As the SCREEN-L moderator, let me add one more comment about
the posting of research questions.
 
I have sometimes screened out questions that were *too* obvious or
easily answered by commonly available reference books ("Hey!  What
year was BIRTH OF A NATION released?!") and I do enourage folks
to take the time to look for something locally before consulting this
*international* forum.
 
However, among SCREEN-L's 776 members (at last count) are individuals
with a broad variety of film/TV literacy--from newly starting out
students to folks like myself who've been in this game a while.  I hope
that SCREEN-L can be a service to students/scholars on *all* levels.
 
So, even if a research question appears to be a simple one, I
generally let it through.  If a question strikes you as simplistic,
then let fly with that DELETE key...or, if you're feeling more
generous, jot a quick answer and bring that poster up to your level.
 
And if you're concerned about the level of discussion here, then
feel free to start a new thread and pull SCREEN-L into a subject
about which you feel strongly.
 
Jeremy Butler
SCREEN-L Moderator
[log in to unmask]
 
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
like.  But please don't send out a letter asking people to stop writing
questions like "x" or "y."  If I have a question, I don't want to feel I
have to think about whether it's acceptable to ask something like this in
such a revered place.  This is NOT a revered place.  This is a vast
commons.  We all have the power to neglect to read things that bore or
irritate us--people can neglect to read this.