Questions and Answers on the Z(Cluster)
 
1.  What is the Z(Cluster)?
 
a)The Z(Cluster) is an association of chaos  magicians
b)The Z(Cluster) is a chaos infection, spreading through the internet, 
  and lodging in the damaged neocorteces of chaos magicians foolish 
  enough to believe that magick can be performed through the recycled
  electrons of the world wide data web.
c)The Z(Cluster) is a group of IOT wannabees whose only purpose in life 
  is to whine about/wimpily attack the standup real chaos magicians of
  that venerable association.
d)The Z(Cluster) is a figment of the editor's imagination.
e)The Z(Cluster) is a figment of your imagination.  If you had not 
  committed the original sin of dualistic thinking you would realize 
  there is no such phenomenam as the Z(Cluster).
  
2.  Why should I join the Z(Cluster)?
 
a)I'm so confused by the answers to question 1 that the only way I can 
  expect to sleep tonight is by joining.
  
b)I like their style.
 
c)I hate the IOT, the OTO, the GD, and every other magickal organization
  I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.
  
c)I'm interested in chaos magick and would like to practice strange dark
  rites but am disturbed by those tentacles that tap at my window every 
  time I do a rite from Simon's Necronomicaon.
  
d)I got nothing to lose because the Z(Cluster), unlike every other group I
  have every encountered doesn't actually expect me to do squat.  
  
e)I'm real lazy but think that by becoming a member and hence a real 
  chaote i will (i) get laid more often, (ii) not get beaten up quite so much, 
  (iii)will be reborn in a sexual paradise when I die.
  
f)I actually understand most of this shit they're trying to do and agree 
  that civilization is a disease, that bringing about the destruction of the 
  consensual belief structure, and hence the end of the world, is a good 
  thing. 
  
 
2.  O.K. I can say yes to one of the above.  How can I join?
 
Joining the Z(Cluster) requires a simple declaration.  Actually getting
anything out of it requires telling marik@aol.com that you are a member. 
Something along the lines of "I declare myself to be a member of the
Z(Cluster)."  It is customary for members to declarethemselves a node, and
give themselves a node name containing the letter Z.  Some members refuse
to do this.  Since there are no rules, ranks, leaders, dues, or any other
requirements to associate with the Z(Cluster) members are governed by
common courtesy, or whatever they deem to be such.  Since the Z(Cluster)
is also a clearinghouse for chaos related messages, rituals, and
documents, getting on the ZCluster mailing list ensures continuing
information.  Declaring membership to marik automatically puts you on the
mailing list.  To get off the mailing list just tell marik, or better yet,
get booted off your service provider and don't tell marik what your new
provider's address is.  If your mail bounces marik immediately removes you
from the list.  Now isn't that a lot easier than send "unsubscribe me"
majordome mariksama.listautomata with "I don't know what the fuck I'm
doing". in the sub-sub subject line? 
 
 
3.  If I refuse to declare myself a member will I be able to participate
    in Z(Cluster) activities?
        
a)Certainly
b)Absolutely not
c)Maybe
d)What do I know?
 
3.  Who belongs to the Z(Cluster)?
 
As of 2/15/96 there are 25 known nodes of the cluster.  Some of these
nodes contain 15 to 30 members, some 5 to 10, and most one or two.
Estimates on the actual membership range between 50 and 100.  
Some nodes appear to be inactive, some are working, some are hyperactive,
and some may have passed on to a higher state of human evolution and 
joined the Greys in their sadly misunderstood but brave war against 
the fascist Galactic Federation.(Waddyamean you don't think the Greys
should be abducting humans and subjecting them to proctological
examinations with gleaming steel probes? A number of our members have
been pleading with the greys for just this experience, but no luck so
far!)  Anyway, if you really want to know who belongs, declare yourself
a member to marik and he'll send you a list of members, their net 
addresses, and even, from the really foolish, their home addresses and 
telephone
numbers.
 
4.  What does the Z(Cluster) have to offer?
 
A mailing list.  The occassional newsletter.  An ezine once or twice a
year.  A tinymuck space in which online rituals can take place in real
time.  A hard copy zine of indeterminate frequency.  Soon, a website and a
webzine. Mainly plenty of support from chaos magicians genuinely
interested in sharing their knowledge, having fun, perfoming online
rituals, and treating each other in a friendly, intelligent, and (given
this document) surprisingly mature way. 
 
In Chaos
marik 
marik@aol.com