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Table of Contents
1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1
Louisiana meets The Great Abortion Debate ................ 1
FidoNews now in ECHOMAIL! ................................ 16
Answer to a squeeking mouse .............................. 17
News about WorldPol ...................................... 19
2. LATEST VERSIONS .......................................... 30
Latest Software Versions ................................. 30
3. NOTICES .................................................. 34
The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 34
FidoNews 7-40 Page 1 1 Oct 1990
The following is an article which appeared in GrisGris (BR city
magazine) written by UPI Capital Correspondent Steve Watsky. It
was uploaded to my system (with his permission AND blessings) by
Jerry Williams, Gris Gris Business Manager.
Jerry, who also sysops the LaLaw BBS here in Baton Rouge, is
making great headway in becoming part of the net. However, his
software, MAJORBBS, has only recently become friendly to
networking!
Anyway, it is both Jerry and Steve's desire to share this story
of the wonderful 1990 Legislative Session with the world, in
order that the thinking folks out there know that despite all
they read, there are a few of us here in Louisiana who have
retained our reason and who have not succumbed to the insidious
disease of "YAHOOism"
Please, read and enjoy this article. Then, if you would be so
kind, make it available to your callers, and forward this
article to those whom you know have retained their reason, that
we may all benefit from the knowledge that we are not becoming
extinct. Yet.
*-Alan Jennings
[Ed's note: This is a really long article. But it's a
fascinating study in American Democracy. In my opinion, it's
must reading for anyone who wants some insight into why things
work the way they do in the United States.
The issues, while admittedly very powerful ones, are secondary
to the real message here. I recommend that you sit down before
starting this article.]
A B O R T I O N
PROLOGUE: Another Fashion Statement Bites the Dust
The blonde network reporter is confused.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 2 1 Oct 1990
All the nice people with "Right To Life" stickers on their
chests are staring at her, and it isn't with that "You're A
Teevee Star" look.
No, not hardly.
This is Wrath of God stuff she's getting from the
prim-and-proper set.
In fact, it is apparent to everyone in the packed-to-the-ceiling
Senate chamber on this Saturday that Ms. Network sticks out like
a sore thumb as senators debate whether they will override Gov.
Buddy Roemer's veto of a virtual ban on abortion -- a bill that
could become the strictest statute in the nation.
Purple.
She is dressed in purple. Abortion-rights purple. To add insult
to the brewing angst among the pro-lifers, her cameraman also is
dressed in purple.
"They got me out of bed at 1:30 this morning to come over here,"
she later explains. "How did I know purple was the
abortion-rights color? Jeez, purple's such a big fashion color
this year."
Well, maybe it is in the other 49 states, but there's only one
thing purple means this Saturday in Baton Rouge: You're for the
"killing" of 15,000 unborn children in Louisiana every year.
Or, as Baton Rouge Rep. Louis "Woody" Jenkins is fond of
saying, "You're for the killing of 15,000 little PEOPLE" as he
points to replicas of the fetus at various stages of
development.
Jenkins is most proud of his model of a five-month-old fetus,
which he refers to as this "little boy" or "little girl."
On the last night of the 1990 legislative session, Ted Koppel is
in no mood for Jenkins' plastic people. There, for the nation to
see, is Jenkins explaining on "Nightline" his abortion bill --
complete with his plastic-person-prop.
"Put the plastic baby down, Mr. Jenkins," mutters Koppel,
live-via-satellite from his lofty cocoon in Washington D.C.
Without knowing it, Ted has condensed three months of often
surreal moments into three seconds of soundbite-life.
About the same time "Nightline" is signing off at midnight, the
Louisiana Legislature is signing off for the session, adjourning
for good a day after passing an abortion bill.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 3 1 Oct 1990
Not just ANY abortion bill. But a real-honest-to-goodness
"Let's-beat-up-the-flag-burner" abortion bill.
I: The Holy Crusade
On a bright April day, three charismatic Christians obtain
parade permits from the City of Baton Rouge and proceed to quite
literally shout Bible verse AT the State Capitol. They stand on
the steps, shouting up at the building that the Legislature's
"judgement is not God's judgement! The Supreme Court is not the
most supreme judge of what is right! It is God who is the
supreme court! Abortion is murder! Repent!"
For three straight days they repeat this ritual, driving workers
in the building to distraction because the ministerings can be
heard all the way up in the 24th floor offices of the attorney
general. Some workers devise evil torture for the three earnest
saviors on the steps below that includes boiling oil.
The push to ban abortion starts in April, almost a year after
the U.S. Supreme Court in its Webster vs. Reproductive Health
Services decision said that it would not ban abortion outright,
but would allow states to set some limits on abortion.
Jenkins is the point man for the anti-abortion movement for the
1990 session, ready for the challenge of leading the Pure and
Righteous to victory, spewing soundbites and showering photo-op
on the unwashed photographers.
He files legislation banning abortions unless the woman's life
is threatened by the pregnancy, and it become House Bill 1637.
Jenkins' bill will criminalize abortions, making it a felony for
someone to perform one, punishable by a fine of up to $100,000
and 10 years in prison.
He knows from day one that Buddy Roemer will veto such a
measure. Roemer says the only bill he'll sign is one that
allows abortions in the cases of rape, incest, or if the woman's
life is threatened by the pregnancy.
Politically, Roemer's approach sounds like a pretty good
compromise. It's the "fight fire with fire" approach. The
governor gets to give equally good soundbites with words like
"violent event that is rape" to counter the anti-abortion side's
"tearing the unborn limb from limb during the abortion."
But Roemer soon finds he is almost alone in his position. Even
his handpicked House speaker and Senate president have
co-authored bills banning abortions.
II: The Art of No Compromise
FidoNews 7-40 Page 4 1 Oct 1990
On the third day of the session, about 1,000 anti-abortion
supporters crowd on the capitol steps to hear from Senate
President Allen Bares, House Speaker Jimmy Dimos and Jenkins,
who promise the Legislature will pass a bill banning abortion.
"The bottom line is we don't intend to compromise in our effort
to protect human life," says Sandy McDade, head of the Eagle
Forum. Those words will come back to haunt McDade less than
three months later.
H.B. 1637 goes to the House Administration of Criminal Justice
Committee, headed by Norco Rep. Ralph Miller who knows the bill
is hot and promises to devote one day of testimony to the
pro-life alliance and one day to the pro-choice faction.
Over in the Senate, a virtual carbon copy of Jenkins' bill is
sent to the Health and Welfare Committee, coincidentally chaired
by its author, Mike Cross of Baker.
What the bill is doing in Health and Welfare to begin with is a
mystery. By Senate rule, it should be referred to a judiciary
panel because it deals not with health or welfare, but with
criminal statutes.
Cross grabs the first headlines in the holy crusade.
Just 45 minutes before his committee is to meet on June 5, he
abruptly places his abortion bill on the panel's agenda. Cross
says he is not sure how much longer he will chair the panel
because of committee shakeups instituted in the wake of the
ouster of Bares as president and the ascent of Sammy Nunez.
The disorganized abortion-rights people are stunned when they
enter the committee room and see it jammed to the rafters with
anti-abortion supporters. The word has somehow gotten out to the
pro-life lobby but not to the pro-choice folks that Cross is
taking up the bill.
During a mere 30-minute hearing, Cross repeatedly cuts off
testimony by abortion-rights activists. Several efforts to
bottle the bill up in committee are killed, including one to put
off action for a week.
"Why don't you also make a motion that we meet next week at
Memorial Stadium," Cross angrily and sarcastically suggests.
He is joining Jenkins on the abortion high ground.
"I don't care -- I don't -- if 80 percent of the people in my
district are pro-abortionists. I am not going to change my
mind," he says.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 5 1 Oct 1990
His district includes the Bethany World Prayer Center, one of
the heavy hitters in the anti-abortion battle.
Three days after the Cross bill is approved in Senate committee,
the House Criminal Justice panel takes up H.B. 1637.
Jenkins opens the hearing the first day by testifying before the
panel it has "the opportunity to influence not only what is
happening in our state, but in the entire United States."
Dr. Jerome Lejeune, a noted French geneticist, testifies "the
symphony of life" begins at the moment the sperm pierces the
egg, meaning any abortion -- including those for rape and incest
-- is murder.
Those arguments are shot down the next day by a host of
abortion-rights experts, who testify no one knows when life
actually begins.
After two days -- seven hours of testimony -- the committee
unanimously approves the bill and sends it back to the full
House for debate.
Miller explains the panel did so because it wanted a "clean
record of testimony," in case the bill is finally approved and
makes its way to the Supreme Court where it could be used by
anti-abortionists to test Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 landmark
decision legalizing abortion.
But a couple of members of the panel privately say they're
"trying to stick it to Roemer," so they vote the bill out of
committee without objection.
The bottom line in the Legislature is that the anti-abortionists
have enough votes to pass some form of the bill in both
chambers. If they do, Roemer -- who is not popular with the
Legislature -- will have to put his signature where his rhetoric
is and veto the measure.
III: Cheers From Angola
Despite the obviously impending approval of H.B. 1637 in the
House, some representatives are still concerned.
Because the bill prescribes such a stiff penalty for a person
committing an abortion, River Ridge Rep. Robert Garrity claims
the measure could end up in a state court testing Louisiana's
second-degree murder statutes -- never mind ever making it to
the nation's high court.
Garrity, an attorney, says the bill appears to create a separate
crime of second-degree murder for doctors, as well as the
10-year, $100,000 penalty. He worries the penalty clause is a
sure way of having the bill tossed out in court because current
second-degree murder statutes usually carry a term of life in
prison.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 6 1 Oct 1990
"I've got some guys up at Angola (serving life for
second-degree murder) who are clapping and cheering about the
bill," muses Garrity. "They want to see it pass because the
first thing they're going to do is come in and file a writ
saying, 'If he (doctor) gets 10 years, then I want 10 years.'"
A week later, the full House takes up the bill, and it's
showtime for Jenkins.
He starts his speech with LeJeuene's perfect soundbite, "The
symphony of life..."
The abortion-rights lawmakers are slaughtered in their attempts
to at least amend on the rape and incest clauses. Dimos, a
co-author of the bill, also rules several attempts to make the
state responsible for the children born of mothers who wanted an
abortion are not pertinent to the legislation.
New Orleans Rep. Mitch Landrieu also questions Jenkins about
the clause, "Whoever commits the crime of abortion..." The word
"doctor" or "abortionist" is nowhere to be found, leading
Landrieu and others to worry that if a woman induced an abortion
on herself, she could end up in the slammer for 10 years.
Jenkins says that would never happen, but it is clear the bill
offers the woman no protection against prosecution.
Amid shouts of "Amen" and "Hallelujah," the House votes 74-27 in
favor of H.B. 1637.
Some admittedly pro-choice representatives say they voted for
the bill to simply snub Roemer. Even the majority of the
governor's handpicked floor leaders and committee chairmen had
voted in favor of the bill.
IV: Rabbi Roasting and Doctor Cooking
About a week after the House approval, State Police radios
throughout the capitol crackle that something is going on down
at the entrance to the House chamber. Bemused troopers
congregate as a House sergeant-at-arms politely explains to the
pro-choicers they are not welcome inside, what with their
unorthodox dress style.
One young woman is dressed in a black body stocking with white
tights. Around the crotch, prop-blood is spattered. Another
young woman wears a headpiece festooned with coathangers. They
are protesting the possible return of the back-street abortion.
"Jesus, we hoped those kinds would stay out of this," says an
embarrassed abortion-rights lobbyist who watches.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 7 1 Oct 1990
On June 20, Jenkins' bill moves to Cross' committee, again an
apparent contradiction of Senate rules.
The hearing room is filled to capacity, with another 100
pro-life supporters patiently waiting outside for seats.
Jenkins, plastic babies in hand, tells the committee about "The
symphony of life..." Reporters take out their crossword puzzles.
Cross makes it perfectly clear he will tolerate little from the
pro-choice crowd when he asks a testifying rabbi a series of
embarrassing questions. Some committee members are stunned by
his performance.
Panel member Richard Neeson of Shreveport even refers to the
questioning of the cleric as "rabbi roasting."
"I guess after rabbi roasting comes doctor cooking," quips Dr.
Holly Galland, who followed the rabbi to the witness table.
Cross dismisses that thought, but Galland is proved right when
the senator characterizes one of her responses as "the most
irresponsible answer I've ever heard."
The panel deadlocks 3-3 on the bill because Alexandria Sen. Joe
McPherson is absent. Lobbyists say some of the pro-choice crowd
got to McPherson.
The panel eventually breaks its deadlock and passes the bill out
of committee without recommendation.
Now the full Senate must vote whether to debate the bill, since
this action gives it no place on the upper chamber calendar.
That very afternoon, it does.
The holy crusade reaches the Senate June 26. The national media
descends on Baton Rouge and one network producer sends the
message to Nunez that they'd Like it Very Much if the Senate
votes on the measure by 4 p.m., giving them enough time to get
the story on the evening news.
"We heard testimony in committee that the symphony of life..."
Cross starts. Industrious capitol reporters send out for snacks.
The national media meanwhile is snacking on soundbites and
photo-ops.
"This is what this bill is all about today," Cross continues,
holding up one of Jenkins' plastic fetuses.
No, counters New Orleans Sen. Jon Johnson, it's about something
else.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 8 1 Oct 1990
"I don't have a right to say to the women of this state when you
should or should not have an abortion, and you know what
gentlemen? You don't have that right either," Johnson says.
Hours later, after every attempt to amend on Roemer's rape and
incest exception is killed, the Senate votes 24-15 in favor of
the bill and sends it to the governor.
The pro-life forces are ecstatic, but have missed the point by
not understanding the significance of the vote.
While the Senate has approved the bill, it has fallen two votes
short of the two-thirds that will be needed to override Roemer's
inevitable veto.
The bill scoots back over to the House for concurrence on a
couple of minor Senate amendments that clean up some of the
language problems.
Pineville Rep. Carl Gunter takes the opportunity to Shed Some
Light on this whole rape-incest question, envisioning a race of
superhumans created out of the horror of incest.
"When I got to thinking, the way we get thoroughbred horses and
thoroughbred dogs is through inbreeding. Maybe we could get a
super-sharp kid," Gunter says. Some representatives are seen
burying their heads in their hands.
V: Tastes Great, Less Filling
Because the Legislature is still in session, Roemer has 10 days
to either sign, ignore, or veto the bill. If he ignores it, the
bill becomes law without his signature, a sort-of
"hold-your-nose" act.
The governor says he'll veto it. The anti-abortionists say
they'll override. Tastes great. Less filling. Tastes great. Less
filling.
During the 10-day period, both sides in the battle gather at
different times on the capitol steps to hold media events.
The first to put on a show is the abortion-rights side, which
trots out THE Jane Roe -- Norma McCorvey -- to espouse abortion
on demand.
The noon event is stolen away from McCorvey by Gloria Allred, a
Los Angeles-based women's rights advocate who uncorks, "Read our
lipstick -- no more abortion-restrictive criminal laws."
A few moments before the anti-abortion rally is to begin that
afternoon, Jenkins is preparing to read and hand out to the media
a handwritten appeal to Sammy Nunez to override. The letter is
from his mother, but it seems no one had the courtesy, or guts,
to tell Sammy his mother had joined the crusade. The release of
the letter is avoided when someone -- possibly Cross -- yanks
FidoNews 7-40 Page 9 1 Oct 1990
the letter out of Jenkins' hand, who is standing in front of a
"Jenkins For Governor" banner.
Rumors start circulating that some of the pro-life lawmakers
have less-than-normal sexual predelictions, and have even paid
for abortions. Another popular rumor deals with one of the
leading pro-life lawmakers who allegedly propositioned a man in
a public bathroom.
The pro-life movement isn't sitting still, either.
A few days after the final approval of H.B. 1637, a telegram
purported to be from Nobel laureate Mother Teresa arrives at the
governor's office, urging Roemer to "protect all of God's
children."
Later, it is determined the telegram is from Lafayette priest
Joseph Brennan. Mother Teresa says those are her sentiments but
she never gave permission for her name to be used.
By the middle of the 10-day period, Roemer still is playing a
waiting game. He says he is trying to determine if he has the
votes to sustain the veto before signing the veto message, but
administration sources say he really is scared Cross will jerk
his own anti-abortion bill off the Senate calendar and try to
ram it through the process if the governor vetoes the House
bill.
On July 5, white representatives in the House start telling
stories of being approached by anti-abortion lawmakers who offer
them a vote on a key education bill in return for the override
vote. It's Roemer's single board of higher education bill, a
measure most conservative whites in the lower chamber support,
but not enough for the 70-vote majority needed for passage.
But two black lawmakers allege they have been approached by the
same anti-abortion representatives who offer to vote to KILL the
education bill in return for a vote to override.
Dale Smith, a prime anti-abortion mover, is unswayed by
allegations of double-dealing.
While he denies there is any dealmaking going on, Smith does
concede "the issues coincidentally co-exist, and it's been
discussed."
He also adds, "I feel like swapping the superboard for 15,000
children (who would not be aborted) is a pretty good deal."
An hour after the story surfaces, the House hastily votes to
kill the superboard bill.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 10 1 Oct 1990
A day later, Roemer vetoes the nation's toughest anti-abortion
bill, and within hours the House is considering an override.
VI: Win One for the Barbarians
Most of the television cameras are long gone by the time the
House gets the veto message that day, and Jenkins, apparently
aware of this, asks the House to make consideration of the veto
override its first special order for Saturday, the next day.
That effort fails, but it becomes clear the House has enough
votes at that moment to override, which it does, 73-31.
One Republican lawmaker walks to the front of the chamber to get
a printout of the vote and mutters, "Welcome to the land of the
barbarians."
At 11 p.m. that night, bleary-eyed senators finally get to the
veto message, but can't even decide if they want to debate the
override.
In one of the more surreal moments of the abortion debate, the
upper chamber votes instead to immediately adjourn, drawing a
chorus of applause from the mostly anti-abortion gallery. The
few abortion-rights folks just sit and smile, knowing they at
that moment are close to being the victors.
Still, Roemer is worried. The abortion-rights crowd has been
disorganized throughout the whole debate and has done little to
stand by him in the face of the anti-abortion fervor.
He quietly asks the pro-choicers to stage a rally on Saturday,
in an effort to shore up Senate support and help him avoid the
embarrassment of having his veto snubbed by the Legislature.
Jenkins gets wind of this rally and calls his own counter-rally.
In addition, telegrams begin streaming into Baton Rouge, asking
senators to override. The volume of mail is so great in fact
that a Senate worker is still sorting through them a day after
the override debate ends in the Legislature.
That Saturday, the battle lines are drawn in the chamber, and on
the steps of the State Capitol. Huge speakers are placed on the
steps of the capitol so the more than 1,000 anti-abortion
supporters can hear the debate. They immediately, and for the
next three hours, chant "override" -- a chant that can clearly
be heard in the upper chamber.
A few feeble shouts of "sustain" can also be heard. Tastes
great. Less filling.
"Some of these women here really don't know anything," says
Diana Townsend, who is praying on the steps and casting
aspersions on her fellow man, or woman in this case. "Being a
mother is what it's all about. That's what the lord made women
to do."
FidoNews 7-40 Page 11 1 Oct 1990
When an abortion-rights supporter holds up a sign that reads,
"Support Vasectomies," an abortion foe shouts, "Your father
should have had one!"
Inside, Ville Platte Sen. John Saunders is ripping the
abortion-rights people.
"I haven't seen one sign outside that says 'Abortion,'" Saunders
says.
A young woman in the balcony jumps up and screams, "Yes there
is, yes there is. I said it, I said it. Abortion when I want
it." She is hauled out by the troopers.
The Senate finally votes 23-16 -- three votes short -- on the
override. In the chamber, the 200 anti-abortion supporters sit
in stunned silence, while a sprinkling of pro-choicers scream
their approval.
It's apparent that every senator has made up his mind and isn't
going to change, but they agree to let the pro-lifers have one
more shot at override.
That night, Nunez is called out of a meeting for a phone call
purportedly from the Vatican. But after a few minutes, Nunez says
it was clear the call was not coming from the holy city.
Finally, he asks the female caller for a phone number where he
could call her back. She gives him a 504-area-code number.
The next day, Jenkins' legislative aide leaves pictures of
aborted fetuses on the desks of some of the "swing" votes, and
the crowds are back outside, although not in the same numbers as
Saturday. On the front steps, someone spray-paints the words,
"Stop Killing the Innocent" on the wall of the building.
The Senate blunders through a series of bills, even taking a
break for lunch, without again voting on the override.
During lunchtime, several women lay hands on the building,
praying and bobbing their heads. Other pro-lifers circle the
building holding hands and singing. A reporter from a northwest
Louisiana Christian radio station explains.
"The walls of Jericho thing, you know," he says.
In the afternoon, most of the demonstrators are let in the
rotunda area after a blinding thunderstorm rips through the
area. In the space of 10 minutes the rotunda is filled to
overflowing with dripping and angry people. The floor fills with
half an inch of water, making movement on the granite floor
treacherous, so the dripping folks just stand still -- afraid of
creating a wake.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 12 1 Oct 1990
At about the same time, Cross and Jenkins disappear to write a
concession speech. They don't have the votes and figure they
shouldn't embarrass the movement or themselves with another
futile attempt to override.
Cross breaks the news to the Senate that he is not going to ask
for another override because he knows he doesn't have the 26
votes.
Copies of the Cross speech are distributed to the media. It
contain ellipses, the "..." favored by broadcasters when writing
dramatic pauses into their scripts.
Cross allows Shreveport Sen. Sydney Nelson to make a motion the
override question be tabled, a move approved by the upper
chamber.
Almost everyone breathes a sigh of relief. For the lawmakers, it
ends almost three months of being called out of the chamber to
face either a confrontational, often scripture-laden lecture, or
an in-your-face question like, "Do you have the right to decide
what the women of this state can do with their bodies?"
VII: The Sacrifice of the Flag Burners
In the rotunda, Jenkins is standing on a receptionist's desk
near the front door, exhorting the folks down on Rotunda Lake by
saying they are within a vote of passage but they can't get that
One Vote. Some members of the upper chamber snicker at Jenkins'
contention that he had found two votes.
"We will not give up!" Jenkins ironically shouts, not knowing
what's going on back in the Senate chamber.
Ville Platte Sen. John Saunders, confined to a wheelchair, rolls
up to the front of the chamber and knocks the Senate into
stunned, jaw-hanging silence.
He announces he wants the Senate to consider a bill by Dry Creek
Rep. James David Cain, which would lower the misdemeanor
penalty for beat up a flag desecrator to $25. But Saunders first
wants the Senate to consider an amendment -- the abortion bill
that will be tacked onto the"let's-beat-up-the-flag-burner-bill."
"We'll sacrifice the flag-burner bill for the abortion bill,"
Saunders tells the Senate.
There is an audible gasp in the chamber. Cross explodes out of
his seat shouting his objection, but Nunez decides the move is
legal as long as Saunders strips every bit of the flag-burner
stuff out of the bill. What's left of the bill is not the
"Crime of Simple Battery" but the "Crime of Simple Battery of
Abortion." The Senate debates the amendment, adds it to the
bill, then approves it 32-7.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 13 1 Oct 1990
The House immediately takes up the bill, and after cutting off
debate, votes 83-22 and sends it back to Roemer.
Anti-abortionists are confused. There is a huge gap now between
the fundamentalists and protestants on one side and the
Catholics, led by Saunders, and New Orleans Sens. John Hainkel
and Ben Bagert who apparently have engineered the "triumph," on
the other side.
The protestants say privately they've been sold down the road.
Jenkins even votes against passage of the bill, as all around
him lawmakers are building a new, compromised, moral high
ground.
"It's more than half a loaf," says one pro-lifer, trying to
snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat. "It's more like
three-quarters of a loaf."
A Republican representative walks out into the rotunda area,
which is filled with half-wet anti-abortionists, surveys the
scene and shouts, "At least now y'all will all go home!"
Roemer is given another anti-abortion bill, and has 20 days to
do something with it because the session is ending. If he vetos
it, there are rumblings the Legislature would come back to Baton
Rouge in a first-ever veto session to attempt to override.
VIII: Billy Guste Explains Birth Control
On the last night of the session, the steps are blissfully clear
of of demonstrators. The only folks out there are the reporters,
who by tradition toast the end of the session with drinks while
standing on the Louisiana step.
One reporter, half-wasted on Canadian whiskey, has taped
printouts of all his abortion copy over the last week end to
end. It stretches 40 feet, cascading down from the Louisiana
step.
He sets it on fire. It's an emotional moment.
Four days after adjournment, a group calling itself the Symbolic
Art Wing of Louisiana Choice holds a poorly attended performance
demonstration on the steps of the State Capitol.
It has something to do with lemons, which are nestled in a Radio
Flyer wagon. They hand some of the lemons -- apparently
signifying the status of the anti-abortion bill -- to reporters.
The reporters have a field day, pitching lemons back and forth.
The performance artists drag their wagon over to the governor's
mansion, but either Roemer is not home or in no mood for a
symbolic performance on the wrongs of the anti-abortion bill.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 14 1 Oct 1990
At first, sources in the governor's office say Roemer will
simply let the bill become law without his signature. That seems
like the best idea at the time because it allows Roemer to avoid
the embarrassment of a veto session.
According to both factions, the bill is patently defective from
the get-go.
Constitutionally, it is unclear whether it was even legal for
the Senate to graft the statute onto the flag-burner bill.
There's more. The bill indeed has a rape clause, but it requires
the woman to first report the rape to the police, then get an
abortion within seven days when most women would not even know
if they are pregnant. In addition, the bill apparently would not
allow abortions in the case of simple rape, generally defined as
when a woman does not do everything in her power to prevent the
attack.
Then there's the IUD question.
The standard definition of the intrauterine device is that it
works by preventing the fertilized egg from attaching itself to
the walls of the uterus, so the devices theortetically would be
banned under the new bill which prohibits the use of any device
to "terminate" a pregnancy.
"What's an IUD?" asks Attorney General William Guste when a
reporter questions him whether the device would be banned.
Guste says if that's the way they work, they'd be prohibited but
"who's going to report the crime? Who's going to know?"
A couple of weeks after the session ends, someone spray paints
numerous pro-choice slogans, such as, "Leave women's bodies
alone" on the capitol. State troopers are forced to work
overtime, sitting out front of the building at night protecting
it from more grafitti.
As the deadline day draws near, Roemer has a change of heart. He
says he is influenced by his daughter and estranged wife, but a
good bet is he also was influenced by the battering Louisiana
was getting in the national press over the way the bill was
created.
On Friday, July 27, Roemer puts pen to paper and vetos the
bill.
The Legislature now has the chance to override, but in the
Senate at least, there isn't much sentiment for the move. A
majority of the upper chamber is against the override session,
and votes against returning to Baton Rouge Aug. 18 for the
attempt. The abortion issue finally dies for 1990 in Louisiana.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 15 1 Oct 1990
EPILOGUE: Another Loaded Question
The British-sounding network reporter is confused on the phone.
The IUD business is bizarre, she says. But there is a bigger
question she asks the reporter at the other end of the line in
Baton Rouge.
"How can you stand to live there?" she asks.
STEVEN WATSKY is capitol bureau manger for United Press
International in Baton Rouge. He is a contributor to the
national magazine In These Times, and frequently slots himself
on public affairs television and radio programs in Baton Rouge
and New Orleans.
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FidoNews 7-40 Page 16 1 Oct 1990
Michele Hamilton
FidoNet 1:369/21
Fidonews Now in an Echo!
By Michele Hamilton
As you may, or may not, already know, a new echo has been formed
to present the FidoNet News as messages in an echo for yourself
and your users to read online. While this brilliant idea came
about primarily because of my laziness in unarcing the news, then
loading it into a word processor or editor or List to read, it
met with the approval of our wonderful Editor-in-Chief, Vince
Perriello when I presented the idea to him at Conclave90.
In order to accomplish what I wanted, I needed a program. When I
presented the problem to Eric Carr, 1:365/47, author of EN
(EchoNews, a newsfile writer similar to MakeNews), he very kindly
wrote NF for me. NF is a short and sweet little program which
will take ANY textfile and break it up into *.msg format, either
according to a set pagelength or when it encounters a formfeed
character. It will, through control files, place anything you
wish in to TO and FROM field, but, best of all, it will take the
name of the file (in our case FIDO???.NWS) and place it in the
subject line along with the page number. The first page with
have the page number "i", as an index, all subsequent pages will
be incremented as needed beginning with "Page 1".
So, at last, those of us who want to easily read the news, and
perhaps chat about it amongst ourselves, can easily do so. The
areaname of the echo is NEWSCHAT. Currently available from
myself at 1:369/21 or Orville Bullitt, 1:135/36 who is
PCPursuitable. We're hoping to get this on the backbone soon and
the more systems who wish to take advantage of this, for
themselves and their users, the faster it'll get there.
Please understand that although the news messages themselves
indicate that they are coming from Vince at 1:1/1, they are
actually originating from my system. Also understand that this
echo is strictly for the reading of and chatting about Fidonews
and not an area to place submissions.
I hope you'll join us and enjoy reading the news comfortably and
with ease.
Michele Hamilton, 1:369/21
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FidoNews 7-40 Page 17 1 Oct 1990
Mark Bornstein, Island Logistics BBS
FidoNet 1:101/111
Where did you say it was better to rule in ???? or,
an answer to a squeeking mouse!
It appears that some people's computer world, (if not their
entire world,) has come crashing down around their ears because
Fidonews is now arriving in a different format. Oh Woe, Oh woe!
I was forced to insert another short line in my batch file which
loads the news in the "List" program for my perusal. It's a good
thing I had the Lharc program in my path else I would have run
around tearing my hair out. Oh Woe!
I mean really, it is almost as if all the complainers, railing at
Vince's dastardly deed, have instead had their wives leave them.
(Certainly cause for celebration instead in many cases.)
(Celebration... by the wives that is!)
Now I am an old line conservative from way back and do not like
my routine interrupted any more than the next guy. However, in
this case some of you are acting as if your favorite barber had
died before you, (hence, no more great haircuts,) or your
favorite bagel bakery now has a new baker making lousy bagels.
Accusing someone of being unfair is an argument that the "weak"
always use against the "strong" when they can't get what they
want. And what do they want? "[L]engthy consultations with
others!" To those who want "lengthy" discussion, I firmly suggest
that you join the ridiculous debate on abortion in the Flame
echo. Choose any side and take some pot shots! It will make you
feel strong again.
"Lengthy consultation" indeed! This obfuscatory comment would
have old "Winnie" turning over in his grave. (Winston Churchill
believed in "full and complete discussion of the subjects at
hand, followed by complete agreement with what [he] wanted in the
first place." Those who are objecting to Vince's simple and
certainly unobtrusive change are quite laughable really.
I for one am delighted to see a change entered here, by one who
is "Churchillian," and sees no need to discuss this situation
with us lesser mortals. After all, better a "Churchill" than a
"Mister Rogers" who is complaining about a broken batch file.
The mere fact that there are some "lesser mortals" railing at
Vince, itself indicates the correctness of Vince's decision.
Besides, why in the devil would a technical giant wish to discuss
technical details with a boob.
Vince must be sitting back chuckling and calling "higher" at the
furor he has loosed. I sure wish Vince would start acting
according to his beliefs rather than making things up as he goes
along.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 18 1 Oct 1990
...by Mark Bornstein 101/111
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 7-40 Page 19 1 Oct 1990
Pablo Kleinman
FidoNet 4:900/101
-- News about the Worldwide Policy Proposal --
After the publication on FidoNews 730 of version 1f of the
current FidoNet Worldwide Policy Proposal, I got an unexpectedly
great amount of feedback; remarks, criticism, and even
congratulations. I was unable to reply to every single message
received, so here go my apologies and gratitude to all those who
participated.
Here follows the last release of WorldPol (version 1g from
September 21st) for you to check out and comment. I hope this
document will be soon voted and hopefully approved to replace the
current Policy4.
Thank you very much for your attention.
FidoNet Worldwide Policy Document Version 1g
September 21, 1990
This Worldwide Policy document has been released for vote by
the Coordinator structure and is not yet in force.
1 FidoNet
This document installs an international (inter-zonal) policy
for sysops who are members of the FidoNet organization of
bulletin board systems worldwide. FidoNet is defined by a list
of nodes (NodeList) issued on a weekly basis by each of the Zone
Coordinators, on behalf of the International Coordinator.
Each FidoNet Zone is entitled to issue its own policy
document, according to its own needs and customs. This
International Policy, determines general rules which must be
specified -and may not be contradicted- by the Zone Policies.
Regions and local Networks may also issue their own policies,
provided such policies do not contradict this International
Policy or the respective Zone's policy.
1.1 Overview
FidoNet is an amateur electronic mail system.
As such, all of its participants and operators are unpaid
volunteers. From its nearly beginning in 1984, as a few friends
swapping messages back and forth mainly in North America, it
consists now of an International community of more than seven
thousand systems all over the world.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 20 1 Oct 1990
FidoNet is not a common carrier or a value-added service
network and is a public network only as much as the independent,
constituent nodes may individually provide public access to the
network on their system.
FidoNet exists to provide electronic mail services to its
member sysops.
To efficiently provide such services, various structure and
control mechanisms are essential. The structure is organized into
multiple nets, with decentralized administration.
This document delineates all of the procedures at the
international level of FidoNet, as well as some general rules for
the lower levels (intra-zonal), developed to manage the network.
Authorities in the international level not defined by this
document, shall be defined by the Zone Coordinators Council and
the International Coordinator.
2 Language
Each zone has the right to determine its own official language.
At the international (inter-zonal) level, for practical
purposes, FidoNet adopts English as its official language. All
the FidoNet documents issued at the international level must
exist in English. Translation into other languages is encouraged.
3 Access to FidoNet
FidoNet membership is open to everybody that fulfills the
technical standards described in paragraph 5.9. Lower-level
policies may issue additional restrictions only if particularly
authorized by the Zone Coordinator Council.
4 Organization
The organizational structure of FidoNet, has been developed to
distribute the administration and control of FidoNet, to the
lowest possible level, while still allowing for coordinated
action over the entire system.
Effective administration is made viable by operating in a
top-down manner.
This means, that a person at any given level is responsible to
the level above, and responsible for administrating the level
below.
If a person at any level above sysop is unable to properly
perform their duties, the person at the next level may replace
them. For example, if a Region Coordinator fails to perform, the
Zone Coordinator may cause the Coordinator to be replaced.
Coordinators may also be removed by a majority vote of the level
below. For example, if network Coordinators in a region lose
faith in the ability of a Region Coordinator to effectively
FidoNews 7-40 Page 21 1 Oct 1990
perform, they may vote to have a new Coordinator elected.
4.1 International Coordinator
The International Coordinator (IC) is the Executive Officer of
FidoNet and coordinates the joint production of the master
nodelist by the Zone Coordinators. The International Coordinator
is responsible for creating new zones in FidoNet, but can only do
so with the approval of the Zone Coordinator Council.
The International Coordinator is selected by unanimous vote of
the Zone Coordinators, and removed by a majority vote of the Zone
Coordinators.
4.2 Zone Coordinator Council
The Zone Coordinator Council (ZCC) consists of the Zone
Coordinators -each having a single ballot- and the International
Coordinator. In the event of a ZCC vote tie, the International
Coordinator may cast an additional vote to untie the election.
The Zone Coordinator Council is the legislative body of
FidoNet, it represents each of the zones in FidoNet. It is the
highest authority of the network's Top-Down organization.
4.3 Zones and Zone Coordinators
A zone is a geographic area containing one or many regions,
covering one or more countries.
The Zone Coordinator is the Executive Officer of the Zone, and
the zone's representative to the other zones.
The Zone Coordinator compiles the nodelists from all of the
regions in the zone, creates a master nodelist and a difference
file, which is then distributed over FidoNet within the zone. A
Zone Coordinator does not perform message-forwarding services for
any nodes in the zone, whereas the Zone Coordinator is
responsible for the formation and/or administration of one or
more zone-gates to provide interzone mail facilities.
The method used for selection of Zone coordinators is left to
the discretion of the relevant Zone Policy. In the absence of a
Zone Policy selection method, Zone Coordinators are elected and
removed by a majority vote of the Region Coordinators in the
Zone.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 22 1 Oct 1990
4.4 Regions and Region Coordinators
A Region is a well-defined geographic area containing nodes
which may or may not be combined into networks. A typical Region
will contain many nodes in networks, and a few independent nodes
which are not part of the network.
The Region Coordinator maintains the list of independent nodes
in the region, and accepts nodelists from the Network
Coordinators in the Region.
These are compiled to create a regional nodelist, which is sent
to the Zone Coordinator. A Region Coordinator is encouraged to
perform message-forwarding services for nodes within the region,
but is not forced to, unless the appropriate Zone or Region
policy imposes such a requirement.
The method used for selection of Regional coordinators is left
to the discretion of the relevant Zone or Region Policy. In the
absence of such a policy selection method, Region Coordinators
are elected and removed by a majority vote of the NCs in the
Region.
4.5 Networks and Network Coordinators
A network is a group of nodes, normally but not exclusively in
a local geographic area. Networks coordinate their mail activity
to decrease cost.
The Network Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the list
of nodes for the network, and for forwarding netmail sent to
members of the network from other FidoNet nodes. The Network
Coordinator may make arrangements to handle outgoing netmail, but
is not required to do so, unless the appropriate Zone, Region or
Net policy imposes such a requirement.
The method used for selection of Network coordinators is left
to the discretion of the relevant Zone/Region/Net Policy. In the
absence of such a policy selection method, Network Coordinators
are elected and removed by a majority vote of the Nodes in the
Network.
4.5.1 Network Routing Hubs
Network Routing Hubs exist only in some networks. They may be
appointed by the Network Coordinator, in order to assist the
management (especially routing tasks) of the network.
4.6 Individual systems (Nodes)
FidoNews 7-40 Page 23 1 Oct 1990
The smallest subdivision of FidoNet is the individual system,
corresponding to a single entry in the nodelist. The system
operator (SysOp) formulates a policy for running the board and
dealing with the users. The sysop must mesh with the rest of the
FidoNet system to receive and send mail, and the local policy
must be consistent with other levels of FidoNet.
4.6.1 Users of an individual system
The sysop is responsible for the actions of any user when they
affect the rest of FidoNet (i.e. if the user is annoying, the
sysop is annoying). The users have no rights under this policy
document.
4.6.2 Points
A point is a system that is not in the nodelist, but
communicates with FidoNet through a node defined to as bossnode.
A point is generally regarded in the same manner as a user and,
for example, the bossnode is responsible for mail from the point.
Points are addressed using the bossnode's nodelist address; for
example, a point system with a bossnode of 125/111 might be known
as 125/111.6. Mail sent to the point will be sent to the
bossnode, which then routes it to the point.
Point operators are not FidoNet members, they are only users of
a FidoNet node, as any other regular user; they have no rights
under this policy document.
5 General Procedures for All Coordinators
5.1 Making Available Difference Files and Nodelist
Each Coordinator is responsible for obtaining and making
available for file request and download by users, on a weekly
basis, nodelist difference files and complete nodelists.
5.2 Processing Nodelist Changes and Passing Them Upstream
Each Coordinator is responsible for obtaining nodelist
information from the level below, processing it, and passing the
results to the level above.
The timing of this process is determined by the requirements
imposed by the level above.
5.3 Ensure the Latest Policy is Available
FidoNews 7-40 Page 24 1 Oct 1990
A Coordinator is responsible to make the current version of the
International Policy available to the level below, and to
encourage familiarity with it.
5.4 Minimize the Number of Hats Worn
Coordinators are encouraged to limit the number of
FidoNet-related Coordinator functions they perform. A Coordinator
who holds two different positions, compromises the appeal
process. For example, is the Network Coordinator is also the
Region Coordinator, sysops in that network are denied one level
of appeal.
Multiple hats are also discouraged due to the difficulty of
replacing services when a coordinator leaves the net.
5.5 Be a Member of the Area Administered
A Coordinator must be a member of the area administered. This
is, a Network Coordinator must be a member of the network he is
to coordinate.
A Region Coordinator must be either a member of a network in the
region, or an independent in a region.
5.6 Encourage New Sysops to Enter FidoNet
A Coordinator is encouraged to operate a public bulletin board
system which is freely available for the purpose of distributing
Policy and Nodelists to potential new sysops. Dissemination of
this information to persons who are potential FidoNet sysops is
important to the growth of FidoNet, and Coordinators should
encourage development of new systems.
5.7 Tradition and Precedent
A Coordinator is not bound by the practices of predecessor.
However, it must be clear that Coordinators are bound by all
requirements of this document, both as FidoNet sysops and as
Coordinators. The holding of a Coordinator title does not grant
license to annoy others or to flaunt policy.
5.8 Technical Management
The primary responsibility of any Coordinator is technical
management of network operations. Decisions MUST be made only
on technical grounds. A Coordinator has the responsibility to act
as objectively as possible; objectivity must be considered an
essential factor when making a decision.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 25 1 Oct 1990
5.9 Exclusivity of Zone Mail Hour
Zone Mail Hour is the heart of FidoNet, as this is when network
mail is passed between systems. Any system which wishes to be a
part of FidoNet must be able to receive mail during this time
using the protocol defined in the current FidoNet Technical
Standards Committee publication (FTS-0001 at this writing). It
is permissible to have greater capability (for example, to
support additional protocols or extended mail hours), but the
minimum requirement is FTS-0001 capability during this one hour
of the day.
This time is exclusively reserved for netmail. Many phone
systems charge on a per-call basis, regardless of whether a
connect, no connect, or busy signal is encountered. For this
reason, any activity other than normal network mail processing
that ties up a system during ZMH is considered annoying behavior.
User (BBS) access to a system is prohibited during ZMH.
Zone Mail Hour will be defined by each Zone Policy. In the
absence of a Zone Policy, it will be defined by the Zone
Coordinator.
6 Election and Referendum Procedures
Any election or referendum at any level of FidoNet, must be
democratic by western standards.
Each zone will issue its own election procedures, which must be
approved by the Zone Coordinator Council before implementation.
If a worldwide election, with the participation of all zones,
is to be held, the Zone Coordinator Council will determine the
election procedures.
7 Policy Referenda
7.1 International Policy
A referendum on International Policy modification is invoked by
the International Coordinator at the direction of a majority of
the Zone Coordinators, or a majority of the Region Coordinators
of all zones, a majority of the Network Coordinators of all
zones, or by one third of all the sysops in all zones.
All the members of FidoNet are entitled to vote on an
International Policy referendum, which is to be held according to
the procedures described by the Zone Coordinator Council before
the election is called.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 26 1 Oct 1990
7.2 Zone Policy
A referendum on Zone Policy modification is invoked by the Zone
Coordinator, by a majority vote of the Region Coordinators in the
zone, by a majority vote of the Network Coordinators in the
zone, or by one third of all the sysops in the zone.
All the members of the zone are entitled to vote on a Zone
Policy referendum, which is to be held according to the
procedures described on the Zone Policy. If such document does
not exist, the procedures will be determined by the Zone
Coordinator with the approval of the Zone Coordinator Council.
The formulation of Region and Network Policy documents is
encouraged, and must be regulated by the Zone Policy documents in
each zone.
7.3 Transition to a 'Worldwide Policy environment'
After the approval of this Worldwide Policy, the previously
existing policy will still be in effect for the Zone level until
the approval of a new Zone policy, according to the methods
provided in this document.
All the procedures introduced by this Worldwide Policy document
adjourn the procedures existing in the previous policy document.
8 Resolution of Disputes
The FidoNet judicial philosophy can be summed up in two rules:
1) Thou shalt not excessively annoy others.
2) Thou shalt not become excessively annoyed.
The parties involved in a dispute are encouraged to solve their
problems directly, without the intervention of a Coordinator.
8.1 Mediation Requests
Any of the parties involved may request the intervention of the
respective Coordinator: Network Coordinator if a dispute between
members of the same network, Region Coordinator if a dispute
between members of different networks on the same region; Zone
Coordinator if a dispute between members of different regions on
the same zone; International Coordinator if a dispute between
members of different zones.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 27 1 Oct 1990
The Coordinator requested as "mediator", will ask each party to
provide all the information before two weeks from the request and
will make a decision within forty-five days after he received all
the information from the involved parties.
A Coordinator, unable to resolve a dispute, may name a third
party to act as "mediator", provided the parties involved in the
dispute agree.
8.2 Appealing to a Mediator's Decision
A mediator's decision may be appealed to the immediately
superior level if considered unfair: Region Coordinators handle
appeals from decisions made by Network Coordinators; Zone
Coordinators handle appeals from decision made by Region
Coordinators; The International Coordinator handles appeals from
decisions made by the Zone Coordinators; and the Zone Coordinator
Council will handle appeals from decisions made by the
International Coordinator, being the Zone Coordinator Council's
resolutions, unappealable.
For appealing to a decision made by a third person named by a
Coordinator to act as mediator, it will be as if the Coordinator
made the resolution and the previously enumerated sequence of
appealing will be appropriate.
For appealing to a decision made by a mediator, the same terms
and procedures as for any Mediation Request apply.
8.3 Statute of Limitations
A mediation request may not be filed more than 60 days after
the date of discovery of the source of the infraction, either by
admission or technical discovery of the source of an infraction,
either by admission or technical evidence. Mediation requests may
not be filed more than 120 days after the incident, unless they
involve suspected unlawful behavior, in which the legal statute
of limitations of the country involved shall apply.
8.4 Echomail
Each FidoNet Zone is encouraged to establish it's Zone Policy
concerning the manner of handling Echomail and the resolution of
disputes arising from such distribution.
No sysop may be required to carry an echomail conference as a
condition of joining or remaining in FidoNet.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 28 1 Oct 1990
9 "CCC": Comments, Credits and Copyright!
This section will be automatically removed upon approval of this
document.
9.1 Comments on Implementation
This document is not final; FidoNet sysops are encouraged to
make suggestions for changes, as well as comments, which can be
addressed to FidoNet node 4:4/50 (The Policy5 Project).
This World Policy will be adopted according to the mechanisms
provided on the present policy document.
9.2 Credits
Here I list the names of some individuals that had some direct
or indirect influence in the shaping of this text (in
alphabetical order):
- Raul Artaza (4:900/106)
- Bill Bolton (3:711/403)
- Steve Bonine (1:115/777)
- Randy Bush (1:105/6)
- Billy Coen (4:900/110)
- Jack Decker (1:154/8)
- Daniel Docekal (2:42/0)
- Tomas Gradin (2:200/108)
- Rob Hoare (3:712/630)
- Alejandro Hopkins (4:900/211)
- Tom Jennings (1:125/111)
- Glen Johnson (1:269/101)
- Daniel Kalchev (2:359/1)
- Raymond Lowe (3:700/725)
- Rick Moore (1:115/333)
- George Peace (1:270/101)
- Jan Stozek (2:480/2)
- Matt Whelan (3:712/627)
- Gustavo Zacarias (4:900/202)
Special thanks go to Ron Dwight (2:515/1), for his enthusiastic
cooperation.
9.7 Temporary Copyright
This document is Copyright (C) 1990 by Pablo Kleinman.
Todos los Derechos Reservados / All Rights Reserved.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 29 1 Oct 1990
This document is protected under international copyright laws.
Unauthorized use is subject to criminal prosecution.
Disclaimer: This document was written by a Spanish-speaking
individual, that uses English as a second language. If you find
any semantic, morphologic or syntactic errors, please forgive.
TOTAL: 3031 WORDS!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 7-40 Page 30 1 Oct 1990
Utility authors: Please help keep this list up to date by
reporting new versions to 1:1/1. It is not our intent to list
all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity.
FidoNews 7-40 Page 33 1 Oct 1990
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FidoNews 7-40 Page 34 1 Oct 1990
5 Oct 1990
21st Anniversary of "Monty Python's Flying Circus"
4 Nov 1990
Area Code 214 fragments. Part will become area code 903.
6 Nov 1990
First anniversary of Van Diepen Automatiseert, 2:500/28
14 Nov 1990
Marco Maccaferri's 21rd Birthday. Send greetings to him at
2:332/16.0
1 Jan 1991
Implementation of 7% Goods and Services Tax in Canada. Contact
Joe Lindstrom at 1:134/55 for a more colorful description.
16 Feb 1991
Fifth anniversary of the introduction of Echomail, by Jeff Rush.
7 Oct 1991
Area code 415 fragments. Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
will begin using area code 510. This includes Oakland,
Concord, Berkeley and Hayward. San Francisco, San Mateo,
Marin, parts of Santa Clara County, and the San Francisco Bay
Islands will retain area code 415.
1 Feb 1992
Area code 213 fragments. Western, coastal, southern and
eastern portions of Los Angeles County will begin using area
code 310. This includes Los Angeles International Airport,
West Los Angeles, San Pedro and Whittier. Downtown Los
Angeles and surrounding communities (such as Hollywood and
Montebello) will retain area code 213.
1 Dec 1993
Tenth anniversary of Fido Version 1 release.
5 Jun 1997
David Dodell's 40th Birthday
If you have something which you would like to see on this
calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1.
