963 lines
41 KiB
Plaintext
963 lines
41 KiB
Plaintext
BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News
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COPYRIGHT 1989
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May 1989 Volume 2, Issue 5
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Table Of Contents
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-----------------
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Article Title Author
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Policy Statement and Disclaimer................Mark Maisel
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Editorial Column...............................Randy Hilliard
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File Transfer Protocols........................Tom Egan
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Profile........................................Chris Mohney
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Our Local BBS Systems..........................Mark Maisel
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Nine Days After................................Tyros
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Thrifty Household Hints........................Michele Cahoon
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From The Kitchen...............................Chez Stephan
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Message Board..................................Barry Bowden
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Known BBS Numbers..............................Mark Maisel
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Disclaimer and Statement of Policy for BTN
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We at BTN try our best to assure the accuracy of articles and
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information in our publication. We assume no responsibility for
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damage due to errors, omissions, etc. The liability,if any for BTN, its
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editors and writers, for damages relating to any errors or omissions,
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etc., shall be limited to the cost of a one year subscription to BTN,
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even if BTN, its editors or writers have been advised of the likelihood
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of such damages occurring.
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With the conclusion of that nasty business, we can get on with our
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policy for publication and reproduction of BTN articles. We publish
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monthly with a deadline of the fifteenth of the month prior to
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publication. If you wish to submit an article, you may do so at any
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time but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear
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in a particular issue. It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise
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harm a person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the
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content of the articles prepared by our writers. Our writers own their
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work and it is protected by copyright. We allow reprinting of articles
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from BTN with only a few restrictions. The author may object to a
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reprint, in which case he will specify in the content of his article.
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Otherwise, please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as
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the source, BTN, is specified, and as long as the author's name and the
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article's original title are retained. If you use one of our articles,
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please forward a copy of your publication to:
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Mark Maisel
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Editor, BTN
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221 Chestnut St.
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BHM, AL 35210-3219
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We thank you for taking the time to read our offering and we hope that
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you like it. We also reserve the right to have a good time while doing
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all of this and not get too serious about it.
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Editorial
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by Randy Hilliard
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It seems as if the time for the next BTN issue has come again. As a
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matter of fact, again we are late with this issue.
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I don't suppose many of you are surprised to see my name on the
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editorial byline again and for various reasons (which I will go into
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later) neither am I.
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This issue should prove be a fairly interesting one; Tom Egan shows
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up 2 1/2 times in this issue. The first time is with an article on
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transfer protocols and the other 1 1/2 times, well... just read on.
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Mark Maisel shows up with his regular article on our local BBS
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systems. This one is on The Islands BBS.
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Tyros, who has been noticeably absent from the BBS community due to
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hardware problems is both back on the BBS's and in the BTN with an
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article on free form thought. Welcome back to the real world Tyros!
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Barry Bowden's regular Message Board article is here as well as
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Mark Maisel's up-to-the-last-minute-updated list of known BBS numbers.
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We have a new feature from Michele Cahoon with some very helpful
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household hints. Chez Stephan gives us a terrific sounding quick meal
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that I am sure you will want to try.
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Last month Ed O'Neill notified everyone that he had a working
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version of the EzNet code for PC Board 14.X. The same weekend, those of
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us who had been holding back from upgrading from 12.1 to 14.0 converted.
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EzNet now comprises 11 nodes, one of which is the local WWIV BBS
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network. In the last few days Ed and another local Sysop managed to
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link the PC Board oriented EzNet code with the WWIV message base at the
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Byte Me BBS thus increasing the versatility of EzNet and enlarging the
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number of boards that contribute messages.
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Users can file this under the "delete from the dialing directory"
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header:
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Due to monetary problems (phone line expenses) Smitty's BBS will go
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down on May the 14th. Outdialers can expect to get a "that number
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is out of service" for their dialing efforts. It would be a nice
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gesture for those users who frequented Smitty's to take a moment to
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express their appreciation in his message base before he takes the
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board down for good.
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Sysop's can file this under the "worth remembering" header:
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Joe Kearley (Joker's Castle) has opened up a new conference on his
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board (#6) for System Operators. His idea for the conference is to
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provide an atmosphere in the conference where a Sysop can "kick up
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his feet, drink a beer, and chat with other Sysops about the
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problems associated with running a BBS". Also worth mentioning is
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the fact that it will give Sysops a chance to get to know each
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other a little better and possibly foster better relations among
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the local area Sysops. Messages and files are conference protected
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so this may be the place to look over new Door and Board software
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and chat with those who are using it already.
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You can file these under the "worth mentioning" header:
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Our Idiot-in-Chief was asked by the local chapter of the IEEE to
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address their computer sub-group on both BBS's in general and the
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BTN. With his usual grace, flair, and style Mark showed up in
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sandals, slacks, and a Union T-shirt. Considering that all of the
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audience were dressed in suits, I can imagine they were impressed
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albeit I wouldn't wager on how favorably. They were impressed (or
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amused) enough to allow him to speak to them for a little over two
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hours (which is more than most of us would do). I hope that not
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withstanding the impression that Mark made on them we will see some
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participation by some of the IEEE on the local BBS's and possibly
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in BTN.
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Since I am on the subject of Mark, I will explain why I am not
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surprised to be editing this column; despite all of the objections that
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you (as readers) and I (as victim) have made, Mark has insisted that I
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continue to pump out this drivel. After long and hard deliberation I
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have come to the conclusion that I am stuck with it and that I will
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probably never get Mark to understand my unsuitability for the position.
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This brings to mind something I was told a long, long, time ago...
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"Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it
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annoys the pig."
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Enjoy the issue folks...
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOLS
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by Tom Egan, Remote Sysop of America Online
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Several times a week, I get mail, talk to, or see people who are
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not aware of how the various File Transfer protocols operate. I plan to
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give a brief, (well, maybe brief), outline of what each one is, how it
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works, and how to use it on your favorite Bulletin Board system.
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The old original type of transfer is known as ASCII. This is not
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actually a FILE transfer protocol, as it will not send machine language
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files at all. It is STRICTLY for use in transferring TEXT from one
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machine to another, not FILES.
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ASCII
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ASCII has NO ERROR checking or correction built in, so if an error
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occurs due to noise or whatever, it WILL show up on your screen or in
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your file. The only exception to this is if you happen to have a MNP
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modem on BOTH computers. That type of modem WILL correct errors in ASCII
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transmissions, but even so, ASCII is almost totally unused at this time,
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at least on any IBM compatible computers. This is also the way your
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computer speaks to another computer during Bulletin Board sessions when
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you are not Uploading or Downloading files.
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XMODEM
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Xmodem is the old, original 8-bit File Transfer protocol written by
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Ward Christiansen. Although it is old, at least 1977 or before,and came
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out long before IBM built the first PC, it works very well most of the
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time. It WILL transfer machine language files, and it has ERROR
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CORRECTION built in. That is, if an error occurs during transmission, it
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will tell you about it, but then it will automatically re-transmit the
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data that was defective, until it gets it right (or up to 10 tries, and
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then aborts, this depends on the program using it). MOST transfers
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(probably 99 percent of them) using XMODEM end up being error free after
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they are received. The only real problem with Xmodem is that the data is
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transmitted in 128 byte blocks at a time, and each one has to pass the
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error tests before the next block is sent, making it somewhat slower
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than the newer protocols.
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1K-XMODEM (also known as YMODEM in some programs)
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1k-Xmodem is basically the XMODEM protocol, with a few changes.
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Instead of the slower 128 byte blocks, 1K-XMODEM transmits 1024 bytes at
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a time, and then does the error detection and correction. This means it
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spends more time sending the files, and less time checking for accuracy.
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It DOES NOT mean the files are more likely to have errors, just that it
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will be longer before they are corrected. On most phone lines, 1K-XMODEM
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is quite a bit faster than plain XMODEM, but on noisy lines, it can wind
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up being slower, because it has to re-transmit 1024 bytes when an error
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is detected rather than the shorter 128 bytes that XMODEM has to resend.
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1K-XMODEM is VERY popular, and is probably the most often used protocol
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at this time.
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TRUE YMODEM (or just YMODEM)
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The real YMODEM has a few differences from 1K-XMODEM. It will
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automatically send the name of the file to the receiving computer. That
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means YOU don't have to enter a RECEIVE filename using Ymodem. True
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Ymodem uses the same error correction techniques as XMODEM and
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1K-XMODEM, and is fairly reliable, although it is not as popular as
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either XMODEM or 1K-XMODEM. It is NOT 100 percent compatible with 1K-
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Xmodem though, because it DOES expect to receive the filename as part of
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the preamble data, and will hang if it does not receive this data.
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ZMODEM
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ZMODEM is a relatively new protocol. It is usually used from DSZ, a
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program by DSZ Associates, but not always. Zmodem has the ability to
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vary the size of the blocks it sends, and can AUTOMATICALLY go to a
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smaller number of bytes if the error detection rate is high. Zmodem also
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uses a 32 bit error detection code (at least in DSZ) rather than the 8
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bit code used by Xmodem and Ymodem, which makes a case for better
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reliability of the received files. They ARE checked more thoroughly than
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XMODEM, 1K-XMODEM, or YMODEM transmissions, but I personally have not
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found undetected errors to be much of a problem in most file transfers.
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Once in a great while an error will get past the error detection and
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correction, but it is VERY seldom, at least in my experience. BUT,
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Zmodem is capable of catching more of them than Xmodem, 1K-Xmodem, or
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Ymodem. Due to the variable size of blocks (number of bytes), it is also
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FASTER than the previous protocols in almost all situations, whether you
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get noise or not.
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YMODEM-G
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Ymodem-G is for use ONLY with MNP type error correcting modems,
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(You will Know if you have one of these, THEY ARE EXPENSIVE, and usually
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are 9600 baud Modems, with some exceptions) because the program does
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absolutely ZERO, NONE, ZILCH, error detection or correction on it's own.
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It depends on the modem to do that task for it, and why duplicate the
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time and effort? In MOST cases, but not all, your modem has MNP only if
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it is a 9600 baud modem. There are some 2400 baud MNP modems (I own
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one), but they are rare. Ymodem-G transmits 1K byte blocks, and waits
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on an ACKNOWLEDGE signal, before sending the next block, but does NO
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error correcting in the process. UNLESS you have an MNP modem, do NOT
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try to use this protocol. If you do have an MNP modem, this protocol is
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GREAT (fast and efficient).
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1K-XMODEM BATCH, YMODEM BATCH, YMODEM-G BATCH, ZMODEM BATCH
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These are the same protocols as described above, but have the
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feature of sending or receiving a number of files, one after the other,
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automatically (that's what BATCH means).
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WXMODEM
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Wxmodem is short for Windowed-Xmodem. This is a variation of XMODEM
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that is VERY useful if your phone call is being routed via satellite to
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the other computer (automatically done by the phone company on some long
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distance calls). Without getting too technical, Windowed Xmodem is the
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same as Xmodem, same 128 byte blocks and error checking code, BUT, it
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doesn't have to test each block immediately when it's received. Error
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checking is still done, but it is allowed to SLIDE ( this is the WINDOW
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part ) a little, usually up to 4 blocks. This gives the computers 2 to 8
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seconds, depending on baud rate, to verify the data without having to
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wait each time a block comes in. It still takes the same total time to
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do the error checking, but you don't have to wait on the delay caused by
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the signal going out into space and returning. The other protocols get
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VERY inefficient when having to wait for the satellite delays, and the
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smaller the block size, the worse it gets.
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By the Way, you MUST set up both the sending and receiving
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computers to use the SAME protocol!!!!
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In the next issue, or as soon as I get time to finish the article,
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we'll talk about IMODEM, SEALINK, TELELINK, MEGALINK, KERMIT (ALSO KNOWN
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AS PCKERMIT), and RELAXED XMODEM, along with any other protocols I
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happen to think of, or that you ask about. If you know of any I haven't
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mentioned above, feel free to leave me mail on America Online
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(205-324-0193), and I'll try to include them in the next article.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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PROFILE
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by Chris Mohney
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The Pro File is a short, half-serious biographical sketch given to
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various computer telecommunications personalities around Birmingham.
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Victims are selected randomly from a group of names put into the
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notorious Hat. Anyone who thinks himself brave or witty enough may
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petition for admittance to the Hat by leaving E-Mail to me (Chris
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Mohney, most boards around town) to that effect. Anyone who wishes to
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suggest more questions or sneakily nominate someone without their
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knowledge may take the same route ....
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Pro File on TOM EGAN
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Age: It's hard to say. I'm pretty sure it's around 50, though it
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could be closer to 60.
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Birthplace: A rubbish-strewn gutter in the south of Namibia, outside a
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porn bookstore.
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Occupation: I attach those little plastic cylinders to the ends of
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shoelaces; you know, the things that keep the ends from
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fraying?
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My hobbies include: Deleting users, living high on the hog from all
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the cash that comes in from the suckers who
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subscribe to America OnLine. It's great! I even
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get a tax write-off.
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Years telecomputing: Uh ... I don't know. I don't have my slide rule
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handy and my fingers are in a cast.
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Sysop, past/present/future of:
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The Crummy Stupid Board with No Doors or Files
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(1983-1986)
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The Gdansk Numismatic Review
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(A few drunken days in 1987)
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America OnLine
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(Not sure; in late 1987 Rocky Rawlins absorbed my
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personality for his "bad guy" jobs)
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My oddest habit is: All my habits are odd, and most are illegal in
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this state.
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My greatest ambition is: To finish this stupid form so I can go back to
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watching "Joanie Loves Chachi" reruns.
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The single accomplishment of which am most proud is: Winning the
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Pulitzer.
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My favorite performers are: Tiny Tim, Pee-Wee Herman, Joe Franklin,
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Mortimer the Flying Opossum
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The last good movie I saw was: I've never seen a good movie.
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The last good book I read was: "Cooking with Linoleum Made Easy"
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If they were making a movie of my life, I'd like to see my part played
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by: Somebody good-looking. Rich and good-looking, the kind who gets
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the girls with a glance, cause that's the kind a guy I am, get it?
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My pet peeves are: Too numerous to list.
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When nobody's looking, I like to: Look at them.
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(Belated April Fool's, Tom. I told you you'd be sorry.)
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???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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?? ??
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?? I had nothing to do with this Tom, trust me. MM ??
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?? ??
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???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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(Okay, okay ... just a joke, folks, here's the real thing.)
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PROFILE
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by Chris Mohney
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The Pro File is a short, half-serious biographical sketch given to
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various computer telecommunications personalities around Birmingham.
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Victims are selected randomly from a group of names put into the
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notorious Hat. Anyone who thinks himself brave or witty enough may
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petition for admittance to the Hat by leaving E-Mail to me (Chris
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Mohney, most boards around town) to that effect. Anyone who wishes to
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suggest more questions or sneakily nominate someone without their
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knowledge may take the same route ....
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---------
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Pro File on TOM EGAN
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---------
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Age: A most depressing 37. I didn't realize I was the same age as
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Rocky. That's even MORE depressing. Oh well, 38 comes up in May.
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Birthplace: To my vast surprise, I was born in East St. Louis,
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Illinois. (Actually Fairview, Ill., but the closest
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hospital was in E. St. Louis, so therefore reads the birth
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certificate). I quickly made plans to remedy that
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situation, and moved at the age of 7. ( another mistake
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though, moved north, but that's another story) ( lived in
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Birmingham area for 28 years now )
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Occupation: District Engineer, Nuclear Products ( that should read
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Electronics Engineer, which is my profession, BUT, that's
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my present job title ( by the way, that's NOT power plants,
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it's NUCLEAR MEDICINE )
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My hobbies include: Computing, electronics design and building,
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woodworking, flying ( licensed private pilot ),
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water-skiing, sports car racing ( driving, not
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watching ), beer-drinking, sex, gardening, more
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sex. The above list is NOT necessarily in my
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preferred order.
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Years telecomputing: Around 14 to 15 years. Designed and built my first
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computer in 1975. Since then I've gotten smarter
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and bought them, either assembled or such as "put
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it together yourself" systems. My first "REAL"
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computer was an IMSAI 8080. No keyboard or
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monitor, just switches and lights, and a 2k
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program took about 3 evenings to load in.
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Sysop, past/present/future of:
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Past: CoSysop - The Towne Crier (1.5 years)
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CoSysop - Birmingham BBS (2 years)
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Sysop - G.E. WINS (Worldwide Information
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Network)(4yrs)
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(This one is still active, but not
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public)
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Present: Sysop (remote) - America OnLine (2 years)
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My oddest habit is: Playing opera arias on trumpet while naked on the
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couch at midnight being caressed by a dozen naked
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slave girls imported from Nome, Alaska.
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I SORTA LIKED THIS ONE, EVEN THOUGH I DID STEAL IT FROM ROCKY.
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P.S. Don't tell my wife. Good thing she sleeps soundly!!!!
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My greatest ambition is: Hurry up and get the new house built that I'm
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working on, and partially designed. At least
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that's my PRESENT greatest ambition, new one
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next year, I hope.
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The single accomplishment of which am most proud is: Just being me.
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My favorite performers are: Alan Alda, Clint Eastwood, etc.
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The last good movie I saw was: I like the older spaghetti westerns,
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such as those by Clint Eastwood. Also
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M*A*S*H, and AIRPORT. There have been
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many others, but these I REMEMBER.
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Nothing lately ( 2 or 3 years ) has
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really impressed me.
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The last good book I read was: I am ALWAYS reading, but I guess if I
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had pick a few, they would be The Mists
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of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, The
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Sisters by Robert Littell, or maybe The
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Dreamstone by C.J. Cherryh
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If they were making a movie of my life, I'd like to see my part played
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by: Probably Alan Alda, since a lot of it is almost a comedy anyway,
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although it didn't seem that way at the time.
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My pet peeves are: Airline Companies, ALL fanatics, people who ask for
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PROFILES, people who want BTN Magazine Articles,
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deadlines, NOISE !!!, and a WHOLE BUNCH of other
|
|
things.
|
|
|
|
|
|
When nobody's looking, I like to: After my hectic job, and when the
|
|
board is running good, just sitting
|
|
around drinking a cold beer and
|
|
watching the grass and trees grow.
|
|
QUIETLY!!!!
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Our Local Bulletin Board Systems
|
|
Number Four In A Series
|
|
by Mark Maisel
|
|
|
|
Name: The Islands BBS
|
|
|
|
Sysop: Dean Adams aka Captain Jack
|
|
|
|
Co-Sysop: Barry Bowden (could not do it without him)
|
|
|
|
Software: PC Board 14.0/D
|
|
|
|
Been Around: 5 months
|
|
|
|
Baud Rates: 300-1200
|
|
|
|
Bulletins: General System Information
|
|
|
|
Conferences: Tarot - featuring the Realm of Tarot online fantasy war
|
|
game
|
|
Reviews - Science fiction and music is discussed
|
|
Games - Turbo-Chess and Black Jack doors are available
|
|
|
|
Computers Supported: no system particularly supported and no files are
|
|
available
|
|
|
|
Files Available: no file transfers available
|
|
|
|
Doors Available: ProDoor, Turbo-Chess 3.0, Paz 21(Black Jack), Realm of
|
|
Tarot
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|
|
|
Special Information: the board is completely free and all are welcome
|
|
as long as you abide by my simple rules. The only
|
|
board in the country that features The Realm of
|
|
Tarot game
|
|
|
|
Q. Why did you start your BBS?
|
|
A. I enjoy calling bulletin boards and I want to promote gaming,
|
|
especially strategy games such as The Realm of Tarot.
|
|
|
|
Q. What has been your greatest reward from running your BBS?
|
|
A. Knowing that my users enjoy the board.
|
|
|
|
Q. What are your greatest regrets and annoyance associated with running a
|
|
BBS?
|
|
A. That I cannot afford better equipment.
|
|
|
|
Q. What are your future plans for the BBS?
|
|
A. Immediately, I intend to increase storage capacity so I can add more
|
|
games, upgrade modem to 2400 baud. Hopefully, before the end of the
|
|
year, I would like to move up to an AT compatible system and ad at
|
|
least one more node to the system.
|
|
|
|
Q. What is the funniest thing that has happened on your BBS?
|
|
A. Almost deleting the entire Tarot conference while shuffling files to
|
|
make Tarot work as a door. It appeared that all the files had
|
|
disappeared but I recovered after a brief panic.
|
|
|
|
Q. What is your favorite hobby/pastime outside of your BBS and computers
|
|
in general?
|
|
A. Billiards and reading fantasy literature are favorites in the
|
|
precious little time that medical school allows.
|
|
|
|
Q. What do you think your system offers that might cause someone to
|
|
prefer your board over others?
|
|
A. The Realm of Tarot is really the only unique feature I can think of
|
|
that might entice a caller to use my system over another.
|
|
|
|
Q. Why?
|
|
A. The Realm of Tarot game is now unique to this system.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
NINE DAYS AFTER
|
|
by Tyros
|
|
|
|
|
|
The last thing I consciously remember is sitting in a chair,
|
|
staring at a computer screen, wondering why a terminal program is
|
|
sitting ready, its host mode flickering gold and black, almost in eerie
|
|
invitation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The screen goes blank. Mists seep from the corners of the monitor
|
|
and envelope my immediate surroundings. I feel nauseatingly faint from
|
|
the fumes, when I voice calls...
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Scott?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is not my name, I tell myself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Scott?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Who is calling?
|
|
|
|
|
|
A figure emerges from the mists and stands in front of me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Got any ideas?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
"C'mon, I know you have to have one or two..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
I stare blankly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
"What about writing about how many 300 baud users are still calling
|
|
the boards?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
"You can call around, I'm sure most of the sysops around here
|
|
would be happy to help.."
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Scott?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Fine then, it's all yours."
|
|
|
|
|
|
The edges of my irises seem to scream out in a painful cacophony
|
|
of colors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
That may or may not be a mixed metaphor.
|
|
|
|
The figure waves jovially.
|
|
"You take care now."
|
|
|
|
I stare madly at the shape, receding into the thick velvet fog.
|
|
|
|
"Take care."
|
|
|
|
"Take care...."
|
|
|
|
"Take care you don't support a certain POSITION in your story."
|
|
|
|
"Remain consistent. Even if you don't think your story is
|
|
AP-styled, stay with a consistent format."
|
|
|
|
"Remember, never reveal the names of minors in the custody of
|
|
police."
|
|
|
|
|
|
I blink, and this time it is the mist that recedes.
|
|
|
|
I am sitting in a journalism class.
|
|
|
|
In journalism class, they tell you how to formulate the lead of a
|
|
story.
|
|
|
|
|
|
They tell you what to capitalize, what to numeralize.
|
|
|
|
|
|
They don't tell you what do to when a CRT-monitor is challenging
|
|
you, making your very neurons wince at the heat, DARING you to create
|
|
something substantial.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Then I answer back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I am a storyteller. Mine is a long honored profession. Today's
|
|
storytellers, though no longer so called, flourish still.
|
|
|
|
I am a Reporter.
|
|
|
|
I will do what it takes.
|
|
|
|
I will do this and more.
|
|
|
|
I will type out a piece of prose, so lurid and confusing, it will
|
|
stand out amid written schematics and lists and charts and series.
|
|
|
|
I will throw format to the winds.
|
|
|
|
I will vary the number of lines between paragraphs, to suit my
|
|
mood at that precise second. This many confuse and constern, and so be
|
|
it.
|
|
|
|
I will allow my indentations to vary likewise. The beginnings of
|
|
my sentences will float, left and right, so that men may KNOW of what I
|
|
speak from. The divine dance of sweet random nature is my guide.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I will compose and contain, these thoughts which some will forever
|
|
wonder at.
|
|
|
|
They will stare at each other in daze and befuddlement. They will
|
|
say, Are these thoughts his own? Did they spring forth from his soul,
|
|
uncalled for and unrealized, like new life wishing itself to be known?
|
|
|
|
Or did they rise, from somber plan and prior mediation, like number
|
|
problems needing to be solved, dominated by cynicism and worldliness,
|
|
and the knowledge of what is needed to nudge the souls of men.
|
|
|
|
I will bare my deepest thoughts, and yet my most frivolous fancies
|
|
- and they will wonder.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This I will do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
This I have done.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And now, nine days after, we have come full circle.
|
|
|
|
I am TYROS!
|
|
I sing the thoughts of men and the tremors of matter.
|
|
|
|
I am Tyros, the scriptor. This is my script.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And I am finished.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Thrifty Household Hints
|
|
by Michele Cahoon
|
|
|
|
If the soles on your terry cloth slippers wear out long before the
|
|
slippers, then get some iron on patches, cut them to the right size and
|
|
iron them on. The slippers will last twice as long.
|
|
|
|
To make a broom last much longer, take an old nylon stocking, cut
|
|
off the foot, double the leg section and pull it over the straws,
|
|
leaving just a few inches of the broom for sweeping. This not only keeps
|
|
the straws from falling out but keeps the broom in perfect shape.
|
|
|
|
To keep those scouring pads from rusting, instead of dipping the
|
|
scouring pad into the water, dip the article to be cleaned into the
|
|
water and then use the dry pad to clean it. By using this method you are
|
|
able to use the pads until all the soap is gone.
|
|
|
|
Don't throw away used aluminum foil. When wadded and crushed
|
|
together, it makes a very effective scouring pad for pans and
|
|
casseroles. With a little soap and a wad of aluminum foil it works very
|
|
well.
|
|
|
|
Cut the cuffs of worn out rubber gloves into narrow strips and this
|
|
will give you rubber bands that will last for quite some time.
|
|
|
|
To prevent hard boiled eggs from cracking, take a needle and poke a
|
|
hole in the end of it. The air which normally is trapped causes the egg
|
|
to crack, this way it can get out and not crack the egg.
|
|
|
|
For perfect garlic oil, buy some dried garlic. Break all the buds
|
|
apart. Cut off the end and top of each bud. Then peel with your paring
|
|
knife. Cut each little bud in half, drop them all in a bottle, cover
|
|
them with oil. Within one day the oil is so terrifically "garlicked"
|
|
that you will only need a few drops for your recipe.
|
|
|
|
To have yourself, your very own fresh garlic. Just put an unpeeled
|
|
bud of garlic, root end down, in a glass with a bit of water, leave it
|
|
for about three days until the root appears; then plant it in a small
|
|
pot of soil. Empty condiment shakers are good for this. The garlic will
|
|
grow about a foot high, and as you need it just break off a piece (looks
|
|
like chives)!
|
|
|
|
If you would like a splatter proof method of frying
|
|
hamburgers....Form the patties in any way, shape or form you like, then
|
|
flour them on both sides before frying them. Not only will this prevent
|
|
splattering, but the flour seals in the meats juices and gives the
|
|
patties a thin, crispy crust.
|
|
|
|
To preserve metal finish on such things as earrings, purse clasps,
|
|
belt buckles,etc.. before using them, apply one or two coats of clear
|
|
nail polish. If this is repeated every six months, they will look like
|
|
new for ages.
|
|
|
|
If you would like to have some of your windows with the frosted
|
|
look but don't want it to be permanent. Dissolve one tablespoon of Epsom
|
|
salts in a small amount of beer and apply the mixture with a brush to
|
|
the inside of the window panes. The best result I found to do the trick
|
|
was one cup of beer and 4 tablespoons of Epsom salts.
|
|
|
|
A raw onion cut up and left in a room while painting makes the
|
|
paint odor less potent, yet the onion odor disappears too.
|
|
|
|
To repair a broken China figurine, use clear nail polish to stick
|
|
the pieces together. You can use nail polish remover to get off the
|
|
excess polish.
|
|
|
|
Creative gift giving: In a newly established household there are
|
|
always numerous tasks ahead so you can give them a starter-kit
|
|
containing the following:
|
|
|
|
A medium-weight claw hammer
|
|
A pair of pliers
|
|
A medium-size screwdriver
|
|
A small versatile saw
|
|
A good variety of screws,bolts,nails,brads and tacks
|
|
A variety of accessory hardware- hooks, hanging aids,etc.
|
|
|
|
Well folks that's it for this issue of Household tips and hints...
|
|
hope they help!!
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
From The Kitchen
|
|
by Chez Stephan
|
|
|
|
This is going to be short and sweet this month. It seems that
|
|
Father Time never gives us enough. Try this recipe over pasta . If you
|
|
decide to use pasta then make sure that you peel the shrimp before you
|
|
serve them. It is great either alone or served as a side dish.
|
|
|
|
Prawns with Chilies and Garlic:
|
|
|
|
20 to 30 Large Prawns Shells On (these are shrimp to us folks here in
|
|
Dixie)
|
|
10 cloves of garlic
|
|
6 oz. fresh red chilies
|
|
1/2 cup peanut oil
|
|
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
|
|
|
|
Trim prawns and slit along back with a pair of kitchen shears.
|
|
Remove vein. Wash, pat dry and set aside.
|
|
|
|
Peel garlic and cut stalks of chilies. For chilies to be less hot,
|
|
remove seeds. The seeds are where most of the heat comes from in chilies.
|
|
Process garlic and chilies together to form a semi-fine paste.
|
|
|
|
Place wok or iron skillet over high heat and when very hot add the
|
|
oil. When oil is starting to smoke add chili-garlic paste and fry over
|
|
medium heat until it is fragrant and the oil turns slightly red. Please
|
|
be extremely careful when you use a wok or any high heat the oil will
|
|
sometimes flame up.
|
|
|
|
Add prawns and stir fry again until they change color. Add salt
|
|
and fry until sauce coats prawns. Serve individual portions or peel
|
|
shrimp and chop and add to pasta.
|
|
|
|
This dish is HOT so consider yourself forewarned!
|
|
|
|
P. S. This dish is originally from Violet Oon's Kitchen in Singapore.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
MESSAGE BOARD
|
|
by Barry Bowden
|
|
|
|
|
|
M A Y
|
|
|
|
1 9 8 9
|
|
|
|
S M T W T F S
|
|
+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+---------+
|
|
� �1 �2 !3 !4 !5 !6 !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! � � � � � �BIPCUG !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+---------+
|
|
!7 !8 !9 !10 !11 !12 !13 !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
�BAC � �CCS � � � � !
|
|
! ! ! (64/128) ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+---------+
|
|
!14 !15 !16 !17 !18 !19 !20 !
|
|
!Mother's ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
� Day ! �CCS � � �BEPCUG � !
|
|
! ! ! (Amiga) ! ! ! ! !
|
|
!BCCC ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+---------+
|
|
!21 !22 !23 !24 !25 !26 !27 !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
� � �CCS � � � � !
|
|
! ! ! (64/128) ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+---------+
|
|
!28 !29 !30 !31 ! ! ! !
|
|
! !Memorial !Memorial ! ! ! ! !
|
|
!BCCC ! Day ! Day ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! Observed! Traditional ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
|
+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+---------+
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BEPCUG CCS
|
|
Birmingham East PC Users Group Commodore Club South
|
|
Jefferson State Jr. College Springville Road Library
|
|
RUBY Carson Hall 114 (Meeting) Huffman, Alabama
|
|
3rd Friday of Every Month 2nd and 4th Tuesday (C64/C128)
|
|
7:00PM to 9:00PM 3rd Monday (Amiga)
|
|
Paula Ballard 853-1200,ext 1463 (Work) 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM
|
|
251-6058 (Home) Maurice Lovelady 684-6843
|
|
|
|
|
|
BCCC BAC
|
|
Birmingham Commodore Computer Club Birmingham Apple Corps
|
|
P. O. Box 59564 POB 5542
|
|
Birmingham, Alabama 35259 Birmingham, Alabama 32555
|
|
UAB School of Ed. Bldg. Room 153 Regular meetings - 1st Sunday
|
|
2nd and 4th Sundays UAB Building #2, Rm 115 at 2PM
|
|
Starts at 2:00 PM
|
|
Rusty Hargett 854-5172 Informal get-together every
|
|
Saturday morning at 8:30AM
|
|
at the Kopper Kettle in
|
|
the Brookwood annex next
|
|
to AC3
|
|
|
|
BIPCUG
|
|
Birmingham IBM-PC USER's Group
|
|
Room 535/541 UAB Nutrition Science Bldg
|
|
First Sunday 3:00 PM
|
|
(Delayed one week if meeting weekend
|
|
is a holiday)
|
|
Marty Schulman 967-5883
|
|
Jim Caldwell 870-4729
|
|
Carolyn Daffron 969-1748
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you belong to or know of a user group that is not listed, please let
|
|
us know by sending E-Mail to me, Barry Bowden, on EzNet.
|
|
Please leave the following information :
|
|
|
|
User Group Name
|
|
Meeting Place
|
|
Meeting Time(Day/date,Time)
|
|
Contact Person
|
|
Any Other Important Information
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Known BBS Numbers For The Birmingham Area
|
|
|
|
**** The local EzNet nodes are marked with an asterisk ****
|
|
|
|
NAME NUMBER BAUD RATES SUPPORTED MODEM TYPE
|
|
|
|
68FREE 933-7518 300, 1200
|
|
America Online Nodes 1-3 324-0193 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
America Online Node 4 251-2344 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
|
|
American BBS 674-1851 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Amiga Alliance 631-8367 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
*Bus System BBS 595-1627 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
*Byte Me BBS 979-2983 1200, 2400
|
|
*Channel 8250 744-8546 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Club Phoenix 942-0252 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
*Crunchy Frog 956-1755 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
D3 Systems BBS 663-2759 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Duck Pond BBS 822-0956 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Fortress BBS 664-9040 300, 1200
|
|
I.S.A. BBS 995-6590 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Jim's Place 787-5512 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
*Joker's Castle 744-6120 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
LZ Birmingham 870-7770 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
*Magnolia BBS 854-6407 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
|
|
*Pinson Valley BBS 854-9662 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
|
|
ProSoft Systems BBS 853-8718 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Psycho's Den 592-2545 300, 1200
|
|
*Role Player's Paradise 631-7654 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Sparta PCBoard Nodes 1-5 979-0193 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
|
|
Sparta PCBoard Node 6 979-0196 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 Hayes
|
|
Sperry BBS 853-6144 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 Hayes
|
|
*ST BBS 836-9311 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
*The Connection Node 1 854-9074 1200, 2400
|
|
*The Connection Node 2 854-2308 1200, 2400
|
|
The Outer Limits 969-3262 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
|
|
The Islands BBS 870-7776 300, 1200
|
|
*The Professional's Board 856-0679 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Twilight Zone 856-3783 300, 1200
|
|
Willie's DYM Node 1 979-1629 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Willie's DYM Node 2 979-7739 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Willie's RBBS 979-7743 300, 1200, 2400
|
|
Ziggy Unaxess 991-5696 300, 1200
|
|
|
|
|