LIST
FILE ON
MARGIN IS 80 
STATUS: ALL ALLOWED
NUMBER OF LINES: 629 
1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask....
2 ********************** REMOVED 15 FEB 84 *******************
3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System)  Mike Day System operator
4 ************************************************************
5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION
6                     PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM.
7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privatly owned
8 and operated system which is currently open for use by the general public.
9 No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the system is
10 privatly owned, I retain the right to remove any and all messages which
11 I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the system, it will be
12 periodically purged of messages. (only 629 lines of data can be saved)
13 To leave a message, type 'ENTER' and use ctrl/C or break to get out of the
14 ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering the
15 message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to replace
16 the line. To exit from the system, type 'OFF' then hang up.
17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system.
18 ************************************************************
19 
20 IT IS LATE AND I HEAR A SCRATCHING NOISE OUTSIDE THE INN. NOW I WONDER
21 WHAT THAT COULD BE AT THIS HOUR? OPENING THE DOOR I SEE A TREMBLING
22 FIGURE GRASPING THE ROWAN TREE TIGHTLY. MOVING OUTSIDE TO SEE IF I
23 CAN HELP, MAYBE THEY ARE IN NEED OF SHELTER ON THIS COLD NIGHT? THEN
24 AS I APROACH I SEE TO MY AMAZMENT IT IS PAM!!! QUICKLY RUSHING TO
25 HER, I PUT MY ARM AROUND HER TO STEADY HER AND HELP HER TO RETURN
26 ONCE MORE TO THE INN. "WELCOME BACK! FIRST LETS GET YOU WARM, THEN
27 YOU MUST TELL ME OF YOUR ADVENTURES. BUT FOR NOW JUST RELAX AND
28 BASK IN THE WARMTH OF THE GLOWING FIRE. 
29 ****** WELCOME BACK PAM! ****** I MISSED YOU! ****** CISTOP MIKEY ******
30 ########################################
31 
32 Well, Well! at last we hear from DOM. What's this about you leaving us for the
33 land of the rising sun? You will be sorely missed. As you can see the Inn Has gone to hell in a handbasket lately.
34 this is not too bad but then it can't hold a candle to our old "discussions". I have become what they call here, a lurker
35 not joining in unless either politics or religeon are on the burner.
36 How long before you leave? Will try to get back to you in about a week.
37 
38 ################C.Y.M.###############################2/12/84 12:50am############
39 !~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
40 
41      It was raining outside tonight
42      Inside on the carpet,
43      A man lay dying.
44      I stood by, helpless...
45 
46      Not batting an eye, Mr. Macho,
47      Except for the trickle of sweat
48      Running down my forehead.
49 
50      Oh sweet Jesus,
51      God, how it scared me.
52 
53      I'm not a religious man; but I might take it up.
54      Just in case...  Dear God, don't let me go like that.
55 
56 !~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!Valinor!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
57 
58 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
59 Oh Imaginary Fig, jump not to conclusions! There are indeed Ninja in this
60 country, although few and quiet.
61 This is spoken from sure knowledge and personal experience.
62 Their terrifying arts are now passed from master to student in a way
63 not unlike that of the more accepted martial arts, but always without
64 fanfare, without advertising.
65 They are among us, but I must echo your doubts about our "Ninja". Then 
66 again, are you truly a Figment? I am an Actor, yet barely a Poet. This
67 is part of the beauty of the world we are creating here: we can be what
68 we wish to be, limited only by our imaginations, our verbal acuity, and 
69 the all-powerful one who looks over us all. In this last I speak, of 
70 course, of Systop Mikey.
71        Flights of Fancy Sing Thee to Thy Rest,
72               && The Mad Actor &&
73 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
74 Pam,I know not who you are or were but judging from the amount of grief your
75 not being at the inn has caused I welcom you back,I am The Man in Gray or
76 M I G.
77 Deborah,no I have'nt forgoten you but a VERY good friend of mine came back 
78 from an 8 week training mission and I hav not
79 been able to use my stuff at night because i'm usualy ah,well... occupied.
80 at the inn...
81 Sir,there is likely to be severe danger in this trip,whoever is importing 
82 the weapons from up-time will be as ruthless as a hari krisna triing to get a
83 donation!
84 Graymalken could see that his warning had no effect on the demented player.
85 "have you ever seen the likes of thease sir?"said the mad actor
86 "no,they look deadly enough,try them out on that unnamed person in the corner
87 who critisezes my spelling and grammar"
88 "no sir,I will not,not when there is a lady present"
89 "I should think that lynn is accos..."
90 "not her,the lady that the innkeeper just brought in,she looks lost and a 
91 needless display of violence would only upset her"said TMA 
92 "as you say,I still want to do something to that person with the disgustingly
93 correct typing.and you my daughter,why have you been so silent?"
94 "while you and this unknown mann have been blabbering,I have been trying to 
95 find out how the weapon transfer took place,I think we should see the wizard.
96 same time-frame(more or less) same chanel(only one there is) next disk(maby).
97 to be continued
98 The Man in Gray
99 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
100 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
101    Getting no response from the back room, the piper turned and picked his
102 way back to his table with the bard.  Gancing around he saw several figures
103 with their heads close together.  One, a man dressed in some grey cloth
104 seemed to be speaking to a woman and another man.  
105    The piper reached to the ledge where he had folded his pipes and drew
106 them down.  Shaking the folds out of the moist leather bag, he lifted them
107 by the bass drone and chanter, placed the bass drone on his left shoulder
108 and let the two tenor drones fan out over his arm.  Tucking the bag under
109 his elbow, he placed the blowpipe between his teeth and inflated the bag
110 with two quick breaths.
111   As the piper started the pipes, a movement caught his eye.  The group he
112 had noticed earlier seemed to have accumulated a group of deadly weapons.
113 
114   Ah well, perhaps the problem would be solved in the resolution of another
115 he was working on.  He had not ever spoken to Pam directly, but had seen
116 and approved her demeanor and actions.
117   The pipes were droning now.  The piper reached up to adjust the bass drone
118 slightly and the room wavered slightly.  Nodding in comprehension, he firmly
119 twisted and slid the adjustment fully out of tune, then back in.  The inn
120 seemed to waver in and out of focus.  Adjusting the two tenors, and a quick
121 run on the chanter -- the pipes were in tune.  
122   First -- for Pam as a welcome back --
123 the piper played "The Australian Ladies" and watched as the debris from
124 the mini-war became transparent and dissolved.  That particular reality,
125 vulnerable because it was not accepted by enough patrons, dissolved into
126 the mists of might-have-been.  In the place of broken tables, demolished
127 benches and chairs, broken glass and shell craters,  well-worn tables mellow
128 with age and use and plain but sturdy seats firmed into view.  
129   The piper ended the first song, then immediately broke into an irish jig,
130 sensing the touch of the gael in Pam's presence.  Hoping to lift her heart,
131 he ran through "Paddy's Leather Breeches" and "Cork Hill".
132   Finishing his tunes, he turned to her, and hesitating to approach as she
133 appeared exhausted and cold, bowed with a flourish, then sat back at his 
134 table with the bard.
135 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
136 Piper:If you would be so kind as to oblige me, I would sing of a reality
137 that those "disturbing" patrons are better suited for. Do you know "Banks of 
138 Sicily"?
139 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
140 Green Hills of Harmony (words: Al Frank, music: Banks of Sicily)
141 Well, the Sergeant is sad and the piper is fey,
142 There's no Dorsai whiskey we'll have on this day.
143 The sky to the eastward is cloudy and grey,
144 And all of the soldiers are leaving.
145 CHORUS:So it's march! March! Down to the landing
146 And set down your pack while the ferry's away.
147 And it's fare ye well, you green hills of Harmony,
148 All the poor soldiers are leaving.
149 Well, one contract's filled out but another's been made.
150 The Elders have told us our time's overstayed.
151 So light up if you got 'em, lie back in the shade.
152 When the ferry comes down we'll be leaving.
153 chorus
154 Well, the clouds movin' westward have blotted the sun.
155 It's a helluva life when you carry a gun:
156 You're hot when you're fighting, you freeze when you're done,
157 And it rains on the day that you're leaving!
158 chorus
159 Well, some fight for glory, some fight for the pay,
160 But we are the Dorsai, and fighting's our way.
161 It's a hard life to live, but it's harder to stay,
162 When all of your buddies are leaving.
163 So it's smoke out! There by the landing'
164 The ferry is back. Saddle up, come away,
165 And it's fare ye well, you green hills of Harmony,
166 All the poor soldiers are leaving.
167 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BARD~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
168 A free drink to the first patron to identify the reality that the above song
169 is from.
170 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
171 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
172 Welcome back Pam! Even those who dared not speak to one with such influence
173 around the Inn missed you.  I hope you won't be leaving again soon, the
174 Inn is just never as bright when you're away.
175               Bo
176 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
177   
178 {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{  0! < 1  }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
179   
180   DEBORAH Dear (et. all)--- If it is a topic of discussion that
181     you seek, if I may make a small suggestion, there is one
182     subject of both a historical and topical nature that has
183     never failed to bring out diversity of opinion and at times
184     heated discussion. 
185     I refer to the concept of "Intellectual Property". 
186     In other words, Copyrights, and the use and abuse of them.
187     There are many aspects to such a consideration. 
188     First of all does it make any sense to say that the published
189     creative output of an individual or collective mind should
190     be protected from reproduction?
191     What of the moral, ethical, and legal implications of what is
192     sometimes referred to as piracy? (both for profit & private
193     use of the material.)
194     Are the same criteria applicable to different media such as
195     printed material, video tapes, computer programs, etc. ?
196     It's interesting to note that in many companies large and
197     small, it is common practice to buy one copy of program disk
198     and clone it for the use of several people on different
199     computers; even though they sign an agreement not to do this.
200     What about suppression of what an individual knows such as
201     the non-disclosure & non-competition agreements people are
202     asked to sign?  
203   
204     Well, its a big subject and multi-faceted. You might well ask,
205     "Where do you stand on these issues?"
206     I feel that in the end it comes down to the set of values
207     that each individual embraces and uses to guide their actions.
208     It is through discussion that many of these values are formed.
209     Some actions tend to suppress creative expression... others
210     encourage it.
211 
212     ...but the true artist will find a means of expression no
213        matter what the circumstance.
214    
215 {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{  The Mesolithic Mathematician }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
216   
217     P.S.--- PAM I would also like to welcome you back with open
218             arms... although I don't exactly know you, someone
219             with so many superb friends is worth getting acquainted
220             with!!!
221 {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{  1 > 0!  }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
222   
223 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
224 
225  Aaron..... at PSU
226 
227  DOM...Welcome back 
228          Your absence was greatly noticed !
229 
230 ::::::::::::::::::::::Alex:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
231 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
232 MATHEMATICIAN:  WHEN I BECAME EMPLOYED BY A SOFTWARE COMPANY TO WRITE SOFTWARE
233   I WAS REQUIRED TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT THAT STATED IN ESSENCE:
234    (1) AFTER LEAVING EMPLOYMENT, I SHALL NOT WORK FOR A COMPETITOR FOR
235        A PERIOD OF AT LEAST ONE YEAR.
236    (2) ALL IDEAS, TECHNIQUES, ETC. I DEVELOP ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE COMPANY.
237        I CANNOT USE THESE WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE COMPANY.
238        EVEN THINGS SUCH AS SORTS, FILE ROUTINES, ETC. I CAN'T USE FOWN
239        PROGRAMS.
240 
241 
242 I THOUGHT THIS RATHER UNFAIR, BUT I WAS ASSURED(VERBALLY) THAT THIS WAS 
243 STANDARD PRACTICE AMONG ALL COMPANIES AND THAT USING MY ROUTINES WOULD BE
244 NO PROBLEM.
245 I AM NOW WONDERING WHAT I HAVE GOT MSELF INTO. COULD YOU SUPPLY SOME COMMENTS?
246                                                       JONATHAN CHANCE
247 
248 P.S. MESSAGE TO FIGMENT AND OTHERS:
249      IF    A=SUCCESS
250      THEN  A=X+Y+Z
251      WHEN  X=WORK
252            Y=PLAY
253            Z=KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT
254 
255     (PURPORTEDLY)  EINSTIEN!
256 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
257  <=><=><=><=<=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=>
258 IT'S JOKE TIME!!
259 THERE WAS ONCE A PLANE THAT HAD A CARGO
260 OF PARATROOPERS A STUPID MAN AND A SMARTMAN. THE STUPID MAN JUMPED OUT FIRST...
261 PULLED HIS SHUTE...IT OPENED AND HE 
262 WAS GLIDING DOWN PERFECT.
263 THE SMART MAN JUMPED OUT...PULLED HIS
264 SHUTE.......NOTHING HAPPENED...HE PULLED THE AUXILLERY SHUTE...NO RESPONCE!!!
265 HE WAS NOW APPROACHING THE STUPID MAN 
266 WHO WAS GLIDING DOWN. THE STUPID MAN
267 LOOKS OVER,SEES THE SPEEDING SMART MAN
268 AND REPLIES.....OH SO YOU WANT TO RACE
269 ...OK. THEN HE UNBUKLES HIS SHUTE.................(MASSAVE LAUGHTER)
270 COURTESY OF ...
271 *** *  * *** **  **   **
272  *  *  * *   * * * * *  *
273  *  **** *** **  **   *
274  *  *  * *   * * * *   *
275  *  *  * *** **  **  **
276    
277   
278    
279 **  *  *  **  *** *** **
280 * * *  * *  *  *  *   * *
281 **  *  *  *    *  *** **
282 * * *  *   *   *  *   * *
283 **   **  **    *  *** * *
284   
285   
286   
287 <=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=>
288 To Whomever put the 79 blank lines on the board:
289 I just finished erasing them. Do it again, and someone will erase it again.
290 We at the Inn are a notoriously tolerant lot, but the disks go by too quickly,
291 and wasting them with empty lines is simply intolerable. I will defend to 
292 the death your right to say what you will, but saying nothing for 79 lines 
293 is a waste. Then again, perhaps you were sharing with us your entire 
294 lifetime's collection of wisdom?
295                && The Mad Actor &&
296 Bard:
297 "For the inhabited worlds of the human race were split--as they had
298 been split for two hundred years now--into two camps, one which
299 held their populations to 'tight' contracts and the other who believed
300 in the so-called loose contract.  Those on the tight-contract side
301 were the Friendly worlds of Harmony and Association, Newton, Cassida
302 and Venus, and the big new world of Ceta under Tau Ceti.  On the
303 loose side were ranged Earth, the Dorsai, the Exotic worlds of Mara
304 and Kultis, New Earth, Freiland, Mars and the small Catholic world
305 of St. Marie."
306    From Soldier, Ask Not 
307    by Gordon R. Dickson.
308    A part of his Childe Cycle.
309 000000000000000000000000000000000voyeur000000000000000000000000000000
310 I thought it was 'chute', not 'shute'?
311 [][][][][][][][][][][]   1743   02/12/84   [][][][][][][][][][][][]
312 
313 PAM:  HI.  I STILL HAVE THE DISK.
314 
315 [][][][][][][][][][][][]   DJJ   [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
316 
317 PS.  WELCOME BACK, IT HAS BECOME GHASTLY AROUND HERE.
318 
319 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
320 
321 Re the NINJA's remark on drive B
322      Not being one to quibble, I thought the Ninja class was a product of
323 feudalistic Japanese society, having nothing to do with China
324 
325 Pertaining to DOM's (?) remark about not polluting Japan..
326      Two summers ago our family hosted two Japanese students for about
327 three weeks. Both were buddhist, coming from buddhist families. We are
328 still in touch with one of them and recently he mentioned in a letter 
329 that he wished to become a Christian. Why would an extremely bright
330 young man (about 16 now) want to do this? My own theory is that with
331 Japans westernization has come a longing, especially amongst the
332 young, to emulate their western counter-parts. Call it a sort of 
333 peer pressure; A Japanese form of rebelliousness (if there can be
334 such a thing). In the near future Christians could be a majority in
335 Japan, and that saddens me.
336 
337                                                 Mr. Tim
338 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
339 Wow!  I just recently went to the Portlan
340 Plaza.  What a place!
341 
342 Tons of good looking women!  Any one out there
343 go Saturday night?
344 
345 I highly suggest that all new wavers attend!
350       FUTI
351 
352 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
353 That should say -> FOTI
354 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
355 ......... Just remember to check your brain at the door
356 [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[
357 If the above remark was an insult to new wavers or the Plaza than
358 would the writer please drop dead?
359 ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
360 would the above 2 writers explane 2 things,what are "wavers" and what is this 
361 "plaza"?
362 Cistop Mikey,what does it mean when I call and nobodys home?
363 The Man in Gray
364 ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
365 
366 Mr. Tim; I hope your desire that Japan remain non-Christian stems from a
367 fondness for the traditional diversity of a multi-cultural world rather
368 than the sort of close-minded prejudice of which Christians are often
369 accused by their non-Christian detractors. It has been my experience that 
370 extremism in either cause tends to go hand in hand with an appalling 
371 level of prejudice and an unwillingness to openly communicate that can
372 only make matters worse. Each individual should be allowed to freely choose
373 their own course in life without relying on someone else's concepts of 
374 right and wrong. Free-thinkers all at least pay lip service to this idea,
375 and the free will of the individual is central to Christian doctrine as
376 well. What goes around, comes around; if Christianity is on the rise in
377 Japan, there are also more Buddists in the U.S. than there used to be.
378 
379 M.i.G.: They are referring to those who listen to New Wave music, an art
380 form which emphasizes pain & ugliness as desirable social traits. Quite
381 popular, I hear.
382     Yours in Wretched Excess,
383               && The Mad Actor &&
384 P.S.: to MiG; 
385 I believe the answer to your phone question is:
386          "It means the phone keeps ringing until you hang up".
387               && TMA &&
388 !|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|
389 FLASH!
390 THERE'S A NEW BBS IN TOWN!
391 THIS ONE'S A REALLY NEW ONE, ACTUALLY STILL BEING WRITTEN. IT'S NOT 
392 FINISHED YET, BUT IT'S GOT REAL POSSIBILITIES.
393  THE NUMBER IS 289-xxxx. THAT'S 289-xxxx.
394 IT'S RUNNING ON AN EPSON QX-10, UP MOST OF THE TIME UNTIL IT'S DONE, 
395 THEN UP FULL TIME.
396 GIVE IT A CALL AND LEND THIS GUY SOME MORAL SUPPORT!
397 !|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|___THE SILVER GHOST___!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|
398 ****************************************************
399 M.I.G. IT MEANS THAT THE SYSTEM IS OFF LINE AND I AM USING IT. EITHER
400 TO DO BACKUPS, OR TO READ WHAT'S GOING ON, OR TO ENTER MY OWN MESSAGES
401 LIKE NOW.
402 ******************* CISTOP MIKEY ************************************
403 ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
404 PIPER: DO YOU PLAY THE PIPES IN ACTUALITY? YOU SEEM YO HAVE AN
405 IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THEM. I HAVE A COUPLE OF FRIENDS THAT ARE
406 QUITE PRACTICED PLAYERS. THEY MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC!
407 AHAH! A TOPIC.......AND ONE OF INTEREST! BUT I HAVE NO TIME TO
408 RESPOND. BUT I SHALL RETURN.
409 d, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, SATURDAY? WE SEARCHED AND SEARCHED,
410 EVEN IN THE DITCHES AROUND YOUR HOUSE, AND COULD FIND NO TRACE
411 OF THE VEHICLE THAT WAS STUCK. REFER TO YOUR ELECTRONIC MAILBOX.
412 ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!DEBORAH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
413 To New Wavers: I apologise. My earlier comment was of the very 
414 intolerant and predjudiced nature that I'd just finished criticizing.
415 Celebrate your sounds! I'm only bitter because I was too late for the
416 sixties, andh had to make do with the seventies.
417       With Hope for Tomorrow,
418                 && The Mad Actor &&
419 ............................................................................
420 "Innkeeper, I'm paying for this gentleman's next drink" said the piper,
421 indicating the one who called himself "voyeur".
422 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BARD~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
423 As for the non-disclosure agreements & the like, they started out
424 because of the way the lawyers have screwed up the patent system. The last I
425 heard, if you took someone to court for violating your patent, there was a
426 90% (!!) chance that your patent would be ruled invalid. Thus, the only
427 means of protection left was to make the process/device/whatever a "trade
428 secret". This requires the non-disclosure agreements, etc.
429 I'm not saying it's right, just (unfortunately) necessary.
430 As for the copyright laws, I "violate" them often. If I need a copy
431 of a copyrighted work (that I already own) in a form other than that in
432 which I bought it, according to the law, I'm stuck. (an example, if I want 
433 a microfilm copy of a magazine & they don't sell it that way, LEGALLY, I 
434 can't microfilm it myself).  My feeling is, OK- if they sell it in the form
435 I need, then I'm morally & legally obligated to buy it rather than convert
436 it to that form myself. If they DON'T have it available, then I see no
437 MORAL problem in buying what they DO sell & converting it myself. (I should
438 ask persmission though I haven't always done so)
439 __________________________Leonard___________________________________________
443 "Milady Pam, thou hast been sorely missed. May I bid thee welcome on
444 behalf of all the patrons who have missed thee?", he inquired.
445 ..........................the apprentice....................................
446     My name is Nancy, I'm a seventeen year old girl who isn't 
447 glamourous or anything, but I'm not ugly either. My dad and I 
448 keep having fights because I think sex with boys is OK.
449     I'm a B+ students, with lots of friends, and I was even a 
450 cheerleader once, so I'm no tramp or anything like that. I 
451 just like sex a whole lot.
452     I think sex is a natural normal thing and I think girls 
453 should have just as much fun with sex as boys. I think the 
454 only reason my dads being so weird is cause all men (and boys) 
455 think only thier sex should have any fun. This isnt fair.
456     I'd like to hear other peoples opinions so maybe I can 
457 get some better arguements for the next time I fight with my 
458 dad.
459                     Nancy
460 
461 ============================================================
462 ??????????????????????????????
463 sigh.......if only i were not happily married.
464 to the above lender of "jokes" I would like to meet you on a field of combat
465 one day,backed up by my trusty knife and everybody I know from the local 
466 SPCA chapter.I hope your mind can change b4 somebody changes it for you.
467 Mad Actor,perhaps you would like to add a chapter to the story I have 
468 somehow managed to start? late nights for me are out for the next week or so
469 because I have to be at work by 5a.m. 
470 The Man in Gray
471 ???????????????????????????????
472   
473 {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{  + - / *  }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
474   
475 JONATHAN C.---Your note certainly has a familiar ring. Have you
476    noticed have often the phrase "Every body else does it" is
477    used when people want to coerce someone into doing something
478    that they have apprehensions about?
479 
480    Yes, indeed, the practice of having everyone sign away all of
481    their rights to any creative effort or intellectual property
482    has become all too widespread, in my opinion.
483 
484    I, for one have decided to resist this trend, and in all my
485    software contracts it specifically specifies I retain the
486    copyright to the code and the right to utilized the functions
487    in future works, at my discretion. (I'll be the first to admit
488    that I've been fortunate to be able to take such a stand, but
489    people who hold a strong position are the very ones who should
490    stand for individual freedoms and rights.) 
491 
492    What I'm saying is that each person has to decide whether they
493    wish to sign away certain portions of their future creative
494    endeavours or allow present stored knowledge that they have to
495    be locked up and not available to use as they wish. It may be
496    that they feel the compensation is worth signing away. The 
497    only suggestion I make is don't sign without thinking about it
498    first." Everyone's doing it" is not a good reason in my opinion.
499 
500    In your case where it's after the fact you still have the same
501    choices. Worse case you're only restricted for a year from 
502    this moment and your question indicates you're already a year
503    wiser than when you signed it.
504 
505    There's a recent article in PC Magazine Vol. 2 Number 7 for
506     Dec. 1983, "Who Owns The Software?" by Stephen Becker. He gives
507    a good explanation of the changes in the copyright laws that
508    were enacted in 1978. They give a lot more rights to the
509    individual and probably had some influence on the trend of
510    companies to get people to reassign the newly acquired right
511    back over to them. 
512 
513    Well, I've rambled enough and expressed my own biased opinion
514    quite loudly... Hope it also answered your question!
515  
516  {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{  The Mesolithic Mathematician  }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
517   
518 
519 ~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM
520 
521 Deborah, CYM, Alex:  I truly appreciate your kind remarks....
522      THANK YOU!
523 It happens that the majority of my personal (as opposed to digital)
524 friends are already in Japan, so I'm sure the one attribute of Portland
525 I will miss most will be BWMS and the patrons thereof; without which I
526 would find this city intolerably boring.  I hope there are similar systems
527 in Tokyo!  In any case, funds permitting, I will try to up/download some-
528 thing to/from BWMS upon occassion.  I am delighted to see that I am leav-
529 ing BWMS with all of the necessary constituents for a rather active re-
530 ligious exchange; CYM representing us heathens, Deborah representing the
531 Holy contingent, PAM regulating the bloodshed to a non-fatal level, and
532 Leonard antagonizing everyone possible (just kidding {kind of}).
533      I am trying desparately to depart by the end of the month, but I still
534 have an apartment full of furniture and other miscellaneous "junk" to find
535 new homes for.  I hope to be able to use this equipment once or twice again
536 before I go.
537 
538 Mr. Tim:  Americanization in Japan although existant to some extent in
539 nearly all cross-sections of the society, is most prevalent among high
540 school students.  American fashions (especially 1950-60's era), American
541 lifestyles and American individualism (as opposed to the traditional 
542 Japanese family structure) are now the "fad".  My hope and belief is that
543 since most of them have never been to the US, their knowlege of American
544 thought and attitudes is only superficial, from magazines, TV, etc.; and
545 their values, which will emerge as they reach adulthood, remain largely
546 Japanese.  I would guess that your student s desire to convert is moti-
547 vated by social gratification (as it often is here in the US) and will
548 desist as he makes the transition from the educational realm to the voc-
549 ational realm.  Fortunately, the adult population is considerably more
550 discriminating regarding which aspects of Americanization are beneficial
551 and which are destructive.  I too am concerned about the potential effects
552 of Americanization and specifically Christianity, but I doubt (with my
553 fingers crossed) that there is sufficient cause to be overwrought with
554 worry.  There is a strong traditional sentiment which will hopefully sur-
555 vive western influences.  Thanks for your comment and concern.
556 
557 TMA:  Thank you for reiterating what I pointed out on the previous disk.
558 An individuals beliefs should (and ultimately are, regardless of any ex-
559 ternal opposing efforts) a matter of free choice; and, furthermore, no
560 religion or devotees thereof should be favored or disfavored by the gov-
561 erning authorities.  I certainly hope that American (and a number of other)
562 government(s) will some day see it our way!
563      Regarding your other point; that atheists and non-christians in general
564 view Christians as prejudiced and closed-minded, again I think that you
565 are largely correct.  I cannot speak for all non-christians, but it has
566 been my observation that the considerable number of Christians I have 
567 known did, indeed, appear extremely prejudice and closed-minded.  I am
568 still holding out hope, however, for the Christian with whom I can reason
569 intelligibly.  It has long been my feeling theat even if my life were 
570 otherwise the epitomy of "pitdom",
571 the saving of only one soul from Christianity would make it all worth while.
572 
573 Nancy:  Personally I approve of premarital sex only for procreational 
574 or recreational purposes.  Drop by my apartment sometime and we can dis-
575 cuss it in detail.
576      Well, I don't suppose you left this message with the intention of
577 receiving jokes in response, so I will give you a serious answer too, though
578 I doubt that you will like it (in its entirity, anyway).  I would ask that
579 if you wish to use any portion of my response as amunition against your
580 father, that you use the whole thing (which, unfortunately, might not be
581 too effective).
582      I have not the slightest objection, moral or otherwise, to premarital
583 sex, as "performed" (if you will allow me the use of that sometimes con-
584 troversial term) by consenting and responsible adults.  The word "consent-
585 ing", I think is rather straight forward, but perhaps "responsible" and
586 "adult" require some clarification.  I define neither in terms of age,
587 although there is somewhat of a correlation.  In my opinion "adult" ref-
588 ers to one who has developed the ability to apply his conscience and/or
589 common sense to the regulation of his actions.  If I may interject a slight
590 diversion here, I just realized that I have never met a Christian adult.
591 "responsible" indicates a natural tendancy to use that ability to obtain
592 pertinent information and consider the possible outcomes of an action
593 before "performing" it.  Perhaps age is not a factor, but your father 
594 believes that you or your partner do not fit the above description (or 
595 his version thereof).  .....Pardon, I did not intend a pun in the use of
596 the word "outcomes" above; perhaps I should have said "consequences".  ....
597     Anyway, my opinion is that if you live in your parents house, and are
598 supported by them, then it is their responsibility to evaluate whether
599 or not you are a "responsible adult" and you are subject to the rules of
600 the house.  Try walking your St. Bernard past the lobby to your penthouse
601 suite at the Hilton Hotel and see how far you get!  If, however, you are
602 supporting yourself then the determinaton as to your "responsibility" 
603 and "adulthood" should be your own.
604      Though I don't know your father, by the way, I think most fathers
605 are equally approving or disapproving regardless of the kids gender.
606      Also, though this will probably sound terribly conservative, I sug-
607 gest that you think back, sometime, on the things your parents have done
608 for you and consider what their motives were for doing so.  Even the worst
609 of parents gives insurmountably more than he ever receives.  This is an-
610 other aspect of this society that turns my stomach.  The old, who appear
611 to have outlived their usefulness, instead of receiving the care and re-
612 spect they have earned are disregarded and typically shipped to a warehouse,
613 called a "nursing home" where they can spend the rest of their lives sit-
614 ting in a chair, staring at the wall, or if they are lucky out the window,
615 until they rot to death.
616      Anyway, my point is what could possibly motivate a sane person to
617 endure the drudgery and frustration of raising a kid?  I think it is sel-
618 dom anything less than a strong desire for the kid's well-being.
619     I too derive considerable enjoyment from sex, but there are things
620 even more gratifying.  If I can think of one within the next two weeks,
621 I'll let you know.  Seriously, I have been a victim of abstinence due to
622 abscence for more than a year and I can assure you that humping is not
623 one of the basic essentials of life (the FDA has not even established
624 a MRDA on it), and contrary to popular belief, nothing withers up and
625 falls off.
626 
627                                                  Dirty Ol' Man
628 
629 ~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM~DOM

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