authority for prescriptions

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

In a message dated 2/24/04 2:23:41 PM, zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU writes:

<< there are plenty of places in life where prescriptions are entirely
appropriate.  i'm going to object if you refer to "the Linguistics
Society of America" (or, for that matter, to "the Berkeley Linguistic
Society"), for example, and i'm going to insist on standard spelling
(and capitalization, even!) in academic publications. >>

Exactly -- and these are all examples where one can cite authority rather
than just issue edicts based on one's own preferences. My prescriptions = your
carelessness = his mistaken notions?