From: rao@moose.cccs.umn.edu (Rao Akella)
Subject: Welcome to alt.fan.wodehouse.
Reply-To: rao@moose.cccs.umn.edu
Organization: Colon Cancer Control Study, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 00:07:12 GMT


Welcome to alt.fan.wodehouse.  As others have already said before me, this
newsgroup is long overdue!

This newsgroup was created to discuss the works of that king of humo(u)r, the
author P.G. Wodehouse, whom Evelyn Waugh described as "the master."  It is also
intended as a means of bringing fans of "Plum" together, because in the real
world they are, unfortunately, few and far in between.

This newsgroup was created after discussion in alt.config (the initial proposal
was cross-posted on Tue, 12 Jan 1993 to alt.config, rec.arts.books,
alt.fan.dave_barry, alt.fan.douglas_adams, alt.fan.pratchett, rec.humor,
rec.arts.tv and soc.culture.british, with follow-ups directed to alt.config). 
After tabulating and counting all the responses the proposal received (both in
alt.config and by personal e-mail), the creation of the new newsgroup was
approved by a vote of 24-0 (there were a few responses which looked like they
might have been YES votes, but didn't explicitly say so -- in the interest of
scrupulous fairness, I did NOT count those).  A list of the people who voted in
favour of the newsgroup is included at the end of this article.

I have been asked if this newsgroup has a charter.  I really don't know what to
say beyond stating that this newsgroup is about PGW.  Within the broad confines
of that subject, I suppose anything goes.  The guiding force of Usenet (and
especially of the alt hierarchy) is anarchy, and I would hate to put
restrictions right off the bat on what is and is not "permissible."  I guess
everyone would appreciate it if everyone could be polite and tasteful and
rational and refrain from flame-fests, but since this newsgroup is not
moderated, this is only a fervent wish and not a directive.  In the end, a
newsgroup is what its subscribers make it, so I suggest we discuss our charter
and make one up by consensus.  I do think it's A Good Thing to have one.  Any
ideas?

I suppose we'll need a FAQ sooner or later.  I've already had one person from
NZ volunteer to maintain it, so I guess it would be a good idea to start
marshalling our facts together for inclusion in it.  Some suitable topics for
inclusion would be:
	a) A brief biography.
	b) A complete list of his works, including his books, novels, short
	   stories, plays, songs, compilations, etc.
	c) Details of audio and video recordings of his works which are
	   available for purchase/rent (like the recent "Masterpiece Theater"
	   series on PBS).
	d) What was all that flap about his broadcasts from his internment camp
	   in occupied France when the Germans overran his villa.
	e) What was the story behind his troubles with the IRS.
	f) Anything else we can think of.  Any ideas?

The following people voted in favour of the creation of this newsgroup.  My
sincere and heartfelt thanks go to these kindred spirits for caring enough
about PGW to vote and for making a.f.w. possible.

	HHENDERSON@vax.clarku.edu		(Heather Henderson)
	ginsu@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu		(Wes Simonds)
	kapadia@astro.ocis.temple.edu		(Ashit Kapadia)
	wilson@blaze.cs.jhu.edu			(Dwight Wilson)
	llawson@blandings.llnl.gov		(Len Lawson)
	rven@cs.albany.edu			(Venkatesh Radhakrishnan)
	prem@ux5.lbl.gov			(Prem)
	c_mcdon@pavo.concordia.ca		(MCDONNELL, CATHERINE)
	miner@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu		(Ken)
	gnat@kauri.vuw.ac.nz			(Nathan Torkington)
	morrow@fnalo.fnal.gov			(Elmo the Stunt Elk)
	corleyj@helium.gas.uug.arizona.edu	(Jason D Corley )
	foxde@eniac.seas.upenn.edu		(Deborah E Fox)
	norbeck@pleiades.cs.bucknell.edu	(Nancy Norbeck)
	mcramm@dct.ac.uk			(Angus M. Marshall)
	catstyle@cathouse.aiss.uiuc.edu		(Jason R. Heimbaugh)
	cimshop!prometheus!venkat@uunet.UU.NET	(Rao Venkatesh)
	francis@oas.stanford.edu		(Francis Muir)
	gary@maestro.mitre.org			(Gary Bisaga)
	ICSEM@asuvm.inre.asu.edu		(Sue E. McNerney)
	kprashan@sdcc3.ucsd.edu			(K. Prashanth)
	st891054@pip.cc.brandeis.edu		(David Kaufman)
	forb0004@student.tc.umn.edu		(Eric Forbis)
	mefoster@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu	(Mary Ellen Foster)

It's great to see all you Wodehousians/Wodeheads.  The Drones Club and
Blandings Castle and The Emsworth Arms and Anatole and The Empress of Blandings
and Mr. Mulliner's Tall Tales await us.  Tally Ho! and Pip-pip!
-- 
Rao Akella, Research Assistant           Internet:   rao@moose.cccs.umn.edu
Colon Cancer Control Study               Bitnet:     rao%moose@umnacvx
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis     NIC Handle: RVA3
	"He spoke with a certain what-is-it in his voice, and I could see that,
	 if not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled."
					-- "The Code of the Woosters"

Newsgroups: alt.fan.wodehouse