textfiles/messages/BACKWATER/bw840107.txt

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1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask....
2 ****************** REMOVED: 7 JAN 84 ***********************
3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System)  Mike Day System operator
4 ************************************************************
5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION
6                     PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM.
7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privatly owned
8 and operated system which is currently open for use by the general public.
9 No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the system is
10 privatly owned, I retain the right to remove any and all messages which
11 I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the system, it will be
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13 To leave a message, type 'ENTER' and use ctrl/C or break to get out of the
14 ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering the
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17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system.
18 ***********************************************************
19 
20 "So that is the way of it!", he says. He had been listening to "Prospero's 
21 apprentice" when that one let fall the fateful reference. "Dungeons, Agnath, can
22 it be?" he thinks, while failing to restrain a start. 
23 "Is your master one of the five?" he inquires, drawing forth a silver coin with
24 a five-ponted star on its face. As he talks, he turns the coin as if he were
25 fingering it absently. The reverse bears the odd inscription - R.P.B. Ltd. He 
26 watches the other's face intently searching for any sign of recognition.
27 .......................................................................
28 (I beg the pardon of the other patrons of the inn, but Prospero's apprentice MAY
29 be an old acquaintance. I must be sure of this however, before going much
30 further)
31 To the one yclept "Prospero's apprentice":
32 Sirrah, though I admit to being an apprentice, I did NOT claim to be
33 apprenticed to YOUR master! 
34 Dost thou recall the monk who went by the unlikely cognomen of "mouse"? Or
35 perhaps my master's old "friend" Grishnakh? "Eight foot, six & aint NONE of it 
36 fat" is, I believe, the way the creature put it?
37 ..........................the apprentice........................................
38 Leroy: I have good joke for you! I hear that last year in Tangiers NSA agent
39 (ptuie!) was captured. His captors make him keep radio schedule, but he cleverly
40 omit true check so headquarters will know something is not right.
41 Good agent, da?
42 So what did radio operator at headquarters do? He send back, "next time, please 
43 remember to include your true check"! And Americans wonder why their agents are 
44 to make laughter all over world. (so help me, my sources SWEAR story is true!)
45 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Boris Badenov,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
46 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
47               REVOLUTIONARY ALBANIAN BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS
48                   SECRET COMMUNIQUE # 08163-B
49 
50 RE: LEROY McKANE
51 
52 Dear Comrade Yassar;
53       I have been observing the subject, McKane, since his escape from prison.
54 He recently surfaced in Maracaibo accompanied by Petrov and his gang of drag
55 queens.  Information on the intelligence nets suggests he may next appear
56 in Ashkhabad within 48 hours.  This one is definately not your typical
57 American Imperialist dog...Whatever his intent in Turkomen, I think it can't
58 do anything but benefit our goal of a free revolutionary state of Albania.
59 The pressure on the 
60 Soviets in Central Asia, especially with their Afganistan folly will direct
61 their attention away from Albania.  Besides, Leroy is a likeable rascal...
62       To be safe, I'm sending my top agent, the seductive Serena, to the
63 area by rail.  She has successfully completed the Tibetian affair and will
64 be leaving Gyangtse shortly.  Of course there is the problem of replacing
65 the three-legged donkey, but I'll explain that later.  I'm also trying to
66 contact one of the top freelance operatives, Arien of Estolad, to see if he
67 can shed any light on McKane's intentions.  As always, I close with our
68 party motto:    MAQUID SALUDE (Which loosely translated means   GO DUCKS!!!!)
69                                       FOR A FREE ALBANIA
70                                      MOHAMMED WASSIR
71                                    <The Albanian Firebrand>
72 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
73 
74 TXTXTX 1132 ABEL
75 COMSAC HQ9
76 CONTREMON
77 ACK ACK CODED TRANSMISSION FOLLOWS
78 OURCESAY AYSAY CKANEMAY ONAY AYWAY ATCHWAY OURYAY ASSAY
79 END TRANSMISSION
80 SPIKE
81 
82 ______________________________________________________________
83 go ducks? there's a sick mind somewhere out there.....
84 _____________________________________________________________
85 Ha, Ha....I've broken your ack ack code you Albanian devils.......McKane
86 >>----------------------------------------------------------------------------<<
87  
88   He awoke from his restless sleep as was always the case his first night on
89 land. Musing to himself he thought when my seafaring days are over will I ever 
90 learn to accept the solid earth as home ?....swinging his legs from the bunk 
91 a dagger of pain slashed through his knee reminding him that the day he dreaded
92 most drew closer.....he laughed, a most imposing character he would be with a 
93 walking stick. With unthought familiarity he massaged the sinews and flesh 
94 to working order. Testing the flex he walked to his chest with a slight sway ,
95 speaking of his many years at sea. Opening his case he removed his modest 
96 " Land " attire and with resignation clothed himself.
97  
98    He had taken his morning repas in mute silence pondering his alternatives.
99 In his mind he had always harboured the idea of starting a small chandlers
100 shop. His reputation as a shipwright and rigger was known to most in those 
101 circles. Yet the final decision could wait. He had the means and the resources
102 to afford another voyage ....one of pure exploration ....if he was to make this 
103 his last port.....
104   His years at sea had denied him his childhood quest. And if this was to be
105 his ...home ... he knew he must come to know this land as he did the sea.
106 As he awaited the bill his thoughts drifted ........................
107  
108  In that bawdy tavern the night before he had asked many of the locals of
109 what lay upstream. The answers were many and varied. Some spoke of the glades
110 and forests inhabited by elusive elfs, reluctant dragons and apprentices 
111 practicing their craft. Others spoke of boggs and spindly trees and exibited
112 an unspoken fear of the places upstream.Yet one wizened man recounted an
113 adventure he had been told as a boy. A place near the headwaters .....a place of
114 beauty , wonderment and peace......
115 The name he could not recall ... but he said I would know it should I find it.
116  
117 .................The shrill voice of the taverness asking if he was in need 
118 of more fare jarred him from his thoughts. He drew a few coins from his pouch
119 and handing them to her thanked her. And strode thorugh the portal. 
120 Once in the sunlight his eyes again strayed to the west ............
121 With an unconscious movement he withdrew from his overcoats breast pocket 
122 the ....satin ribbon.....still damp
123  
124    And wondered.......
125  
126 >>--------------------------------------------------------Brendan-------------<<
127 ****************************************************************
128 
129 I've noticed patrons of the Inn lean towards controversies 
130 that are impersonal and distant. I thought, for a change, you 
131 might like to ponder something a bit closer to home.
132 
133 Did you folks know that hundreds of seriously mentally ill 
134 people have been dumped from state mental hospitals into the 
135 community? That Dammash has reduced its bed usage by nearly 
136 half, closed whole hospital wings to save money, and turned 
137 the mentally ill out into the street?
138 
139 The 1982 Oregon legislature, in response to the tax revolt, 
140 mandated that usage of Oregon's mental hospitals be 
141 drastically reduced. They argued that the chronically mentally 
142 ill would be served better, at less cost, in community mental 
143 health programs.
144 
145 Before I go further I'll explain who the chronically mentally 
146 ill are so you'll know who I'm talking about.
147 
148 The chronically mentally ill are folks who have spent a great 
149 part of their lives in mental institutions. Inspite of the 
150 stereotypes they are seldom dangerous. In fact, they are more 
151 often the victums of violent crime than the cause of it.
152 
153 Their symptoms include things like hearing voices that aren't 
154 there, having bizarre delusions, or becoming so withdrawn that 
155 they can't relate to what's going on around them. Throughout 
156 most of history they were locked away, burned as witches, or 
157 tortured to exorcize their demons.
158 
159 In the 1950's psychothropic drugs (Lithium, Thorazine, Haldol, 
160 ect.) were found to control many of the symptoms of mental 
161 illness. Though the drugs were unreliable, and dangerous, they 
162 did control the symptoms enough for many of the mentally ill 
163 to "survive" in the community.
164 
165 The Oregon legislature used this as justification for emptying 
166 the mental hospitals. The theory was that the chronically 
167 mentally ill could now recieve adequate treatment from 
168 community (county) mental health departments.
169 
170 Unfortunately, as funds were transfered from hospital budgets 
171 to community mental health programs they took drastic cuts. 
172 This resulted in hundreds of the chronically mentally ill 
173 being turned loose in the community without adequate support.
174 
175 Most of them are now attempting to survive on around $200 a 
176 month in welfare and a fistfull of food stamps. With their 
177 severely disorganized thinking they often have great 
178 difficulty doing even simple tasks such as shopping, cooking 
179 or budgeting.
180 
181 Many of them become destitute and gravitate to the cheap 
182 living along Burnside. There they become easy victums for 
183 thugs, con-artists, and street people. Some survive by 
184 scavangering food from garbage cans. Many, it's safe to 
185 assume, froze to death during the recent cold snap.
186 
187 It's a terrible situation. What makes it worse is that there 
188 isn't the public support to make things better. This is some-
189 thing I don't understand.
190 
191 I've always thought of America as a compassionate nation; it 
192 is extremely painful to learn that it is not. Perhaps I don't
193 really understand. Perhaps you can help me.
194 
195 I have some questions I hope you can answer.
196 
197      1) Did you know this was going on? Do you care?
198 
199      2) Is this the kind of world the Libertarians and 
200         tax revolters are asking us to believe in?
201 
202      3) The difference between civilization and barbarianism,
203         as I learned it, is in how we treat our weak and 
204         helpless. I was taught that it was the barbarians 
205         who leave their people to die from the elements. 
206         Does this mean we've reached the end of civilization? 
207 
208 
209 You have impressed me as an intelligent group. I am looking 
210 forward to reading your responses to what I have written
211 Perhaps you have some answers that I have somehow missed. I 
212 hope so. 
213 
214 
215                        Aretaeus
216 
217 *************************************************************
218 THAT LAST DISSBIT OF RAMBLING ABOUT ME^NTALLY ILL PEOPLE BEING TURNED OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY WAS GREAT. LETS HERE IT FOR 
219 THE STATE TAX SYSTEM
220 *******************************************************************************
221 I think that all the mentally ill people must have got computers and now hang out here
222 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
223 ****************************************************************
224 That very well could be. Many mentally ill people are very 
225 intelligent and creative. Many of the great artists, poets, 
226 and philosophers had bouts of mental illness. Neitzsche, Van 
227 Gough, Edgar Allen Poe were all sufferers. You are probably 
228 working or going to school with mentally ill people. But you'd 
229 never know it because their symptoms are controlled by the 
230 medication. They act as normal as you or I...and isn't that 
231 all that really matters?   - Aretaeus -
232 ****************************************************************
233 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
234      ARETAEUS:
235         COULD YOU ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS FOR ME?
236   ONE: IF THERE ARE MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE AROUND US WHO WE DO NOT RECOGNIZE AS BEING SO, THEY MUST HAVE MEDICATION.
237        IF THEY HAVE MEDICATION, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
238   TWO: IF THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT MEDICINE(AS THE PROGRAM ORIGIONALLY INTENDED) IS IT NOT BETTER TO KEEP
239        THEM IN SOCIETY WHERE THEY WILL LEARN TO ADJUST?
240   THREE: WHAT WOULD PUBLIC REACTION BE IF THEY WERE TOLD "MENTALLY ILL" PEOPLE WERE ALL AROUND THEM, NOT GETTING TREATMENT?
241          WOULD THEY NOT TRY TO STUFF THEM BACK INTO THE HOSPITALS WHERE THEY DO NOT BELONG?
242 
243 NO CRITISM IS INTENDED OF YOUR WORK, AS IT SHOWS EXELLENT THOUGHT AND INVESTIGATION.
244                                                                  J.C.
245 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
246   P.S. TO CISTOP MIKEY:
247      I ENTER A PLEA ON BEHALF OF ALL TRUE PATRONS OF THIS WONDERFUL INN.
248 WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO COLLECT AND STORE ALL WRITINGS ABOUT THE INN (SUCH AS THE ONES BY D, ETC.)
249 AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WHO INFORM YOU SO A COMPRESSED LISTING OF ALL THE TALES, EXCLUDING THE COMMENTS, ETC.
250 I BEG THIS BOON OF YOU, INNKEEPER
251                                                             JONATHAN CHANCE
252 HA HA HE HE 
253      IM MENTAILY ILLLL YHW OD UOY WRITE SUUCHH WIRRED
254   tHINGS OIN  THis  BoArD!?.$#@&^%*  
255   i t'NAC  read anything ouy pople puutt on siht thHING
256         *   *
257         *   89    j  u st   to   Wared !!!
258 ***********************************************************
259 that boy's nunts  ^  
260 **********************************************************
261 im also ill  copy copy copy !!!!! i must copy everthing there is to copy!!!!
262       locksmith copy ][ + EDD back it up  super disk copy
263        wildcard snopshot alaska card disk muncher quick & dirty
264        i LOVE it !!!!!! 
265            copy copy copy crack crack crack 
266         i even copyed this computer!!!!!!
267        ha ha ha ha ha ha ohhh he he tee hee 
268 ~```~```~```~```~```~```~```~```~```~```~```~```~```~```~```~
269 
270 *************************************************************************
271 AH! SO YOU KNOW OF MOUSE AND THE EXCITING TIME HE SPENT AS A REAL MOUSE IN
272 BAST'S OWN HOME. WHAT SAY YOU OF THE BREW HERE AT THIS STRANGE INN, SITTING 
273 AT THE CROSSROADS OF SO MANY DIFFERENT UNIVERSES. THE CONVERSATION IS CERTAINLY
274 STIMULATING. SOMEHOW THOUGH I KEEP EXPECTING EACH TIME I GO OUT THE DOOR
275 FOR A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO FIND MYSELF IN SOME POOR MUNDANE UNIVERSE
276 WHERE MAGIC IS DENIGRATED AS A MYTH AND THE PEOPLE HAVE LOST TOUCH WITH THE LANDSPOILING IT FOR THEIR YOUNG ONES. 
277                                  WHISPER
278                                    (PROSPERO'S APPRENTICE)
279 
280 HELLO THERE EVERYBODY!  I REALLY NEED SOMEONE TO LEAVE ME A MESSAGE BECAUSE
281 I NEED THE GLORY!!!!!  JUST CALL ME "LONESOME LONER".  YOU KNOW EVERYONE NEEDS 
282 SOME ONE TO TALK TO ONCE IN A WHILE!  EVEN IF IT IS THROUGH A COMPUTER!  SO 
283 PLEASE HELP ME OUT, OCKAY?  YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT WILL HELP ME!!!! 
284 THANX!!!
285 ---------------------------LONESOME LONER-------------------------------------
286 
287 THIS MESSAGE GOES TO ALL OF THE FANTASTIC PEOPLE WHO USE THIS BOARD!  ESPECI-
288 ALLY THE WRITERS OF THE STORIES.  I CAN SIT HERE IN FRONT OF MY ELECTRONIC
289 BRAIN FOR HOURS READING ALL OF THIS MATERIAL!!!!!!!  KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU
290 GUYS AND GALS.  MY COMPLIMENTS TO EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!
291 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
292 My dearest Mohammed:
293       Every moment away from you seems like an eternity.
294 
295       The Tibetian affair went well.  Enclosed you will find several 8 by
296 10 glossies of me, the Dali Lama, and our three legged donkey, Pedro, in
297 a cheap Gyangtse hotel.  The Dali Lama is now completely under our control.
298 He really is a sweet old geezer.  Unfortunately, Pedro died of exhaustion
299 soon after the caper. (Sniff)  But he died for the cause of a free 
300 Albania.
301      The only hitch was an amorous ChiCom colonel who kept getting in the
302 way.  He is now wearing concrete galoshes at the bottom of the China Sea.
303 I'm sure the Chinese will blame the Russians for it.
304      I'm now on my way to Turkomen to see what McKane is upto.  I miss you
305 terribly and await our week of paridise in Venice.
306                                             MAQUID SALUDE
307                                             Serena
308 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
309 
310 ARTAEUS
311    YOU SHOULD SEE IF YOU CAN GET YOUR INFORMATION AND POINT OF VIEW TAKEN
312 UP BY THE NEWS PAPERS. THAT'S THE FASTEST WAY THAT I CAN THINK OF TO REACH
313 A WIDE AUDIENCE. WHILE THIS BOARD IS FUN AND THE PEOPLE ON IT, SMART AND
314 CONCERNED, I HAVE MY DOUBTS AS TO THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC INFLUENCE AND PRESS-
315 URE THAT THEY CAN BRING TO BEAR.
316                                   CONCERNED
317 -------------------------------------------------------------------?-----
318 
319 THIS MESSAGE IS TO ALL OF YOU "LADIES IN WAITING" WHO MAY BE NEEDING SOME
320 COMPANIONSHIP REAL SOON!!!! I HAVE A VERY GOOD FRIEND WHO NEEDS A COMP-
321 ANION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!! AND HERE IS A DESCRIPTION OF HIS
322 NEEDS:
323 
324 1.  BLONDE HAIR (PREFERABLY LONG)
325 2.  BLUE EYES
326 3.  ABOUT 5'6" IN HEIGHT (NOT WEIGHT!)
327 4.  36 X 24 X 32
328 5.  A PLAIN, OVERALL, GOOD LOOKIN' YOUNG LADY.
329 
330 I PLEAD TO YOU TO HELP THIS POOR DEEKREBID SOUL IN HIS SEARCH FOR THE
331 HIGHER SPECTRUMS OUT OF THE LOWER MIND AND BODY!!!!
332 
333 ----------------------------LONESOME LONER------------------------------
334 
335 THERE ARE TIMES WHEN A PERSON SEEMS TO FLOAT INTO A DREM STATE OF
336 MIND AND HE/SHE LOSES ALL SENSE OF HIS/HER SURROUNDINGS.  I WAS
337 ONE SUCH PERSON.  AND MY STORY GOES LIKE THIS:
338 
339 I WAS WALKING THROUGH A PARK ONE FOGGY EVENING.  FOR SOME REASON
340 I FELT LIKE SOMETHING VERY RARE AND MYSTERIOUS WAS GOING TO 
341 HAPPEN, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IN THE WORLD IT COULD BE!
342 
343 SUDDENLY A SPOT LIGHT AS BRIGHT AS THE SUN SHOWN ON ME AND A VERY
344 SOFT VOICE CALLED OUT AND SAID, "HEY THERE, LONESOME LONER. HOW
345 WOULD YOU LIKE TO ENTER A WORLD WHERE TIME, SPACE, AND MATTER DO
346 NOT EXIST?"
347 
348 ALL I COULD MANAGE TO SAY WAS, "WHY ME?  ALL I AM IS A POOR 
349 DEEKREBID SOUL WALKING THROUGH THE PARK!"
350 
351 THE VOICE THEN CAME BACK, BUT WAS MORE LOUDER, AND SAID, "LONESOME
352 LONER, WE PICKED YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN OBSCURE VIEW ON LIFE
353 AND PEOPLE.  WE HAVE FOUND, THROUGH RESEARCH, THAT YOU DEAL WITH
354 NO ONE.  YOU ONLY TALK TO THOSE "BACKWATER INN FOLK".
355 
356 ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS FIGURE APPEARED THROUGH THE HAZY FOG AND BRIGHT
357 LIGHT---- IT WAS A "WOMAN"!  A VERY BEAUTIFUL WOMAN DRESSED IN A
358 SILK GOWN AND LONG BLONDE HAIR THAT REACHED DOWN TO HER ANKLES.
359 
360 I JUST STOOD THERE IN AMAZEMENT; WATCHING THIS "WOMAN" FROM NOWHERE.
361 SHE BEGAN TO SPEAK ONCE AGAIN:  "I WILL GIVE YOU POWERS BEYOND YOUR
362 WILDEST IMAGINATION.  FOLLOW ME AND RECEIVE THIS GIFT.  THEN, AND
363 ONLY THEN, WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DWELL AMONG THE GIFTED AND POWERFUL
364 PEOPLE OF MY HOME".
365 
366 I THEN THOUGHT OF ALL MY FRIENDS BACK HOME AT THE "BACKWATER INN"
367 AND HOW I WOULD MISS THEM.  IT WOULD BE RUDE OF ME TO SAY "SO LONG
368 WHEN WE ONLY JUST MET THREE DAYS AGO!!!  WHAT WAS I TO DO????!!!
369 
370 FINALLY, I FIGURED 'WHAT THE HEY' AND FOLLOWED THE "WOMAN" 
371 THROUGH THE FOG TO FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS I WAS TO RECEIVE.........
372 
373 Is this a trick?
374 
375 Will I survive?
376 
377 What will happen to me?
378 
379 The answer lies in my next session of "WOMAN FROM NOWHERE"!
380 
381 WATCH FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
382 
383 *************************LONESOME LONER****************************
384 !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
385 ARETAEUS: THE THINGS YOU WROTE OF WERE TRUE, UNFORTUNATELY. I KNOW FROM PER-
386 SONAL EXPERIENCE OF MANY SUCH CASES. FOR SEVERAL YEARS, 15 AT LEAST, I HAVE 
387 WORKED WITH SUCH PEOPLE. MANY ARE CAPABLE OF ADJUSTING, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY
388 ARE NOT.
389 MOST STATES TAKE BETTER CARE OF THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED THAN OREGON.
390 IN CALIFORNIA, AND IDAHO THEY ESTABLISH LARGE HOMES FOR THEM IN THE COMMUNITY
391 WHERE A COUPLE OF HOUSEKEEPERS ARE STATE SALARIED EMPLOYEES, AND ARE IN
392 CHARGE OF PROVIDING HEALTHY MEALS, CLEAN LIVING CONDITIONS, AND ALL NECESSARY
393 SHOPPING IS DONE BY THEM. IN MANY CASES THIS IS SUCCESSFUL, BUT THERE ARE AL-
394 WAYS THOSE THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR POSITION AS HOUSEKEEPERS, AND STEAL 
395 MONEY AND ETC.
396 ALSO, THE DRUGS YOU MENTIONED ARE USEFUL, BUT THEY HAVE SERIOS SIDE EFFECTS 
397 ALSO. THIS IMPAIRS THE PERSON FROM REALLY BEING NORMAL ALL THE TIME. WE RAN A
398 HOME, LIKE THE ONE MENTIONED ABOVE FOR YEARS IN EUREKA , CALIFORNIA. AND WHAT
399 MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT, FOR THE MOST PART THE PEOPLE THEY RELEASE 
400 FROM STATE INSTITUTIONS ARE ONES THAT HAVE AT ONE TIME BEEN CONSSIDERED NOR-
401 MAL AND HAVE HAD NERVOUS BREAKDOWNS OR SUDDENLY BECOME PLAGUED WITH HALLUCIN-
402 ATIONS, OR ARE JUST SLIGHTLY RETARDED. SOME OF THEM CANNOT COPE WITH THE IN-
403 STITUTION TYPE LIFE STYLE BECAUSE OF THEIR PAST AND ARE BETTER IN THESE TYPES
404 OF HOMES.
405 MANY OF THE PEOPLE WE HAVE WORKED WITH ARE NOW IN PRISON, OR BACK IN INSTI-
406 TUSIONS, MAINLY BECAUSE OF LACK OF SUPERVISION, OR AS YOU MENTIONED FALLING 
407 PREY TO STREET TYPE PEOPLE.
408 ANYHEY, THERE ISN'T A WHOLE LOT TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS HORRIBLE PART OF OUR 
409 SOCIETY, MAINLY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SO MUCH INTO THEMSELVES, THAT THEY HAVE 
410 LITTLE OR NO TIME TO CONSIDER THE PLIGHT OF OTHER PEOPLE, SERIOUSLY. I'M SURE
411 YOU NOTED THE MATURE, (ahem) RESPONSES TO YOUR ESSAY. YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT IT 
412 BEING A SIGN OF SICKNESS IN OUR SOCIETY. BUT THERE ARE MANY THAT ARE JUST AS 
413 TERRIBLE.
414 FOR INSTANCE, OLD FOLKS HOMES, LABORATORY EXPERIMENTATION ON ANIMALS,(some is
415 necessary,but their so far beyond some it's ridiculous) WHOLESALE KILLING OF 
416 WILDLIFE,(over 300 species become extinct each year) AND THE LIST GOES ON AND
417 ON. EVERYONE HAS THEIR FAVORITE PEEVE TO GRIP AND WORRY ABOUT, BUT GETTING 
418 ANYTHING DONE ABOUT IT MEANS COMING UP AGAINST THE GUYS RUNNING THE SHOW. AND
419 THAT TAKES MORE TIME AND MONEY THAN 99.95%
420 OF US HAVE. WE ALL NEED TO FEEL A LITTLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE THINGS ABOUT 
421 OUR SOCIETY THOUGH AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO ALLEIVIATE PART OF THESE PROBLEMS. 
422 BUT LET'S FACE IT FOLKS, THE SYSTEM STINKS IN SOME WAYS, AND CHANGE IS NECES
423 SARY. THE SOONER THE BETTER.
424 
425 d, WHERE ARE YOU...........I'M WAITING.
426 
427 LONESOME LONER: HERE'S A "HELLO" JUST FOR YOU.
428 !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?DEBORAH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
429 The two apprentices sit at a corner table exchanging tales. 
430 "Whisper, my master often speaks of the great tunnel dug from the sea to the
431 mountains. In fact, he claims to have aided in the construction! What dost thou
432 know of this wondrous work?"
433 Words tumbling over one another, like pebbles in a mountain stream, he
434 continues. "Another tale tells he of great & terrible experiments carried on 
435 by his companions. I suspect these had somewhat to do with his leaving Agnath
436 and taking up a quiet life here. He once spoke in his sleep of destroying a 
437 city wall by mixing flasks together."
438 "I fear for him, canst thou tell me aught of his companions of old, the
439 members of that company (of the five) whose token I showed you? Canst thou 
440 tell of Sam, the stealthy, their leader? Or mayhap of the good cleric, Pater?"
441 "And tell me of your master and the members of his company. For I must 
442 confess, whilst thy words and visage are familar, I cannot call to mind thy
443 name!"
444 "No, no! Speak it not aloud and straightly, for while all appears safe, thou
445 knowest not what may be lurking in the corners. Rather, wreath thine identity
446 in allegory and riddle, as I have my master's." Thus speaking, he poured his 
447 companion, Whisper?, a mug of cider and sat back to listen to his reply
448 ....................................................................
449 (my apologies, Whisper, but I know not yet whether thou art man or woman! Thy
450 robe conceals much!)
451 ......................................the apprentice.........................
452 Aretaeus:  Will you identify your true self?  Supportive action is seldom
453  offered in highest enthusiasm to persons behind pseudonyms.  I have been a
454  supporter of state and local SPENDING reform (TAX reform is a totally
455  different side of the fiscal picture).  Let us explore a bit more the 
456  specifics of the conditions you describe.      Dave Rodman
457 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
458 ***************************************************************
459 
460 JC: Thank you for your thoughtful questions. I see that 
461 Deborah has already given some excellent answers to what you 
462 asked; I have a bit to add.
463 
464 First you must realize that there is a wide range of level of 
465 severety of mental illness. Mild cases can be treated with 
466 small doses of medication that leave the person virtually 
467 "normal". These are the folks you couldn't spot even if you 
468 knew them well.
469 
470 More severe cases require greater dosages; in larger doses 
471 medication can have terrible side effects. Facial ticks, 
472 uncontrolled drooping of the head, serious health problems 
473 etc. 
474 
475 Another problem is that medication is unreliable. After years 
476 of success it can suddenly stop working. Then the patient goes 
477 through hell while the doctor experiments to find something 
478 else that will work.
479 
480 On whether the mentally ill should be in the community, I say 
481 yes. The obvious exception being those that are dangerous.
482 
483 Normal social involvement is one of the most effective ways 
484 towards mental health. Mental hospital outpatients who 
485 create social networks within the community do far better than 
486 those in the hospital.
487 
488 The public only seems concerned about untreated mental illness 
489 in the community if it doesn't raise their taxes. It costs 
490 $300,000 a year to keep someone in Dammash. The taxpayer won't 
491 buy it.
492 
493 Some hospitals, like Eastern Oregon State Hospital, have been 
494 coverted into prisons. It's extremely expensive to convert 
495 them back.
496 
497 =============
498 Concerned: The public only responds to newspaper accounts that 
499 are individual horror stories. Even then they only respond to 
500 the person being spotlighted.
501 
502 Willamette Week did a fantastic expose on conditions of the 
503 mentally ill in Portland. The Oregonian has run some good 
504 articles too. It made absolutely no difference.
505 =============
506 
507 Deborah: Enjoyed discovering a kindred spirit out there. I 
508 agree that there are many horrible problems other than mental 
509 illness. Frankly, there's only so much I can tackle.
510 
511 By narrowing my social activism to mental illness in Oregon I 
512 at least have a chance of making a difference. 
513 
514 Ever hear of "Nuts To You"? It's a four part Liberty Cable 
515 Television series I created and produced using chronically 
516 mentally ill outpatients. The idea was to demonstrate that the 
517 mentally ill weren't the way people had them stereotyped.
518 
519 We had twenty-seven outpatients, with only four of us "normal" 
520 types, who produced the four part series, a "Best of Nuts 
521 You" VHS videotape, and a live telephone call-in program.
522 
523 The chronically mentally ill covered all studio positions, 
524 both before and behind the cameras, and told their story as 
525 it's never been told before. It was really something. I think 
526 you'd enjoy it.
527 
528 "Nuts To You" was very well recieved. It won several awards 
529 and was a hit when we showed the videotape to church groups 
530 and such. The Mental Health Association is helping me drum up 
531 some money so we can continue these kinds of educational 
532 projects.
533 
534 ==================
535 Dave: There is only so much tax money and, as you're aware, 
536 the competition is fierce. I don't believe SPENDING reform 
537 will do the trick. Personally, I'd settle for an enlightened 
538 public willing to get involved.
539 
540 My real name is Gary Olson. I am also known as the GRAND 
541 DRAGON MASTER. What's that do to my credibility?
542 
543 :************************************************************:
544 FIRST OF ALL...MIKEY!!! YOU'VE GOT TO BE SAVING THIS, RIGHT?
545 IF YOU ARE NOT AT LEAST DUMPING A HARDCOPY BEFORE YOU WIPE THE
546 DISKS, I WILL PERSONALLY CONTACT MCkane AND HAVE HIM GET SERENA
547 TO SAUTEE YOUR EYEBALLS.  THIS IS DEFINATELY THE MOST FUN IVE
548 EVER HAD WITH MY FINGERS TOUCHING PLASTIC.
549 
550 DAVER
551 
552 ****************************************************************
553 
554 LONESOME:  If there are any of those blondes left over, let me
555 know.
556 
557 --------------daver again--------------------------------------
558 
559    The mists are indeed thick this night as I leave the Inn.  The
560 heavy wood door closes behind me without a sound, even my footfalls
561 muffled, nay, silent as the trees part before me.  But where is
562 the bridge?  Wait, the mists are clearing, how could it be daylight
563 already...
564 
565 
566      The landragon's fifteen feet of carniverous muscle glided
567 through the close underbrush without a sound, its tongue lashing
568 out repeatedly to keep the scent of the small boy who was playing
569 in the clearing ahead.  It had rained during the night, but the hot
570 morning sun was driving the rain off of the boy and the grass
571 in billows of steam.  The dense fog rendered everything nearly
572 invisible, a distinct advantage to the croc's steady approach.
573      Marcus lay in the cool, moist grass of the Garden, 
574 relaxing in the feel of the wet earth on one side and the sun on the
575 other.  He was enjoying the feel of sweat and water drying off of
576 his bare skin.  He rolled slightly to one side to dodge the droppings
577 of a bird flying overhead.  He pushed his fingers deep into the soil,
578 feeling the roots of the grass, trying to push his consciousness out
579 into those myriad tangled plants, to feel for the predator he knew
580 must be near.
581      The landragon was weary of the chase, and hungry.  It would
582 advance to certain kill range this time before making the final
583 bone-crunching lunge on its prey.  Marcus tried to shut off his
584 senses.  If he was to survive, he would have to ignore the
585 sights and sounds around him and concentrate on the world as seen
586 by everything around him.  jAs he pushed his awareness further and 
587 further out from himself, he found only fear.  No other creature
588 dared breathe when a dragon was in the feeding frenzy.
589 
590 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  DAVER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
591 :**************************************************************:
592 
593 Mohammed Wassir:
594 
595 I don't believe we've formally met but LeRoy McKane asked that
596 I contact you. Things are starting to heat up and Mr. McKane 
597 felt that he should go underground for awhile.
598 
599 The problem is Natasha. She's gone berzerk. I probably 
600 shouldn't tell you this but Natasha has a mental illness.
601 
602 The doctor's diagnosis her as having a histronic personality 
603 disorder. They are treating her with 50 mg of Thorazine, which 
604 she now refuses to take.
605 
606 Apparently her illness was triggered by LeRoy's rejection 
607 combined with his plans to take up with Serena. If you 
608 encounter her don't let her out of your sight. Lock her up 
609 if you must.
610 
611 Her illness is not dangerous but she is extremely agitated. If 
612 she approaches LeRoy in this condition there is no telling 
613 what Petrov will do. You know how dangerous Petrov becomes 
614 if he believes someone is about to harm his master.
615 
616                        Thanks
617 
618                        Big Bill Broonzy
619 
620 :**************************************************************:
621 
622 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
623 
624      I STAND AND WATCH FROM THE SHADOWS IN QUIET ADMIRATION FOR THE QUALITY
625 OF THE PLEASANTRIES EXCHANGED, AND SILENTLY WISH THAT I HAD SUCH A MARVELOUS
626 PROPENSITY FOR THE THIRD PERSON AS HAS BEEN DISPLAYED.  I PRAY YOU WILL PER-
627 SEVERE, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO CLEAN THESE BACK TABLES WHILE I LISTEN.
628 
629 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]PAM.[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

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