All good things....

[Stephen Adams]

This group started on March 24, 1993. After 17 years, usage of
the group, likethat of much of UseNet, has fallen way off.
To the point where it no longer makes sense for me to maintain
the necessary hosting, email and other infrastructure for a
moderated group. It's been a lot of fun to participate in the
group and I've made some friends in real life from this group.
Most of them have now moved on. And so must I.

Effective midnight, January 31, I will cease moderating the
group. There are some procedures outlined in the Charter
for a new moderator, but there are so few participants that
following them would be impossible. You can see this at
www.srcbs.org.

I am more than willing to transfer the domain and moderation
to a willing volunteer, but please read this before you decide
to take on the task:

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/moderated-ng-faq/

Barring a transfer to another moderator, the group will simply
cease to function as of February 1st.

-Stephen Adams (bi...@srcbs.org)
Moderator, Soc.Religion.Christian.Bible-Study

((( s.r.c.b-s is a moderated group. All posts are approved by a moderator. )))
((( Read http://srcbs.org for details about this group BEFORE you post. )))

[Bart Goddard]

Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote in
news:F909C200-D021-817C...@art.srcbs.org:

> It's been a lot of fun to participate in the
> group and I've made some friends in real life from this group.
> Most of them have now moved on. And so must I.

I've been sort of expecting this. It's been a good
and fun run. We're all deeply in your debt for all
your work, Stephen. I guess we're getting too old
for this constant bickering (much as I enjoy it) and
the young folks have different venues for their
bickering. I'll burn some Cuban insense tonight in
your honor.

Bart

PS. Lutherans are right and all the rest of you
are going to hell.

PSS. Except Bob Felts, who is going to Tahiti.

--
Cheerfully resisting change since 1959.

[bwme...@toast.net]

On Fri, 8 Jan 2010 13:20:25 -0600 (CST), Stephen Adams
<bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:

>Effective midnight, January 31, I will cease moderating the
>group. There are some procedures outlined in the Charter
>for a new moderator, but there are so few participants that
>following them would be impossible. You can see this at
>www.srcbs.org.
>
>I am more than willing to transfer the domain and moderation
>to a willing volunteer, but please read this before you decide
>to take on the task:
>
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/moderated-ng-faq/
>
>Barring a transfer to another moderator, the group will simply
>cease to function as of February 1st.

With two of the comments, and those two only, that Bart replied, I
agree:

> I was sort of expecting this . . .

as I'm quite sure everyone remaining was also

> We're all deeply in your debt for all your work, Stephen.

Thank you, Stephen, very much.

*******************************

I certainly hope to see the group continue, with maybe a few slight
changes. I considered attempting to take on the job, myself, being
"retired," now, with the time to do it. But downloading the 2nd URL,
printing it, and studying what all is involved has "cooled my ardor."

And most of all your comment above that "following them would be
impossible."

I'm confused: in view of that statement, why are you even suggesting
it? That seems to be saying, "the issue is closed --- fini"

For the "changes" I had in mind, I'd like to see the name
"soc.religion.christian.Bible-hearers", and focus shifted to that,
rather than the skepticism, world philosophy, church doctrine,
bickering about everything but the Bible that the focus currently is.

"My sheep HEAR MY VOICE, and they follow Me, and I give them Eternal
Life, and they shall never perish."

Something focussed on HEARING HIS VOICE, the Holy Scriptures.

Might this be possible; or does anyone know of such a newsgroup or
list anywhere?

I'd appreciate hearing, if anyone has an answer. Thank you.

Bob
Christ Died to Save You

[needles]

"But often, in the world's most crowded streets,
But often, in the din of strife,
There rises an unspeakable desire
After the knowledge of our buried life:
A thrist to spend our fire and endless force
in tracking out our original course,
A longing to inquire
Into the mystery of his heart which beats
So wild, so deep in us - to know
Whence our lives come and to where they go.

*Mathew Arnold* "The Buried Life"

[Stephen Adams]

Bart Goddard <godd...@netscape.net> writes:
>Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote in
>news:F909C200-D021-817C...@art.srcbs.org:
>
>> It's been a lot of fun to participate in the
>> group and I've made some friends in real life from this group.
>> Most of them have now moved on. And so must I.
>
>I've been sort of expecting this. It's been a good
>and fun run. We're all deeply in your debt for all
>your work, Stephen. I guess we're getting too old
>for this constant bickering (much as I enjoy it) and
>the young folks have different venues for their
>bickering.

Thanks. And yep, the kids do have their preferred alternatives
to our little malt shop here.

>I'll burn some Cuban insense tonight in your honor.

:-) Have they loosened the restrictions on said incense so that
one might come by it in some way that does not involve having
to visit the People's Republic of Canada?

>PS. Lutherans are right and all the rest of you
>are going to hell.
>
>PSS. Except Bob Felts, who is going to Tahiti.

No fair. *I* want to go to Tahiti, too!

-Stephen
Moderator

[Stephen Adams]

bwme...@toast.net writes:
>On Fri, 8 Jan 2010 13:20:25 -0600 (CST), Stephen Adams
><bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:
>
>>Effective midnight, January 31, I will cease moderating the
>>group. There are some procedures outlined in the Charter
>>for a new moderator, but there are so few participants that
>>following them would be impossible. You can see this at
>>www.srcbs.org.
>>
>>I am more than willing to transfer the domain and moderation
>>to a willing volunteer, but please read this before you decide
>>to take on the task:
>>
>> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/moderated-ng-faq/
>>
>>Barring a transfer to another moderator, the group will simply
>>cease to function as of February 1st.
>
>With two of the comments, and those two only, that Bart replied, I
>agree:
>
>> I was sort of expecting this . . .
>
>as I'm quite sure everyone remaining was also
>
>> We're all deeply in your debt for all your work, Stephen.
>
>Thank you, Stephen, very much.

You're welcome. Thanks for participating.

>I certainly hope to see the group continue, with maybe a few slight
>changes. I considered attempting to take on the job, myself, being
>"retired," now, with the time to do it. But downloading the 2nd URL,
>printing it, and studying what all is involved has "cooled my ardor."
>
>And most of all your comment above that "following them would be
>impossible."
>
>I'm confused: in view of that statement, why are you even suggesting
>it? That seems to be saying, "the issue is closed --- fini"

Sorry - what I meant was that following the RFD suggested in the
Charter was pretty much impossible, but the overall 'rules' for
UseNet allow direct transfers of moderation. In other words,
an election is very impractical and likely impossible, but an
'heir designate' would work in its place.

>For the "changes" I had in mind, I'd like to see the name
>"soc.religion.christian.Bible-hearers", and focus shifted to that,
>rather than the skepticism, world philosophy, church doctrine,
>bickering about everything but the Bible that the focus currently is.
>
>"My sheep HEAR MY VOICE, and they follow Me, and I give them Eternal
>Life, and they shall never perish."
>
>Something focussed on HEARING HIS VOICE, the Holy Scriptures.
>
>Might this be possible; or does anyone know of such a newsgroup or
>list anywhere?

Good luck, people being what they are. As for a new group, there is
a process for creating such things, but I'd suggest a differen medium.
A blog or discussion site might be better than trying to pass such
through the arcane rules of UseNet.

-Stephen
Moderator

[Helmut Richter]

On Sun, 10 Jan 2010, Stephen Adams wrote:

> bwme...@toast.net writes:

> >Thank you, Stephen, very much.

Let me join in with my thanks. The job of the moderator is too often taken
for granted, but it is a serious commitment to the community.

> Good luck, people being what they are. As for a new group, there is
> a process for creating such things, but I'd suggest a differen medium.
> A blog or discussion site might be better than trying to pass such
> through the arcane rules of UseNet.

Well, I like the medium very much, with its mixture of centralised and
decentralised features. On the other hand, most of the traffic here had
already the form of a blog: from a single contributor with typically no or
one response from someone else to each contribution.

BTW, on other topics there are still vivid groups. I suspect, however,
that these, too, are mainly frequented by my generation: the people
around 60.

s.r.c.bible-study was split off from s.r.c (both moderated) when it had
much traffic, and the topics in the two groups never diverged so much that
contributions would only fit in one of them. In principle, one could merge
the two again. But s.r.c. is as dead as this group. It seems that there is
no longer a market for the groups. I, too, have not (or only very
infrequently) posted here or in s.r.c. for quite some time.

--
Helmut Richter

[Bart Goddard]

Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote in

news:0526EC0C-7713-1F03...@art.srcbs.org:

>:-) Have they loosened the restrictions on said incense so that
> one might come by it in some way that does not involve having
> to visit the People's Republic of Canada?

No. But any tobacconist in the UK or Spain will send you
whatever you want. Chances are slim (but not zero) that
customs will notice (they're way too busy hunting for plastic
explosive to worry about a few cubanos getting through.)
And our Spanish friends know to label the box "Handmade
Gifts". Afterall, the sticks are "Hecho e mano."

>>PS. Lutherans are right and all the rest of you
>>are going to hell.
>>
>>PSS. Except Bob Felts, who is going to Tahiti.
>
> No fair. *I* want to go to Tahiti, too!

OK, but you have to take Harold Kupp with you.

B. (Despite a large bribe, Satan wouldn't take him.)

--
Cheerfully resisting change since 1959.

[Bob Felts]

Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:

> Most of them have now moved on. And so must I.

Godspeed, Steve. So long, and thanks for everything.

[Bart Goddard]

Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote in news:B6CA51E8-EFFF-6678-B2A2-
953564...@art.srcbs.org:

>bwme...@toast.net writes:

>>Something focussed on HEARING HIS VOICE, the Holy Scriptures.

This is laughable, but it's too late to start something. The
exact reason why you shouldn't be moderator is that you think
you're the voice of Jesus and anyone who disagrees with you
is "bickering". <face palm>

>>Might this be possible; or does anyone know of such a newsgroup or
>>list anywhere?
>
> Good luck, people being what they are. As for a new group, there is
> a process for creating such things, but I'd suggest a differen medium.
> A blog or discussion site might be better than trying to pass such
> through the arcane rules of UseNet.

True and true. A group of us is trying to form a moderated
math group, and it's been a royal pain. 6 mathematicians
ought to have the resourses to accomplish a fairly simple
computing task,...you'd think. Too many egos to stroke, too
many egos to crush.

Bob's best bet for a new forum is to start his own blog
or yahoo group or google group. Then he can be his own
moderator. I'll check in once in awhile to see if he's
started arguing with himself.

B.

--
Cheerfully resisting change since 1959.

[Bob Felts]

Bart Goddard <godd...@netscape.net> wrote:

>
> PSS. Except Bob Felts, who is going to Tahiti.

I'm going to miss you, Bart. You are a shining beacon of sanity in a
dark world of idiocy. If you're ever in the Atlanta area...

[Bob Felts]

Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:

> Bart Goddard <godd...@netscape.net> writes:
> >
> >PSS. Except Bob Felts, who is going to Tahiti.
>
> No fair. *I* want to go to Tahiti, too!
>

Come with me. We'll bring the wives and have a grand time.

[Stephen Adams]

Bart Goddard <godd...@netscape.net> writes:
>Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote in
>news:0526EC0C-7713-1F03...@art.srcbs.org:
>
>>:-) Have they loosened the restrictions on said incense so that
>> one might come by it in some way that does not involve having
>> to visit the People's Republic of Canada?
>
>No. But any tobacconist in the UK or Spain will send you
>whatever you want. Chances are slim (but not zero) that
>customs will notice (they're way too busy hunting for plastic
>explosive to worry about a few cubanos getting through.)
>And our Spanish friends know to label the box "Handmade
>Gifts". Afterall, the sticks are "Hecho e mano."

Nice. I will have to investigate your method for obtaining the
incense sticks. After all, we Orthodox do use quite a bit of
incense. :-)

>>>PS. Lutherans are right and all the rest of you
>>>are going to hell.
>>>
>>>PSS. Except Bob Felts, who is going to Tahiti.
>>
>> No fair. *I* want to go to Tahiti, too!
>
>OK, but you have to take Harold Kupp with you.
>B. (Despite a large bribe, Satan wouldn't take him.)

LOL. No thanks. The Kupps are all yours. :-)

-Stephen
--
Stephen Adams
crathv...@tznvy.pbz (rot13)

[Stephen Adams]

wr...@stablecross.com (Bob Felts) writes:
>Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:
>
>> Bart Goddard <godd...@netscape.net> writes:
>> >
>> >PSS. Except Bob Felts, who is going to Tahiti.
>>
>> No fair. *I* want to go to Tahiti, too!
>
>Come with me. We'll bring the wives and have a grand time.

That would be awesome. :-) Though the sight of me in a bathing suit
might change your mind!

-Stephen
--
Stephen Adams
crathv...@tznvy.pbz (rot13)

((( s.r.c.b-s is a moderated group. All posts are approved by a moderator. )))

[Stephen Adams]

wr...@stablecross.com (Bob Felts) writes:

>Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:
>
>> Most of them have now moved on. And so must I.
>
>Godspeed, Steve. So long, and thanks for everything.

Thanks Bob! All the best to you as well.

-Stephen
--
Stephen Adams
crathv...@tznvy.pbz (rot13)

[pnyikos]

On Jan 10, 9:21=A0pm, Bart Goddard <goddar...@netscape.net> wrote:

>=A0A group of us is trying to form a moderated
> math group, and it's been a royal pain. =A06 mathematicians

> ought to have the resourses to accomplish a fairly simple
> computing task,...you'd think.

What is this computing task to which you refer here?

Don't get your hopes up -- my computer expertise is almost nil, but if
it's a matter of dividing routine tasks among 6 or more people, a 7th
might be of some help.

> Too many egos to stroke, too
> many egos to crush.

Despite what my detractors say about me, I have a very accommodating
ego, except where false defamatory (not just insulting) accusations
are concerned.

Peter Nyikos
Professor, Dept. of Mathematics
University of South Carolina
http://www.math.sc.edu/~nyikos/

[pnyikos]

On Jan 10, 10:15=A0am, Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:

> bwmey...@toast.net writes:
> >On Fri, 8 Jan 2010 13:20:25 -0600 (CST), Stephen Adams
> ><bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:
>
> >>Effective midnight, January 31, I will cease moderating the

> >>group. =A0

Thank you for giving us this much advance warning, Steve. I was
planning to do a post tomorrow on "Christian Marriage and Divorce"
before I saw this, but if time and duties permit, I'll do it today. I
really think this is one discussion where we can at least make a
positive contribution before the fat lady sings, as they say.

Are there any readers who understand the Greek in which the NT was
written? That's very relevant to the issue.

> >> There are some procedures outlined in the Charter
> >>for a new moderator, but there are so few participants that
> >>following them would be impossible.

I hope you are wrong about this, and that someone will volunteer.

Anyway, what do you think would be a good Usenet venue for the
discussion that this ng is all about, if it comes to it being
terminated?

The one good thing about Usenet newsgroups -- at least the ones I have
been involved in -- is the strong continuity they embody. People idle
for years -- like I was from the abortion newsgroups mid-1997 until
late 2008 -- can return and not only do people one saw respond to them
as though hardly any time had elapsed, but even old threads can be
rehashed and their conclusions, if any, can be built upon.

I am not blind to the terrible deficiencies of various newsgroups --
for instance, the abortion newsgroups have become even worse than they
were in 1997 -- but I have not seen any other forum with such a sense
of continuity as the Usenet newsgroups with which I am familiar.

> >With two of the comments, and those two only, that Bart replied, I
> >agree:
>
> >> I was sort of expecting this . . .
>
> >as I'm quite sure everyone remaining was also
>

> >> We're all deeply in your debt for all your work, Stephen. =A0 =A0 =A0

>
> >Thank you, Stephen, very much.

My sentiments precisely.

> You're welcome. =A0Thanks for participating.

>
> >I certainly hope to see the group continue, with maybe a few slight

> >changes. =A0I considered attempting to take on the job, myself, being

> >"retired," now, with the time to do it.

Although I am eligible to retire, I like being a Professor here too
much to even think of doing it for another five years at least. So,
alas, I can't even think of volunteering.

> >=A0But downloading the 2nd URL,

> >printing it, and studying what all is involved has "cooled my ardor."

> >And most of all your comment above that "following them would be
> >impossible."
>
> >I'm confused: in view of that statement, why are you even suggesting

> >it? =A0That seems to be saying, "the issue is closed --- fini"

>
> Sorry - what I meant was that following the RFD suggested in the
> Charter was pretty much impossible, but the overall 'rules' for

> UseNet allow direct transfers of moderation. =A0In other words,

> an election is very impractical and likely impossible, but an
> 'heir designate' would work in its place.
>
> >For the "changes" I had in mind, I'd like to see the name
> >"soc.religion.christian.Bible-hearers", and focus shifted to that,
> >rather than the skepticism, world philosophy, church doctrine,
> >bickering about everything but the Bible that the focus currently is.
>
> >"My sheep HEAR MY VOICE, and they follow Me, and I give them Eternal
> >Life, and they shall never perish."
>
> >Something focussed on HEARING HIS VOICE, the Holy Scriptures.
>
> >Might this be possible; or does anyone know of such a newsgroup or
> >list anywhere?

My take on this is that almost no one would participate. Usenet seems
to thrive on disagreement. As for the second question, I too am
curious as to the answer.

> Good luck, people being what they are. =A0As for a new group, there is

> a process for creating such things, but I'd suggest a differen medium.
> A blog or discussion site might be better than trying to pass such
> through the arcane rules of UseNet.

Rules too? not just the ingrained habits of Usenet participants?

Peter Nyikos
Professor, Dept. of Mathematics
University of South Carolina
http://www.math.sc.edu/~nyikos/

[Bart Goddard]

pnyikos <nyi...@bellsouth.net> wrote in
news:332C9B32-E6C5-48C5...@art.srcbs.org:

>
> On Jan 10, 9:21=A0pm, Bart Goddard <goddar...@netscape.net> wrote:
>
>>=A0A group of us is trying to form a moderated
>> math group, and it's been a royal pain. =A06 mathematicians
>> ought to have the resourses to accomplish a fairly simple
>> computing task,...you'd think.
>
> What is this computing task to which you refer here?

The two main things are 1. a computer to act as the server.
and 2. software that will (semi-)automate the insertion of
posts.

1. Turns out to be harder than one might think. For a fee,
($100/year) one can buy an account from a service. This
service monitors 24/7, so that e-mail attacks are detected
and dealt with immediately. Neither your home PC nor
your configuration at the university will work for this.
Physically, they might work, but one e-mail attack and
you're toast. If they're smart, your IT guys won't let
you do it, since there's no sense dragging down the whole
campus just for you're pet project.

2. There is free software, so given a set-up, moderation
becomes a matter of designing filters and then reading the
messages the filters don't deal with. I've been looking at
DMOD, but I'm unable to form an opinion.

>> Too many egos to stroke, too
>> many egos to crush.
>
> Despite what my detractors say about me, I have a very accommodating
> ego, except where false defamatory (not just insulting) accusations
> are concerned.

It's not the egos of the potential moderators, but the other
players involved. There's a group called The Big Eight who
get to decide whether a new group is formed (which is what
we're trying to do with sci.math.moderated.) They're fairly
reasonable. But there's a group of childish ne'er-do-wells
who run about USENET trying to disrupt any such discussions.
They hate the Big 8, because the Big 8 took away their power
a few years ago. So sci.math was flooded with their nonsense
for a while last year. They're easy enough to deal with, one
of us just engaged them while the rest of the group worked
on getting a system going. (Like most children, they're
easily distracted.)

Assuming one gets past the above hurdles, then one has to deal,
one at a time, with all the various sysops in the world. You
can ask them to start including your group on their servers,
but they tend to ignore you. They do listen to their customers,
so you have to contact people who might want the group listed
and ask them to contact their sysops....<sigh> Sci.math.moderated
still has a ways to go.

At least with srcbs, the groups exists, and all that would have
to happen is a change of moderator (which would involve a change
of server and software.)

B.

--
Cheerfully resisting change since 1959.

[Stephen Adams]

pnyikos <nyi...@bellsouth.net> writes:
>On Jan 10, 10:15=A0am, Stephen Adams <bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:
>> bwmey...@toast.net writes:
>> >On Fri, 8 Jan 2010 13:20:25 -0600 (CST), Stephen Adams
>> ><bi...@srcbs.org> wrote:
>>
>> >>Effective midnight, January 31, I will cease moderating the
>> >>group. =A0
>
>Thank you for giving us this much advance warning, Steve. I was
>planning to do a post tomorrow on "Christian Marriage and Divorce"
>before I saw this, but if time and duties permit, I'll do it today. I
>really think this is one discussion where we can at least make a
>positive contribution before the fat lady sings, as they say.

You're welcome. It's been quite some time since you and I tangled
in talk.religion.misc! :-) But I haven't been posting very much
to any group outside the Orthodox Christian group.

>> >> There are some procedures outlined in the Charter
>> >>for a new moderator, but there are so few participants that
>> >>following them would be impossible.
>
>I hope you are wrong about this, and that someone will volunteer.

So far no takers. Not really surprising, sadly.

-Stephen

--
Stephen Adams
crathv...@tznvy.pbz (rot13)

((( s.r.c.b-s is a moderated group. All posts are approved by a moderator. )))

[Miguel]

"Stephen Adams" <bi...@srcbs.org> escribió en el mensaje
news:F909C200-D021-817C...@art.srcbs.org...

>
> This group started on March 24, 1993. After 17 years, usage of
> the group, likethat of much of UseNet, has fallen way off.
> To the point where it no longer makes sense for me to maintain
> the necessary hosting, email and other infrastructure for a
> moderated group. It's been a lot of fun to participate in the
> group and I've made some friends in real life from this group.
> Most of them have now moved on. And so must I.
>
> Effective midnight, January 31, I will cease moderating the
> group. There are some procedures outlined in the Charter
> for a new moderator, but there are so few participants that
> following them would be impossible. You can see this at
> www.srcbs.org.
>
> I am more than willing to transfer the domain and moderation
> to a willing volunteer, but please read this before you decide
> to take on the task:
>
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/moderated-ng-faq/
>
> Barring a transfer to another moderator, the group will simply
> cease to function as of February 1st.
>
> -Stephen Adams (bi...@srcbs.org)
> Moderator, Soc.Religion.Christian.Bible-Study

Hello Stephen, first I wanted to take advantage of to thank for to have
created this group, particularly It was of a lot of aid to clarify themes of
the Bible relating to different aspects of the Christianity.

Unfortunately once It eliminated the group, can be difficult that can be
created again one seemed, because ultimately in Usenet there is not a lot of
participation.

The knowledge of the Word of God, is very important and in all the time that
there were publications, seems me that in general the group complied with it
expected

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
(John 17:17, King James Version)

Thanks Stephen.

--
Miguel M. Yalán
http://mmyv.com