First, the spam is getting really bad.  2-3 messages per day is
starting to enter the realm of wasting the resources that we all
personally contributed.

     Because of this, the list should be closed again.  Anyone who chose
to spam at that point will have been authenticated, and can be instantly
booted, and hunted down like a dog, if need be.

     The only reasonable argument that I've heard so far for keeping the
list open is that people need posting access to the list from a non-list
email account.  While something as common as a work account is should
easily handled by subscribing and then turning the nomail option on (if
it isn't, there are other options), there remains the problem of people
making emergency postings from the road.

     I would suggest that the answer here is another email address that
is forwarded to the list.  Something easy to remember, like
911@vanagon.com (despite the Porsche implications) or emergency@v or
help@v.  This address could be easily changed when or if the spammers
have figured out that the address goes to all of our subscribers and/or
it could be set up to go through a filtering service like SpamCop
(http://www.spamcop.net) that would intercept most of the spam, and give
us the opportunity to report it.  If need be, I'll volunteer my SpamCop
account (and the costs incurred) to take care of this.

     Okay, discuss amongst yourselves.

_________________________________________________________

Bob O'Shaughnessy,         Columbus, OH
vanagon@columbus.rr.com
99 A3 Jetta TDI
85GL with basic Westy interior
74 Bus (Dad's)
72 Wife, 94 Rabbit, 95 Cat, 96 cat, 98 Kid 11/06/00 Kid!
52 House