To request an account, send your real name, prefered user name, contact email address, contact phone number, and location to a at 9srv dot net. You will receive back a message with a brief introduction to the system and your initial password (which you are requested to change immediately). While not required, you are highly encouraged to attach a picture of yourself suitable for use as a face(6) file. If you do pgp/gpg, optionally, include in your initial message a pointer to your public key and I'll encrypt the message containing your initial password; my key is available on the major public keyservers.
The systems are currently located in Cleveland, Ohio, US. They're on a business-class DSL line, but it's fairly asymetric in what is usually the wrong direction for this sort of usage. Be gentle.
9srv.net also runs the default server for snip and offers a public repository of faces (see "adding_your_face").