🚀 go-pugleaf

OK,  Before you all go ape, I will let you in on a few things to
expect now that we have come back online:

1.)	A lot of old posts you have already seen are here again.  We
had a choice, forget all the fine content you guys sent here when you
did not yet know the system was down, or reset the mail pointers to
"0" and resend the entire message base so all of your posts would make
it to the net.  We chose the latter and thought you would too.  If you
have the ability to check dates on your posts prior to reading them
just ignore anything dated prior to July 10, 1994.

2.)	You will notice some users are not here yet as posts start
moving again.  There is a reason for this.  We have hundreds of
subscribers to the newsgroup and around 40 subscribers directly to the
listserv.  It seems that ALL of the technical problems we have
experienced were caused by the use of the listserv.  To avoid future
problems we are sacrificing the listserv.  It still exists and always
will, but only for the purpose of feeding the newsgroup and for
moderation purposes.  At least half of the subscribers to the listserv
CAN use the newsgroup but chose not to.  They will need to subscribve
to the newsgroup now.  We can't help it.  The problems caused by the
listserv were SERIOUS.  We almost got kicked off the Internet
altogether because of the message base damage done by the listserv.
In order to preserve our network we sacrificed it.  If we can ever
bring it back we intend to.  I am currently notifying all the users of
the listserv to inform them of the change.

3.)	A NEW MASONIC NEWSGROUP was born.  It seems one of the users
of ALT.MAGICK got a little upset at me because he never saw his posts
here during the shutdown (who did?).  He could not accept that I did
not censor his posts regarding the similarity between groups like OTO
etc. and Masonry.  In fact those posts are still here and are going
out with the tidal wave of other posts you all sent in.  Well, he got
mad and started his own masonic newsgroup (ALT.FREEMASONRY).  So far
he has announced his purpose if to establish a place for NON-MASONS TO
DISCUSS MASONRY and since he is not a Mason himself, this should be
interesting to see how an entire newsgroup of blind people leading
other blind people will survive.  Oh BTW, he was so pissed about our
moderated style that his is also an unmoderated newsgroup.  It's not
yet very well known as he did not advertise his newsgroup on hundreds
of other newsgroups like we did, so his user base is still small and
the anti-Masons actually have not discovered it yet.  They knew about
ours immediately from advertising.  Believe it or not I wish them
well.  I hope it does not turn into a flame war over there and I
especially hope SOME MASONS USE IT so there will be factual
information going around in the group.  Without it, that group can
cause Masonry as much damage from misinformation as a well placed anti-
Mason ever could.  I also hope that the first time someone asks him
how to become a Mason he has a correct answer for them.  This is why I
also hope a few of you do go over there at least occasionally.


Sincerely,
Ron Boutwell, Moderator
Prather Lodge #717 Indianapolis, IN (F&AM)
Prather Chapter (RAM), Prather Council (CM
Raper Commandry (KT), Indianapolis Valley (AASR)


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 * CMPQwk 1.4 #648 * Wagner's music is better than it sounds. - Twain