Hello PLUG, I'll try to be brief and direct: 

1.- If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem;
my solution is at the bottom of the post after I establish my context. 

CONTEXT:
2.- Respect is of the utmost importance, lose respect and lose the group. 

With that said:
3.- If the group doesn't meet your expectations, you don't belong to the 
group and the link fades away. 

My personal case:
I don't live in Arizona.
I am part of this group because of its "Linux" component, everything else is 
respectfully considered (or not).
I believe I am a valuable member of the group because I respect other people 
and I have some Linux knowledge.
I have been helped and I have helped people here in the past.
When I don't feel welcome anymore (respect) or when I am swamped with 
useless (to me) information, I'll find other venues.
Everybody looses...   :( 

If you think that computer geeks like to chitchat, try an aviation group...
I used to own an aircraft and I joined a group to (amazingly) get help with 
aircraft knowledge.
The same issue arose: "Off Topic", or "I like you guys and I am interested, 
but I am here to fix and maintain my airplane". 

The "Solomonic" solution was to create 2 groups:
Aircraft-chat for everything "exclusively" aircraft and,
Hangar-chat for everything else. 

THE SOLUTION:
Use the PLUG mailing list for what it was meant to be: Computer Geek stuff.
Create a "watercooler-PLUG" mailing list for everything "else". 

Now people has a clear choice to join the technical discussion, the 
entertaining gossip, both or neither.
In MY case, I would not go without the gossip...   ;-)
Enrique A. Troconis,
 From Georgia
(Used to live in Yuma AZ) 

PS: Gossip...   :)
My backyard:          http://www.kitepilot.com/may/100B0970.JPG
The furious watchdog: http://www.kitepilot.com/may/sadie_in_snow.jpg
"Moonlighting":       http://www.kitepilot.com/georgia/towing/tug_1.JPG
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