Important Message - Please Read

[Jonathan Wallace <jon@whoweb.com>]

To all participants,

Ray Keefer and I recently held a phone discussion regarding
the intent and use of PSUBS.ORG.

We both agree that it is important to maintain
personal_submersibles as a discussion forum about the theory,
construction, and use of manned/unmanned submersibles.  More
importantly, we believe the majority of current participants
share this view as well.

We realize however, that enforcing a "psubs-only" rule can
be frustrating when a participant wishes to express an
opinion regarding issues surrounding PSUBS.ORG.  For this
reason, we are opening a new discussion forum at
ISSUES@PSUBS.ORG that can be used to discuss non-psub related
issues including the administration of PSUBS.ORG.  This new
mailing list will allow us to keep personal_submersibles on
topic yet still provide a forum for non-psub related
discussions.

It is not our intent to censor discourse, however it is a
fact that every time the personal_submersibles mailing list
goes off topic (regardless of where the topic ends up) a
handful of people unsubscribe from the mailing list.  By
providing an alternative discussion group where non-psub
discussions can take place, we hope to meet the needs of
those participants who seek a forum to express non-psub
related issues or comments.

Participants should feel free to gently redirect non-psub
related discussions to the ISSUES mailing list when they
develop.  If necessary, send mail to listmstr@psubs.org

Effective immediately, issues related to PSUB mailing
list or web site administration should be sent to
ISSUES@PSUBS.ORG and discussed in that forum.  Also,
participants who enter topics that are clearly non-psub
related such as how cute your sister looks in a bikini or
the biogenetics descended through your family history will
no longer be provided bandwidth through PSBUS.  At the
risk of being promoted to the rank of 8-star Admiral
on the good ship PSUBS, please note that further attempts
to continue such discussions on the personal_submersibles
mailing list will result in your removal from the list
without notification.

Any issue regarding THIS notification will happily be
discussed in the ISSUES forum.

To subscribe to issues@psubs.org, send an email message
to majordomo@psubs.org with the word "subscribe" in the
body of your message.

Additionally, clarification of certain issues are in
order since mixed messages have been sent to a number
of people.

Ray was incorrect in a recent message in which he asserted
that no participants had been removed from the
personal_submersibles mailing list.  In fact, more than one
person has been removed from the mailing list for continuing
discussion and/or inciteful comments in reference to
cover-ups, lying, or conspiracies related to this mailing
list.  As you will recall, I had notified the list that the
subject would no longer be tolerated and attempts to do so
would result in termination from the list.  Removal of these
participants were done at my discretion and Ray was unaware
of this action when he wrote his latest message.

Lastly, my previous message has been described as "strongly
worded" and likened to an Admiral on deck bellowing out
orders.  I'm sure that some will interpret this current
message in the same way.  However, it is not my intent to
"talk down" to anyone on this list.  My messages as
"administrator" are not authored with any thought that I'm
better than you, or that "I'm the administrator and
I say so", or "It's my way or no way".  My messages are
strongly worded because I don't have the time, energy or
desire to monitor your conversations and send you a personal
message warning you about the consequences of continuing a
certain action.  If my messages were not assertive and to
the point, you can be certain that when it came time to
act on a participant they would be sure to cry that they
didn't understand what was expected of them or that my
message wasn't clear enough.