
1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask...
2 ************************* INSTALLED: 7 JAN 87 **************************
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.
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17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system.
18 *****************************************************************
19 
20 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
21 That door again!  Oh, for a pair of earmuffs, like Bard's.  And not a single
22 appropriate spell on my 3 x 5 cards, either.  On second thought, how about...?
23 I spent some time flipping through the bundle of cards I had with me at the
24 present moment, and soon came upon something that might help.
25 "En la cima porgatim flubboru nimstull orgalmateh!", the card read.
26 Drat.  No good.
27 Suddenly the terrible racket ceased of its own accord.
28 Well, that was good.  Now at least I can concentrate on those incantations.
29 And Piper might be able to sleep, if he wishes.  He certainly looks tired.
30 But where had Innkeeper gone?
31 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Milchar ++++++++ January 7, 1987 at 8:46pm +++++
32 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
33 A noise so intense !!!  And then an angry swarm of bees ?  Perhaps another
34 glass will ease the pain...  Bartender ?  Innkeeper ?  Well, I guess I will
35 get it myself.  Going behind the bar, I served up tankards to everyone, and 
36 then remembered the times I had set one out in Piper's absence for him.
37 "Say there Piper," seeing him awake from the noise, "Did those ales I set 
38 out for you reach you through the mist ?"  I put the gold coin in the box for
39 the round of ale and sat down again, thankful that my training allowed me
40 to block out unwanted noise while passing desired communication through to 
41 me.
42 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]   Friar    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
43 
44 O\=<([V2V])>=/O
45 
46 
47 
48 OFF
49 .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.EmuLurk
50 ===============================================================
51 Does anyone remember how the tradition of thinking of Backwater
52 as an Inn was started? Or how being at the TOP came to have
53 such significance? I was just curious. I thought it would be an
54 interesting bit of history if any could remember.
55 
56                           George
57 ===============================================================
58 Ask MIKEY! He knows everything!
59 
60 Want to buy an Apple //c computer? Write me email
61 on PSG Fido or on Applephilia BBS. Thanks!
62            Tell a friend!!!!
63 	   Sean McKay
64 /\/\/\/\
65 \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
66 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
67 I believe the apprentice could answer your question George. If not
68 try asking Leonard or L'homme sans Parity.
69 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BARD~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
70 Denizens of evil: Go to the Devil.
71 Mocking reply: We have no Devil. Nah Nah Nah.
72 D of e: Then go to blazes.
73 M r: We have no blazes. Nah Nah Nah.
74 
75 With conversations similar to the above, Paperback writer and friends are
76 invited to a long walk off a short pier. It just isn't worth the time to
77 talk to such people. Enough is enough.
78 
79 F.L.B.
80 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
81 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
82 Q: What would Sigmond Freud call a mantra?
83 A: A fixation.
84 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
85 Ah, I'm at the bottom.  Such a feeling.  But wait!  Soon
86 I will be appended to and be in the middle.  Oh, well.
87 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\kaos\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
88  You isn't on the bottem no more guy. Me is. Hi there, I'm back, killer eh?
89 Whats with the first 2 messages there? Sounded kinda dicky to me.
90 +++-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+++
91 +--------SPRECHENHALTESTELLE-----------++ (having probs. spelling my own name) ++++-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-92 off
93  LET ME OUT!
94 out
95 ARRGHHH!!
96 off
97 Uh guys, I have'nt beeen on in awhile, how do I get out????????
98 
99 out
100 off
101 /s
102 done
103 WHHHAAAAA
104 done
105  
106 WHAT AN IDJUT!
107 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
108 As I entered the Inn I realized that this was no ordinary alehouse.  It seemed'
109 a place to lose oneself.  I sat, watched and waited, becoming familiar with 
110 the clientle and surroundings.  What to make of all this?  Here I sat, a man
111 with no special powers, talents or abilities.  Would they accept one such as 
112 I?  Only time would tell.  One thing was clear about this Inn, it was like
113 no other I had encountered since I awoke in the "multi-verse".  I longed to
114 once again hike the cool greenness of Earth's mountain slopes.  Yet there wa
115 so much I did not know about this world.  Here was a place to learn.  Perhaps
116 one of these strange wonderful people knew the way home?  At any rate, they
117 did serve a first rate brew.  Something akin to happiness, but not quite the
118 same emotion, settled on me.  I smiled and drank my ale.  It was interesting
119 that there should be so much attention given to a mere door.  Had I been in
120 more sure of my position I might've asked someone what the fascination was.
121 Time would tell though.  
122 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<gridley
123 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
124   "Thanks, Friar."  The piper accepted the glass gratefully.  The noise
125 that had awakened him had abated, and the kitten was once more curled
126 up in nearly a perfect circle.  "I don't know if any reached me, but several
127 times when I was nearly ready to give up, something lifted my spirits.  
128 Perhaps the material ale did not make it through the reality maze, but
129 it seems almost certain that the spirit did."
130   The piper reflected for a few moments as he stoked the kitten on his
131 lap.  "Perhaps that is the greatest gift of all that you can give someone
132 -- your concern.  Nothing else can penetrate the barriers of variant reality
133 with which we surround ourselves."
134   Finishing the ale, he sank back into the cushions of the chair and was
135 soon dozing off again.
136 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
137 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
138 Maybe one of the other regulars can help me -
139      I was informed earlier this week that my character was having something
140 of a romance with some as yet unidentified person over the board.   As I
141 waws not in town when this was supposed to happen (last summer), I would
142 appreciate any information on this.   No, I'm not upset, just curious.
143 	                                Fast Fred
144                                 BSAL (Ret and looking for new work still)
145 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
146 I believe that The Grey Ghost was the first to refer to the Inn as such.
147 ____01/09/87__________Leonard_JD 2446805.5852_________18:03:01_PST_________
148 |~|~|~~=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|
149  
150 How much longer can Backwater take all of this?  Lone writers announcing tthem-
151 selves to backwater in this most tedious fashion, stewing over mugs of ale.   
152 Are they all waiting for their big break, like in some hollywood choke-n-puke?
153 With the exception of the regulars, it seems nobody is ready for the new faces,
154 and would rather hang on to faint rememberances of the past.  Is this what is 
155 destined for the once great backwater?  Or is the infamous NET going to save
156 the day for them.  It doesn't matter to me one way or the other, and most
157 likely, I will be deleted for speaking a viewpoint nobody wants to hear.  
158 Does anybody else in here feel the way I do....
159  
160 |=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|
161  
162 Hello this is a test
163 
164 
165 X
166 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
167 Boy, we seem to have more and more of the above happenning.  Well, people
168 have got to learn sometime.  Instead of asking why people dont start something
169 new, how about jumping in yourself (I know, alot to ask).....
170 @@@@@@@@@@@@@
171     I sat myself down in the corner to watch.  The door was still the
172 center of attention, but probably not for long.  This still being a 
173 no-high-tech zone, I couldn't use a bolo, even if I still had one laying
174 about.  And now we even have a kitten in our midst.  I'd better check
175 my pockets, I should still have a bit of catnip somewhere....
176                          Fast Fred
177 	                         BSAL (Ret)
178 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
179 ******************************************************
180 * Please Mr. Sysop.  Please don't deleted me.  This  *
181 * remains my sole existence.  I live only when I     *
182 * might be heard.  Please spare this humble voice.   *
183 ****************************Dissenting Opinion********
184 O\=<([V2V])>=/O
185 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
186 The Infamous NET has never saved the day. That has always been
187 left to the really good writers who take the time to make 
188 carefully plotted well thought out entries. The NET is made
189 up of a bunch of kids who are on an ego trip. They imagine that
190 they are great writers so they put down everyone else to build
191 up their own immature egos. Have patience, eventually one of the
192 better writers will find the time to make an intelligent well
193 crafted entry. Eventually they always do.
194 
195                                  George
196 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
197 ===================================================
198 
199   GREATINGS FROM BEYOND THE VOID-
200        ME ENTRY TO THIS PLACE WAS A HASTY ONE
201      SO FOGIVE ME ABRUPT BEHAVIOR, I NOT QUITE
202      ACCUSTOM TO YOU LAND YET.  ONE NIGHT I BE 
203      IN THE GOLD KI-RIN INN ENJOYING THE COMPANY
204 E SENSOUS YOUNG LADY THEN HER HUSBAND
205      ABYSS TO THIS STRANGE LAND.
206        ME BE ASKING THE HELP OF ANY THAT CAN GET
207      I BACK TO WHERE ME ONCE BELONGED.  ME WOULD 
208      MOST GREATFUL FOR SUCH A DEED.
209 			 MY7AZHOD THE LOST
210 
211 ===================================================
212 
213 .........(GASP),HELLO......
214 ........MY NAME IS HANSE, I AND MY COMPANIONS HAVE TRAVELED MANY LEAGUES, 
215 ......BLAST, DAMN MACHINES........  AT ANY RATE, WHEN WE LEOH, GODS!!!!!! 
216 THEIR HERE ALREADY, I MUST LEAVE IMMEDIATELY, TELL THEM NOTHING, FOR IT WILL DO
217 YOU NO GOOD , AND I AM NOT A FORGIVING SOUL,                      FAREWELL,
218                   SHADOWSPAWN.
219 [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
220 Mother-"
221      I haven't talked to my mother in years now.  I'm really not even sure if she's still alive.  There was a time though,
222 when that was different.
223      When I was young, we were friends.  Good friends.  She spent hours with me, sitting on our porch, telling me stories
224 of those things were when she was young, laughing at my dog Randy- as he lazily chased butterflies in the meadow before us.
225      She was a good woman, always kind, with good things to say about everything.  She could make the sun shine on a 
226 blustery day- Even the day Randy died.
227      It was like any other day, the sun low in the sky as Randy and I walked down the dirt path that led out of the school-
228 yard.  Tall trees sent shimmering shadows to play with my footsteps as I walked towards home.  Randy loved to chase the
229 shadows that danced by my feet.  He was a great dog.  He was by best friend.
230      We were walking beside the road one day, anxious to get home to dinner, when Randy found a bird to chase.  He chased
231 it a ways, and I lost sight of him as he ran round a bend in the road.  I wasn't worried though, Randy was a good dog and
232 always knew what to do.  I heard two cars racing in the distance behind me.  I turned to see them fly by me, round the bend,
233 and listend to them as they roared back off into the distance.  Randy hadn't returned to my side yet, but this was not
234 strange.  He always could find something to occupy himself with along the road.
235      What I saw as I rounded the bend I will never forget.  Randy lay there before me, breathing with obvious effort.  Blood
236 poured out of him, turning the dirt around him to rust colored mud.  He looked at me and tried to raise his head, but it was
237 no use, he was almost dead.  I ran to him and threw my arms around him.  Blinded by tears, I screamed out how much I loved
238 him and how he was going to get better, as if it would help him.  It didn't.
239      I carried Randy's limp body all the way home.  I was drenched in blood as I walked in the front door.  I knew that 
240 mother could do something to save Randy.
241      She took his dead body from my arms, walked outside, and set him down on the front porch.  She turned, walked to me, 
242 put her arms around me, and told me of all the good things that would come of it.  She told me how Randy would go to heaven
243 to be with God and how he would have all the meadowns in the world to play in.  She told me how he would never be sick, 
244 get a thorn in his paw, or even be hungry, ever again.  My tears slowly dried as what she was saying began to make sense.
245 Then she told me of the glorious way we would bury Randy.  She said that because he was too good to be buried in the dirt,
246 we would se his soul free and on its way to his better life.
247      We spent the last hours of twilight gathering kindling to add to the wood we had gotten from out of the shed.  We built
248 a huge pile in the middle of the meadow and when we were through, mother placed Randy on top.  She covered his with daisies
249 she had gathered from around he before she lit the wood.  It started with a spark and quickly grew into a roaring fire,
250 spitting sparks upward.
251      Randy went to heaven that night.  I'll never forget seeing the air shimmer above the meadow as his soul rose, up into
252 the night sky.
253                                                              -Shiva
254 [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
255 
256 Excellent entry. That was touching and extemely well written. Keep up the good work.  -  Terry
257 ************************************************************************
258 George - Right on about the NET. If their talent was half as big as their 
259 egos they'd really have something, but they don't. I wonder when they're 
260 going to show us some the published work they keep bragging about. I 
261 can't imagine a publisher even looking at their drivel.
262 
263 Shiva - Outstanding entry. It's good to see some really quality writing 
264 on Backwater. Congratulations.
265 
266                                       Farnsworth
267 ************************************************************************
268 PRINT
269 
270 
271 SHIVA, I REALLY ENJOYED YOUR PIECE, MY DOG WAS KILLED IN MUCH THE SAME WAY, AND I WAS REMINDED OF THE PAIN OF BURYING HER
272 THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR LOSS WITH ME,(AND EVERYONE ELSE)IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.   AGAIN THANK YOU,                       JEAN D.
273 PRINT 224
274 
275 
276 PRINT 226
277 123456789012345678901234567890
278 	
279 	I COME HOME
280 	LATE AT NIGHT
281 	MY ROM IS DARK
282 	I WON'T TURN ON THE LIGHT.
283 	TAKE OFF MY PANTS,
284 	PEEL OFF MY SOCKS,
285 	MY SHIRT HITS THE  FLOOR
286 	AS I HIT MY BED.
287 		I DRIFT OFF TO SLEEP.
288 		I TRY NOT TO,
289 		BUT I DREAM.
290 		I TRY NOT TO,
291 		BUT I DREAM OF YOU
292 		AS I DRIFT TO SLEEP.
293 
294 SUBMITTED BY MARK, THE PROFESSOR
295 098765432109876543210987654321
296 George: How do you know that the NET writers aren't the same "better writers"
297 using an alias to try something different?
298 Farnsworth: I don't recall any of the NET people claiming to have anything
299 published. But they wouldn't lie about that sort of thing, either.
300 They are not 'kids' the average age must be close to 30!
301 *Some* of them may have ego problems, but don't try to blame all of them
302 for one person!
303  
304 I'm rather curious as to why some people seem to be *trying* to start 
305 trouble. Net hasn't done anything in a long time except leave a couple
306 msgs *after* someone impersonated one of them! 
307 I see no need to make comments like "now I suppose NET will come in and
308 fix everything" in such an obviously sarcastic tone. You obviously have
309 not been on the system long as NET has only *once* gotten involved in
310 one of the "Inn" stories. And all involved agreed that that was a mistake!
311 ____01/10/87__________Leonard_JD 2446806.6093_________18:37:27_PST_________
312 |=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|
313  
314 What's this?  Backwater demonstrating civil tenancies and, yes, even reactions
315 to someone else's thoughts?  Not the vicious circle that I have grown used to.
316 Maybe it is just the senior writers toying with those here who just read and
317 aspire to write well.  I don't know, and don't care to.  I am glad to see that
318 a change is coming about, but it has been long since needed.  Maybe that is 
319 
320 what the door was all about....  Does it really matter?  For all of you in NET
321 think about this.  One of 'them' is writing about you.  How does it feel to be
322 a part of such a prestigious organization?  Does it make you feel good?  Are 
323 you really proud to know that you have a skill that started only for it's 
324 ability to find and discredit/embarass/harass people.  Maybe you don't do that
325 now, but we all have our roots...
326 |=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|
327  
328 hello
329 
330 
331 #######################################################################
332      I looked at the jar I held with no small amount of trepidation.  I 
333 had only set eyes upon the dark red ball of matter enclosed in the 
334 protective glass of the jar twice before.  
335      The first time was at the start of an abortive adventure of which I 
336 had little control of.  Just thinking of it caused my lungs to echo the 
337 pain they felt and my hands to shake again.  
338      The second and last time I had seen the thing within was after the 
339 end of that same adventure when I had found myself in my own wine cellar 
340 naked as the day I was born.  
341      I didn't see it that day, rather the day afterwards while in search 
342 of a particlar vintage that a customer had ordered.  While looking in a 
343 storage box that I had thought that I had placed it in for safe keeping 
344 I saw something glowing a dull red between two casks on the floor.  
345      I hurried over, thinking at first that my torch has set some ball 
346 of dust on fire and I was going to put it out before it grew to flame.  
347 But as I reached in with a stick to drag it out I found that it wasn't 
348 fire that caused the glow, but something else.  
349      I knew what it was the instant I saw it in the flickering light of 
350 the torch.  "So my friend, you weren't left behind after all I see."  
351      Knowing what would happen should I touch the surface of the ball, I 
352 went in search of and found a glass jar, then using the stick, I rolled 
353 the little red ball into the jar with extreme caution so as not to 
354 accidently touch it.  I then placed it in the box under the trap in my 
355 room for safe keeping until I could consider the matter more closely. 
356      Now was the time to consider.  I was faced with a situation that 
357 required more knowledge and understanding than my simple life had 
358 provided me.  The ball of whatever it was in the jar was my ticket to 
359 that knowledge.  Of course as with all things it came with a price.  
360      This 'price' is what I was in fear of.  The loss of my identity, 
361 the loss of my very sanity.  I had nearly lost it once before, would I 
362 be able to cope should I take the plunge?  To share ones identity and 
363 very existance with a parisite is one thing when it happens without your 
364 expressed premission, but to purposefully submit oneself to such an 
365 existance...is this in itself a sane act?  Of course it wasn't a 
366 parasitic relationship in truth, it would more aptly be described as a 
367 symbiotic one.  But was it worth it?  Was the value receieved worth that 
368 lost?  Who can say?  
369      As I stood there watching the ball through the glass, trying to 
370 decide the best course, the ball began to glow in a slow pulsing throb.  
371 Not an unpleasing throb, just the opposite, it seemed to sooth my fears, 
372 allowing me to think of the positive aspects of the coming union.  It 
373 must sense my presence and know that it's only chance of corporal 
374 existance was though me.  'Coming union' ? ah, then indeed my mind was 
375 made up after all, I only needed to convince myself that this course of 
376 action was best, that I was making the proper decision. 
377      Whether it was right or not, the decision was made, and I began to 
378 remove the lid. Tipping the jar, I let the ball roll out in my hand. I 
379 watched as after a moments hesitation the ball began to shink. In 
380 seconds it had disappeared leaving only a small pile of dirt and grease 
381 in my palm.                - To be continued -
382 ############################# The Innkeeper ############################
383 Needle!
384 Pin!
385 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
386      Aha! So it is the "twit hunts" that caused you to acquire such a
387 negative attitude towards NET. Well. They were NEVER a major reason for
388 our existence. And we were around BEFORE they started. It's a pity we
389 weren't as good at it as some seem to think. If we were then certain
390 incidents last summer would have been VERY short lived! Those incidents
391 show why CISTOP MIKEY allowed us to conduct the occasional "twit hunt",
392 though most of the time the closest we came to actually condocting one
393 was to post comments like "Looks like it's about time for another twit
394 hunt".
395      We NEVER we out to "discredit/embarass" people. "Harass" was a 
396 possibility, after all the people we were looking for WERE CAUSING 
397 TROUBLE ON THIS SYSTEM. This is our system just as much as it was theirs
398 and given a choice, I suspect most users would rather have our "third
399 rate spy stories" than ZZ TOP RULES, The Random Deleter, or others of 
400 their ilk. By the way, what were YOUR comments intend for if not as a
401 "put down" of NET? (I'd say a put down comes under the heading of 
402 "discredit/embarass/harass")
403      I suggest you contact someone with a set of the BW Archives and
404 check out just what we REALLY did. And how often. You may discover you
405 owe us an apology.
406                         Ian MacHinery
407                         Director, North America (retired)
408 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
409 An apology?! Oh come now, why should anyone apologize to you because you
410 acted like the bunch of twits you were supposedly chasing? I myself have
411 no reason or desire to consider doing so. Just be cause you didn't like
412 certain people who use the system doesn't mean that 'everyone' hates them
413 as you do. There are those who consider your works to  0be no better
414 than the very "twits" you supposedly were harassing. There is no difference
415 in my view between 20 lines of "WKJEB OYRML YUWE_" and "ZZ TOP RULES".
416 In fact, at least "ZZ TOP RULES" is a statement of expression that readable
417 and thereby understandable to some extent compared to the scrambled
418 alphabet that the NET so loved to spew forth on "your" system.
419      Saying that you don't act like a twit does not automatically 
420 exonerate you from being one. Your actions have already spoken for you.
421 - John Dilks  (my real name, and I am not afraid to use it unlike you.)
422 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
423 |~|~==|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|
424  
425 Ah, I see.  You empowered yourselves to decide who was right and who was
426 wrong, and set out to remove that which you found to be a waste of space
427 and time.  Well, did you ask everybody first?  Did you think of all the 
428 prople you would affect BEFORE you started your little game?  Are you so
429 perfect that you can decide who can say what without being edited/deleted?
430 I think that Backwater's policy of deletion is almost too strict now, and
431 yet you have empowered yourselves to decide what appears here.  Are you all
432 the vigilante types you appear to be, or is that for the ringleader to 
433 decide?  How can you decide?  How can you be sure?  If even one person would
434 have derived enjoyment from one of the things you deleted, then you were
435 wrong in all you set out to do.  Maybe NET tries to be honorable, but 
436 censoring is still sensoring.  You cannot force your opinions upon others,
437 or expect everyone to believe the way you do.  To try is criminal, and stupid
438 besides.  By the way, have you figured out who this is yet?  Am I going to 
439 start getting calls at three in the morning, or are you just going to make 
440 sure I never post MY opinion anymore?
441  
442 |=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|
443 .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
444 Please, gentlemen, a little civility?  We were doing so well there
445 for a while, let's not spoil it.  Besides, the (in)famous NET hasn't
446 really had much to say in the last couple months.  Maybe we shouldn't
447 awaken the sleeping?
448 My self, I'm quite anxious to find out more about our host's latest
449 little diversion.  Something to get our minds off of that beastly,
450 noisy door.  And maybe another mug of that fine brew from Meuphestea...
451 .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.Emu
452 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
453 "Ah !  Emu stops lurking in the back.  A large tabnkard for you sir."
454 I looked in the direction our Innkeeper had gone.  "Cragmore ?", I said
455 quietly, so as not to disturb Piper who had fallen back asleep, "I am
456 getting a feeling of more than one soul in the other room.  Would you
457 mind ESPERing a look for me ?"  I set down Emu's tankard and another for
458 Cragmore who had drained his as well.
459 [][][][][][][][][][][][][]   Friar    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
460 
461 ...............................................................................
462 
463    It was extemely late in the afternoon, and I was just getting back from
464 school, hungry, tired, and depressed from failing a geometry exam. I
465 approached the door, only to find that I had left my housekeys in the locker
466 at school. Great. So, I went around to the back and let myself in through
467 the back window. With a brick.
468    I looked through the entire house calling "Mom? Hello, mom?" As I 
469 approached the dining room table, I noticed a small note...
470           "Dinner on your own tonight. Love, mom"
471 --- What was that?  A prelude to suicide?  Where was the point?  Where was the 
472 meaning?  Or are you teaching your cat to dance on the terminal???
473 ---Who Cares?
474  
475 ################################################################
476 Dear Readers:
477 
478 I have a question I recieved in a recent letter that my panel
479 of experts was unable to answer. I'm offering to you for your
480 opinion. Is it socially inappropriate to urinate while taking
481 a shower? Or doesn't it really matter since the urine is all
482 washed down the drain anyway? My readers are all waiting with
483 baited breath for your reply.
484 
485                              Ann Landers
486 ##############################################################
487 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
488 Ian - It wasn't the twit hunting at all.
489 In fact, that was somewhat amusing. What
490 it was more than anything was the arrogance.
491 
492 The NET presented itself as a literary
493 elite yet generally didn't produce anything
494 of better quality than the rest of us. It
495 was the unjustifiable condescending
496 snobbery that was offensive. It's interesting
497 that something that happened so long ago
498 still evokes such strong negative feelings..
499 
500 I for one am now ready to let it drop.
501 
502                   Brad
503 
504 P.S. - By the way, Ian, of all the Net 
505 writers you are undoubtably the most 
506 talented. Your writing has always been
507 excellent
508 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
509 Balony! His was one of the most snobish of the lot.
510 I personally thought that Ian was one of the poorer
511 adn lousier writers. And I also agree with John D.
512 that lines and lines of scrambled letters was no
513 different then lines and lines of ZZ Top Rules or
514 who cares crap. A twit is a twit no matter what
515 he says otherwise. 
516 ============================ ME ==================
517 \\\\\\\\\\\What is that deal, anyway?\\\\\\\\\\\kaos\\\\\\\\\\\\
518 060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606
519 Snobbish?  Egotistical?  Perhaps.  Yet this same group has also produced many
520 wonderful stories here on BWMS, under other names AND their 'NET' personas.
521 The "twit hunts" began when a few people began abusing the system to an
522 intolerable extent (I am NOT referring to ZZ TOP RULES, but rather to entire
523 disks filled with carriage returns or the same obscenity 610 times).  They 
524 began because the people who had grown to care for the system could not stand
525 to see Mikey's time and effort wasted on disks full of nonconstructive garbage.
526 The feeling that NET had become elitist had already been expressed within NET
527 itself just as I became a member thereof; I believe that those feelings and
528 ideas are a thing of the archives.
529 Disclaimer: These words and thoughts are my own, and may not be the opinion of
530 anyone else in the multiverse.    -06
531 060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606
532 O\=<([V2V])>=/O
533  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
534  I do not doubt that the abusers here need to be told to stop. Perhaps the
535  reputation Net earned was from the fiction more than action itself. Are any
536  of the people here fully informed? Not even all the Net agents have heard
537  the whole story, I bet. Rumors of persecuting phone calls are just dumb. I
538  know the Net, and they would not do that. A single call and a polite
539  request would suffice and everyone knows it. If one phone call can save as
540  much frustration as that, I am of the opinion it's a good idea.
541  No one was ever arrested, abducted, robbed, or even bound nor gagged. No
542  one was ever prevented from writing striking writing.
543        And I am sure that most people ragging on Net were jealous of the
544  steadfast friendships and the collaborative writing they enjoyed during
545  their heyday. It might not be the sole reason for the insults. I could
546  find a few dozen myself about the structure and people of Net. I will bet
547  a quarter it is a significant factor however.
548        At this, I would like to write that the heyday I mentioned was years
549  ago. We considered writing a story in which the characters met their ends
550  and demises. We then found the time had passed for any of that. Put these
551  arguments and reasons for despising the agents away. We have put our
552  stories and our sentimental times away.
553        Let's just go on ahead. Maybe let's even start a plot. I have this
554  great idea about Nazi spies sabotaging a Liberty ship port in New Jersey...
555 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
556 
557     -----------------------------------------------------------
558   an allegory
559 	   imagine she was a flier, she was a kite. her essence
560     as a girl, as a human life, is reduced to a simple plane
561     and a string.
562 	   and as for me, i am a single young boy. a child who
563     strolls on a long beach and watches the slight similarity
564     of the ocean and the clouds. a child who figures his stroll
565     is nothing of importance. neither to himself or to an
566     eternity.
567 	   watching my own motions as i kneel to grab the
568     abandoned craft, i see that it is torn and stained.
569 	   whether or not this kite is as significant as any
570     other i simply find that it takes to the airstreams nicely.
571 	   we spend hours in each other's attentions. neither
572     one wishing to end a charming time, and neither spending an
573     effort at leaving the other.
574 	   i desired, a few times, to simply let the string go.
575     away the kite and the afternoon. as the string would slip
576     from my hands, i would grab it and hold it strongly. as it
577     dove and spun in my control, it showed the desire and the
578     pleasure which we actually felt during that day.
579 	   our dance ended as a strong wind pressed it away
580     from me and dragged the twine from my fingers. it raised up
581     into the sky and over the ocean.
582 	   no matter the stomping or the parading which i
583     played at on the ocean shore, it was never as it was,
584     when...
585 	   i fondly remember that craft. our time spent on one
586     another. and still, i depress myself as i imagine her
587     laying on another ocean shore or her string in the fingers
588     and gaze of another.
589     -----------------------------------------------------------
590 ###############################################################################
591 right... go ahead .... how about a story about israeli spies sabotaging/
592 blackmailing the administration because of perceived  us withdrawal of
593 funding for their lavi boondoggle.
594 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||::-(
595 %*_#@)*_)#@!%*!_)%*#!+_%(@#+^*@$+*^@+#_)^*$@+_^(@_(^+(^@+(+_@(^+_@$*^@+_*^@+_*
596 To all the NET raters/beraters: I offer volumes of archives for persusal by
597 anyone who wants to see WHAT REALLY HAPPENED on Backwater. NET was a bunch of
598 people writing spy/adventure stories. It was NOT late night phone calls or
599 alley knife fights or deletion of anti-NET comments or anything else this
600 current crop of writers seems so caught up in. The people who write 95% of
601 the stories have better stuff to do than transfer their stories from paper to
602 reality. If someone out there had REAL problems with people claiming to be
603 from NET, I am sure some of the writers who made up NET would be interested
604 in hearing about it. 
605 Comments like 'NET sucks' and 'They are all assholes' says much more about
606 the writer of the comments than anyone else. I get tired of the constant
607 bitching about what happened on Backwater. This is a strange and unique
608 system for writing stories and having fun, not for making enemies and taking
609 out frustrations behind phony names or nameless entries.
610 So, in the name of Backwater, and all this system can be for all of us, let's
611 return to that ideal of creative writing used in a constructive manner, and
612 drop the snide, mostly unsigned comments. Remember, most everyone knows who
613 the NET people are.
614 *%(_)#$@&*^%_)(&_)#@!&^_)!&^)!_^ L'homme sans Parity %&(@#)&%@#&%_#%)&!)+_#%&_)
615 
616 GRAPHICS:
617 
618 		Announcing NCGA's Computer Graphics 1987 symposium.
619 		Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
620 		Hosted by the National Computer Graphics Association
621 		William L. Howard, Conference Director
622 		NCGA Computer Graphics '87.
623 		Call NCGA for registration details. Sign up
624 		soon.
625 
626 		NCGA : March 22-26.
627 
628 END GRAPHICS.
629 Quote of the day : C.Itoh printers are one fast son-of-a-pitch!

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