                                  T H E

                               Z E P H Y R

                      __     M A G A Z I N E
                     {__]++++++++++++++++++++++++++[]
                     Issue #51               12-21-87

                A weekly electronic magazine for users of
                            THE ZEPHYR II BBS
                        (Mesa, AZ - 602-894-6526)
                    owned and operated by T. H. Smith

                        Editor - Gene B. Williams

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                                (c) 1987

    THIS ISSUE:

       Can you believe it? The New Zephyr Magazine has been around
    for almost two years now. This is Issue #51, which means that
    a new issue has come out on an average of about every two weeks
    all this time.
       All those issues are available for download. The problem is
    that the few word description may not be enough for you to
    decide which ones you want, and which are of no interest to you.
    So once again I'll run through the issues listing and give a
    slightly expanded description of each.

                         ZEPHYR MAGAZINE ISSUES

    NOTE: Guest issues are noted with the author's name. If no
      author name is given, the issue is written by Gene B. Williams.
      (Hey! I deserve credit, too!)

    Issue     Date      Topic
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                                 1 9 8 6

    ISH.1     1-11-86   Taking Care of Your Computer (humor) - Is your
    printer eating paper? The solution is simple. Take it outside and
    open a fire hydrant on it. The force will bounce the printer down
    the street, jarring loose all the paper dust, and the water will
    wash it away. This and other, er, valuable tips are given.

    ISH.2     1-25-86   Beans, Bags and Smiler Jack (fiction) - It
    has been discovered that there are creatures in the atmosphere of
    Jupiter, living in that area of statis where the crushing gravity
    is balanced with the upward pressure of heat. They are bouyant
    creatures, like whales tied to hot air balloons. Jack and his crew
    are going out to make contact. But Jack has a problem. A rather
    gaseous one.

    ISH.3     2-01-86   Nuclear War - Nuclear Winter (article) - At
    end of World War II the United States demonstrated a new power -
    the atomic bomb. Then came the hydrogen bomb, so powerful that the
    A-bomb was used as a fuse. From blowing up buildings we developed
    the power to blow up whole cities. Then the Soviets came up with
    weapons of their own. The arms race was on. In less than a decade
    we had enough power to kill everything on earth several times over.
    Then came the nuclear winter theory. It has been shown, and
    accepted by the Pentagon, that if as little as 1% of the arsenal
    is exploded, the world will be covered in a cloud of dust, causing
    the surface temperature to plunge far below freezing for months or
    years, possibly spelling the extinction of life on earth.

    ISH.4     2-9-86    There's Always Tomorrow (fiction) - You've had
    a fight with a friend or lover. It was a silly argument and you
    want to apologize. Your pride gets in the way. "I'll make it up
    tomorrow," you say. But what if tomorrow doesn't come?

    ISH.5     2-25-86   The Famous Baby Issue (birth) - My son, Danny,
    was born on February 12th. This issue celebrates that by discussing
    what pregnancy and birth is all about.

    ISH.6     3-07-86   Evolution - Is it fact or fiction? Just a
    theory suported by atheists or the answer to how we got here?

    ISH.7     3-15-86   The $3.75 (plus tax) Man (fiction) - Now in
    reruns (for the hundredth time?) is "The Six Million Dollar Man."
    He was an astronaut, backed by all the wealth and power of the
    federal government. But what would happen if a crop duster
    crashed in a field of asparagus and was given the medical
    treatment all the rest of us get?

    ISH.8       3-22-86   Satellite Television - Legal or Illegal? -
    Some of the big companies, such as HBO, began to broadcast
    disclaimers with their programming, saying that it was illegal
    to receive their broadcasts without paying them. In some cities
    teams were sent out, supposedly to confiscate receiving equipment
    and to bring the "pirates" to justice. Even now people are
    confused as to what is legal, and what isn't. This issue will
    tell you exactly what the law is.

    ISH.9     3-29-86   Getting Started in Broadcasting (by Chris
    Mitchell) - Our first guest issue was written by Chris. In it
    he brought his many years in broadcasting out to help those who
    seek a career in this field.

    ISH.10    4-05-86   Writing as a Career - I continued the "careers"
    theme by giving the "low-down poop" on what it takes to do what
    I do as a living.

    ISH.11    4-12-86   Finding a Job - Whatever your goals, sooner
    or later most of us have to go out in search of a job. A common
    mistake is to be satisfied with reading the want ads and filling
    in countless (and usually ridiculous) application forms. There is
    a better way.

    ISH.12    4-19-86   The Star Wars Scheme - The arms race is out
    of control. Especially with the prospect of nuclear winter if just
    1% of the existing arsenal is set off, we live in extremely
    perilous times, just the push of a button away from total extinction.
    One solution is to set up a system of defense that makes it
    impossible to attack (or rather, to BE attacked). This Strategic
    Defense Initiative sounds like a glorious idea - the end of
    fear. But there are some real problems. Namely, it won't work.

    ISH.13    4-26-86   Miscellaneous Stuff - Some years ago I was
    writing several columns for various magazines. My favorite was
    originally called "Rovin'." It consisted of silly bits and
    collections of unusual facts. Some of those are brought to you
    in this issue.

    ISH.14    5-10-86   Toy From the Stars - Imagine yourself as a
    young boy with a dream. You want to go into space. Then suddenly
    it seems that space is coming to you. While lying outside on
    the grass you see a spaceship coming down. It lands a short
    distance away and a creature comes out. After taking care of your
    fears he offers you a trade. One of your toys for one of his own
    planet.

    ISH.15    5-18-86   The Chilton Book Series - Again and again and
    again the users ask me, "What books have you done, Gene?" This
    listing doesn't give them all - and is also more than a year out
    of date. Still, it will give you some of the basics. (If you're
    curious, go into the library some day and look up my name in the
    card catalog. It may, or may not, be more complete.)

    QUESTION            The Questionaire for those who want to
                        participate in my newest project

    ISH.16    5-24-86   Computer Repair - (part 1) - Many of the books
    I've done for Chilton involve the repair, care and maintenance of
    computers. For this end I wrote a quickie article for you, hoping to
    do a part 2, based on user response and interest. There was very
    little, so this remained as the only one. Even so, it should give
    you some valuable tips.

    ISH.17    5-31-86   Some Short Stories - One of my favorite things
    is writing or editing the short short. This is a short collection of
    some of those.

    ISH.18    6-7-86    Nuclear Power (by Jim Lippard) - Our second guest
    issue came from Jim. He approached the topic of how nuclear power is
    generated, its value, its safety, and some of the problems.

    ISH.19    6-21-86   Rovin' - And back we go to bits gleaned from
    my columns.

    ISH.20    6-28-86   Ghost of Highway 12 - You've come from one hell
    of a party. Such a party that you find yourself on a road out in the
    middle of nowhere, and no idea where you are or how you got there.
    Suddenly a figure appears in the road ahead. You slam on your brakes
    but to no avail. You skid forward and hit the man. To your horror
    there is no thud. The man slides right through your vehicle, unharmed.
    Then he walks toward you, smiling and with his arms extended to take
    you in. "I've come to release you from this world," he says.

    ISH.21    7-11-86   Financial Planning (by Bob Eastman) - The best
    time to begin sound financial planning is when you don't have to.
    Once you need that planning, it's too late. Bob brings his
    expertise to us in this guest issue.

    ISH.22    7-22-86   You're In the Army Now . . . and now . . . - I
    grew up under the threat of the draft. Many of my friends are no
    longer alive because they'd been sent to the battles in Southeast
    Asia. There is no longer a draft. Our military is voluntary service
    now. Or is it?

    ISH.23    8-7-86    Home Study (by Bob Eastman) - Bob returned with
    another guest issue on the value - and problems - of taking courses
    at home.

    ISH.24    8-16-86   Finding a Job - There were some unanswered
    questions after Issue #11. Hopefully this issue will answer some
    of those.

    ISH.25    8-30-86   More Rovin' - It's just what the title says; more
    bits and pieces from my magazine columns.

    ISH.26    9-4-86    Bugs! - There are plenty of real estate scams.
    They're bound to continue. Our "hero" has found the ultimate scam.
    He's not going to develop just a few hundred useless acres - he has
    discovered, and claimed, an entire planet. At first sight it seems
    to be a lush paradise. The "snake" in this Eden is causing him
    quite a problem.

    ISH.27       9-17-86   Writing For Zephyr Magazine - We'd had a
    number of guest issues by this time. Quite a few users asked me
    how they could contribute. I put down all the details for everyone,
    all in one place. Want to write for the magazine? Here's how.

    ISH.28    10-1-86   Rich Man - Poor Man (by John Arbon) - John
    read Issue #27 and took it to heart. He brings us a piece of short
    fiction with a twist at the end.

    ISH.29    10-10-86  The Monsters of Terrance Peak - You're a young
    boy in the distant future. The nuclear holocaust has come. You and
    your village are the survivors. Up in the mountains nearby are the
    other survivors. Monsters. Mutated by radiation into vicious,
    meat-eating - BOY-eating! - creatures of the night. And because of
    your foolishness you find yourself trapped in those mountains. Night
    is falling. The bushes rustle. One of the creatures of the mountains
    steps out.

    ISH.30    11-3-86   Buying a Car - The second largest purchase most
    of us make, and often the first major purchase, is a vehicle. With
    rare exception, the first car turns out to be a bit of a lemon. How
    can you avoid this?

    ISH.31   11-22-86   The Geek (by Cathy Cosgrove) - The science fair
    is coming up. First prize is something you need, but what can you
    do to win that prize? Simple. Build a Geek!

    ISH.32    12-1-86   The Wish (by John Arbon) - John returns with a
    second short story for us. Geniis and magic bottles aren't always
    what they seem to be.

    ISH.33    12-9-86   Christmas Gifts - Perhaps I should have done up
    a new version for this year?

    ISH.34    12-25-86  1986 In Review - Same as this issue.

    _________________________________________________________________
                                 1 9 8 7

    Issue     Date      Topic
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    ISH.35     1-10-87  Amateur Radio - I took my parents to the airport
    about a week ago. The flight was delayed. Traffic was bad on the road.
    My wife didn't have to worry because I'm a licensed ham. I grabbed
    my HT in the car, accessed the auto-patch and gave her a phone call.
    After I got home I was involved in getting medical help to a crash
    victim in the middle of nowhere. Once this was handled I could've
    picked up the microphone and talked to someone in Florida, France or
    Tibet. The cost? Just the electricity, and the time and effort for
    earning my license.

    ISH.36     1-30-87  Home Video - Part 1  - Camcorders are the newest
    electronic craze. What are they all about? How do you use them? How
    can you make the best purchases?

    ISH.37     2-12-87  Home Video - Part 2 - This completes the two
    part series on this subject.

    ISH.38     3-1-87   VTR Maintenance - In a sense, this is a Part 3.

    ISH.39     4-10-87  How to Use Zephyr - Zephyr is a powerful system,
    with many features. Quite often even the experienced user misses much
    of the power. This article will show you all the ins and outs. It's
    a good one to have around as a print-out.

    ISH.40     5-26-87  Out-of-Body Experiences (by Steve Jackson) - This
    guest issue deals with astral travel. Does it exist? Or is it little
    more than hallucination?

    ISH.41     6-6-87   Odds 'n' Ends (by Chris Mitchell) - Chris tries
    his hand, and very successfully!, at a piece of short fiction. Can a
    stray cat save your life?

    ISH.42     7-20-87  Mecham Recall - It's still news. But why? What's
    going on? Why is Arizona making history?

    ISH.43     7-29-87  Nicaragua and the Contras - This is still news.
    So is the scam of Iran-gate. Are the Contras freedom fighters? Or a
    group of petty terrorists? Find out by reading this issue.

    ISH.44     8-16-87  Sound, Light, Antennas and Relativity - At about
    this time there was a conversation going on the Public board about
    upping the frequency of sound until it became light, and about travel
    in space. I'd given some short answers on the Public board. This is a
    more in-depth treatment of the topic.

    ISH.45     8-24-87  A Country Born - America! Often thought of as
    being born on July 4th, 1776, wasn't actually a country until nearly
    12 years later. Our history isn't the simple, watered-down version
    often taught in grade school. It's MUCH more interesting!

    ISH.46     9-11-87  Unusual Seeds - There is a group located in
    Tucson called Seed/SEARCH which is dedicated to finding and
    preserving plant strains which are threatened with extinction in
    the name of progress. You can take part in this grand and
    important project. For no more than you would pay for "ordinary"
    seeds, you can grow the same kind of corn or squash or whatever
    that the ancients Hopis grew.

    ISH.47     9-20-87  Vegetarianism (by Chris Mitchell) - There is
    an incredible amount of misinformation and misunderstanding as
    concerns vegetarianism. Chris, a vegetarian for many years, knows
    it from the inside. If you want some twisted version of truth,
    fine. If you want the truth from someone who knows, read this
    issue.

    ISH.48    10-06-87  A New Force in Physics (by Alan Hamilton) - Just
    this year - a couple of months ago - a new force was discovered. One
    that has yet to be explained in full. One that doesn't even have a
    name as yet.

    ISH.49    11-10-87  Run For Freedom - At about the time Columbus
    went out onto the Atlantic, got lost, and ended up in the Americas,
    a family called Romanov took over in Russia. The maintained their
    regime until the beginning of this century. As is so often the case
    with descendent rule, the offspring thought of themselves as better
    than the common person. The common person suffered, then rebelled.
    In 1917 World War I was ending, and the Bolshevik Revolution began.
    One reign of terror was replaced with another, made even worse when
    Lenin died and Stalin took over. The Gruber family was caught in the
    middle. This is a true-life adventure - one that I'm turning into a
    book.

    ISH.50    11-27-87  Santa's Little Heroes - Maybe you saw us on
    the news. Jerry Foster was there, as was Mayor Goddard, astronaut
    of Apollo 17 Ron Evans, Ronald McDonald, Santa, etc. The group was
    created and organized by local ham radio operators to help children
    in desperate need. The majority are seriously ill, with that illness
    causing the family to be thrust into poverty to pay the medical
    bills. Nothing left for Christmas.
       The saddest part, in my opinion, is that of our hundreds of users
    on the board, only 5 were touched, and only 2 made efforts for these
    kids.
       As I write this, I've just come back from the party. The room was
    filled with more than 500 children and parents. I met and helped
    Timmy, a 6-year-old boy who won't be here next Christma. And Chad, a
    5-year-old who carries a life-support system with him and drags hoses
    along behind. And Renee who suffered a respiratory attack when her
    belt pack wore down. And the dozen plus kids who were there only
    because the National Guard had supplied the generators and power stations
    that made it possible to keep their complex life support systems running.
       At one point Dr. Clay of Worlds of Wonder - creators of Teddy Ruxpin -
    came up and put his arm on my shoulder. "Aren't you glad that Danny is
    well and happy?" At another Ron Evans made the comment on how the
    systems that kept him alive in space and on the moon were temporary for
    him but permanent for some of these children. The 14-year-old who sat
    in the Teddy Ruxpin costume almost passed out from the heat because he
    couldn't bring himself to stop giving out hugs to these kids who so
    much needed it. A fellow ham operator who'd donated his time had to
    sit down after 6 hours of helping the kids because his arthritis was
    making it impossible for him to stand.
       To Jay Tuberville and Neighborhood Pro, my deepest possible thanks!
    To Sue Widemark, Chris Mitchell and Pat Nickels, all of whom go out
    of their way to help the needy in other ways, and all of whom made the
    offer to help, THANKS! To those of you who didn't bother, or who can't
    be bothered . . . . .

    ISH.51    12-21-87  Issues Review - You've just read and/or
    captured it.

    Until Next Time

       Merry Christmas everyone!
       It's not too late. Do something for someone else. Skip that
    Big Mac and chuck a couple of dollars into the Salvation Army
    bucket. Better, contact Save the Children and give up $20 per month
    to help some child somewhere in the world (you can even pick the
    place!).
       It takes so little.
       Imagine the effect if each of the 350 users of Zephyr kicked in
    just $1.
       Can't afford $1? No problem. St. Vincent dePaul and other groups
    have desperate need of your time.
       Don't know how to start? I'll make it even easier. There are
    hundreds of care centers for the elderly, many of whom have been
    virtually abandoned by those who are supposed to love them. Walk in
    to any one of them, Valley-wide, and ask, "Who hasn't been visited
    recently?" Almost certainly they'll give you a list of names. Go on
    in and spend just 1 hour.
       Still too much? Okay. Help someone in need change a tire on the
    road. Or to load a basketload of groceries into the car.
       Still too much? Then make peace with an "enemy." Or tell someone
    (parents, a friend, whoever) that you love and appreciate them.
       Still too much? How about giving a smile to a stranger in the
    store who accidentally bumps you?
       Still too much?
       Merry Christmas anyway.

Zephyr Magazine is © Gene Williams. All rights reserved.