Alternatives to Yahoo groups?

Yahoo deleted the porn group Big Hairy Bears yesterday. It was run by my friend Mike Dirda. Last night he asked me whether I thought he should bother starting up again, and I suggested finding an alternative to Yahoo. I'm not internet savvy enough to know what would work, although I did suggest setting up a LiveJournal community. It wouldn't work like an email distribution list, but it would offer some advantages.

It turns out Mike is considering restarting on Yahoo simply because the good rebel wants to resist their opposition to gay groups. Someone else told me, however, that Yahoo is planning to delete all their adult content groups this week, not just gay ones.

I offered to ask around for ideas, and Mike said that would be great. So I'm wondering, can anyone suggest alternatives to the Yahoo group thing?

The LiveJournal tide

Sweet potato vine


LiveJournal relationships go through a tide, an ebb and flow. Friendships begin with the best of intentions, sometimes intensely. Then people drift apart, get preoccupied or busy, but the friends who come back are the ones that count.

I suppose it exists in all relationships, but I find it more pronounced in this community. Maybe because it's possible for two lives to continue in broad view while avoiding exchange. In more traditional contexts, if you stop writing, calling or seeing one another, you don't know what's going on. Here, the neglect or avoidance is in your face.

Yesterday I encountered two new LJers—birders—I wanted to add. But my friends pages were already overloaded, so I had to cut myself some slack. It was hard to do.

The truth is, I need to cut more. And eventually will.

Summer always tests LiveJournal ties. I spend extended time away without internet access. When I'm home I'm busy being a fulltime dad. It's impossible for me to keep up with what happens in more than 100 lives for two months. In September I will have to do maintenance. But anyone who is really paying attention accepts this aspect of my life.