OT: Usenet CLC server

Does anybody know of a reliable FREE usenet CLC server?

Most of the ones I have found are either not free, or not reliable. (There
are any number that will relay CLC .... occasionally...)

news.individual.net which runs out of Germany has been fantastic for some
time and is reliable. Sadly they are now going to charge for the service (I
don't blame them at all).

It's not that I'm a cheapskate or even mean by nature, it's just that
actually PAYING for the rubbish that goes on here kind of sticks in my craw
a bit... :-)

I'll see how much I miss it at the end of this month, when the period of
grace they have given us all, expires.

Maybe it's time I let it go...

I fnd GOOGLE groups too slow. I s'pose I could set up my own Usenet
server.... but it is doubtful I'll have the time from next month. I'm moving
to our nation's capital for a while so I can share some thoughts with what
passes for a Government here...;-) It will be interesting and could be
satisfying, but I'll miss my beloved Bay of Plenty.

Gosh, if I have to lose the Mount beaches AND CLC...well, it might just all
prove too much <gulp>

In case you have no idea what I'm talking about please take a few minutes to
peruse the completely revamped (and hopefully more non-IE Browser friendly)
Tauranga Writers site: http://taurangawriters.org.nz  which I have invested
several hundred hours in rewriting. If you are into  literature, try the
quiz on the INTERACT page. Mail me a screen shot of your score and, if you
get 100%, send me your home address and receive a prize from the Land of the
Long White Cloud...'Ao-tea-roa' (New Zealand).(Limited offer: only while
stocks last :-)) Although some of the questions are very difficult,
everything you need to know to complete the quiz is available on the net, or
in previous editions of our newsletter (accessible via the ARCHIVES button
on the home page). One guy so far has had 8 attempts...I'm considering
giving him a prize just for perseverence...:-)

If you hit the NEWSLETTER button you'll see a picture on this month's cover
of Mount Maunganui. Those of you with broadband will also see a scanning
movie of it.

It's quite a remarkable place. On one side you have rolling Pacific breakers
that provide superb surfing (Ocean Beach) and about 200 metres away you have
sheltered harbour beach (Pilot Bay), where kids can paddle and parents can
picnic. In between the two is a public swimming bath where sea water mixes
underground with steam and hot mineral water, rushes to the surface, where
it is ed and fed to several swimming pools and jacuzzi type spas, at
different temperatures. (One pool is  enough for serious swimming, but
still warm all year round.) There are massaging aquajets of hot salt water
as well and you feel pretty good after a sesssion under these.

It's just over an hour's flight from Wellington.... Guess I can get home for
the odd wend...:-)

Pete.

Pete Dashwood wrote:
> It's not that I'm a cheapskate or even mean by nature, it's just that
> actually PAYING for the rubbish that goes on here kind of sticks in my cra
w
> a bit... :-)

I don't know why this strikes me as extremely funny, but it does.  :)

> I fnd GOOGLE groups too slow. I s'pose I could set up my own Usenet
> server.... but it is doubtful I'll have the time from next month. I'm movi
ng
> to our nation's capital for a while so I can share some thoughts with what
> passes for a Government here...;-) It will be interesting and could be
> satisfying, but I'll miss my beloved Bay of Plenty.

Is this in an elected fashion, or just as a citizen?


--
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~   /   \  /         ~        Live from Montgomery, AL!       ~
~  /     \/       o  ~                                        ~
~ /      /\   -   |  ~          daniel@thebelowdomain         ~
~ _____ /  \      |  ~      http://www.djs-consulting.com     ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ GEEKCODE 3.12 GCS/IT d s-:+ a C++ L++ E--- W++ N++ o? K- w$ ~
~ !O M-- V PS+ PE++ Y? !PGP t+ 5? X+ R* tv b+ DI++ D+ G- e    ~
~ h---- r+++ z++++                                            ~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pete Dashwood wrote:
> Does anybody know of a reliable FREE usenet CLC server?
>
> Most of the ones I have found are either not free, or not reliable. (There
> are any number that will relay CLC .... occasionally...)
>
> news.individual.net which runs out of Germany has been fantastic for some
> time and is reliable. Sadly they are now going to charge for the service (
I
> don't blame them at all).
>
> It's not that I'm a cheapskate or even mean by nature, it's just that
> actually PAYING for the rubbish that goes on here kind of sticks in my cra
w
> a bit... :-)

As you said to me, "Then don't read it" :-)

Hope you solve your problem.

Jimmy

"LX-i" <lxi0007@netscape.net> wrote in message
 news:2edde$422f1677$45491f85$24526@KNOLO
GY.NET...
> Pete Dashwood wrote: 
craw 
>
> I don't know why this strikes me as extremely funny, but it does.  :)

Good. That's how it was intended :-)
> 
moving 
what 
>
> Is this in an elected fashion, or just as a citizen?

Funny you should say that... There was a suggestion I might stand in local
elections but I declined. I believe, in a democracy we may not get the
politicians we want, but we certainly get the ones we deserve.

I don't believe the people of New Zealand have done anything bad enough to
warrant having me represent them :-)

So it is just as a citizen. I'll be providing advice and will probably do
some project management on key projects. I don't want to be there too long
as I really will miss the Bay, so I'll be looking to effect a skills
transfer to some of their own people (and, besides, it is part of what I've
agreed to do).

Apart from that, I am really quite pleased to be able to apply my acquired
skill and experience to something that is not just about corporate profit
(and for corporations outside NZ). If this hadn't happened (and I didn't
apply for it; I was asked) I would have been back to Europe at the end of
April. I'd MUCH rather be in Wellington than London or Birmingham (no
offence to people living in those cities...It's just that I've done my time
there and I really want to be home now.)

Pete.
>
>
> --
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> ~   /   \  /         ~        Live from Montgomery, AL!       ~
> ~  /     \/       o  ~                                        ~
> ~ /      /\   -   |  ~          daniel@thebelowdomain         ~
> ~ _____ /  \      |  ~      http://www.djs-consulting.com     ~
> ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
> ~ GEEKCODE 3.12 GCS/IT d s-:+ a C++ L++ E--- W++ N++ o? K- w$ ~
> ~ !O M-- V PS+ PE++ Y? !PGP t+ 5? X+ R* tv b+ DI++ D+ G- e    ~
> ~ h---- r+++ z++++                                            ~
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>

"James J. Gavan" <jgavandeletethis@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:Z5HXd.621871$8l.202288@pd7tw1no...
> Pete Dashwood wrote: 
(There 
some 
(I 
craw 
>
> As you said to me, "Then don't read it" :-)
>
That is certainly one solution.

> Hope you solve your problem.

Thanks. I usually do...

Pete.

Pete Dashwood wrote:
> "LX-i" <lxi0007@netscape.net> wrote in message
>  news:2edde$422f1677$45491f85$24526@KNOLO
GY.NET...
> 
>
> Funny you should say that... There was a suggestion I might stand in local
> elections but I declined. I believe, in a democracy we may not get the
> politicians we want, but we certainly get the ones we deserve.
>
> I don't believe the people of New Zealand have done anything bad enough to
> warrant having me represent them :-)

heh - I think you're underestimating yourself...

> So it is just as a citizen. I'll be providing advice and will probably do
> some project management on key projects. I don't want to be there too long
> as I really will miss the Bay, so I'll be looking to effect a skills
> transfer to some of their own people (and, besides, it is part of what I'v
e
> agreed to do).

So this is a programming-type job, not a policy-making one?  :)

> Apart from that, I am really quite pleased to be able to apply my acquired
> skill and experience to something that is not just about corporate profit
> (and for corporations outside NZ). If this hadn't happened (and I didn't
> apply for it; I was asked) I would have been back to Europe at the end of
> April. I'd MUCH rather be in Wellington than London or Birmingham (no
> offence to people living in those cities...It's just that I've done my tim
e
> there and I really want to be home now.)

I understand that.  What of the lovely young lady with whom you've been
gallivanting about the countryside (or lounging on the beach - whatever
;>  )?


--
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~   /   \  /         ~        Live from Montgomery, AL!       ~
~  /     \/       o  ~                                        ~
~ /      /\   -   |  ~          daniel@thebelowdomain         ~
~ _____ /  \      |  ~      http://www.djs-consulting.com     ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ GEEKCODE 3.12 GCS/IT d s-:+ a C++ L++ E--- W++ N++ o? K- w$ ~
~ !O M-- V PS+ PE++ Y? !PGP t+ 5? X+ R* tv b+ DI++ D+ G- e    ~
~ h---- r+++ z++++                                            ~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"LX-i" <lxi0007@netscape.net> wrote in message
 news:b1922$42305cc5$45491f85$31263@KNOLO
GY.NET...
> Pete Dashwood wrote: 
local 
to 
>
> heh - I think you're underestimating yourself...
>
That is better than the opposite... :-)
 
do 
long 
I've 
>
> So this is a programming-type job, not a policy-making one?  :)

Not entirely. I'll certainly be helping to shape the IT policy and it is
unlikely I'll do any programming. It is technically a consulting and
management role, but these days that word covers such a multitude of sins, I
don't like using it. This particular area has suffered from a fairly long
period of under investment and mismanagement under successive governments.
In some ways, it is almost like a greenfield site; there will be a fair
amount of starting over. It is a very diverse environment (mainframes,
client/server, J2E, COBOL, WebSphere, packages, standalone systems, the
works...)  Some of it is excellent; some of it isn't. All of it will be
reviewed and, where necessary, fixed or replaced.

It is quite exciting and I'm looking forward to it.

> 
acquired 
profit 
of 
time 
>
> I understand that.  What of the lovely young lady with whom you've been
> gallivanting about the countryside (or lounging on the beach - whatever
>   ;>  )?

So the US DOES have spies everywhere... :-)

My lips are sealed. But I think there'll be some commuting between
Wellington and Tauranga.

Pete.

Pete Dashwood wrote:
>
> My lips are sealed.

That's not what the VHR (very-high-resolution) satellite photos from our
Dagonet II system show!

Pete Dashwood wrote:
> "LX-i" <lxi0007@netscape.net> wrote in message
>  news:b1922$42305cc5$45491f85$31263@KNOLO
GY.NET...
> 
>
> That is better than the opposite... :-)

Reminds me of a joke - you know what the redneck's last words were?
"Hey Bubba, check this out!"
 
>
>
> Not entirely. I'll certainly be helping to shape the IT policy

Ah - that's what I meant.  IT policy, as opposed to, say, economic
policy or foreign policy.  :)

> and it is
> unlikely I'll do any programming. It is technically a consulting and
> management role, but these days that word covers such a multitude of sins,
 I
> don't like using it. This particular area has suffered from a fairly long
> period of under investment and mismanagement under successive governments.
> In some ways, it is almost like a greenfield site; there will be a fair
> amount of starting over. It is a very diverse environment (mainframes,
> client/server, J2E, COBOL, WebSphere, packages, standalone systems, the
> works...)  Some of it is excellent; some of it isn't. All of it will be
> reviewed and, where necessary, fixed or replaced.
>
> It is quite exciting and I'm looking forward to it.

Sounds like fun.  It's a shame I stuck over here in the states...  :)
 
>
> So the US DOES have spies everywhere... :-)

Just in this newsgroup - you've alluded to her before....

> My lips are sealed. But I think there'll be some commuting between
> Wellington and Tauranga.

.


--
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~   /   \  /         ~        Live from Montgomery, AL!       ~
~  /     \/       o  ~                                        ~
~ /      /\   -   |  ~          daniel@thebelowdomain         ~
~ _____ /  \      |  ~      http://www.djs-consulting.com     ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ GEEKCODE 3.12 GCS/IT d s-:+ a C++ L++ E--- W++ N++ o? K- w$ ~
~ !O M-- V PS+ PE++ Y? !PGP t+ 5? X+ R* tv b+ DI++ D+ G- e    ~
~ h---- r+++ z++++                                            ~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pete Dashwood wrote:
> It's not that I'm a cheapskate or even mean by nature, it's just that
> actually PAYING for the rubbish that goes on here kind of sticks in my cra
w
> a bit... :-)

I don't know why this strikes me as extremely funny, but it does.  :)

> I fnd GOOGLE groups too slow. I s'pose I could set up my own Usenet
> server.... but it is doubtful I'll have the time from next month. I'm movi
ng
> to our nation's capital for a while so I can share some thoughts with what
> passes for a Government here...;-) It will be interesting and could be
> satisfying, but I'll miss my beloved Bay of Plenty.

Is this in an elected fashion, or just as a citizen?


--
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~   /   \  /         ~        Live from Montgomery, AL!       ~
~  /     \/       o  ~                                        ~
~ /      /\   -   |  ~          daniel@thebelowdomain         ~
~ _____ /  \      |  ~      http://www.djs-consulting.com     ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ GEEKCODE 3.12 GCS/IT d s-:+ a C++ L++ E--- W++ N++ o? K- w$ ~
~ !O M-- V PS+ PE++ Y? !PGP t+ 5? X+ R* tv b+ DI++ D+ G- e    ~
~ h---- r+++ z++++                                            ~
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~