F I D O N E W S Volume 17, Number 43 23 Oct 2000

F I D O N E W S Volume 17, Number 43 23 Oct 2000
+----------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| The newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: |
| FidoNet community | "FidoNews" |
| _ | 1-714-639-0377 1:1/23 |
| / \ | |
| /|oo \ | |
| (_| /_) | |
| _`@/_ \ _ | |
| | | \ \\ | Editor: Warren Bonner |
| | (*) | \ )) | [email protected] |
| |__U__| / \// | |
| _//|| _\ / | |
| (_/(_|(____/ | |
| (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. |
| | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------------+

Table of Contents
1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1
Editorial ................................................ 1
2. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR .................................... 3
Letters to the Editor .................................... 3
3. ARTICLES ................................................. 6
The How, When, Where and Why cookbook of FidoNet File D .. 6
John's Letter to all ..................................... 9
LETTER FROM RUTH ......................................... 11
4. COLUMNS .................................................. 13
Ol'WDB's Column [email protected] ..................... 13
5. NET HUMOR ................................................ 15
Humor .................................................... 15
6. COMIX IN ASCII ........................................... 18
Comix in ASCII ........................................... 18
7. FIDONET BY INTERNET ...................................... 19
Fidonet Related Sites .................................... 19
This weeks Best Internet Site ............................ 23
8. FIDONEWS INFORMATION ..................................... 25
Masthead ................................................. 25
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 1 23 Oct 2000

=================================================================
EDITORIAL
=================================================================

[email protected]

Well folks, your editor is scratching his ol' noggin to figure out how
to handle some of the requests that come across his desk. I have had a
rush of letters that request to be considered as articles, some sent
by other than the original author. I personally prefer to have
articles submitted by the original author, else the original author
may have a right to contest what is printed as having been edited by
the submitter, or myself for that matter. And so my decision is NOT
to accept articles from others for publishing, until I have received
permission from the author by netmail or email. Only original letters
and articles please.

News Flash just came in tonight:
Dave Moufarrge Z1C has announced his stepping down from that position.
-------------Letter from Dave----------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen, Due to continued issues in my real life, some
good - some not so good, and the associated drain on my time, I am no
longer able to hold the Z1C position in good conscience.

It is my intention to surrender the position

* By 1/5/2001, or * By the time the RCC can organize and complete a
general election for the ZC position, whichever comes earlier.

I have been contemplating this decision for quite some time and find
that this is the best for my family, myself, and Fidonet. At this
point I do intend to retain my node number, though I will likely be
IP-only. I will start transitioning Zonegate responsibilities in the
next couple of weeks. Suggestions are welcome.

This message will be cross-posted into Z1C, Z1REGCON and other
appropriate echoes.

Thanks for your support and hard work.

-=David=- TCP/IP Node kraut.dyndns.org IBN & ITN:60177
[email protected]

~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~

David, we will all miss you, and we thank you for your many
accomplishments for FidoNet over the years. We sincerely hope you and
your family soon find peace and happiness. We are thankful that you
will retain your node number and will be working together again soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~

To continue: On another note. I have had indirect hints about what is
"acceptable" to publish in the Snooze. What topics are off topic. I
have pondered this for some days now. I found the answer in the
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 2 23 Oct 2000

Fidonews.Ban text of Makenews. "Newspapers should have no friends"
---Joseph Pulitzer I take this to mean that all news, in columns,
articles, items, etc. are to be free of the hands that would limit or
exaggerate the thoughts of the authors. To simply take the Middle road
without consideration of the High road or the Other road to get to the
truth would be denying ourselves the whole picture from which to draw
a conclusion. That said, your items submitted with request for
publication will be if they are proper in language and format, and
merit the readers time in general. I know it will not be easy to
please everyone all of the time. I am not worried about that aspect,
or reprisals in some form , as I am only Pro-Tem Ed at this time.

~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~

-----------------------------------------------------------------

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 3 23 Oct 2000

=================================================================
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
=================================================================

[email protected]

(146) Tue 17 Oct 00 7:24a Rcvd: Tue 17 Oct 7:24a By: Dave
Hamilton, Aurora Exploratoria (229/622) To: Warren Bonner Re: Things
that matter St: Pvt Rcvd
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, Warren -

Here's something maybe you could include in the snooze...

======================================================
* Original from Dave Hamilton 1:229/622
* Original to Darrell Salter
* Original about "Things that matter" * Original in area FN_SYSOP
======================================================

DS> Then we move on to the decision by the Z1C to merge two regions.
Again
DS> there is an outcry by RCs and sysops alike.

I have yet to see one single sysop that supports David's intention to
remove R14 and merge the nets into one or more other regions. I have
seen protests, many of them from Fido folks I respect.

What I want to see now is the reconciliation between policy and
principles.

Will sysops in groups or as individuals be willing to sell out their
support of the R14 sysops for the price of not having to admit that
unaccountable authority is not a good thing?

-!- FleetStreet 1.26 ! Origin: Aurora Exploratoria - Ladysmith, BC,
Canada (1:229/622)

==================== End of Forward ====================
Best, dave

~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: "Victor Kuznetsov"
<[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: fidonews
Date: Monday, October 16, 2000 11:08 PM

Hello editor!

Please insert to FIDONEWS information about Region 50 Net 5070
WebSite, his address http://www.n5070.z2.fidonet.net.

Net 5070: http://www.n5070.z2.fidonet.net

Thanx!
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 4 23 Oct 2000

--
Best Regards, Victor Kuznetsov ICQ UIN: 59610324
(2:5070/222@fidonet) lto:[email protected]

~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~

(7435) Sun 15 Oct 00 7:52p
By: Foxy Ferguson
To: Michael Mccabe
Re: Region 14/15 Merger
St:
---------------------------------------------------------------
MM> I did run for RC in the last election...

MM> But R14 has another tradition... The guy who steps forward
MM> to rebuild it and hold the election, well he cannot run
MM> since he is holding the election.

Seems to me that you could, in essence, step aside now and allow
Jim Cannell to "rebuild" ya'll's region (being as how he's been
"tasked" with that job by our great leader), then run for the RC
hat in the election Jim would be required (by ya'll) to hold.
Methinks you'd be a shoe-in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(7433) Mon 16 Oct 00 6:15a
By: Jim Cannell
To: Michael Mccabe
Re: Region 14/15 Merger
St:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
14 Oct 00 23:18, Michael McCabe wrote to Jim Cannell:

JC>> I will serve as TEMPORARY RC14 while the nodelist cleanup
JC>> proceeds.

MM> You might step back, politely tell the ZC that you will
MM> let R14 decide for themselves (Notice the ELF reference :)
MM> , refuse (politely) to be the temp RC, and offer to help
MM> whoever in R14 is fixing the problems. That is you make
MM> your info available to US, not R14 report everything to
MM> you.

At this point, I think that we can all agree that the important task
is to get R14 connected again. Regardless of whether David erred or
not in appointing me to be temporary RC14, it has happened. David
will now be accepting updates to Region 14 only from me.

MM> I am being polite here. Offering you a way out. You will
MM> not be perceived as one of the bad guys then.

Thanks for the out. However, I have been appointed to do a job, and
will continue to do it to the best of my ability.

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 5 23 Oct 2000

MM> Please do not get me wrong, I would welcome any help from
MM> you. I just will not turn out my Region to be screwed. I
MM> cannot help you or the ZC in removing R14.

The best help that I can give you right now is to get R14 reconnected,
and get an accurate R14 nodelist segment into the nodelist. After the
region is again connected, we can get input from the *entire* region
to determine the course that the region sysops wish to take. No
merger is going to happen until everyone in the region has a chance to
speak up.

Please send me an updated segment for your net. I'll get it into the
nodelist. This applies to all Region 14 NCs.

The R14 issue is the number one topic of discussion among the RCC
right now. With your (and other R14 sysops) help, we'll make sure that
it gets resolved in the best interests of R14 and the rest of FidoNet.

Jim

~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~

-----------------------------------------------------------------

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 6 23 Oct 2000

=================================================================
ARTICLES
=================================================================

by Janis Kracht 1:2320/38 ([email protected])
Part II
Date: Friday, October 20, 2000 10:47 PM

The Allfix's Asetup main screen leads you to different manager menus
for each manager, such as node manager, file echo manager, and group
manager, etc. In each of these managers, you enter information for
that manager. In Node manager, you enter the node numbers, passwords
and mail flavor of those who will be calling your system. The File
Echo Manager allows you to view or change the actual tag names, add
description of the tags and indicate where the files are to be
stored. If you want to use them, group definitions are controlled in
the Group manager. Group definitions are handy when you want to
remove or change similar file echoes, or groups of echoes.

You can also have Allfix or your file tossing software calculate the
CRC value of every file which comes into your system. It's pretty
important to have this option turned on. The CRC of a file, or Cyclic
Redundancy Check, allows software like tick, etc., to check whether a
file has been damaged or changed since it was hatched. The CRC of a
file is a unique signature and the value of the CRC is put in the
.tic file so that the file processing program can read what it should
be, or rather what it was when the file was originally hatched. When
a file's CRC fails to match the CRC value that is reported in the
.tic file, the .tic file will be named *.bad and that file and tic
will not distributed further. The CRC value can change if a file is
commented after hatching, or if the entire archive (zip or whatever)
did not arrive. Coordinators know that they must always comment the
files first, and then hatch them. Speaking of commenting files, both
the Filebone and FileGate, and many of the participating FDNs, have
policies in place that ask that you do not change or remove a files'
comment until all of your downlinks have received the original file.

Allfix saves all the information in a database. One thing you might
want to do often is backup your allfix directory... after entering
all of that information, you sure wouldn't want to lose it and have
to re-enter it <g>.

= A bit more History: we thought we had it all together... =

Since Tick did not have a way to check for duplicate files, early on
a good number of duplicate files were sent out through several FDNs.

Coordinators would get a file in from an author, say a bbs utility,
or a bbs door file, only to find out later that the author had sent
it out to every FDN that had a bbs utility file echo or Online Door
file echo <g> ... So sometimes you'd see the same file show up in
several different file echoes :(.

These duplicate files were a waste in bandwidth and pretty bad
waste of money, not only for the fidonet sysop's at large (who wanted
5 copies on your system of the latest Diz creator or bop'n'smash door
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 7 23 Oct 2000

<g>), but also for all the HUBs on the Filebone who were moving the
files. Duplicate files could also cause problems in a sysop's
inbound directory.. when two different tics came in for the same
file, the second file might overwrite the first.. but the tick that
got tossed by the tossing program might not match the CRC's of the
file - in a case like this, though rare, nothing was imported unless
you manually went to your inbound and renamed all the *.bad files to
*.tic.

= Necessity is the .... =

A great feature of the "newer" tick clones like FileManager and
Allfix was developed to help out with duplicate files. These programs
have the ability to check for duplicate files across all FDNs, or
just across file echoes. When detected, these files can be set aside
in a temporary directory. You can have the program check for
duplicate files by filename, or extension with some of these programs
like FileManager, so it is then pretty easy to find dupe files before
they reach your actual file base. This feature didn't help all the
HUBs who had to pass the dupes around but these dupe file trapping
features did at least help the sysop who had to clean up the mess on
his own system <g>.

When the policy of the IFDC FileGate was written up, that was one of
the most important issues.. to join the FileGate an FDN Coordinator
would have to agree to try to not release any duplicate files.
Contact with authors was stressed, as well as working out hatching of
popular files amongst the FDN coordinators. The IFDC stands for the
International File Distribution _Cooperative_ ... If you were going
to join, you had better be willing to "Cooperate" with each other :)

Another idea that started to help limit Dupe files as a result of the
organization of the FileGate was the Backchannel area. Kevin who
hosted ANSICLUB fdn, and the coordinators who were working with me on
the FileGate policy knew that we wanted a way to allow one
coordinator to easily send a file to another coordinator so that the
receiving coordinator could test the file and release it in his or
her FDN. I knew that if a coordinator could simply send a file to
another coordinator with whom he had an agreement, he might be more
inclined to do so :) I looked at Tick's options and found a rarely
used option that Barry Geller included in TICK. By putting two flags
together, asterisk (*) and ampersand (&), you could indicate in your
configuration file that files in a particular area were "receive
only", such as receive from a downlink so that you can send them to
your _uplink_. While allfix and filemanager do not use such notation,
they use the English language equivalent with words like,
"receive-only". When I suggested the use of these flags in an
"File2HQ" file echo, the BackChannel areas were born :)

Backchannel areas are areas that allow a sysop to send files upstream
to a file distribution HQ's site. Backchannel areas use this type
notation (*&) in the FileGate.zxx and Filebone.na files. The
backchannel areas will work if used correctly: You make your HUB or
uplink have the send flag set (C, or H, or Send-only) for the
backchannel area in your config section, and then you give the *&
flag (receive only) to the down links in that area.
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 8 23 Oct 2000

Remember the PDNHATCH TICK segment example earlier.. that area is a
Backchannel area:

Area c:\files\pdn\pdnhatch PDNHATCH
1:163/215 PASSWORD *&
1:163/27 PASSWORD *&
(downlinks) -----------> submissions from
these nodes...
1:12/12 PASSWORD C
(uplink) -----------> go to this node
(_only_)

Theoretically, if you release a file in a backchannel area, and your
uplink is major HUB, your file will be forwarded on to the FDN
Coordinator's system. The Chess fdn and W32 Fdn also use backchannel
areas, CHS-UPLD and W32_2HQ respectively. See the Filegate.zxx or
Filebone.na for other FDNs who use these type areas. Files hatched
in these areas on your system will first go to your _uplink_ and if
your uplink is a HUB, it will continue up the chain to the HQ of the
respective FDN, where it can be examined, checked for viruses and
then released by the coordinator into the file stream. If your
uplink is not a major HUB, the file you hatch may 'dead-end' as it's
called, or stop somewhere up the line since no one is required to
pass these files along.

= Finding Out What's Available =

File echo distribution is documented in two main files, the
Filegate.zxx file, and the Filebone.na file. Filegate.zxx is the
FileGate's list of currently active FDNs on the IFDC FileGate, with
details about contacting the coordinators of each one, how the FDN
connects to the main Filegate system, and a list of Filegate
Supersites/HUBs worldwide. Any file echo originating on the filegate
is delivered to the FileGate HUBs listed in FileGate.zxx, and they
are also delivered to the Filebone for distribution by all Filebone
HUBs. I edit the Filegate.zxx file and release a new one when there
are changes.

Larry James, Technical Coordinator of the Filebone publishes the
filebone.n* files (.na, .nal, and .no). The Filebone.na file
includes all the FDNs on the FileGate, plus those which are only on
the Filebone and not on the FileGate. The Filebone.no is a list of
privately released FDNs (not necessarily available on the filebone,
but carried by many filebone HUBs), and the Filebone.nal is a list of
all the echotags in the total (FileGate and Filebone) distribution
which have tag name longer than 8 characters. Larry publishes the
Filebone.n* files on Monday each week.

All of these files use the same notation, first published by Kevin
Schneider (Kevfun) of the ANSI Club FDN. Kevin was the creator of
the first Filebone.na file, and was the first one to think of putting
together such a list of file echoes. The format of the current
Filebone.na file and the FileGate.zxx file is essentially the same
one originally published then, and uses the notation from George
Peace's RAID program, and the original TICK program.
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 9 23 Oct 2000

= What if I want to Start an FDN =

If you have thought of an FDN collection that will not duplicate the
services of an existing FDN, both the Filebone and the FileGate would
be happy to distribute your files. Take a look at either the
FileGate.zxx or Filebone.na files to see if there is already an FDN
distributing the types of files you are interested in hatching. If
so, you might want to contact that coordinator and see if he could
use a hand.. if one doesn't already exist, you could create a new
FDN. You can contact me at [email protected] or at 1:2320/38 if you
would like your files to be available on both the FileGate and the
Filebone. You can contact Larry James (larry@filebase72) if you
would like your files available only on the Filebone.

When someone contacts me requesting that their FDN be considered for
distribution, I refer them first to the FDNINFO.ZIP archive which
contains a number of FileGate documents. Of course the policy
document of the FileGate is there <smile>, as well as a file called
FDNINFO.FAQ. This document explains pretty much what I need from a
coordinator to list and include the new FDN in FileGate and Filebone
distribution. The Filebone also has it's own policy document and FAQ
files now so it may also be a good idea to read through these two
documents.

However you decide to have your FDN distributed, we'll be happy to
help you get set up :)

= The FileGate Archive =

The FileGate Archive is located on my system in Louisville Kentucky,
ftp.filegate.net. Other mirrors include ftp.maasstad.com, and
ftp.bayhaus.dtdns.net.

We're always looking for new sites who would like to mirror the main
archive at filegate.net, so if you are willing and able to open your
system up to anonymous ftp users, or www users, let me know :)

Larry James also has an anonymous ftp/www site set up at the
following:

http://www.filebase72.com for the web
ftp.filebase72.com for ftp or BinkP.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-----------------------------------------------------------------

(7468) Mon 16 Oct 00 6:46p
By: John Souvestre
To: All
Re: For the record...
St:
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Forwarded from R19SysOp area by John Souvestre (1:396/1), Oct 16
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 10 23 Oct 2000

* Originally by John Souvestre (1:396/1), Oct 16 at 18:45
* Originally to Steve Quarrella

------------- Forwarded message ------------------------------

Hello Steve.

js> Seems to me that the old editor picked him as a replacement
js> so he had a VERY good claim.

SQ> The kicker for me is that Douglas also made the comment about how
SQ> he handed the temporary gig to Bobby simply because he got there
first.

Bull. Doug called for volunteers. The following month he wrote that
there had been two volunteers, both of whom he felt were capable
people. Of the two, he chose Bobby simply because his note was the
first to arrive.

Steve, I'm no fan of Bobby's in general (re: echo takeovers), as you
are aware. However he is getting the short end of the stick from
people like you on the FidoNews deal. The FidoNews editorship has
ALWAYS (as far as I can remember) been a "hand-me-down" job, where the
outgoing editor picks the new one. NEVER have the *C's been involved
in this decision.

Doug named his heir apparent, Bobby. He did so publicly in FidoNews.
Yet when it came time, and Bobby stepped up to bat, everyone jumped
all over him. They started off by asking what proof he had to back up
his claim. These idiots (nothing personal!) didn't even remember the
article in FidoNews naming him. Yet they claim that Bobby is trying to
"grab" power. Perhaps so, but he did it months ago and Doug approved
it!

Doug followed up by sending Bobby copies of the software and pending
articles. There can be NO DOUBT that Doug intended Bobby to take over.
When Bobby reminded everyone of this he was accused of being pushy.
The arrogant *C's didn't even bother to contact Bobby to discuss the
matter!

In spite of his LEGITIMATE claim to the editorship, Bobby graciously
agreed to step aside and to assist the *C chosen editor. He has been
a total gentleman throughout the entire episode.

Why you are continuing to drag Bobby through the mud is beyond me.
The new editor (also a fine fellow) is in place and FidoNews is once
again running smoothly. Let's hope that he too has the foresight to
have a replacement in the wings, though with the current crop of *Cs
it doesn't seem to matter.

John

-+-
+ Origin: Southern Star - sstar.com - V.32b/V.34+ - 504-885-5928 -
(1:396/1)

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 11 23 Oct 2000

--- * Origin: Southern Star - sstar.com - V.32b/V.34+ - 504-885-5928 -
(1:396/1)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

(7455) Mon 16 Oct 00 1:06p By: Ruth Argust To: Members of the RCC
Re: The Temp RC14 St:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello Members of the RCC,

Since you are all probably reading this echo and most all of you would
certainly respond to a problem if need be, I ask that you please do
not allow David to install an outsider as the Temp RC of Region 14.
Putting Policy 4.07 aside in *some* respects regarding membership, Jim
is now the NC of two nets and the RC of his own region. Hats anyone?

In some cases, I can understand why there is the need for several
hats, especially in this case of shrinking nodes when there is no one
else who is willing to get the job done. In this instance, there are
two people who are in R14 who are able and willing to do the job and
to get it done without alienating the members of their region.

Placing an outsider in the RC position is going to lose more nodes.
Let's say that Satti had placed Dallas in as Temp RC10 after Kohl left
and Dallas was tasked with cleaning up R10. How many more nodes do you
think may have left at that point? This has nothing to do with Dallas,
his personality or his way of doing things but the nodes would
definitely resent the outside interference when most of them knew that
among them they had their OWN people able and willing to get the job
done.

Installing Jim is similar to taking these R14 sysops by the hand and
telling them they are a bunch of children who need adult guidance
since they are incapable of doing the work themselves. Any of the
nodes teetering on the brink of wondering if they should stay with
Fido or just shut down their boards are going to fold.

You as individual RC's need to think about what would happen in your
regions if you became inactive for some reason and David appointed a
Temp RC from another region in your place to "fix" your respective
regions. How do you think your sysops would feel in that case? Now
apply this to R14.

Give the Temp RC job to Michael McCabe and let him work with Jeff and
any others that may be also assisting them behind the scenes. Let R14
fix itself by working with their OWN.

The RCC can overrule the ZC and it's time for that action before it's
too late.

Thank you for your consideration.

*ruth*

--- * Origin: The Great White South (1:2404/201)
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 12 23 Oct 2000

-----------------------------------------------------------------

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 13 23 Oct 2000

=================================================================
COLUMNS
=================================================================

Did you know...

The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time television
were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Coca-Cola was originally green.

Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury.

Men can read smaller print than women; women can hear & smell better.

The state with the highest percentage of people who walk to work:
Alaska

The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28%

The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%

The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven averages:
$6,400

The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour:
61,000.

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

That San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from
history: Spades - King David; Clubs - Alexander the Great; Hearts
-Charlemagne; Diamonds - Julius Caesar

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in
the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in
the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If
the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural
causes.

Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th,
John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2,
but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

"I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

The term "the whole 9 yards" came from WWII fighter pilots in the
South Pacific. When arming their airplanes on the ground, the .50
caliber machine gun ammo belts measured exactly 27 feet, before being
loaded into the fuselage. If the pilots fired all their ammo at a
target, it got "The whole 9 yards."
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 14 23 Oct 2000

Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them
looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.

The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law which
stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your
thumb.

The name Jeep came from the abbreviation used in the army for the
"General Purpose" vehicle, G.P.

The cruise liner, Queen Elizabeth II, moves only six inches for each
gallon of diesel that it burns.

The only two days of the year in which there are no professional
sports games (MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL) are the day before and the day
after the Major League all-stars Game.

The nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosey" is a rhyme about the plague.
Infected people with the plague would get red circular sores ("Ring
around the rosey"), these sores would smell very badly so common folks
would put flowers on their bodies somewhere (inconspicuously), so that
it would cover the smell of the sores("a pocket full of posies").
Furthermore, people who died from the plague would be burned so as to
reduce the possible spread of the disease ("ashes, ashes, we all fall
down"). <This must be true as my grandmother told it to me at age 5 or
6.>
~~~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-----------------------------------------------------------------

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 15 23 Oct 2000

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

flashes on the web

Morris walks into an insurance office and asks for a job. "We don't
need anyone," he was told.

"You can't afford not to hire me," Morris said. "I can sell anyone,
anytime, anything!"

"Well, we have two prospects that NO ONE has been able to sell. If you
can sell just one, you have a job."

He was gone about two hours. He returned and handed them two checks,
one for $25,000 and another for $50,000.

"How in the world did you do that?" they asked.

"I told you I'm the world's best salesman," Morris said. "I can sell
anyone, anywhere, anytime!"

"Did you get a urine sample?" they asked.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Well, if you sell a policy over $20,000, the company requires a urine
sample. Take these two bottles and go back and get urine samples."

Morris was gone about six hours, and they were about to close when in
he walks in with two five-gallon buckets, one in each hand. He sets
the buckets down, reaches in his shirt pocket and produces two bottles
of urine. He sets them on the desk and says, "Here's Mr. Brown's and
this one is Mr. Smith's."

"That's good," they said, "but what's in those two buckets?"

"Well, I passed by the Holiday Inn and they were having a state
teachers' convention, so I stopped and sold them a group policy!"

~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~

A very poor woman gave birth to identical twin boys, but she
could not afford to keep them, so she arranged to give them up for
adoption. Unfortunately, the agency could not keep them together, and
one boy was adopted by a Mexican family and the other by an Arab
family. The Mexican family named their boy 'Juan'. The Arab family
named theirs 'Amal'. The years passed, and the woman found herself
wondering whatever happened to her two boys. "They must be all grown
now," she thought, and she asked her husband to track the families
down and ask them for pictures of the boys. A month or two later, they
get a lovely response from the Mexican family, showing the boy Juan
with his brothers and sisters, but they heard nothing from the Arab
family. The mother was very upset, and she cried to her husband. He
tries to calm her, saying: "Don't worry dear, they look just the same.
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 16 23 Oct 2000

So, if you've seen Juan, you've seen Amal!"

~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~

The Israeli police were looking for a man named Joseph,
wanted for looting in the port city of Haifa. The suspect was
described as the son of a Barcelona ex-nun and a German father. He was
a former flutist, and he worked occasionally as a farmer. In short, he
was "A Haifa-lootin', flutin' Teuton, son-of-a-nun from Barcelona,
part-time plowboy Joe."

~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~

The little girl had just listened to her mother's reading one of her
favorite fairy tales.

"Mommy," asked the child, "do all fairy tales begin with, "Once Upon a
Time...?""

"No, dearest," replied the mother, "sometimes they start with
'Darling, I have to work a little late at the office tonight...'"

~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~

GOD BLESS TEXAS !!!

It seems a man decided to write a book about churches around the
nation. So he started out by flying to California, and working East
from there. He went to a church and began taking photographs, etc, and
noticed a golden telephone on a wall and was intrigued with a "$10,000
a minute" sign nearby.

Seeking out the pastor about the phone and the sign, he was told the
golden phone is, in fact, a direct line to Heaven. And, if he paid the
price, he could talk directly to God. He thanked the pastor for
answering his question, and continued on his way.

As he visited churches progressively Eastward, and on around the
United States, he found more phones with the same sign and the same
answer from each pastor.

Finally he arrived in Texas, on his way to New York, and entered a
church in Dallas. Lo and behold, there on a wall he saw the usual
golden telephone, but this time the sign of "Calls: 25 cents" is
posted instead.

Fascinated by the change, he requested to talk to the pastor and
asked, "Reverend, I have been in cities all across the country, and in
each church I found this golden telephone and have been told it is a
direct line to Heaven and that I could use it to talk to God. But in
the other churches the cost was $10,000 a minute. And your sign has
only 25 cents a call as the request. Why?"

The pastor smiled benignly and replied, "Oh, my Son, that's very easy
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 17 23 Oct 2000

to explain. Those people have to pay a large service charge. You're in
Texas now, it's a local call from here."

~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~

-----------------------------------------------------------------

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 18 23 Oct 2000

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

Halo-Cloud
____
(____)
::::::
::::::
:(::):
(oo)
/-------\/
/ | ||
* ||----||
~~ ~~
holy wet cow
~~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-----------------------------------------------------------------

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 19 23 Oct 2000

=================================================================
FIDONET BY INTERNET
=================================================================

. -- -- -- -- --- -- -- -- -- -
| FIDONET-RELATED SITES |
` -- -- -- -- --- -- -- -- -- -
Last update: September 16, 2000

FidoNet
Homepage: http://www.fidonet.org
FidoNews: http://www.fidonews.org [HTML]
ftp://ftp.nwstar.com/fidonet/fidonews/
ftp://ftp.sstar.com/fidonet/fnews/
Echolist: http://www.baltimoremd.com/echolist/
Echomail links: http://www.osirusoft.com/fidonet/fidoip.html
SDS Files: http://fidobbs.dk/download (Web Access to SDS)
FTSC page: http://www.ftsc.org/
General: http://www.writebynight.com/fidonet.html

Zone 1: http://www.z1.fidonet.org
Region 10: http://www.r10.org
http://www.psnw.com/~net205/region10.html
Net 103: http://www.webworldinc.com/club103/
Net 203: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8687/net203index.html
Region 11: http://oeonline.com/~garyg/region11/
Net 2410: http://www.earforce.dyndns.org/net2410/
Region 12: http://sparkys.dyndns.org
Region 13: http://www.net264.org/r13.htm
Net 264: http://www.net264.org/
Net 275: http://www.homershut.net/~mahoover/net275/
Region 14: http://www.ouijabrd.com/region14
Net 282: http://www.rxn.com/~net282/
Region 15: <vacant>
Region 16: <vacant>
Region 17: http://www.nwstar.com/~region17/
Net 140: http://www.nwstar.com/~net140
Region 18: http://techshop.pdn.net/fido/

Region 19: http://bise.tzo.com/r19
Net 124: http://www.startext.net/np/net124
http://texoma.net/~flv
Net 130: http://www.startext.net/homes/net130
Net 393: http://www.chatter.com/~wb/

Zone 2: http://www.z2.fidonet.org
ftp://ftp.sstar.com/fidonet/zone2 (Z2 nodelists etc.)
Region 20: http://www.fidonet.pp.se (in Swedish)
Region 23: http://www.fido.dk (in Danish)

Region 24: http://www.swb.de/personal/flop/gatebau.html (German)
http://www.was-ist-fido.de/
Fido-IP: http://home.nrh.de/fido/ (English/German)

Region 25: http://www.literary.freeserve.co.uk/net2502/
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 20 23 Oct 2000

Region 26: http://www.nemesis.ie
REC 26: http://www.nrgsys.com/orb
Region 27: http://telematique.org/ft/r27.htm
Region 29: http://www.rtfm.be/fidonet/ (French)
http://Welcome.to/skynetbbs/
Region 30: http://www.fidonet.ch (German)
? Region 33: http://www.fidoitalia.net (Italian)
Region 34: http://www.pobox.com/cnb/r34.htm (Spanish)
REC34: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/4552/
Region 36: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/7207/
Region 38: http://public.st.carnet.hr/~blagi/bbs/adriam.html
Region 41: http://www.fidonet.gr (Greek/English)
Region 42: http://www.fido.cz
! Net422: http://www.fido.sk (Slovak/English)
Region 50: http://www.fido7.com/ (Russian)
Net 5010: http://fido.tu-chel.ac.ru/ (Russian)
Net 5015: http://www.fido.nnov.ru/ (Russian)
Net 5028: http://5028.yaroslavl.ru/
Net 5030: http://kenga.ru/fido/ (Russian & English)
Net 5049: http://www.n5049.z2.fidonet.org (English/Russian)
Net 5074: http://www.z2.n5074.fidonet.net
?? Net 5085: http://www.fidonet.uz/ (Russian)

Zone 3: http://www.z3.fidonet.org

Zone 4:
Region 80: http://fidobrasil.8m.com (Portuguese)
Region 90:
Net 904: http://members.tripod.com/~net904 (Spanish)

Zone 5: http://www.eastcape.co.za/fidonet/

Zone 6: http://www.z6.fidonet.org
Region 65: http://www.cfido.com/fidonet/cfidochina.html
(Chinese)

Fidonet Via Internet Hubs

See also: http://www.osirusoft.com/fidoip.html

a @ preceding an individual's name implies a virtual email
address. The email is translated as follows
[email protected] will automatically route to the
appropriate individual's email. Anyone in this list will
also receive routed notice of this feature. In my case, it
would still be [email protected], but you get the idea.

Also, as information is provided to me, I will be adding a
latency field to each node, which is defined as the maximum
time between when the message is received, and when it is
sent on to other nodes, or available to be sent onward,
defined in minutes. A latency of ! implies that there is an
immediate response, and an attempt to deliver immediately
after processing, or a "MinuteMail System", as it were.

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 21 23 Oct 2000

v-email flag [email protected]
| email address or
Node# | Operator | Facilities (*) | Speed,| Basic Rate
| | |latency|
-----------+-------------------+----------------+-------+------------
Zone 1 | | | |
10/3 | Brenda Donovan | FTP,UUE,BinkP | 384K,30| n/c
10/345 @ Todd Cochrane | FTP,BinkP,VMOT | T1,! | n/c
12/12 @ Ken Wilson | FTP | T1 | $24mo.
13/25 @ Jim Balcom | FTP | 56k | $20mo.
103/5 @ Mark Luetger | BinkP | 384k,!| n/c
103/153 @ Michael Box | BinkP | aDSL,!| n/c
103/301 @ Joe Jared | BinkP,FTP,NFS | 384k,!| n/c
103/401 @ Warren Bonner | BinkP | aDSL,!| n/c
105/8 | Russ Johnson | FTP,BinkP,VMoT | 384k | n/c
105/72 @ Larry James | FTP, BinkP | aDSL | $50/yr
106/1 @ Steve Loupe | BinkP, FTP | 128k | ???
106/6018 | Lawrence Garvin | FTP, VMoT | aDSL,60| n/c
107/453 @ Jeffrey Estevez| FTP,BinkP,VMoT,UUE| 56k,60| $10 mo.
140/1 @ Bob Seaborn | FTP,BinkP | T3,30 | $5/$16
167/133 | Stephen Monteith | BinkP | 128k+ | n/c
211/417 @ Korombos | BinkP,UUE,FTP | T1 | n/c
218/109 @ Matt Munson | BinkP,UUE | 33.6k | n/c
244/2 | Kari Suomela | FTP,VMoT,BinkP,UUE| T1,! | $25.00/mo
246/160 @ Mason Vye | FTP, UUE | 56K | n/c
280/169 | Brian Greenstreet | FTP | 33.6 | $2mo.
342/3 @ Richard Dodsworth | BinkP,FTP | 128K+ | n/c
395/670 | Arthur Stark | BinkD,FTP | 128k | n/c
379/1 @ Dale Ross | FTP, BinkP,UUE | 256K+,! n/c
396/1 @ John Souvestre | FTP,VMoT | T1,10 | $5/mo
396/45 | Marc Lewis | UUE | 33.6 | $26/yr
2604/104 @ Jim Mclaughlin | FTP,VMoT,UUE | 33.6 | $1mo
2613/404 @ David Moufarrege | BinkP,FTP,VMoT | 128k+,!| n/c
2624/306 | David Calafrancesco | VMoT | 33.6 | n/c
3613/2 @ [email protected] | UUE | 28.8 | n/c
3632/84 | Robert Todd |FTP,VMoT,UUE,BinkP | 57.6k | n/c
3639/93 @ Ross Cassell | FTP, BinkP |128K+,!| n/c
3651/9 @ Jerry Gause | FTP,VMoT | 33.6 | $3/$6
--------------------------------------------------------------
Zone 2 |
20/11 | Henrik Lindhe | BinkP | ??? | n/c
31/1 | Gabriel Plutzar | BinkP | T1+ | n/c
203/600 | Mikael Karlsson | UUE | 64k | n/c
221/360 @ Tommi Koivula | BinkP,UUE | ??? | n/c
236/205 @ Michael Kaaber | BinkP | ??? | n/c
246/2098 | Volker Imre | BinkP | ??? | n/c
280/1601 @ Jeroen VanDeLeur | FTP,UUE | 64k | n/c
292/620 | Eddy Missoul | VMoT, UUE | 64k |N/C
292/624 | Steven Leeman | UUE | 64k | N/C
292/2003 | Eric Vaneberck | BinkP | 768k | n/c
301/1 | Peter Witschi | BinkP | 768k | n/c
332/807 | Roberto Mascolo | BinkP | ??? | n/c
335/535 @ Mario Mure | BinkP,VMot,UUE | 64k | n/c
335/610 | Gino Lucrezi | UUE | 33.6 | n/c
344/201 | Julio Garcia | BinkP | ??? | n/c
346/3 @ Carlos Navarro | UUE | ??? | n/c
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 22 23 Oct 2000

382/100 | Sinisa Burina | BinkP | ??? | n/c
406/555 | Ofir Michaeli & | BinkP | ??? | n/c
406/555 | Marius Kaizerman | BinkP | ??? | n/c
423/81 | Milos Bajer | BinkP | ??? | n/c
464/4077 | Serguei Trouchelle| UUE | 19.2 | n/c
465/204 | Va Milushnikov | BinkP | 33.6k | n/c
469/84 | Max Masyutin | VMoT | 256k | n/c
480/112 | Adam Sarapata| FTP, VMoT, UUE,BinkP| 128k | n/c
2411/413 @ Dennis Dittrich | UUE,BinkP | 64k | n/c
2446/301 @ Lothar Behet | BinkP,VMoT,UUE,FTP | 64K | n/c
2474/275 | Christian Emig | UUE | 64k | unkn
5030/115 | Andrey Podkolzin | BinkP | ??? | n/c
5100/8 | Egons Bush | BinkP | ??? | n/c
5020/1159 | Gennady Kudryashoff | UUE | 33.6 | n/c
--------------------------------------------------------------
Zone 3
633/260 @ Malcolm Miles | FTP,BinkP | 64K | n/c
640/954 | Rick Van Ruth | FTP,VMot,UUE,BinkP| 56K| n/c
774/605 @ Barry Blackford|BinkP,VMoT:10023,ifcico,FTP |33.6| n/c

--------------------------------------------------------------
Zone 4
905/100 | Fabian Gervan | VMoT,UUE,BinkP | 128k | n/c
902/18 | Javier Tejedor | UUE | 33,6 | n/c

--
* FTP = Internet File Transfer Protocol
* VMoT = Virtual Mailer over Telnet (various)
* UUE = uuencode<->email type transfers
* BinkP = front end mailer for TCPIP networks
* NFS = Linux Networking
----------------------------------------------
Fidonet oriented news servers

news.osirusoft.com
news.tardis.net

Fidonet oriented chat rooms.

room #fidonet 5PM (PDT 11AM GMT) Sundays
irc.osirusoft.com (Peers wanted)

----------------------------------------------

Please send updates, corrections and suggestions to
Joe Jared, 1:103/301, [email protected]. All email addresses
here for purpose of corresponding with fidonet members about
obtaining a feed. Improper use of the virtual email addresses, and
most especially, email addressed to [email protected]
will be considered a request to be blocked by my open relay spam
stopper at http://relays.osirusoft.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 23 23 Oct 2000

-----------------------------------------------------------------

by Warren D Bonner
Normally this header belongs to Frank Vest, who has pointed us to many
very interesting and beautiful sites. I had occasion to wander into
Texas territory <BWG> and check out Frank's own site. WOW! What a
beauty! So many options that I'll have to return again and again to
check all of the links.

~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~

From: "Frank Vest" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Subject:
article Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 11:53 PM

Hello All,

Just a quick note to let everyone know that Collin County Station's
Web address has changed some. The address is:

http://texoma.net/~flv

If you were linking to the http://texoma.net/~flv/ccs.htm address,
please note the small change. The page has been updated with frames
and some other major/minor changes. I found that it was hard to get
around in there for me... and since I designed the thing, I can
imagine how hard it would be for others that didn't know their way
around the site. :)

Have fun and feel free to link to the new address.

~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~

From: "SYSOP" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re Fidonews
Date: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 3:42 PM

Letter to the editor,

Fidotel has been offline for quite some time..... However, I have
recently purchased new computers, upgraded software, and have acquired
a very reliable xDSL line.

Would you please post the following links to the FidoTel Fidonews
resource in future issues of the Fidonews?

web:
http://www.fidotel.com/public/fidonews
FTP:
ftp.fidotel.com (comprehensive archive of every Fidonews ever
published)

Thank you,
Shannon Talley 1:275/311
[email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 24 23 Oct 2000

-----------------------------------------------------------------

FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 25 23 Oct 2000

=================================================================
FIDONEWS INFORMATION
=================================================================

+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- FIDONEWS STAFF - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +
| |
| Editor: Warren D. Bonner, 1:1/23, [email protected] |
| Webmaster: Jim Barchuk, [email protected] |
| Columnist: Joe Jared, 1:103/0, [email protected] |
| (Fido Via Internet Hubs column) |
| Columnist: Ol' WDB, 1:103/401, [email protected] |
| Humor: Roy Reed, [email protected] |
| Features: Frank Vest, 1:124/6308.1 |
| |
+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +

+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - EDITORS EMERITI - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +
| |
| Tom Jennings, Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince |
| Perriello, Tim Pozar, Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, |
| Christopher Baker, Zorch Frezberg, Henk Wolsink, |
| Doug Meyers* |
| |
+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +

* deceased

"Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
trademarks of Tom Jennings, P.O. Box 410923, San Francisco, CA
94141, and are used with permission.

Fidonews is published weekly by and for the members of Fidonet.
Fidonews is Copyright (C) 2000 by Warren Bonner, though authors
retain rights to their contributed articles. Opinion expressed by
the authors is strictly their own. Noncommercial duplication and
distribution within Fidonet is encouraged. Authors are encouraged
to send their articles in ASCII text to Warren Bonner at one of his
addresses above.

The weekly edition of Fidonews is distributed through the file area
FIDONEWS, and is published as echomail in the echo FIDONEWS. These
sources are normally available through your Network Coordinator.
The current and past issues are also available from the following
sources:

+ -- -- -- -- -- -- - FIDONEWS AVAILABILITY - -- -- -- -- -- -- +
| |
| Freq FIDONEWS @ 1:140/1, or 1:396/1 |
| ftp://ftp.sstar.com/fidonet/fnews/ |
| ftp://ftp.nwstar.com/fidonet/fidonews/ |
| http://www.fidonews.org |
| email subscription: [email protected] |
| (subject: help body: list) |
| ftp mail: [email protected] (subject: help) |
| |
FIDONEWS 17-43 Page 26 23 Oct 2000

+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +

-----------------------------------------------------------------