Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!ucsd!rutgers!elbereth.rutgers.edu!newport.rutgers.edu!waldron From: waldron@newport.rutgers.edu (James Waldron) Newsgroups: news.groups Subject: Re: misc.headlines.unitex moderator RESIGNS Summary: A reply from Dorothy Nicklus (co-founder of UNITEX). Please read carefully what follows. Message-ID: Date: 28 Nov 89 16:13:16 GMT References: <3708@ccnysci.UUCP> <2388@stl.stc.co.uk> <9739@zodiac.ADS.COM> <52644@looking.on.ca> Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 134 Let me introduce myself. I am Dorothy Nicklus, one of the original co-founders of UNITEX and a principal United Nations Representative for a large international organization. I was a major financial contributor to UNITEX ($12000 per year) which helped support the cost of operations and help finance the information that was delivered to misc.headlines.unitex With the assistance of Dr. James Waldron, Executive Director of UNITEX, we were able to bring information to the university and college community that would not otherwise be available. Much of the data, news and information that UNITEX distributed was, at one time, available only to governments and nations...not individuals. UNITEX did a lot of pioneering (pre-Patt Haring days) to make this information available to the public via computer networks and gateways. There has been some mention of NSF policy in these 'threads' of discussion in this newsgroup and on this topic. In fact, The National Science Foundation has said, "UNITEX is a major orchestrator for the fast and reliable distribution and dissemination of information on behalf of the United Nations....", yes the NSF does know all about who we are and how we do what we do. In addition, the principal directors of UNITEX have training and background in political science and international protocol and procedures. Dr Waldron has been moderating UNITEX on other networks for two years with a large degree of success. He is principal contributing editor for UNITEX and is trained in these matters. What came about recently with the resignation of Patt Haring should be clearly understood. Apparently there is a lot of misunderstanding about UNITEX and what we have accomplished independent of the charades that have gone on in this Network. To see good research and hard work get the short-end of the stick in favor of the petty ego-involved personalities that have rallied around the removal of UNITEX is really appalling and clearly shows that a few, loud, complaining individuals can ruin it for everyone...... UNITEX is a nonprofit corporation with a world-wide user base. But, that is not why I am taking this time to answer in this message area....... As a United Nations Representative for a the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW) and a supporter of the democratization of information, I have some further comments and observations. I met Patt Harring a few years ago. We were just starting up UNITEX... she had an account on the Big Electric Cat (a public access unix system with a UseNet news feed). I always took Patt to be a fair an honest person.... Dr. Waldron and I thought that the information from the United Nations mainframe databases and other related services would make a valuable addition and contribution to the UseNet community vis a vis a newsgroup. Patt implored Jim to let her moderate the conference because of her past experience with the Big Electric Cat and to help out as a UNITEX volunteer as a newsgroup moderator. Patt did *not* have training in the political science arena nor had she any working knowledge of the UN or its related activities. I would have preferred to have been moderator but Patt insisted. That was a very big mistake and it led to the collapse of UNITEX as a newsgroup on the Net. About two months ago we noticed Patt was deleting our "tear line" and putting in her name only.....that is why no one knows our names. She also "failed?" to post some of major stories to the newsgroup. Patt also posted several requests from other groups and individuals into our misc.headlines.unitex which asked for direct funds. Why did she get so outraged then when we simply wanted to announce a membership drive for UNITEX? OK, I understand the NET policy on fund raising and I will comply but it is clear that the hard work and effort that went into making this information *available* to an entirely new reader base, was of no absolute importance to Patt Harring. Only her perception of her needs and wants and her own power trip, so-to-speak. Believe me, when she started to remove our names and credits from UNITEX and replaced it with hers and refused to publish United Nations articles and , in fact, was an outright censor on articles she chose to censor, Dr. Waldron and I wanted to find another moderator, then we found out what Patt knew all along..... .......The moderator *is* the NEWSGROUP on the USENET system! We were unable to post UNITEX information or even any comments since she flat-out refused to post our replies. THIS IS NOT WHAT UNITEX WAS ABOUT OR WHAT WE FOUGHT HARD TO OBTAIN....... information that can benefit all and should be available to all as public news and awareness was jeopardized by the small-mindedness and ego-mania of Ms. Haring..... We couldn't even talk to Patt on the phone for weeks about it because she only had her answering machine available and ignored our phone calls. Patt became the "information broker" and her dreams were fulfilled. She had nothing to do whatsoever with the efforts used to obtain, gather and distribute this information and had no 'stake' or investment in what this was all about, in the first place. She was an opportunist of the worst degree and took tremendous *advantage* her of moderator role......That I find despicable and dishonest. Patt's actions clearly show she cares little or nothing about the students that did find a benefit to a different international news source. As newsgroup moderator, she could "pull the plug" on everyone (and she did). But it's not over 'till it's over and UNITEX will be here long after Patt has wandered into some other 'cause celibre' and destroyed some other useful piece of work. UNITEX does have a mailing list; the newsgroup however allowed more people access to the information. C'est la vie. For those that find UNITEX's information a benefit you may reach us via our mailing list. [rutgers!rubbs!unitex] or waldron@newport.rutgers.edu I do hope that there is a better understanding of what UNITEX was trying to do and accomplish and thank you for taking the time to read this. Regards, Dorothy Nicklus UN NGO Rep and Associate Director of UNITEX. Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com