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From: [e-mail] (Dan Anderson)
Newsgroups: alt.org.sierra-club,alt.answers,news.answers
Subject: Sierra Club: Unofficial, Unauthorized alt.org.sierra-club FAQ
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Summary: This posting describes the newsgroup alt.org.sierra-club, including
         information on the Sierra Club and environmental protection and
         where to find more information.  It should be read by anyone who
         wishes to post to the alt.org.sierra-club newsgroup.
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Archive-name: sierra-club/faq
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 2000/02/07
URL: http://www.dan.drydog.com/faqs/scfaq.html
Version: 1.6
Copyright: Copyright (c) 1997-2000 Dan Anderson.  All rights reserved.
Maintainer: Dan Anderson <[e-mail]>

1. INTRODUCTION

The Unofficial, Unauthorized Sierra Club alt.org.sierra-club FAQ

This article contains the answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) seen in
USENET newsgroup alt.org.sierra-club.  It is also posted to alt.answers, and
news.answers.  Discussion in this document centers around the Sierra Club in
specific and environmental protection in general.  It is posted monthly.

The content of this article is the sole responsibility of the author and is
provided as a public service.  THIS FAQ IS *NOT* AUTHORIZED BY, NOR
NECESSARILY REPRESENTS THE VIEWS OF, THE SIERRA CLUB OR ANY ORGANIZATION.

This is Copyright ⌐ 1997-2000 Dan Anderson.  All rights reserved.  It may
be freely redistributed in its entirety provided that this copyright notice
is not removed.  Permission is expressly granted for this document to be
made available for file transfer from installations offering unrestricted
anonymous file transfer on the Internet.

This article is provided "as is" without any express or implied warranty.
While every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information
contained in this article, the author assumes no responsibility for errors
or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information
contained herein.

Sierra Club« is a registered trademark of the Sierra Club.

Suggested submissions, corrections, comments, input, complaints should be
directed to Dan Anderson <[e-mail]>.  Submit general Sierra Club
questions to this newsgroup or <[e-mail]>.

-Dan Anderson, alt.org.sierra-club FAQ Maintainer

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2. TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS

3. GENERAL QUESTIONS
3.1. I am interested to know what type of forum this is.
     What is the Sierra Club?
3.2. Where do I ask a question about the Sierra Club?
3.3. What's USENET Newsgroup alt.org.sierra-club?
3.4. What's "brown spam"?
3.5. I need to find information about Sierra Club history?
3.6. What about the Sierra Club and current events?
3.7. Please send me the e-mail address of the Sierra Club nearest to me
     or the telephone number of the person to contact if they do not have
     e-mail?
3.8. I need help in the first part of Phantasmagoria II when the guy has
     to go out of his house and needs his wallet, how do I get it?? I know it's
     under the sofa, but I don't know what to use to get it.
3.9. I understand, that you don't want gameplayers to use this newsgroup,
     So why don't you use another name!  I find this very confusing, cause I
     am a very big Sierra fan!

4. CONTACT INFORMATION
4.1. What's the Sierra Club's snail mail address?
4.2. I need the phone number for . . .
4.3. I need the e-mail address for . . .

5. FINDING INFORMATION
5.1. Where is the Sierra Club web page located?
5.2. How do I find something there?
5.3. Are there any other news and discussion lists besides this
     newsgroup (alt.org.sierra-club)?

6. MEMBERSHIP, BOOKS, OUTINGS
6.1. Where do I get a membership application?
6.2. I'm already a member.  How do I change my address?
6.3. Where can I find information about Sierra Club Outings?
6.4. Where is information about Sierra Club Books?

7. ACTIVIST RESOURCES
7.1. What's Sierra Club doing to . . .?
7.2. How can I help with the Sierra Club and environmental protection?
7.3. Issue Questions (from _The Planet_ (May 1997)

7.3.1 A garbage dump is being build in my county. What can I do? What is the
      Club doing?
7.3.2 What is the Club's official policy on global warming and ozone depletion?
7.3.3 I am doing a radio interview for my local Sierra Club group. Do you
      have background materials on the history and accomplishments of the Club?
7.3.4 I'm writing a report on tropical rainforests for my 5th grade class.
      Can the Club send me information?
7.3.5 I'm working on sprawl issues in my chapter. Is there a national
      committee or task force at the Club I can contact for more information?
7.3.6 I'm interested in population issues. What can I do?

7.4. Contacting Congressional Representatives

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3. GENERAL QUESTIONS

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3.1. I am interested to know what type of forum this is.
What is the Sierra Club?

The Sierra Club is a non-profit (IRC 501(c)(4)), member-supported,
public interest organization that promotes conservation of the natural
environment by influencing public policy decisions--legislative,
administrative, legal, and electoral.

The Sierra Club Mission is:
     * To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth;
     * To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's
       ecosystems and resources;
     * To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality
       of the natural and human environment; and
     * To use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.

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3.2. Where do I ask a question about the Sierra Club?

Read this FAQ carefully.  If the answer's not here,
post a message to this newsgroup, alt.org.sierra-club, or
e-mail or call the Sierra Club Information Center at
<[e-mail]>,  1-415-977-5653.

Please be as specific as possible when forming your question.

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3.3. What's USENET Newsgroup alt.org.sierra-club?

It's one of thousands of USENET "newsgroups" on the Internet.
This group is for discussion of Sierra Club and environmental
issues.  It's NOT for unrelated advertisements ("spam") or
questions about Sierra Games (see question 3.8).

This is an aumoderated newsgroup.  That is, this group has no
administrator nor has any centralized server.  All messages are
handled in a distributed manner throughout the Internet.

This newsgroup is NOT under the control or sponsorship of the
Sierra Club, although official representatives, members, and staff
post messages here.

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3.4. What's "brown spam"?

This newsgroup, along with many other newsgroups devoted to environmental
protection, have for weeks been distracted and disrupted by individuals
whose own web pages and cross-postings describe and reflect their
hostility to environmental protection.

The Sahara Club and other pro-destruction, pro-violence plunderers of
the public lands have published detailed "how-to" guides on disrupting
"green" activities and discussion.  These instruction describe and predict
the very distraction which has been seen on this newsgroup for weeks.  Why
should we continue to play into the hands of the galia-haters?

For the destroyers, the point of participation is not to discuss -
rather, the purpose is to distract, and thereby destroy, the effort to
protect the environment.

Cross-posting of inflammatory, argumentative, insulting flames is
obviously not an attempt to bring about communication.  The fact that most
of these flames are cross-posted to groups with the words "limbaugh",
"rush", "conservative", and/or "libertarian" in their titles is a clear
indication of the motives of the flamers.

As a result of the deliberate cross-posting, green responses often
flood across multiple news groups, creating a cascade in which the
brownspam prevents the function of more and more groups.  (At one point,
the embittered disabled man in Arizona, who had such scant comprehension of
the net, EF!, or academic computing, had disrupted over fifteen "green'
newsgroups . . . . far too much disruption than was required.)

HOW TO STOP THE BROWN SPAMS:

(1) Don't respond on the newsgroup.  If you must take the energy to
respond, do so in e-mail directly to the spammer.

(2) AVOID REPLYING TO A CROSS-POST (a post to more than one newsgroup).  Such
responses clutter up all the spammed groups. [At least delete the other
newsgroups from the reply, if not relevant.-ed.]

(3) Filter out the poster: Set your newsreader or e-mail progam filters:
(author=email of spammer; action=kill).

P.S. - this post is in no way a criticism of my fellow eco-defenders who
have taken on the spammers!

(Thanks to Kirk Murphy for this answer, originally posted to ca.environment)

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3.5. I need to find information about Sierra Club history?

Sierra Club history is on the web at http://www.sierraclub.org/history/
Information about John Muir, who founded the Sierra Club in 1892,
is at the John Muir Exhibit at
http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/
A good book on Sierra Club history is Michael P. Cohen's
_The History of the Sierra Club, 1892-1970_ (Sierra Club Books, 1988,
ISBN 0-87156-732-6).

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3.6. What about the Sierra Club and current events?

For late-breaking news and alerts, see the daily Sierra Club Action reports at
http://www.sierraclub.org/news/sc-action/.  See also the on-line editions
of the Club's magazine, _Sierra_, at http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/ and
our activist newsletter, _The Planet_, at http://www.sierraclub.org/planet/
Another excellent general resource on current events is the
 _Readers Guide to Periodical Literature_ in your local library.
Look in the subject index under "Sierra Club".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.7. Please send me the e-mail address of the Sierra Club nearest to me
or the telephone number of the person to contact if they do not have
e-mail?

For regional chapters and local groups look in the phone book under
"Sierra Club" or check your chapter or groups web page under
http://www.sierraclub.org/chapters/  Contact the Information Center
(question 3.2) if your local group is not listed in either place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.8.  I need help in the first part of Phantasmagoria II when the guy has
to go out of his house and needs his wallet, how do I get it?? I know it's
under the sofa, but I don't know what to use to get it.
Help me please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:( thanks a lot

Sierra Online, Inc. (a commercial software company) and it's games are
*NOT* affiliated with or endorsed by the Sierra Club.  Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ask about hints and other game questions on the Sierra Games newsgroup
at alt.games.sierra.therealm. Or visit Sierra Online's web page at
http://www.sierra.com/ :-).


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.9.  I understand, that you don't want gameplayers to use this newsgroup,
So why don't you use another name!  I find this very confusing, cause I am
a very big Sierra fan!

Hmmm.  Let me think.  The Sierra Club was founded in 1892, and the newsgroup
alt.org.sierra-club was started specifically for Sierra Club discussion.
Sierra Games was started in 1982.  Who do you think should use this newsgroup?
Fortunately, there is a Sierra Games newsgroup (see the previous question).

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4. CONTACT INFORMATION

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1. What's the Sierra Club's snail mail address?

Sierra Club
85 Second St., Second Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105-3441
USA

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.2. I need the phone number for . . .

* Sierra Club Switchboard [phone] (voice)
* Information Center [phone]
* Headquarters [phone] (voice), [phone] (FAX)
* Legislative Hotline [phone]
* Jobs Hotline [phone] (HQ & field; updated weekly)

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4.3. I need the e-mail address for . . .

* Sierra Club Information Center <[e-mail]>
* Sierra Club activist information <[e-mail]>
* Membership <[e-mail]>
  (for an application, send your postal address)
* Member address changes <[e-mail]>
  (send your membership number and old and new addresses)
* National Outings <[e-mail]>
  (for a brochure, send your postal address)
* Sierra Club Bookstore <[e-mail]>
* For the address of a state or regional chapter, see the
  chapter web page at http://www.sierraclub.org/chapters/
* For the address of a regional Sierra Club Field Office, please see
  http://www.sierraclub.org/field/
* For e-mail to a specific individual (Sierra Club staff and some
  volunteers), the generic address is
  <[e-mail]>
  Obviously, replace firstname and lastname with their real name
  (for example, [e-mail] (not a real address)).

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5. FINDING INFORMATION

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.1. Where is the Sierra Club web page located?

http://www.sierraclub.org/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.2. How do I find something there?

If it's not on the home page, try
http://www.sierraclub.org/search.html
Local chapter and group stuff are sometimes on remote web servers,
but are pointed to from http://www.sierraclub.org/chapters/


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5.3. Are there any other news and discussion lists besides this
newsgroup (alt.org.sierra-club)?

   Yes, there are several on various topics.  Some lists are restricted
   to members or committee members, but most lists are open to everyone.
   To get a list of Sierra Club lists, see
    http://www.sierraclub.org/news/lists.html
   or send the following one line message to <[e-mail]>
   (subject doesn't matter):

    GET CURRENT SCLISTS

   The most popular mailing list is SIERRACLUB-ACTION, a daily briefing on
   environmental news and politics from the Club's Washington, D.C. office.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. MEMBERSHIP, BOOKS, OUTINGS

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.1. Where do I get a membership application?

Send a message with
your name and postal address to <[e-mail]>
The membership application is also available at
http://www.sierraclub.org/member/
where you may print out a membership application or join on-line.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.2. I'm already a member.  How do I change my address?

Send your name, membership number, and old and new addresses to
<[e-mail]>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.3. Where can I find information about Sierra Club Outings?

National Sierra Club outings are posted on the web at
http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/national/
You can also receive their catalog by sending your name and
postal address to <[e-mail]>
Most local groups and chapters also sponsor outings, which are generally
free.  The best way to find out about these outings is to join and you'll
receive the local group or chapter newsletter every month or two.  Some
groups and chapters post outings on their web page under
http://www.sierraclub.org/cha