Housekeeping

May 22, 2006

My name is Edgar J. Steele. 

You may think that the Internet is the last bastion of free speech in America.  If so, you are wrong.  The Internet requires only a little more mopping up, then it will be "game over."  I have been hanging on by my fingernails to continue sending out my very politically-incorrect messages.

You are receiving this because you have been on my ConspiracyPenPal.com list for rants, columns and newsletters, though this may be the first you have received in quite some time.  If so, that is because we have been forced to switch List Managers a few times recently, causing some ISPs' customers now to receive these missives, though those same ISPs had been blocking them in the past.

If you wish to be removed from this list, please click on the personalized "Unsubscribe" link at the very bottom and your email address will be removed immediately.  Otherwise, stick around and learn just how bad things are getting...and in a hurry, too.

Many on this list know that I have been going through the revolving door of censorship because the Internet now is coming under ever-stronger control of the forces of political correctness.  I have spent most of my free time in recent weeks simply searching for, learning and converting to new list management systems.  If I have to do it even once more, I think I will move this entire operation overseas, using my own software, then start sending from, say, Russia, where free speech actually still exists.  In the time I have wasted so far this year, I could have written another book, which would have been a much better use of my time.

It is okay for millions upon millions of illegal aliens to invade our country, take advantage of our welfare infrastructure well beyond what they contribute in taxes (when collected, that is), but let someone like myself rant about it, as I did in A Day Without Meskins, and I get my Internet access cut off, though the vilest of pornographers walk unmolested throughout the Internet.  Worse, let me carry on about the least-popular President in American history, as I did in Bush Still Must Go, and you would think that I was the criminal.  I will not be shut down, shouted down or dragged down.

I think it most important that the ConspiracyPenPal list get current, in anticipation of the coming day of total Internet censorship, after which I no longer will be able to send messages to you and, in fact, undoubtedly will have my website itself taken off line by government edict.  To that end, I have spent a great many hours in poring over the list and deleting entries for those who appear to be here simply to make trouble.  Even so, I am sure to have missed a great many.  Eventually, I expect to have to convert this list to a hard-copy mailing-only list, so having your name and address is imperative if we are to stay in contact.  Again - I will not be shut down! 

If you already have entered your name, address and telephone number, you probably don't need to do so again, as I have managed to save virtually all of those, though I have been forced to give up the idea of sublists (for strictly financial newsletters, for example).  If you haven't yet done so, please click here to enter your contact information now (or, better yet, use the personalized link at the bottom of this email). 

There are other reasons to provide your contact information to me, though.  For example, I am considering a family vacation to New Zealand in late July and/or early August.  I know there are quite a few Kiwis on this list and would like to set up informal get togethers as I tour the North and South islands, if at all possible.  Having your contact information makes it possible for me to contact you directly and arrange that.  Many is the time I have traveled to or through one American city or another and wished I could spend a few hours meeting with local list members.  Having your name, address and telephone number would make that possible, too.

I am instituting a strict "bounce" policy from here on out, too.  Three "hard" bounces (e.g., name not recognized) in a row or seven "soft" bounces (e.g., mailbox full) in a row and list members will be deleted automatically.  Furthermore, from here on out, all subscriptions are strictly by the double opt-in method only (you click a subscribe link and enter information, then respond to an email to ensure you are who you said you are).  Not even I will be able to add members directly.  If you fall off the list, you may assume that it is because your ISP is blocking my messages to you.  Complain.  Better yet, vote with your feet and change ISPs.

As the title suggests, this is a strictly housekeeping message.  However, here is a tip for those who own their own domains.  Want to avoid spam?  Don't allow your email address to appear anywhere on the site (spammers use automated programs to harvest addresses continually).  If you must display an email address, use something like "Webmaster@..." or "Admin@..." or "Support@..."  Those are addresses that will generate spam complaints from most domains and the spammers know it.