LIST
FILE ON
MARGIN IS 126 
STATUS: ENTER ONLY
NUMBER OF LINES: 629 
1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask....
2 ********************* REMOVED: 6 JUL 84 ********************
3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System)  Mike Day System operator
4 ************************************************************
5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION PLACED ON
6                     THIS SYSTEM.
7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privately 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 privately 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 Darn! nobody beat me to the top, Now I'm stuck with being the first
21 and having to think of something witty to start things off.
22 I'm sorry folks, but I'm just not up to it. So you'll just have to 
23 think up something for yourselves.
24 XRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXR REX XRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRXRX
25 XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
26 HEY....ARE THERE ANY LADYS OUT THERE THAT USE COMPUTERS? IF SO, PLEASE RESPOND 
27 XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
28 
29 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
30      "Golly-gosh that Goll Darn McKane!"  The hysterically angry voice filled
31 the fortunately vacant room.  Actually, the room wasn't quite empty, but Petrov
32 didn't worry about that deaf-blind fellow sitting in the corner.
33      Petrov decided to get a grip on himself.  He was somewhat surprised to find
34 the Oklahoma City Plaza Hilton's cocktail lounge empty at six o'clock in the
35 morning.  "I wouldn't be having any of these problems if it wasn't for the fact
36 that McKane holds the mortgage on ma and pa's farm in Kansas."  Petrov made a
37 mental note to stop talking to himself. The fact was, he was only working for
38 McKane until he could find a weakness and exploit it.
39      Out of the corner of his eye, Petrov spied a man entering the lounge.
40 After studying him for a moment, Petrov guessed that the man was the assistant
41 manager of the hotel, married, with two childred, and hoping to someday be
42 full-fledged manager.  Petrov called him over and wondered why the man was 
43 looking at him so oddly.
44      The man approached.  "May I help you, sir?"
45 "So you're the assistant manager, eh?"
46 "Yes," the man replied."
47 "How's the wife?" Petrov asked.   "In good health."
48 "And the kids?"   The man seemed uneasy. "They're both fine. Uh...Do I know you?"
49 "I hope not," Petrov replied.  "Tell me, you would really like to be full 
50 manager someday, wouldn't you?"
51 "Actually, I've always had this dream to be head bartender."
52 "But if you were manager," Petrov argued, "you could fire bartender
53 and do that job yourself!"
54 "Yes....why, YES!"  The glimmer of hope on the man's face bloomed into
55 uninhibited understanding.
56      Now completely relaxed, Petrov decided to make himself look less 
57 conspicuous by climbing off the table he had been standing on since the tantrum
58 he was throwing a little earlier.  Still grinning with the satisfaction of 
59 predicting the assistant manager's  identity so well, Petrov's sensitive ears
60 picked up a rustling of paper coming from the lobby.  "That sounds like the
61 paper rustling of a man pretending to be reading a newspaper while actually
62 looking over the top of it at another man who also probably knows he's watching."
63 "Excuse me?"  The assistant manager was baffled.
64 "Nothing."  Petrov whirled in time to see the familiar plain-looking man in
65 the overcoat who had been watching him strip in the sleazy restaurant.
66 Petrov set out after him only to trip and fall.  Looking up, he was
67 slapped in the face by the hand of fate.  The plain-looking man was gone!
68 PETROV
69 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
70 ......................................................................
71      The flight to Oklahoma City was too short.  As I read the files Ian had
72 supplied, I began to realize just how HUGE the McKane organization was.
73 I felt like a fly attacking an M-60 tank.  My only hope was that McKane's
74 empire was similar to the tank in that its vulnerability was in its very
75 complexity.
76       After arriving in Oklahoma City and taking care of all the usual details,
77 I walked out to the parking lot to check it out.  Spotting a likely-looking
78 nondescript vehicle, I proceeded to steal it. I was feeling slightly paranoid
79 and figured that this was one way to make sure I didn't get a rigged car.
80       Finding the Plaza Hilton was easy, and I dumped the car some distance away
81 in a lower class neighborhood, hiking back to the hotel. Ian's information
82 had said that a room had already been reserved for my contact, so I took the
83 stairs to the 14th floor.  Leaving the stairwell, I saw that all the room
84 numbers started with 15.  Wonderful.  Our room was on the 13th floor. 'Good
85 thing I'm not superstitious,' I thought as I went back to the stairwell,
86 knocking on the wooden door as I passed. Picking the lock on 1428 was a matter
87 of a few seconds work, and I was in. Good thing the Oklahoma City Hilton hadn't
88 upgraded to the new electronic locks yet.  They took me a few seconds longer.
89      The suite was a rather nice one.  Ian must be feeling generous;  usually
90 I ended up in some roach-infested dive in the worst part of town.  Of course,
91 that's usually where my business took me anyway.  McKane was higher class, so I
92 was in a better location. All things considered, I think I prefer the dives.
93      I inspected the rooms, looking for the inevitable bugs.  I found the obligatory one, so I knew the real ones were better
94 hidden.  After further
95 scrutiny, I found three more, one in each bedroom and one in the central living
96 area.  Removing a device from my box, I wired it and all the bugs together.  Now
97 whoever was listening in would hear a programmed tape of normal uninteresting
98 conversations.
99      Now that I had all the preliminaries out of the way, I could take a look at
100 those flowers.  The trip wire from the card was obvious, but the time-release
101 nerve gas coating on the petals was harder to find, and took some time to
102 neutralize. Finally satisfied that all was well, I trapped the door, and
103 returned to the lobby to wait for L'homme sans parity.
104        (tempus fugit)
105     While waiting in the lobby, casually hidden behind my newspaper, I heard
106 an angry voice coming from the cocktail lounge.  I was more-or-less ignoring it,
107 until I heard the name 'McKane.'  I was just heading over to see what was going
108 on, when L'homme sans parity entered.  Torn between the two, I finally decided
109 I'd better stick with L'homme - he was fumbling with an armful of luggage, and
110 looked like an easy target if anyone was so inclined.  Removing the 'out of
111 order' sign from the express elevator I had reserved for myself, I was waiting for
112 L'homme when he entered his room.  I had a hard time convincing him of my
113 honesty, but after calling Ian and getting His confirmation, L'homme seemed to
114 accept me. I told him of the traps I had defused, then warned him that, however
115 unlikely, there did exist the faint possibility that I had missed something.
116 So, he should stay on his toes.  After the disclaimer, we got down to the
117 business of making plans.
118 .............
119 Sorry I didn't take us any farther, but I spent too much time/disk getting
120 to where I am now.  Maybe next time.
121 Joshua
122 .....................................................................
123 ---------------------------------
124 OK, THERE IS A MISSUNDERSTANDING HERE. MY NAME IS MARK FORSYTH AND I LIKE THIS SYSTEM ALOT, THE MESSAGE UNDER MY LAST WAS NOT M
125 DOING AND I HOPE THAT YOU DID NOT TAK IT IN THAT WAY. ALL I'MSAYING IS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD USE THIS SYSTE NOT TO SAY WHO THEY AR
126 GOING TO DESTROY, BUT TO WRITE THIE STORIES AND GENERAL CREATIVE STUFF. AND ALSO, I'M NOT EASILY CONFUSED, IT TAKES A HECK OF 
127 ALOT TO CONFUSE ME. 
128 ---------------------------------
129 GEE, YOU COULD HAVE FOOLED ME.
130 
131 ******************************************************************
132 Yes, let's all conform! Death to creativity! No more stories.
133 Let's only talk about computers and IC's and bits and bytes
134 and all that wonderful stuff they talk about on other BBS's.
135 No more of this fantisy garbage that everyone keeps putting on
136 here. Let's hear it now, all together;
137 Death to creativity! Conform! Conform!
138 Death to creativity! Conform! Conform!
139 ect........
140 *******************************************************************
141 WHY DO I HAVE THIS FEELING OF DEJA VU?
142 
143 HOWEVER, IT DOES BRING TO MIND A BURING QUESTION OF "WHAT HAPPENED
144 TO ALL OF OUR OLD GOOD FANTASY AUTHORS?" BRENDEN IS BACK, BUT WHERE 
145 IS THE ELUSIVE PAM? AND D? TARN ONLY APPEARS OCCASIONALLY ANYMORE,
146 AND THAT IS SO DEPRESSING (IF IT IS POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO GET ANYMORE
147 DEPRESSING!) THAT I CAN HARDLY BARE TO READ IT. AND WHERE ARE THE
148 OTHERS OF WHOM I CAN'T SEEM TO REMEMBER THEIR NAMES RIGHT OFF BECAUSE
149 THEY HAVE BEEN GONE FOR SO LONG? COME ON PEOPLE DON'T LET THE MCKANE 
150 ORGINAZATION TAKE OVER THIS PLACE COMPLETLY! 
151 SIGH, THEY ARE PROBABLY ALL OUT CATCHING SOME RAYS, WHICH IS WHERE
152 I THINK I'LL GO SINCE THERE ISN'T ANYTHING INTERESTING HERE.
153 COME ON PEOPLE, I NEED TO SEE SOME GOOD WRITTING HERE OR I'LL GO CRAZY!
154 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
155 HELLP
156 HELP
157 END
158 A
159  
160 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*==*GURU OF BLIS*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
161   WERE MOSTLY AT THE WIZARD-CON (WHICH IS CONVIENIENTLY CLOSE TO MCKANE WORLD
162 HEADQUARTERS FOR OUR PURPOSES.
163                                  --------------
164   ONE WHO EXCELS AS A WARRIOR DOES NOT APPEAR FORMIDABLE.
165   ONE WHO EXCELS IN COMBAT IS NEVER ROUSED IN ANGER.
166 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
167 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?/
168 Mark Forsyth:coulda fooled me! Say so and I will`call you, you make the time.
169 All:I am running about 10% right now and ill have to return later when modem has been properly ralpphed
170 The Man in Gray
171 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  /? /fF?G? / ? ? ? ? /? ? ? ? ? ?`? ? ? ? ? ?/ldl
172                    PORTLAND, OR.        
173                    1 JULY 1984
174 DEAR MR. MCKANE,
175    YOU DO NOT KNOW WHO I AM, AS YOUR HEN
176 CHMEN DIDN'T BOTHER TO ASK NAMES WHEN TH
177 EY THROUGH THE LEGAL TRICKERY OF MCKANES
178 STAFF ATTORNEYS GOT AWAY WITH TAKING AWA
179 Y FROM MY FAMILY AND I, THE RANCH THAT 
180 HAD BEEN OUR FAMILYS HOME FOR MORE THAN 
181 146 YEARS. YOU DIDN'T CARE THAT THE SHOC
182 K AND GRIEF KILLED MY WIFE, OR THAT YOUR
183 MEN STOLE MY CAR, BURNED MY BARN, KICKED
184 MY DOG, AND SMASHED MY COLLECTION OF DR.
185 PEPPER BOTTLES. WELL NOW, MR MCKANE, THE
186 TIME HAS COME TO PAY THE PIPER.
187 YOU ARE ABOUT TO REALIZE THE POWER ABOUT
188 TO BE UNLEASHED AGAINST YOU IS FAR GREAT
189 ER THAN ANYTHING IN YOUR ARSENALS OF ASS
190 ASSIDIOUSNESS. BEWARE, MR. MCKANE, FOR I
191 AM COMING FOR YOU, BUT NOT IN ANY WAY 
192 THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND. YOU SEE I 
193 CONTROL THAT WHICH YOU HAVE THE LEAST OF
194 YOU ARE GETTING OLD, MR. MCKANE, REMEMBE
195 R THAT.
196 The trees part overhead, as I continue my walk 
197 through them. Branches wave in a slight breeze and the sun dips lower in
198 the sky. I continue down a gentle slope that finally ends in a shallow
199 depression. I remember a piece of advice, and I begin to follow the dep
200 follow the depression down. After an hour of walking, the ground
201 begins to get damp, and I hear a faint trickle of water. Continuing on 
202 down, I walk into a small rivulet that springs from a rock wall. At last
203 a guide. I follow the rivulet as it begins to get bigger,and others join
204 it. Hours later, the sun has nearly set, and I hear the unmistakeable 
205 sound of a creek. Coming upon it, I prepare to make my camp for the 
206 night, and begin to think of my future. Alone, on an unknown planet, an
207 unknown time, and nothing except a broken JUmP generator.
208 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++000001TED+++++++++++++++
209 LEROY MCKANE WAS SEATED AT HIS DESK, CONTEMPLATING THE LETTER HE HAD JUST RECIEV
210 ED. NORMALLY, MESSAGES SUCH AS THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AS THE IDLE RAMBLI
211 NGS OF VARIOUS MALCONTENTS, THOSE ENVIOUS OF THE SYSTEM, THOSE WHO REFUSED TO BE
212 LIEVE IN MIRACLES, THOSE WHO DOUBTED THE BENEVOLENCE AND CHARITY OF THE ORGANIZA
213 TION---. THIS ONE, HOWEVER, WAS DIFFERENT. FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, HIS EXECUTIV
214 SECRETARY HAD MADE A POINT OF HAND DELIVERING THIS PARTICULAR LETTER. FOR SOME 
215 REASON LEROY MCKANE COULD NOT FATHOM, HE WAS AFRAID. "ME, LEROY MCKANE, AFRAID?"
216 HE THOUGHT, AS HE FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME RE-READ THE LETTER. IN HIS MIND, HE 
217 STARTED TO MAKE PLANS. WE WILL DEAL WITH THIS ANONYMOUS THREAT AS WE HAVE DEALT,
218 SUCCESSFULLY, WITH ALL THE OTHERS, AND WHEN THE TRANS GUNS ARE READY, DESTROY 
219 HIM. SEATED AT HIS MASSIVE DESK WITH THE SOPHISTICATED CONTROL PANEL, AND IT'S
220 CONCOMMITANT POWER, LEROY MCKANE ONCE AGAIN STARTED TO LAPSE INTO THE SMUG SECUR
221 ITY, THE PLUTOCRATIC INDIFERENCE THAT CHARACTERIZED HIS LIFE. "WHAT HAVE I TO BE
222 CONCERNED ABOUT?", HE MUSED; I'LL CRUSH THIS THREAT TO MY OMNIPOTENCE AS I HAVE 
223 BEFORE. IT WAS THEN THAT HE LOOKED UP TO SEE A RATHER ORDINARY FIGURE STANDING 
224 BEFORE HIM, ORDINARY, EXCEPT, PERHAPS, THAT THIS MAN WAS NONCHALANTLY MUNCHING 
225 ON A SLICE OF PIZZA.   "YOU-YOU-IT WAS YOU THAT SENT THIS LETER---WHO ARE YOU, 
226 WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY PRIVATE OFFICE,-- HOW DID YOU GET HERE?MCKANE WAS VISIB
227 LY UPSET. THEN THE STRANGER SPOKE-" MR MCKANE, WHO I AM IS NOT IMPORTANT RIGHT 
228 NOW. SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT I AM HERE, AND I CAN BE WHEREVER I WANT TO BE, WHENE
229 VER I CHOOSE. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I CAN PLACE YOU ANYWHERE IN TIME THAT I WANT TO
230 IF I SO CHOOSE, I CAN PUT YOU WHERE YOU WERE THAT DAY AFTER YOU GRADUATED FROM 
231 HIGH SCHOOL, THE PARTY, DO YOU REMEMBER? WHEN THE GIRL THAT YOU IMPREGNATED ASKE
232 YOU TO DO THE DECENT THING AND MARRY HER, AND YOU LAUGHED, AND TOLD HER ALL THOS
233 THINGS YOU TOLD HER, AND THEN TOOK HER OUT IN THE BOAT- DO YOU REMEMBER, MCKANE,
234 THE "UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT"-WHERETHAT INNOCENT TRUSTING YOUNG GIRL DIED AT YOUR 
235 HAND? REMEMBER, MCKANE? 
236 I CAN TAKE YOU BACK THERE, MCKANE. I CAN ARRANGE THINGS TO BE DIFFERENT. I CAN 
237 CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED THAT LAZY SUMMER EVENING, AND YOU, YES YOU, "LEROY" CAN BE 
238 THE ONE THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT FOUND SNAGGED ON THE GRAPPLING HOOKS. HOW 
239 WOULD YOU LIKE THAT, "MR" MCKANE? NOT TOO MUCH, I SUSPECT.YOU THINK ABOU THAT, "
240 "MR" MCKANE. I AM HERE TO GIVE YOU THE SAME CHANCE I WAS GIVEN MANY EONS AGO- TO
241 CHANGE YOUR WAYS. TO DISBAND THE ORGANIZATION, TO USE YOUR UNCOUNTED WEALTH TO 
242 HELP PEOPLE, TO DO WHAT YOU KNOW IS RIGHT. I TAKE MY LEAVE, BUT I WILL BE WATCH
243 ING YOU----. OH-BY THE WAY, I AM KNOWN BY MANY NAMES, BUT YOU MAY CALL ME LYSIAS
244 ............................................................................
245 :*************************************************************:
246 McKane woke with a start. "What a terrible dream", he mumbled 
247 to himself. "That's the last time I eat cold Geonelli pizza
248 before bed." Sliding behind his desk, turning on the console, 
249 he began the days work.
250 :************************************************************:
251       **********
252    *          *
253    *  (O)  (O)  *
254    *            *
255    * !        ! *
256    *  \      /  *
257    *   ------   *
258     *          *
259       **********
260    HAVE A NICE DAY
261     ***   ***
262    *   * *   *
263      *   *   *
264    ****/---\****
265 *    |   |    *
266  ****\---/****
267      *   *   *
268     *   *|*   *
269   *** | ***
270          |
271        |
272         |
273          |
274        |
275      /-\|/-\
276      \  |  /
277        \ | /
278        \|/
279 ------------------
280 it's supposed to be a
281   ** FLOWER **
282 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
283  What a waste of space ! .........MiG  whats a good time to call ? 
284 ::::::::::::::Alex:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
285 ################################################################################
286        I LIKED IT, SORT OF ANYWAY. AT LEAST IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. - MAX  
287 ################################################################################
288 jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
289 BW seems to be in chaos. The Innhabitants are banding into different
290 sides. Let's try not to bicker. No more criticism. I would like to state 
291 that all the messages putting down fantasy are coming from one terminal.
292 jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
293 The Ninja didn't sit staring for very long. Someone of to the side in
294 some bushes beckoned him. It was one of his old masters from the temple!
295 The Ninja followed the ancient one back to into the covering of the
296 shrubbery. The old man's eyes were glazed blue, yet he moved with 
297 familiarity through his sorroundings. He grabbed the Ninja's shoulder and
298 hissed into his ear.
299 "No time for greetings. You are to head to the airport and catch
300 a waiting plane. It will be red with a blue pinstripe. It will take you
301 to tibet where you will escort a hostage. More instructions will be given
302 there.
303 The Ninja
304 jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
305 -------------------------------------------
306 Forsyth here, I would have expected those insults to be a little more insulting
307 comming from such intelegent folks that you thing you are. To insult everyone
308 back would result in a futile effort, there is so much to be said and such 
309 little space to say it in(629 lines I think) on this board. By the way, it is
310 rather fun to read all these messages aimed at me, they are quite the fun.
311 Oh, ninja I hope that the small message above yours isn't from you. Well,
312 got to run and get insulted somewhere else.
313 Mark Forsyth.
314 --------------------------------------------
315 
316 ? ? ? ?P? ? ? ? ?` ? ? ? ?  ?  ? ? ? ? ? ?G?B?W? T? ? ? ?$? ? X ? ? ?/? ? ? 
317 Alex:before dark tonight or wednessday.
318 \he Man in Gray
319 ? ? ? ?  ? ?`_ ?E\dH? & I ? E ?T ?p? ? ? ?W&? Q U(? ? DGHhw@q? ?
320 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  ?/
321 What is this? I leave for a good 3 hours to eat, change modems and BS with 
322 Michael and nothing has happened! must be a full moon, or the dreded CON!
323 Mark:I would call youand insult you verbaly, but you are LD and I will not
324 
325 be bothered with fireing up the Nerd-Net for such drivle.Perhaps you would 
326 attened the next PorSFiS meeting? (snicker)
327 MiG
328 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?/
329 -----------------------------------------
330 Why in the name of anybody should I go to a meeting with you guys.
331 You should have had it this last saturday as planned at 2:00 in your 
332 favoite library(MCL), I would have went. No, you probibly would have
333 tried to convert me into a boy george fan member like your self. NO,
334 no thanks, that can be your own fantasy. 
335 Come to think of it, if informed, I WILL come to your next meeting if 
336 I'm up to it when ever it is, but I still can't think of what there
337 is for you guys talk about??? Probibly what person you'll try to crash
338 next time.       Must not tie up time.     Mark Forsyth.
339 -----------------------------------------
340 (
341 
342                     ***   ***   *********     ***
343                     ***   ***      ***        ***
344                     ***   ***      ***        ***
345                     *********      ***        ***
346                     ***   ***      ***        ***
347                     ***   ***      ***
348                     ***   ***   *********     ***
349                     From a friendly persoality..
350                                 (Snicker)
351 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*TTTTTTTTTTT*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
352   TO ALL CONCERNED: HAS MCKANE IN HIS INFINITE PARANOIA STRUCK AT WIZARD CON?
353   THOSE PREASENT KNOW OF THE OTHERWISE UNEXPLICABLE EVENTS TO WHICH I REFUR.
354 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
355   THEMNAX, DREAMTOUCHER, SNOWRUNNER, SLARTIBARTFARST, EACH IN THERE
356 SEPERATE PLACES LOOK UP SUDDENLY THEN ASSUME STANCES COMPFORTABLE FOR EACH
357 TO HOLD FOR 
358 SEVERAL MOMENTS.  SYMULTAINOUSLY THEY ALL GRADUALY FAID, LEAVING NO TRACE
359 BUT MEMORY AND THE STARTLED LOOKS OF THE FEW WHO MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO
360 GLIMPS THIS HAPPINING.  WERE THEY HAVE GONE, NO ONE KNOWS.  NEITHER WHEN
361 OR IF ANY OR ALL MIGHT RETURN.  THE GREAT DEIUX EX MECHINA; H.U.B (1) KNOWS
362 BUT ISN'T SAYING.  IT'S BEEN FUN.  ONE OR MORE OF ME WILL PROBABLY RETURN
363 SOONER OR LATER.  FOR NOW; WE PHASE OFF INTO NON-EXISTANCE.
364 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
365   ONE MINOR POINT OF DISSAGREEMENT WITH HARLIN'S LITTLE TALK.
366   SHORTNESS IS NOT(!!!!!) A PHYSICAL DEFORMITY!!  I LIKE(!) BEING SHORT.
367   IF IT WERE UP TO ME; I WOULD BE EVEN SHORTER THAN I AM NOW.
368   OTHER THAN THAT; WHAT HE SEEMED TO BE SAYING IS EQUALY APPLICABLE IN A GREAT
369 MANY CONTEXTS, THIS PLACE INCLUDED.  ON THE OTHER HAND; NEGATIVE FOCUS DOES SEEM
370 TO ATTRACT THE NEGATIVE.  
371 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
372   THIS IS NOT ORIGEONAL BUT, I THINK, A GEM:
373   NEGATIVE DRAGON AND POSITIVE DRAGON FIGHT OVER THE PEARL OF WISDOM; WHICH
374 ONE WINS?
375 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
376 Thank you very much for tying up the lines for an hour ther.
377 How about you guys start up a Writers Guild or something, some of these
378 stories are great!!! 
379 
380 
381           * .  . *
382           * *  * .
383           . .  . . 
384           

385           this code is easy, even a blind man could read it!
386 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
387   'All the trouble I go through in putting all those bugs and booby-traps
388 in L'Homme's room, and this "Joshua" doesn't even have the common courtesy
389 to leave them where they were.  He had to go and disarm them and rewire them.'
390 thought the man known only as "The Professor".  I mean after all the money that
391 I'm getting payed by this Sundownor person, and they wont even allow me to bug
392 their rooms.  The Professor thought for a moment more and said to himself 'At
393 least Joshua didn't find the ones that I left in his room.  Well, I'll be happy
394 once I "knock off" L'Homme..  When I get that done, I'll be $500,000 bucks
395 richer!!!!  Well, back to work.....'
396 
397 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" The Professor """""""""""""""""""""""
398 
399 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Heroes +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
400      I've been thinking about heroes.  What is it that makes a person a hero?  Why is this person the star of the story
401 and not this person?  For instance, why is it Luke Skywalker is the hero of 'Star Wars', and not Darth Vader?
402 After all, he's in a rebellion against the lawfully constituted government of the galaxy.  He's a renowned terrorist!!
403 Darth Vader is the one who's continually demonstrating his loyalty to the Emporer.  I mean, with just a little
404 shift in emphasis, 'Star Wars' could be a whole differenyt story, couldn't it?
405      If 'Star Trek' were about the Klingon Empire instead of the Federation, we would be seeing stories about good
406 Captain Koloth going out to confront that intergalactic war criminal, James T. Kirk and his nefarious side-kick 
407 Spock. (Remember the time they infested a Klingon Battlecruiser with disease carrying vermin--those furry little
408 parasites?  Yuck!!!)
409      It's the writer's oldest problem.  How do you know who the hero is?  Who is the story about??
410 The late James Blish used to have a very simple test to determine who the hero was when he was writing a story.  
411 Afterr you've set up the situation, ask yourself, "Who does it hurt?"
412      That's the hero.
413      Except that definition is insufficient.  It's a good place to start.  It's a little trick for getting into the
414 heart of a story, but it doesn't answer the question in depth.  Let's try again.
415      Most writers will tell you that the hero is a person who has to solve the problem.  That's pretty good, too.
416      A hero is a person with a problem.  That definition only includes 4.6 billion members of the human race.
417 There isn't a person on this planet who hasn't got a problem to solve.  It's true!!!  You handle those things you can
418 handle.  Those things that you can't handle, persist.  You're stuck with those situations.  You try to change them.
419 You put up with them.  You can call them names.  You call them problems.  That's the word we use to identify things
420 we can't handle and that annoy us enough to make us conscious of them.
421      Sooner or later, everyone comes up against the thing they think they can't handle.  That's their problem.
422      Everybody has a problem. (If you don't believe me, ask around.  People are only too glad to talk about their
423 problems!)  So, if the hero is the person with the problem, then we're living on a planet full of heroes.  We've got
424 4.6 billion people with problems.
425      And every single one of us is a hero.  Right??  Aren't you the hero of your own life?  Aren't you the star of
426 your own movie?  The writer of your own script? 
427           Think about what I've said...To be continued later.  There's a lot more left to say by me!!!!!!!
428 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Logan... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
429 
430 ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
431   I'm sort of back!!!!!  Who, may I ask , is the guy who wrote all that???
432 That was one of the most interesting things that I've seen around here, since
433 the 'Juvies' took over for that brief period of time.
434     I think that I've figured out what's going on.  The McKane Organization
435 is trying to take over, huh?  Well, I'll try to figure my way into this story 
436 somehow...I see by the old clock n on the wall that it's 10:45pm.  See everyone
437 at a later date. (Namely, it won't be so late at night.)
438 
439 ?????????????????????????????????????????? The Doctor ??????????????????????????
440 FORSYTHE: HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THE SUN
441 DAY TRADERS "OTHER SIDE"? TRY IT, YOU 
442 LIKE IT. (HINT)
443 *)#@%)#&%)!&$@#^)#&$)^%)^*_!^&*_!#*&)_*%^$)&*_&_@$%*&_*@$%&_*$^_*&_*^%_*&_#*&
444 As L'homme opened the now safe envelope, and removed its contents, he
445 remarked to Joshua about his surprise on the non secrecy of his mission.
446 "I just don't understand it. How could he now I was coming. I mean I just came
447 from another reality, and not even McKane has connections in Amber. Zelazney
448 would not permit it. If I suddenly pop out of nowhere into this reality, and
449 my only contact with anyone here is over a heavily coded network, than how
450 could McKane find out. Unless...unless he has a mole in the Network. That's
451 got to be it! There's no other way. We had better contact Ian and let him
452 know about our suspicions."
453 "I agress", replied Joshua. "I will contact him with your coding device. Why
454  don't you read your note."
455 The paper revealed typical McKane prose. I read it aloud to Joshua.
456  
457 M. L'homme sans parity,
458 Welcome to Oklahoma city. A more beautiful city
459 you will not find.
460 But your coming here was a mistake, and you will
461 soon find yourself in a bind.
462 My organization is powerful and great.
463 You don't realize what's at stake.
464 Leave now, and never return,
465 Otherwise I assure you you will burn.
466 You must learn not to mess with McKane,
467 Because when I get mad, I inflict great pain.
468  
469 Yours,
470    Leroy McKane
471 
472 "What a note!", exclaimed Joshua.
473 "I agress, but he needs to take a few poetry seminars. Go ahead and contact
474  Ian, while I change out of my driving clothes. Then we can hit the street
475  and go looking for McKane."
476 "I hope when you say 'hit the street', you mean under our own power, and not
477  the end of a flight from the 14th floor.", quipped Joshua.
478 "Of course...now if you will excuse me." I grabbed my suitcase, and went in
479 to the bathroom. There were the glasses in their protective packaging, and
480 my favorite, the toilet seat seal. "I feel so safe now. It's just like
481 that commercial on Saturday Night Live a few years ago."
482 I could hear Joshua through the hollow wooden door talking to Ian on the code
483 phone. I hurried with my changing so I could get a chance to talk to Ian
484 before Joshua finished. I wasn't too much into 27 digit access codes, and
485 I thought I would use Joshua's connect. Just as I finished dressing, I 
486 started to detect a stange sound in the room. Where was it coming from?
487 Wait! Its...Its...Its coming from the sanatized, clensed, protected, sealed-
488 for-your-protection toilet! What could it be now???
489 *$)#@*$)#@*$ L'homme sans parity. Ecuoter un bruit de etrange!!! *)*$#%)#$*%)#$
490 jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
491 The Ninja rushed on to the waiting plane. At least he could relax on
492 the flight to Tibet. He kicked back as the plane took off.
493 After the plane took off, another plane could be seen in the 
494 background. This one had a blue pinstripe.
495 The Ninja
496 jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
497 BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB 
498 Logan: In reference to your entry about Heroes, I whole-
499 heartedly disagree with a few of your statements. First of all, the Empire
500 was not a "lawfully constituted government". That would be like calling
501 Hitler's Germany a run-of-the-mill government with the travesties it 
502 commited just exercising its rights of expansion by slaughtering helpless
503 peoples. Now I would like to take just a moment to voice my opinion
504 on your pseudo-Freudian analysis of the greatest series in the annals 
505 of Science Fiction - STAR TREK. First of all this world needs more "good"
506 heroes like Captain Koloth. I for one do not have a great desire to use
507 a man (if a Klingon can be called a man) that states his Prime Directive
508 as being the -and I quote- "complete and total annihilation of all those
509 who stand in my way" as a role model for my children. Admiral James Tiberius
510 Kirk (Serial # SC-937-0176-CEC) can hardly be considered an "intergalactic
511 war criminal". As for the Battlecruiser incident, I assume that you are
512 refering to "The Troubles With Tribbles" in which harmless Tribbles were
513 beamed aboard the Klingon vessel. Tribbles did nothing but eat and reproduce
514 so they can hardly be considered parasites.Besides, Scotty is the Nipper
515 that beamed the critters into the Klingon ship not Kirk or Spock.Also,
516 latest tallies indicates that current global population has exceeded 5
517 billion people.
518 
519 Logically Yours,
520 
521 Spock
522 
523 
524 BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB
525 
526 SEEMS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF FRUSTRATED TYPISTS IN THE WORLD AND THEY EACH 
527 COME ON THIS BBS AND WORK THEIR FINGERS TO THE BONE ENTERING LETTERS AND 
528 LETTERS BUT NO WORDS.  WHY IS THAT?
529 
530 BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOB BOOB BOB BOB BOB
531 And now for a little ditty that the apprentice brought back from the
532 con..
533 S-100 (words: Frank Hayes, music: "Bonny Ship the Diamond")
534 When I was young, my friends all worked to get their share
535 Of an S-100 system like the Imsai or Altair
536 Well, the S-100's still around, I'm very glad to say,
537 But friends, I'm here to tell you: it ain't the same today.
538 Chorus:And it's cheer up, me lads - let your hearts never fuss
539 When you're integrating systems for the S-100 buss.
540 To tell the truth, the source of all our troubles seems to be
541 A committee on omputers of the I-of-triple-E
542 They settled on a standard spec - 696 by name -
543 Now everything is standardized, but nothing works the same.
544 CHORUS
545 They said, "The 80 boards are way too slow - it's enough to give you fits -
546 If the '09 isn't fast enough then go to 16 bits -
547 68- and Z8000, and an '86 as well -"
548 And code compatibility goes straight to bloody hell!
549 CHORUS
550 Add a board for the modem line, and one for every port,
551 And a printer board, and a keyboard board, and as a last resort,
552 For every problem, we will add a board that has the cure -
553 It's not too damned efficient, but it's a mother, that's for sure!
554 CHORUS
555 And when it's all assembled, there's computer to your collar -
556 It's nice to have a micro, but a mainframe would be smaller.
557 And when you turn the power on, it's sure to dim the lamps,
558 At plus- and minus-16 volts, and 1400 amps.
559 CHORUS
560 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
561 The bard wishes to extend his apologies to anyone who may have missed
562 him recently. He is in the final stages of recovery from a bout of
563 "the crud" (don't know what it is & wish I didn't know what FELT like either!).
564 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BARD~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
565 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
566 TAKE A MEMO
567 ready
568 TO ALL NET BRANCHES
569 SUBJECT: COVERT OPERATIONS
570 IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT SOME OF OUR AGENTS HAVE BEEN
571 COMPROMISED. AT PRESENT IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE MOST LIKELY EXPLANATION
572 IS THAT THE NET UNITS FORGOT TO TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS TO
573 PREVENT ROOM RESERVATIONS FOR THE AGENTS IN QUESTION FROM BEING 
574 TRACED BACK TO US.
575 sir, i must protest such insinuations! we beta-5 units never make
576 mistakes!
577 WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REVIEW THE LIST?
578 ENOUGH OF THIS! RESUME THE MEMO OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REPLACED WITH
579 A C-64?
580 ...resuming dictation mode...
581 HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL A CHANCE OF A SLEEPER AGENT. KEEP YOUR
582 GUARD UP!
583 PUT ON THE STANDARD SIGNATURE BLOCK AND TRANSMIT.
584 yes, sir.
585 sir? you didn't *really* mean that about the c-64 did you?
586 MESS UP AGAIN AND YOU'LL FIND OUT IF I MEANT IT!
587 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
588 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?`~ ? ~ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?/
589 Hay Mark!:I think Ii would like to talk to you,be home tonight.
590 Riskers:Sat 14th around 7-8ish. I will be calling with directions for all 
591 who are`going(last count,myself,voyeur,L'homme Sans Parity,Fast Fred,Whisper)
592 Whisper,I have no way to contact you right now so if you would leave your name
593 on PCS/CBBS 775-xxxx I will send some private mail bagk with the directions.
594 All:my beloved 212a has bit it. My greef is great, but not as bal as that of
595 txe poor unfortunants w ho have to read what my acustic does!
596 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? t ? Z? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?D?C? ? ? ?%V%?/? ? ? ? ? ? > ? ? ? ?/
597 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
598 
599    The 14th it is.......
600 Color reservations being taken now.
601 Myself....Red...not in the bloodthirsty sense...( heh,heh )
602 Players-  MiG, Voyeur, L'homme, Whisper and a computer illiterate friend of
603 mine who has an unsavory taste for carnage....
604 Observers- so far, Fast Fred ...Perhaps there was another ? 
605 
606 ......Green just got taken as well.....
607 
608 :::::::::Alex::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
609 -----------------------------------
610 MIG: Don't bother even calling tonight, this week, or any time at all.
611 
612 Sunday traders??? I haven't heard of such a group, maybe you could fill me in.
613 
614 I liked the message about the Hero's, very ponderuos indeed. Hope to see
615 more work like that around, not that I have a say in the matter???
616 -----------------------------------
617 jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
618 Alex: I would like to watch. I live in Cedar Mill and I believe you said you
619 were playing in Beaverton.
620 The Ninja
621 jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
622 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::O O::::::::::::::::::O O:::::::::::::::::
623 ALEX: voyeur confirms the date.
624 RISKERS: I know that at least three of us live on the East side.
625 Perhaps a car pool could be considered?
626 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::O O:::::::voyeur::::::::O O:::::::::::::
627 This is a test, if this is here after I put it on, CALL THE PRESS!!! mike didn't delete this message like all the rest.
628 WE AE THE LADIES THAT REX WANTS TO TALK TO. LEAVE A MESSAGE HERE FOR M&M.
629 ---<(MSD-PS:::::(206) 695-xxxx)>--------

>