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# BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News #
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# #
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COPYRIGHT 1993 ISSN 1055-4548
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Volume 7, Issue 5 Issue #69 June 1994
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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article title author
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Disclaimer/Statement of Policy.............................Staff
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From The Editor.................................Scott Hollifield
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Notes From the Trenches............................Dean Costello
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Youth Speaks Out!........................A BTN Instant Talk Show
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Local Music In June.................................Judy Ranelli
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Special Interest Groups (SIGs).........................Eric Hunt
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Known BBS Numbers...................................Luke Whitley
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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DISCLAIMER
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AND STATEMENT OF POLICY
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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 damage
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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 time
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but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear in a
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particular issue. It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise harm a
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person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the content of
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the articles prepared by our writers. Our writers own their work and it
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is protected by copyright. We allow reprinting of articles from BTN
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with only a few restrictions. The author may object to a reprint, in
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which case he will specify in the content of his article. Otherwise,
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please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as the
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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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Publisher, BTN
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606 Twin Branch Terrace
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Birmingham, AL 35216
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(205) 823-3956
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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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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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FREEBIE!!!
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GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT! Systems That Offer Free BTN
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The following boards allow BTN to be downloaded freely, that is
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with no charge to any existing upload/download ratios.
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ADAnet One Alter-Ego Bone Yard
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Bus System The Castle Channel 8250
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C.A.B. The Comfy Chair! Crunchy Frog
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DC Info Exchange Final Frontier The Guardian
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Hardware Hotline Homewood's Hell Hole Joker's Castle
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Leaping's Lounge Lemon Grove Lion's Den
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Martyrdom Again?! The MATRIX Milliways BBS
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The Outer Limits Owl's Nest Playground
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Safe Harbor Southern Stallion Starbase 12
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Thy Master's Dungeon Weekends BBS
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(This list includes some systems which are not local to Birmingham and
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therefore not included on our BBS Numbers list.)
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If you are a sysop and you allow BTN to be downloaded freely, please let
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me know via The Matrix or Crunchy Frog so that I can post your board as
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a free BTN distributor. Thanks.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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NEWSFLASH!
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NEWSFLASH!
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NEWSFLASH!
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BTN CONTRIBUTOR IS
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PLAYING AT
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** CityStages '94 **
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!!
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Catch Judy Ranelli's band, The Ticks
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Sunday the 19th at 12:15pm
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on the Honda Stage
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(I think)
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See this month's LOCAL MUSIC column
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for more details.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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FROM
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THE EDITOR Scott Hollifield
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Welcome to this month's ultra-slim issue, in the spirit of summer
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fitness. Of course, since you shouldn't be paying for this (and if you
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are, I want to know who's making the money), you can't complain. Less
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is more, these days, or so I hear.
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If you do, however, happen to have an interest in maintaining a
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fat and happy BTN from month to month, we're still looking for new
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writers! Drop me a note on Crunchy Frog, the Matrix or Alter Ego, and
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read the submission guidelines included in this issue.
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That's it! I'm keeping my own column short this month, to be
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consistent... hope you enjoy our downsizing, because next month, don't
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expect it to last.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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NOTES FROM
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THE TRENCHES Dean Costello
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This Makes a Difference? Whom Am I Trying To Kid?
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Gosh, its been awhile since I last wrote freestyle. Writing the
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way I do for this column is pretty easy for me. Unfortunately, most of
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the writing that I have to do on a daily basis is not as freestyle as
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this. Anyway, this is a fun way of expressing oneself.
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There are a lot of things that need to be addressed, given things
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that have been happening: Is it appropriate to mock the person who is
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suing Bill Clinton for sexual harrassment that occurred three years ago
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for using the 700 Club, et al, for legal fees? Is medical reform dead
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since Rostenkowski is about to hit the mats? Will any changes occur in
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Northern Ireland since Sinn Fein has been included in negotiations
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between Ireland and England? What are the chances of a solar system-
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wide catastrophe occurring when that comet hits Jupiter in July? Should
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I be concerned with the test that shows glucose and albumin in my urine?
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Will I ever be able to work on a different project? All kinds of
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questions, just begging to be thought about.
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It is currently Tuesday, May 31, 1994. I am trying to convince
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myself that what I am doing right now is not a waste of time. I am
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currently (well, in another window of my word processor) writing
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summaries for the BRAC project. Oh? Never heard of BRAC? If you are
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in the military, you have definitely heard of BRAC. BRAC is the acronym
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for Base Re-Alignment and Closure. It is a committee that was set up by
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Congress in, ummm, I believe 1989 in response to the lessening of
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outside threats to the United States.
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It all started when the Soviet Union ceased to exist. You see,
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since approximately 1963, the United States has been based on a wartime
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footing (check the economics during WWII and the Reagan Years. They're
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damned close), and unfortunately the Bad Guys apparently melted away.
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So, we then have a whole lot of people, a whole lot of B-52s, and a
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whole lot of bases that don't have anything to do anymore.
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Now, I can be sure to hear the counterstatements of those that look
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at DoD as being the entitlement program of the Right. Something along
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the lines of, "We had to gear up the way we did. It forced the Soviets
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into countering our every move, which drove them into dissolution", or
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words to that effect I would imagine. Hell, even Reagan realized that
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there were too many military bases floating about the countryside.
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A bipartisan committee was created by Congress, the BRAC committee,
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to determine which bases are to be shut down. The idea is that if no
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one person is accountable in Congress, than something can be
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accomplished. Look at it from your point of view. You (the average
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reader in Alabama) probably don't mind if Fort Dix (New Jersey) or The
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Presidio (California) are shut down. But I imagine that you have very
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strong feelings about say, the Anniston Army Depot or Fort Rucker
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being closed. Congress is not stupid. Your representatives, Shelby and
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Hefflin, would stand up in front of Congress and make the most
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impassioned speech available to describe to their colleagues about how
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necessary it is to a Free America to keep Anniston open, even though the
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effort at Anniston is replicated in many different bases all over the
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country. With the BRAC committee, he has a nice out, and you (the
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teeming masses) won't be upset with him. Let's face it, your average
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military base contributes a lot to a community in terms of economic
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resources; and your average community that has depended on your average
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military base for the last forty years or so is not going to be doing
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very well after the base packs up shop.
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And thus the necessity for a BRAC committee.
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Anyway, a lot of bases are being shut down (well, not really "a lot"
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as I think of it. I believe that in this second round of BRAC actions,
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a total of 24 bases are being closed). The next question that comes up
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is what to do with the property after the government abandons it.
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Sometimes it is easy. For instance in San Francisco, many people are
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chomping at the bit to get a part of the Presidio. Nice location, close
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to a lot of attractions. Should make a lovely housing development.
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Some are a little tougher in that they are in a fairly remote area or
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in an area that cannot support development, but most are in a position
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to be useful for civilian applications of one sort or another.
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And this is where I (and the Superfund process) come in. There is a
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small part of the CERCLA/SARA (Comprehensive Environmental
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Responsibility, Compensation, and Liability Act/Superfund Act
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Reauthorization Amendment) legislation that states that if you own a
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property you are responsible for any contamination that has occurred at
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the property at any point in the past.
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Spooky sounding, isn't it? It should be. The idea of it (in my
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opinion) is to keep large companies from buying a piece of land
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somewhere, dumping toxic materials on it, and transfering the land to a
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holding company and saying, "Hey, the contamination was here when we got
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the land. We aren't responsible for it." On the other hand, some
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people will get burned since they didn't know the land that they had
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bought had 10,000 buried drums. To solve this, EPA added what is called
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"De Minimus" to SARA. What that means is that if you, the landowner,
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can prove that you did not contribute to the contamination at the
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property, than you will not be held responsible for the entire cost of
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cleanup. This also goes along with a legal phrase called "Joint and
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Several Liability". I'm not precisely sure what it entails, but I
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believe it is something along the lines that if you (a company) can be
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linked to contamination at the site, then you may be responsible for
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either the entire cost of cleanup, or just a portion of the cost.
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(Also, for the legal freaks out there, if you (a bank) loan a
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considerable amount of money to a company, to the point that you are on
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the company's board of directors, and the company gets busted under
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CERCLA/SARA, then your bank can be held responsible under joint and
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several liability since you had a say in the management practices of the
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company. Think about it for a minute...)
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Okay, how do you get around this? Tricky. More times than not
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there is absolutely no problem with hazardous materials being on private
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property (except in New Jersey [rim shot]), and chances are very low
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that the Superfund monster will have to eat you. Take a chance. Live
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life to its fullest.
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Or you can partake of a burgeoning industry: The Site Assessment
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(SA). The purpose of an SA is to examine the property that is about to
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be purchased and make a decision based on the examination as to whether
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it contains or contained hazardous materials. This usually entails
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performing a deed search (which should have been done before you bought
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the land anyway), conducting a site reconnaissance which means that
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someone who knows what they are doing takes a walk around the site and
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examines it for icky things, such as drums, underground storage tanks,
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lead-based paint, stressed vegetation, etc. Ideally, the firm that
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performs the SA has what is called E&O insurance (errors and omissions),
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which means when they screw up, someone can cover the cost of the
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screwup. And the SA is what I am doing for the company.
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You see, a naval base in Florida has been scheduled for closing in
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about another year or so. Our job was to go to every building on the
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facility (approximately 600 or so) and perform a site reconnaisance.
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My job at this moment is to write a one-page summary of the
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reconnaissance checklist. It isn't much fun. There is only so much I
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can write on a warehouse or a BEQ, or whatever. It is ugly-tedious and
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I am very frustrated. I guess that I can see the need for what I am
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doing, but that doesn't get me though the problems of Doing It Now.
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When I first started into the environmental business I was very
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idealistic. Something along the lines of, "Hey, everyone, lets go save
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the wilderness!" It was a good feeling to get something done. I
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compare it to when a carpenter takes his/her child to a house and says,
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"Look, I built this with my hands". As a result of the projects I have
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worked on in the past three years, I can go to a number of places and
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say, "Look. I cleaned this site so that it couldn't hurt anyone
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anymore". But I can't get that kind of spirit going on this BRAC
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project. Unfortunately, I have to go to the college I graduated from in
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Pennsylvania on Monday and give a seminar on the wonders of the
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environmental field.
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It is a bad time to try and convince people that this is the Best
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and Greatest Thing To Do With Your Life, You Betcha. The BRAC project
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is almost done, and I can be free of it soon. It has been long, and it
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has tried my soul. It has taught me that I need not do environmental
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consulting for the rest of my life. However, I don't know if I trust
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others to do the job correctly. I am very good at what I do, but I have
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found that many people in this industry are either mercenary (anything
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for a buck) or don't have the background to perform well. The above
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doesn't sound quite right, but it does serve to represent what I mean
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fairly well.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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YOUTH
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SPEAKS
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OUT! A BTN "Instant Talk Show"
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Item! The Matrix dumps longtime-favorite traditional software PCBoard
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for the far more expensive and controversial MajorBBS! Is this a good
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move for the Matrix? And what do the users of a young turk BBS called
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"Milliways" think about it?
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Welcome to the first installment of a new feature in BTN, wherein we
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take the pulse of the local BBS scene (or a part of it anyway) and
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splash it up on your screen for all to see. The basic idea here is a
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combination of the ever-popular TV roundtable talk show, a la the
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McLaughlin Group or Meet the Press, but done up in true '90s infobahn
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fashion.
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Each month, "Instant Talk Show" will pop up, unnanounced, on a local BBS
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that features multi-user live chatting. A topic will be announced, and
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we're on our way! (I also considered calling this column "Easy Article-
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Writing From The Lazy Editor".)
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This month, I showed my face and cyber-microphone in Milliways, one of
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the boards in town that runs MajorBBS, which callers of the Matrix will
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recognize as that board's newly adopted facelift. In fact, that's
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exactly what we talked about.
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By the very nature of the Instant Talk Show, panel members go in and
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out all the time, so the panel for our discussion will change names
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once in a while. For the purposes of preserving the "style" of the
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conversation (and saving me a lot of work), only a minimal amount of
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editing was done, as far as punctuation, syntax, etc. goes.
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Two names you should be familiar with, however, are:
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BTN: That's me, your humble editor (and moderator).
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and Zaphod: The sysop of Milliways himself.
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This month's Instant Talk Show was so long, I had to divide it up into
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two parts. Part two will be featured next month.
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And away we go!
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BTN: What do you guys think about the "new" Matrix?
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Die Hard: I don't like The Matrix set-up. I have met Rocky, and don't
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like him...can't afford a dollar an hour....chat section
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sucks...
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Buster: The Matrix does echo a lot of national conferences I
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believe.....
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Zaphod: No fun in the teleconference.. confused people everywhere...
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The Master: someone has GOTTA tell rocky that he can't run that many
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high speed lines off of his hardware...
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Buster: Seriously MY problem is Matrix seems to be pricing
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themselves out of the market.....
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Zaphod: Outgoing Internet newsgroup postings are lame.. only a
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portion of the inbound trafic makes it..
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Buster: They are $1.00 an hour. Full InterNet access thru Delphi
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would be $1.80
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BTN: But Zaphod, don't you think you should allow him time to
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get things settled? It is a new experience for everyone,
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you know.
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Zaphod: Yes, but the Matrix is still COLD man.. unfriendly...
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BTN: Why do you suppose that is?
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The Master: they dont know your name. Milliways is like cheers...where
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everybody knows your name..
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Zaphod: Jan is interesting, but Rocky is never around, Tom is never
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around.. no one to help you, *I* had to help Jan the other
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day...
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Frog: Jan is all right. She Been real nice.
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Zaphod: Everyone wanders around the Matrix dazed it seems...
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The Master: its just plain silly...most of the users there know more
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about running a MBBS [Major BBS] than the people running
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The Matrix.
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Frog: There is just so much stuff. There are some things I would
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like to down load. But who can find anything?
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BTN: Your complaint seems to stem primarily from the fact that
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the Matrix simply has many many more uses than Milliways.
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About no one knowing your name, I mean.
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The Master: Partly...but people there are mainly..well...unfriendly...
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BTN: Have you had personal experiences like that?
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The Master: on The Matrix? Well, yeah....half of the people in the
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teleconference don't even say "hi" when you go in..
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Zaphod: I think it is that there is no personal attention, and
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if you are gonna ASK for a buck an hour, there damn well
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better be friendly people there to help you.,
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Buster: Have you checked the AGE of some of their files? OLD!
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Zaphod: Try this for fun, go to the CD-ROM library, and do a key
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word search based on ZIP.. ahahahah.. system crawls for DAYS
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BTN: Of course, some people need files that have been around for
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a while.
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Buster: true but they ARE hard to find......
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The Master: i call only if i need a file...and that only if i cant get
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it anywhere else...
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Sniper: well, they have run a bbs for a long time, maybe they are a
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bit jaded... running a bbs can do that to you
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BTN: So you would advise Rocky to take on additional help staff?
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Zaphod: no, I think Rocky and Tom, and Jan, and whoever else is
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on staff should be more aware of their users, and be more
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open, and communicative, and FRIENDLY
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The Master: they should be available, and Rocky needs to mingle with his
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users...
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Buster: What does Matrix say they offer over and above the other
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boards in town?
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Zaphod: Files, INternet...
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The Master: i have NEVER seen Rocky online there...even when it was
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PCBoard.
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Frog: I have never seen Rocky on line on matrix.
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Bad Girl: I got started on Matrix...before I knew about
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Milliways...have an account getting shorted time...just
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waiting on it to run out.
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Zaphod: Earlier, Bad Girl said it best... WE ARE MORE FUN. We are
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the Cheers of Cyberspace.
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BTN: Of course, as cyberspace gets bigger and more crowded,
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it'll be harder to find places like "Cheers". Do you think
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it was a mistake for the Matrix to ditch PCBoard?
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Sniper: that cannot be a mistake, Scott
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|
The Master: actually, i think it was
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: I think so, if Rocky and Co. are not going to utilize the
|
|
potentials of the MBBS interface...
|
|
|
|
BTN: And how would you suggest they do that?
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: Like I said, be on line, and available more, respond to
|
|
E-Mail in a not so curt fashion.. tell Jan to lose the "We
|
|
are huge and getting bigger attitude"
|
|
|
|
The Master: PCBoard handeled everything but the teleconference better
|
|
than MBBS
|
|
|
|
Sniper: they must have wanted it just for the chat
|
|
|
|
Frog: Mbbs proves that chat is where its at.
|
|
|
|
Buster: Was TBBS considered?
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: But MBBS, REQUIRES a fast machine... Does Milliways jerk
|
|
and hop?
|
|
|
|
BTN: I'm sure a lot of options were considered... I wasn't in on
|
|
the sessions.
|
|
|
|
The Master: i recomended he go with Snet...he coulda run all that stuff
|
|
on 2 or 3 machines...and had everything but a better
|
|
teleconference to boot..
|
|
|
|
BTN: That's another thing... you really thing that MBBS is worth
|
|
the exorbitant price a sysop pays for it?
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: YES!
|
|
|
|
BTN: Do you guys foresee or detect the potential for a rivalry
|
|
between Milliways and the Matrix since the switch?
|
|
|
|
The Master: HELL YEAH!
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: Yes.
|
|
|
|
The Master: ...we will bury them.
|
|
|
|
BTN: How come?
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: We get HORDES of new users every day.. and most of them
|
|
FROM the Matrix..
|
|
|
|
The Master: Milliways is wehre the chat is at
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: Like Bad Girl for instance...
|
|
|
|
BTN: Really? You get a lot of disillusioned Matrix users?
|
|
|
|
The Master: we have had close to 20 in the last week or two..
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: They LIKE the interface, but they like the way we implement
|
|
it better...
|
|
|
|
Gradstud: and chat is the main fucnction of MBBS . and Rocky has
|
|
changed nothing... and ours is not as taxed as Rocky
|
|
|
|
The Master: actually, for chat, the only 2 BBSs that really compete at
|
|
all are Genesis and milliways, and we have a better
|
|
user/sub ratio
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: We get lot's of Matrix refugees, that are dazzled by MBBS,
|
|
but bored by the Matrix version of it..
|
|
|
|
BTN: Why do you suppose that is?
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: we get 350 + calls per day, averaging at LEAST 10 minutes
|
|
per call.. for CHAT not files, not internet, but CHAT
|
|
|
|
The Master: we have had...er...over 70,000 calls in under a year
|
|
|
|
BTN: Do you think it's possible for a BBS to work towards making
|
|
a profit?
|
|
|
|
Gradstud: we hope so... several already do
|
|
|
|
BTN: I've heard from Rocky and every other established sysop in
|
|
town that it won't happen... that you're always putting your
|
|
own money into it.
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: *WE* make a profit, as small as we are.. BUT, the money is
|
|
ineffectively managed due to circumstances temporarily
|
|
beyond my control...
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: If we, with 12 lines, and 350 users, can make a profit, why
|
|
the hell can Rocky not?
|
|
|
|
Bad Girl: because Rocky doesn't know how to run a bbs.
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: In a way he does not.. He is resting on his laurels...
|
|
|
|
Buster: Wouldn't satelite feeds and uunet newsgroups cost MAJOR
|
|
bucks?
|
|
|
|
Die Hard: Because Rocky doesn't/won't know how to run a BBS if it
|
|
walks up and bites him on the ASS...
|
|
|
|
BTN: He's been doing so successfully for a decade or so,
|
|
wouldn't you say?
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: The new face of BBSing demands friendly, competent people
|
|
around...
|
|
|
|
BTN: How would you characterize the "new face" as opposed to an
|
|
old one?
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: Easy, Multi line systems are easily accesible now with
|
|
changes in telco tarriffs, no more single line, chat when
|
|
the sysop wants to. People EXPECT others online, and LIKE
|
|
it when it happens... socializing, and talking.. not cold
|
|
anymore..
|
|
|
|
The Master: thats why the multinode systems get so many bloody
|
|
calls...and the little one line deals are losing callers..
|
|
|
|
BTN: Cinnamon, do you or have you ever called the Matrix? We're
|
|
sort of discussing it.
|
|
|
|
Cinnamon: i have called there...it is not what i look for in a
|
|
bbs...
|
|
|
|
Zaphod: people want to talk, to communicate, to know, to reach
|
|
others... not be lost and stuck in an alien cyberspace. ...
|
|
with no one to turn to..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NEXT MONTH: Part 2.
|
|
|
|
|
|
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
################################################################
|
|
LOCAL MUSIC
|
|
IN JUNE Judy Ranelli
|
|
################################################################
|
|
|
|
Here it is several days into June, and I have misplaced my glasses.
|
|
This is gonna be tough, and doubtless short. Oh well...
|
|
|
|
Fri. 6/10
|
|
CYNICS/9 LB. HAMMER at The Nick
|
|
If I'm not mistaken, the Cynics have put out beaucoup albums, which
|
|
is kind of disheartening if you're in this buisness: I've never heard of
|
|
them. 9 Lb. Hammer is a punkish loud fast fun thing from another state.
|
|
I never claimed to be well-informed, or if I did, I lied.
|
|
|
|
Sat. 6/11
|
|
FUZZY SUNS/TECHNO-SQUID EATS PARLIAMENT at The Nick
|
|
GLEN TOLBERT with LANE POOLE at Otey's
|
|
Lotsastuff: Either feel sort of sonically disembowled at the Nick
|
|
thanks to weirdos Fuzzy Suns and poorly named mystery band Techno-Squid
|
|
Eats Parliament, or tell Deliverance jokes and enjoy great guitarist
|
|
Glen Tolbert with Lane Poole at Otey's (bluegrass, you dolt!).
|
|
|
|
Tues. 6/14
|
|
KILLDOZER/STEEL POLE BATHTUB at The Nick
|
|
I hate you if you get to see this show because I have to work and
|
|
can't spare the vacation day. Needless to say Killdozer has produced the
|
|
finest version of "Sweet Home Alabama" in existence, while Steel Pole
|
|
Bathtub will be outstanding and is one of the few bands I would allow to
|
|
make my fillings ache with such volume and high frequency.
|
|
|
|
Fri.-Sun. 6/17-6/19
|
|
**** CITY STAGES!!! **** at Linn Park
|
|
*If* you aren't a total moron, *if* you are someone who can brave
|
|
Port-a-Lets and warm beer, *if* you don't want to make me disgusted with
|
|
you, I am asssuming that you'll be at City Stages. For one thing I'm
|
|
FINALLY PLAYING IN IT: that's the Ticks on Sunday, in blazing heat
|
|
with hangovers. For another thing, it's one of the biggest music
|
|
festivals in the country, and enduring the crowds is sort of like Kane
|
|
lifting the vat of coals to get those cool dragon scars. Besides
|
|
which, spending the afternoon listening to the folk acts and lounging on
|
|
the park grass is one of the best concert experiences anyone could have
|
|
anywhere. Now, I must confess that I'm not overwhelmed with the lineup
|
|
this year, but they don't ask me who to book, and there's plenty for
|
|
people with different tastes.
|
|
Recommendations:
|
|
Wear a hat.
|
|
See: the Fleshtones (whose new album rocks), Space Camp, Shallow,
|
|
George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars, any Zydeco-ish acts when you're
|
|
snockered, Shining Time Station-Live! (this is an example of why City
|
|
Stages is really a great event. Where else are you gonna see Shining
|
|
Time Station-Live!?), every weird dance act you can cram into your
|
|
schedule (Pacific Island Dancers, Gandy Dancers, Nigerian Traditional
|
|
Folk Dance (!?), the choir of Christ Temple Deliverance Church, The
|
|
Ticks naturally, THE NEVILLE BROTHERS, Roomful of Blues, B.B. KING,
|
|
Katheryn Tucker Windham (ghost stories), and Wiregrass Sacred Harp
|
|
Singers.
|
|
Think of creative ways to sneak liquor into the event; have a
|
|
contest.
|
|
Wear comfortable shoes.
|
|
What I will avoid (which means nothing to you but I have to fill a
|
|
column with good sense): Indigo Girls, Widespread Panic, the Band,
|
|
The Pointer Sisters, and Locust Fork (sorry guys).
|
|
What I will regret missing becuase I have to play during it:
|
|
"Hispanic Dance 'Ole".
|
|
Scariest sounding event that I might muster up the nerve to attend:
|
|
The ubiquitous and secret "Nabisco Activities" which hopefully isn't
|
|
painful and which probably involves a book of mysteries which
|
|
participants can't divulge. But if you get fezzes....
|
|
|
|
AFTER City Stages, once you've recovered, there is still the rest of
|
|
June, which consists of:
|
|
|
|
Fri. 6/24
|
|
GRAVY at Dugan's
|
|
Very rocking blues thing gaining in popularity and expertise.
|
|
The drummer used to work with me at EWTN.
|
|
|
|
Sat. 6/25
|
|
SCRUDGE/SOUL COW at The Nick
|
|
Good gawsh, it's punk rock: Scrudge with lovely Chris Hendrix, and
|
|
Soul Cow which is neat-o weirdness (becoming habit in Birmingham to be
|
|
in a weird band with complicated music), but don't get me wrong, I like
|
|
them!
|
|
|
|
That's all till July! <gasp>
|
|
|
|
|
|
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
|
|
|
################################################################
|
|
SPECIAL INTEREST
|
|
GROUPS (SIG's)
|
|
[COMPUTER RELATED] compiled by Eric Hunt
|
|
################################################################
|
|
|
|
|
|
BIPUG Alabama UniForum
|
|
Birmingham IBM-PC Users Group Homewood Public Library
|
|
UAB Nutrition Science Blg 1st Tuesday
|
|
RM 535/541 Shawn Cleary 870-6130
|
|
1st Sunday (delayed one week
|
|
if meeting is a holiday)
|
|
Marty Schulman 967-5883
|
|
|
|
Birmingham Apple Core
|
|
Informal breakfast meeting every Saturday, 9am - 11am
|
|
@ Kopper Kettle, lower level Brookwood Village Mall
|
|
Formal meeting held second Saturday of each month, location
|
|
variable (to be announced at breakfast meetings and in the
|
|
user group's newsletter "The PEEL".)
|
|
President: Sam Johnston - 322-5379
|
|
Vice-Prez: Marie Prater - 822-8135
|
|
|
|
The SIG listing is being re-verified. If you know of an active
|
|
Computer Related user's group, please let me know.
|
|
|
|
I can be reached via Internet email at
|
|
eric.hunt@the-matrix.com or drop me a note directly on the
|
|
MATRIX.
|
|
|
|
|
|
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
|
|
|
|
|
################################################################
|
|
KNOWN BBS NUMBERS
|
|
FOR THE
|
|
BIRMINGHAM AREA compiled by James Minton
|
|
################################################################
|
|
|
|
Sysops, PLEASE check your listing to make sure everything is
|
|
correct, especially the networks. Corrections should be mailed
|
|
to either Luke Whitley or Scott Hollifield on The Matrix, Crunchy
|
|
Frog, or Southern Stallion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ADAnet One (Nodes 1-3) 250-0013 1200-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
[ez, fi, ad]
|
|
ADAnet One (Node 4) 254-6050 2400-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
[ez, fi, ad]
|
|
Alcatraz BBS 608-0880 300-9600 PCBoard 15.0
|
|
[he, vi]
|
|
Alter-Ego BBS 925-5099 1200-9600 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
|
[alt, ez, mn]
|
|
Baudville (Nodes 1-7) 995-0013 300-2400 Major BBS 6.12
|
|
[none]
|
|
Bloom County 985-4335 300-28800 VFC 28.8 PCBoard 15.1
|
|
[in,fr]
|
|
BulletProof 668-1624 300-19200 ZyXEL Wildcat 3.90 *RIP*
|
|
[none]
|
|
Bus System 987-5419 300-2400 PCBoard 14.2
|
|
[none]
|
|
Byte Me! 979-BYTE! 2400-14400 V.32 WWIV 4.12
|
|
[none]
|
|
Castle, The 841-7618 300-2400 Image 1.2
|
|
[none]
|
|
Cherry Tree 681-1710 1200-14400 TriBBS 4.01
|
|
[wm, ca]
|
|
Christian Apologetic 808-0763 1200-14400 V.32bis Wildcat! 3.90
|
|
[ez, cp]
|
|
Crocodile Country BBS 477-6283 1200-16800 USR DS Searchlight 3.5 *RIP*
|
|
[sl, fi]
|
|
Crunchy Frog (Node 1) 823-3957 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
[ez, mn, lu, ll]
|
|
Crunchy Frog (Node 2) 823-3958 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
[ez, mn, lu, ll]
|
|
Crystal Village 856-3749 1200-2400 VBBS 6.10
|
|
[cr, cs, al, ho, co, fn, vi]
|
|
Den, The 933-8744 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.1
|
|
[ez, mn, il]
|
|
Digital Publishing 854-1660 300-9600 V.32 Wildcat! 3.60
|
|
[pl]
|
|
Dogpatch BBS 669-1705 300-38400 PCBoard 15.1
|
|
[none]
|
|
Drawing Room, The 951-2391 300-14400 V.32/42 Wildcat! 3.90
|
|
[none]
|
|
Electro-BBS 491-8402 300-14400 V.32/42 Maximus 2.01
|
|
[fi]
|
|
Family Smorgas-Board 744-0943 300-2400 PCBoard 14.5
|
|
[ez, fi, mj, bc, fa, ic, cf, cd, ve, ad, wg, pt, ed, gn]
|
|
Final Frontier 838-5634 300-14400 VBBS 6.11 *RIP*
|
|
[al, he, re, fn]
|
|
Free Enterprise 856-9809 300-14400 V.32/42 Remote Access 2.01
|
|
[fi,it,sz,br]
|
|
Genesis Online (1-8) 620-4150 300-2400 V.32bis Major BBS 6.11 *RIP*
|
|
[mr]
|
|
Genesis Online (9-16) 620-4379 2400-14400 V.32bis Major BBS 6.11 *RIP*
|
|
[mr]
|
|
Gone Fishin' 733-0860 1200-14400 V.42bis Searchlight 3.5a *RIP*
|
|
[do, sl]
|
|
Guardian, The (Node 1) 425-1951 1200-14400 V.42bis VBBS 6.11
|
|
[vi]
|
|
Guardian, The (Node 2) 425-1956 1200-14400 V.42bis VBBS 6.11
|
|
[vi]
|
|
Joker's Castle 664-5589 300-14400 USR DS PCBoard 14.5
|
|
[ez, mn, un]
|
|
KickAxis BBS (Node 1) 733-0253 1200-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0
|
|
[he]
|
|
KickAxis BBS (Node 2) 733-0299 1200-14400 USR DS PCBoard 15.0
|
|
[he]
|
|
Knight's Castle 631-6668 300-14400 WWIV 4.23
|
|
[ce, bi, fn]
|
|
Leaping's Lounge 856-2521 1200-14400 GTPower 18.00
|
|
[gt, ez, mn, wm, di]
|
|
Lions Den 871-9688 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 3.90
|
|
[wi, fi]
|
|
Lumby's Palace 520-0041 300-14400 VBBS 6.0
|
|
[he]
|
|
Magic City (Node 1) 664-9883 300-14400 USR DS Wildcat! 3.90
|
|
[di, wm, wi, ca, cm, pe]
|
|
Magic City (Node 2) 664-0435 300-2400 Wildcat! 3.90
|
|
[di, wm, wi, ca, cm, pe]
|
|
Magnolia BBS 854-6407 300-14400 USR HST PCBoard 14.5
|
|
[ez, mn]
|
|
MATRIX, The (Nodes 1-14) 323-2016 300-2400 Major BBS *RIP*
|
|
[ez, mn, th, il, in, us, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
|
|
MATRIX, The (Nodes 20-23) 323-6016 9600-14400 USR DS Major BBS *RIP*
|
|
[ez, mn, th, il, in, us, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
|
|
MATRIX, The (Node 25-26) 458-3449 9600-14400 V.32bis Major BBS *RIP*
|
|
[ez, mn, th, il, in, us, al, sh, sc, gl, ic, ri, fr]
|
|
MetaBoard 854-4814 300-14400 USR DS Opus CBCS 1.73
|
|
[fi, ad]
|
|
MetroMac BBS (Node 1) 323-6306 1200-28800 V.FC TeleFinder 3.1
|
|
[none]
|
|
MetroMac BBS (Node 2) 252-0582 1200-28800 V.FC TeleFinder 3.1
|
|
[none]
|
|
Milliways BBS (Node 1) 956-3177 1200-2400 Major BBS 6.11 *RIP*
|
|
[none]
|
|
Milliways BBS(Nodes 2-6)956-2731 1200-2400 Major BBS 6.11 *RIP*
|
|
[none]
|
|
Missing Link 853-1257 300-16800 USR DS C-Net Amiga 2.63
|
|
[cl, cn]
|
|
Neon Moon 477-5894 300-14400 TriBBS 4.0
|
|
[none]
|
|
Party Line 856-1336 300-14000 V.32bis TriBBS 4.0
|
|
[cc, wm, di]
|
|
Playground 681-5070 1200-14000 V.32 TriBBS 5.0
|
|
[wm, di, al, ez]
|
|
Posys BBS 854-5131 300-9600 V.32 PCBoard
|
|
[none]
|
|
Programmer's Shack 988-4695 2400-14400 HST DS Renegade
|
|
[ws, fi, it]
|
|
Quiet Zone 833-2066 300-2400 ExpressNet
|
|
[none]
|
|
Safe Harbor (Node 1) 665-4332 300-2400 GTPower 18.00
|
|
[gt, ez, mn, lg, ae, fr]
|
|
Safe Harbor (Node 2) 665-4355 300-14400 USR DS GTPower 18.00
|
|
[gt, ez, mn, lg, ae, fr]
|
|
Sam's Domain 956-2757 1200-14400 SL. 3.50
|
|
[da, he]
|
|
Safety BBS 581-2866 300-2400 RBBS-PC 17.4
|
|
[none]
|
|
Southern Stallion 322-3816 300-16800 ZyXEL PCBoard 15.1 *RIP*
|
|
[alt, ez, lu, th, rs, un]
|
|
Sperry BBS 853-6144 300-2400 V.32/42b PCBoard 15.0
|
|
[none]
|
|
ST BBS 836-9311 300-14400 HST PCBoard 14.2
|
|
[ez]
|
|
StarBase 12 647-7184 1200-14000 TriBBS 4.0
|
|
[ez, mn, wm]
|
|
Thy Master's Dungeon 940-2116 300-57600 V.32/42b PCBoard 14.5
|
|
[fr]
|
|
Torch Song 328-1517 1200-14000 V.32/42b Wildcat 3.90
|
|
[pr, st, gn]
|
|
Weekends BBS 841-8583 2400-16800 USR DS Wildcat! 3.9
|
|
[ca]
|
|
Willie's DYM (Node 1) 664-9902 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
|
[or]
|
|
Willie's DYM (Node 2) 664-9903 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
|
[or]
|
|
Willie's DYM (Node 3) 664-9895 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
|
[or]
|
|
Willie's DYM (Node 4) 664-9896 300-2400 Oracomm Plus
|
|
[or]
|
|
Ziggy Unix BBS 991-5696 300-1200 UNaXess
|
|
[none]
|
|
|
|
*RIP* = BBS Software is RIP Graphics capable. You must be using a RIP
|
|
compatible term software to view them. RIPTerm or QmodemPro v1.50 are
|
|
the only two I know of that support it at this time. RIPTerm is shareware
|
|
and can be downloaded from most BBS's. QmodemPro is a commercial product.
|
|
|
|
The two-letter abbreviations you see on the line below the names of
|
|
many of the bbs' in the list signify that they are members of one or
|
|
more networks that exchange or echo mail to each other in some organized
|
|
fashion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ad = ADAnet, an international network dedicated to the handicapped
|
|
ae = Arts & Entertainment, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
ag = AgapeNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic
|
|
al = AlaNet, a local network, multi-topic
|
|
alt = AlterNet, a local network, multi-topic
|
|
an = The Annex, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
at = AdultNet, a national network, adult-oriented
|
|
bc = BCBNet, a local network, religion-oriented
|
|
bh = BhamTalk, a local network, multi-topic
|
|
bi = BitchNet, a national network, uncertain at press time
|
|
br = BreezeNet, National network, multitopic
|
|
ca = CafeNet, a local network, restaurant/dining, recipes, etc.
|
|
cc = Coast2Coast, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
cd = CDN, a national Christian network for file distribution
|
|
ce = CheeseNet, a local role-playing game network
|
|
cf = CFN, a national Christian network, multi-topic
|
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ch = ChristNet, a national Christian network
|
|
cl = CLink, uncertain at press time
|
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cm = CompuLink, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
cn = CNet, multi-topic
|
|
co = ComicNet, a local net for comic book readers
|
|
cp = CAPNet, a national Christian network, multi-topic
|
|
cr = CrystalNet, uncertain at press time
|
|
cs = ChaosNet, uncertain at press time
|
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cy = Cybernet, uncertain at press time
|
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da = DateNet, uncertain at press time
|
|
de = DevNet, an international network for programmers and developers
|
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di = Dixie Net, a regional network, multi-topic geared toward the south
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|
eastern United States
|
|
do = DoorNet, a national network for the distribution of BBS doors
|
|
ec = EchoNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
ed = EduNet, a national network devoted to homeschooling and Christian
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|
education
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|
er = ErosNet, an international network, adult oriented, files & messages
|
|
ez = EzNet, a local IBM compatible network
|
|
fa = FamilyNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
fi = FidoNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
fn = FrontierNet, a local network, multi-topic
|
|
fr = FredNet, a regional network, political discussion
|
|
fs = FSNet, uncertain at press time
|
|
ga = GameNet, a local network, uncertain at press time
|
|
gl = GlobalLink, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
gm = GayCom, an international network, homosexually oriented
|
|
gn = GlobeNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
gt = GTNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
gy = GayNet, a national network, homosexually oriented
|
|
he = HellNet, a local network, multi-topic
|
|
ho = HobbyNet, a local network for hobbyists
|
|
ic = ICDM, an international Christian network, multi-topic
|
|
ie = Intelec, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
il = ILink, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
in = InterNet, an international network of mail, linking businesses,
|
|
universities, and bbs', multi-topic
|
|
it = ITCNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
lg = Local GT Net, a local network, connecting GT Power systems
|
|
ll = LlamaNet, a national network, freeform correspondence
|
|
lo = LocalNet, uncertain at press time
|
|
lu = LuciferNet, an international network, adult oriented
|
|
ma = MAXnet, a local network, connecting WWIV and VBBS systems
|
|
mj = MJCN, an international network for Messianic Jews
|
|
mn = Metronet, an international network which echoes RIME, multi-topic
|
|
mr = MajorNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
nl = NewLife, uncertain at press time
|
|
np = NPN, a national network for new parents
|
|
or = OraNet, a national E-mail network
|
|
pe = Planet Earth Network, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
pl = PlanoNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
pn = PoliceNet, an international network, law-enforcement only
|
|
pr = PrideNet, a national homosexually oriented network
|
|
pt = PRNet, a national network devoted to 2nd amendment rights
|
|
rf = RF Net, a national network for ham radio users and hobbyists
|
|
ri = RIME, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
rb = RoboLink, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
re = RealityNet, uncertain at press time
|
|
rp = RPGnet, a local network for role-playing games
|
|
rs = RoseNet, a national network, technically orient*ed
|
|
ru = RushNet, a national network for Rush Limbaugh fans
|
|
sc = Science Factor Net, a national network, science and technology
|
|
oriented
|
|
se = SEC, a regional network, homosexually oriented geared toward the
|
|
southeastern United States
|
|
sh = Shades N Shadows Net, a national network for role-playing games
|
|
sl = SearchlightNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
sm = SmartNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
sn = ShadowNet, a national network for role-playing games
|
|
ss = SexSations!, a national network, adult-oriented
|
|
st = StudsNet, a national network, homosexually oriented
|
|
sz = SCN-Net, uncertain at press time
|
|
te = TECHnet, a local network, hardware and utility oriented
|
|
th = ThrobNet, an international network, adult oriented
|
|
un = U'NI-Net, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
us = Usenet, an international network existing on the Internet, multi-
|
|
topic
|
|
ve = VETLink, a national network for military veterans
|
|
vi = VirtualNet, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
wg = WGA, an international network devoted to genealogy research
|
|
wi = WildNet, a national network, multi-topic
|
|
wm = World Message Exchange, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
ws = WishNet, uncertain at press time
|
|
ww = WWIV-Net, an international network, multi-topic
|
|
|