textfiles/messages/BACKWATER/bw901103.txt

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001=Usr:0 Null User         06/30/87 20:34  Msg:0 Call:0 Lines:19
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002=Usr:1 CISTOP MIKEY      11/02/90 21:34  Msg:5601 Call:31841 Lines:3
 20 We shall sooner have the fowl by hatching the egg than by smashing it.
 21 -- Abraham Lincoln
 22 ***********************************************************************
003=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/03/90 00:57  Msg:5602 Call:31843 Lines:10
 23 &*&*&*&*'s
 24 At the top again.  See the disk spread out below.
 25  
 26 Twin peaks was great tonight.  Seeing lynch as coopers boss was a very nice
 27 touch.  I've had a feeling since I read the secret diary that ben horn had
 28 something to do with lauras death.  I guess we'll know for sure next week.
 29  
 30 An Astral Dreamer (At the top sub 2)
 31 &*&*&*&*'s
 32  
004=Usr:348 Elvis Khan        11/03/90 02:12  Msg:5603 Call:31844 Lines:9
 33 Neat Middle-East articles, where do they come from?  Jus' wonderin'.  I *think*
 34 this is where I should be putting this, I'm not sure.  I'm new here, and the 
 35 message style isn't like anything I've ever seen, so bear with me, ok?
 36  
 37                                -*Elvis Khan*-
 38                Well, I see it's working.  That's good.
 39  
 40 Well, I guess this isn't where I should have posted my message.  So sue me.
 41                                    -*Elvis Khan*-
005=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/03/90 09:24  Msg:5604 Call:31847 Lines:1
 42  
006=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/03/90 12:55  Msg:5605 Call:31848 Lines:108
 43  
 44 }**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}
 45  
 46 It's today, NOT yesterday, isn't it?  I can never remember if its 3 or 4 or 62,
 47 63 or 64, but since it's 17 it must be 63, which means it would mean it is 4, 
 48 because if it wudda been three I'da noticed the duplicity.  So I guess yester-
 49 day's message is for TODAY!!! <grin>  That's from the "right" side.
 50  
 51 I WAS READING A SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE
 52  
 53 They hgave photographed the brain
 54 and here is the picture, it is full
 55 of branches as I always suspected
 56  
 57 each time you arrive the electricity
 58 of seeing you is a huge
 59 tree lumbering through my skull, the roots waving,
 60  
 61 It is an earth, its fibres wrap
 62 things buried, your forgotten words
 63 are graved in my head, an intricate
 64  
 65  
 66 red blue and pink prehensile chemistry
 67 veined like a leaf
 68 network, or is it a seascape
 69 with corals and shining tentacles.
 70  
 71 I touch you, I am created in you
 72 somewhere as a complex
 73 filament of light
 74  
 75 You rest on me and my shoulder holds
 76  
 77 your heavy unbelievable
 78 skull, crowded with radiant
 79 suns, a new planet, the people
 80 submerged in you, a lost civilization
 81 I can never excavate:
 82  
 83 my hands trace the contours of a total
 84 universe, its different
 85 colours, flowers, its undiscovered
 86 animals, violent or serene
 87  
 88 its other air
 89 its claws
 90  
 91 its paradise rivers
 92  
 93       Margaret Atwood
 94       From ANIMALS IN THAT COUNTRY
 95  
 96 And for Elvis, whose signature looks like spurs,
 97  
 98 BACKDROP ADDRESSES COWBOY
 99  
100 Starspangled cowboy
101 sauntering out of the almost-
102 silly West, on your face
103 a porcelain grin,
104 tugging a papier-mache' cactus
105 on wheels behind you with a string.
106  
107 you are innocent as a bathtub
108 full of bullets.
109  
110 Your righteous eyes, your laconic
111 trigger fingers
112 people the streets with villains:
113 as you move, the air in front of you
114 blossoms with targets
115  
116 and you leave behind you a heroic
117 trail of desolation:
118 beer bottles
119 slaughtered by the side
120 of the road, bird-
121 skulls bleaching in the sunset.
122  
123 I ought to be watching
124 from behind a cliff or a cardboard storefront
125 when the shooting starts, hands claspecd
126 in admiration,
127  
128 but I am elsewhere.
129  
130 Then what about me
131  
132 what about the I
133 confronting you on that border
134 you are always trying to cross?
135  
136 I am the horizon
137 you ride towards, the thing you can never lasso
138  
139 I am also what surrounds you:
140 my brain
141 scattered with your
142 tincans, bones, empty shells,
143 the litter of your invasions.
144  
145 I am the space you desecrate
146 as you pass through.
147  
148         By Margaret Atwood
149         from ANIMALS IN THAT COUNTRY
150  
007=Usr:388 Time To Vote      11/03/90 22:36  Msg:5606 Call:31855 Lines:140
151 ^$^%&$^%$^%$&$&$^$&^$&^$^%$^%^$^%$^&%$&^%$^$&^^%$^$^%^$^%$&^^%^%&^%$^%$&
152      
153 Measure 1: Create a metropolitan service district government body.
154 Right now there is a "tri-city" area that is treated specially by the state
155 as a metro-service district.  Currently it is managed by the state
156 legislature to deal with things like mass transit and waste disposal within
157 the area. This measure would provide another layer of government that would
158 be run by the people within the metro area. I'm ambivalent on this one. I
159 like the idea of restricting the government control to those that are
160 affected by it, but I dislike implementing yet another layer of government.
161 I'll probably end up voting against it for that reason.
162       
163 Measure 2: Allows merged school districts to equally divvy up tax base.
164 Currently it is a mess to do a merger. This is mostly a cleanup measure to
165 make the process simpler. Previously the merger involved divvying up the sum
166 plus six percent. For obvious reasons, voters were unwilling to do a merge
167 if it meant an increase in taxes. Even if there was a long term savings.
168 Fine by me, I'll go for it.
169      
170 Measure 3: Equalizes state and federal tax exemption. I'm still confused on
171 this one. They don't explain it enough. The equalization is fine, but there
172 is mention of $16 million payment to retires that isn't fully explained. I
173 think it is a payment to the federal workers for the previous years so that
174 they can equalize without taking money back from the state workers. It's
175 hard to tell though because it is two full pages of in condensed type of
176 lawyer talk. If I don't understand it by tuesday I'll vote against it on
177 general principals.
178        
179 Measure 4: Shut down Trojan Nuclear Power Plant.
180 The usual fear of nuclear things in any form here. They keep referring to
181 the Chernobal accident totally ignoring that the Chernobal design was known
182 to be unsafe and very dangerous. The US abandoned that design decades ago.
183 They also like to point out the enormous amount of radiation released
184 from Hanford. Ignoring that most of it was before the dangers of radioactive
185 contamination were recognized.
186       
187 A piece of trivia:
188 Every year more people are hurt and killed in coal mining accidents than
189 have been hurt and killed by nuclear related accidents since the very start
190 of nuclear activity (this includes the Chernobal accident). In the same
191 period of time over which both coal and nuclear power have been in use, the
192 total number of *all* nuclear related death and disease _including_ the
193 bombing in Japan have been less than the deaths and disease attributable to
194 coal power.  The same can be said of environment. The amount of
195 environmental damage due to coal mining has been far greater than the
196 problems associated with nuclear power.
197 At a time when we are experiencing a serious problem with dependence on
198 foreign fossil fuels and major concern over the environment, it seems rather
199 stupid to me to shut down a power source that generates 1 billion watts of
200 power in favor of other sources that have known devastating effects to
201 people and the environment. As you can probably guess, I'm against the
202 shutdown.
203       
204 Measure 5: Limit property tax.
205 Yet another property tax limitation bill. These happen as often as the sales
206 tax issues. This cuts property taxes in half by 1996 specifically for
207 schools, but provides for no alternative source of income to replace the
208 lost revenue source.
209 I like the idea since retired people and other people on fixed income are
210 very heavily hit by the property tax, but without an alternate source of
211 income for school funding this bill is very poorly conceived. I'm voting no
212 on this one. I want property tax reduction too, but not this way.
213       
214 Measure 6: All packaging material must be made of recycled material.
215 A nice idea, but no thought has gone into the exceptions needed for safety
216 issues such as medical materials and health concerns over recycled
217 packaging. Would you want your pills to come in a bottle that you don't know
218 where it has been before? I like the idea, but it needs a lot more thought
219 applied to it first. When they get the kinks worked out I might consider it,
220 but this time around it causes more problems than it solves.
221       
222 As a side interest, after spending several years defending it's use of foam
223 plastic containers and saying that they were environmentally safe, McDonalds
224 is now switching back to paperboard packaging. Turns out that despite their
225 comments to the contrary, foam plastic is not easily recyclable.
226       
227 Measure 7: Work for welfare payments.
228 This is basically the old "If I'm gonna give you money, then I expect some
229 work for it" bit. This is a pilot program to see if it can be made to work.
230 It basically says; "If you are able bodied, and can work, then you will have
231 to work or you won't receive food stamps or welfare money." Nobody is
232 forcing them to work, but if they want public assistance then they have to
233 work for it. It's worth a shot at it in my opinion. The current welfare
234 system encourages people to stay on welfare, that's a no win situation, so
235 I'm interested in exploring other options.
236       
237 Measure 8: Prohibit abortions.
238 Here's a nice emotion filled issue. I have a lot of concern about abortions.
239 Not just from the standpoint of the unborn fetus, but also from the
240 standpoint of the woman herself. It's really an issue of where you draw the
241 line. What's next, forced conception? After all, every woman carries eggs,
242 and almost all of them are washed from her body without being fertilized.
243 These are potential human beings, shouldn't they be "protected". What about
244 natural abortions? Upto 30% of all pregnancies end in a miscarriage.
245 Shouldn't we jail the woman for allowing that to happen? Shouldn't we use
246 all possible medical capabilities to force the fetus to term no matter how
247 badly formed it may be? Never mind the cost, never mind the financial and
248 emotional impact on the woman and her family. So where do you draw the line?
249 Do I impose my belief about where the line should be drawn on everyone else?
250 That's not exactly what America was founded on. I don't feel that I have a
251 right to force my belief about where that line should be drawn on someone
252 else. It should be their own decision.  Finally, it is not like it is a one
253 time thing. In most situations the woman can try for a child again when she
254 is more financially and emotionally prepared. I'd much rather see the amount
255 of effort and money being dumped on this directed at education so that the
256 women won't find themselves in a situation where abortion has to be
257 considered.
258       
259 Measure 9: Mandatory Seat belt law.
260 A nice idea, but will it do anything? In other states where passed it has
261 proven to provide no affect at all.  I'm mainly against it because it does
262 not solve any problems and thus becomes yet another useless law clogging the
263 system. (Note: that there is already in effect a seatbelt law requiring all
264 children under 16 to be belted in which I have no problem with.)
265 I would rather see the money and effort go towards public education about
266 the effectiveness of wearing a seatbelt. You would get a lot more mileage
267 out of that. I would also like to see a law whereby if you failed to wear
268 your seltbelt that any injuries resulting thereof would be your own
269 responsibility.
270       
271 Measure 10: Notice for abortion on minors.
272 A doctor must give notice to the parent before performing an abortion on a
273 minor unless it is a life threatening situation. I have no problem with
274 this. I suppose that it goes to some extent against my statement of not
275 forcing my own rules on others, but, one of the basics is that a child is
276 under the control and protection of the parent until they are no longer a
277 minor, therefor the parent should have the right to be informed that such a
278 procedure is to be performed on their child.  Every other major medical
279 procedure not only requires parental notification, but requires parental
280 consent.
281       
282 Measure 11: Tax credit for education outside public school system and allow
283 students to be enrolled in school of choice. I like the idea of school of
284 choice enrollment, but dislike the tax credit aspect. Everyone pays for
285 education, including businesses and people. This is not a matter of you
286 paying for your own child's education, it is paying for everyone's education
287 including your own. You want to get that punk off the street? Educate him!
288 I'm against the tax credit stuff.
289       
290 $^$^%$^%$$&^$^%$^%$^%$&^%$^%^%$&^%$&^%$^%$^%$^$^%$^%^%$^$^%$^%$&^$&^%$^%^%$
008=Usr:165 Bart Simpson      11/04/90 07:43  Msg:5607 Call:31863 Lines:37
291 It is always interesting when the knee-jerk pro-nuke boys get going when they
292 feel threatened.  Always insisting that it is an irrational fear of anything
293 radioactive, not realizing that nukes are safer than any other form of power
294 generation.  But they never get specific about any safe nuke plants.  Ever 
295 notice that they all have safety problems of one kind or another?  Ever notice
296 how they all leak?  Ever notice how they all keep generating tons and tons
297 of waste that no one wants and that will be around for hundred of thousands
298 of years as dangerous garbage?  How about if the above author (anonymous,yet)
299 directly addresses some of the specific issues surrounding the shut down
300 of Trojan...such as the abysmal safety record PGE has in operating it, such
301 as the issue of radioactive waste stored mere feet from the Columbia river, 
302 such as the fact that Trojan only has a few years left until it HAS to be
303 decommissioned because the radioactivity will destroy it.  And the radioactive
304 sludge will remain.  and remain, and remain.  and remain.  Eventually there
305 will be an earthquake.  Mt. St. Helens is having "an event" even as I type
306 this.  What happens then?  Sure, it was built to withstand an earthquake, so 
307 was most of the freeway that collapsed in San Francisco last year.  For a true
308 perspective of the true attitude of the nuclear industry, get a copy of the
309 album "Dear Friends" by the Firesign Theatre, and listen to a cut "Nukes
310 in the News"...it really says it all.  Then, be sure to vote.
311                 
312 and vote   YES   on 4.  Shut Trojan Down.  It is unsafe, and overly costly.
313             
314 lets put some money into solar research, and put PGE out of business.       
315                  Yes on 4            Shut Trojan Down                      
316                                                                             
317 Yes on 4   Shut Trojan down  Yes on 4   Shut Trojan down   Yes on 4         
318                                                                            
319                                                                              
320 SHUT TROJAN DOWN    YES ON 4  YES ON 4  YES ON 4   YES ON 4   YES ON 4
321                                                                                
322                                                                              
323 YES ON 4   YES ON 4       YES ON 4            YES ON 4                    
324                                                                              
325 (the above message was NOT paid for by one of PGE's front organizations)  
326                                                                           
327                                                                              
009=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/04/90 08:45  Msg:5608 Call:31864 Lines:40
328 &*&*&*&*'s
329 Heres how I'm voting.  Note that I'm only voting on the measures that I've 
330 actually had time to look into.
331  
332 Measure 4.  I'm voting yes.
333 The safety violations bother me, as does the fact that this is a highly 
334 subsidized form of electrical generation.  Add in the fact that they havn't
335 been charging us anything for the eventual cost of disposal and you get the 
336 idea.  One of these days they'll be knocking on our doors demanding N billion
337 dollers to get rid of all that waste.  So much for the theory that nuclear
338 power is cheap.
339  
340 Measure 5.  I'm voting no.
341 Property taxes are high, and they do tend to tax people at an unfair rate, as
342 the elderly and unemployed may own homes, but have very little income.  
343 But, here are a few questions to ask yourself.  Why doesn't this bill allow a
344 local vote on what sort of a limit people want?  In some areas a 10$ for city
345 services is very high, while it others it is low.  And there is to the best of
346 my knowledge NO way to go above this 10$ limit, even if people want to.  Also,
347 This bill takes local control of schools largly out of the hands of people 
348 living within the district and into the hands of the state which will be
349 divying up whatever replacment tax they come up with.  Personally I'd
350 rather see a reformed income tax system and a county by county income tax
351 as a means of property tax relief
352  
353 Measure 9 (The seat belt law?) I'm voting yes.
354 Insurance and medical costs are way to high.  Education has been tried in the
355 past, and I still know people who believe that not wearing seat belts is safer.
356  
357 Measure 11.  I'm voting no.
358 Why should I made to fund private schools?  
359  
360 Note, I work for portland public schools, so YES, I do have a bias on some 
361 of these issues.  If measure 5 passes chances are very good that I'll be
362 unemployed in 1 to 6 months, as will be a large number of other people.
363 (I don't trust the legislature to do this right.)
364  
365 An Astral Dreamer
366 &*&*&*&*'s
367  
010=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/04/90 11:07  Msg:5609 Call:31865 Lines:28
368  
369 To Control, Money and % (bigger piece of the pie??)
370  
371 You idea about insurance companies not paying for injuries sustained while NOT 
372 wearing a seatbelt absolutely STINKS.  It's hard enough to deal with the pre-
373 sent extortion rates and collection on claims, why give them more power to take
374 your money & run?  I don't see insurance companies too differently that savings
375 and loans.
376  
377 To Astral Dreamer:
378  
379 If you work for PPS, they you ARE aware of the nepotism and other waste and 
380 abuse that is so much a part of daily operations there.  It **IS** too bad
381 an alternate hasn't been instituted before this.  I would hope that if this 
382 bill passes, that the MANY, MANY employees of PPS would see to it that it
383 is the ****ADMINISTRATIVE WASTE***** that is dealt with first.  And I wouldn't
384 depend on your unions to do this for you ... I've found that is NOT what they
385 are there for.   Maybe if it does pass, the "peons" (teachers, support staff)
386 might get together and study the school budget and possibly read past Board 
387 minutes and figure out what's REALLY going on and where the money's REALLY
388 going.  And maybe we could also require the unions to reveal some same such 
389 information too.  IF this bill PASSES, it could be an opportunity to impact the
390 public in such a way as to eliminate the PROPER waste then propagate a desire 
391 to put the money back into a truly effective, interesting and progressive
392 educational program.  I think that threatened PPS employees and a pissed public
393 could really make a difference ... it could generate an INTEREST in education
394 rather than antagonism.
395  
011=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/04/90 22:01  Msg:5610 Call:31874 Lines:17
396 &*&*&*&*'s
397 Nepotism?  No, I am not aware of any such thing.  Waste?  Not that I've 
398 noticed.  I work in the main admin building, and I'm for all intents and
399 purposes a peon, as I get no benifits and work for an hourly wage.  The 
400 department I work in is highly overworked, understaffed and shoved into
401 about half the space it needs.  Portland public schools is probably the 
402 best urban school district in the country.  It has high test scores, 
403 a (till tommorow) stable and adequete tax base and may inovative and succesfull
404 programs that help teachers and students alike.
405  
406 So, whats your beef, and would you mind being specific?  I'm really tired of
407 people flaming schools, when they really have no idea about what is going
408 on locally, or how bad things could be.
409  
410 An Astral Dreamer
411 &*&*&*&*'s
412  
012=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/06/90 09:12  Msg:5611 Call:31890 Lines:30
413  
414 AD - I really would LOVE to be more specific but I'm in the midst of sueing 
415 them right now.  Just check your school directory.  Compare it with a same 
416 directory from PSU's Education Department.  Read the newspapers ... especially 
417 articles listing promotions, transfers, etc.  I also worked at the ad bldg for 
418 a number of years and that's when I became most aware of the waste; then I  
419 worked in an administrative office at another location where things were much
420 different and I became even more aware of the waste -- not just of bucks but
421 the mental circus ad bldg administrators put you through.  Ad bldg administra-
422 tors are NOT in the schools ... I get the impression there interest is NOT in
423 education but in creating an IMAGE of a world headquarters education center,
424 not by virtue of enabling the actual educators but by constantly creating 
425 impossible SYSTEMS that LOOK GOOD and can be written about and can be 
426 EVALUATED to look wonderful, but in reality, only jerks the teacher around
427 one more time.  These SYSTEMS/PROGRAMS are then abandoned before they're even
428 implemented. I saw over and over staff members spending months and months
429 preparing material at the command of the board and administrators they 
430 that couldn't be implemented because, say, the material was input into the
431 computer in such a way that it couldn't be run back off in any logical manner.
432 (I need to take a writing class) I know of TWO instances where that happened;
433 I'm sure there's more.  I could go into great detail why all this material
434 could not be retrieved for printing, but you probably wouldn't be interested
435 anyway.  And that's why these things happen over and over.  Besides, you'd be 
436 executed for asking "why Johnny didn't learn anything but gang warfare at PPS",
437 especially if you work where I think you do.  You business is to manipulate
438 things to make them look good.
439  
440 I know that for a fact, too; I input and reinput and reinput various versions
441 of these reports.
442  
013=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/06/90 10:08  Msg:5612 Call:31891 Lines:4
443  
444 And, if I may be so bold as to inquire, is it YOUR department who's in charge
445 of the computers used for student elections in the local high schools????
446  
014=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/06/90 10:13  Msg:5614 Call:31892 Lines:10
447  
448  
449 &*&*&*&*'s
450 All I can say is that isn't my experiance in the department in which I work.
451  
452 Of course I don't know all that much about the rest of the place.
453  
454 An Astral Dreamer
455 &*&*&*&*'s
456  
015=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/06/90 12:36  Msg:5617 Call:31895 Lines:12
457  
458 BTW, AD, I'm talking about "textual" input, not programs.  I know of one such 
459 education program that was sent to be typed for publication, was published
460 in the form of maybe 15 different "booklets" of varying length then printed by
461 the hundreds.  When it came time to revise the DOCUMENT part, the computer
462 input on it was so fragmented into pieces (due to working on a page-count
463 basis) that it could never be put back together again.  After implementing it
464 in several schools, the whole program was quickly dropped.  The garbage bill
465 to dump the "booklets" must have been astronomical ... to say nothing of the
466 frustration felt by the people who were forced to work on the whole thing for
467 months upon months in the first place.  
468  
016=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/06/90 16:32  Msg:5618 Call:31898 Lines:30
469  
470 And this is not too different from being forced to use WordStar rather than 
471 WordPerfect.  I have a letter from Bob Williams stating that WordStar was
472 the ONLY system User Services would support districtwide, saying they had
473 researched it extensively.  At the time, WordStar cost three times what a
474 state of the art program would have cost.  As if that wasn't horrible in
475 itself, WordStar didn't support subdirectories at the time ... and we had
476 just obtained hard disks.  Because I asked the difference between "back up"
477 and "copy" DOS functions and being told to take a beginning DOS class even
478 though I'd been using a computer and WordStar for two years and having my 
479 supervisor called and told I was being a smartass and ended up having to 
480 WRITE my requests to user services, I also have documentation of their
481 interpretation or effective computer use.  I also have written documenta-
482 tions of my complaints AT THAT TIME to yet another department who was
483 doing an "effectiveness/reorganization" study of my department at the
484 time.  Not only did we originaly pay $350 for the dated word processing
485 program, but $99 each for two subsequent and progressively worse updates.
486 Now four years later, after secretaries were given no options in the 
487 beginning and were FORCED to use WordStar and have four years of work
488 on that program are, according to a source I heard talking in my union
489 office, going to be forced to use WordPerfect EXCLUSIVELY now.  Unfair to
490 secretaries who have little time for learning ANY computer program in the
491 first place but outrageous in terms of expense ... new program, new
492 training, conversion of documents, etc.   But conversions is going to be
493 difficult because you had to constantly "re-invent" WordStar because it
494 did so little for you.  It's hard enough to transfer WOrdStar documents
495 from one person to the next because everybody invented their own tricks, but
496 I would imagine it's going to be nearly impossible to convert current docu-
497 ments to a different program.  
498  
017=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/06/90 18:26  Msg:5619 Call:31900 Lines:15
499  
500 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
501  
502 Well, you heard it folks.  Bill Garbet <author of the infamous letter in
503 the Willamette Week encouraging other district to hire the head of the
504 Oregonian's niece, who would in turn be "in debted for life"> on TV stating 
505 85% of the school district budget is used for teacher salaries.  Guess 
506 where they're gonna make the cuts ... and it will probably be the teachers
507 that may have ever registered a complaint about the tyrrany.  Didn't 
508 mention layers of bureaucracy such as the DOI offices or different off-
509 shoots of the Personnel Department, like Employee Relations ... another
510 charmer.  His son's the one who wants to "gentrify" NW Portland who was
511 handed a last-minute reprieve from some city bureaus but got his condos
512 burned down by the outraged community anyway.  
513  
018=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/07/90 06:59  Msg:5620 Call:31909 Lines:6
514  
515 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
516  
517 And on Channel 12, Prophet said he'd be sending pink slips to teachers this
518 spring.  
519  
019=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/07/90 10:33  Msg:5624 Call:31913 Lines:4
520  
521 When you're able to write out your own report card, there might be a tendency
522 to grade yourself overly high.  What ever happened to Porter Sexton anyway?
523  
020=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/07/90 11:50  Msg:5625 Call:31915 Lines:8
524  
525 ?+?+?+?+?+++?+?+?+?+?+?++++
526  
527 Why is the school board mostly lawyers????  How long has someone from the
528 Rieke family served anyway???
529  
530 ?++?++?++?++?+++?++?++?+++?+++?+++?
531  
021=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/08/90 11:23  Msg:5628 Call:31937 Lines:16
532 As Dan Quayle recently said, "A mind is a terrible thing to lose."  Do you
533 suppose 12 yrs of the indoctrination system that **IS** PPS (in most cases)
534 has any relevance to the new study just released regarding the high child
535 abuse and toddler mortality rates in the area????  
536  
537  
538 ???+???+???+???+???+???++++????++++????++++
539  
540 I hope everybody reads Phil Stanford's column today and responds with their
541 tales of woe ... especially those of you with UNION stories.  They SHOULD be
542 sued, and sued in a huge group move.  I could probably get **MILLIONS** for
543 what they put ME through.  I'd rather vent my anger first, however.
544  
545 Be sure to send a copy of your complaints to Jonathan what's his ... Plagariast
546 Jon ... Whatever's Cool Jon.  Lowest Common Denominator of the Upper Ilk Jon.
547  
022=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/08/90 11:58  Msg:5629 Call:31939 Lines:8
548  
549 Here's one ... When the union was "working" on a case for my, my rep suggested
550 that maybe she could drop her son off at my house every morning during the
551 summer and I could pay him for doing my yardwork.  She said a woman she had
552 been "helping" the previous summer had done precisely that ... and the woman
553 paid him really well, she said.  That woman might want to write Phil Stanford 
554 ... and gee, I hope you didn't FLOAT at your trial by water.
555  
023=Usr:417 Chemo Sabe        11/08/90 19:02  Msg:5631 Call:31949 Lines:8
556  
557 (*)^(*)  (*)^(*) (*)^(*) (*)^(*) (*)^(*) 
558  
559 Anybody have any information on PFT-CE and the problem at Tubman some 
560 years ago.  Please leave mail for Chemo Sabe #417.
561  
562 (*)^(*)--(*)^(*)--(*)^(*)--(*)^(*)--(*)^(*)--(*)^(*)
563  
024=Usr:417 Chemo Sabe        11/09/90 08:02  Msg:5634 Call:31961 Lines:21
564  
565 Let's hope the scientific research being done on PPS students is more
566 valid that the research scientists did on thalidomide.  Seems like the
567 results of such methodology could be just as damaging.  Why isn't this
568 being done on a private research grant anyway?  And how many school
569 districts would allow or could AFFORD the time and resources for such
570 studies, even if MOST of it was paid for by a private grant.  This takes
571  
572 alot of teacher time and creates alot of frustration.  Aren't many of the
573 costs for this program hidden anyway ... like the computers in the schools
574 used for this project, or the committees of teachers that are hired to 
575 write test questions.  Isn't this hidden in, say, the Curriculum budget???
576 The costs of this experiment might be astonomical, and the root assumption 
577 at the bottom of it might be totally wrong!  Isn't that POSSIBLE??
578  
579 Couldn't this project be totally eliminated from the PPS school budget and
580 maybe handled more efficiently/effectively at the statewide level.  Wouldn't
581 that give teachers more leeway in how they conduct their classes.  Don't you
582 down deep think teachers may have a better idea of where a student is coming
583 from that a computer profile???
584  
025=Usr:423 DB Cooper         11/09/90 11:31  Msg:5639 Call:31965 Lines:11
585  
586 Another thing your program doesn't access is PRINCIPAL effectivness!  I've
587 transcribed for a principal who couldn't compose a complete sentence.  When
588 I requested hard copy instead I found he counldn't compose on paper either ...
589 nor could he spell.  I was shocked, to say the least, but I subsequently
590 found that he also had a personality/personnel problem ... one included an
591 entire community.  A couple of years later and working in another position,
592 I coincidentally found out another person had serious problems with the 
593 same principal, who is STILL a PPS principal and who is probably STILL creating
594 problems.
595  
026=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/09/90 22:08  Msg:5641 Call:31975 Lines:24
596 &*&*&*&*'s
597 I don't have all of the answers.  True wisdom involves understanding ones
598 limitations.  The world is not perfect.  I work hard in my little corner
599 of it to make it the best place that I can for everybody.  I've been
600 known to annoy people while doing this.  The only reason annoying people
601 bothers me is that I believe it tends to limit my effectivness.
602   
603 Any large organization is going to have some bad eggs.  The real crime here
604 is the fact that these bad eggs are not easily eliminated. 
605  
606 A side note on the subject of spelling.  I've strugled my entire life to 
607 gain the very limited proficiency you see here.  I am not stupid, nor
608 have I failed because of a lack of trying.  Spelling just doesn't seem to 
609 be a something I learn easily.  Should I be relagated to garbage collection
610 because of this?  Putting people down because of an inability to spell is
611 not cool in my book.  Especially when there were many other far better 
612 reasons listed in your post to attest to the principles inability to 
613 do their job.
614  
615 An Astral Dreamer (God, will I ever change anybodys mind on anything?)
616 &*&*&*&*'s (I'm tired of learning from others, when they don't wish to learn
617 from me.)
618  
619  
027=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/10/90 18:22  Msg:5643 Call:31991 Lines:49
620  
621 *********************************
622  
623 IT IS DANGEROUS TO READ NEWSPAPERS
624  
625 While I was building neat
626 castles in the sandbox,
627 the hasty pits were
628 filling with bulldozed corpses
629  
630 and as I walked to school
631 washed and combed, my feet
632 stepping on the cracks in the cement
633 detonated red bombs.
634  
635 Now I am grownup
636 and literate, and I sit in my chair
637 as quietly as a fuse
638  
639 and the jungles are flaming, the under-
640 brush is charged with soldiers,
641 the names on the difficult
642 maps go up in smoke.
643  
644 I am the cause, I am a stockpile of chemical
645 toys, my body
646 is a deadly gadget,
647 I reach out in love, my hands are guns,
648 my good intentions are completely lethal.
649  
650 Even my
651 passive eyes transmute
652 everything I look at to the pocked
653 black and white of a war photo,
654 how can I stop myself
655  
656 It is dangerous to read newspapers.
657  
658 Each time I hit a key
659 on my electric typewriter,
660 speaking of peaceful trees
661  
662 another village explodes.
663  
664     By Margaret Atwood
665     From THE ANIMALS IN THAT COUNTRY, 
666     1968
667  
668 *****************************************8
028=Usr:316 scott wirth       11/10/90 21:12  Msg:5644 Call:31995 Lines:6
669 ???????????????????????????Sir Osis of Liver?????????????????????????
670 Dammit. I hate twits........ perfectly good space wasted by someone too damn
671 stupid to think of doing anything else other than ruining things and being 
672 destructive.          Shoot the Twits!
673 ???????????????????????????Sir Osis of Liver?????????????????????????
674  
029=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/10/90 22:14  Msg:5645 Call:32001 Lines:7
675 &*&*&*&*'s
676 Twits are single celled creatures.  Shoting them only cuases them to divide,
677 thus doubling their numbers. :-)
678  
679 An Astral Dreamer
680 &*&*&*&*'s
681  
030=Usr:165 Bart Simpson      11/10/90 22:57  Msg:5646 Call:32003 Lines:5
682          NOT ALL twits are single celled creatures.  Some look like intelligent
683 thinking human beings.  Any many seem to gravitate to jobs as elected officials
684 in high offices such as Vice President.  Some are even appointed as Chief of
685 Staff to the President.                                                        
686                                                                                
031=Usr:11 L'homme sans Par  11/11/90 02:25  Msg:5647 Call:32006 Lines:5
687  
688 And others reproduce newspaper articles here on backwater with complete
689 disregard for copyright issues and backwater users. Often these reproductions
690 are imperfect, adding the the audacity and stupidity of the uploadee.
691  
032=Usr:165 Bart Simpson      11/11/90 07:43  Msg:5648 Call:32008 Lines:16
692 I guess you feel that 555 entered 150 times on 150 is much more intelligent.  
693 How do YOU know that someone doesn't hold the copyright on that number?  
694 But then some people only want to read what they already believe/know. THey
695 feel threatened when someone is trying to open their minds and present some
696 evidence that the system, and those in charge of the system are not working
697 properly.  Copyrights are violated everyday.  What about the person who is
698 continually quoting anyone other than themselves?  They are violating it as 
699 much as one posting supposed newspaper articles.  Everytime you tape something 
700 off the radio, or off a record or CD that you BOUGHT, you are violating the
701 copyright laws.  So get off your high horse.  At least the alleged newspaper
702 articles have substance to read, they`re not just taking up space to fill the 
703 disk.
704                                                                            
705                                                (where is THINGFISH when
706 he's needed?)                                                                 
707                                                                                
033=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/11/90 08:54  Msg:5649 Call:32009 Lines:42
708  
709 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
710 ]
711 Yeah, Thingfish, we need some humor!!!  Please post.
712  
713 But back to being a twit now.   Let's get back to Testing and Evaluation (not
714 to include Research and Development BTW).   Does your "program" track the 
715 effect of changing principals (and thereby half the school administration ...
716 don't they often take their own "staffs" with them) every two to four years on
717 teachers, teaching programs, or student learning??? Especially when each
718 principal has his own "rules" and ways of processing the piles of bureaucratic
719 paperwork?  And ESPECIALLY since there is NO WRITTEN MATERIAL on how this is
720 SUPPOSED to be done .... Remember the MARSHALL THE MUSIC TEACHER article in the
721 paper ... when the music teacher went to counseling because he felt so strung
722 out all the time????  Said he often visted up to four different schools a day. 
723 And the counselor (probably our **EMPLOYER'S** ASSISTANCE PROGRAM) told it
724 him it was because his dad was a rage-aholic.  Now I've gone up to the EAP 
725 for YEARS complaining about the way things are, thinking they'd figure out
726 there was some common problem that need to be dealt with within the District.
727 I was often VERY SPECIFIC about what I was experiencing.  I was repeatedly
728 told there was NOTHING YOU COULD DO ABOUT IT ... THE DISTRICT IS SOOOOO RICH
729@AND HAS SOO MANY LAWYERS, it was unwise to stand up for your rights.  They
730@said I'd do better doing fire watch in the woods.  When I was REALLY at my
731@recommended I do fire watch in the woods, but I told 'em I was scared of
732@enhancement program, they said their didn't offer help in that area. When I 
733@in and put in a career development program
734@ 
735 AND HAS SOOOOOO MANY LAWYERS, it was unwise to "make waves" (stand up for your
736 rights).  He recommended I do "firewatch" instead ... never even asking if I
737 was scared of spiders or anything.  But then when I got in real trouble, 
738 Personnel insisted I go to EAP for counseling.  After the five free sessions,
739 I got further counseling through my health plan (NOT easy to do with Good
740 Health Plan folks, BEWARE!!!).  THAT counselor AGREED with much of what I
741 was saying and wrote my union to transfer me out of the situation ASAP and to
742 put me in a career enhancement program. Because my yearly benefits ran out, he
743 then transferred me back to the EAP, who was to act as a liaison between the
744 dept @ PPS and the union in setting up such a program.  EAP stated they were
745 UNABLE to help.  When I explained what was going on and stated I felt like a
746 battered woman, I was told NOT to make another appt.  He did, however, insist
747 I sign a RELEASE, which I did feeling he was somehow still obligated and 
748 **WILLING** to help.  I was fired nine months later though.  No help ever 
749 arrived!!  I think go
034=Usr:417 Chemo Sabe        11/11/90 09:47  Msg:5650 Call:32010 Lines:26
750 ????????????????????????
751  
752 Don't tell me PPS classified employees when through Ballot Measure 5 without
753 a contract??????  I read in the Sept-Oct  FEDERATION NEWS (in a most confusing
754 paragraph I might add, but here let me quote...)  In another Local 111 matter,
755 negotiations have a new contract with Portland Schools have resulted in 
756 tentative agreements in all areas but two, REDUCTION IN FORCE (???? - geesh!
757 you GOTTA be kidding) and wages.  Are they making morons of everybody or
758 WHAT?????  Then Randi Post goes on to say that employees have "turned around"
759 from previous years when they were AFRAID to take a strong stand .... "Our
760 members are saying, 'Hey, I'm not just a secretary.  I'm important and I
761 deserve respect."  Have you ever read their contract.  Until you've been
762 through the system with the union and the district, you won't believe how
763 SILLY it really is.  It's all in bureaucratese except the section on dismissal.
764  
765 If ever I was shown a lack of respect, it was by my union.  OFT President,
766 Randy Schwartz, actually said to me (as a reason for recommending I resign),
767 "Oregon employers can ask you do anything short of jumping out a window," 
768 which in effect says I have no rights.  I thought I was paying THEM $15 (or
769 more) a month to make sure I did.
770  
771 It shall be interesting to see how things turn out.  SECRETARIES BEWARE!!!!
772 I think you've been duped by this organization one more time.  You'd think
773 they learned for the last vote that they was tremendous displeasure in the
774 way they were conducting their business.  They only won by 12 VOTES.
775  
035=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/11/90 17:14  Msg:5651 Call:32020 Lines:10
776 &*&*&*&*'s
777 I assume that since school by school scores are kept track of, that there is
778 in fact a way to look at how well a principle is doing, especially if they
779 have been with several schools.
780  
781 This has been interesting, if confusing reading. (BORDERS PLEASE!)  
782  
783 An Astral Dreamer
784 &*&*&*&*'s
785  
036=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/12/90 09:23  Msg:5653 Call:32033 Lines:8
786 !!!???!!!???!!!???!!!???!!!???!!!???
787  
788 Good grief ... I can't believe it.  PPS classified employees DIDN'T have
789 a contract.  They're paying that union over a QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS a
790 year.  What the @)(*&$@#&)* do they DO with it?????????  
791  
792 !!!???!!!???!!!???!!!???!!!???!!!???!!!???!!!???!!
793  
037=Usr:322 Stray Cat         11/12/90 12:01  Msg:5655 Call:32035 Lines:25
794 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????
795  
796 Sorry about the typos and resulting confusion, AD.  I was kinda thinking
797 on paper at the time.  After rereading the FEDERATION NEWS and wondering
798 at the irony of it all, kinda chuckling about all the double meanings of
799 the "talking heads", I was overwhelmed with curiosity whether they had
800 gotten out a contract to cover employees in case of the massive layoff
801 Dr. Prophet had promised, and totally frustrated because it was a school
802 holiday and I couldn't call and find out!  I did call the PFT, OFT, and AFT
803 offices but they were, OF COURSE, all closed too.  Therefore, I had to wait
804 until this morning to find out.  Of course, the union offices still didn't
805 answer their phones, but I did talk to someone in Personnel, who sheepishly
806 answered the question for me.  I really couldn't imagine they wouldn't have
807 provided a contract in time.  This editor is extremely primitive anyway ...
808 either that or I haven't taken the time to read the directions <grin>.  Any-
809 way it's not like this is being PUBLISHED and sent all over the country or
810 anything.  I **WILL** try to be more careful though.
811  
812 ***************************************
813  
814 I was gonna enter a poem but there's not enough lines left ... oh well.
815 See ya!
816  
817 ***************************************
818  
038=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/12/90 22:16  Msg:5657 Call:32042 Lines:12
819 &*&*&*&*'s
820 Don't let the instructions fool you.  There is no real editing here.  :-)
821  
822 Might as well finish the disk off.  Hmm, got a few lines to go.
823  
824 This is harder then it looked.
825  
826 Ah, only five lines left!
827  
828 AT THE BOTTOM!
829 An Astral Dreamer
830 &*&*&*&*'s
039=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/14/90 21:09  Msg:5660 Call:32075 Lines:6
831 &*&*&*&*'s
832 Oh NO!  now I look dumb.  :-)
833  
834 An Astral Dreamer
835 &*&*&*&*'s
836  
040=Usr:165 Bart Simpson      11/16/90 04:21  Msg:5662 Call:32093 Lines:148
837 696969696969                                                                
838 MEDIA AND POLITICS TODAY
839 Source:Peacenet
840 igc:peacenet
841 pn.announcemen 2:04 pm  Nov  2, 1990
842  
843 Subject: MEDIA AND POLITICS TODAY
844  
845 From wnperry Thu Nov  1 17:47 PST 1990
846 To: peacenet
847 Subject: announcements: THE GREAT DEBATE
848 Status: RO
849  
850                           THE GREAT DEBATE!
851  
852     Time is running out until Americans elect their politicians and 
853 our leaders elect either to continue peace or to go to war.  We all 
854 know how much time is left for the political campaigns.  Who knows, 
855 however, how much time is left to reach agreement on a nonviolent 
856 solution to the Middle East crisis?  We fear time is rapidly running 
857 out on both.
858  
859     Our national political scene is more highly charged than usual.  
860 Voter dissatisfaction with the performance of elected representatives 
861 is palpable.  What is our justification?  Is it the deficit?  Is it 
862 taxes?  Is it the S & L fiasco?  Is it social benefits?  Or is it war 
863 or peace?
864  
865     The democratic way provides for the removal from office of elect-
866 ed officials who fail to perform the way people want.  Not in our 
867 lifetimes has there been more widespread dissatisfaction with 
868 incumbents.  Yet, according to Kipplinger's News Letter, the incum-
869 bents are good bets to be reelected.  How come?  While everybody 
870 wants "to throw the bums out," they generally mean y_o_u_r_ bum, not 
871 theirs.
872  
873     It is curious- no very sad- that we are unaware of anyone cam-
874 paigning on a Middle East peace platform.  What issue could conceiv-
875 ably be of more contemporary interest and importance?  What happens 
876 in the Middle East is certain to condition what can happen on the 
877 domestic front, not to mention to the rest of the world.
878  
879     Yet, peace or war is not a significant political issue in America 
880 today.  Could the concern for it becoming an election issue have been 
881 a reason for the relatively low key concern of the administration for 
882 American hostages until very recently? 
883  
884     On the international political scene, things are very chancy.  
885 Peace or war decisions rest precariously on the judgement of very 
886 few.  Are our leaders congruent with the views and desires of our 
887 people?  Do the hostile expressions and threats of our President 
888 reflect the attitudes of our people?  Do our leaders really think and 
889 believe that they know what's best for America and Americans?  Who 
890 among you is sure?
891  
892     While we probably will endure the consequences of the upcoming 
893 election, there are at this time uncountable humans, some American 
894 and others not, who will not survive a Middle East war.  War, which 
895 allegedly doesn't work anymore, seems almost certain to happen soon 
896 as things now stand.
897  
898     Unless...... unless we, who have the patience for peace, come to 
899 realize the likelihood, if things are left as they are, it won't be 
900 the likes of us who will determine what happens.  Things probably 
901 will be decided by those with the shorter, not the longer fuses.
902  
903     Acknowledging that is only the first step.  The second is to 
904 accommodate our action to this reality.
905  
906     It is too late to inject war or peace into the election dialogues 
907 (In retrospect, we missed that boat).  Prayerfully, it is not too 
908 late to establish war or peace as the issue it deserves to be for 
909 nationwide dialogue.  As a stand alone issue, it could have apprecia-
910 ble impact!
911  
912     Twenty-four hours ago, the idea of a nationally televised debate 
913 on the merits of peace vs war was mentioned by Ted Koppel on 
914 Nightline.  It struck us as a great idea!  Earlier today, in the 
915 course of failed attempts to talk personally to Mr. Koppel and Ted 
916 Turner, among others, we learned that the idea apparently did not 
917 originate with Mr. Koppel.  The idea has a multifocal origin.  That's 
918 terrific!
919  
920     A very courteous and sensitive spokeperson for Mr. Turner respond-
921 ed with three comments:
922  
923          1. Our call certainly was not the first.  There is interest 
924          out there for such a event.
925  
926          2. Mr. Turner feels that by having ongoing interviews with 
927          various experts on both sides, CNN is already contributing 
928          to the national dialogue.
929  
930          3. That Mr. Ed Turner (no relation), Vice President in 
931          charge of newsgathering for CNN, is in charge of responding 
932          to call such as ours.
933  
934     National debate could take at least two forms:  one that occurs 
935 in Congress between elected representatives;  the other on network 
936 television between principals.  Mr. Bush has been said to oppose 
937 both.  A Congressional Debate is apparently viewed as having the 
938 potential of taking away from the President the element of surprise 
939 should he elect to attack Iraq.  A network debate would ultimately 
940 contribute public opinion, which Mr. Bush has been quoted as saying 
941 he can't let influence him.  (He can't lead effectively if his deci-
942 sions are subjected to public replay and review.)
943  
944     We believe that such attitudes on the part of the administration 
945 are big parts of the problem.
946  
947     Getting the issue of war versus peace center stage now seems very 
948 important.  What other way is there for our leaders to learn the 
949 direction of where we Americans wish to be led.  What better way is 
950 there for us quickly to influence our political leaders than through 
951 mass education and the generation of consolidated public opinion?
952  
953     What we really need is a national referendum on war versus 
954 peace.  While the debate vehicle is not a referendum, what else is 
955 available in the short term?
956  
957     Without having the time or benefit of thinking the whole matter 
958 through, we believe it useful to:
959  
960          1. Seek the production of a first class nationally televised 
961          debate on the virtues of War versus Peace in the Middle 
962          East.... ASAP.
963  
964          2. Establish at the same time a mechanism by which to mea-
965          sure public opinion concerning this issue.
966  
967          3. Establish a vehicle whereby political response to public 
968          opinion could be evaluated and be made widely known.
969  
970     There has to be people out there with the connections necessary 
971 to facilitate the accomplishment of such objectives quickly.  There 
972 also is power out there if as many of you as possible make similar 
973 calls.  Please involve yourselves.  Please call:
974  
975          * Ted Koppel's office:  (202) 887-xxxx
976  
977          * Ed Turner (CNN): (404) 827-xxxx
978  
979          * CBS: (212) 975-xxxx  NBC: (212) 664-xxxx   ABC: (212) 
980          456-xxxx
981                                                 Nancy and Will Perry
982                                                                                
983 696969696969696969                                                             
984                                                                             
041=Usr:84 Michael Miller j  11/17/90 14:14  Msg:5667 Call:32118 Lines:15
985 &*&*&*&*'s
986 Well, We're near the end of the disk again.
987  
988 Twin Peaks was a fairly dark show to begin with, an its only gotten worse
989 these last couple of weeks.  I'm just not sure how much longer I can hold
990 out in terms of being able to stand it.  I just hope cooper figures out
991 who bob is soon.  Otherwise, Donna~r and james might find themselves
992 in a big bunch of trouble RSN.
993  
994 Well, there can't be more then six or so lines left, so I guess I'll finish
995 this disk of for real this time.
996  
997 At the Bottom (Really!)
998 An Astral Dreamer
999 &*&*&*&*'s