F I D O N E W S Volume 17, Number 10 06 Mar 2000

F I D O N E W S Volume 17, Number 10 06 Mar 2000
+----------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| The newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: |
| FidoNet community | "FidoNews" |
| _ | 1-717-732-6820 1:270/720 |
| / \ | |
| /|oo \ | |
| (_| /_) | |
| _`@/_ \ _ | |
| | | \ \\ | Editor: Douglas Myers, 1:270/720 |
| | (*) | \ )) | [email protected] |
| |__U__| / \// | |
| _//|| _\ / | |
| (_/(_|(____/ | |
| (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. |
| | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------------+

Table of Contents
1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1
The Shape of Things to Come .............................. 1
2. ARTICLES ................................................. 2
Advice on Holding Back ................................... 2
3. COLUMNS .................................................. 3
Ol'WDB: Fifties Quotes ................................... 3
This Weeks Web Page ...................................... 5
4. NET HUMOR ................................................ 7
Principles of Parking .................................... 7
A Hard Story ............................................. 7
5. COMIX IN ASCII ........................................... 9
And more cool cows ....................................... 9
6. FIDONEWS INFO ............................................ 10
Masthead ................................................. 10
FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 1 6 Mar 2000

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EDITORIAL
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The Shape of Things to Come

Just when it seems like Fido is falling apart, forces gather which
promise new life. Such is the power I feel coming together in the
discussions in the echo FN_SYSOP. It's an unruly discussion,
spilling over to other echoes and bearing concepts which have been
argued for years. It's a debate over whether Fido should revert to
the anarchy on which it was founded, or the "top-down" authority
represented by the coordinator structure and embodied in Fido's
Policy 4.

Though the debate has raged for years with no particular sweeping
changes resulting, what seems different this time is that the
opposing sides seem to be working together rather than just spouting
rhetoric. What began as yet another attempt to rewrite policy has
developed into a discussion on guidelines. The theory is that the
guidelines would be non-binding in the sense that individual sysops
would be able to use the traditional solutions developed in the
guidelines, but would have the flexibility to work out unique
solutions between themselves.

Is there a middle ground between anarchy and authority? This
observer doesn't know if this will come to pass... but this
discussion seems like the best shot in a long time. Keep talking,
folks!

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FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 2 6 Mar 2000

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ARTICLES
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Advice on Holding Back

This was written by Renee Deutel, an 83 year old women, to her
friend:

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and
admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden.
I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time
working. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences
to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now
and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for
every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink
unstopped, or the first Amaryllis blossom. I wear my good blazer to
the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out
$28.49 for one small bag of groceries.

I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it
for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank. "Someday"
and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If
it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do
it now.

I'm not sure what others would've done had they known that they
wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I
think they would have called family members and a few close friends.
They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend
fences for past squabbles. I like to think they would have gone out
for a Chinese dinner, or for whatever their favorite food was. I'm
guessing; I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I
knew my hours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain
letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry
that I didn't tell my husband and parents often enough how much I
truly love them.

I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything
that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning
when I open my eyes, tell myself that it is special. Every day,
every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.

"People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends
don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand will
always be there."

I don't only believe in miracles. I rely on them.

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FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 3 6 Mar 2000

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COLUMNS
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Fifties Quotes
Ol'WDB

AMAZING! Here are some quotes from people in the US during the
1950's.

1). "I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they
are, its' going to be impossible to buy a weeks groceries for
$20."

2) "Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be
long when $5000 will only buy a used one."

3). "If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A
quarter a pack is ridiculous."

4). "Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging dime
just to mail a letter?"

5). "The Government is wanting to get its hands on everything.
Pretty soon it's going to be impossible to run a family
business or farm."

6). "If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to
hire outside help at the store."

7). "When I first started driving, who would have thought gas
would someday cost 50 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off
leaving the car in the garage."

8). "Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it
impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be
wearing their hair as long as the girls."

9). "Also, their music drives me wild. This `Rock Around The
Clock` thing is nothing but racket."

10). "I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since
they let Clark Gable get by with saying `damn` in `Gone With
The Wind,it seems every movie has a `hell` or`damn in it."

11). "Also, it won't be long until couples are sleeping in the same
bed in the movies. What is this world coming to?"

12). "Marilyn Monroe is now showing her bra and panties, so
apparently there are no standards anymore."

13). "Pretty soon you won't be able to buy a good 10 cent cigar."

14). "I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible
to put a man on the moon by the end of the of the century. They
FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 4 6 Mar 2000

even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it
down in Texas."

15). "Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract
for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me
if someday they'll be making more than the president."

16). "Do you suppose television will ever reach our part of the
country?"

17). "I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances
would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters
now."

18). "It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few
married women are having to work to make ends meet."

19). "It won't be long before young couples are going to have to
hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work."

20). "Marriage doesn't mean a thing anymore, those Hollywood stars
seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat."

21). "I'll tell you one thing. If my kid ever talks back to me, they
won't be able to sit down for a week."

22). "Did you know the new church in town is allowing women to wear
slacks to their service?"

23). "Next thing you know is, the government will start paying us
not to grow crops."

24). "I'm just afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door
to a whole lot of foreign business."

25). "Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government
takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are
electing the best people to congress."

26). "Why in the world would you want to send your daughter to
college? Isn't she going to get married? It would be different
if she could be a doctor or a lawyer."

27). "I just hate to see the young people smoking. As I tell my
kids, "Don't take a cigarette from ANYONE. You never know what
might be in it."

28). The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I
seriously doubt they will ever catch on."

29). "There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a
weekend. It costs nearly $15 a night to stay in a hotel."

30). "Anymore no one can afford to be sick, $35 a day in the
hospital is too rich for my blood."

FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 5 6 Mar 2000

31). "If a few idiots want to risk their necks flying across the
country that's fine, but nothing will ever replace trains."

32). "I don't know about you but if they raise the price of coffee
to 15 cents, I'll just have to drink mine at home."

33). "If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.
I'll have my wife learn to cut hair."

34). "We won't be going out much anymore. Our baby sitter informed
us she wants 50 cents an hour. Kids think money grows on
trees."

35). "Cars which dim their lights by sensors, automatic
transmissions, and who knows what else? Pretty soon they will
drive themselves."

No it wasn't so long ago!!!

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This Weeks Web Page
by Frank Vest
1:124/6308(.1)

Got an E-Mail pointing out this web page to me. Thought it was great
to get a suggestion of a page to add to the links on my page and
decided to feature the suggested page this week. It was nice to find
a BBS related web page without having to go search. :)

What: TheLitterBox
Where: http://www.thelitterbox.org/

Here it is:

This page will fool you. At first glance, it looks like another
Internet BBS. Of course, that is part of the site. Directly below
the cartoon picture (drawing) of a cat behind a computer screen is a
"Login" option. This will take you to a new page to log onto the BBS
via HTML with options for how you want to participate in the BBS. I
tried the log in and it didn't work for me. I read on down and found
that there is a problem with the HTML log in and new users. The
solution is to login via Telnet and then the HTML will work the next
time you try it. It did work and I logged in via HTML. The BBS is
run on BBBS and seems to work well via Telnet and HTML. I didn't get
into the message areas much, but there are plenty of them from what
I saw.

Ok, back to the page itself. I said the page would fool you... Under
the "Login" option is a couple of links about cats. Being that this
is a page for the "Litterbox", that would seem right. :) Check out
"Toby's Memorial". It will touch you in many ways if you are an
animal lover or sentimental.
FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 6 6 Mar 2000

I'll say again. you will be fooled if you don't look this page over.
Going on down, you find a section marked "Supporting Memberships and
Affliliations". At first glance, you might think this is sponsors
and move on. !STOP! Look at the spinning word "Fidonet". Click on
it. Look the page that comes up over. What a wealth of information!
From the top, which has both the ASCII and a graphic of the Fidonet
dog, to the bottom are archives and information about BBSing and
Fidonet.

Now, if you ever wade through all the information on the "Fidonet"
page, go back and try the other links. :)

On a side note... I'd like to thank the person that pointed me to
this page and got me to take another look. I had found this page
before and never got past the assumption that it was "Just a page
about cats" that had a HTML BBS. I'll not mention a name since it
was an E-Mail, but... Thank you very much!

Drop in on this page when you have some time to kill or even if you
don't. Get past the first impression and look into the page. It's
worth it!

With kind regards,

Frank, [email protected]

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FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 7 6 Mar 2000

=================================================================
NET HUMOR
=================================================================

*****Principles of Parking*****
Excavated by
[email protected]

Before going to Europe on business, a man drove his Rolls-Royce to a
downtown New York City bank and went in to ask for an immediate loan
of $5,000.

The loan officer, taken aback, requested collateral and so the man
said, "Well then, here are the keys to my Rolls-Royce."

The loan officer promptly had the car driven into the bank's under-
ground parking for safe keeping, and gave him $5,000.

Two weeks later, the man walked through the bank's doors, and asked
to settle up his loan and get his car back.

"That will be $5,000 in principal, and $15.40 in interest", the
loan officer said.

The man wrote out a check and started to walk away.

"Wait sir", the loan officer said, "while you were gone, I found
out you are a millionaire. Why in the world would you need to borrow
$5,000?"

The man smiled. "Where else could I park my Rolls-Royce in
Manhattan for two weeks and pay only $15.40?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Moral of this story is "Don't work for your banker, work with him!"
Ol'WDB

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A Hard Story
Thanks to Roy Reed

A man came walking up to the house when he noticed his grandfather
sitting on the porch, in the rocking chair, with nothing on from the
waist down.

"Grandpa, what are you doing?" he exclaimed. The old man looked off
in the distance without answering.

"Grandpa, what are you doing sitting out here with nothing on below
the waist?" he asked again.

The old man slowly looked at him and said, "Well, last week I sat
out here with no shirt on, and I got a stiff neck. This is your
FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 8 6 Mar 2000

grandma's idea.

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FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 9 6 Mar 2000

=================================================================
COMIX IN ASCII
=================================================================

And more cool cows...

(!!) _/\_ \_\
!!!!!!!!(oo) _______(oo) _________(oo)
!/| \/ /| \/ /| Ferrari \/
!/ |______|| / |______|| / |________||
* || || * || || * || ||
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
Last of the Moo-hicans Mayflower cows Sports Cow

___
/ \ ( ) Happy
| \ |--| Mooosic! (__)
| | \ /__ (oo)
+----------+ __oo| \ / -\/
|Steinway &|_ \/| | / ||
|___ Sons ___|_/ |__| * ------||
| | | / / | ^^
o o o | | ||----
^^
Chopin'ing Cow TeX cow

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FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 10 6 Mar 2000

=================================================================
FIDONEWS INFO
=================================================================

Masthead

+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- FIDONEWS STAFF - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +
| |
| Editor: Douglas Myers, 1:270/720, [email protected] |
| Webmaster: Jim Barchuk, [email protected] |
| Columnist: Joe Jared, 1:103/0, [email protected] |
| (Fido Via Internet Hubs column) |
| Columnist: Warren D. Bonner, 1:103/401, [email protected] |
| (Warren uses the pen name "Ol'WDB") |
| Humor: Roy Reed, [email protected] |
| Features: Frank Vest, 1:124/6308.1 |
| |
+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +

+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - EDITORS EMERITI - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +
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| Perriello, Tim Pozar, Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, |
| Christopher Baker, Zorch Frezberg, Henk Wolsink |
| |
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Fidonews is published weekly by and for the members of Fidonet.
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FIDONEWS 17-10 Page 11 6 Mar 2000

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