I think several special interest topics have moved over to Yahoo groups
or other forums. I'm in seven and there are many, many more.

I do read RAS, but don't post nearly as often. Currently I'm working
with the SSA Clubs & Chapters Committee and Coloardo soaring topics,
which aren't of general interest here unless we're trying for maximum
exposure.

If Yahoo groups and other forums start charging, I think the RAS
discussion level would suddenly go up. FWIW, my Internet compadres
decided that they would contract USENET services, rather than keep
pumping the local news server and bandwidth. As a result we've lost
contol of the process and I think my old posting addresses have been
blacklisted without notice as my posts don't bounce, but go nowhere.
To date, the news host is non-responsive to requests to whitelist it or
even explain why, so I've been using g-mail for a while. What I don't
understand is why some are setting their preferences to expire posts in
six days. Is what they post of so little value?

Frank Whiteley