From: fsspr@acad3.alaska.edu (Sean P. Ryan, Hardcore Alaskan)
Newsgroups: ak.general,alt.culture.alaska,alt.native,alt.politics.marrou,alt.tv.northern-exp,soc.culture.canada,soc.culture.usa,ua.general
Subject: Welcome to alt.culture.alaska!
Date: 23 Nov 92 17:08:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: acad3.23NOV199209081523
Reply-To: sean@freds.cojones.com
Followup-To: alt.culture.alaska
Organization: University of Fairbanks, Alaska...no wait, that's not right...
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41.UAC

My apologies for taking a week to post this.  This site still refuses
to acknowledge the existence of this newsgroup, I've been busy, etc.
etc.

alt.culture.alaska is an unmoderated newsgroup which was proposed to
alt.config on 13 October.  After much fighting with a certain news
admin, it was finally newgrouped on 12 November.  So here we are.

If you are reading this in another newsgroup and do not currently have
alt.culture.alaska in the active file at your site, please ask your
news admin that this be done.  Oftentimes, this is a key factor in
determining the propagation of a newsgroup.  As well, the efforts
undertaken by the aforementioned certain news admin may have already
had effects on the propagation of this newsgroup, so your voice is
crucial in seeing that this newsgroup survives and thrives.

Now, onto the information about this newsgroup.  Rather than try to
write something up from scratch, I will simply include the texts from
the original proposal and the newgroup message.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
alt[.culture].alaska (originally proposed March 1992)
--------------------

Alaska seems to hold a certain mystique with those not entirely
acquainted with it.  I get unsolicited e-mail all the time from people
who see that I live here and who go absolutely apeshit.  No doubt,
others who post to the net from here are similarly innundated.  The idea
here is to provide discussion far beyond what e-mail between two
individuals is capable of.  There are lots of things to talk about and
lots of people who wish to know.  I myself have lived in Alaska since
1976 and have more stories to tell than have the time to tell them.  The
group alt[.culture].alaska will be for discussing the state of Alaska,
its stories and myths (including debunking them), its history and
future, as well as those elements known outside of Alaska as having ties
or relevance (i.e. Tom Bodett, Andre Marrou, Northern Exposure, the
ongoing Alaska Highway anniversary, etc.).  It will also serve as a
means for the large number of ex-patriates out there on the net to stay
connected with their former (and perhaps again future) home.

As well, there exist forums similar to this on both WWIVnet and Fidonet,
and gateways to those networks are being considered.  The host of the
WWIVnet subboard, Dan LeVaugh <1-9702@wwiv.cojones.com> gave his okay to
such a gateway back in May.  It will simply be a matter of finding a
site to serve as the gateway (two sites have expressed an interest).  I
attempted to establish contact with the host of the Fidonet echo, Gordon
Rasnick <gordon.rasnick@f559.n355.z1.fidonet.org>, regarding a gateway,
but never received a response.  We'll see how things turn out, though.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: root@freds.cojones.com (Frederick J. Polsky)
Newsgroups: alt.culture.alaska
Subject: newgroup alt.culture.alaska
Date: 12 Nov 92 16:47:36 GMT

alt.culture.alaska is an unmoderated newsgroup which was proposed in
alt.config on both 12 March and 13 October of this year.  Seeing as how
there was no objection at either time, this newgroup is being issued for 
creation of the group.  For your newsgroups file:

alt.culture.alaska      Discussion about the state of Alaska

The group alt.culture.alaska will be for discussing the state of Alaska, 
its stories and myths (including debunking them), its history and 
future, as well as those elements known outside of Alaska as having ties 
or relevance (i.e. Tom Bodett, Andre Marrou, Northern Exposure, the 
ongoing Alaska Highway anniversary, etc.).  It will also serve as a 
means for the large number of expatriates out there on the net to stay 
connected with their former (and perhaps again future) home.

A gateway to the WWIVnet subboard "Ye Olde Alaskan Tavern" has been 
given the okay.  As well, discussions will commence shortly about gating 
the newsgroup to the Alaskan Information Echo on Fidonet.  This was 
brought up in the recent post to alt.config and there were no objections 
raised.

{note: This will not be immediately taking place.. root@f.}

This newgroup is being issued by the news admin here in the interest of
seeing propagation at those sites which only honor newgroups issued by 
site admins.  However, queries for information should be directed to the
proposer of the group, Sean Ryan <asspr@acad3.alaska.edu>.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

So I guess the first thing in mind is this: What is the general
net.opinion about gating this newsgroup with BBS networks?  I expect
talks to begin in earnest shortly, but I would like to have the
opinion of anyone reading this who might care.

**********************************************************************
Sean Patrick Ryan, Hardcore Alaskan *** This account is expiring soon;
please direct all e-mail to sean@freds.cojones.com - thanks! *********
Oh, and did I ever tell you how much I want to fnord you?  :-) *******