NUMBER OF LINES: 999 001=Usr:0 Null User 06/30/87 20:34 Msg:0 Call:0 Lines:19 1$If you are in need of help, you need but ask... 2$************************* 25 MAR 91 ************************************** 3$Welcome to BWMS II (BackWater Message System II) Mike Day System operator 4$************************************************************************** 5$GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS II IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION 6$ PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM. 7$BWMS II was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS II is a privately 8$owned and operated system which is currently open for use by the general 9$public. No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the 10$system is privately owned, I retain the right to remove any and all 11$messages which I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the 12$system, it will be periodically purged of messages (only 999 lines of data 13$can be saved). To leave a message, type 'ENTER'. Use ctrl/C to get out 14$the ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering 15$the message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to 16$replace the line. To exit from the system, type 'BYE' then hang up. 17$Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system. 18$************************************************************************** 19$ 002=Usr:1 CISTOP MIKEY 03/25/91 09:51 Msg:5926 Call:34009 Lines:2 20 Life, Liberty, and the persuit of the opposite sex. 21 **************************************************************** 003=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 03/25/91 19:23 Msg:5927 Call:34012 Lines:68 22 &*&*&*&*'s 23 24 At the Top! 25 26 Ok, now that the prelims are over. 27 28 A poem/song. Chords to the left, words to the right. 29 30 31 Dm Terror in the 32 Am underground you 33 Em had to have your 34 Am Say. 35 36 Dm Mirrors on your 37 Am Bedroom Walls, They're 38 Em going away 39 Am today. 40 41 Dm Put you through to 42 Am information, 43 Em will they have the 44 Am clue? 45 46 Dm Polish up those 47 Am old sunglasses, 48 Em They will help hide 49 Am you. 50 51 Chorus/Bridge(not figured out yet.) 52 53 Dm Powerfull in 54 Am Observation, 55 Em Mellow to the 56 Am touch. 57 58 Dm Powder burns out- 59 Am side your window, 60 Em oh its such a 61 Am rush. 62 63 Repeat unwritten Chorus. 64 65 Dm Carefull now, your 66 Am looking crazy, 67 Em Have you lost your 68 Am nerve? 69 70 Dm Poster hanging 71 Am on the wall will 72 Em throw you your last 73 Am curve. 74 75 (The chorus again.) 76 77 (Following spoken quitly as music fades.) 78 79 Dm This grammar has 80 Am been context free, 81 Em You'll never und- 82 Am erstand. 83 84 That last part will probably go away in future versions, or atleast be 85 rewritten. 86 87 An Astral Dreamer 88 &*&*&*&*'s 89 004=Usr:333 Bartender Slug 03/26/91 08:56 Msg:5928 Call:34020 Lines:7 90 91 ******************************************************************************* 92 I would like to tell everyone that I like wafers. If you like wafers too, leave 93 a note! Lets start our own club! Yea! It'd be like so cool! 94 ******************************************************************************* 95 96 005=Usr:11 L'homme sans Par 03/27/91 06:04 Msg:5929 Call:34029 Lines:5 97 *%*@#%)(@#(_)!$_)(%@#(%_)@#%(#*%@%(*^_)%(_)$+!_@$)!+_%*#+%!_%!_+%!+_%+_!%)@#+_% 98 Astral: Hey, I like it! I assume given the chords that you play this as well. 99 If so, I would like to hear it sometime... 100 (%_@#(_)(@#%(@#(%)_@#%_)@#(%_)@(%)*_)%@#(_)@_) L'homme sans Parity *$@*$_@#*%_@ 101 006=Usr:186 Wesley Smith 03/27/91 08:03 Msg:5930 Call:34032 Lines:2 102 I wish to take this time to wish one and all a happy holy Week, and a happy 103 Easter. I allso would like to hear the song some time. It sound like a good 007=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 03/27/91 08:28 Msg:5931 Call:34033 Lines:16 104 &*&*&*&*'s 105 106 Thanks, Its a bit away from being complete. I'd probably die of stage 107 fright if I were to try to play in public. My playing skills are still 108 a bit marginal, and my singing... well, I have no training, and 109 singing along with the radio only goes so far. 110 111 I'll post the rest when I figure it out. 112 113 I'm going to be buying a four track recording deck next month. That'll be 114 fun. I want to be able to hear myself play and or sing in the privacy 115 of my own home before I torture anybody else. :-) 116 117 An Astral Dreamer 118 &*&*&*&*'s 119 008=Usr:322 Stray Cat 03/27/91 19:52 Msg:5932 Call:34037 Lines:110 120 ---------------------------A Stitch in Time---------------------------------- 121 122 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 123 dumb duh duh dumb ...... Dumb duh duh dumb duuummmmmm-um-ummm-ummm-umb 124 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 125 126 The story you are about to read is fairly true. Names are not changed ... 127 we don't protect the guilty. Only Codependents do that. Some names have 128 been material but that's immaterial. The important things is its sink or 129 float from here on out and either way you're guilty. 130 131 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 132 duhhh' duh duh* duhhh' duh* duhhh' duh* duhhhh' 133 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 134 135 I was doing nightbeat at the ad building. Possibilities were endless and the 136 money was good -- even for us lower-level prostitutes in the swingshift sweat- 137 shop. Although we performed our tubal litegations dutifully with a minimum of 138 supervision (none at all if truth be told), we had paused from the drudge one 139 night just long enough to discuss atrocities and swap horror stores on the 140 perils of working swingshift. Trsts of this sort are generally called staff 141 meetings, or committee or board meetings, or sometimes even hen parties or 142 group therapy ... whatever. All depends on who you are. 143 144 I can remember what brought it on, but we were conferring on safety prodecures 145 for late night prowls to such places as ... well, say the restroom, for in- 146 stance. So a fellow floozie starts retelling the one about how she'd been 147 scared poopless one night when she'd entered the restroom only to find a 148 custodian snoozing on the adjoining sitting room sickbed. 149 150 I followed her with accounts of my own tortuous trips to the candy and pop 151 machines downstairs, point out that although I preferred the north stairwell, 152 it made the trip twice as long and you still had to traverse a long, deafen- 153 ingly silent hallway and turn a corner. With the south stairs, I reasoned, 154 you could at least see the machines from the door and could make a mad dash 155 and be gone. 156 157 But the south stairwell had heavy concrete walls and a twist midway that 158 not only made for incredible accoustics, but you couldn't see around the 159 corner (goes without saying, I guess). And te steel doors at both ends 160 were so heavy they could hardly be opened or, due to some wonder device, 161 shut. They had to SLAM shut ... slowly. And just about the tme you're 162 becoming paranoid about turning the corner, BAAAMMM! the door slams, sending 163 bone-chilling echoes up and down the stairwell and chills up your spine, 164 starting a chain reactionwhere even quiet footsteps seem thunderous and, 165 amplified with your own rapid heartrbeat and pounding in your ears, becomes 166 almost deafening and the steepness and light color of the stairs begins 167 making you feel lightheaded and almost dizzy. And all the while you know, 168 in the back of your mind, terrorized screams for help would be muffled by 169 that same reverberating concrete and the heavy steel doors ... should 170 "anthing happen" to you ... on the way down. 171 172 But then, when you've finally reach the machines and are feeling quite 173 confident and concentrating on candy choices ... baammm! the second door 174 is slammed by its wonder device and for just a moment that same panic sets 175 in and you're sure somebody's down there with you ready to pounce from 176 out of the shadows. 177 178 ... or that sluggish, silent elevator that always seemed to sneak up on you, 179 someone else suggested, arriving just in the midst of a pleasant revelrie 180 conduring during the endless wait ... the elevator that sometimes seemed to 181 have a mind of its own, making tedious prolonged stops, slowly opening its 182 decelerated doors to pick up God Knows Who ... 183 184 ... OR, I beseeched, marshalling a "dark and story" demeanor anda nodding 185 to the glassed-in back wall with its door to the adjacent darkened library ... 186 did they ever wonder if there might be someone hiding back in the library ... 187 lursking in the dark shadows ... just watching and .... (pregnant pause) 188 waiting???? 189 190 ... and with widened eyes, they all slowly turned their heads ... and DID 191 notice something -- a tiny flashlight beam ... groping in the dark. A 192 chocked doubletake and we discoveed, to our utter amazement -- and dismay -- 193 someone actually WAS back there ... and it was, on no ... the Big Mac, 194 Himself. 195 196 Poop you not! 197 198 It was McElroy, our ringleader's X-boxx, with some burgher "probably re- 199 vamping their latest reorganization," someone ventured before we exchanged 200 worried "deep deep dodo time" looks and snapped back to our keyboards/CRTs 201 and such projects as administrators' wives' theses. 202 203 Well, I was doing Daytime next day -- it must've been a Monday because I 204 wrked Days on Mondays or it could've been a Friday because I volunteered 205 alot of them, too; but actually it could've been most anyday 'cause I 206 tended to victimize myself that way thinking I was being "cooperatsive" 207 and "flexible." But whichever, I was publicly Attacked fo our group's 208 shenanigans (contrary to my contractual rights, I might add); evidently 209 our Ringleader had gotten The Word that her night girls did nothing but 210 sit around shooting the breeze all evening. Of course, I didn't know 211 whether to laugh or cry (I think I cohse the latter -- stress levels, you 212 know). And I've never even revealed this Amazing Fate to anybody until now 213 (obviously Codependence/Dysfunctinality Syndrome). But personally, I cher- 214 ish crazy coincidences and consistently contemplate their credence. 215 216 And even today I continue to wonder what looked sillier -- a bunch of women 217 turning their heads in unison with looks of pretend terror on the faces 218 slowing turning to absolute astonishment then to real terror ... or the two 219 Peeping Dons standing in the dark peering in at a bunch of women obviously 220 engaging in those shadowy consipracys that rend companys asunder ... 221 222 _______________________________________________________________ 223 224 They may conduct trials by water but they're CERTAINLY on no 225 witch hunts .... And they're NOT stalking either. 226 _________________________________________________________________ 227 228 -------------------------------But will I *ever* LEARN?--------------------- 229 009=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 03/29/91 06:33 Msg:5933 Call:34069 Lines:16 230 &*&*&*&*'s 231 Well, last night saw the return of Twin Peaks. It was even a fairly 232 good peaks episode. The recap at the begining ought to have helped 233 out those who haven't seen the show before, though it was a bit to 234 short to be of to much use. They could have taken up the entir hour 235 explaining everything, and still had people baffled. 236 237 I don't think TP will be back for another season, and that is sad. There 238 really is so little on TV that interests me in the least. TP is a show I 239 can actually watch two or three times and still be entertained. There 240 is just so much going on in almost any given scene that you can't help 241 but miss some of it the first couple of times through. 242 243 An Astral Dreamer 244 &*&*&*&*'s 245 010=Usr:322 Stray Cat 03/29/91 21:31 Msg:5935 Call:34077 Lines:35 246 }**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{}**{} 247 248 HOME: About that book .... one really SHOULD be done. I included Margaret 249 Atwood and Martin Scorsese on the "cc" list of the lengthy documents of 250 pertinent details I had the Union's secretary "sign for" for my trial by 251 water but, of course, I was just joshing 'em. I doubt they saw the humor, 252 but I'd wager my clone they're STILL quivering in ther boots . And 253 knowing you're already doing 17 things at once ... as always ... and would 254 probably prefer a room without a view (in that direction anyway), I think 255 a former floozie from the swingshift sweatshop could probably do a wonderful 256 job of it. She placed in a WILLAMETTE WEEK short fiction competition short- 257 ly before she returned to NY, then evidently wrote a huge tome at home a 258 few years later. I don't think I ever told you but her "friend" worked for 259 this very same institution, too. While I knew she was doing magazine 260 articles and book reviews, I hadn't noticed she'd written a book until I 261 hppened upon it at the library almost immediately after your remark about 262 your ... uh, hmmmm ... "friend's" credentials. Like I said, her dad wrote 263 a book which was later adapted for a moving starring Anthony Quinn, but I 264 now think dhe's also related to a SF writer/moviemaker who related to 265 myriad magazine moguls (she never mentioned it though). She's the "punk" I 266 told you about once that had been a "groupie" for a local NY band that, it 267 turned out, included my roommate's wacky Oregonian stepsister's LA husband 268 (her FIRST name was Jessica Rose Boogie; I never memorized her last but it 269 was even longer 415 416 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 027=Usr:517 Aunt Rant 04/12/91 14:11 Msg:5959 Call:34283 Lines:11 417 418 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 419 420 So.... these employers who use "integrity" tests for hiring purposes, you 421 know ... if their questions find you anal retentive, does the company sell 422 your name to a laxative company? I know the school district sells their 423 student records ... it said so in the Board minutes from August. I thought 424 those things were confidential! 425 426 ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 427 028=Usr:527 kristi g 04/12/91 15:09 Msg:5961 Call:34284 Lines:8 428 429 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 430 431 Welcome to the new, fascist America. And getting more so everyday. The 432 postwar arrogance is making me ill. 433 434 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ kristi g $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 435 029=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/12/91 17:07 Msg:5962 Call:34285 Lines:10 436 ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 437 What, pray tell, are you looking for here, Mohammed. There are no stray camel 438 running loose in this neck of the woods. It is quiet and peaceful, here! 439 You aren't by any chance fleeing the effects of a disastrous war? Albania 440 wants you folks back. There is soon to be a new order. There will be a need 441 for new leaders. This is OPPORTUNITY. It may only come to you this time. 442 z...no seize the moment! 443 ???????????a old but friendly lurker???????????????????????????? 444 445 ? 030=Usr:527 kristi g 04/12/91 23:45 Msg:5965 Call:34293 Lines:6 446 447 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 448 449 waitaminnit - he was talking to me!!! Who are you, old but friendly lurker? 450 451 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ kristi g $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 031=Usr:26 Mohammed Wassir 04/13/91 04:17 Msg:5967 Call:34297 Lines:14 452 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 453 454 An old and friendly lurker, eh? Probably one of those Net guys 455 lurking around in disguise. You're right, though, opportunities do 456 abound in my homeland of Albania . . . though I'm not sure I'm entirely 457 welcome there yet. They still haven't forgiven me for the toilet 458 plunger caper. 459 460 Oh, Leroy, where are you when I need you? 461 462 Mohammed Wassir 463 464 465 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 032=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/13/91 06:45 Msg:5968 Call:34299 Lines:12 466 =+-=+-=+-+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-+-=+- 467 ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER 468 469 SALEM--The Department of Public Waterways is probing the buildup of algae 470 and other pollutants in the meandering waterway affectionately known as 471 backwater. The damage was first reported to authorities by the little 472 knon Albanian firebrand, Mohamme Wassir, who had become lost hile 473 searching for camls. This normally placid stream with its iridescent clay 474 bottom and woody debris hs become choked with plants ad scum. 475 476 Phosphates and oter fertilizer have befouled is otherwise normally muddy 477 apearance. To clean it up wil require massive taxpayer assstance. 033=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/13/91 06:56 Msg:5969 Call:34300 Lines:29 478 Early estimates predict a need to close down unproductive schools in the 479 state in order to fund this project. A lake may have to be drained to 480 increase stream flow. Developers are beginning to discuss ways of 481 utilizing this, soon to be available, fertile land for public assisted 482 housing. 483 484 Wassir plans to sue public sewerage agencies for allowing these phosphates 485 to enter waterways. The concrete industries in conjunction with the 486 highway department are studying the possibility of paving the bottom to 487 keep the naturally occurring phosphates in the clay mud from leaching into 488 this pristine environment. The EPA will be looking into the possibility of 489 providing special eddy areas for fish and other denizens to take care of 490 their elimination needs in a somewhat more organized manner. All this will 491 take cash. 492 493 Sewer bills may have to be as high as 1200 to 1400 a month. Although there 494 are seemingly few inhabitants of this quiet area, and they have been 495 observed talking to themselves, one can't help but wonder what changes 496 these improvements will bring? Is this the sort of place for supernatural 497 dreamers or reminiscing secretaries? 498 499 The activist, Wassir, is pleased with the impact his actions have had so 500 far. He has been meeting with Lloyd Marbet, his radiant adviser and may 501 tackle that Chinese company Wah Chang next. We'll attempt interviews in 502 the future to keep you apprised of any fast moving developments should any 503 surface. 504 505 =+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-BACK+COUNTRY=+REPORTER+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+- 506 034=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 04/13/91 10:21 Msg:5972 Call:34301 Lines:20 507 &*&*&*&*'s 508 Hmm, activity. Neat. 509 510 And now, a poem, song. (I'll skip the chords this time.) 511 512 Yesterday morning we came to today. Said to our future we've nothing to say. 513 And we fought with our ancestors, calling them names, in our yesterday mornings 514 that already came. 515 516 Yesterday morning we came to today. Things we have hidden we've nothing to 517 say. And we'll come to your houses and tell you our lives, we are yesterday 518 people with nothing to say. 519 520 Forgotten people in houses of clay. Left with tommorow they've nothing to 521 say. And they fought with their ancestors telling them lies, in their 522 yesterday mornings that already came. 523 524 An Astral Dreamer 525 &*&*&*&*'s 526 035=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 04/13/91 20:44 Msg:5975 Call:34318 Lines:7 527 &*&*&*&*'s 528 You know, sometimes I feel like the angel of death. I really don't 529 mind if other people enter stuff on the same day as me. Honoust! 530 531 An Astral Dreamer 532 &*&*&*&*'s 533 036=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/14/91 21:11 Msg:5976 Call:34341 Lines:3 534 =+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-==++-==++- 535 If you want more company, you'll have to offer stronger ale or free stout! 536 One can't expect boistrous company in quiet towns hidden away in the woods. 037=Usr:333 Bartender Slug 04/15/91 00:17 Msg:5978 Call:34345 Lines:3 537 538 All Purpose Marker #2 539 038=Usr:54 George Freemont 04/15/91 00:25 Msg:5979 Call:34347 Lines:68 540 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541 I first saw the grey lady out behind the Backwater Inn. My boss, 542 Conroy Portner, and I had a job back there. Conroy is a private detective, 543 but the private dick business being what it is, he sometimes has to 544 fall back on his old trade, plumbing. That's where this job came in, 545 something had backed up the Backwater to the point the neighbors were 546 complaining. We had to fix it. My name is Wolfgang Amadeus Jones, 547 but most folks call me Skip. I'm Conroy's apprentice. 548 The Backwater Inn had lately gone to seed. Overgrown bushes 549 surrounded the place and the shutters were askew. A Rowan tree in front 550 sorely needed some creative pruning. Conroy was never a social sort, 551 we passed by the Inn and crossed a rough-hewn footbridge. Following 552 the stream, we entered the forest behind the Inn. Not too far into the 553 forest, it became evident that something was seriously wrong. The stream 554 had overflowed its banks and become a small lake. 555 Conroy motioned me down a small bank at the edge of the lake. 556 "Aha," he said, "I think I know what the problem is." 557 "What?" I said. 558 "The outlet to the stream is plugged. Look." He pointed to a 559 culvert stuffed with a jumble of branches, pond scum, and assorted debris. 560 "Wolfgang," Conroy said, "hand me the plumbing snake." 561 "It's Skip." 562 "What?" 563 "I want you to call me Skip." 564 "Ha! Last week you wanted me to call you Spike. Why don't I just 565 call you Muffy like your girlfriend?" 566 I felt me ears getting red, so I shut up and handed him the plumbing 567 snake. Conroy bent to the task and worked on the culvert. He may be a 568 short little cuss, but no one handles a snake like Conroy. Sometimes 569 when he gets pissed, people make the mistake of laughing. With his 570 red hair and face, he looks like a fire plug with a gland problem. I 571 only made that mistake once. 572 "Nope," he said, "this isn't going to work. We'll have to dig this 573 puppy out by hand." 574 We pulled out the branches and garbage by hand. One of the first things 575 I found was a toilet plunger. "Kid, let me see that," Conroy said. He 576 examined it and scratched his head. "What was the name on the invoice 577 for this job?" 578 I checked the invoice. "Wassir. M. Wassir." 579 "Curious. This is an Albanian plunger. Very rare, produced by 580 a company owned by an Albanian named Mohammed Wassir a few years back. 581 I thought he was dead. Let's see what other treasures are in here. 582 Over the next two hours, we discovered an assortment of curiosities 583 in the culvert. Along with the plunger, we found in no particular order: 584 A pasquinade regarding the local school system, 585 A dingbatted maledicta in good condition, 586 A love letter to someone named Natasha signed by Leroy McKane, 587 Several sets of love letters to someone named Pam by various authors 588 , 589 A Net decoder ring of inferior quality 590 Pen and ink drawings of dragons 591 An Illumnati I.D. card 592 A button reading "Tandy M100 rules", 593 Several hundred pages of news article rehashes, 594 Assorted bits of prose and poetry. 595 Finally, I had enough. I told Conroy I was going up to the bank to 596 take a break. He grunted and kept at the culvert. I settled under a 597 tree for my afternoon nap. 598 "Kid, get your ass down here." 599 I struggled to my feet and walked to the edge of the bank, wiping 600 the sleep out of my eyes. "What is it? I said. 601 "I'm gonna call the cops." 602 "Honest, I gave up those funny cigarettes, just like you said." 603 "No it's not that," Conroy said. I noticed he had a cigar clamped 604 in his mouth. He stepped aside and I saw the grey lady sticking half-out 605 of the culvert. Water trickled around her body. "This broad has been 606 strangled." He smiled. "Break out your fedora, we've got ourselves a case. 607 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 039=Usr:527 kristi g 04/16/91 01:36 Msg:5980 Call:34368 Lines:7 608 609 $$$$$$$$$$$$$ 610 611 early morning, birthday, after work lurk. 612 613 $$$$$$$$$$$$$ kristi g $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 614 040=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/16/91 10:22 Msg:5983 Call:34371 Lines:1 615 041=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 04/16/91 11:44 Msg:5984 Call:34372 Lines:28 616 &*&*&*&*'s 617 618 619 You cry out that life isn't fair. You cry out while other people stare. 620 You cry out, doesn't anybody care? Nobody told you buyer beware. 621 622 Money is all the rage now. Cash flow is slowing you down. Can't see 623 where you are going to. Don't know which way is up. 624 625 Had a dream, I was wondering. Had a dream, I was right. Had a dream that 626 nobody cared to hear. Had a dream that wasn't quite right. 627 628 You cry out that life isn't fair. You cry out while other people stare. 629 You cry out, doesn't anybody care? Nobody told you buyer beware. 630 631 Moon is out, the shadows are there. The moon is out, have you gotten your 632 share? Moon is out, have you gotten your share? or is that the first tiny 633 tear? 634 635 A manic day, I ran all about. Looked around, what a sight. And I knew that 636 in my wanderings here, would play the game again tonight. 637 638 You cry out that life isn't fair. You cry out while other people stare. 639 You cry out, doesn't anybody care? Nobody told you buyer beware. 640 641 An Astral Dreamer 642 &*&*&*&*'s 643 042=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/16/91 17:57 Msg:5986 Call:34376 Lines:41 644 =+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+- 645 "It's my own damn fault!" Alexis muttered as he ambled down the road 646 kicking rocks and feeling sorry for himself. "If I hadn't called it an 647 evironmental disaster, this would never have happened." 648 It was his own fault, of course. Desperate for a story he had 649 followed up on a chance conversation overheard in the county offices. Some 650 kind of pollution thing. Knowing public tastes, he had called it an 651 environmental disaster. So now angry letters demanding action were sitting 652 on his editor's desk. 653 His editor was ecstatic. There wasn't much action of any kind going 654 on so they didn't get much public response to local news. A follow-up was 655 mandatory. And who better than the guy who had uncovered the mess in the 656 first place? 657 The first time he had been out, his car had still been running. There 658 hadn't been much of anyone around to interview. He hung around the inn for a 659 while sampling its wares. Lately his biggest excitement in life came when 660 sipping an, as yet, untasted brew from some foreign land. 661 He wasn't exactly in his prime. He'd quit his job in the big city to 662 write the great novel only to discover that he'd misplaced it. It was 663 probably somewhere with his missing socks or in amongst the clutter of his 664 room. After awhile, realizing that eating seemed to be his real passion, he 665 got a job with the local tabloid covering rural americana. 666 It was actually quite a lovely day, sunny and warm and crystal clear. 667 Certainly a change from all the rain. But he wasn't thinking about weather. 668 He was plodding along cursing to himself that he had to come out to this old 669 inn again. There wasn't even a bus out this way. So here he was, walking 670 along in his clever disguise as a fisherman. 671 Course he had a fly fishing outfit which was all he owned. It had 672 been a gift from his ex father-in-law who was a confirmed fisher type 673 person. 674 The pond he was headed to was more suited to a cane pole with a bobber on 675 the 676 end. But Alexis wasn't enough of a fisherman to even realize how out of 677 place he would appear. 678 White flowers dotted the mountain ash adding a splash of color to the 679 otherwise dreary appearance of the inn. Alexis decided it would be better 680 to 681 fish for a while before entering the inn. It would add some credence to his 682 cover. Alexis crossed over the footbridge and entered the forest behind the 683 inn. 684 =+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+- 043=Usr:26 Mohammed Wassir 04/17/91 02:01 Msg:5988 Call:34390 Lines:38 685 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 686 The California Grey was lashed by cables to the side of the 687 pirate whaler. Quick, yellow men deftly cut the whale's blubber 688 into long slabs to be stored in the ship's hold. Steam arose 689 from the carcass in the chill of the north Pacific April night. 690 The men were experts and it would take them only two hours to 691 reduce the great animal to ribs and bones. 692 On the bridge, the captain and his first mate watched the 693 process with an air of competant boredom. 694 "She put up quite a fight didn't she, Captain," the mate said. 695 "Bah, nothing like the old days. The big fish are no more." 696 "And the sport . . ." the mate prompted. This coversation had 697 been played out before. 698 "And the sport is gone," the Captain said, "explosive harpoons 699 and sonar make the kill quick and sure. Business." He spat on the 700 floor. 701 From the rear of the bridge, the radar operator said, "Captain, 702 I have a radar contact bearing 270 at thirty miles." 703 "Greenpeace?" the mate said. 704 "Perhaps," the Captain said, "but how did they get so close?" 705 "I don't know. Should we unlimber the deck gun?" 706 "Yes, let's finish what the French started and sink the 707 Rainbow Warrior for good. They are fools if they challenge us out 708 here with no one to see." The Captain spat on the deck again and 709 both men laughed. 710 "Captain," the radar operator said, "I have two more contacts, 711 same bearing, closing fast." 712 The mate and Captain turned and peered through the gloom. They 713 caught but a glimpse of the two missles skipping across the waves 714 before the first one took the ship directly amidships. The second 715 one slammed into the engine room and it was mere seconds before the 716 ship sunk, pulled down by the weight of the California Grey. 717 Being a stubborn man, the mate clung to a hatch cover for two 718 hours even though he knew there would be no rescue. Neither his 719 government nor the Tokyo-based corporation that owned his ship 720 would admit to its existence. Finally, he surrendered himself to 721 the sea, and the pirate whaler was no more. 722 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 044=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/17/91 22:48 Msg:5989 Call:34412 Lines:6 723 /////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 724 Wisdom is 725 the booby prize 726 given when you've been 727 unwise. Piet Hein Grooks III 728 ////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 045=Usr:4 Milchar 04/18/91 00:45 Msg:5990 Call:34415 Lines:4 729 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 730 Oh, my. ENter mode. I hope I remember how to use this thing... 731 Welcome back to BW, M.W. & kristi g! My, but that was an extended lurk. :-) 732 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Milchar ++ 9104180049 + 046=Usr:529 Joel Hobart 04/18/91 01:49 Msg:5991 Call:34416 Lines:13 733 ^^^ 734 735 It has been about five years since I have seen BWMS, but I am back, looking 736 for my old friends. 737 738 Has anyone seen, heard from, heard of, or felt the presence of Mike Zenner? 739 He frequented here long ago, but I have lost touch with him. 740 741 Anyone with info, let me know. User 529, or Joel Hobart... 742 743 ^^^ 744 745 047=Usr:26 Mohammed Wassir 04/18/91 14:51 Msg:5992 Call:34427 Lines:34 746 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 747 "Come in, Ms. Kelly. Tell me, did the Exocets work as 748 advestised?" 749 "Yes, Mr. Wassir, two direct hits. The ship was lost with all 750 hands." 751 "Excellent. You don't approve, Ms. Kelly . . ." 752 "Lauren." 753 "Lauren, then. I didn't realize a Harvard MBA brought with it a 754 sense of moral outrage." 755 "Moral outrage has nothing to do with it. I can't understand why 756 you involve yourself in something that won't bring a profit." 757 "That's one of the benefits of power, being able to exercise one's 758 will in the manner of one's choosing without justifying it." 759 "And you see fit to send fifty-seven men to their deaths." 760 "Lauren, could it be you're a closet romantic? I see fit to do what 761 I want. To paraphrase a great Albanian hero, 'Extremism in defense of 762 the environment is no vice." 763 "I see. What about the Ralph Nader visit?" 764 "Set up a press conference for this weekend. We'll announce the 765 grant to Common Cause. Invite that back country reporter . . ." 766 "Alexis." 767 "Alexis. Anything else?" 768 "We have a problem with Portner." 769 "Who?" 770 "Portner, the plumber." 771 "Ah, for the Inn. Pay him what he wants. There's no reason to 772 stiff a guy for doing an honest day's work." 773 "It's not that. Our police sources indicate that he discovered 774 a body behind the Inn. They're on their way there now. One of yours, 775 I suppose." 776 "The body? Hardly. I never clutter up my backyard, it's bad for 777 business . . . Put on your grubbies, Lauren. I want someone on the scene 778 to see what's happening and you're elected. This is most curious." 779 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 048=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/18/91 22:42 Msg:5994 Call:34437 Lines:29 780 =+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-+-=+- 781@np 782@li781 783 Alexis started to hum to himself once he entered the shade of the 784 forest. He found that he was actually looking forward to fishing and was 785 wondering what sort of lure might attract one in these waters. Poking 786 about amongst the flies and shinny spinners as he walked, he didn't even 787 see the dingbatted maledicta until it barked his shins. It was puzzling at 788 first. He'd seen maledictas before, but the only dingbat he'd known was 789 named Edith. 790 When he tripped over the pasquinade, he was at a complete loss. A 791 feeling of being in over his head began to overwhelm him! He looked about 792 him at the mess that had been dredged up out of the water. 793 "Someone's been busy here," he muttered wishing he had someone 794 other than himself to mutter to. 795 It was then, that he noticed the culvert. Or more specifically what 796 seemed to be stuck in the culvert. His heart began to race and he became a 797 little short of breath. Manys the time he had visualized himself coolly 798 investigating violent death and even solving the case for the inept 799 detectives assigned. Yet suddenly, he had this queasy feeling in the pit 800 of his stomach. He looked about wildly, hoping to see someone. He didn't 801 want to go any closer by himself. 802 Whoever had been digging in the muck, must have gone off. They had 803 to have seen the lady in the culvert. Alexis forced himself to go down the 804 bank and get a closer look. He slipped. It was a damp, muddy, somewhat 805 portly figure that puffed his way up the bank and out of the forest and 806 into the inn. 807 =+-=+-=+-=+-=+=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+-=+- 808@GREAT IT WORKED 049=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/19/91 20:10 Msg:5995 Call:34459 Lines:8 809 Two types that had far better 810 leave to their betters 811 the civilized art 812 of exchanging letters 813 are those who disdain 814 to make any response, 815 and those who infallibly 816 answer at once. Piet Hein Grooks III 050=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/21/91 10:13 Msg:6001 Call:34491 Lines:9 817 A DIPLOMATIC COMPROMISE 818 A fellow I know 819 can get mountains to move 820 and all opposition 821 appeases: 822 he preaches what God 823 cannot help but approve, 824 and does 825 what the Devil he pleases. Piet Hein Grooks III 051=Usr:11 L'homme sans Par 04/21/91 11:42 Msg:6002 Call:34493 Lines:31 826 *_)@#*(_%($_)($_)@#($_)#*(_)!(_)!)%@#%#(%@(%_)@(_@(%)@#(%_(%(%_)(_)(~!@_)$(@!#_ 827 828 Some days you wake up and you just know things aren't the same as they were 829 the day before. Today is such a day. Why you ask? Because in what seems like 830 one sudden swoop of activity, Backwater appears to live again. How long will 831 this bloom last? No one can say for sure. All I can do is enjoy the writing 832 while it lasts. 833 834 Now to those specific users: 835 836 kristig: Words almost fail me in my expression of happiness to see you here! 837 I take it your PC lives again, along with the modem you write about. 838 Just when I was about to give up on sweet miracles, you show up. 839 Thanks for the email! Happy belated birthday (check your snail mail!) 840 Astral: Ok, no getting out of it next time. I want to hear you play, 841 and I don't care how "unpolished" you think you are! To a wannabe 842 player like myself, who is so frustrated with his current lack of 843 creative muses, *any* guitar playing sounds great. I am impressed 844 with your efforts at recording. Will you be able to make tapes that 845 you can play on your new (if slightly clawed) stereo system? 846 Wassir: Just when we all thought it was safe to let our pets out at night, 847 you show up. Perhaps it is time to reactive a certain para-military 848 organization.... 849 Mikey: Have you given up with backwatr polling qiclab? Perhaps you can talk 850 to shawni@celene, who is able to connect when the system isn't busy. 851 The only changes are that the Telebit 2500 answers PEP tones first, 852 so you might have to increase the "wait for carrier" setting on your 853 modem... 854 855 *%_)@*%_@(_)@*_)~!@(_)%&@ L'homme sans Parity *$%_@*$_!@(_)~(_@$%_)$($($)(!$ 856 052=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 04/21/91 19:29 Msg:6007 Call:34513 Lines:17 857 &*&*&*&*'s 858 L'Homme, I'm slowly building up a demo tape. I've written four songs 859 so far. I'm only really happy with two of them. I'd be happy to 860 pass on a copy of this tape at some point in the future. Warning in 861 advance, it is very rough. The only thing I guarentee is that everything 862 is more or less in tune, and the tempo should be semi-consistant. I've 863 learned that I can sing a little bit. I'm thinking about taking 864 lessons in the near future, both guitar and voice. Meanwhile I'll 865 practice, and maybe sometime I'll even work up the courage to perform 866 live. 867 868 Anyway, its fun stuff. Helps keep me busy. And it has sort of been a 869 dream of mine for a long time. 870 871 An Astral Dreamer 872 &*&*&*&*'s 873 053=Usr:322 Stray Cat 04/22/91 20:32 Msg:6010 Call:34543 Lines:6 874 875 I hope all district employees see fit to honor Joe Vorboril at the end of 876 his term on the Board. I admire those people who take a stand despite having 877 a lot to lose by doing it. And he didn't just drop the issue after the 878 elections either! 879 054=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 04/22/91 20:46 Msg:6011 Call:34544 Lines:9 880 &*&*&*&*'s 881 Hmm, what issue are we talking about here. There are so many of them 882 in an organization the size of PPS, that it is hard to keep track. 883 (Yes, there are politics in education. And they ain't all that 884 pretty either.) 885 886 An Astral Dreamer 887 &*&*&*&*'s 888 055=Usr:1 CISTOP MIKEY 04/23/91 00:31 Msg:6013 Call:34548 Lines:10 889 L'homme: Not given up on QicLab, rather my machine hasn't seen 890 Unix for a while cause I'm busy on a deadline getting a 891 project done for a certain laboratory down south NM way. 892 Soon as I get it done I will be eyeing a new computer 893 with the funds received. I'll also be less busy enough 894 (hopefully) to be able to call QicLab on a more normal 895 basis. These days though almost all of my time is spent 896 coding or sleeping. But the project is very near complete. 897 898 *********************************************************** 056=Usr:333 Bartender Slug 04/23/91 22:53 Msg:6017 Call:34568 Lines:3 899 900 All Purpose Marker #3 901 057=Usr:333 Bartender Slug 04/25/91 21:21 Msg:6028 Call:34616 Lines:2 902 All Purpose Marker #4 903 058=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 04/26/91 06:29 Msg:6029 Call:34624 Lines:7 904 &*&*&*&*'s 905 Hmm, We really need to finish this disk off. Oh well, I don't see myself 906 doing so at this time. Later. 907 908 An Astral Dreamer 909 &*&*&*&*'s 910 059=Usr:512 Alan Zehntbauer 04/26/91 07:08 Msg:6031 Call:34625 Lines:1 911 What purpose do markers serve? (A confused reader!) 060=Usr:267 phoenix polymorp 04/26/91 11:33 Msg:6032 Call:34631 Lines:3 912 PHOENIX is back, and this time (I hope) for good (or ill...) 913 So ev'ry one Raise your cans of beer on high and seal your fate forever! 914 Pp ^C 061=Usr:92 Katherine Dohert 04/26/91 16:59 Msg:6035 Call:34637 Lines:1 915 *****happybdaykristig!!!*****lookslikean adventureisbrewing****kathyD***** 062=Usr:11 L'homme sans Par 04/27/91 17:34 Msg:6038 Call:34660 Lines:7 916 *$_@#)_*@#*#)()_(#_)!*%_)#*%_)($_)~($_)@*%^_@$&^_)*$_)!(#!()_@#&%_)*_)$~_)#(%&( 917 918 Astral: I don't care how rough they are. I am sure I will like it! So, when 919 can I get this tape??? Thanks for the Twin Peaks fix the other day. I needed 920 it, considering there will be no fixes until June. Arg! 921 922 *%_@#*%_)@#%#@)*%_@#*%_)*_!)&%@#%)#%*) L'homme sans Parity *$_*~!_)#*!_@$!_@)*! 063=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 04/27/91 21:53 Msg:6041 Call:34662 Lines:18 923 &*&*&*&*'s 924 L'homme, give me some advance notice the next time you're going to stop by and 925 I'll make you a copy. The tape is getting longer all the time. I've written 926 about six songs, and am writting a new one about every four or five days. 927 I don't know that I'll be able to keep this pace up. Most of them will 928 probably end up being throwaways, but if I manage to come up with just a 929 few good ones I'll be happy. 930 931 On the down side is the fact that I don't really know anyone else that 932 plays. I wouldn't mind exploring the possibility of forming a part time 933 band. I've always enjoyed playing. When I was in High School Jazz band 934 I remember it being one part terror and one part thrill. Oh well, I've 935 kinda taken the attitude that most things in life happen for a reason. 936 Being a Rock & Roll star would be a passable life. :-) 937 938 An Astral Dreamer 939 &*&*&*&*'s 940 064=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 04/29/91 11:27 Msg:6047 Call:34681 Lines:21 941 &*&*&*&*'s 942 I wrote the following piece in a slightly different form back in 1985. I don't 943 think I've posted it here before. I was at best 19 when this was written. 944 945 Upward bound but inward wound, there is in each a changing ground. 946 Seldome found, never sound. 947 948 Cracks an fissures here and there, life is very seldome fair. 949 Are you there, do you care? 950 951 They built up all your fears from small, to make it seem that others pall. 952 Reach out and call, break that wall. 953 954 Locked your sure, inside so pure, they have the lure, they've got the cure. 955 Better converse, A final Verse. 956 957 And Now you've found you have the skill, Don't have to drill, no one can kill 958 your heart and will. 959 960 An Astral Dreamer 961 &*&*&*&*'s 065=Usr:286 Jeff Marten 05/02/91 01:40 Msg:6053 Call:34749 Lines:12 962 963 {+}{+}{+}{+} 964 965 Astral! Maybe you can enlighten me here. I've been taping Twin Peaks 966 but not watching them...saving 'em for later...so maybe I lost count. 967 Where did it go? No show last week, and doesn't look like there's 968 gonna be one tonight (5/2) What's the deal..is the series over? 969 970 ThingFish 971 972 {+}{+}{+}{+} 973 066=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 05/02/91 06:28 Msg:6054 Call:34751 Lines:19 974 &*&*&*&*'s 975 No, the series is not over. ABC canceled it. There are two more episodes 976 in the can, and they will be shown as a two hour movie on june 10. Right 977 now it looks very unlikely that ABC will pick up TP for next year. But, 978 TP is very popular in England, spain, Australia and several other countries 979 around the world. So, it is looking like there might be new episodes, but 980 they will be payed for by outside interests. No telling wether or not they 981 will be availble here in the US. 982 983 This show is not going to die easily. Sort of sad that one of the best shows 984 on TV couldn't make it in the rateings. Seems to me that this is just another 985 symptom of how far down this country has sunk. 986 987 My prediction is that Laura Palmer will return in the TV Movie. But we shall 988 see. 989 990 An Astral Dreamer 991 &*&*&*&*'s (ACK, I hate waiting weeks on end to find out what happens.) 992 067=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 05/02/91 14:01 Msg:6056 Call:34753 Lines:7 993 &*&*&*&*'s 994 Hmm, think I'll finih off the disk. 995 996 Another rumour I've heard about TP is that they may make a movie for 997 the big screen. 998 An Astral Dreamer 999 &*&*&*&*'s (At the bottom!)