Looks like the system ate my introductory message.

Here is a basic repeat.

--- In planetmercurysociety@egroups.com, "Harry Lee" <jacques@c...>
wrote:
> September 24, 2000
>

> We are just beginning and hope to have a number of members from all
> over the world interested in the planet Mercury. We are looking
> right
> now for good links of general interest. We hope to have several
from
> the moderator by next week, but please send whatever you have.

Right now you are at the threshold of success or failure. If you
look around at other e-groups, most are defunct and never had more
than passing interest. Some go through spells of feast or famine.



From the postings so far, none list the highbrow research
specifically-about-Mercury journal out for around a decade. I
haven't accessed it for a couple of years, but I think it is still
on line.

I once tried to colonize the deserted alt.sci.planets.mercury
site but found out that messages only lasted 3 months there and
had to give up. By-the-way, how long does yahoo egroups give
you in theory? "Forever"? I would like to know before I spend
any serious time on this site.





>
> We hope to have amateurs and professionals in astronomy alike. Any
> ideas or info are welcome.
>
> We hope to have a large groups and be active enough that we can act
> as a lobby to encourage Mercury exploration at a greater pace than
we
> now see. NASA, Japan, etc. all have the capability and we would
like
> to see them devote more resources to Mercury.
>


I have been active in getting information about Mercury for 10 years
(for reasons that will remain unsaid for the time being). I could
relate quite a bit, but one thing worries me. I am not interested
in "lobbying" for a mission to Mercury. Sure, I would like to see
one do some serious exploring. But it matters little whether it
happens in 5 years or 25. It will happen if us humans advance
anywhere close to the rate we seem to be doing presently. So, if
this site largly becomes a bully pulpit for that, count me out
in advance.


Anyway, I wish your site well Mr. Parry and Mr. Lee (the only posters
so far).

You can call me by my pen name David Semloh