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1 JDIEUYGA
2 ******************** REMOVED: 19 DEC 83 ******************************
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.
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23 ========================================
24 
25 Alex:Would you believe part of a Stoner weapons system ...(I
26 (I didn't think so).  I'm not too worried about what those turkeys will do 
27 AFTERWARDS, as I suspect that they are all aware of the OTHER would-be 
28 conquerors out there (of course, THEY think that the reverse isn't true!).
29 Thus, I would expect one of their highest priorities would be to eliminate 
30 these "threats". When the dust clears, I expect that the survivors could be
31 beaten by a den of cub scouts!
32 The big problem is that right now they are giving the serious, concerned
33 survivalists a bad name. (Remember how I compared them to the "hackers"
34 giving US a bad name?). 
35 I've got a qoute from an article on shelter construction that should answer
36 a lot of the objections some people seem to have to even DISCUSSING 
37 shelter construction, bomb effects etc.
38 "No one can know today whether our lives would be worth living after a
39 nuclear war, and we won't dwell on the moral questions of the individual's
40 responsibility to oneself and to others. For the ultimate amorality, the
41 survivor who envies the dead can join them any time he chooses. But you
42 ought to have the option of nuclear survival, and that option starts with
43 information." (from "Gimme Shelter" by Dean Ing, 1980)
44 _____________________________________Leonard________________________________
45 
46 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
47 
48      1984 IS COMING FAST, AND ITS ATTRIBUTES ARE CLOSE BEHIND.  WE'VE 
49 HAD "NEWSPEAK" SINCE THE WAR DEPARTMENT WAS RENAMED THE DEFENSE DEPART-
50 MENT AFTER WWII.  THIS OCCURED BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT WANTED A PERMANENT
51 BUREAU DEDICATED TO WAR (AND NATIONAL DEFENSE) WITHOUT GIVING THE (CORRECT)
52 IMPRESSION WE WERE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF WAR TO THE GENERAL POPULATION.
53 IT HAS CONTINUED THROUGH TWO WARS...... UH, POLICE-ACTIONS (EXCUSE ME),
54 WITH PHRASES SUCH AS "NATIVE PASSIFICATION" (WHAT USED TO BE REFERRED TO
55 AS "DEATH") AND THE ETERNALLY FAMOUS "WE HAD TO DESTROY THE VILLAGE TO
56 SAVE IT" (FROM COMMUNISM, OF COURSE.  BETTER DEAD THAN RED....).  BUT,
57 AS THE POLITICIANS FOUND AGAIN AND AGAIN, NEWSPEAK WAS NEVER FULLY EF-
58 FECTIVE AS LONG AS THERE WAS A FREE PRESS (THOSE NASTY BOYS THAT WERE
59 ALWAYS ASKING EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS ONE WOULD PREFER RE-
60 MAINED SWEPT UNDER THE RUG).  BUT HOW COULD YOU GET RID OF THE PRESS?
61 DUE TO THE CONCEPT OF A FREE PRESS BEING ENSHRINED BY OUR FOUNDING FATHERS,
62 IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET RID OF.  PRESIDENTS ESPECIALLY HAVE
63 FOUND THE PRESS AN IRRITANT AND NEARLY EVERY ONE HAS COMPLAINED BITTERLY
64 ABOUT IT.  BUT WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO DO........
65 
66      THE RISE OF "INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM" BROUGHT MANY THINGS TO THE AMER-
67 ICAN NEWS MEDIA.  NOT ONLY WAS THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED TO UNCOVER ALL TYPES
68 OF DECEPTION AND CRIMINALITY, BUT IT ALSO BROUGHT THE CHANCE FOR YOUNG
69 JOURNALISTS NATIONWIDE TO MAKE UTTER FOOLS OF THEMSELVES AND DISCREDIT
70 THEIR PROFESSION IN THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC.  THIS HAS ALL COME TO A HEAD
71 RECENTLY WITH THE PUBLIC BACKLASH AGAINST THE PRESS (WHICH IS EXTREMELY
72 ODD, DUE TO THE PUBLIC'S LOVE FOR SENSATIONALISM, A LA THE NATIONAL EN-
73 QUIRER).  OUR CURRENT LEADER, REAGAN, HAS HATED THE PRESS SINCE HIS DAYS
74 IN HOLLYWOOD, AND THE TIME HE HAS SPENT IN THE POLITICAL ARENA HAS CAUSED
75 THE OLD WOUNDS TO FESTER.  THE DARKENING OF THE PUBLIC MOOD TOWARD THE
76 PRESS HAS CREATED OPPORTUNITIES THAT NEVER BEFORE EXISTED, AND HE IS
77 GRABBING THEM.  LIE DETECTOR TESTS FOR CABINET MEMBERS, CREATING "SOURCES"
78 TO LEAK FALSE INFORMATION, DENYING ACCESS TO IMPORTANT STORIES, AND RE-
79 VEALING NEW POLICY DECISIONS AT MEETINGS OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN
80 REVOLUTION RATHER THAN PRESS CONFERENCES ARE ONLY SOME EXAMPLES OF THE
81 SMALL BATTLES THAT ARE OCCURING.  BUT, AS USUAL, REAGAN CANNOT SEE THE
82 LONG TERM RESULT OF HIS BEHAVIOR.
83 
84      THE INVASION OF GRENADA WAS SO COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL AND WELCOME BY
85 THE INHABITANTS THAT FEW DARE TO COMMENT NEGATIVELY.  BUT THE FEW NEGAIVE
86 REPORTS I'VE HEARD ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO DOUBTS OF THE VERACITY OF
87 MILITARY REPORTS.  SOME FOREIGN NEWS MEDIA (DER SPIEGEL FOR ONE) ARE
88 PLACING DOUBTS ON WHETHER THE ARMS FOUND ON THE ISLAND WERE ACTUALLY
89 FOUND THERE, OR BROUGHT IN WITH THE TROOPS.  HERE, HAVING A PRESS CORP
90 ALONG WOULD HAVE QUIETED THESE DOUBTERS AS THEY COULD VERIFY THROUGH AN
91 INDEPENDANT SOURCE THE TRUTH OF THE CLAIMS.
92      REAGAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD MANIPULATOR, AND HE IS WELL AWARE THAT
93 DURING TIMES OF CRISIS, AMERICANS RALLY 'ROUND THEIR LEADER IN PATRIOTIC
94 FERVOR.  DUE TO THIS REACTION, ANY NEGATIVE COMMENTARY NOW IS TREATED
95 WITH DISDAIN OR EVEN ANGER ("HOW DARE YOU DOUBT OUR FEARLESS LEADER!"),
96 EVEN TO THE POINT OF INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY SUGGESTING IN LETTERS TO NEWS-
97 PAPERS THAT WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS IN CONTROL OF
98 THE NEWS MEDIA.  TO QUOTE ABC NEWS PRESIDENT ROONE ARLEDGE, "IF A REF-
99 ERENDUM ON THE 1st AMENDMENT WERE HELD TODAY, I WOULD HATE TO SEE HOW
100 THE VOTE MIGHT GO."
101 
102      SO WHERE ARE WE HEADED?  THE CONTROL OF THE DISSEMINATION OF INFOR-
103 MATION IS NOT HERE YET, BUT IS AROUND THE CORNER AND COMING FAST, WITH
104 THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC.  1984 IS ONLY A LITTLE BEHIND SCHEDULE IN THAT
105 RESPECT.  AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS MAY BE THE NEXT TARGET, AS DEAR RONNIE
106 HAS ALWAYS EXPRESSED DISLIKE FOR CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THAT TREASONOUS AND
107 UN-AMERICAN DOCUMENT.  ITS DESTRUCTION WON'T BE VERY HARD, EITHER, SINCE
108 MOST PEOPLE ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH IT, AND MANY WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE IT IF YOU
109 SHOWED IT TO THEM.  UNLESS WE HAVE A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP (OR THE MINDS
110 OR OUR CURRENT LEADERS) TOWARD SOMETHING THAT VALUES THE "RIGHTS" OF THE
111 CITIZEN, THE ROAD AHEAD IS CLEARLY MARKED.
112 
113 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]PAM.[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
114 
115 AMEN!
116 "THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IS ETERNAL VIGALANCE"
117 
118 ************************************************************************
119 PAM: I FORGOT ONE SYSTEM CONTROL, THE RUBOUT (HEX 7F) SOMETIMES CALLED
120 DELETE. 
121 ******************** CISTOP MIKEY ***************************************
122 RANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANT
123 THERE IS ONE QUOTE ATTRIBUTED TO ABE LINCOLN THOUGH IN ALL PROBABILITY
124 IS WAS STOLEN FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE BY HIS SPEACH WRITER. THE QUOTE IS
125 "YOU CAN FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE SOME OF THE TIME, AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE
126 ALL OF THE TIME, BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME."
127 LET'S HOPE THAT THIS HOLDS TRUE HERE AS WELL. AS WAS STATED ABOVE, WE
128 MUST REMAIN VIGALANT OF OUR FREEDOMS IF WE INTEND TO KEEP THEM, THEY
129 CANNOT BE COMPROMIZED!
130 RANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANT CISTOP MIKEY AGAIN RANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANTRANT
131 P.S. WHAT A STRANGE WAY TO SPEND LUNCH; READING BWMS....
132 ****************************************************************
133 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""WELL-
134 IT WORKED FOR A WHILE BUT I SEE ALL OF YOU PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RE-
135 PROGRAMED
136 INTO THE SAME OLD GRIND. FOR A WHILE YOU WERE ACTUALLY USING YOUR IMAGINA-
137 TIONS. BUT I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO TRY AGAIN. I MUST GO NOW BUT I WILL BE BAC
138 K WITH ANOTHER MESSAGE FOR YOU TO PONDER UPON. PROBABLY MUCH LONGER AND
139 MUCH MORE DESCRIPTIVE. this is a pitiful situation
140 
141 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""MERLYN""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
142 
143 You mean that the tripe that you have entered is what you call imagination?
144 Merlyn, you have about as much imagination as my dead dog Frederick. 
145 Please don't "try again", we really don't need another 100 lines of French.
146 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""Morgan Le Fey"""""""""""""""""""""
147 Pam, why the black mood? Calling something it isn't, but sounds better
148 is no new invention. (Just look into where words like "janitor" or
149 "toilet" came from, and what they once meant). all politicians hate the
150 press, it tells the truth rathere than there hot air, but they are too
151 scared of it to really try much. (how do you think they get elected?
152 ----ADVERTISING---) just accept that the US runs on a beurocracy, not the
153 politicans, and breathe easier. Awareness is needed, but not fear.
154 /////////////////////////////////////BAD\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
155 PAMS NOT REALLY TOO FAR OUT OF LINE. WITNESS LAWS & REGULATIONS PASSED
156 LATELY AND OTHERS ON THE DRAWING BOARDS THAT WILL PREVENT ANY RESEARCHER
157 THAT IS DEALING WITH MATERIAL THE GOVERNMENT IS INTERESTED IN (FROM 
158 BIOLOGY TO VOTING ANALYSIS TO POLITICAL SCIENCE TO DISARMAMENT STUDIES)
159 FROM PUBLISHING ANYTHING WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S SECRET
160 POLICE. ANYBODY QUALIFIED TO COMMENT ON ANYTHING OF IMPORTANCE COULD
161 BE PREVENTED FROM COMMENTING ON IT, WITH NO APPEAL. THIS COULD KILL NOT
162 ONLY ALL NON-MILITARY RESEARCH IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT STOP ANY DISSEMINATION
163 OF INFORMATION THE GOVERNMENT WANTS. EVEN TRIALS RELATED TO ATTEMPTS
164 TO PUBLISH THIS INFORMATION ARE TO BE HELD IN SECRET. THE ONLY
165 THING KEEPING THIS FROM HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS THE UPROAR IT HAS
166 CAUSED IN THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY. BUT REAGAN PUT HIS WEIGHT BEHIND IT,
167 AS DID THE 'SECURITY' (NEWSPEAK) SERVICES.
168   
169 IN ADDITION, THERE ARE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN CHARGE OF DISSEMINATING 
170 PROPAGANDA IN THE U.S. THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF. ONE OF
171 THESE IS THE U.S. COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY. A FORMER STAFFER AT THIS AGENCY
172 ONCE BRAGGED TO ME THAT "WE SAT DOWN EVERY MORNING AND DECIDED WHAT 
173 THE NEWS WOULD BE.
174 
175 ONE THING THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO DECIEVE US ON A
176 VARIETY OF ISSUES IS THE GUTLESNESS OF OUR PRESS. ARTICLES IN LOCAL
177 NEWSPAPERS USUALLY REFLECT A BIAS TOWARDS ADVERTISERS, FOR INSTANCE, 
178 WHILE EVERY NATIONAL PUBLICATION INCLUDING THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
179 WAS CONDEMNING THE TROJAN NUCLEAR PLANT AS A ENGINEERING AND
180 FINANCIAL FIASCO (USUALLY NOT RUNNING, LEAKING WITH FREQUENCY) THE 
181 OREGONIAN PUBLISHED NO SUCH ARTICLES FOR YEARS. (FORTUNATELY, WITH A
182 CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT, THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE WITH WHOOPS)
183 
184 ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE PRESS IS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL REPORTERS LIKE
185 DAN RATHER AND TOM BROKAW ARE EASILY MANIPULATED BY MEANS OF PRIVATE,
186 OFF THE RECORD, 'LEAKS'. PROTECTING SOURCES NAMES EVEN THOUGH IT HELPS
187 TO HIDE THE TRUTH ON A RANGE OF ISSUES IS USUALLY A GOOD CAREER MOVE
188 FOR A REPORTER WHOSE LIVELYHOOD DEPENDS ON GETTING 'GOOD STORIES'
189 
190 MANY MEMBERS OF THE PRESS GO MUCH FURTHER AND ACTIVELY AND CONCIOUSLY 
191 DISSEMINATE LIES. TIME MAGAZINE HAS FOR SOME TIME RATHER OPENLY LET
192 INTELLIGENCE AGENTS TRAVEL UNDER COVER AS TIME REPORTERS. THIS IS
193 BECAUSE OF THE CONVICTIONS OF THE WEALTHY FAMILY THAT OWNS IT. REMEMBER 
194 THAT THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR WAS ESSENTIALLY STARTED BY THE HEARST NEWS-
195 PAPERS. WHILE INDIVIDUAL REPORTERS MAY BE HONEST/SCRUPULOUS/POPULIST
196 THE PAPERS AND NETWORKS ARE RUN BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE A BIG INVESTMENT
197 IN THE STATUS QUO.
198 
199 IN SHORT, THE POSTURING OF THE PRESS, AND ESPECIALLY, THE POSTURING
200 OF THE EXECUTIVE CLASS WITHIN THE PRESS, PRESENTING THEMSELVES AS
201 THE FINAL BASTION OF FREEDOM, WOULD BE RIDICULOUS IF IT WAS NOT SO
202 HORRIFYINGLY UNTRUE. WE HAVE BEEN SOLD OUT BY THE MODERN PRESS.
203 
204 THE THING THAT MOST PEOPLE CAN'T GET PAST IS THAT OUR CHAINS ARE SO EASY
205 TO BEAR. GOLDEN CHAINS, WITH A VELVET SHEATH. WHERE ARE THE WHIPS,
206 THE BULLETS, THE DAWN SEARCHES, MOST PEOPLE WILL ASK YOU, IF OUR FREEDOMS
207 ARE REALLY IN SUCH A SORRY CONDITION.
208 
209 I BELIEVE ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS MAY BE FOUND IN GERMANY UNDER BISMARK.
210 GERMANY HAD THE WORLDS FIRST SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM, AND THE COMFORT
211 OF IT'S CITIZENS WAS NOT RIVALLED IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY. YET 
212 GERMANY WAS ALSO THE PRE-EMINENT IMPERIALISTIC AND TOTALITARIAN STATE
213 OF THAT TIME. IF YOU HAD CONFRONTED A GERMAN WITH THIS IDEA, HE WOULD 
214 PERHAPS HAVE LAUGHED AT THE IDEA THAT THERE WAS NO FREEDOM THERE.
215 
216 FREEDOM IS TOO EASILY ASSOCIATED WITH RELATIVE WEALTH, WHEN IT SHOULD
217 BE ASSOCIATED *ALSO* WITH TRUTH AND INTEGRITY, INTELLECTUAL HONESTY
218 AND LACK OF CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT, WITH EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND
219 WITH A STATE THAT DOES NOT KILL AND DESTROY IN THE LANDS OF OTHERS
220 WHILE PREVENTING IT'S OWN CITIZENS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IS BEING DONE.
221 
222 ........  WHEW!
223 
224 ANYWAY, PAM HAS IT RIGHT, I THINK, AND THE FIRST THING TO DO ABOUT IT 
225 IS MAKE PEOPLE AWARE, WHICH IS WHAT SHE IS DOING. LACK OF AWARENESS IS
226 IN FACT THE PROBLEM, AND SHOULD BE ATTACKED DIRECTLY.
227 
228 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HROTHGAR, THE FORMIDABLE EDITORIALIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
229 WELL PAM, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU GOT YOUR CONTROVERSY. NOT QUITE THE ONE EXPECTED
230 BUT A CONTROVERSY AT LEAST. MAYBE WITH A BIT OF WORK IT CAN GROW INTO 
231 SOMETHING MEANINGFUL AT LEAST.
232 I ALWAYS AM INTERESTED IN THOSE WHO SAY THAT OUR BOOKS ARE NOT REWRITTEN
233 IN AMERICA TO SUIT SOME GROUPS DESIRES ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT PEOPLE
234 TO BELEIVE, OR THAT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IT IS FOUND OUT AND SOMETHING
235 DONE ABOUT IT. MANY PARTS OF OUR PAST AS IS IS TAUGHT IS NOT ACURATE
236 IT IS MODIFIED TO MAKE IT INTO WHAT SOME GROUP BELEIVES IT SHOULD BE
237 DON'T BELEIVE IT? I WOULD SUGGEST YOU ASK SOMEONE FROM THE DEEP SOUTH
238 ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR. YOU MAY FIND THAT THEIR VIEW IS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT
239 THEN THE ONE YOU WERE TAUGHT. INDEED, THE VERY THING THAT THE WAR WAS
240 FOUGHT OVER WAS HARDLY JUST SLAVERY AS IT IS TAUGHT SO OFTEN. THE PROBLEM
241 IS THAT THOSE WHO TEACH THAT SORT OF THING LIKE TO HAVE A NICE SOLID 
242 PICTURE THAT THEY CAN PRESENT. THE REASON FOR THIS IS REALLY QUITE
243 SIMPLE, IT IS MUCH TOO HARD TO TEACH THE REAL COMPLEX ASPECT OF THINGS 
244 OF THAT SORT, SO THEY REFINE IT DOWN TO SOMETHING THEY SOUNDS GOOD AND
245 TEACH THAT INSTEAD. THIS HARDLY MAKES IT TRUTH HOWEVER. THE OTHER
246 PROBLEM IS THAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE ABSOLUTLY NO INTEREST IN THAT SORT
247 OF THING, SO THEY NEED TO REFINE IT DOWN TO NOTHING FOR MASS CONSUMPTION
248 BY THE NON-CARING. THE END RESULT IS BUT A SMALL ASPECT OF THE WHOLE 
249 TRUTH.
250 WANT ANOTHER EXAMPLE? HOW ABOUT ONE IN OUR OWN TIME. THE BIG FLACK ABOUT
251 THE REWRITING OF BOOKS OVER EVOLUTION VS CREATIVITY. ONE SIDE WANTS IT 
252 ONE WAY, THE OTHER SIDE WANTS IT THE OTHER, BUT NEITHER WILL ACCEPT 
253 ANY PART OF THE OTHERS VIEWS. SO WHO DO YOU BELEIVE? IT IS NOT OVER NOW,
254 IT IS JUST THAT THE PRESS HAS MOVED ON TO OTHER MORE INTERESTING THINGS
255 TO TALK ABOUT. THE BATTLE STILL RAGES ON, AND PROBABLY WILL FOR A LONG
256 TIME TO COME. THESE ARE SOME OF THE MORE HEAVY THINGS. WHAT OF THE LITTLE
257 THINGS THAT MANY OF US EVEN KNOW ABOUT, LIKE THE TALE ABOUT GEORGE WAHINGTON
258 WEARING WOODEN FALSE TEETH? MANY HAVE HEARD THIS TO BE UNTRUE SOME TIME
259 IN OUR LIFE YET STILL WE TALK AND JOKE ABOUT IT AND MANY GO ON BELEIVING
260 A LIE...
261 ********** CISTOP MIKEY RANTING AGAIN ************************************
262 ......................................................................
263 To leonard...well you managed to miss the computer meeting, so I managed
264 to miss giving you back what you loaned me.
265 To Alex...My uncle went quite a few years ago. It took him several weeks,
266 I can't remember how many, and it was a boat that he refurbished. It was
267 20-30 feet in length, but I can't remember the other dimensions...Sorry
268 I am not much help on the facts, but this was about 8-10 years ago...Sorry..
269 To the many who are discussing the 'new' controversy...This may bring your
270 rath down apon me, but I must wonder are the conditions of the press really
271 as bad as some of you say? If the government really manipulated the press
272 would it have allowed such things as the Washington Post's storys on
273 Watergate? Sure many of the investigative reporters are buffons, but I think
274 many of them are really dedicated to their cause. It takes guts to go up
275 against the system the way some of them do. I guess what I am trying to say
276 is that although some of our media may be manipulated and weak, but there
277 are some out there in TV and Paper land that really believe in what they
278 are doing. I don't know about you, but I believe 'Big daddy' Ed Whalen!
279 I would certainly like to here some more facts and examples to go along
280 the accusations. Anyone care to accomodate?
281 To Aaron, pick a network, any network...OK...how about the OSSHE to start
282 out with. And don't forget to get me information on a line on one of those
283 special uniforms!
284 .................tHE dROPPED bIT...........................................
285 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
286  indeed, Pam, I left that line just for you.......as to your text above, I
287 found it "adequate". Yet I yearn for some juicy tidbits of suppressed info-
288 rmation that we can all point a scrawny, keyboard-callused finger at. As an
289 example, the suppression of data on DES (Data Encryption Standard). The NSA
290 STILL suppresses data publication of such information. ( I refer anyone 
291 intrested in this subject to a document "Freedom to research and publish on
292 cryptography remains unresolved," THE INSTITUTE, May 1978, page 1. By 
293 Robert Sugarman.) 
294  "Information" is the key to the future. Everything resolves to pure data.
295 Be it organic, electronic, financial or pure thought, it can be collated,
296 manipulated, stored, DISSEMENATED....as data. Future (or current) laws that
297 restrict information on its base levels threaten us more than every other
298 possible "freedom", combined. FOIA (Freedom Of Information Act) and the
299 Privacy Act are two of the MOST POWERFUL TOOLS in the private citizens'
300 arsnell against governmental encroachment onto freedom.       Comment?
301 
302  Hrothgar! BINGO! The key to freedom is perception. As a system scientist,
303 (nothing to do with computers) I try to understand the mechanisms of 
304 organisation. Standing outside a system, though obviously the best way
305 , in fact the definition of an "objective" viewpoint, is not easily 
306 realizable with meta-systems such as LIFE_ON_EARTH or HUMAN_INTERACTION;
307 yet is possible with such systems as US_CITIZEN. Key to the propagation
308 of "QUALITY" throughout the earth as a unit (remember the UTOPIA hash..)
309 is the dissemination of external viewpoints. Yes?
310                                                    Aaron
311 oops....TDB:   on a private forum. OSSHE is not common knowledge, and it
312 is quite possible to "crash" the network malicously. (read "possible" as
313 "easy"). Maybe at the U sometime. SMC? 2nd floor lounge?
314 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
315 
316 I was wondering if anyone has ever thought much about star signs and the
317 ease of relating to others.  It has become more and more intresting to
318 me as time goes by that the people I can become really close to tend to 
319 be people of "compatable" signs.  I have made this observation only after
320 knowing people for awhile....  meaning that I don't try to determine their
321 sign up front but instead give it some time... this way their sign isn't
322 know to me and can't color my feelings ahead of time.... this seems to
323 be true for friends and for "dates" alike.  My concern is really centered
324 around the history or star signs and who or what group decided which planets
325 have what influences over people.....  anyone read any good references on
326 this subject please let me know.
327 thanks
328 Peter
329 12/16/83
330 @#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@##@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@##@@#@#@##@#@##@#@#@#@#@#@##@#@#
331 ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
332 I WATCHED THE NUCLEAR WAr ON TV, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS EXCELLANT. I WAS SURE 
333 TELEVISION WAS GOING TO MESS IT UP SOMEHOW. YOU KNOW:
334   ATTRACTIVE WOMEN: EEEK! THAT ATOMIC BLAST HAS TORN ALL OUR BLOUSES IN A 
335 REVEALING MANNER!
336   BURT REYNOLDS: QUICK! HOP IN THIS POWERFUL CAR AND WE'LL DRIVE AWAY REAL 
337 FAST.
338 BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A VERY SERIOUS PROGRAM, AND IT HAD SUCH A PROFOUND 
339 IMPACT ON THE NATION THAT IT RANKED RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE DALLAS EPISODE 
340 WHEREIN WE FOUND OUT WHO SHOT J.R. SO, WE CAN SEE THAT NUCLEAR WAR IS A 
341 TOPIC THAT AMERICANS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, ALTHOUGH NOT QUITE AS CON-
342 CERNED AS THEY WERE ABOUT THE LAST EPISODE OF M*A*S*H. BUT THERE YOUR TALKIN
343 ABOUT A LONG RUNNING SERIES WITH POPULAR WINISECRACKING CHARACTERS, WHEREAS 
344 IN YOUR NUCLEAR-WAR DRAMAS THE CHARACTERS DO VERY LITTLE WISECRACKING INAS-
345 MUCH AS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM HAVE BEEN VAPORIZED.
346 THE NETWORK HAD TROUBLE GETTING SPONSERS FOR THE DAY AFTER, BECAUSE VERY FEW
347 COMMERCIALS LOOK MEANINGFUL IN THE CONTEXT OF A NUCLEAR WAR:
348   ANNOUNCER: ONE OF THESE BATHROOM BOWLS WAS CLEANED WITH NEW IMPROVED WIPE'
349 N'CLEAN AND THE OTHER WAS CLEANED WITH THE LEADING BRAND. WE'VE ASKED THIS 
350 TYPICAL HOUSEWIFE TO NIFF THEM BOTH AND TELL US WHICH ONE SMELLS FRESHER. 
351 WELL, MRS. JONES?
352   MRS. JONES: WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? WE COULD ALL DIE ANY MOMENT.
353   ANNOUNCER: MY GOD, YOU'RE RIGHT.
354            **********
355 THE POINT OF THE DAY AFTER AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WAS THAT NUCLEAR WAR IS HOR-
356 RIBLE. I THOUGHT WE ALL AGREED ON THIS POINT SO I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY 
357 THE PROGRAM WAS SO CONTROVERSIAL. THE MEDIA SET A NEW OUTDOOR RECORD FOR  
358 YAMMERING ABOUT IT IN ADVANCE, AND THE ENTIRE NATION WAS WORKED INTO A LATH-
359 ER. WHERE I LIVE PEOPLE CALLED UP RADIO TALK SHOWS AND VOICED VERY STRONG 
360 VIEWS ABOUT THE PROGRAM, PRO AND CON, BEFORE ANY OF THEM HAD SEEN IT. THE 
361 EXTREMELY REVEREND JERRY FALWELL SAW A PREVIEW AND SAID IT SHOULD NOT BE 
362 BROADCAST AT ALL BECAUSE IT GAVE "A ONE SIDED PRESENTATION". EVIDENTLY JERRY
363 FELT IT SHOULD HAVE SHOWN THE POSITIVE SIDE OF NUCLEAR WAR:
364   NURSE: HOW SHALL I WARM UP YOUR SANDWITCH DOCTOR?
365   JASON ROBARDS: JUST HOLD IT OUT THE WINDOW AND THE RADIATION WILL DO THE 
366 REST.
367   HORRIBLY BURNED PERSON: YOU SURE COULDN'T DO THAT BEFORE THE NUCLEAR WAR!
368 CONCERNED PSYCHOLOGY EXPERTS FORMED ALL KINDS OF GROUPS TO HELP THE PUBLIC 
369 UNBURDEN ITSELF OF ITS ANXIETIES AFTER WATCHING THE DAY AFTER, BUT IT TURNED
370 OUT THAT THE PUBLIC HAD ALREADY UNBURDENED ITSELF DAYS EARLIER TO THE RADIO 
371 TALK SHOWS. THE EXPERTS ALSO SAID CHILDRE COULD BE PSYCHOLOGICALLY SCARRED 
372 IF THEY WATCHED THE PROGRAM. THIS MAY WELL BE TRUE, BUT WE MUST BEAR IN MIND
373 THAT EVERY SATURDAY MORNING AMERICAN CHILDREN WATCH CARTOON SHOWS IN WHICH 
374 A<LIEN BEINGS THAT LOOK LIKE MUNG BEETLES USE ADVANCED LASER WEAPONRY TO 
375 VAPORIZE ENTIRE GALAXIES, SO IT MAY TURN OUT THEY ARE LESS SUSCEPTIBLE THAN,
376 SAY, YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERTS.
377 ONE GOOD THING ABOUT THE DAY AFTER IS THAT IT GOT OUR LEADERS TO RE-EXAMINE 
378 THE NATIONS NUCLEAR STRATEGY. THEY DID THIS IN A DEBATE RIGHT AFTER THE PRO-
379 GRAM. HERE IS A COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT:
380   HAWKS: NUCLEAR WAR IS HORRIBLE, AND IF WE DON'T DEPLOY MORE MISSILES WE'LL
381 HAVE ONE.
382   DOVES: NUCLEAR WAR IS HORRIBLE, AND IF WE DEPLOY MORE MISSILES WE'LL HAVE 
383 ONE.
384   CARL SAGAN: IT WILL BE A BILLION TIMES MORE HORRIBLE THAN ANYONE THINKS.
385   TED KOPPEL: THANK YOU.
386 SO THINGS ARE ALL STRAIGHTENED OUT ON THE NUCLEAR FRONT. THE FOLKS IN CHARGE
387 ARE WORKING IT ALL OUT AND WE DON'T NEED TO GIVE IT ANOTHER THOUGHT UNTIL 
388 RERUN SEASON.
389 FROM: DAVE BARRY
390 !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
391 dROPPED bIT:(hate that reversed shift!) Sorry about that. 
392 ALL:I think that we are still FAIRLY safe. Why? Because if you take a 
393 "random" sample of people on any given government statement, school textbook
394 or whatever, about 10% (guesstimate) will disagree with them. Quite often 
395 they will even consider them outright lies! As long as people aren't worried
396 about expressing such view (and, of course, as long as they have them in the
397 first place!) we are REASONABLY safe. In the USSR, a tourist suggested that 
398 certain events hadn't quite happened the way his guide had been taught in 
399 school. The guide IMMEDIATELY, with NO apparent hesitation, decided that the
400 tourist was either lying out of sheer maliciousness, or had beenmisled 
401 himself. When the tourist was informed that he must be mistaken. He said 
402 something along the lines of "No, I wasn't there, but I've talked to people
403 who were". Result? Guide decides that tourist is trying to slander the USSR 
404 & refuses to discuss ANYTHING further.
405 While I admit that there is quite a difference between here, & there. I 
406 feel that we would have to go a LONG way before that kind of "discussion" 
407 could take place here. Do you know anyone with that kind of BLIND FAITH in 
408 "official truth" (English translation of "pravda"!), unless you are speaking
409 of their RELIGION?
410 I agree we must watch the government AND the media (& the general public, 
411 for that matter). But the situation isn't critical, probably not even 
412 serious. I'd say "prognosis fair, provided patient's condition remains 
413 stable, if condition worsens- prognosis VERY poor."
414 _____________________________________Leonard________________________________
415 
416 I've always wondered if I should belief what information I get from the
417 press, But it is the only current source that I have.  To get a the best
418 version of the truth, you would need to watch every version of a news
419 program topic.  If they all said the same thing, then maybe the odds
420 would be greater that it was true.  A freind of mine has an Uncle that
421 still believes that we haven't been to the moon.  I haven't been there
422 so how can I prove that we really have?  You can only use the information
423 that you get for proof, and who knows how acurate that is.  As far as I
424 know, there is no Russia, or England.  My world is but what I can sense,
425 and how can your world be any bigger.
426 ===========================================Billy================
427 Ahh--
428 We are getting to the crux of a very important matter.  Our world is made
429 up of concentric circles centered around us.   I am concerned first with
430 myself and my family, next with friends, next acquaintances, then those
431 whom I percieve as neccesary and/or useful to me, those who live in the 
432 same geographical area, region, political subdivision, continent, and 
433 finally the same world.
434 I am projecting my feelings, but believe that most others have roughly
435 the same set of concerns.  For myself, the highest form of morality is
436 that that assures the survival, well-being, and freedom of people roughly
437 in accordance with my perception of their importance to me.  I can only
438 assume that others use roughly the same type of value scale.  Living in
439 the world that exists today, I do all in my power to be benificent to 
440 others, resoliving ethical and moral disputes in accordance with these
441 values.  This means that if a choice must be made between the life of 
442 my child and your child, I will inevetably choose to preserve my own child's
443 life.  In a choice between my own and my child's life, I might -- 
444 under certain circumstances-- give up my own.
445 I therefore count myself as rather typical of the present population of
446 America.  This scale of values is not necessarily complete or consistent.
447 I can imagine circumstances that modify or change it, but given the trade-
448 offs that exist, is generally the only way I have to balance out situations
449 where, when bad effects (or good effects) result from my action or in-
450 action, I must choose between who benifits and who does not.
451 Insofar as you are **distant** acquaintances on this system, I therefore
452 have more consideration of your preferences than of those of total strangers
453 or those whom I consider hold positions positivly inimical to my own.
454 In a survival situation, such as after a nuclear or natural holacast, or 
455 social breakdown, I should cooperate with those whose interests most 
456 closely coincided with my own, and defend myself against all others.  In
457 this type of situation -- assuming that survival were worth working for--
458 my full efforts would go towards the survival of those whom I percieved
459 as most important to me and mine.
460 --------------------------Dusty-----------------------------------------
461 <<-->>
462 Hi, this is my first time.  I just thought I'd drop a note
463 to indicate that fact.  The stuff on here so far looks real bleary.
464 Is it always this bad?  I realize that there's a lot to talk about
465 regarding the end of civilization on the planet, but it reminds me
466 of a short metaphor.  It goes something like this:
467 A train is speeding off to certain tragedy.  The tracks
468 some miles ahead have been observed to drive straight off
469 a cliff (via telescopes, they find this out, I guess).
470 Suddenly, a very charismatic leader steps up and shouts,
471 "I know what we'll do... lets ALL get over to the LEFT
472 side of the train.  The LEFT side is the proper side
473 to be on to handle issues like that.  Let's go!" and
474 a large portion of the train's passengers follow him
475 to the left side of the train.  Then, another person
476 jumps up (being not quite convinced that being on the
477 left side of the train is really gonna work) and sez,
478 "I know... since being on the LEFT side of the train
479 isn't really gonna work, let's get everyone over to
480 the RIGHT side of the train!  That's what we REALLY
481 need!!".  For many minutes, each leader tries to get
482 as many of the followers from the other group to
483 come around to their own point of view.  Some fights
484 and riots even break out.  Of course, the train goes
485 over the cliff.
486 Is being righe
487 Is being right about this MORE important than cooperating to find
488 a solution?  What we need are tracklayers.  Those that have
489 the guts to get out IN FRONT OF the train, and re lay the track.
490 ANY POINT OF VIEW THAT ALREADY EXISTS ONLY LEADS TO MORE OF THE
491 SAME!  This is a metaphysical definition.  Once a point of view
492 is put in place, the only things that can show up in that space
493 are things that are shaped and molded by the point of view.
494 LET'S ALL NOTICE THAT NONE OF US *REALLY* WANTS THIS GAME TO END!
495 Stop being "right" about your position.  If you do, notice that too.
496 Enough said for a first-time message.  By the way, any messages
497 signed with "MERLYN" before were entered not by me.  This is
498 my first time.  Thanks for the ear.  Remember, you are the only
499 one that exists at the center of your universe.  Use your
500 position wisely, or you won't get to play anymore.  YOU make
501 the difference in your universe.
502 
503 -- MERLYN --   <<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->>
504 ############################################################
505 # DOES THIS MEAN THIS CHAP HAS STOLEN MERLYN'S NAME? HOW  #
506 # UTTERLY OUTRAGEOUS. MUSTN'T TELL HIM MINE, NOW, MUST I? #
507 # THE BLOODY CHAP MIGHT STEAL IT. TACKY, TACKY, TACKY.     #
508 ############################################################
509 ======================================
510 
511 Dear Folks:
512 
513      I hate Kansas. I hate the 
514 farm. I hate tornadoes. I'm leaving 
515 and I am taking the dog.
516 
517             Dorthy
518 
519 
520 =======================================
521 NOW ON WITH THE SERIOUS STUFF...IT'S GETTING GOOD
522 ====================================================
523 KRIST ON A KRUTCH, WILL INFERIOR PEOPLE EVER STOP DIALING UP THIS SYSTEM
524 AND PATRONISING US REGARDING OUR METHODS AND SUBJECTS OF DEBATE?!!!??.,
525 PROBABLY NOT......
526 
527 DEAR MERLYN IN PARTICULAR: NOBODY HERE IS IMPRESSED BY YOUR LEAVING
528 150 LINES OF FRENCH POETRY YOU DIDN'T WRITE ON A DISK THAT HAS LIMITED 
529 SPACE, CHUMP. LEAVE US SOMETHING ORIGINAL, IF IT NEEDS TO BE OVER A FEW 
530 LINES. GIVE US SOMETHING GOOD, AND SOMEBODY HERE MIGHT CARE WHAT YOU
531 THINK ABOUT ANYTHING WE HERE HAVE TO SAY. SO FAR YOUR MESSAGES HAVE BEEN
532 PURE ADOLESCENT TRIPE.
533 
534 DEAR MERLYN #2 : PLEASE GO AHEAD AND USE MERLYN #1'S NAME. IT'S TOO GOOD
535 A NAME FOR HIM.
536 
537 LEONARD: BEING ABLE TO GRIPE ABOUT BEING LIED TO IS *NOT* AS GOOD AS
538 EVERYBODY HAVING ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATION AND THE WORLD.
539 WHEN THE POWERS THAT BE SUCCEED IN LYING TO YOU, THEY GET THE KIND
540 OF RESULTS, THE KIND OF WORLD, THAT THEY WANT. OR THINK THEY WANT. AND
541 YOU GET THE SHAFT.
542 
543 TO SOMEBODY ABOVE: YOU DON'T NEED TO READ EVERY THING PUBLISHED IN THIS
544 COUNTRY TO GET A BETTER VEIW, YOU NEED TO READ THE PRESS OF OTHER COUNTRIES
545 (ALWAYS KEEPING IN MIND WHICH AXE, IF ANY, IS BEING GROUND).
546    A GOOD FIRST SOURCE IS THE "WORLD PRESS IN REVEIW" MAGAZINE, FORMERLY
547 ATLAS MAGAZINE. THE HAVE ARTICLES EVERY MONTH FROM THE PRESS IN EVERY
548 COUNTRY. SOMETIMES THIS MAGAZINE CAN BE A REAL EYE OPENER. ANOTHER
549 GOOD SOURCE IS THE LONDON SUNDAY TIMES. READING THE PRESS OF NEUTRAL
550 COUNTRIES LIKE SWEDEN AND SWITZERLAND CAN BE EVEN MORE ENLIGHTENING,
551 ALTHOUGH IMPOSSIBLE FOR MOST PEOPLE OTHER THAN THROUGH FACILITIES
552 LIKE "WORLD PRESS IN REVEIW". 
553    ALSO, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF MAGAZINES INTENDED FOR GOVERNMENT 
554 FUNCTIONARIES IN THE STATE DEPT AND FOR ACADEMICS, DOD TYPES AND
555 SO ON THAT ARE VALUABLE BECAUSE THE ESTABLISHMENT DOESN'T LIE TO ITSELF
556 AS OFTEN AS IT LIES TO YOU. THESE ARE "FOREIGN POLICY" AND "FOREIGN 
557 AFFAIRS" MAGAZINES.
558    MANY OF THE ABOVE ARE AVAILABLE AT RICH'S CIGAR STORE AT 9TH AND S.W.
559 ALDER.
560    ALSO, CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION NEWS IS AVAILABLE FROM
561 KPBS AT ABOUT 4 TO 6 OCLOCK EVERY DAY (ABOUT 14 OR 15 HUNDRED AM ON THE
562 DIAL OF YOUR CAR RADIO, GOOD FOR FREEWAY LISTENING WHEN DRIVING HOME)
563 I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING THE AMERICAN 
564 PRESS AND THE FOREIGN PRESS AS WELL IF WE WOULD ALL GO READ SOME OF THE
565 FOREIGN PRESS FOR PURPOSES OF COMPARISON. NOT THAT I AM IMPLYING THAT 
566 NOBODY ON THIS BBS EVER DOES. THIS IS QUITE AN OPEN MINDED GROUP,
567 AT LEAST AS A GROUP.
568 BY THE WAY, IF THE RUSSIAN PRESS ALWAYS LIED, WE WOULDN'T HIRE HUNDREDS
569 OF PEOPLE FOR THE SECURITY SERVICES TO TRANSLATE THEIR MAGAZINES, WOULD
570 WE? OUR MILITARY ANALYSTS OFTEN QUOTE RUSSIAN MILITARY MAGAZINES IN
571 ARTICLES I READ ABOUT RUSSIAN TACTICS AND POLITICAL THOUGHT.
572 IN EVERY COUNTRY THERE IS A MIXTURE OF TRUTH AND FICTION IN THE PRESS,
573 SOME COUNTRIES MORE THAN OTHERS. IT HAPPENS THAT OURS AS WELL AS THE
574 RUSSIAN'S PRESS IS KNEE DEEP IN DECEPTIVE HORSESHIT, WITH LITTLE
575 KERNALS OF TRUTH POPPING TO THE SURFACE LIKE LITTLE BITS OF YELLOW
576 CORN ON A STRICTLY OCCASSIONAL BASIS. THIS MAKES UNDERSTANDING THE
577 NEWS A FULL TIME JOB ALL BY ITSELF, WHICH IS WHAT THE BASTARDS
578 COUNT ON, KNOWING WE WON'T TAKE THE TIME TO CUT THROUGH THE CRAP.
579 THIS IS WHAT KEEPS MOST OF US POOR AND THE LEBANESE, CAMBODIANS,
580 ETHIOPIANS,,,, DYING IN A WORLD WHERE NONE OF THIS WASTE IS NECESSARY.
581 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HROTHGAR, THE BAD TEMPERED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
582 #################################
583 I'M REALLY IMPRESSED! EVERYONE HAS
584 TAKEN A GOOD LOOK AROUND THEM
585 AND SEEN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
586 HERE, LET ME EXPLAIN IT TO YOU...
587 OH, NEVER MIND, YOU WOULDN'T 
588 UNDERSTAND ANYWAY!
589 ########### THOR #################
590 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
591      MERLYN THE NEW, YOUR ANALOGY IS INTERESTING, BUT I THINK THE PROBLEM
592 IS THAT MOST BELIEVE THAT THE TRACKS WON'T END BECAUSE THEY WON'T LOOK. AND
593 WHILE IT'S TRUE WE MUST NOT ARGUE TOO MUCH ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE TRACKS,
594 IF WE DON'T DISCUSS THE PROBLEM BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO DO SOMETHING, WE MAY
595 FIND OURSELVES LAYING THE WRONG GAUGE TRACK, OR WORSE YET, FIGHTING AMONGST
596 OURSELVES OVER WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT ALL.  ACTION IS INDEED IMPORTANT, BUT
597 BLIND UNPLANNED ACTION CAN BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
598      BAD, MY BLACK MOOD HAS BEEN DEVELOPING SLOWLY OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS ON
599 THIS SUBJECT, BUT I THINK IT WAS BROUGHT TO A HEAD RECENTLY BY ONE SPECIFIC
600 EVENT.  MAYOR KOCH OF NEW YORK WROTE A LETTER TO CAP WEINBERGER, ASKING HIM
601 WHY HIS RECENT TRIP TO BEIRUT HAD BEEN KEPT FROM THE AMERICAN NEWS MEDIA.  A
602 SIMPLE THING, ONE MIGHT THINK, EXCEPT MAYOR KOCH THEN FOUND CAP HAD GOTTEN
603 THE F.B.I. TO START AN INVESTIGATION OF HIM PERSONALLY AND TO FIND OUT HOW
604 HE GOT THE INFORMATION.  KOCH WAS OUTRAGED, AS HE MERELY READ IT IN AN ARAB
605 NEWSPAPER BOUGHT AT A NEW YORK BOOKSTORE!  ONCE AGAIN, ONE EVENT ONLY, BUT
606 COMBINED WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, THEY DEMONSTRATE A SENSE OF PARANOIA AND A
607 REAL ANTIPATHY TOWARDS BOTH THE PRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY THIS AD-
608 MINISTRATION.
609      HROTHGAR, YOU ARE QUITE CORRECT.  WE MUST REMAIN INFORMED, AND FROM ALL
610 ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM.  SO OFTEN, I FIND THE INFORMATION I RECEIVE FROM THE
611 PRESS OF ALL SIDES TO BE BIASED AND SLANTED, FAVORING THE VIEW THAT PUTS
612 THEIR OWN EDITORIAL POSITION IN THE BEST LIGHT.  I ALWAYS TRY TO REMEMBER
613 WHAT THE POINT OF VIEW A MAGAZINE OR PAPER HAS, OR IF THERE IS ANY POSSIBLE
614 CONFLICT OF INTEREST (SUCH AS JUST ABOUT ANY REPORTING OF STRIKES OR UNION
615 ACTIVITY. AFTER ALL, EVEN THE "FREE PRESS" IS A BUSINESS) AND INTERPRET IT'S
616 REPORTING ACCORDINGLY.  IT'S NOT A FOOLPROOF SYSTEM, BUT IT HELPS ME TO SEP-
617 ARATE THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF A LITTLE.BUT SOMETIMES, IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.
618 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]PAM.[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
619 ************************************************************
620 THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING A CISTOP IS THAT YOU CAN BE THE LAST ONE
621 ON A DISK EVEN WHEN THERE WAS NO ROOM.
622 SORRY PAM, I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF! EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE
623 I GET THESE WILD URGES TO DO THIS SORT OF THING.
624 I WAS ON CLEANING UP DRIVE A TO OPEN UP A LITTLE MORE ROOM TO
625 HOLD IT OFF TIL I GOT HOME, AND JUST COULDN'T HELP  TACKING THIS ON
626 TO DRIVE B. SIGH... FORGIVE ME? .........................
627 ************ CISTOP MIKEY **************************

