[PSUBS-MAILIST] Bubsy Books are Available: Redux

[SeaLordOne@aol.com]

Shipmates,

On April 9th I made a post offering Busby books to the Psubs community.  Unfortunately, the main body of the post was in an attachment, and many folks missed it.  So I am re-posting it now, from memory.  Please remember, all Busby Book business is conducted with me directly at SeaLordOne@aol.com and NOT personal_submersibles@psubs.org.  Ray does NOT want the site tied up with a "Busby feeding frenzy".  And if you piss off Ray...no Busby for you!

On behalf of Psubs (sponsor), the Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy (donor), the Naval Oceanographic Office (donor), and myself (negotiator), I am pleased to announce the availability of 193 "virgin" copies of R. Frank Busby's 764-page, 1976 classic book "Manned submersibles".  These will be distributed by me on behalf of Psubs for the cost of shipping and handling.  That will be $5.00 US stateside, and actual postage for overseas orders.  Ray asks you not to order a Busby if your already have a Busby.  The Navy requires that you DO NOT SELL this book.  You may give it away or return it to Psubs, but you may not sell it.  Here is the story.

The "Lost Busby's"

When I joined this site a few years back, I wanted to make a contribution to the community, to give something back.  I figured that since Busby books were scarce and in the public domain, I would sell photocopies to those who wanted them...at cost.  That was fine, for a while.  But then some of the heavyweights on the site questioned whether the book really was in the public domain.  So I said I would contact the Navy and find out for sure.  That began an 18-month adventure that ended up with this post.  

I was passed from person to person at the Navy, and finally ended up with "The Chief".  He assured me that the book was public domain, but he also started talking about the possibility of a lost shipment of Busby books that had dropped out of the Navy inventory system years ago, but that might still be sitting on a shelf in a satellite library somewhere in the government library system.  My brain was thinking "what have you been smoking, Chief?", but my mouth was saying "that sounds great, Chief, do you think we can track them down?".  Lost Busby's?  Too good to be true.  Pure urban legend.  But lo and behold, The Chief knew exactly what he was talking about.  He traced those books from Washington, DC to the Maury Library at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.  I negotiated with my Point of Contact there for about 6 months.  In the end, he agreed to send me the entire cache of Busby Books, for free.  He would send them to me for free, if I would distribute them for free (meaning no profit...only the costs to box and ship them), and you would agree not to try to make a profit on them either.

Here is the deal.  I am not actually selling you these books.  I do not "own'" the 800 pounds of Busby books in my basement.  I am "holding" them for the Navy.  I am simply distributing obsolete technical manuals, surplus government property, to the public over the internet.  But I cut the deal in such a way that Psubbers would be in the front of the line for public distribution.  That is why neither you nor I can make a profit on these.  A number of folks have suggested side deals to this main deal, like selling these books and donating the profits to Psubs.  It is a nice idea, but as you can now see, it cannot be done.  I have a deal with the Navy, and the PRIME DIRECTIVE is do not sell these books.

How to Order

I am not taking "orders" at this time, but I am taking reservations.  To place an order, e-mail me the following information:

1.  Name
2.  Mailing address (I will ship United States Postal Service, not Fedex or UPS)
3.  Priority: Low or Medium (see below)
4.  Mailing: First or Second (see below)

There are three levels of priority.  If you joined Psubs this month, or are not a member of Psubs, mark Low.  If you have been a member for over a month, mark Medium.  Ray will upgrade to High individuals he feels have made important contributions to the community.  I will upgrade to High individuals who have ordered my grainy photocopied Busby books over the years.  So if you have one of my Busby photocopies, please contact me at once.  Please do not "fake" your priority.  Ray and Jon know when people joined the site, and I have a method for verifying who has copies of my photocopied Busby's.  Please do not order a Busby if you have a Busby.

The "first" mailing is for those who believe my story, as wild as it sounds (that includes 95% of those who have placed orders to date).  The second mailing is for those more suspicious souls who think this may be a scam.  They can wait until there are dozens of "first mailing" folks willing to confirm that the have in fact received their "virgin" Busby Books.  I will then ask the "second mailing" folks to place their orders.  There is no penalty with being a "second" order person...you will simply wait a little longer for your Busby.

I will be taking reservations until April 30th.  On May 1st I will count reservations.  As long as I have more books than I have reservations, then the priority system goes out the window and everyone who placed a reservation will be able to order a Busby.  If I have more reservations than I have books, I will pow-wow  with Ray and Jon and those with the least seniority with Psubs will be cut from the list.  Does that mean you are completely out of luck?  No, we are already looking beyond this distribution.  We are looking into posting Busby on the internet, we are looking into providing Busby's on CD, we already have two of the "Lost Busby's" in Ray's hands for the future Psubs library, etc.  No one will be left completely behind.

Shortly after May 1st, I will post instructions for placing an order.  [I am actually out of the country on FAA business April 28-May 3, so there may be some delays.]  This will involve mailing me a US Post Office Money Order for $5.00 US.  But I am not providing instructions now because I do not want to receive anything now.

You are free to place a reservation immediately.  But remember, the priority system has absolutely nothing to do with when you place your reservation, so long as it is prior to May 1st.  Your priority is already set...by your seniority with Psubs.  Now I am sensitive to the fact that "seniority" is not black and white.  Some folks have joined and left and rejoined, some folks have changed addresses, some have been bumped from the site by technical glitches, etc.  If we should need to activate the priority system, (and I doubt that if we do many will be bumped), we will be very careful to be fair.

As to the numerous "usung heros" in the Navy that have made this possible, they have elected to be "silent partners" in this deal.  I will share their names with Ray and Jon, if necessary, but not with the group.  I have already thanked them on behalf of Psubs.

Current Status

A few folks have voiced concern that their orders never reached me.  Please re-send your "reservation" if you are not listed below.

I have shipped 11 books to 8 High priority folks to date.  They include: Ray, Jon (NH), Greg, 2 Johns (AZ)(TX) , Roger (OH), Gene (CA) and Cliff (TX).  Several have already arrived.

I have orders from the following:

William (AL), Michael (VA), Matt (NH), Laurent (CA), Jeff (CA), Robert (WA), Ron (WA), Paul (AL), Dave (WA), Thomas (CA), Richard (PA), Stan (FL), Carl (WY), Steve (Canada), Ian (CA), Dan (PA), Gregory (MN), Dale (Canada), Andre (Germany), Lucas (Canada), Anthony (CA), Robby (KY), Thijs (Netherlands), Robert (Australia), Stephen (local-will pick up his order personally), Ron (OH), Robert (MO), Mark (AK), Gordon (Malta), Alan (England), Stan (FL), Ty (LA), Duncan (WA), James (CA), Kurt (WI), Frank (MA), Nathan (WA), Jorge (Brazil), Herve (FL), Shin (TN), Jack (VT), Bill (NY), David (MN).

I am sure I deleted at least one request by accident, and have incomplete orders from Andy and Brent.  So I already know of 3 shortfalls in my ordering system.  Please get back to me with any others.

Sincerely,

Doug Farrow
Custodian of the "Lost Busby's"