she ... couldn't possibly mean that!"--we cannot see your
body language or your intent. SOOOO, if you choose to make another
sub-discipline the subject of a poorly thought out example, you should
know that what has happened lately on the CCL will probably happen
again.        

The essence of this medium is that we are all colleagues but we are not
all friends. Friends are people you spend "face time" with. All of us
choose to spend time with each other using this medium. And, as with
people you have just met in person, try to be as polite and considerate
in the way you choose your words when framing a "position". There
are many "camps" on this list, and what you say could EASILY be
misinterpreted.

Then, in time, maybe we will be friends...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Craig W. Burkhart, Ph.D.                   Senior Research Chemist 
E-mail: cburkhart@goodyear.com             The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Fone:   216.796.3163                       Research Center
Fax:    216.796.3304                       142 Goodyear Boulevard
					   Akron, OH   44305
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over
public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled - Feynman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------