OK - veterans of the list (the ones who can remember the broccoli debate, say) will also remember this happening before. For some reason I can't fathom, a remote mailer goes bad and repeatedly throws back mails from the list TO the list, which bounce back to the remote mailer ad infinitum. Good plan. The tell-tale sign is multiple footers. Personal mail to/from the site wasn't affected last time. Words fail me as to the remote mail software that can be so stupid as to do this, if indeed my diagnosis is correct. If anyone has a clue about how this happens please mail me (once). The offending remote mailer was "webtv.net" (ho ho). What a surprise, not a Unix/sendmail location. Thanks to people who alerted me. I saw this late on last night, stamped on the heads of the subscribers from WebTV (who I am copying this too and must emphasise is highly unlikely to be their fault - it's their ISPs), and made mails from this location "taboo" on the list to stop the bouncy-bouncies. I can't tell which of the two WebTVers caused it so I'm afraid I've had to remove you both. Am happy to experiment privately with you for a limited period and in a controlled way that people on the list won't see - we can do this - mail me. But, to be honest, last time we didn't find a solution so, erm, if anyone else has any experience of this please let me know. Life is short, I still love you all, and sorry for the hassle. Two more things: STOP SENDING UNSUBSCRIBES/SUBSCRIBES TO THE LIST! Can I write this any bigger? Read my FAQ on the WWW pages. This is a B&S list. I hope you have all changed your middle names by now. Please keep a focus - sure talk about other bands but let's not go off in a spiral. Let's not have any more "Radiohead are crap/good" stuff - I mean, lord, I have strong opinions about this and if I can keep schtum so can you :) Just because it's not very entertaining. If you're going to post, please: 1. Either (a) talk vaguely about B&S, Murdoch's underpants, Glasgow or who we like to listen to; or (b) post something very very funny about your nose - funniness overrides the need for relevancy but you have to have a certificate in rib-tickling. Oh and swearing's good too. Tag, Susannah, Keith, Peter Miller and Chris Leonard have carte-blanche to post stuff about their hamsters because they make me giggle. They have earned their spurs. 2. Don't slag off people. I get angry at this. Be nice. Mailing lists often degenerate into mindless boring feuds. Stating strong opinions is fine, in fact a necessity, so don't think I want to make this the Magic Roundabout. 3. Don't quote a huge message and then say "Yeah". Take some time to use your editor. 432 are receiving it the other end so make it easy to read. 4. Remember who speaks for who. I speak for no-one but me - nothing to do with the record company or fanclub although they are chums. David also doesn't speak for the record company. Katrina sometimes does and sometimes doesn't. They are both doing a wonderful job so send them flowers every day please. 5. Don't tell me I'm a git. Remember the mailing list is run on borrowed resources from my employer, in my spare time. If it explodes into something too big it might have to go one day so that I keep my job. It needs a focus. Some of you will not agree with this and indeed hate me, but let's just watch and see. 6. Keep posting. Don't let me put you off. Do it now. Right that's me off your birthday presents list. I'm off to practice being Mr SweetnessAndLight again. Dina will now take over as Hit Man. Be afraid. HoneyGrump -- Smithers, release the hounds. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- . This message was brought to you by the Sinister mailing list. . To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". . For subscribing, unsubscribing and other list information please see . http://www.majordomo.net/sinister . For questions about how the list works mail owner-sinister@majordomo.net . We're all happy bunnies humming happy bunny tunes. Aren't we? -----------------------------------------------------------------------