Why I'm No Longer on the Grumman Gang

Joe Campbell
 

 
  On 6June2003, I was banished from the Grumman Gang by the list's owner/administrator Mark Matthews for the benevolent act of posting a message warning members that they were likely victims of the Bugbear virus, a virus that replicates itself by sending to everyone in the victim's address book an email containing itself (in the form of a .SCR attachment). Therefore, the bogus email arrives as a legitimate-looking RE: to a past G-G email, bearing the victim's (i.e., the sender's) name in the From field, but with a bogus return address. 

When I posted the message the first time, it was rejected by the list server because it contained the word 'virus' in the subject.  The server message warned that since it was not possible to receive a virus in Grumman Gang email, such warnings were unnecessary, repetitive, and therefore off-topic.  Because this was manifestly not the topic of my email, I without hesitation respelled the word virus as 'v-i-r-u-s' and resubmitted it. 

When I reposted my message, I noted that I had received forged email from Ron Levy and Robert Gresli (I eventually received fifteen such emails) regarding the dorsal fin of a Traveler. Many others had received these emails too, and several promptly replied publicly to my message on the Grumman Gang.  Matthews immediately unsubscribed me as well as everyone who publicly responded.  Others were allowed to re-subscribe by showing contrition; I was permanently banished. Read on.

 

Joe Campbell
N4524P at (HWD)
Berkeley, CA
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