I want to thank everybody for their support.  The new list owner, Leon, on
CHOMSKY has given me full access back.  The previous owner, Juan, has quit
the list.

I think the previous owner's actions might be an interesting case of an
attempt to "manufacture consent."  It is a common aspect of humans that we
don't like to be criticized.  We may train ourselves to withstand it and
learn from it, but there is always an unpleasant aspect to it.  Now, when one
person or a small group of people with similar interests control the
dissemination of information, there is a natural tendency to want to limit
criticism of themselves.  When giant media corporation hire newspeople and
editors, it seems almost inevitable that those who are very critical of giant
corporations will not be hired or promoted. It's not a conspiracy, of course,
it's just the way things work when power is concentrated in a few hands.

Which brings us to the internet and listservs like this.  Doesn't it seem
likely that as the internet because more commercialized, listservs and other
means of discussion will become run by these same media corporations?  All
that's needed is a change in the way payment for use is structured, and
they've started pushing for that.

Or am I just being paranoid?