Monday, August 18, 2003

You'll notice, she doesn't answer the question.



Given that the Washington Post's standard opinion on global warming is that the Bush administration has it wrong, that global warming MUST be addressed, I find it hard to understand why you feel an editorial that mocks the effects of global warming would be appropriate in your pages and why your paper feels the article shouldn't be up for discussion on your message boards. I realize temperatures in the 90s mean very little to you and me (I am in Philly and it is as broiling here as it is in D.C.), but in Europe they are not used to this type of weather and are not equipped to handle it. The tracks buckling in England is a genuine transportation crisis. And for crying out loud, the death toll is over 3,000 in France. This is not funny, this is big news, and quite frankly, I am appalled, but not necessarily surprised, by the Post's cavalier attitude toward human lives. Furthermore, this is something that should be up for discussion in the message board: environmental issues have been a staple of the board: why is this editorial any different?
Brendan Skwire

Dear Mr. Skwire,

As I noted in my first response to your query, in spite of the fact that I don't work on Sundays I do sometimes post for discussion Op-Eds and columns from Sunday's Outlook section. I occasionally "pop-in" on a Sunday to post them, or I'll post them on Monday if time is available. But I do not regularly post every Op-Ed or column from Sunday. I do so based on a variety of editorial, discussion, and forum management issues.

It is standard policy at washingtonpost.com forums to expect contributions to be "on-topic." We run topical discussions tied to particular articles or editorials rather than free flowing Internet chats that ramble in any direction. As noted on the forum, we do offer the On Politics Talk Lounge in which to introduce your own topics, or for taking your digressions.

The forums are "public" but are bound by a membership agreement and rules of discussion. Members must abide by these rules to retain membership.

As I noted on the forum in response to your repeated posting of complaints that the Sunday Op-Ed on Al Gore was not up for discussion, requests can be made and comments shared by e-mailing me directly at wpforums@wpni.com. When requests are made within threads, they are off-topic and will be deleted.

Best,

Lindsay
Lindsay Howerton