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1103 lines
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F I D O N E W S -- Volume 15, Number 24 15 June 1998
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+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
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| The newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: |
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| FidoNet community | "FidoNews" |
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| _ | 1-209-251-7529 [1:1/23] |
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| / \ | |
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| /|oo \ | |
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| (_| /_) | |
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| _`@/_ \ _ | |
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| | | \ \\ | Editor: |
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| | (*) | \ )) | Zorch Frezberg 1:205/1701 |
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| |__U__| / \// | |
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| _//|| _\ / | |
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| (_/(_|(____/ | |
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| (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. |
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| | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
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+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
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| Submission address: FidoNews Editor 1:1/23 |
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+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
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| MORE addresses: |
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| |
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| submissions=> editor@fidonews.org |
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| |
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+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
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| For information, copyrights, article submissions, |
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| obtaining copies of FidoNews or the internet gateway FAQ |
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| please refer to the end of this file. |
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+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
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Time To Spray For Pests?
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Table of Contents
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1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1
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2. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR .................................... 3
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RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL IN FIDONEWS DATED 9 JUNE 1998 ...... 3
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3. ARTICLES ................................................. 6
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Region 10 Coordinator Election is a Joke! ................ 6
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Drivin' That Train ....................................... 6
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4. COLUMNS .................................................. 9
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Lost Beneath The Fold .................................... 9
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5. WE GET EMAIL ............................................. 12
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6. NET HUMOR ................................................ 13
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International Fart Catchers' Association FAQ Sheet ....... 13
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7. NOTICES .................................................. 15
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Future History ........................................... 15
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8. FIDONEWS PUBLIC-KEY ...................................... 16
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FidoNews PGP Public-Key Listing .......................... 16
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9. FIDONET BY INTERNET ...................................... 17
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10. FIDONEWS INFORMATION .................................... 19
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FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 1 15 Jun 1998
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=================================================================
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EDITORIAL
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=================================================================
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It's interesting to see how things scurry about when light is cast on
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them.
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The vocal minority in one instance, demanding an election, gets
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exactly what it asks for. What made it all the more interesting is
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that no plan, candidate or proposal was in place by this same vocal
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minority should they achieve their goal...which effectively indicates
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the level of 'deep thinking' that was behind their efforts, which
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have been going on for nearly a year.
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The 'court of public opinion' is only as astute as the lynch mob that
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is behind it...it probably feels great to 'hang the bastard', but...
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then what? Wait another year, or accept the first hastily-assembled
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plan that they can come up with?
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With regard to last week's editorial, I can only state that readers
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might want to re-read it carefully, and compare the meanings as
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_written_ in opposition to the 'selective quoting' done in at least
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one response to it. Perhaps you will see that there is a wide
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difference between what you _do_ read, and what you are _told_ as to
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the meaning of what you read.
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In essence, the concern floating about is that the editorials in the
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FidoNews are "too political". Fortunately, the vast majority seems
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to understand that in a free society, a free press is critical to its
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survival.
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There needs to be someone or something to bring out the 'dark side'
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of the society and without being concerned about censorship, or there
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would be no room for dissent or even difference of opinion...even for
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that group that wants dissent or difference of opinion suppressed.
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Consider what would happen if editorials were 'trimmed' to be
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"politically correct" or "inoffensive".
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And, by the same token, the free press, as we have in FidoNet, must
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also publish what is submitted to it. The only restriction made is
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that the submissions meet the format criteria...justify left, margin
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of 70 characters, so that the publication software can handle the
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materials.
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To that end, there has been a claim by John Souvestre that the
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FidoNews has refused to publish articles; further, that 'certain
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submissions' are refused acceptance by either NetMail or E-Mail, as
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part of some plan to 'censor' articles that I personally do not agree
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with.
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Such a claim has either one of two purposes...the first, to point out
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that there actually has been censorship.
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To my knowledge, since becoming Editor, there has been none.
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FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 2 15 Jun 1998
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If there has been, I ask that those who have submitted such articles
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to come forward and present both logs and articles since I have been
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Editor.
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The second purpose, however, is probably the most likely one...to do
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little more than cast doubt on the sanctity of the FidoNews to
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FidoNet, and create controversy where none exists...
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In other words, to play politics as usual, though I will stop short
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of claiming it is to protect his own commercial interests in FidoNet.
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One of the key points in FidoNet is that the process itself should
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never be politicized or commercialized.
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Individuals may be political in their efforts, but the actual
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functions and processes themselves should be above that...such as the
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granting or removal of FidoNet nodes, or the handling of the EchoList
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or EchoMail areas, among others.
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When we allow the control of the EchoList to come under the sway of
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politics, or even be influenced by commercial entities, the idea of
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FidoNet will indeed die off.
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The commercial entities exist because of FidoNet...we do not exist
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because of the commercial entities.
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In other news, several EchoList replacement projects are currently
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in the works, the most public being that of Thom LaCosta
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(1:261/1352). At present, all projects are in 'testing mode'; I have
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been made aware of two specifically, and I've been reminded as well
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of the effort to hand over all EchoList functions to Zone 2 as part
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of an earlier proposal to merge the Zone 1 and Zone 2 ELIST
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functions, along with Zone 3.
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But perhaps it is time for the various moderators to gather their
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collective thoughts on just *how* an EchoList should be established.
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I would caution the moderators not to demand any specific proposal;
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rather, to suggest reasonable developments within the confines of
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technology and necessity within Fido, as well as rational
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administrative concerns on both sides, lest we see yet another
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imposed administrative plan from persons with 'vested interests'.
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Let's see if cooperation and communication still exist in FidoNet
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before we start pushing weight around.
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-zf-
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### 30 ###
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 3 15 Jun 1998
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=================================================================
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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=================================================================
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Dear Editor, aka Zorch, aka Mark Hernandez, aka Snoopy:
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Your editorials contain as much fiction as fact. Last week:
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Fact: Adrian Walker has stepped down as the Z1 EchoList Coordinator.
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Fiction: Adrian handed over the EchoList or it's source code to me.
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Needless to say, your conclusions are equally flawed. Get some
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facts!
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Regards,
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John
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL IN FIDONEWS DATED 9 JUNE 1998
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By Ben Hamilton, FidoNet 1:124/7008
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This letter is in response to the editorial that was included in the
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FidoNews issue on June 9, 1998.
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The editorial contained several inaccuracies that I would like to
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talk about. Hopefully, the personal knowledge I have of some of
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the issues will be of more value than the best guesses of the editor.
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> Adrian Walker has stepped down as the Zone 1 EchoList Coordinator,
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> with the June 1998 ECHOLIST being his final publication. While
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> Adrian is admired for his work, it is odd that he would hand over
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> his source code, long stated as both his own and not to be
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> disclosed, to John Souvestre...
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Not odd at all. In fact, Adrian, in his message which notified us
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that he was leaving, he praised his working relationship with John.
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To clarify, Adrian handed over only the source code to the Backbone
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Robot, not the Echolist Robot. The editorial simply says "source
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code," which is misleading.
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> In another odd development, the RECC, in the guise of Ben Hamilton,
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> has cast a 'no confidence' vote against Bob Kohl, the Zone 1
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> EchoMail Coordinator.
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To me, and I'm sure to many folks, the word "guise" implies some sort
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of cover or cloak, and I am wearing none. I am simply a FidoNet
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sysop, an elected Region Echomail Coordinator, and a member of the
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RECC who has specific personal knowledge of the recent vote of
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confidence that was taken.
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FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 4 15 Jun 1998
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I speak only for myself. I am not the spokesperson for the RECC. I
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do not speak on their behalf. They were aware that I was posting the
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results of the vote in FidoNews, but they neither assisted in nor
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approved any specific wording in last week's submission.
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> the RECC holding secret meetings and refusing to discuss matters
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> with the ZEC, and other similarly puerile activities, make it odd
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> that Ben and the RECC would not include their 'list of grievances'
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> that they claim would prove their position...in a public setting.
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Much discussion takes place in the RECC Mailing List. This is a
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mailing list set up with only the current sitting REC's.
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As for a "list of grievances," the ZEC duties that Bob Kohl wrote sum
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it up quite nicely, so there was no reason to include one.
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Again, to quote the relevant section of Kohl's duties:
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>> If the RECC concludes that the ZEC is not active, <<
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>> ineffective in his/her job or is just not taking <<
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>> care his/her responsibilities; they may take a <<
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>> vote of no-confidence. <<
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Careful consideration has been going on for about two months.
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Also, we never refused to discuss this with the ZC. I think we each
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welcome discussing this with Bob Satti at any time.
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> After all, the RECC posted the vote in public; why _not_ the
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> reasons?
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Again, I speak only for myself. My submission last week was not done
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on behalf of the RECC. If I had been speaking on behalf of them, I
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would have said so and signed the message accordingly.
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> Butch effectively disappeared as the OBO after his unilateral
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> declaration that all nodes which distribute EchoMail are under
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> the direct authority of the OBO and the NAB.
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>
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> Strange that the RECC was so deathly silent on that issue, acting
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> as individuals instead of a group...
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There was nothing to say. What Butch said was his own personal
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opinion. He is certainly entitled to that. And that declaration
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did not produce even a fraction of the controversy that continually
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surrounds Bob Kohl.
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> It is hoped that the Z1C sees past the rhetoric and lack of
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> reasoning involved, and directs the RECC to accept mediation...
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We tried mediation for the first month. You may recall Bob Kohl's
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first act as ZEC: Advice from the RECC on how to remove an NEC from
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their position. It went downhill like a snowball headed for Hell from
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there... Bob Kohl did remove that NEC. Then he removed an NC. His
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REC quit, naming Bob Kohl as the reason. Kohl allows non-approved
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nodelist flags to fly. He discloses in-transit netmail. He routes
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FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 5 15 Jun 1998
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netmails only when the mail includes text that he personally approves
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of, it appears, revoking the routing agreements at will, without
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proper notification of such. Sysop-level election? He doesn't even
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believe in holding elections in his own region!
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Region 10 business, frankly, is none of our business. However, things
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that happen in Region 10 do make it easy to see what can happen when
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the "multiple hats" suggestion in Policy 4 is ignored.
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I considered not responding. The editor certainly has a way with
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words. When he turns these around, as I am sure he will, I will be
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back to offer what I'm sure will be a quite different personal
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perspective known as "the truth."
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Again, I speak only for myself. The views expressed in this letter to
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the editors do not necessarily reflect the views of any other RECC
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members.
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-Ben Hamilton
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FidoNet 1:124/7008
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Internet: ben.hamilton@compconn.net
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 6 15 Jun 1998
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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Region 10 Coordinator Election is a Joke!
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by Richard Ratledge 1:119/88 (Region 10) ratledge@jps.net
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Former N119C/N119EC
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6/12/1998 00:50
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I just received an echomail message posted by Brenda Donovan
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which was apparently Bob Satti's (ZEC/IC) instructions on how to
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conduct an election for Region 10 Coordinator. He has given until
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midnight tomorrow (6/13) to submit nominations. After the
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nominees are announced (no date given for that) he is allowing
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only until 6/20 for votes.
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This has to be the quickest election I have ever seen conducted
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in Fidonet. Even our little net elections often took a month to
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complete.
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It appears to me that Bob Satti and Bob Kohl are in cahoots to
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see that a fair election is not held. My only possible guess as
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to why is to ensure that Bob Kohl retains the R10C position.
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I hope I am wrong in my assessment. I will state for the record
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though that if Bob Kohl continues as R10C, I will leave Fidonet.
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This decision is based not only on the fact that Bob Kohl has
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been a major hindrance to the smooth operation of Region 10 but
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now it appears that Bob Satti is condoning BK's actions.
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Region 10 (and Fidonet) has already lost its Regional Echo
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Coordinator because of Bob Kohl's antics. With the way Fidonet is
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being run, it is rapidly losing members. Perhaps I am forseeing
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the worst. I hope a fair, honest, responsible and intelligent
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person is elected R10C even given the unreasonable constraints of
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this election.
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Finally, I have to say that I do appreciate the gesture of
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holding an election. However, I strenuously object to the manner
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in which it is being held.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Drivin' That Train,
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High on Cheesecake?
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by Gerry Calhoun, 1:2004/200 gerry@petpride.org
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In efforts to resolve ongoing problems in Region 10, by all
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appearances Bob Satti has adorned himself with a new hat. This new
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hat does not look like a traditional Fido one, however. The new hat
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is navy blue with white stripes. He must have received it from
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someone who works for Union Pacific because he is pulling a railroad
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job the likes of which is unheard of in the history of Fido.
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FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 7 15 Jun 1998
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There has been an election announced for the R10C position. What is
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really astounding though is the election schedule. Less than two
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days for a nomination period and voting by NC's concludes a week
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later. This quick pace sounds like the vote of confidence that Kohl
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spearheaded for Satti in the Z1C position last year. For many I am
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sure it will be much less than two days for a nomination period
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though since I have learned of this "election", not through normal
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FidoNet channels, but through a listserv setup by some of the sysops
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in R10. A quick netmail to my NC to ask if he had heard anything of
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this came back with a "What the hell do you mean? I have never heard
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of an election being conducted this quick! " I sent him a copy of a
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message by Brenda Donovan, N202C and 10/3 RHUB in which she copied a
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message from Bob Satti. I was contacted back by my NC soon
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thereafter, and he said he had just gotten netmail on this from
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Brenda. He then asked how he was to gather a consensus of who to
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vote for in such a short time when the candidates are not even
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announced nor any discussion forum decided upon to hear the
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candidates platforms. I then reminded him that in the recently
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concluded ZEC election, that Kohl did not publish any platform
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until after the discussion period. My NC wrote back and told me he
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would not expect Kohl to publish his platform until the year 2000
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then. Another sysop stated we should vote for a candidate who at
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least sets term limits and does not mess with anyones' netmail.
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How anyone, especially someone who has the reputation of being fair
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as Satti does, can expect a regional election to be conducted with
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this kind of time frame is unbelievable. I can not even begin to
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think that Satti can expect a true representative outcome from an
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election conducted like this. Most of the NC's in R10 are not
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elected. To expect open discussions within each net, and to have the
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NC's vote according to the wishes of the nodes under them with this
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kind of time frame is unthinkable. Let's face it, there is not
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enough time allowed for the sysops to know what each candidate may
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stand for, let alone who they are. One can only conclude that Sharon
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locked Bob out of the house all winter and his brain has not yet
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fully defrosted or perhaps he is only suffering a bout of
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hypoglycemia from all that cheesecake.
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In Satti's message to those in R10, he mentions that "last week Bob
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Kohl and I came to an agreement to call for an election for RC in
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region 10." This quote almost makes it look as though the election
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was forced on Kohl. It could be that Kohl in turn had the task to
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devise the terms of the election, but I doubt it. There is no doubt,
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however, that both Bobs wish the election to be haste and swift,
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witness the following statement on the matter by Bob Kohl, "please
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respond in a timely fashion so that we can wrap this up and move on
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to other pending matters."
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One also has to wonder how Satti can allow Kohl to be a candidate,
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while Satti has an active Policy Complaint against Kohl on his desk,
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the outcome of which could conflict with Kohl's ability to function
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as R10C. A ruling on this PC is due two days after the conclusion of
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the election. It would have been prudent to postpone the ballot
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period until after the Policy Compliant has received at least
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Satti's ruling. This would have allowed a one week nomination/debate
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period, and then the ballot. Lest we not forget, there appears to be
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FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 8 15 Jun 1998
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another Policy Complaint against Bob Kohl waiting in the wings on
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the same transgression.
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Another thing clearly missing in Satti's notice of election is any
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time frame regarding a term of office. What we in Region 10 are
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being asked to do is vote for an RC for life. While this is better
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than an appointed RC for life, it is not realistic. Bob Kohl has
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been the R10C for over 2 1/2 years. With no term defined, there is
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no indication that the person who wins will ever be replaced, after
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all at that time they will be the elected coordinator for the region.
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Satti has said he does not want those outside of Region 10 to be
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involved with this election since it does not concern them. I ask
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that those of you who would otherwise write Satti on this travesty
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to the election process to withhold doing so. He has stated it is an
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internal matter to R10. However, since Satti himself is involved, it
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is, therefore, an action that the RCC is involved with. If you feel
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you must send a message to someone on this Region 10 action, drop a
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message to your RC and urge them to bring the matter up with the RCC.
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Looking at this, one has to wonder who is driving the train, who is
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the conductor and where the hell is the brakeman who can put a stop
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to this madness?
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 9 15 Jun 1998
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=================================================================
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COLUMNS
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=================================================================
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Dear Editorbeing,
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This article is submitted by Doc Logger (163/110) who was
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busy dodging speed traps on the south shore of the St.
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Lawrence River. Fortunately, the drogue chutes on the
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mid-life Crisis car opened long enough to haul him to a stop
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near a telephone booth. With only minor adjustments with C4
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plastique, an acetylene torch, and Lee-Anne Rimes music, he
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was able to extract a working pair of phone wires to connect
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to the modem.
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Roll da flic, Zorch.....
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Dear Reverend Visage,
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I have heard disturbing reports that you have traveled to
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the headwaters of the Orinoco where you have been engaged in
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a yage bender which has lasted for weeks. I am sure that I
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don't need to remind you that when you reach one of your
|
||
tryptamine moments of delirium, you tend to scream about
|
||
hordes of attacking ducks. I can only hope that your
|
||
secretary is still an excellent shot with the curare dart
|
||
gun.
|
||
|
||
Speaking of paralyzed beasts, Visage, you'd be impressed
|
||
that Bob "noted" Satti has remained in stasis...waiting
|
||
patiently for a thought to wander through the lonely desert
|
||
of his cerebrum. He has informed the Fidoserfs in Z1C that
|
||
dealing with Kohl's excesses requires devoting all night,
|
||
every night, trying to muster a coherent thought. Our
|
||
prayers and our edible underwear (cheesecake flavoured)
|
||
should go out to him in his hour of need.
|
||
|
||
The messages from the tribal drums were garbled, but it
|
||
appears that an election for RC has been called in Region10.
|
||
The indications are that the nominating period will have
|
||
closed 48 hours after the announcement which is pretty
|
||
amusing since it takes at least that long for echomail to
|
||
escape the event horizon of the screwed up mail distribution
|
||
system in the region. There are already vague rumblings that
|
||
the fix is in, and that this is another shotgun mandate of
|
||
the type particularly favoured by Satti & his Merry
|
||
Fartcatchers. What is amazing is that the other RCs (with a
|
||
few notable exceptions) appear to have no shame or decency
|
||
and have sat idly on their thumbs while Satti & Kohl proceed
|
||
in the trashing of a whole region.
|
||
|
||
If there is an election in Region10 which is sanctioned by
|
||
Satti, then this bodes well for applying the same principle
|
||
to have the ZC finally stand for election. Satti doesn't
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 10 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
have a prayer of obtaining a sysop level mandate which
|
||
probably explains his desire to keep scampering beneath the
|
||
skirts of policy whenever he is reminded that his
|
||
presumptive powers are all in the infertile reaches of his
|
||
imagination.
|
||
|
||
I see that His Zorchness is getting excitable about the Evil
|
||
Empire aspirations of John Souvestre and has made his usual
|
||
incorrect statements about the ELIST in his latest
|
||
editorial. This discussion has reinvigorated the usual
|
||
cretinous jackals who question whether His Zorchness should
|
||
be the Snoozlord. One of the combatants went so far as to
|
||
suggest that the previous editor appointed His Zorchness to
|
||
the position which I'd bet half my stuffed armadillo
|
||
collection that the claim has little basis in fact. Hell,
|
||
the only one who has a prayer of being more fun as the
|
||
Snoozlord would be Bob Moravsik who would have to learn to
|
||
write in English before taking the job.
|
||
|
||
I don't think I'll include a pithy quote for this week's
|
||
Chautauqua but rather draw from several passing references
|
||
to books that have mulched their way to the top of my
|
||
reading pile. When I was a teenmonster I used to read
|
||
science fiction that often referred to terraforming whole
|
||
planets. This generally involved a presumed betterment of
|
||
the habitation factor for the humanoid race, and often
|
||
neglected to deal with the consequences to other lessor
|
||
lifeforms. Rarer still was a philosophical discussion about
|
||
whether the humanoids had the moral right to terraform
|
||
anything.
|
||
|
||
The first tidbit that caught my eye was that some of the
|
||
hydro megaprojects have subtly altered the orbital period of
|
||
the earth. In other words, the masses of water backed up
|
||
behind some of the larger dams have been sufficient to
|
||
change the centre of gravity of the whole planet. The second
|
||
tidbit was the vast scale of underwater grading of the
|
||
seabed caused by trawler ships. In some places, such as the
|
||
Grand Banks area off the east coast of North America, what
|
||
had once been an underwater topography of rolling hills,
|
||
valleys and cliffs, have been flattened to uniformity. The
|
||
scale is equivalent to bulldozering an area the size of
|
||
Montana into a level plain. The third scrap of information
|
||
that I've chosen for inclusion in my puzzle is the fact that
|
||
some of the lushest rainforests also occupy land which is
|
||
almost infertile by botanical standards. The Amazon basin,
|
||
for example, which covers an enormous area, has a very thin
|
||
soil covering. A typical slash & burn agricultural intrusion
|
||
generally lasts only a few years before the soil is
|
||
exhausted. The fragile soil chemistry means that recovery
|
||
from clearing, or reforestation are unlikely or implausible.
|
||
|
||
There is compelling evidence to suggest that the desiccation
|
||
of the Sudan in Africa, and the expansion of the Kalahari to
|
||
the southeast, are directly caused by the agricultural
|
||
pressures of humanoids. If this process becomes the pattern
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 11 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
in the Amazon the effects on global weather will be
|
||
enormous. Similarly, the destruction of the Grand Banks
|
||
ecology will have effects on global sea currents.
|
||
|
||
I think I would have preferred to remain blissfully ignorant
|
||
of the consequences of human alterations of the planet. My
|
||
focus has been obtained from the strange weather we've been
|
||
having in this part of the world. Our winter brought us an
|
||
ice storm which ripped down trees and hydro lines. The
|
||
broken tangles of trees in the local forests will almost
|
||
surely make for forest fire conflagrations in the fall. We
|
||
are also currently suffering from an extended drought. I
|
||
find it intellectually unsatisfying to blame El Nino for
|
||
these atmospheric events. With that in mind, and taking a
|
||
whole chapter from His Zorchness' book, I'd like to call
|
||
about John Souvestre right now to stop screwing around with
|
||
the earth. If His Zorchness is to be believed, Souvestre's
|
||
reach is so enormous that he *must* be responsible.
|
||
|
||
|
||
I must go Visage, I'm scheduled to go fly fishing for Blue
|
||
Whales off the coast of Newfoundland with Bridgit Bardot.
|
||
She's a bit squeamish about baiting the hooks with chunks of
|
||
tofu and needs my assistance.
|
||
|
||
Regards,
|
||
Doc Logger,
|
||
In transit:
|
||
South Armpit, New Brunswick
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 12 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
WE GET EMAIL
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
Subject: Z4 www
|
||
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 20:27:04 -0300
|
||
From: "Luis Manterola" <LAM@rivero.com.ar>
|
||
To: zorch@repairnet.com
|
||
|
||
Hi Zorch!
|
||
|
||
I just wanted to tell you that zone4 home page is now located at
|
||
http://www.altern.org/zone4. You may please include this address in
|
||
the Internet Home pages section of Fidonews.
|
||
I wanted to put it under the domain z4.fidonet.org but after some
|
||
months of asking several times without response I put it somewhere
|
||
else.
|
||
|
||
You may also include Region 90's home page as
|
||
http://visitweb.com/fidonet and also
|
||
the net903 as http://www.playagrande.com/refugio.
|
||
|
||
Thankyou
|
||
Take care
|
||
Luis Manterola
|
||
Mailto:lam@rivero.com.ar
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 13 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
NET HUMOR
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
|
||
International Fart Catchers' Association FAQ Sheet
|
||
By Lesley-Dee Dylan
|
||
1:250/525
|
||
hippy@to.org
|
||
|
||
From: Secretary, IFCA
|
||
To: Propeller Head Junior
|
||
Subject: FAQ sheet for the
|
||
International Fart Catchers' Association
|
||
|
||
Thank you so much for your recent application to the
|
||
International Fart Catchers' Association. Below is a FAQ sheet
|
||
to provide you with our rules for membership.
|
||
|
||
PHJ> How is one nominated for membership?
|
||
|
||
Membership is usually achieved by nomination by an enemy, but
|
||
self-nominations are accepted.
|
||
|
||
PHJ> Is membership restricted to only international-quality fart
|
||
PHJ> catchers?
|
||
|
||
It is unusual to have someone nominated for membership in
|
||
recogition of duties performed at a regional level rather than an
|
||
international level, but it can happen.
|
||
|
||
PHJ> Are there any membership dues?
|
||
|
||
The membership fee of 24 tins of baked beans should be delivered,
|
||
as soon as possible, to Vancouver. This is usually done by the
|
||
nominator, but if you are self-nominated, you will have to
|
||
perform this duty yourself. And if you are applying for a
|
||
membership based on duties performed at a regional level, you
|
||
will also be required to deliver a similar membership fee to your
|
||
RC.
|
||
|
||
PHJ> How often are the members required to renew their
|
||
PHJ> membership?
|
||
|
||
In most cases, annually, but in cases where there is outstanding
|
||
performance of fart-catching duties, a life-membership is
|
||
awarded.
|
||
|
||
PHJ> Do you have to be a resident of the zone/region in which you
|
||
PHJ> are doing your best fart-catching?
|
||
|
||
We have accepted the nomination of Clay Tannacore for recognition
|
||
of fart-catching in a region other than his own and are in the
|
||
process of creating a new category of membership. Alec Grynspan
|
||
will be required to submit membership dues to Rockledge, Los
|
||
Angeles and Vancouver.
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 14 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
PHJ> I've seen magenta beanie caps and puce beanie caps. Is there
|
||
PHJ> a significance to the color differentiation? Are there any
|
||
PHJ> other colors available?
|
||
|
||
The beanie caps are reversable, and can be worn magenta side to
|
||
the brain or puce to the brain. The propellers are always green
|
||
and orange striped with purple pokadots. But remember, you must
|
||
unscrew the wing-bolt on the underside of the cap to remove the
|
||
propeller, and then screw it on upside down when you turn the cap
|
||
inside out. Bob Kohl recently found this out the hard way, and
|
||
caused some minor injuries. Fortunately, he had a small brain,
|
||
and it wasn't too badly hurt by the scrambling it got.
|
||
|
||
PHJ> How did you get to be recording secetary of such an esteemed
|
||
PHJ> body as the Fart Catchers?
|
||
|
||
Unfortunately, none of the member Fart Catchers are capable of
|
||
handling the duties. None of them seem to be able to handle
|
||
important details like transferring in-transit mail without
|
||
forwarding it to the Chief Farter, or maintaining up-to-date
|
||
nodelist segments, or membership lists. One is even unable to
|
||
appoint an REC. So the Fart Catchers had to appoint an outsider
|
||
as their recording secretary.
|
||
|
||
The administration of the IFCA is perfectly aware that fart
|
||
catching has a harmful effect on the intelligence of the catcher,
|
||
since the brain capacity is reduced by the hot gasses caught, so
|
||
if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. We
|
||
have learned patience and understanding in the administrative
|
||
capacities we choose to serve.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 15 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
NOTICES
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
Future History
|
||
|
||
3 Jul 1998
|
||
FidoNet European Convention (see issue #20 for details).
|
||
|
||
14 Sep 1998
|
||
Start of International BBS Week [thru 20 Sep 98].
|
||
|
||
22 Sep 1998
|
||
First anniversary of the FidoNews domain of www.fidonews.org.
|
||
|
||
1 Dec 1998
|
||
Fifteenth Anniversary of release of Fido version 1 by
|
||
Tom Jennings.
|
||
|
||
24 Jul 1999
|
||
XIII Pan American Games [through 8 Aug 99].
|
||
|
||
31 Dec 1999
|
||
Hogmanay, Scotland. The New Year that can't be missed.
|
||
|
||
1 Jan 2000
|
||
The 20th Century, C.E., is still taking place thru 31 Dec.
|
||
|
||
1 Jun 2000
|
||
EXPO 2000 World Exposition in Hannover (Germany) opens.
|
||
|
||
15 Sep 2000
|
||
Sydney (Australia) Summer Olympiad opens.
|
||
|
||
1 Jan 2001
|
||
This is the actual start of the new millennium, C.E.
|
||
|
||
-- If YOU have something which you would like to see in this
|
||
Future History, please send a note to the FidoNews Editor.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 16 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
FIDONEWS PUBLIC-KEY
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
|
||
FidoNews PGP Public-Key Listing
|
||
|
||
[this must be copied out to a file starting at column 1 or
|
||
it won't process under PGP as a valid public-key]
|
||
|
||
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
|
||
Version: 2.6.2
|
||
Comment: Democracy Requires A Free And Uncensored Press.
|
||
|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
zNaJ+JWNHaLCHlwrRHV+p9bCdfl3u303OxKPne0cSpxfe+gQBTlVta7B14ssgnzQ
|
||
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|
||
cokAlQMFEDUKMDDrSgiY3KJNQQEB16YD/2tYVRC+dxghA/OwIWNH20GvQXw1zgfv
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||
cB6r8gYHcczTCqGu5qbjDOTftoBXY9vI3/CZNsSbvp0ibQinpN6zSgyy2+4wwPbu
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||
db/VnjXwBByq7ygTpNwQBMsYjs+iyndwTnR90dH3FewsveBCzeqjmP0Y/PJliElw
|
||
zEmGKxoFr1SM
|
||
=G82W
|
||
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
|
||
|
||
File-request FNEWSKEY from 1:1/23 [1:205/1701] or download it from
|
||
IKVHFoT! BBS at 1-209-251-7529 anytime Zone 1 ZMH at 300-9600+ V34.
|
||
The FidoNews key is also available on the FidoNews homepage listed
|
||
in the Masthead information.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 17 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
FIDONET BY INTERNET
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
|
||
This is a list of all FidoNet-related sites reported to the Editor as
|
||
of this appearance.
|
||
|
||
NOTE: I am looking for a comprehensive list of Telnet, VMODEM, BinkP,
|
||
Argus and other TCP/IP based nodes operating FidoNet on the
|
||
InterNet, either by Zone or worldwide, to post here as well.
|
||
- Ye Editor
|
||
|
||
============
|
||
|
||
FidoNet:
|
||
|
||
Homepage http://www.fidonet.org
|
||
FidoNews http://www.fidonews.org [HTML]
|
||
http://209.77.228.66/fidonews.html [ASCII]
|
||
WWW sources http://www.scms.rgu.ac.uk/students/cs_yr94/lk/fido.html
|
||
FTSC page http://www.goldware.dk/ftsc
|
||
Echomail [pending]
|
||
WebRing http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fnetring.html [TFN]
|
||
General http://owls.com/~jerrys/fidonet.html
|
||
|
||
============
|
||
|
||
Zone 1: http://www.z1.fidonet.org
|
||
|
||
Region 10: http://www.psnw.com/~net205/region10.html
|
||
|
||
Region 11: http://oeonline.com/~garyg/region11/
|
||
|
||
Region 13: http://www.smalltalkband.com/st01000.htm
|
||
|
||
Region 14:
|
||
|
||
Region 15:
|
||
|
||
Region 16:
|
||
|
||
Region 17:
|
||
|
||
Region 18: http://techstop.pdn.net/fido/
|
||
|
||
Region 19: http://www.compconn.net
|
||
|
||
============
|
||
|
||
Zone 2: http://www.z2.fidonet.org
|
||
|
||
ZEC2:
|
||
Zone 2 Elist: http://www.fbone.ch/z2_elist/
|
||
|
||
Region 20: http://www.fidonet.pp.se (in Swedish)
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 18 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
Region 23: http://www.fido.dk (in Danish)
|
||
|
||
Region 24: http://www.swb.de/personal/flop/gatebau.html (in German)
|
||
|
||
Region 25:
|
||
http://www.trak-one.co.uk/net254
|
||
|
||
Region 26: http://www.nemesis.ie
|
||
REC 26: http://www.nrgsys.com/orb
|
||
|
||
|
||
Region 27: http://telematique.org/ft/r27.htm
|
||
|
||
Region 29: http://www.rtfm.be/fidonet/ (in French)
|
||
|
||
Region 30: http://www.fidonet.ch (in Swiss?)
|
||
|
||
Region 33: http://www.fidoitalia.net (in Italian)
|
||
|
||
Region 34: http://www.pobox.com/cnb/r34.htm (in Spanish)
|
||
REC34: http://pobox.com/~chr
|
||
|
||
Region 36: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/7207/
|
||
|
||
Region 38: http://public.st.carnet.hr/~blagi/bbs/adriam.html
|
||
|
||
Region 41: http://www.fidonet.gr (in Greek and English)
|
||
|
||
Region 48: http://www.fidonet.org.pl
|
||
|
||
============
|
||
|
||
Zone 3: http://www.z3.fidonet.org
|
||
|
||
============
|
||
|
||
Zone 4: http://altern.org/zone4
|
||
|
||
Region 90: http://visitweb.com/fidonet
|
||
Net 903: http://www.playagrande.com/refugio
|
||
Net 904: http://members.tripod.com/~net904 (in Spanish)
|
||
|
||
============
|
||
|
||
Zone 5: http://w3.eastcape.co.za/fidonet/index.htm
|
||
|
||
============
|
||
|
||
Zone 6: http://www.z6.fidonet.org
|
||
|
||
Region 65: http://www.cfido.com/fidonet/cfidochina.html (China)
|
||
|
||
============
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 19 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
FIDONEWS INFORMATION
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION -------
|
||
|
||
Editor: Zorch Frezberg
|
||
|
||
Editors Emeritii: Tom Jennings, Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell,
|
||
Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar, Sylvia Maxwell,
|
||
Donald Tees, Christopher Baker
|
||
|
||
"FidoNews Editor"
|
||
FidoNet 1:1/23
|
||
BBS 1-209-251-7529, 300/1200/2400/9600/V.34/V.90
|
||
|
||
more addresses:
|
||
Zorch Frezberg -- 1:205/1701, zorch@repairnet.com
|
||
zorch@qnis.net
|
||
zorch@kumr.lns.com
|
||
|
||
(Postal Service mailing address)
|
||
FidoNews Editor
|
||
P.O. Box 642
|
||
Fresno, CA 93709-0642
|
||
U.S.A.
|
||
|
||
|
||
voice: 1-209-446-9038 [voice mail = 'blind' numbers not returned]
|
||
|
||
------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews is published weekly by and for the members of the FIDONET
|
||
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR ELECTRONIC MAIL system. It is a compilation
|
||
of individual articles contributed by their authors or their
|
||
authorized agents. The contribution of articles to this compilation
|
||
does not diminish the rights of the authors. OPINIONS EXPRESSED in
|
||
these articles ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS and not necessarily those of
|
||
FidoNews.
|
||
|
||
Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is
|
||
Copyright 1998 Zorch Frezberg. All rights reserved. Duplication
|
||
and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For
|
||
use in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or
|
||
the Editor.
|
||
|
||
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
|
||
|
||
OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue of FidoNews in electronic
|
||
form may be obtained from the FidoNews Editor via manual download or
|
||
file-request, or from various sites in the FidoNet and Internet.
|
||
PRINTED COPIES may be obtained by sending SASE to the above postal
|
||
address. File-request FIDONEWS for the current Issue. File-request
|
||
FNEWS for the current month in one archive. Or file-request specific
|
||
back Issue filenames in distribution format [FNEWSFnn.ZIP] for a
|
||
particular Issue. Monthly Volumes are available as FNWSmmmy.ZIP
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 20 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
where mmm = three letter month [JAN - DEC] and y = last digit of the
|
||
current year [8], i.e., FNWSJAN8.ZIP for all the Issues from Jan 98.
|
||
|
||
Annual volumes are available as FNEWSn.ZIP where n = the Volume number
|
||
1 - 15 for 1984 - 1998, respectively. Annual Volume archives range in
|
||
size from 48K to 1.4M.
|
||
|
||
|
||
INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via:
|
||
|
||
http://www.fidonews.org
|
||
http://www.fidonet.org/fidonews.htm
|
||
ftp://ftp.fidonet.org/pub/fidonet/fidonews/
|
||
ftp://ftp.aminet.org/pub/aminet/comm/fido/
|
||
ftp://ftp.irvbbs.com/fidonews/
|
||
|
||
*=*=*
|
||
|
||
You may obtain an email subscription to FidoNews by sending email to:
|
||
|
||
jbarchuk@worldnet.att.net
|
||
|
||
with a Subject line of: subscribe fnews-edist
|
||
|
||
and no message in the message body. To remove your name from the email
|
||
distribution use a Subject line of: unsubscribe fnews-edist with no
|
||
message to the same address above.
|
||
|
||
*
|
||
|
||
You may retrieve current and previous Issues of FidoNews via FTPMail
|
||
by sending email to:
|
||
|
||
ftpmail@fidonews.org
|
||
|
||
with a Subject line of: help
|
||
|
||
and FTPMail will immediately send a reply containing details and
|
||
instructions. When you actually make a file request, FTPMail will
|
||
respond in three stages. You find a link for this process on
|
||
www.fidonews.org.
|
||
|
||
*=*=*
|
||
|
||
You can read the current FidoNews Issue in HTML format at:
|
||
|
||
http://www.fidonews.org
|
||
|
||
STAR SOURCE for ALL Past Issues via FTP and file-request -
|
||
Available for FReq from 1:396/1 or by anonymous FTP from:
|
||
|
||
ftp://ftp.sstar.com/fidonet/fnews/
|
||
|
||
Each yearly archive also contains a listing of the Table-of-Contents
|
||
for that year's issues. The total set is currently about 13 Megs.
|
||
|
||
FIDONEWS 15-24 Page 21 15 Jun 1998
|
||
|
||
|
||
=*=*=*=
|
||
|
||
The current week's FidoNews and the FidoNews public-key are now also
|
||
available almost immediately after publication on the FidoNews Editor
|
||
homepage on the World Wide Web at:
|
||
|
||
http://209.77.228.66/fidonews.html
|
||
|
||
There are also links there to jim barchuk's HTML FidoNews source and
|
||
to John Souvestre's FTP site for the archives. There is also an email
|
||
link for sending in an article as message text. Drop on over.
|
||
|
||
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
|
||
|
||
A PGP generated public-key is available for the FidoNews Editor from
|
||
1:1/23 [1:205/1701] by file-request for FNEWSKEY or by download from
|
||
IKVHFoT! BBS at 1-209-251-7529 as FIDONEWS.ASC in File Area X. It
|
||
is also posted twice a month into the PKEY_DROP Echo available on the
|
||
Zone 1 Echomail Backbone.
|
||
|
||
*=*=*=*=*
|
||
|
||
SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
|
||
FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file
|
||
ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews Editor, or file-requestable
|
||
from 1:1/23 [1:205/1701] as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". ALL Zone
|
||
Coordinators also have copies of ARTSPEC.DOC. Please read it.
|
||
|
||
"Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
|
||
trademarks of Tom Jennings, P.O. Box 410923, San Francisco, CA 94141,
|
||
and are used with permission.
|
||
|
||
"Disagreement is actually necessary,
|
||
or we'd all have to get in fights
|
||
or something to amuse ourselves
|
||
and create the requisite chaos."
|
||
-Tom Jennings
|
||
|
||
### -30- ###
|
||
---------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|