856 lines
44 KiB
Plaintext
856 lines
44 KiB
Plaintext
BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News
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COPYRIGHT 1992 ISSN 1055-4548
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March 1992 Volume 5, Issue 3
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Table Of Contents
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Article Title Author
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Policy Statement and Disclaimer................Staff
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Publisher's Corner.............................Mark Maisel
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Editorial: Double Standards?..................Tim Straughn
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No Requiem For A Fallen Poet...................Shawn Trucks
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Notes From The Trenches........................Dean Costello
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Movie Review...................................Michael Davidson
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The Adventures of R.G. Strangemind & Herbert...Jeremy Lewis
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Special Interest Groups (SIGs).................Barry Bowden
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Known BBS Numbers..............................Staff
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Disclaimer and Statement of Policy for BTN
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We at BTN try our best to assure the accuracy of articles and
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information in our publication. We assume no responsibility for damage
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due to errors, omissions, etc. The liability, if any for BTN, its
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editors and writers, for damages relating to any errors or omissions,
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etc., shall be limited to the cost of a one year subscription to BTN,
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even if BTN, its editors or writers have been advised of the likelihood
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of such damages occurring.
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With the conclusion of that nasty business, we can get on with our
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policy for publication and reproduction of BTN articles. We publish
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monthly with a deadline of the fifteenth of the month prior to
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publication. If you wish to submit an article, you may do so at any
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time but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear
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in a particular issue. It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise
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harm a person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the
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content of the articles prepared by our writers. Our writers own their
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work and it is protected by copyright. We allow reprinting of articles
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from BTN with only a few restrictions. The author may object to a
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reprint, in which case he will specify in the content of his article.
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Otherwise, please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as
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the source, BTN, is specified, and as long as the author's name and the
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article's original title are retained. If you use one of our articles,
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please forward a copy of your publication to:
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Mark Maisel
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Editor, BTN
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221 Chestnut St.
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BHM, AL 35210-3219
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(205)-956-0176
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We thank you for taking the time to read our offering and we hope that
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you like it. We also reserve the right to have a good time while doing
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all of this and not get too serious about it.
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F R E E B I E : G E T I T W H I L E I T S H O T !
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The following boards allow BTN to be downloaded freely, that is with no
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charge to any existing upload/download ratios.
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ADAnet One Alter-Ego Arkham Asylum
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Channel 8250 Little Kingdom Joker's Castle
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Crunchy Frog Myth Drannor Owl's Nest
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The MATRIX Abject Poverty The Bus
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The Outer Limits Bloom County The Round Table
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DC Info Exchange Radio Free Troad Owlabama BBS
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Amiga Alliance ][ DataLynx Martyrdom Again?!
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Safe Harbor Kiriath Arba Teasers
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If you are a sysop and you allow BTN to be downloaded freely, please let
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me know via EZNet so that I can post your board as a free BTN
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distributor. Thanks. MM
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N E W S F L A S H
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Alter-Ego will be moving sometime this month. The new
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number will be 925-5099.
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If you sysops want accurate information in the bbs and
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network list, you better make sure I get it. There are
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getting to be too many of you guys for me to make it around
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each month to check for network affiliations and other
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changes.
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Check EZNet and MATRIX for possible party information.
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Publisher's Corner
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by Mark Maisel
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I think I'll start this month by acknowledging that this issue is
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rather late. I've been rather busy of late and haven't had a chance
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sooner to get this out the door. Kathy has been amazingly healthy, PTA
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has been hoppin', friends have been to town, and we've been out, and
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I've been consulting again. Since these are all pleasant developments,
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so far as I'm concerned, I'm running with them. BTN, as stated in my
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disclaimer, is supposed to be fun. I treat it as such so publication
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dates retain their historical flexibility. I have been on the short
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side where articles are concerned recently as well. I don't worry much
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about such things because BTN reflects you. If such is the reflection
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you want, this is OK by me. One thing I will insist upon though, is
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that before the next time you call me or leave me a message asking where
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BTN is, be sure to check and make sure you've made your contribution
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in the form of an article of some kind first. I choose not to do this
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thing by myself and I like it that way.
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Things are looking pretty good right now, with the aforementioned
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shortage of articles. I've been scouting for writers but the success
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has been sparse. To those of you who have come through, thanks. To
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those of you working on it, lets see what you can do. I've been
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thinking about parties again. I know that this will perk many of you up
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out of your stupor. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the
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history of BTN and the subsequent parties, I will share a bit. When I
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first started up, I solicited interested people for a bbs newsletter
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that would cut across brands of hardware, software, and any other
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discriminators save a modem. The response I received was overwhelming.
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As a way of thanking these folks for their support and articles, I
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decided to throw a party for them. It was the first of several parties,
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thrown privately, with me providing food and drink. As BTN became more
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popular, and more people heard about the parties, I decided to open them
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up to the public. To avoid liability and high expenses, I made parties
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BYO. Many have complained over the years about the parties changing in
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nature. I think there is merit to this charge, but I can't agree that
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they are any better or worse. The only point I will cede is that some
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people have become quite the slobs when in my house, and some have been
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quite rude to other guests. These, along with Kathy's pathetic health
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during the fall, have been the prime reasons why parties haven't
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occurred more frequently. It takes me much longer to recover when the
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disruption of appalling behavior and unbelievable sloppiness is standard
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operating procedure for so many party go'ers. I do not wish to return
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to the days of private parties only. With Kathy feeling well, I'd like
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to try again and see if things can go better. I've considered renting a
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place but it just wouldn't be the same, and it would add yet another
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expense for me. I'll probably be making an announcement soon about the
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first BTN Party of '92. It will be up to you to help me determine if
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I'll announce a second one.
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DOUBLE STANDARDS?
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by Tim Straughn
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One would think today that public office being as public as it is,
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would have a certain responsibility to society to make sure that all
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people are treated equally and fairly according to the law of the land.
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While I was reading Sunday's paper, however, I ran across an article,
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actually it was on the front page, that totally enraged me. I couldn't
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believe what I was reading.
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The Department of Human Resources, some sort of subdivision of
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Social Security and Child Welfare, was established to protect children
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from abuse. I was raised in a Baptist Children's home, or actually was
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there from the time I was 5 until I was 12, and saw these people on a
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regular basis, or some other form of social worker. Don't
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misunderstand, I was not an abused child, at least not by my own
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parents. My brother and sisters, I cannot vouch for, because I was too
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young to remember anything. Nearly every day of our lives was touched
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in some way by a social worker of some status that was checking on or
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investigating something, be it a new kid in the home, or one that
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habitually ran away from the home. It wasn't a foster home, more like a
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group home, but we didn't have group therapy or anything like that. It
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was more a home for the underprivileged where parents going through
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financial difficulty could farm the kids out for a while until they were
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better financially able to keep them. My mother elected to place us in
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this home in order to keep the four of us together when she and my
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father were getting a divorce, and neither could support us. Of course,
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other family members wanted to take us, but only one or two of us, and
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not the whole brood of four, which of course meant each of us growing up
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not knowing the others. That went over like a lead balloon with my
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mother. She considered a Catholic home, but that was also out of the
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question because that would have separated my brother and I from our two
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sisters. We were Catholic, so you can imagine the culture shock when
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placed in a Baptist home.
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The purpose of this article, however, is not to cry about my
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childhood. What's the point, it's gone, and I can't undo it. All I can
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do is live with it. All I know is that I learned that Social Workers
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are generally goody-two-shoes personalities that have never had children
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who seem to be experts on raising them. Over the past two years, my
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wife and I have had to endure two visits from DHR because of reports
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from nosey neighbors or tattle-tale teachers that didn't know what the
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hell they were talking about. It is quite probably because of some
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things that my ten year old daughter has said out of anger toward her
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mother, and/or someone seeing my wife discipline one of the children in
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public. Most any type of discipline is frowned upon by DHR as child
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abuse, whether verbal or physical, and their apparent opinion is that
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any misbehavior on the child's part is a reflection on the parents'
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inability to raise children and poor quality of life. I know
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differently. I grew up in a large home with 35+ children being tended
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by four to five "housemothers" or supervisors. This home was condoned
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by DHR and they never seemed to notice when one of the kids got the crap
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beat out of them for disobeying one of the housemothers. I know,
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because it happened to me more than once, and never can I ever remember
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DHR investigating one of the housemothers for child abuse, though
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treatment there sometimes was borderline abuse, even in my opinion.
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This is not to say that I was mistreated or abused by the housemothers.
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Disciplined, yes. Educated, yes. Abused, no. If one of us
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deliberately did something we were told not to do, and another saw us do
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it and didn't try to stop the one misbehaving, then not only did the
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offender get the stuffing knocked out of him/her, but the accomplice did
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also just for not stopping the other or not reporting the incident. I
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called my brother a fool once out of anger, and a housemother overheard
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it. I got the crap beat out of me for that. I remembered not to do it
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again, at least while a housemother was possibly in earshot. Nowadays,
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if your child looks you straight in the eye and tells you go to hell in
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public, you'd best wait until you're behind closed doors before
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adjusting their attitude. I do not condone harming any child, but
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sparing the rod certainly does spoil the child. A lot of adjustment can
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be made with a keen peach limb without harming the child. I know there
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are those that would beat the child with a rubber hose, but these are
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sick individuals that shouldn't have children.
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Getting back to the article that got my dander up, the problem I
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saw with DHR's logic is that it's OK if DHR condones doping up a child
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and disciplining the child for wanting to go home to parents or foster
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parents. If you, however, give a child half a cup of beer one night to
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help it relax and go to sleep, you have been contributing to the
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delinquency of a minor, abused your child, and are very subject to a
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jail sentence and losing custody of the child. There is something very
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wrong with this picture. The case stated in the paper took place over 8
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months ago. A young couple brought the children of some relative into
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their home because the relatives could not provide for the children. One
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of the children developed a behavioral disorder and soiled his clothes
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daily. The 'foster' mother (she didn't have legal custody at the time)
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decided to seek professional help, and told the boy of her intentions.
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The child responded immediately, and corrected his problem, with only a
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few mishaps in the next couple of months. Following her judgement, she
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decided to take the boy for evaluation anyway. She told the
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psychiatrist that the child had mentioned that he would "kill himself"
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on occasion, but didn't think that he was serious about it at all. The
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psychiatrist (who probably didn't have children) diagnosed the child as
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psychotic and suicidal and in need of further evaluation by child
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psychologists. Needless to say, the woman didn't believe her ears, and
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decided against it. The case was reported to DHR, and that's when all
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hell broke loose. The woman was ordered to take the child to Hill Crest
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Hospital for the evaluation for two weeks. The child is still in the
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hospital after 8 months. Immediately after the two weeks was elapsed,
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the boy wanted to know when he was going home, and the staff began
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disciplining him for asking, and he eventually stopped. The child was
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also placed on anti-psychotic drugs (most likely a strong tranquilizer
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such as Quaalude) and the foster parent's visitation rights were revoked
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by DHR. Judging from what I read in the paper, this child's life has
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been altered forever, IMHO, and it's all because the mother did what she
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thought best for the child and legal in this state.
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There is something terribly wrong when the state can remove a child
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from a foster home where his behavior problems are being resolved, even
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if corporal punishment is sometimes necessary, and place the child in a
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hospital where he is pumped up with drugs to the point of being listless
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and not knowing where the hell he is. The doctor's reasons for stopping
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visitation by the parents was that "the child IS out of touch with
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reality" and "has no emotional ties with anyone". Seems to me, the
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child was plenty in touch with reality before being doped up stupid.
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Seems to me, the ties were plenty strong, to the point he was
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disciplined for asking to go home.
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I fear for the youth of today, who cannot be disciplined, and whose
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every misbehavior needs a pill or group therapy. Something tells me
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that someone in DHR is on the take. A month's stay at Hill Crest costs
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on the order of $75,000, paid by the you's and I's in our state taxes,
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and this doesn't include the elaborate drugs in use there to keep
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patients subdued. Every time a major malfunction in society occurs and
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a young teen or young adult commits an atrocious crime, the parent is
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blamed. Perhaps if parents could whack a child across the backside once
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in a while without fear of retribution from DHR, that child would grow
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up knowing the difference between right and wrong. The State has no
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children. Bureaucracy doesn't know how to raise children. There must
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be some sort of commission for every patient that DHR can commit to a
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state operated hospital. Too many people are being paid to prevent me
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from teaching my child the difference between right and wrong. Placing
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a child in a hospital for pooping his pants and doping him up for asking
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to go home is WRONG!
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No Requiem For A Fallen Poet
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Or Shawn Trucks: Part III - The Final Chapter (honest!)
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by Shawn Trucks
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Decisions... Decisions...
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In my dreams, things still exist as they were. I feel the cool
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Autumn breeze on a bright October afternoon, and the warm rhythmic beat
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of another heart close to mine. When I speak, my lips move silently,
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unintelligibly, the words lost on some ever flowing dream-wind. But the
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words are unimportant, all that matters is the moment. The moment is
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everything and everything in the world is perfect. When I open my eyes
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to a new day, I don't feel the emptiness of a broken heart. And when I
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look into the mirror, I don't hate the person that I see. But dreams are
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fleeting, and the images intangible. No matter how hard I try I can hold
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them only so long, then I am forced into wakefulness by the dawning
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realization of the meaningless existence I call life. The pieces begin
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to connect.
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I'm reminded now of a poem that I wrote recently. I think it sums
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up the first paragraph pretty well. Indulge me now while I bombard you
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with my petty attempts at creativity.
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Wings Of Sleep
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A flight upon the Wings of Sleep,
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Over mountains high
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And oceans deep.
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A world seen perfect
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From an endless sky;
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Till the moment I wake
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And the dreams must die.
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There are times I think it would be better to live my life in
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dreams, but even dreams have a habit of turning on you when you least
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expect it. More and more often, my dreams are beginning to echo my
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waking life. It seems that it's going to take something a little more
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drastic than sleep to deal with all of my problems.
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Heartfelt pain occasionally gives way to confusion, and I wonder
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how everything became so messed up so quickly. As I sit typing this,
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part of an old Kansas song comes to mind; "I close my eyes, only for a
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moment and the moment's gone..." Sometimes I have to wonder if the
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moment ever really existed. Mutually, I mean. I think it did, but it
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becomes increasingly harder to tell every day. Whether it ever existed
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or not has ceased to be of any importance now anyway. A point has
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finally been reached, and the time at hand is a time of choices. The
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fact that the decision isn't a very difficult one is somewhat
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frightening I suppose. The fact that the people I care about the most
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are making the decision easier is even more so. I try so desperately to
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hold my life together, but I feel my will power slipping away. I close
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my eyes and the image of something potentially meaningful that will
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never be brought to fruition constantly weaves it's way into my mind,
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drifting into my consciousness. Drifting silently...
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Into a dream. It's a cold November night and I sit shivering as I
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stare into the clear starry sky. I breathe a shuddering sigh and my
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breath hangs in the air like a shroud, like a thin sheet pulled over the
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face of some nameless corpse in a mortuary. Just another unwanted soul
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destined to an anonymous burial, alone and forgotten. Tears fill my
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eyes, blurring the night sky. I squeeze my eyes shut and the tears spill
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forth, coursing down my face in icy streams. I finally open my eyes and
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hold my hand before me. Etched on my palm is the image of a bright red
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rose. As I stare at it, it slowly begins to blacken and wither. From
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behind me a hand gently touches my shoulder. I turn slowly and there she
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stands, her long blonde hair flowing over her shoulders, (I have no idea
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who she is, I've never seen her before in real life) the expression on
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her face a mixture of confusion and what looks to be slight annoyance.
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She smiles slightly, irregularly then leans forward and kisses me on the
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forehead. Her lips are cold against my skin. When she turns to leave,
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something drops from her hand. I pick it up and look at it. It's a
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picture of me. I open my mouth to speak, but when I look up she's gone.
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I look back down at the picture in my hand, but the image has faded and
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the picture is blank. My vision fades and consciousness bleeds back into
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my life. Another piece falls into place.
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And still the decision remains. The dreams seem to be pushing me
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further in the direction I'm already headed. I remember another poem I
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wrote sometime last year. At the time it just seemed like something to
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write, and I never really thought it meant anything, but now it seems to
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hold new meaning for me. Maybe it always did.
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Dreams Of Reality
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Over and over inside my head,
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Hopes that are shattered
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And Dreams that are dead.
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A whisper of wind
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In the back of my mind;
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Just shadows of a childhood
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Now faded with time.
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So many memories
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Yet so few are mine.
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So many loves unrequited,
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Only heartaches I find.
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A constant swirling
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Of fantasies lost;
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In a dark cloud of reality
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I dream at what cost?
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I know one thing, the cost is pretty damn high. Now all I have to
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do is decide on how I'm going to pay. Regardless of the decision I make,
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this will be my last article on the subject of my life (or lack
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thereof). My only real regret is that one possible decision would
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involve breaking a promise I made to someone very important to me. If
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that someone is reading this - and I have a feeling they are - I guess
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you were right when you said I was fragile. So add a broken promise to
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the long list of other heinous crimes I've committed against my "loved
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ones". I guess it's about time to close this sucker off. So I'll end
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with another poem. (Just ONE I promise!)
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The Final Embrace
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A wearied soul
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So tired of trying.
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A wounded heart
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Not dead, but dying.
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A gentle breath
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Of whispered lies,
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Empty promises
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And alibies.
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The battle lost
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Before it is fought.
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The broken dreams
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That begin to rot.
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A seething hiss
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Of icy breath.
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A hand that beckons
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To the arms of death.
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The pieces continue to connect. The puzzle is almost complete...
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Notes from the Trenches
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by Dean Costello
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"What the Hell is this Country Coming Too?"
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I have been floating emotionally somewhere between angry and
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depressed for the last week or so. I place the blame squarely on the
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political leadership of the United States and a book called "The
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Handmaid's Tale".
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I don't know if many of you have read this book, and I frankly
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don't really care much. I am about a quarter of the way through it and
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it is depressing me more than disk 1 of Pink Floyd's "The Wall".
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Basically, it tells about a theocracy that has taken over the United
|
|
States and returned it to those Good Ol' Days of say, umm, 1620, when
|
|
the Puritans infested Massachusetts. Apparently, the U.S. is fighting a
|
|
war, but no one knows where the war is being fought since the media is
|
|
completely controlled by the government. Women have no real legal
|
|
status in this country any more, and their position in society is based
|
|
on whether or not they can bear children. The protagonist of this book
|
|
was married and had a child (before this government), but now she is the
|
|
mistress of the Commander, which the government forced on her, and her
|
|
family is gone.
|
|
|
|
It struck me very vividly the means by which the goverment
|
|
completely controls every aspect of life. Women are no longer allowed
|
|
to read, and obviously they are not allowed to go to school. Public
|
|
speaking of any type is forbidden. Women must walk in pairs, when they
|
|
are allowed out of the house. To prevent them from looking around and
|
|
'be tempted', they must wear this blinder affair on their heads so no
|
|
one can see them, and they cannot see anything more than what is
|
|
directly in front of them.
|
|
|
|
On the 'good' side, there is little crime. Which I guess is good.
|
|
|
|
Now, I must admit that this version of Utopia is tempting
|
|
<sarcasm>, but there are a few problems with it. Among others, any
|
|
absolutism, to me, is anathema, and someone else's religion is being
|
|
forced on everyone in the society, whether they agree with all the
|
|
tenets of the belief or not. And I would argue that a society where no
|
|
one can speak in public is not a society I would like to be part of.
|
|
|
|
But the big problem to me is that the government acts in whatever
|
|
way they deem necessary to control 'public unrest'. Do the ends justify
|
|
the means? I hope not. At least one person I know (and a whole lot
|
|
more than that, from what I can tell) feels that it is perfectly
|
|
acceptable, if not the responsiblility of the government, to curtail
|
|
constitutional rights in the effort to Fight Crime.
|
|
|
|
What the hell is this? So, they are saying that in the EFFORT to
|
|
prevent crime (nothing is mentioned as to actually reducing crime, but
|
|
just trying is sufficient), it is fine to ignore things like the right
|
|
to prevent personal incrimination, the right to speedy trial, and the
|
|
right to protect against unreasonable search and seizure, as long as the
|
|
Fight Against Crime is continued. Look at the Drug War. No significant
|
|
decrease in crime has been noted (increases in the D.C. area, the one
|
|
that I am most familiar with). It looks more to me that the government
|
|
is merely trying to address symptoms (and doing a shitty job of it), and
|
|
not attempting to cure the more troubling problems.
|
|
|
|
Case in point: Funding has been cancelled for prenatal care in
|
|
D.C. A friend of mine that was working on prenatal interventions told
|
|
me that there is no better way of helping children than helping the
|
|
pregnant mother. So, funding has been cut, and we (the society) will
|
|
have to pay the price later. And it will be a hell of a lot more than
|
|
the cost of a couple of clinic appointments.
|
|
|
|
As a tangent to a tangent, don't be disappointed if you are
|
|
involved with someone with drugs, and when they go to rehab they don't
|
|
get cured. The best clinic in the country gets no better than 8-12%
|
|
PERMANENT recovery. Anyway, lord knows we wouldn't want to do the
|
|
responsible thing.
|
|
|
|
I think that I am teetering between being a libertarian and being
|
|
an anarchist. I'm not exactly sure how to reconcile my feelings. Randy
|
|
Hilliard once said that he would not be surprised to see a revolution
|
|
against the U.S. government before 2000 due to the emmense number of
|
|
disenfranchised people (for the younger readers, go ask your civics
|
|
teacher what 'disenfranchised' means); and I have to admit that I agree.
|
|
Hell, I'd be right in the middle of it, with the way I've been feeling
|
|
as of late.
|
|
|
|
There is a journalist who killed himself out in West Virginia a
|
|
week ago or so. A pretty nice chap, from what I have been led to
|
|
believe by acquaintences of mine. Anyway, he was working on a story
|
|
involving the BCCI scandel, Iran-Contra affair, and that ugly business
|
|
concerning Reagan and the boys negotiating with Iran into not releasing
|
|
the hostages until after the election. As a result, the current and
|
|
conventional wisdom is that he was the victim of a government hit. And
|
|
you know what really upsets me? Its that I am not the least bit
|
|
surprised that something like that could happen. Dammit, it's time for
|
|
a change, and it's obvious that the election booth ain't cutting the
|
|
mustard.
|
|
|
|
Cazart! Did I just call for an armed revolt against the
|
|
government? That kind of shit can get my ass thrown into Fairfax County
|
|
jail in Sununu's Oakton. Which doesn't mean that I still don't think
|
|
that the best place for George Walker Herbert Bush is stuffed on my
|
|
balcony. At least there I can keep an eye on him.
|
|
|
|
This is a quote from one of my favorite books, "V For Vendetta", by
|
|
Alan Moore:
|
|
|
|
"...It's 1988 now. Margaret Thatcher is entering her third
|
|
term of office and talking confidently of an unbroken
|
|
Conservative leadership well into the next century. My
|
|
youngest daughter is seven and the tabloid press are
|
|
circulating the idea of concentration camps for persons with
|
|
AIDS. The new riot police wear black visors, as do their
|
|
horses, and their vans have rotating video cameras mounted
|
|
on top. The government has expressed a desire to eradicate
|
|
homosexuality, even as an abstract concept, and one can only
|
|
speculate as to which minority will be the next to be
|
|
legislated against. I'm thinking of taking my family and
|
|
getting out of this country soon, sometime over the next
|
|
couple of years. It's cold and it's mean spirited and I
|
|
don't like it here anymore."
|
|
|
|
I believe that this is the best way of summing of American, circa
|
|
1991. The only thing that I would change in the above paragraph is that
|
|
I don't have any family, and the leader of the U.S. is Reagan.
|
|
|
|
But Christ knows that I don't like the current trends in the U.S. I
|
|
was reading an article in "Penthouse" about the current aggressive push
|
|
of hard-right Christianity (such as Donald Wildmon, of the AFA). It
|
|
seems that the Right-hand Christians are currently attempting to control
|
|
local governments. I see that happening right around here. These
|
|
people are getting control of School Boards, altering the cirriculum,
|
|
banning books, all that kind of good stuff.
|
|
|
|
Is this a good thing? I don't think so. An awful lot of people
|
|
seem to think that the U.S. has gone to hell in a handbasket since
|
|
prayer in schools was outlawed. I don't think so, but whatever.
|
|
|
|
But the current mindset is what Barry Goldwater said in the '64
|
|
election, "Extremism for democracy is no vice". A lot of people are
|
|
screaming for change, for "Traditional Family Values". I sure hope that
|
|
they realize their error when they get what they asked for.
|
|
|
|
Another thing, very trivial in the large scheme of things. The
|
|
high price of using BBSs in the D.C. area. Here's a message that
|
|
snapped up a couple of days ago:
|
|
|
|
8/14/91
|
|
-------
|
|
|
|
The Hallucination is now subscription only. Most existing accounts have
|
|
been set to expire in 30 days. Those who have donated have expiration dates
|
|
sometime in the future.
|
|
|
|
Your expiration date, DEAN COSTELLO, is 09-14-91.
|
|
|
|
To subscribe, read Main Board (B)ulletin #11. In a nutshell, the rate is
|
|
$25 for 6 months (or $50 for 1 year). (Incidentally, we predict this will
|
|
cover about half of our expenses). This will give you the following:
|
|
|
|
* 120 min. per day
|
|
|
|
* Unlimited downloads
|
|
|
|
* Access to send private FidoNet and UUCP "Net-Mail"
|
|
|
|
* Access to the 9600/14.4K line (the modem is due to arrive any day now)
|
|
|
|
Our mailing address is:
|
|
Virtual Perceptions
|
|
3909 Prince William Dr.
|
|
Fairfax, VA 22031
|
|
|
|
The registration process for write access to the UseNet message areas will be
|
|
put in place tomorrow night.
|
|
|
|
If you think your contribution (monetary or otherwise) is going unnoticed, we
|
|
encourage you to leave a (C)omment.
|
|
|
|
So, for $50, I can use some damned BBS. I'll have to pass, thanks.
|
|
All I do is leave messages, but in this region, leaving messages ain't
|
|
enough. For $50, I can drive 1250 miles, and I think that that would be
|
|
a better way of spending money than on a BBS.
|
|
|
|
But, as Mr. Moore said, oh so succinctly: "It's cold and mean-
|
|
spirited, and I don't like it here anymore."
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Movie Review
|
|
by Michael Davidson
|
|
|
|
First of all, I would like to explain myself. The month I wrote my
|
|
music article was the month Joseph Ray missed the deadline. In an effort
|
|
to be original, I will change my reviews to movies, unless the peanut
|
|
gallery demands otherwise. Last month, I just happened to miss the
|
|
deadline. As I am writing this, it is Feb. 15, so we'll see if Mark can
|
|
get it in the March issue.
|
|
|
|
This month I am reviewing a truly spectacular movie: Grand Canyon.
|
|
The previews make it look like a comedy, but this is everything but a
|
|
lighthearted movie. It is a heavy commentary on society today in
|
|
general.
|
|
|
|
The cast is wonderful. Kevin Kline plays a yupped-out man, who
|
|
finds a long-needed friend in Danny Glover, who plays a tow truck driver
|
|
who rescues Kline from a tight situation in an inner city. Mary
|
|
Louise-Parker plays Kline's secretary, and Alfe Woodard (pardon me for
|
|
murdering the spelling of that) plays her friend. Finally, another Mary
|
|
(whose last name escapes me) plays Kline's wife, who finds a baby while
|
|
jogging. The many sub-plots include Glover's nephew who is in a gang,
|
|
his romance with Woodard, and Steve Martin's (who plays a minor role as
|
|
a violent movie producer) run-in with crime.
|
|
|
|
The acting is superb, with great performances given by all.
|
|
Especially noteworthy is Glover's portrayal of the average American.
|
|
(Then again, when isn't Glover great?) This is a movie that makes you
|
|
stop and think about where you are and where you want to be. It really
|
|
puts life into perspective. ("All of life's riddles are answered in the
|
|
movies!" says Martin.) But the most amazing thing about this movie is
|
|
that it does it all without gimmicks, and without spending hundreds of
|
|
millions of dollars on special effects. I loved this movie, but I'd like
|
|
to leave you with a word of warning: my parents hated it. It's more for
|
|
the liberal side of you.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
The Adventures of R.G. Strangemind and Herbert
|
|
by Jeremy Lewis
|
|
Copyright 1991,92 by Jeremy Lewis
|
|
no reprints without the permission of the author
|
|
|
|
Part XII
|
|
|
|
As the Large Gray Spaceship shot through space, a large gleaming
|
|
fist-like vessel moved up along side it, extending a long cylinder like
|
|
extension from its side and connecting it to the Large Gray Spaceship.
|
|
|
|
Meanwhile, in that dark, dark place that super beings are
|
|
intimately familiar with a small rational voice spoke,"Sir, The
|
|
Split-Splat has moved along side the Large Gray Spaceship."
|
|
|
|
"SO???" screamed the loud irrational voice.
|
|
|
|
"I thought you might like to know, sir.
|
|
|
|
"Interesting..."
|
|
|
|
"WHAT, WHAT IS INTERESTING?!?!?!?"
|
|
|
|
"The Toatans of Melba are heading after the Large Gray Spaceship."
|
|
|
|
"oh no," spoke a voice no longer as loud as it had been moments
|
|
before.
|
|
|
|
On the Large Gray Spaceship, Slob was looking at the large human's
|
|
body. Could this be him? On his planet, there was a legend about the
|
|
coming of The Great Stupid One who would lead them out of darkness.
|
|
Slob had never cared for that legend, but he knew many that did. This
|
|
human could be his meal ticket. Contemplating his newfound resource, he
|
|
failed to notice the Purple Thing get to its feet and walk off towards a
|
|
set of stairs. The sign beside the stairs read "Deck Six" and for some
|
|
strange reason, Ginger headed down.
|
|
|
|
R.G. stood up. What was he doing lying senseless on the floor? He
|
|
had to find Herbert. Something was wrong, something was terribly
|
|
wrong...He had to find Herbert. As got up and headed towards the stairs
|
|
he heard a grinding noise. Suddenly hole appeared in the wall. He
|
|
stopped long enough to see a large bald, green person walking down a
|
|
corridor inside the hole before he took off back from where he had come,
|
|
forgetting all thoughts of Herbert as he ran.
|
|
|
|
Splort smiled as he walked down the corridor that now connected the
|
|
Large Gray Spaceship and The Split-Splat. Slob was his, he blinked for a
|
|
moment as he saw what he thought to be a human run past the opening to
|
|
the corridor, but dismissed as having had to much ranting and raving in
|
|
the last couple of days. That was when he heard the soul chilling howl
|
|
as a Large Purple Thing moved to cover the opening to the Large Gray
|
|
Spaceship.
|
|
|
|
Emperor Splort summoned his guards.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
SIG's (Special Interest Groups), Computer Related
|
|
-------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
BEPCUG CCS
|
|
Birmingham East PC Users Group Commodore Club South
|
|
Jefferson Sate Jr. College Springville Road Library
|
|
Ruby Carson Hall, Rm 114 2nd & 4th Tuesday (C64/C128)
|
|
3rd Friday, 7-9 PM 3rd Monday (Amiga)
|
|
Paula Ballard 251-6058 (after 5PM) 7:30-10 PM
|
|
|
|
BCCC BIPUG
|
|
Birmingham Commodore Computer Club Birmingham IBM-PC Users Group
|
|
POB 59564 UAB Nutrition Science Blg
|
|
Birmingham, Al 35259 RM 535/541
|
|
UAB School of Education, Rm 153 1st Sunday (delayed one week
|
|
2nd and 4th Sundays, 2 PM if meeting is a holiday)
|
|
Rusty Hargett 854-5172 Marty Schulman 967-5883
|
|
|
|
BACE FAOUG
|
|
Birmingham Atari Computer First Alabama Osborne Users
|
|
Enthusiast Group
|
|
Vestavia Library, downstairs Homewood Library
|
|
2nd Monday, 7 PM 1st Saturday, 1PM
|
|
Benny Brown 822-5059 Ed Purquez 669-5200
|
|
|
|
CADUB
|
|
CAD Users of Birmingham
|
|
Homewood Library
|
|
3rd Tuesday, 6:30PM-8:30PM
|
|
Bobby Benson 791-0426
|
|
|
|
SIG's, Non-Computer Related
|
|
---------------------------
|
|
|
|
BBC Birmingham Astronomy Club
|
|
Blue Box Companions Subject: Astronomy
|
|
Subject: Dr. Who Red Mountain Museum Annex
|
|
Hoover Library 4th Tuesday, 7:30PM
|
|
1st Saturday, 2PM-5PM
|
|
|
|
If you belong to or know of a user group that is not listed,
|
|
please let us know by sending E-Mail to Barry Bowden on
|
|
The Matrix BBS.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Known BBS Numbers For The Birmingham Area
|
|
|
|
NAME NUMBER BAUD RATES MODEM BBS SOFTWARE
|
|
SUPPORTED TYPE
|
|
|
|
129 ADAnet One Node 1 854-9074 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
129 ADAnet One Node 2 854-2308 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
129 ADAnet One Node 3 854-0698 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
129 ADAnet One Node 4 854-5863 9600 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
1 Alter-Ego BBS 744-7733 300-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
|
1 Amiga Alliance ][ 631-0262 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
4 Arkham Asylum 853-7422 300-9600 USR DS WWIV 4.12
|
|
Asgard 663-9171 300-2400 WWIV 4.11
|
|
Baudville Node 1 640-4593 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
|
Baudville Node 2 640-4639 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
|
Birmingham BBS 854-5131 300-2400 Mind-Pawn
|
|
13 Bus System 595-1627 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2
|
|
17 Byte Me! 979-BYTE! 2400-9600 USR HST WWIV 4.12
|
|
CM(ee) BBS Node 1 655-4059 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
|
CM(ee) BBS Node 2 655-4065 300-1200 Oracomm Plus
|
|
136 Channel 8250 Node 1 744-8546 300-9600 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
136 Channel 8250 Node 2 744-5166 300-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
|
Christian Apologetic 808-0763 300-2400 Wildcat! 3.00
|
|
1 Crunchy Frog Node 1 956-1755 300-9600 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
1 Crunchy Frog Node 2 956-0073 300-9600 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
DataLynx 322-3425 300-2400 WWIV 4.12
|
|
Disktop Publishing BBS 854-1660 300-9600 V.32 Wildcat! 3.01
|
|
Empire 428-6074 300-2400 Image 1.2
|
|
F/X BBS Node 1 823-5777 300-2400 PC Board 14.5
|
|
F/X BBS Node 2 822-4570 300-2400 PC Board 14.5
|
|
F/X BBS Node 3 822-4526 300-2400 PC Board 14.5
|
|
12{ Family Smorgas-Board 744-0943 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
Graphics Zone Node 1 870-5306 300-9600 MNP4 TBBS 2.1(16)
|
|
Graphics Zone Node 2 870-5329 300-9600 MNP4 TBBS 2.1(16)
|
|
Hacker's Corner 674-5449 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
Hardeman's BBS 640-6436 1200-2400 Wildcat! 2.55s
|
|
13 Hard Disk BBS 987-0794 300-2400 PC Board 14.5
|
|
2 I.S.A. BBS 995-6590 300-9600 USR HST Remote Access
|
|
Infinite Probability 791-0421 2400 PC Board 14.5
|
|
13 Joker's Castle 664-5589 300-2400 USR HST PC Board 14.5
|
|
Kiriath Arba 681-8374 300-2400 WWIV 4.20
|
|
15 Little Kingdom Node 1 969-0007 300-9600 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
15 Little Kingdom Node 2 969-0008 300-2400 MNP4 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
1- Magnolia BBS 854-6407 300-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.2
|
|
# Medicine Man BBS 664-5662 300-2400 GTPower 16.00
|
|
29 MetaBoard 254-3344 300-2400 Opus
|
|
Missing Link 853-1257 300-2400 C-Net
|
|
Night Watch 841-2790 1200-2400 TriTel 2.0
|
|
Optical Illusion 853-8062 300-1200 C-Net
|
|
Ouija Board 669-0623 300-1200
|
|
# Owlabama BBS 833-7176 300-2400 GTPower 15.00
|
|
1 Owl's Nest 680-0851 300-9600 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
Paradise City 853-1439 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
Pooh's Korner 980-8710 300-2400
|
|
Ravens Bluff 681-4096 300-2400 Telegard 2.7
|
|
# Safe Harbor Node 1 665-4332 300-2400 GTPower 15.00
|
|
# Safe Harbor Node 2 665-4355 300-9600 USR DS GTPower 15.00
|
|
Sperry BBS 853-6144 300-9600 Hayes PCBoard 14.5
|
|
1 ST BBS 836-9311 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2
|
|
Strattosphere 428-1066 300-1200
|
|
Strawberry Fields 856-0267 300-2400 Telegard 2.7
|
|
Teasers 987-0122 300-2400 WWIV 4.20
|
|
2 The Bone Yard 631-6023 300-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
|
The Castle 841-7618 300-2400 C-Base 2.0
|
|
The Commodore Zone 856-3783 300-2400 Image1.2
|
|
The Den 925-0707 300-9600 USR HST ProLogon/ProDoor
|
|
4 The Dragon's Hoard 833-3790 300-2400 WWIV 4.12
|
|
12378 The MATRIX Nodes 1-4 323-2016 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
12378 The MATRIX Nodes 5-7 323-6016 2400-9600 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
The Monster 967-4839 300-2400 Telegard 2.5i
|
|
The Other Side 520-0230 2400-9600 USR DS PC Board 14.5
|
|
2 The Outer Limits 985-1725 1200-9600 USR HST Wildcat! 3.01
|
|
The Quiet Zone 833-2066 300-2400 ExpressNET
|
|
12@ The Round Table 938-2145 300-2400 Telegard 2.5i
|
|
The Safety BBS 581-2866 300-2400 RBBS-PC
|
|
The Word 833-2831 300-2400 WWIV 4.12
|
|
Wildfire 1 942-9576 300-2400 Telegard 2.7
|
|
Wild Side 631-0184 300-1200 WWIV 4.20
|
|
Willie's DYM Node 1 979-1629 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
|
Willie's DYM Node 2 979-7739 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
|
Willie's DYM Node 3 979-7743 300-1200 Oracomm Plus
|
|
Willie's DYM Node 4 979-8156 300-1200 Oracomm Plus
|
|
Wonderland Avenue 699-5811 1200-2400 MNP4 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
Ziggy Unaxess 991-5696 300-1200 Unaxess
|
|
|
|
The many symbols you see prior to the names of many of the bbs' in the
|
|
list signify that they are members of one or more networks that exchange
|
|
or echo mail to each other in some organized fashion.
|
|
|
|
1 = EzNet, a local IBM compatible network
|
|
2 = FidoNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
3 = Metrolink, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
4 = WWIV-Net, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
5 = Intellec, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
6 = Uni'Net, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
7 = ThrobNet, an international network, adult oriented
|
|
8 = ILink, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
9 = ADAnet, an international network dedicated to the handicapped
|
|
0 = USNetMail, a national network, multi-topic
|
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- = RIME, an international network, multi-topic
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= = TcNet, not certain at publication time
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! = RF-Net, a national network, dedicated to amateur radio
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@ = 93Net, a national network, dedicated to the occult
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# = GTNet, a national network, multi-topic
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If you have any corrections, additions, deletions, etc., please let us
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know via EzNet.
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