On Tue, 15 Jan 2002 17:50:54 -0500, Richard Gambrell <richard-
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Hi, I'm writing because Jeff Kell is the owner of the SCUBA-SE list.
>Let me introduce myself, I'm Jeff's boss and friend here at UTC (we
>host the raven listserv for this list).
Richard did not realize that he had already been introduced by me to
this List, and had been my only source of information about Jeff's
status until I talked to Jeff's mother a few days ago.
>
>We thought you and the SCUBA-SE community would want to know, if you
>don't already, that Jeff is in very poor health and hospitalized and
>is now on extended medical leave from UTC (more on that below).
I asked for Richard for Jeff's mother's phone number earlier today so
that I could complete some unfinished business by Santa's Elf. I met
Jeff's mother, for the first time, about two hours before Richard's
post and had so informed Richard,
> Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 14:57:06 -0500
> To: Richard Gambrell <[log in to unmask]>
>> At 12:35 PM 1/15/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>>
>> Carolyn Kell
>>
>> Home phone <snip> Cell <snip> Office <snip>
RF> Thanks. I am on my way to Carolyn Kell's Office now
Because of other pressing business, I had not gotten around to posting
here to update Jeff's present condition, but I am glad Richard did so
while bring up the matter of Scuba-SE and Jeff, which Crusty had already
anticipated, and discussed with me about his CAPABILITY and WILLINGNESS
to handle a LISTSERV List such as Scuba-SE, by moving the list (or
start a new one with a different name and domain) to his business office,
to be maintained by his staff, away from UTC, as a more PERMANENT and
stable solution, in anticipation of the problem below:
>UTC is happy to continue hosting the list, but the ownership work
>not be done until (unless) Jeff is able to work again, or if one of
>you would like to volunteer. If you need technical help with the
>list, or have trouble with the raven server, or want to volunteer to
>share list owner responsibilities, please contact myself (see
>my sig below) or Don Elrod (423-755-5324) here at UTC.
Crusty is on business travel in Stamford, Conn. now. I managed to
reach his cell phone messenger, and he returned my call where I was in
the midst of typing this post!! I even read him verbatim most of this
post.
I am very glad that Crusty had voluntarily looked into this matter, and
had privately confided to me that he was prepared to act as the "back-up".
His proposal seems to be the most desirable one at this time, IMHO, for
at least THREE reasons:
1. To permanently alleviate the problem of disk space (in UTC) to
archive the proposed LIST, or dependence on Jeff (or the UTC staff)
to maintain Ownership.
2. To offer a more "stable" base for the LIST, free from potential or
actual budgetary or other problems typical of many .edu environments.
3. Last but most importantly, IMO, is Crusty's expressed desire to keep
the list an OPEN FORUM, not subject to the whims of Owners like Nick
(of Scuba-L) the very reason many of us left Scuba-L to seek refuge
in Scuba-SE offered by Jeff at the time Nick exercised his tyranny
and dictatorship AGAINST the overwhelming majority vote of the
Scuba-L readership and frequent contributors at the time of the
split.
I am not aware of anyone who would object to Crusty being the Owner
of a LIST which is the continuation (or replacement) of the present
Scuba-SE, whereas some other proposals had met with objections when
Jeff's disk space problem first surfaced and the proposals were
openly discussed in Scuba-SE.
Although I said it should be obvious to anyone who knows him, Crusty
wants me to say that he has absolutely no "ego" motive in offering to
take over the list.
Crusty is doing it for completely unselfish reasons, offering his time
and space, in very much the SAME MANNER Jeff came to the rescue of
Scuba-L when Jeff was already up to his ear in w*rk. He simply wants
extricate Scuba-SE from its predicament, to have a HOME to make his
occasional posts, in the same manner Jeff did in Scuba-SE also.
Crusty had already told me I could volunteer his services (and my reply
to him at the time was that I'll let HIM do it when the proper time
comes). But given the present circumstances, I thought it best for me
to fall back on his original offer, and let him take it over from here,
on his return while *I* am gone. :-)
Added since talking to Crusty: He okayed the above, and was going to
phone his staff immediately to seriously look into the logistics of
setting up a LISTSERV List. I had already discussed with him about
Chuck's offer which I'll relate in my response to Chuck's post.
------------------------ Moving on to Jeff ---------------------------
>Now, about Jeff, he is extremely seriously ill and has been
>hospitalized in intensive care in critical condition since the first
>of the year.
>
>Last week Jeff appeared to be starting toward recovery and was at
>least able to write some answers to a few questions, but over the
>past weekend he has not done so well. He was scheduled to change
>hospitals, but that had to be put off because his condition
>was too unstable. He cannot have visitors, except family.
That's pretty much what I learned from Jeff's mother as well. Having
been in ICU for such an extended period is bad enough. To remain in
"critical condition" still after all that time makes Richard's
characterization "extremely seriously ill" almost an understatement.
>
>Please express your concerns and get well support for Jeff by
>sending cards and greetings to his mom's address below and by your
>prayers. His mom has been very hard hit by this, too.
>
>>
>> Jeff c/o Carolyn Kell
>> 446 Hickory Circle
>> Ringgold GA 30736
I had offered earlier for any one to send cards or greetings c/o
my address:
RF> Jeff Kell
RF> c/o Dr. R. F. Ling <though R.F. is "Reef Fish" NOT. :-)>
RF> 8201 Gate House Crossing
RF> Chattanooga, TN 37421
Either address should be fine to get your mail or package to Jeff.
-- Bob.
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