This Special Interest Group has been created to provide an area where 
poverty issues can be discussed, information about poverty can be found, 
and where consultation for advocates and clients involved in the Social 
Services Appeal System can be obtained.

What follows is a short explanation of the menu items in this sig.
1  About this Sig:  X-You are here!
2  Poverty Forum:  Unmoderated discussion group.  ( see note below) 
3  Poverty Test:  Test yourself to see if you are poor according to the 
poverty line.
4  Poverty Information:  General information for poor people and 
other interested parties.
5  Advocate Referral Services:  Where you can find and Advocate in Victoria.
6  Events:  Where you can find events of interest to poor people.
7  Resources for Poor People:  Bargains, foodbanks, etc.
8  What's New:  Notices about changes in the legislation, new groups, new 
areas of the Sig if they come along.
9  Poverty Issues:  Where you can find issues of interest to poor people 
as starters for discussion.


RE: The Forum and some complaints recently received.

There has been some poor bashing and personal attacks on this forum and I 
hope the following will help.


     The virtual world of Internet and the real world are
quite similar.  In the real world I will meet people I do
like and people I do not.  In the virtual world of the
Internet I will also meet people I do; or do not like.

     I do like people who listen to my point of view and
will, even if they disagree, discuss the issues with me in a
civil manner.  I do not like people who do not listen and
are only talking with me to make points and to try to win or
to make me angry and lose my cool.  They do this by
attacking me on a personal level or by calling my points of
view and thoughts on things names like stupid and pathetic.

     In the real world, when I come upon a person I do not
like I avoid them.  If presented with them face to face I am
usually polite but cool.  In the virtual world I tend to do
the same thing.  Once I decide that I do dislike a person in
either world, I will ignore them and try not respond to
anything they say.  In the virtual world of email and
newsgroups I am really lucky because I do not have to read
what they write.

     Once I have ignored a person in the real world and let
them know I do not like them, they tend not to try to talk
with me anymore.  In fact, I have noticed, that I do not run
into them very much anymore.  They seem to go away.

     If you find that you do not like someone, because they
are not listening, calling you or your ideas names or just
trying to upset you, I suggest you try ignoring them.  When
you see a post or an email with their name at the top, just
delete or go past it by hitting the Q key.  Don't even
bother reading it.  You know you won't like what they are
saying, and that they do not listen and will not learn, so
why bother with them at all?  I say just ignore them.

     If you do chose to read them and respond, you are only
playing their game.  You are supporting them if you fight
with them.  You are providing them with a platform from
which to carry on their sometimes viscious game.

Once you get the message, hang up the phone.  You do not
have to hang up the phone on all the people on the newsgroup
or Forum you are taking part in.  Just refuse to read the
posts of anyone who you decide to not like or support.  And
if they email you, don't read that either.  They will go
away in a little while.

Hopefully you will find this little essay on dealing with
people you do not like helpful in your dealings on the
Internet wherever you go on it.