If you can trust that the Girl Scouts are still thriving, yet fully
dependent upon our weekly benefits, I will dispense with the usual
heartwrenching story.  Today's story is a happy one.  This GSB we will
be celebrating the successful defense by Philip Greenspun of his
PhD. dissertation.  The soon-to-be-Dr. Greenspun has an interest and
expertise in the development of on-line, collaborative communities,
and his thesis describes his five years of experience creating and
operating the fetish.net on-line community with his ArsBarbarella
toolkit.  Says one enthusiastic user, ``Before fetish.net came
on-line, we were just thousands of lonely souls lurking in the back
rooms at video stores and eagerly awaiting plain brown envelopes in
the mail.  Now we have a place where we can go and openly discuss our
lifestyle with like-minded people.  I may never leave home again!''

Whether you've always wanted to know how many spankings there are in a
punishment from Mistress Susan, or you just want to help celebrate
a newly minted doctorate...

GSB, 5:30pm, 7ai

See you there.