On August 17, Jan Spoerri wrote something that might be considered
advertising and for which he later apologized.  Regarding that:

Jan-

After all, how can anyone tell what is advertising? If you are replying to a
message on this list and leave your address with the title of what you do,
couldn't it  be considered advertising?

Or if you are more subtle?  Let's say that you are an architect and an artist
(let me assure you that I chose this combination  only because I am familiar
with it), running an award winning design firm (such as mine) and you, well,
for instance, have done many interactive and/or interpretive exhibitions (as
we do-- just a coincidence), and let's say (just as an example) that you do
everything from concept through to construction, or that (let's see...) you
have been in business since (hmmm...) 1988 and have repeat clients and client
referrrals, and that (once again just for argument's sake) every project you
have done has been on time and within budget (as have ours by the way)...
 You probably would be criticized on this list for saying so out loud and
sounding like a car salesman.

Or let's say that you are in the midst of a philosophical discussion about
Enola Gay or something and (unlimited government grants for the arts)
subliminally (beautiful, naked women, or better yet, happy, scantily clad
people playing on the sunny sands of a beautiful beach), you happen to throw
some in ideas that are appealing but that have nothing to do with what you
are (money, LOTS of money) talking about and then you leave your name and
address and title of your firm and/or yourself (the love of your life),
wouldn't that be something that might be considered advertising, not to
mention a blatant turn off (on) to those of us doing some important
discoursing (lovemaking) here?

Or you could just put out a decent, innocuous, little note about yourself and
your firm and happen to send it to over nine hundred potential clients and
then retract it by saying whoops I'm sorry.  And then people might copy your
note and send it out again and again...?  Probably you could get away with
that.

I personally, and without sarcasm, feel that this list is best free of
blatant advertising and agree with the person who likened it to PBS or NPR (I
don't think PBS or NPR are free of advertising but I think the intellectual
content and/or debate far outweigh the aggrandizement). Though I will
sometimes rip all of the advertising out of an art magazine just to see
what's left...  And though I resent direct mailings because of the waste and
wish that the Sunday papers in particular would come without the inserts
which I just toss without a glance...  What is called "junk mail"  is
sometimes a very good way for a nonprofit to get it's word out.  It is a
pleasure to have a haven away from the  attention-seeking and
truth-stretching (and unfortunately too often lack of humor)  that propel ads
and keep them running.  I think letting people know a bit about you helps
them consider the source when they are hearing what you have to say and that
often, knowing a little about what a person does is helpful, especially in
these disembodied communication forums.  Anyway, best of luck.

Mindy Lehrman Cameron
Architect/Exhibition Designer/Artist
Seattle
[log in to unmask]

Not sure of the spelling but appreciate the sentiment:
Disgustibus non disputantum est.