NUMBER OF LINES: 980 001=Usr:0 Null User 06/30/87 20:34 Msg:0 Call:0 Lines:19 1$If you are in need of help, you need but ask... 2$************************* 19 NOV 90 ************************************** 3$Welcome to BWMS II (BackWater Message System II) Mike Day System operator 4$************************************************************************** 5@GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS II IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION 6@ PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM. 7@BWMS II was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS II is a privately 8@owned and operated system which is currently open for use by the general 9@public. No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the 10@system is privately owned, I retain the right to remove any and all 11@messages which I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the 12@system, it will be periodically purged of messages (only 999 lines of data 13@can be saved). To leave a message, type 'ENTER'. Use ctrl/C to get out 14@the ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering 15@the message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to 16@replace the line. To exit from the system, type 'BYE' then hang up. 17@Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system. 18@************************************************************************** 19@ 002=Usr:1 CISTOP MIKEY 11/18/90 00:59 Msg:5669 Call:32126 Lines:6 20 And while the great and wise decay, 21 And all their trophies pass away, 22 Some sudden thought, some careless rhyme, 23 Still floats above the wrecks of time. 24 - William E.H. Lecky 25 ************************************************************************ 003=Usr:13 voyeur 11/18/90 02:57 Msg:5670 Call:32127 Lines:1 26 ::::::O O:::::11/19/90::::::::::::voyeur:::::::::::::::02:10:44:::::::O O:::::: 004=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 11/19/90 14:36 Msg:5673 Call:32146 Lines:38 27 &*&*&*&*'s 28 Well, looks like somebody needs to get this disk roling. To bad I missed 29 being at the top. 30 31 I guess I'll fill space with twin peaks musings. First, Its a great show. 32 They've had some bad episodes, but only two that I can remember. Not 33 bad, as that means they have managed to be atleast good in 14 out of 16 34 hours (The two season premiers were two hours each.) 35 36 Now, You all may have noticed that the ratings have been droping. Heres 37 some thoughts as to why this is happening. 38 39 1. The show is to bloody complex for most people. I've seen many posts 40 in alt.tv.twin-peaks flaming the show, that later turned out to be silly 41 because people just didn't understand what was going on. 42 43 2. It isn't like anything else on TV. People have come to expect certain 44 things. For the most part, these things never come to pass. This drives 45 many people nuts. They don't like it when things don't go by the rules 46 that they understand. Makes them feel stupid, and TV has long been in the 47 business of making everyone feel like a genius. 48 49 3. It isn't a happy show. The characters are not perfect, and very bad 50 things happen to them. After Maddys death, I wasn't at all happy with 51 the show. I still don't like the fact that it happened, but I'm 52 begining to get an idea of where things are going, and it all fits in 53 rather well. I'd say that Donna is going to have some interesting times 54 soon. 55 56 That covers most of my ideas as to reasons. It makes me laugh everytime 57 I see a critic put down twin peaks. They are obviosly missing about 58 half of what is going on. Oh, I'm not sure anybody under then age of 59 16 should be allowed to see this show. Of course, chances are they wouldn't 60 understand most of it anyway. 61 62 An Astral Dreamer (You can't understand the show if you ain't read the diary) 63 &*&*&*&*'s 64 005=Usr:322 Stray Cat 11/20/90 10:16 Msg:5675 Call:32163 Lines:24 65@********************** 66@ 67@Interesting developments on Ballot Measure 5, huh??? 68@ 69@I was looking for a number in the phone book and just happened to turn to the 70@Ms, and the Mor's more specifically, and the word MORFORD came to mind, so 71@I looked I see there's a Mark Morford there, he's a lawyer and noticed he 72@was with Stoel Rives Boley .... This morning I was wondering who all these 73@lawyers on the school board are and find that Stephen Griffith is with the 74@same law firm. I thought that was real interesting. 75@ 76@Philip Morford is the one, you remember, who got the last minute, MIDNIGHT, 77@reprieve that enabled him to destroy houses in NW Portland before the 78@neighborhood could do anything about it ... the one that wants to "gentrify" 79@NW Portland. 80@ 81@Well there's a Gerald Morford in the Personnel Dept. who is reputed to keep 82@a second, secret, negative file on employees in a dept. called EMPLOYEE 83@RELATIONS. He often acts as an "impartial" hearings officer at employee 84@grievance hearings ... I've heard he likes to humiliate victims by asking 85@trick questions. But that's only a rumor. 86@ 87@*********************** 88@ 006=Usr:417 Chemo Sabe 11/21/90 11:44 Msg:5676 Call:32185 Lines:9 89 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 90 91 Why in the world are there THREE west side board members (of a total of 92 seven) when there are only two west side high schools (used to be THREE) 93 and thereby two CLUSTER areas, when there are SEVEN high schools on 94 the east side (FIVE cluster areas). Two board members live in NW Portland. 95 96 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 97 007=Usr:322 Stray Cat 11/21/90 13:30 Msg:5678 Call:32188 Lines:48 98@}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{} 99@ 100@THE ANIMALS IN THAT COUNTRY 101@ 102@In that country the animals 103@have the faces of people: 104@ 105@the ceremonial 106@cats possessing the streets 107@ 108@the fox run 109@politely to earth, the huntsmen 110@standing around him, fixed 111@in their tapestry of manners 112@ 113@the bull, embroidered 114@with blood and given 115@an elegant death, trumpets, his name 116@stamped on him, heraldic brand 117@because 118@ 119@(when he rolled 120@on the sand, sword in his heart, the teeth 121@in his blue mouth were human) 122@ 123@he really is a man 124@ 125@even the wolves, holding resonant 126@conversations in their 127@forests thickened with legend. 128@ 129@ In this country the animals 130@ have the faces of animals. 131@ 132@ Their eyes 133@ flash once in the headlights 134@ and are gone. 135@ 136@ Their deaths are not elegant. 137@ 138@ The have the faces of 139@ no-one. 140@ 141@ By Margaret Atwood 142@ From ANIMALS IN THAT COUNTRY 143@ 144@Sorry, no time to proof!! 145@ 008=Usr:11 L'homme sans Par 11/22/90 13:30 Msg:5681 Call:32208 Lines:35 146 *%)@#*%#(_)(!$)#@(%_(*@#$%*@_)$%(@#_)%(@#_%$@#%(*@#%^*_@*#%_@*%*@(%@%(@(@%@%@ 147 AD: I agree with your thoughts on why TP in slipping in the ratings. Just like 148 the education system, the government, the news papers, and and endless stream 149 of crap we are subjected to, *everything* is geared towards the average 150 citizen, which of course doesn't exist. But the people really affected by 151 this targeting of material are those farthest away from the Norm. Smart kids 152 and slow kids suffer in school. Everyone suffers because politicians are too 153 busy playing politics, people get their news from television talking-head 154 news readers, and Twin Peaks falls in the ratings because the majority of 155 people would rather watch safe television like Cosby or Head of the Class 156 or Wheel of Fortune. It's Ok for people to watch stuff like that, but what 157 I object to is the constant weight of the so-called average majority stifling 158 creative projects like Twin Peaks. TP makes people think, makes people sad, 159 makes people mad, and makes people wonder. Another thing the show uses is 160 this strange technique used a great deal in some books and some movies, but 161 seen once a decade on television : symbolism. Things represent concepts, 162 ideas, or objects that go beyond simple identification. One must think 163 when one watches TP as to what one is *really* seeing. What does the 164 traffic light mean? What impending doom do the swaying trees and the howling 165 wind signify? What do the dreams mean, above and beyond the obvious? All 166 of these extras make the show that much more enjoyable, and that much more 167 difficult to sit back with a can of beer and figure out. So The Legendary 168 Neilsen Families are probably going to kill another unique show because 169 they are all stuck in the mediocrity of the least common denominator 170 syndrome that is running rampant in this country. 171 172 Twin Peaks is just another symbol of what is wrong, and its eventual 173 death will b another blow against intellectualism and irony and another 174 victory for Average-ness. 175 176 %*(#@*%_@#(%_)($!_)%(!%()!_%() L'homme sans Parity *%$!@*%$_)(!_)$(!_)(!)$(!_) 177 178 179 Uh uh, and Star Trek The New Generation is metaphor for the United 180 States losing the race for space. 009=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 11/23/90 10:35 Msg:5686 Call:32232 Lines:21 181 &*&*&*&*'s 182 I'm not sure that I understand the uh uh message. (BTW, I agree with you 183 L'homme.) 184 185 Was the person who left the uh uh message trying to say that symbolism and 186 intelectualism are meerly delusions that some people suffer from? I would 187 point out to this person that Lynch has I believe said in the past that 188 he puts symbolism into his stories on purpose. There are many in Twin Peaks. 189 The Street Light, the Log, BOB and MIKE, The Plastic, The letters under 190 the nails of BOBS victoms, nadines eye patch etc. 191 192 What many of them mean is still open to speculation. But they are there, and 193 we are constantly taunted with clues as to were they fit in the puzzle. 194 195 It is a defense of the intelectually lazy to put down the icons of those 196 that they feel threatened by. No surprise there I suppose. The human 197 race has shown itself to be a woefull kludge. 198 199 An Astral Dreamer 200 &*&*&*&*'s 201 010=Usr:165 Bart Simpson 11/25/90 17:41 Msg:5691 Call:32254 Lines:61 202 696969696969 203 The Tree Is Your Friend by Bob Fried 204 205 Just in case you are thinking of taking a 6-fn8 206 oot Standard Widespread Ficus for a 207 ride some evening in your Chevy Celebrity sedan, I want you to know that it CAN 208 be done -- not that I would recommend it. In fact, if you often notice a desir 209 to take your leafy friends for a spin, I'd recommend therapy. 210 211 Nevertheless, I drove such a tree from Cambridge to Amherst, New Hampshire one 212 night recently. It was a "fake" tree, so I wasn't really worried about it 213 messing up the interior of my impeccable automobile, and you shouldn't worry 214 either. 215 216 What is the first thing you do with a fake tree when you get it home? If you're 217 smart, you give it to your spouse and let her (or him, should you be one of 218 those who prefers a male spouse) worry about it. Being smart, I presented the 219 tree to my spouse. 220 221 "There it is," said I. "Enjoy it, Carolyn -- your very own fake ficus." 222 Carolyn found that the first thing to enjoy about a fake ficus is the task of 223 making it look "at home" in your home. You see, when they ship fake trees, 224 they're not too careful about arranging the twigs and leaves attractively. So, 225 that job is up to you. It is not a simple matter to bend the twigs in a way 226 that would convince an expert that Mother Nature herself placed the ficus next 227 to the TV set. Which is why it's a good idea to let your spouse worry about it 228 229 While Carolyn was busy wrestling with the tree, I removed the diamond-shaped ta 230 and started reading it: 231 232 Hello 233 My name is 234 #773 235 236 Yes, there is something eerie about standing in your own living room and readin 237 a note from a tree that moments earlier shared a 50-mile car ride with you. 238 239 The note continued: 240 I am fade resistant and waterproof, so 241 use me indoors or out. I require very 242 little maintenance. For years of 243 enjoyment, simply remove material 244 covering cement. Place me under a 245 gentle shower of warm water. Be sure 246 to pour off excess water in pot. 247 Then shake me gently, and allow 248 2 to 3 hours to dry. Replace covering 249 material. Your plant (me) is ready 250 for an encore. 251 252 It is not entirely clear to me what the tree does for an encore, and I will try 253 to avoid finding out. But I'll let you know if this ficus does anything other 254 than stand attractively next to the TV. If you don't hear from me, you can 255 assume that it's OK to get one for your own spouse. I'll even be happy to tell 256 you where. 257 ------------------------------ 258 This is Number 176 in a series of articles designed to explain the world to 259 those who plan to live there and to visitors alike. 260 ------------------------------ 261 696969696969696969 262 011=Usr:417 Chemo Sabe 11/26/90 14:31 Msg:5693 Call:32268 Lines:20 263 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 264 265 CHARACTERS FOUND AND LOST, from UNIVERSAL MYTHS by A. Eliot, w/intros by 266 M. Eliade/J. Campbell 267 268 How did man first learn to read and write? It is possible that ibis (crane) 269 tracks in the mud inspired the cuneiform clay printings of Babylonian scribes. 270 Who knows? 271 272 The ancient Egyptians maintained that their god Thoth, who had the head of 273 an ibis, taught them how to write. Thoth boasted to the other celestial 274 dieties of his gift, whereupon they giggled rudely. The sun god Ra asked 275 what Thoth's purpose had been. "Why," croaked the ibis-headed one, "to 276 help men remember things." Ra roared with laughter. "You," he said, 277 pointing at Thoth, "have given human beings the means to forget every- 278 thing they know. They won't need to remember anymore. They'll simply note 279 things down, like idiots, without a thought or care." 280 281 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 282 012=Usr:11 L'homme sans Par 11/26/90 17:55 Msg:5694 Call:32270 Lines:12 283 *@*(@#%(@%(%(@_)%^_)()#(%#%)@#(_)(%#(_)@(_)($_*%_)%^*@#)*_)$(@#_%()%*@%@%%(_@% 284 AD: I suspect the uh uh was in the BW spirit of a one-line gotcha, or in this 285 case a two liner. Just when someone tries to say something serious, there is 286 always someone else there to remind him or her that, no, sorry, seriousness is 287 not allowed here. 288 289 Perhaps someone should do a TP symbolism list, or in unix terms: 290 291 The Canonical Twin Peaks Symbol Registry 292 293 *_#@%(%(@_)%(@_)%*@#%@#%) L'homme sans Parity *%_@*%_)(*^_)@#*_(@#($_@#%*_(%@ 294 013=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 11/27/90 07:29 Msg:5695 Call:32278 Lines:9 295 &*&*&*&*'s 296 Ah, I suppose that is possible. I do tend to get stuffy on occasion. Still, 297 this countries obsession with the shallow and easily understood does get on 298 my nerves on occasion. Sigh, I suppose to one extent or another its like this 299 everywhere. 300 301 An Astral Dreamer 302 &*&*&*&*'s 303 014=Usr:165 Bart Simpson 11/27/90 18:37 Msg:5697 Call:32284 Lines:21 304 696969696969 305 From: MIKE BAMBERG 306 To: ALL 307 Subj: ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILE 308 I have for sale the best !Project! for the environmentally oriented tinkerer. 309 An Electric powered vehicle!!! This is a volkwagon bug based kit car called 310 the Bradley GT which has been converted to an electric propulsion system. The 311 conversion is based on a kit provided by a man named Kaylor in CA. It uses a 312 17 HP 400Amp generator/starter as the drive motor. I have a cascaded relay 313 switching system to provide the power to the system. I've had this project for 314 about 10 years and have really lost interest in it. I've spent about $3500 on 315 it and there is still work to be done. If you have any experience in Fiberglas 316 and electronics this would be an exciting toy to complete. The finished 317 vehicle will go for about an hour at 35-45 MPH and would be great for a commute 318 of about 10 miles, with only moderate hills. If you have any interest, or know 319 of someone who might, give me a call and let's talk. I'd like to see someone 320 complete it. It would be a neat, inexpensive car for trips to the store and 321 such. My numbers are Home:(530)640-xxxx and Work:(503)227-xxxx. 322 323 696969696969696969 324 015=Usr:442 Michael George 11/28/90 22:46 Msg:5699 Call:32303 Lines:49 325 >>>Song Lyrics by Michael George of Those Who Say- 326 327 LUCKY MAN 328 329 There in his chair sits the Lucky Man 330 His famous paintings and marbled floors 331 are filled with the hopes of his innocence 332 Down empty hallways and corridors. 333 334 See the stranger on the shore 335 across the room and through the door 336 to have it all and still want more... 337 338 For everything that's come and gone 339 the life you struggled for and won 340 'til everything is said and done... 341 342 343 To win the game you have to score 344 Sell to the rich and mock the poor 345 The accusations kill the store... 346 347 For promises you give and take 348 Decisions that you've failed to make 349 Could this have been your big mistake... 350 351 Up with a start wakes the Lucky Man 352 He wakes from nightmares and prays for dawn, 353 Collecting his thoughts he lays back again 354 His troubled dreaming still goes on. 355 356 Feel the wind and raindrops pour. 357 You fear the chant and lion's roar 358 You've heard a thousand times before... 359 360 The dreams and visions that you face, 361 floating alone through time and space 362 something inside you can't erase.. 363 364 For everything that's come and gone 365 the life you struggled for and won 366 'til everything is said and done..... 367 368 -copyright 1990 tws 369 370 What do you think of it? 371 We Play only original music that you can dance to. 372 Check us out sometime. We play often in the Portland area 373 "Those Who Say" 016=Usr:186 Wesley Smith 11/29/90 21:07 Msg:5703 Call:32318 Lines:1 374 I really like that set of lyrics, I think they are very good. I would like to 017=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 11/30/90 00:23 Msg:5704 Call:32320 Lines:5 375 &*&*&*&*'s 376 Checking in Testing, Testing. One Two Three. 377 378 An Astral Dreamer 379 &*&*&*&*'s 018=Usr:1 CISTOP MIKEY 12/01/90 23:54 Msg:5706 Call:32348 Lines:2 380 echo echo... 381 ............ 019=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 12/04/90 02:30 Msg:5707 Call:32370 Lines:20 382 &*&*&*&*'s 383 Well, last saturdays episode of twin peaks was what seems to be the closure of 384 the Laura Palmer Story. It was a very good episode. Most of it seemed 385 to be more symbol and image oriented then reality based. This worked well, 386 as many mysteries were being explained. There was some very powerfull 387 acting, great lines and an overall feel that was increadable. All in all, 388 I'd say this was easily the best of the non Lynch directed episodes, and 389 perhaps the best of the entire series. 390 391 Things to notice, Why is Donna suddenly wearing her hair like maddy did? 392 Will this continue, and if so, what does it mean? 393 394 The show IS self consistent. Don't believe anyone who says it isn't. 395 396 Its sometimes hard to tell the red herrings from the true clues. Heres a 397 hint. There are NO red herrings. Only misinterpretations. 398 399 An Astral Dreamer 400 &*&*&*&*'s 401 020=Usr:417 Chemo Sabe 12/05/90 10:01 Msg:5709 Call:32385 Lines:16 402 403 ?????????????????????????????????? 404 405 Another thing that might be overlooked regarding school administration, is 406 that many administrators are in fact teachers-on-special-assignment. This 407 will probably make it look like these are actual teaching staff, when actually 408 they are not. "Extended pay" for extra duty may be listed under something 409 else entirely ... who knows???? But there is also the danger of most 410 conflict being non-negotiable because the support staff union supposedly 411 protects the "rights" of both support and teaching staff; surely a conflict 412 of interest. From my observation, this seems to be a ploy to use one group 413 against the other, working mostly for the benefit of senior administrators and 414 the Board of Education. 415 416 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 417 021=Usr:186 Wesley Smith 12/05/90 18:48 Msg:5710 Call:32394 Lines:4 418 I am looking for a byer for my laptops. I have an olivetti, and a toshiba t 419 1000. The are both in excelent condition, and have 512 K. of RAM. The olivetti 420 has #2. disk-drives, the Toshiba has #1. drive. For more information call 421 #231-xxxx and ask for Wes Smith. TNX for the use of this board, have a happy 022=Usr:286 Jeff Marten 12/08/90 02:04 Msg:5716 Call:32432 Lines:30 422 423 424 {+}{+}{+}{+} 425 426 -+|[ The Following Is A Public Service Announcement ]|+- 427 -+|[ From An Anonymous Oregon Motorist ]|+- 428 429 430 "As a late stage alcoholic with numerous drunk driving 431 arrests and nothing to lose, I can't stress enough the 432 importance of "Tying One On" this Holiday Season. Why, this 433 very afternoon I fully intend to get blind screaming drunk 434 on hard liquor--then drive home at top speed in my big 435 American car. I love the feeling of four wheel drift when 436 I'm loaded, and I'm in just the mood for some serious 437 heel-and-toe action behind the wheel. Insurance? I haven't 438 paid a dime since 1974. Confiscate my car? It's a $75 piece 439 of crap--be my guest. Send me to jail? It's the only time I 440 get regular meals, and besides, all my friends are there. 441 Stiffer sentences? Get real. I'll be out by happy hour and 442 everybody knows it. So come on everyone..."Tie One On"...I 443 know I will. And Happy Holidays." 444 445 -+|[ ThingFish ]|+- 446 I Oughta Be Ashamed 447 448 449 {+}{+}{+}{+} 450 451 023=Usr:417 Chemo Sabe 12/08/90 09:25 Msg:5718 Call:32434 Lines:12 452 !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! 453 454 Interesting developments in the PPS "mole-station" case. First they blame 455 the "victim's" interference for the totally ineffective outcome of the whole 456 case, then they go on to charge the lawyer of extortion. Wonderful people, 457 huh? These people have got all Portland's children for a large percentage 458 of their young lives!!! I hope Mr. Wadsworth AND the parents both sue the 459 district up one side and down the other, along with the lawyer. Seems to me 460 it is the District who has a history of offering bribes. 461 462 !?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!???!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? .... Chemo Sabe 463 024=Usr:11 L'homme sans Par 12/08/90 09:42 Msg:5719 Call:32435 Lines:11 464 &$)(!*$)!(*$_)!@($_)(#~)#$*(%*_%*_)($(#)(@*$_)%*_)#($$(%*_)$(_($_)$($(_)!$_)!($ 465 466 AD: I would say that tonight's wake for leland/BOB would be the true close of 467 the Laura Palmer case: The physical entity of the killer is now dead. Perhaps 468 we'll see a large white horse at the funeral??? 469 470 Milch & AD : So, all projects wrapped up? How much sleep last week total? 5 471 hours? Hope you got done what you needed to get done... 472 473 *%@#*(%@#(_)!($_)($!(!@$_)!($$ L'homme sans Parity *$_@*_)%_!@#(_)(!$+@)($_+!($ 474 025=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 12/08/90 11:35 Msg:5720 Call:32436 Lines:21 475 &*&*&*&*'s 476 I never got mine finished unfortunetly. I kept trashing Turbo Debuger 2.0. 477 Not an easy thing to do with pascal, but apparently I have a gift for it with 478 C. Mind you, this was with the 386 version running. The debuger would 479 just exit and leave me at the DOS prompt. I ended up doing better then I 480 thought I would after I found out what my final score was, but not nearly 481 as well as I thought I should have done. Oh well, thats what I get for 482 taking compiler design without having taken either of the discrete(sp?) 483 structures classes or Calculas. Next term should be even more fun. Who 484 needs sleep anyway? :-) 485 486 Hmm, I'm looking forward to tonight. I hope they can pull off this new 487 arc. They have 12 or so episodes to do it in I believe. I wonder what 488 the chances are that they will get renewed for next year... 489 490 Heres to hoping that BOB is gone for good. Though I don't mind the rest 491 of the spirits of course. 492 493 An Astral Dreamer (Off to get some more video tape.) 494 &*&*&*&*'s 495 026=Usr:186 Wesley Smith 12/08/90 15:15 Msg:5721 Call:32439 Lines:2 496 I want to take this time to wish you all a safe and happy holiday season. I am 497 hoping for a successfull conclution to the gulf crisis for the comming season 027=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 12/08/90 22:57 Msg:5725 Call:32444 Lines:15 498 &*&*&*&*'s 499 Great Twin Peaks episode. The only problem I had with it was that the music 500 was way to loud most of the time. The Secret Diary implied that the major 501 would someday die, and apparently that event has finally come to pass. At 502 the very least, he has been removed from the story in a very wierd and 503 potentially final looking way. 504 505 And people say that they're making this up as they go along. I've read the 506 Diary, watched almost every episode atleast twice. Other then dates, they 507 havn't slipped up at all. OK, so they have made some visual errors. Big 508 Deal. 509 510 An Astral Dreamer 511 &*&*&*&*'s 512 028=Usr:322 Stray Cat 12/10/90 09:17 Msg:5729 Call:32469 Lines:54 513 514 li 515 516 }**{}**{}**{}**{}***{}***{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{} 517 518 TORTURE 519 520 What goes on in the pauses 521 of this conversation? 522 Which is about free will 523 and politics and the need for passion. 524 525 Just this: I think of the woman 526 they did not kill. 527 Instead they sewed her face 528 shut, closed her mouth 529 to a hole the size of a straw, 530 and put her back on the streets, 531 a mute symbol. 532 533 It doesn't matter where 534 this was done or why or whether 535 by one side or the other; 536 such things are done as soon 537 as there are sides 538 539 and I don't know if good men 540 living crisp lives exist 541 because of this woman or in spite 542 of her 543 But power 544 like this is not abstract, it's not concerned 545 with politics and free will, it's beyond slogans 546 547 and as for passion, this 548 is its intricate denial, 549 the knife that cuts lovers 550 out of your flesh like tumors, 551 leaving you breastless 552 and without a name, 553 flattened, bloodless, even your voice 554 cauterized by too much pain, 555 556 a flayed body untangled 557 string by string and hung 558 to the wall, an agonized banner 559 displayed for the same reason 560 flags are. 561 562 By Margaret Atwood 563 From TRUE STORIES/SELECTED POEMS II 564 565 }**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}***{}**{}**{} 566 029=Usr:322 Stray Cat 12/10/90 20:45 Msg:5730 Call:32477 Lines:37 567 568 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 569 570 YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ... FOR THE BLACK UNITED FRONT!!!! **SOMEBODY** is 571 doing **SOMETHING**!! Seems like the only group doing anything any- 572 more. Hope most of PPS joings in. The districtsure seems to be striking out 573 alot lately. It's wonderful!!! The more pressure put on them, the more 574 they're gonna show their "true colors" ... like the recent statement 575 that the "molestation" "victims'" lawyer asked for money to keep quiet 576 about the district. 577 578 579 I heard Norma Paulus shortly after the election stating many teachers are 580 unhappy about the way they're treated and that she has a whole army behind 581 her to institute change. I believe she said teachers wanted to be treated 582 like adults. If the way I was treated by PPS is any indication, the dis- 583 trict has a LONG, LONG way to go. I have a written finding from a very high 584 administrator stating I needed to check out with the head secretary whenever 585 I left my desk ... like I was a third grader that needed a hall pass. This 586 is probably not only against the law and union rules, but showed an extremely 587 poor management style and total lack of problem solving. The head secretary 588 worked in a different office not only from me but from the receptionist, who 589 would have to be notified both when I left and when I came back. Of course, 590 none of the other secretaries in the other offices of the department had to 591 do that! To top that off, the union suddenly refused to arbitrate on the 592 case after they had promised to do so, had processed the paperwork and 593 appointed an arbitrator! They cornered me in the boiler room the day of my 594@another district administrator. What goings on. 595@ 596 friend's memorial service and screamed at me (both of them) that they wanted to 597 settle the whole thing through another district administrator. They browbeat 598 me for almost two hours, I believe. 599 600 And that's just a FRACTION of what I went through. 601 602 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... seems to be getting a little more excitin 603 030=Usr:322 Stray Cat 12/11/90 07:54 Msg:5732 Call:32485 Lines:48 604 605 }**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{} 606 607 CHRISTMAS CAROLS 608 609 Children do not always mean 610 hope. To some they mean despair. 611 This woman with her hair cut off 612 so she could not hang herself 613 threw herself from a rooftop, thirty 614 times raped & pregnant by the enemy 615 who did this to her. This one had her pelvis 616 broken by hammers so the child 617 could be extracted. Then she was thrown away, 618 useless, a ripped sack. This one 619 punctured herself with kitchen skewers 620 and bled to death on a greasy 621 oilcloth table, rather than bear 622 again and past the limit. There 623 is a limit, though who knows 624 when it may come? Nineteenth-century 625 ditches are littered with small wax corpses 626 dropped there in terror. A plane 627 swoops too low over the fox farm 628 and the mother eats her young. This too 629 is Nature. THink twice then 630 before you worship turned furrows, or pay 631 lip service to some full belly 632 or other, or single out one girl to play 633 the magic mother, in blue 634 & white, up on that pedestal, 635 perfect & intact, distinct 636 from those who aren't. Which means 637 everyone else. It's a matter 638 of food & available blood. If mother- 639 hood is sacred, put 640 your money where your mouth is. Only 641 then can you expect the coming 642 down to the wrecked & shimmering earth 643 of that miracle you sing 644 about, the day 645 when every child is a holy birth. 646 647 By Margaret Atwood 648 From TRUE STORIES/SELECTED POEMS II 649 650 }**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{} 651 031=Usr:165 Bart Simpson 12/12/90 07:06 Msg:5733 Call:32495 Lines:8 652 696969696969 653 654 W 21/0Loigfra Excuse for War? By William Raspberry 655 Tepopc fabody war, with no prize wot h eso huands of 656 Aeia ie twudcst, can make you a little nervous. I'm getting a 657 ltl evu. I s' that I doubt the ability of America's fighting forces to take ou 658 tidrt oe ike Saddam HussensIa.M obsconcern the purpose for 659 digs.Smi en ecie sartls n ower-mad tyrant bentMIRRORMIRRORofkdkdk 032=Usr:322 Stray Cat 12/12/90 07:25 Msg:5734 Call:32496 Lines:127 660 661 ^^???? We supposed to decipher?? Clues? 662 663 }**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}***{} 664 665 NOTES TOWARDS A POEM 666 THAT CAN NEVER BE WRITTEN 667 668 (For Carolyn Forche') 669 670 i 671 672 This is the place 673 you would rather not know about 674 this is the place that will inhabit you, 675 this is the place you cannot imagine, 676 this is the place that will finally defeat you 677 678 where the word WHY shrivels and empties 679 itself. This is famine. 680 681 682 ii 683 684 There is no poem you can write 685 about it, the sandpits 686 where so many were buried 687 & unearthed, the unendurable 688 pain still traced on their skins. 689 690 This did not happen last year 691 or forty years ago but last week. 692 This has been happening, 693 this happens. 694 695 We make wreaths of adjectives for them, 696 we count them like beads, 697 we turn them into statistics & litanies 698 and into poems like this one. 699 700 Nothing works. 701 They remain what they are. 702 703 704 iii 705 706 The woman lies on the wet cement floor 707 under the unending light, 708 needle marks on her arms put there 709 to kill the brain 710 and wonders why she is dying. 711 712 She is dying because she said. 713 She is dying for the sake of the word. 714 It isi her body, silent 715 and fingerless, writing this poem. 716 717 718 iv 719 720 It resembles an operation 721 but it is not one 722 723 nor despite the spread legs, grunts 724 & blood, it is a birth. 725 726 Partly it's a job, 727 partly it's a display of skill 728 like a concerto. 729 730 It can be done badly 731 or well, they tell themselves. 732 733 Partly it's an art. 734 735 736 v 737 738 The facts of this world seen clearly 739 are seen through tears; 740 why tell me then 741 there is something wrong with my eyes? 742 743 To see clearly and without flinching, 744 without turning away, 745 this is agony, the eyes taped open 746 two inches from the sun. 747 748 What is it you see then? 749 Is it a bad dream, a hallucination? 750 Is it a vision? 751 What is it you hear? 752 753 The razor across the eyeball 754 is a detail from an old film. 755 It is also a truth. 756 Witness is what you must bear. 757 758 759 vi 760 761 In this country you can say what you like 762 because no one will listen to you anyway, 763 it's safe enough, in this country you can try to write 764 the poem that can never be written, 765 the poem that invents 766 nothing and excuses nothing, 767 because you invent and excuse yourself each day. 768 769 Elsewhere, this poem is not invention. 770 Elsewhere, this poem takes courage. 771 Elsewhere, this poem must be written 772 because the poets are already dead. 773 774 Elsewhere, this poem must be written 775 as if you are already dead, 776 as if nothing can be done 777 or said to save you. 778 779 Elsewhere you must write this poem 780 because there is nothing more to do. 781 782 By Margaret Atwood 783 From True Stories/Selected Poems II 784 785 }***{}**{}**{}**}**{}**{}**{} 786 033=Usr:92 Katherine Dohert 12/12/90 15:42 Msg:5735 Call:32500 Lines:7 787 **************************** 788 Greetings all, just checking in. Can honestly say I have never watched 789 TP, so I don't know if it's above my head. LaHomme, please give us 790 a ring sometime, have VERY interesting news. 791 This is Wednesday and Hell all rolled together, hope to get out 792 alive. 793 *****backtothegrind*********kathyD***************************************** 034=Usr:116 ted mittelstaedt 12/13/90 21:00 Msg:5738 Call:32522 Lines:3 794 ?????????????????????????????????%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 795 I too send my greetings! Merry Christmas All! 796 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%??????????edward%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 035=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 12/14/90 12:34 Msg:5739 Call:32529 Lines:7 797 &*&*&*&*'s 798 Last week was the start of a new story line on TP, so now is as good a time 799 as ever to start watching. 800 801 An Astral Dreamer 802 &*&*&*&*'s 803 036=Usr:450 Friar Tuck 12/15/90 09:38 Msg:5743 Call:32546 Lines:5 804 --=--==--===--====--=====--====== 805 Wow, I've been gone a long time. Passwords and everything, you guys are get- 806 ting fancy. Nice to see the only BBS that really looks like a bulletin board 807 is still running. Friar Tuck. 808 ======--=====--====--===--==--=-- 037=Usr:322 Stray Cat 12/15/90 12:13 Msg:5744 Call:32548 Lines:7 809 810 @_)(*^%!@#$_(#@*$@^#$*#_ 811 812 **ISN'T** it a crime to bore someone to death??? 813 814 !_()*^@#$_#!+@(#N+!(@#+_)@(%^? 815 038=Usr:92 Katherine Dohert 12/18/90 22:09 Msg:5745 Call:32598 Lines:1 816 ****************goodevening***atwork10:25p.m.***slickerthans******kathyD*** 039=Usr:11 L'homme sans Par 12/19/90 15:30 Msg:5746 Call:32604 Lines:11 817 *$%@*%_)@#(%@#(%@#(%^_)^*@(%_)($_)(~($_($%#(%)$%#(%#(_)(#_%(#^*@_)%(@#(_%@_@( 818 kathyD: I'll call. I gotta hear what this news is! 819 Stray Cat: I believe it is *not* a crime to bore someone to death, else 90% 820 of the television executives would be dead by now. 821 Margaret Atwood: Haunting, scary, horrific, and the most potent, of all, True. 822 AD: Sorry to hear about not getting the assignment done, but it wasn't a 823 total loss. I am disappointed to hear about the troubles you had with the 824 Borland stuff. That is supposed to be Microsoft's idea of quality, not 825 Borland's! 826 *_)@#(%_)@#(%)@#(%_)!@)$(_!($ L'homme sans Parity *&$(_*$_!@*%_)!*_)@($$_!(@$ 827 040=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 12/21/90 20:28 Msg:5747 Call:32632 Lines:11 828 &*&*&*&*'s 829 Thanks L'homme. I tend to have a gift for this sort of thing. I think 830 my logic circuits are so subtly broken that it drives computers mad. :-) 831 832 Sigh, no twin peaks for the next to saturdays. 833 834 Merry Christmas all! 835 836 An Astral Dreamer 837 &*&*&*&*'s 838 041=Usr:186 Wesley Smith 12/22/90 08:05 Msg:5748 Call:32637 Lines:3 839 I Wish all users of this system a Merry Christmas, and a happy new Year. 840 please don't Drink and drive I hope to read your messages well in to the new 841 year I hope Santa is good to all and leaves no coal in your socks. Ho Ho Ho 042=Usr:391 walt wilson 12/22/90 13:11 Msg:5749 Call:32639 Lines:2 842 Can anyone tell me what the &$## is going on here, and what this board is for 843 and where to get info....... 043=Usr:165 Bart Simpson 12/22/90 17:49 Msg:5750 Call:32643 Lines:100 844 696969696969 845 "CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS?" By Dr. James R. Hines 846 847 Factually, and historically, and sensibly, Christmas is supposed to be the 848 celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Of course, no one knows exactly 849 what date He was born. Even the exact year is a matter ofa wsconjecture. 850 Christians have chosen to celebrate the glorious event on the 25th of 851 December. But every year it seems that there is a little less emphasis on 852 Christ during the Christmas season. Gradually, Christ is being removed from 853 Christmas! 854 855 This began years ago in a very quiet and subtle manner. First, there was the 856 introduction of Santa Claus, to get the children so excited about reindeer 857 and a fat man passing out presents, that they would scarcely have time or 858 interest left for the Christ child. It is amazing that the One who is the 859 "truth" should be supplanted by one who is a lie, but that is the way it has 860 been. Then there was the promotion of the word "Xmas" as an abbreviation for 861 Christmas. Not that there seems to be any shortage of ink or paper to write 862 any other long words, but it was a nice and easy way to eliminate "Christ" 863 from "Christmas". Another of these rather devious means of eliminating 864 Christ's influence from the season was the introduction of parties, 865 revellings, drunkenness and the "office party" to the season. Certainly, 866 this is a big part of the season to most people. Strange, though, that when 867 it is someone else's birthday, we invite them, honor them, and celebrate it 868 with them. But when it is the celebration of Christ's birthday, most can 869 enjoy all the parties and festivities without even a thought of Christ. 870 871 More recently, the removal of Christ from Christmas is being carried out in a 872 more blatant and overt fashion. Now it is an all out attack to get Christ 873 removed from the season. this attack is carried on in the courts and seeks to 874 eliminate any reference to Christianity from public places and public 875 activities. Due to the influence of these atheists and ACLU activists, most 876 public school children can no longer sing Christian carols during the 877 Christmas season. Manger scenes have to be removed from city squares, parks 878 and municipal buildings. Crosses displayed on city water tanks have to come 879 down. Just as the inn of Bethlehem had no room for the Saviour when He was 880 born, the public place, the market place, and city hall have no room for the 881 Son of God today. 882 883 Why is it that some of these individuals and groups are so zealous in their 884 efforts to get Christ out of Christmas? There are reasons: some bogus and one 885 genuine. The first artificial reason given is that any display of the manger 886 scene or mention of the Christ child might offend someone of a different 887 religion. But what kind of a hollow, specious reason is that? Is this not 888 America, a land of diversity where people can express themselves, worship as 889 they please and hold whatever opinions they choose? Am I to be "offended" 890 because I encounter an opinion I disagree with? Am I to be "offended" because 891 Jewish people talk about the Passover, or I see a Muslim praying to Allah? 892 Of course not. This is America. I may disagree with someone but still 893 respect his right to whatever beliefs he chooses. Only the bigot is offended 894 because he encounters a different opinion than his own. Why is it that those 895 who would remove Christ from Christmas worry about Christians offending 896 others, but never seem to be concerned about their anti-god ideas offending us? 897 898 A second phony reason given by these anti-Christ zealots is the notion that 899 we must maintain the separation of church and state. "Don't you understand," 900 they ask, "that our constitution guarantees the separation of church and 901 state?" This tune has been sung so loudly and so often, that people are 902 actually believing that it is unconstitutional for any government property 903 and activity to be in any way associated with anything religious. Such 904 u*Nnotions may be the result of brainwashing be the atheists, but are in no way 905 rted in historical fact. The Bill of Rights decrees simply, that congress 906 shall make no law establishing a religion. That is all it says and that is 907 all it means. Hanging a cross on a water tower is not making a law or 908 establishing a religion. Neither is the displaying of a manger scene. The 909 framers of our constitution accepted the fact that this was a nation 910 established with belief in Christian principles. While they would not allow 911 any particular denomination to be declared the official state religion, they 912 accepted and encouraged the participation of Christianity in every phase of 913 public and governmental life. There was never any intention on their part to 914 remove Christianity from the public domain. 915 916 There is a real reason why these people wish to get Christ out of Christmas. 917 It is not as high sounding as the phony reasons, but it is the real force 918 behind their actions. Simply put, they hate God. They do not want to obey 919 Him. They are afraid to face Him. In their lives they will deny Him, so in 920 their efforts they must try to remove Him. The holiness of Christ convicts 921 them. The acceptance of Christ frustrates them. The worship of Christ 922 appalls them. The salvation offered by Christ, condemns them. Instead of 923 surrendering, they will fight. They will push and protest, litigate and 924 agitate and stop at nothing to remove Christ from public view. 925 926 These people should face reality and recognize the futility of their task. 927 History has shown that Christ cannot be destroyed. They can pass laws but 928 they cannot outlaw god. They may turn off the Christmas lights, but the light 929 of the gospel will still shine. They can remove the cradle and the cross, 930 but they cannot remove the Christ. And someday they will fall on their knees 931 before Him and confess that He is the Lord God. 932 933 Now you, friend, are probably not going around smashing nativity scenes and 934 taking down crosses, but if you do not give Christ His rightful place in your 935 heart and in your home this Christmas, you are not much different than these 936 transgressors. Worship Christ. give your heart to Him. Read His Word. 937 Attend church to hear it preached. Put Christ into your Christmas. 938 939 Dr. James R. Hines is pastor of the Brentwood Baptist Church at 609 West 940 Dempster in Des Plaines, Illinois. 941 942 696969696969696969 Merry Christmas to All 943 044=Usr:445 Bullwinkle J. Mo 12/23/90 16:07 Msg:5752 Call:32655 Lines:2 944 Huh? 945 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 045=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 12/29/90 07:23 Msg:5766 Call:32745 Lines:6 946 &*&*&*&*'s 947 Ha, there are still lines available on Disk B!. Is anybody reading this? 948 949 An Astral Dreamer 950 &*&*&*&*'s 951 046=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 12/30/90 09:27 Msg:5769 Call:32754 Lines:6 952 &*&*&*&*'s 953 I guess not. 954 955 An Astral Dreamer 956 &*&*&*&*'s 957 047=Usr:165 Bart Simpson 12/31/90 03:58 Msg:5773 Call:32773 Lines:19 958 12/31/90 Quayle Notebook By RITA BEAMISH 959 RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Vice President Dan Quayle's decision to play 960 golf at an American course that bars women is following him to a country that 961 forbids them to drive cars or socialize or work with men. 962 Quayle cut short an outing last Friday at the Cypress Point Golf Course in 963 Pebble Beach, Calif., after learning it was the subject of controversy because 964 it had no black members. 965 But he said Sunday he'll continue to play at the male-only Burning Tree Club 966 in the Washington suburb of Bethesda, Md., where he is an honorary member by 967 virtue of his office. 968 "I've played there before and I'll play there again,"' he said when 969 questioned by reporters traveling with him to visit U.S. troops in the Persian 970 Gulf region. 971 "I'm not going to protest Burning Tree," he said. "Maybe they'll change. I 972 think it would be a good idea for them to take women into the club. I don't hav 973 any problem playing there in the meanwhile." 974 Further, he noted, "There are a lot other very well-respected people that 975 have played at Burning Tree." 976 ------ 048=Usr:165 Bart Simpson 01/04/90 00:58 Msg:5776 Call:32829 Lines:3 977 Is one to assume from Quayle's comment that he is a "very well-respected" 978 person, or just that he THINKS he is? 979 049=Usr:493 michel shannon 02/12/90 00:32 Msg:5862 Call:33369 Lines:1 980 l'homme call DV 415-923-xxxx [*=*]