Lev:
1. Not guilty of any of the above charges.
2. I trust you don't really believe that the guilty parties actually are going to own up to it, do you?
3. One reason I think Audiogon instituted the voting is so that people could avoid getting private e-mail laced with vitriol the likes of which many of us have received from you after publicly disagreeing with you. Hence, the whole point was so people COULD object to a post and preserve their anonymity for whatever reasons they may have for doing so. Your demand that they reveal themselves is patently contrary to the intent of the process. I personally didn't mind you e-mailing me directly, I think that's better than brawling in the group. Others don't feel that way, perhaps hoping that what we say in public might be somewhat more restrained (though historically that hasn't proven to be the case). I can appreciate both perspectives, but you have to respect others preferences just as surely as you demand respect for yours.
Ultimately, the voting thing is bogus, dangerous and effectively uninformative, but if giving negative votes makes someone feel like they are participating, well, fine and dandy for them. I don't know if anyone has been banned from the site yet because of their negative ratings - thus far it seems A-gon is intent on just suggesting people cool it on specific threads or topics. Doesn't seem overly onerous to me, but I shall remain alert for further developments.
chas
