▁service ▁is ▁now ▁based ▁in ▁Em ery ville . ▁ ▁Top ics ▁of ▁discussion ▁The ▁W E LL ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁general ▁subject ▁areas ▁known ▁as ▁" con ferences ". ▁These ▁con ferences ▁reflect ▁member ▁interests , ▁and ▁include ▁arts , ▁health , ▁business , ▁regions , ▁h obb ies , ▁spiritual ity , ▁music , ▁politics , ▁games , ▁software ▁and ▁many ▁more . ▁ ▁Within ▁con ferences , ▁members ▁open ▁separate ▁convers ational ▁threads ▁called ▁" top ics " ▁for ▁specific ▁items ▁of ▁interest . ▁For ▁example , ▁the ▁Media ▁conference ▁has ▁( or ▁had ) ▁topics ▁devoted ▁to ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times , ▁media ▁eth ics , ▁and ▁the ▁Lu ann ▁com ic ▁strip . ▁An ▁example ▁of ▁a ▁local ▁conference ▁is ▁the ▁one ▁on ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁which ▁has ▁topics ▁on ▁restaur ants , ▁the ▁city ▁government , ▁and ▁neighborhood ▁news . ▁ ▁" Public " ▁con ferences ▁are ▁open ▁to ▁all ▁members , ▁while ▁" private " ▁con ferences ▁are ▁restricted ▁to ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁users ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁conference ▁hosts , ▁called ▁the ▁" ul ist ". ▁Some ▁" feature d ▁private " ▁or ▁" private ▁independent " ▁con ferences ▁( such ▁as ▁" W omen ▁on ▁the ▁W E LL " ▁and ▁" Rec overy ") ▁are ▁listed ▁in ▁the ▁W E LL ' s ▁directory , ▁but ▁are ▁access - rest rict ed ▁for ▁priv acy ▁or ▁membership - rest riction ▁reasons . ▁M embers ▁may ▁request ▁ad mission ▁to ▁such ▁con ferences . ▁There