F I D O N E W S -- Vol.12 No. 7 (13-Feb-1995) +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | A newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: | | FidoNet BBS community | "FidoNews" BBS | | _ | +1-519-570-4176 | | / \ | | | /|oo \ | Small animal psychology and | | (_| /_) | Spiritual guidance Department: | | _`@/_ \ _ | Rev. Richard Visage 1:163/409 | | | | \ \\ | | | | (*) | \ )) | Editor: | | |__U__| / \// | Donald Tees 1:221/192 | | _//|| _\ / | Sylvia Maxwell 1:221/194 | | (_/(_|(____/ | Tim | | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | | | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | Submission address: editors 1:1/23 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | MORE addresses: | | submissions=> editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Don -- don@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Max -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Tim Pozar -- pozar@kumr.lns.com | | David Deitch -- 1:133/411.411, deitch@gisatl.fidonet.org | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | For information, copyrights, article submissions, | | obtaining copies of fidonews or the internet gateway faq | | please refer to the end of this file. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ Table of Contents ======================================================================== 1. Editorial..................................................... 2 2. Articles...................................................... 4 Regards,.................................................... 4 Doc Logger.................................................. 5 New Uses of FidoNet or other big network node............... 5 People experienced in designing databases accessible via the 7 File 3--Beta-testers : EFF-Austin Law Enforcement Incidence. 7 LINE QUALITY STANDARDS...................................... 11 info on bbs in Sumy Ukraine................................. 12 INTERNET CONFERENCE......................................... 12 LINE QUALITY STANDARDS...................................... 14 Need outside help........................................... 14 CaveNet -- for Cave-Related Conferences..................... 15 Is Fido becoming atheist-only?.............................. 16 3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 17 FidoNews 12-07 Page: 2 13 Feb 1995 ======================================================================== Editorial ======================================================================== HeY! Your mother wears combat boots! i don't mean that as a flame; i am a sho fetishist. Along a similar vein, [i like the word "vein" better than 'thread' for echos, or maybe ''tendril''] i want to apologize to someone except i can't remember exactly to whom. it was someone who was explaining how free trade was a joke in chat mode. if you are reading this, i'm sorry i told you i had pressed a print screen button instead of asking if i may. i'm only realizing now that there's a difference in dimensions of understanding of traded images (conversation, argument?) if i think of listening and adding and giving back, as being different from listing from a point of view. dis-course or discourse? Don was telling me a story about his uncle's guitar case. He used to watch it, while he was a kid. It accumulated travel stickers before his eyes, because his uncle travelled a lot and would take the case with him and show up at his family's place sometimes. I liked the image because it reminded me of echos: colourful images sticking to leather. Fosh at water resourses has a great guitar case too. i don't really like it that the Heritage Front didn't get a node number in 1 250, i hate the Heritage Front, but if they had a BBS i could tell them that, is i didn't get arrested for giving them hate literature. The same deal allowing the evil "them" to get e-listed is the one that allows me to tell them they are bugging me. To diminish or decrement the quality of freedom in any manner is to erase the power of the individual. God is supposed to have said love _each_ other. All of the American Ra-ra textbooks say that same thing, and it seems like a good idea to me, for one. Maybe other countries' text books have similar ideas, but unfortunately i have a limited knowledge of what stuff is like elsewhere, and on the net [for me, The "net" means Fidonet, ra-ra] there is no sense of borders. BTW, i meant the Heritage Front that is a fascist=type org around Kitchener. i'm late for everything. this renders me politically powerless. there was a meeting and protestors showed up and i missed it, and wish i hadn't. the flyer they sent around was too stupid to be believed. Maybe it isn't as sinister as i hear, communication of the quality of that flyer... {chorus?} [argument?] Remember that BBS in Tenessee, i think it was, that was having a hard time for "disseminating" aids info? I'm really mad at myself FidoNews 12-07 Page: 3 13 Feb 1995 for not following up on that. Fortunately, this is only Friday. Sigh. I still haven't called the Cuban Embassy to see if the "get Fidonet to Cuba" is real. Would they tell me? If there were already Fido Nodes in Cuba it would be easier to find out. I can't even find a country prefix in the telephone book to look Cuban nodes up in the nodelist. If anyone has a line into Cuba, will you please drop me a note? What is this, Italy II? Controlling information makes information dangerous. I do not enjoy the expression "information superhighway" because it connotes linearity, duality, and crashes and speed limits. Bletch. Web is nice. Flow is nice. Political slogans are roadsigns. i like taking pictures of the backs of billboards, so i can think about the structures holding them up. i like echo descriptions because they're like trying to find a book in a library with a catalogue, i read the ones which appeal to me, in bits, here and there, and sometimes whole books. But i try to be careful becuase the experience of "editing" this newsletter has made me wary, i want to turn it into a 'zine, and i was judging the Rev. Steve Winter. For all i know, Steve Winter could have a beautiful guitar case. i do not trust my perceptive abilities. the act of doubting allows me to consider more possibilities. Skepticism YEaH! Someone wrote to ask about an article which was either not printed or had parts edited out and i gave a stupid reply and now i can't find the message to respond to it again. ouch. if you are reading this, i was confused about the issue when i replied and i am sorry. i hope you write again. while i'm on a role, i wish i had never "added" titles to articles which came in as net mail, picking the first line and guessing part of it was a title. I should have put "untitled", or the writer's name in the index and left articles as close to the original as possible. Anne Walker's "Six Months Rent" by Black Moss Press describes colours, if that is useful to anyone. Happy Valentines' Day, dear Fidonet I LOVE YOU! FidoNews 12-07 Page: 4 13 Feb 1995 ======================================================================== Articles ======================================================================== Dear Editorbeings; Please indicate that the following article is submitted by Charles Herriot (1:163/110) who has almost recovered from the "Close Cover Before Striking: Train Truffle Pigs In Your Own Home" courses which he took in an effort to become a productive member of society. Roll da' flic, Sylvia.... Swamp Swine Magazine, Shuckmagosh, Ohio Dear Reverend Visage, I see that you have emerged from 40 fathoms long enough to endorse a candidate in the Region12 RC election. "Thar she blows!" shouted many a stalwart lad as they rowed their longboats in pursuit. I assure you that no more than a few of the whalers were making reference to your scantily clad companion. Speaking of our Regional Coordinator election, we are obviously waiting for more hours of sunlight to fall on this part of the world so that the current RC's solar powered neuron can recharge enough to create a second thought in as many months which will get the process underway. After announcing that Tony "GMD Posterchild" Bearman would be our returning officer, we have heard no further news. One fears that Tony is relying upon the dubious mailer of Rick "Smart like hockey puck" Johnston to communicate with our region. Swamp Swine Magazine has engaged the polling and bookmaking firm of Dubois, Shrunkel, Andjerson to track the progress of the election. Gomer Dubois works for mere zoo kee knees. In last month's Snooz, Donald reminded me that there are thousands of NCs and NECs who do their job well without becoming recklessly intoxicated with their self-assumed powers. I agree with Don that most of them deserve our thanks and our gratitude. If I had any pretensions to balanced reporting, I'd be writing warm puppy stories about NCs who serve with distinction. Unfortunately, good *Cs don't make for interesting copy. Mercifully, the Fidogod landscape is populated with enough savage trolls to provide fodder for my quixotic tilting at windmills. I have always believed that Fidonet should be a happy anarchy. In that respect, the appointment or election of various Fidogods should be effected from the bottom up, instead of the Peefour-enshrined Divine Rights of Kings. I believe that Fidogods should be granted no more power than that biologically bestowed on bread mold. It puzzles me that FidoNews 12-07 Page: 5 13 Feb 1995 the Excited States, with its fine tradition of individuality, should be the cauldron where a totalist structure, such as the one defined in Peefour, is tolerated. At the very least, the Fidogods should be accountable for the decisions that they make. To flog my favourite deceased equine; to have someone like Bob "Bob" Satti render a policy decision which is stupendously illogical, and then for him to feel that the only explanation required is a few monosyllabic grunts appended to a message; leads one to the conclusion that he feels no responsibility towards the sysop peasantry. Being one of the "revolting peasants", I am thankful that the Snooz provides a medium wherein I can assert that the emperor has no clothes. I have another serious problem which requires immediate attention. As you know, I chose very long odds and placed our entire portfolio on a bet that Dan Quayle would be the next President of the Excited States. To my horror, they inflated Danny sufficiently for him to announce that he had abandoned his pursuit. To cover off our losses, I placed yet another bet and I will need help from both Snooz readers. The nature of the bet was as follows: I asserted that Easter Island has stone carvings which depict a peculiarly female part of the anatomy. If anyone in Fidoland has information which would support this claim, I'd appreciate receiving netmail. I must go Visage, your secretary has run amok with a salad shooter. Her molten rage really has nothing to do with the fact that fourteen feet of snow fell last night and her car has eloped with a polar bear of easy virtue. As the good and decent people that we are, we ought to send her to Holland which is apparently plagued by "wet and unstable dykes." Regards, Doc Logger Fulaga, South Pacific ---------------------------------------------------------------------- New Uses of FidoNet or other big network node by S.C.Martin Wong (6:700/760.0@fidonet.org.martin.wong@hkmhbr.mhbrgrp.hk) In Hong Kong, AKA is a big problem of every message-oriented BBS because Hong Kong have a lot of Chinese language networks. If these networks can supply different types servicefor every BBS users. Then this is not a big problem but Hong Kong Chinese language networks most supply same type services Different users is using different networks. Oh! Dear! My God! How to solve this problem? FidoNews 12-07 Page: 6 13 Feb 1995 Some system operator thought a good method to solve this problem. This method is using other big networks node to transfer some special echomail area's mail. In United State, K12 network is a good example. In Hong Kong this method is using to transfer some idol areas, special areas and Internet newsgroup echomail. Discussion on Vivian Lai echo is a idol echomail area using this method to exchange area's echomail. I think no network will accept this echo in their official backbone because this echo is very special idol echomail area. In Hong Kong no network will set up the idol echo. Then we use FidoNet node to transfer this echo mail.now, Hong Kong and Macau have about 30 members of FidoNet is connecting this echo. In future, this echo will be UseNet newsgroup. You can read this echo mail either FidoNet or InterNet! Now, Hong Kong and Macau have 7 idol echos and 1 special political echos is using this method to transfer their echomail. Some echos is using more than 1 networks node system, some echos is using 2 or 3 networks node system! In my view, this is a good method to use your AKA! Everyone know network resource is limited. We use this method, we can break the limit of AKA because this method will not spend any AKA when you setting up or connecting every new echo. Then you can connect another new network, supply more mail service to every users! Another features of this method is you can supply some special echo to your BBS users. Then users can use different type of service. This can help Fido-type BBS development. The most important points in this method is this method can fight back any side effect of power struggle in a big network! For example, in FidoNet Hong Kong is battling, more 600 nodes was quitted. Discussion on Vivian Lai echo and discussion of Winnie Lau echo can continue operating! This is a miracle! Why this type echo can fight back any side effect of power struggle in a big netword because node is not most important factor in this type echo. The most important factor in this type echo is user and BBS! Then you know why this type echo have enough ability to resist any bad effect in a big network power struggle! I think this method is a good method to set up your new echomail in Hong Kong or countries which network is usually in war! I hope this method can help you break the AKA limit like MS-windows help you break MS-DOS 640KB limit! --- [list of non-official echos will be published next issue] FidoNews 12-07 Page: 7 13 Feb 1995 [borrowed from Computer Underground Digest 7-08, file3] From: David Smith Subject: File 3--Beta-testers : EFF-Austin Law Enforcement Incidence Database CALL FOR "BETA" TESTERS EFF-Austin Law Enforcement Incidence Database January 24th, 1995 EFF-Austin is interested in creating and maintaining a database of search and seizures involving BBS systems / Internet sites. The intention of such a database is to: provide a status of recent incidences of government search and seizures. A file is to be opened for each raid, and then tracked as it's case winds it's way through the legal system. Ex: what is the last we heard about the Rusty N Edie BBS case? provide a historical record of past seizures. People new to the Net, for example, need to know about the Steve Jackson Games case, and other important cases. track certain trends and trouble areas for civil libertarians, such as computers that are seized and never returned, people who are raided and never indicted, and the "downsizing" of draconian tactics, where those who are likely to cart stuff out the door are not the FBI, but rather state or local law enforcement. provide primary and secondary documentation sources for journalists, students, activists, law enforcement, and anyone else interested in these issues. track incidences that don't generate media coverage. SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION (tentative) February -- Beta-testing : fields, forms, and designing a database application accessible via gopher/Web. This is about six weeks. March -- Start data entry on huge backlog of cases. Initial estimate : 150 to 200 cases to-date. -- Public "un-veiling" during 1995 CFP. Important to have a sizeable chunk done (50 to 70 or so). Also want to create a "Top 10 List" of important cases. WHAT WE NEED NOW IN TERMS OF BETA-TESTERS We have taken an initial stab at designing a report format that we think will cover all the bases, do what we want it to do, and be useful. FidoNews 12-07 Page: 8 13 Feb 1995 We want feedback from : People most likely to use the database (journalists, activists, students, law enforcement officials, lawyers, etc.) to examine the reports, make suggestions, and provide feedback on what information you would want from such a database. People experienced in designing databases accessible via the Internet. This should be accessible via gopher and the World Wide Web, though we haven't selected a database engine yet. Since EFF-Austin is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization, we will need assistance from the entire online community in order to make this work. Anyone is eligible to contribute input or participate; you don't need to live in Austin or be a member of EFF-Austin. Send e-mail to bladex@bga.com if you have any questions, comments, or want to join the project. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [FROM CUD 7/11/FILES 2 AND 5] Date: Sun, 5 Feb 1995 22:44:32 -0600 (CST) From: David Smith Subject: File 2--UofMich student expelled for "obscene" story on Net (fwd) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From--jgull@umich.edu (Jason Gull) Date--4 Feb 1995 20:14:29 GMT The local (Ann Arbor, MI) paper ran a story yesterday regarding a sophomore at the University of Michigan (whose name is Baker, I believe) who was expelled yesterday (or Thursday) as a result of a story he "transmitted on the Internet." The story the student wrote apparently involved the brutal rape and torture of a woman. The name of the woman in the story is also the name of another student on campus, which seems to have been the spark that got the kid kicked out. The story seems to have been in one of the alt.sex USENET groups, because according to the paper, the story was first brought to the attention of University officials by an alumnus -- an attorney in Moscow who just happened to spot the story on USENET. The irony of the fact that this morality-policeman in Moscow was scouring the alt.sex groups is apparently lost on the Ann Arbor News. What is truly frightening, and deserving of more coverage in the news, is that the FBI is now investigating this kid, and an agent in the local FBI office has officially stated that they're contemplating federal obscenity charges against him. Remember, this isn't pictures/video he's accused of sending, it's purely text. (Raunchy, disgusting text, I'm sure, but plain 'ol ASCII). FidoNews 12-07 Page: 9 13 Feb 1995 Anyone have any other news on this? (I'll post more when I find it.) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Feb 1995 22:28:38 -0600 (CST) From: David Smith Subject: File 5--Internet Censorship in Africa (fwd) ---------------- From--Emmanuel@critical.demon.co.uk (Emmanuel Ohajah) Subject--Internet Censorship in Africa Dear All, Back in June 1994 I wrote an article (Computer Weekly June 16 1994 Computer privacy, Highway patrol) which was very critical of the creeping censorship and government control of computer networks in the UK and USA Since then I have been told that IT experts in Africa wishing to develop computer networks, set up internet connections or even use a telecommunications provider other that the state PTT face similar obstacles from their respective governments. What's more phone calls are routinely monitored and satillite access is restricted or at least discouraged. A visiting civil rights lawyer from Cameroon suggested to me that many African governments do not want to see a proliferation of communications mediums because they will be unable to keep track of their subjects. I am not sure if this is true but I would appreciate details of any overzealous African government attempts at monitoring internet traffic or censorship of electronic communications. If any African governments have given any justifications for the control or censorship of electronic communications please speed the details to me! Thanks in advance. Emmanuel Ohajah If you would like to see my article and other research then please mail me at Emmanuel@critical.demon.co.uk ------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LINE QUALITY STANDARDS Andrew Freeman 3:620/243 Canberra, Australia I been in touch with AUSTEL on standards for lines - they have produced a draft standard on this matter for Standards Australia which is open for comment until 27 Feb 95. The reference for it is TSO27 - to access you ring 1 800 029 955 in Australia, or +61 6 2498990 from overseas (there is a charge for this document). Ken Bell, the AUSTEL expert who drafted the standard indicated to me that there is no standard required of Telecom in relation to data transfer on Telecom voice lines at present. I would be interested in having BBS user's from around Australia, and more generally the world, support my preliminary view that the final standard (the draft mainly relates to voice communications standards) should: * include an element on voice line quality requirements for data transfer; * include a specific baud rate requirement - the ambit claim might be for line to be of such a quality as to be able to consistently maintain 14,400 bps, with 2,400 bps being a minimum requirement (in a FidoNews 12-07 Page: 12 13 Feb 1995 context where most modern modems can progressively lower the speed to 2,400 bps, if %E1 is in the initialisation string, if line noise too high, even just obtaining the last element of the above would be a significant improvement over the current situation). --- Blue Wave/RA v2.12 Via 3:620/243 @19950204.120133 GEcho/386 1.11+ Via Squish/386 1.11 3:711/808, Sat Feb 04 1995 at 16:07 UTC Via RTrk+ 3:712/515@fidonet, Feb 5 1995 at 18:39 AEDT Via 1:105/42, 16:07:55 UTC, February 5, 1995 - Rts v1.57 Via QM 1:105/42, Sun Feb 05 08:08 (v1.31) Via 1:105/6, 17:32:44 UTC, February 5, 1995 - Rts v1.56 Via Node 1:105/6, Sun Feb 05 08:33:53 (QM v1.02a) --- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- info on bbs in Sumy Ukraine I am interested in knowing if there are any Fidonet BBS in Sumy Ukraine. I particularly would like to find one who has a sysop who can handle English email. Any help or reference will be greatly appreciated. Larry Buford Nicholasville Ky --- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- INTERNET CONFERENCE Andrew Freeman 3:620/243 Canberra, Australia The Australian Computer Society (ACS) Canberra Branch 1995 conference will be held on Saturday, 13 May 1995 at the National Convention Centre in Canberra, Australia. The theme of the conference will be 'Information Highway: from HYPErtest to Multimedia on the Internet - advanced tools and techniques.' For further information contact Meryl Morgan on Tele: +61 6 247 4830 or E-mail: mmorgan@acslink.net.au --- Blue Wave/RA v2.12 Via 3:620/243 @19950206.120134 GEcho/386 1.11+ Via Squish/386 1.11 3:711/808, Mon Feb 06 1995 at 15:49 UTC Via RTrk+ 3:712/515@fidonet, Feb 7 1995 at 10:43 AEDT Via 1:105/42, 9:16:47 UTC, February 7, 1995 - Rts v1.57 Via QM 1:105/42, Tue Feb 07 01:17 (v1.31) Via 1:105/6, 11:51:21 UTC, February 7, 1995 - Rts v1.56 Via Node 1:105/6, Tue Feb 07 02:53:55 (QM v1.02a) --- FidoNews 12-07 Page: 13 13 Feb 1995 From: Joe Maulucci (1:260/123) To: editors (1:221/192) Subject: Letter to the Editors Dear Editors, I would like to see the FidoNET Policy on "Commercial Use" clarified. FidoNET echos are not using this policy consistently. Some echos point to the policy and state "No commercial posts are allowed here according to FidoNET Policy 1.3.6". Yet other echos, especially those based on a specific software, allow some commercial posting. The FidoNET Forefathers, set policy on the principle of what is and is not "Annoying". Commercial posts are not annoying when they adhere to Section 1.3.6; "FidoNET provides a convenient and effective means for companies and users to exchange information, to the mutual benefit of all." . A commercial Press Release in echo where users would find that information of interest should be allowed. This would include current pricing and were to *call* for further information. In this way the echo is not tied up with taking orders, special price quotes, or doing follow-ups on the order. Which by policy is clearly annoying and not allowed. Many echos already allow private users to post information/price on what they have "For Sale". How does this differ from the commercial user posting a Press Release/Product Information? Both commercial and private users should be allowed to *equally* take advantage of the opportunities to promote their own business interest. Joe Maulucci / Sysop Accadia Electronic Arts A Commercial Company supporting FidoNET Via MsgTrack 1:260/10@FIDONET, Sun Feb 05 1995 at 19:12 UTC Via QM 1:260/10, Sun Feb 05 14:12 (v1.31) Via MsgTrack++ 1:260/1@fidonet, Sun Feb 05 1995 at 22:18 UTC Via FLAME 1:270/101, Mon Feb 06 12:39 UTC (v1.1/b11) Via 1:153/6, 21:08:09, February 6, 1995 - Rts v1.57 Via Squish 1.10 1:153/6, Tue Feb 07 1995 at 05:09 UTC Via 1:229/2 @19950207.221748 GEcho/386 1.11+ Via MsgTrack+ 1:12/12, Wed Feb 08 1995 at 04:24 UTC Via FLAME 1:12/12, Wed Feb 08 04:24 UTC (v1.1) Via Squish/386 1.11 1:221/100, Wed Feb 08 1995 at 06:47 UTC --- FidoNews 12-07 Page: 14 13 Feb 1995 LINE QUALITY STANDARDS Andrew Freeman 3:620/243 Canberra, Australia I been in touch with AUSTEL on standards for lines - they have produced a draft standard on this matter for Standards Australia which is open for comment until 27 Feb 95. The reference for it is TSO27 - to access you ring 1 800 029 955 in Australia, or +61 6 2498990 from overseas (there is a charge for this document). Ken Bell, the AUSTEL expert who drafted the standard indicated to me that there is no standard required of Telecom in relation to data transfer on Telecom voice lines at present. I would be interested in having BBS user's from around Australia, and more generally the world, support my preliminary view that the final standard (the draft mainly relates to voice communications standards) should: * include an element on voice line quality requirements for data transfer; * include a specific baud rate requirement - the ambit claim might be for line to be of such a quality as to be able to consistently maintain 14,400 bps, with 2,400 bps being a minimum requirement (in a context where most modern modems can progressively lower the speed to 2,400 bps, if %E1 is in the initialisation string, if line noise too high, even just obtaining the last element of the above would be a significant improvement over the current situation). --- Blue Wave/RA v2.12 Via 3:620/243 @19950204.120133 GEcho/386 1.11+ Via Squish/386 1.11 3:711/808, Sat Feb 04 1995 at 16:07 UTC Via RTrk+ 3:712/515@fidonet, Feb 5 1995 at 18:39 AEDT Via 1:105/42, 16:07:55 UTC, February 5, 1995 - Rts v1.57 Via QM 1:105/42, Sun Feb 05 08:08 (v1.31) Via 1:105/6, 17:32:44 UTC, February 5, 1995 - Rts v1.56 Via Node 1:105/6, Sun Feb 05 08:33:53 (QM v1.02a) --- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Complaint's Filed with RC, & ZC Never Responded to within specified time n Policy4 guidlines. Need outside help. By: Bob Ross 1:314/15 Please Help !!!! Why is it that when the little guy is told to read the policy4 guidlines and follow them, that the people telling us to read FidoNews 12-07 Page: 15 13 Feb 1995 them can't seem to read them either. I have sent request's to the RC Region 15, Marv. Carson, first was November, second was December, third was Janurary,and again Feburary. According to Policy4 there is supose to be a responce in 30 days. I sent a complaint to the current RC Marv Carson about one of his nodes 1:15/66, that no longer has a phone but still remains listed in the node list after after being informed of this three weeks ago. I asked that my listing be changed, and I be reistated as a valid node or requested a Regional number since the current NC is in the county jail serving a jail term. Every time I send a message requesting that he step in and make a judgment in this matter I get a message back that makes no sence at all to do with what I sent him, or receive no responce or being ignored to voice calls. Every time I have called voice I am told that he is on vacation. I requested that my listing in the node list be changed, he would reply the he didn't know I was in the node list and never reply again to any of the previous messages and complint's I sent him more than once. I have even offered to re-send them again if he wanted with no reply. I was excommunicated for talking to a user on the phone about fileing legal carges agains't 1:15/66, he filed a complaint to the then NC and I was removed from the node list. Then the NC droped out and removed himself from the node list. I have been told by the RC 1:15/0 Marv Carson, to get in touch with the NC. I have told him the NC is in county jail, and his son is supose to be running the net. How can one be excommunicated from a net for talking to someone on the phone when what I told him was true. There have been class six felony charges filed agains't that node. Even with this proof in hand I still can not get reinstated. Any one know why. Any help in this matter would help. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CaveNet -- for Cave-Related Conferences by Bruce Bowman 1:231/710 CaveNet Echoes Available I'm not going to waste a lot of hard drive space here -- if you are interested in some cave-related echoes, consider connecting with the CaveNet conferences. CaveNet is gated into Fido by me (Bruce Bowman) at 1:231/710. There is no distribution system, nor is it on the backbone. Until traffic FidoNews 12-07 Page: 16 13 Feb 1995 increases, you will have to poll me for mail. Several of the echoes are gated to Internet mailing lists, as indicated by the * below. If interested, send me netmail giving me a session password and what echoes you want to carry. There are currently no file echoes. ADMIN (required for all nodes) NATIONAL SPELEOLOGICAL SOCIETY CAVERS DIGEST* CONSERVATION BATLINE* GENERAL MISSOURI VALLEY OZARK REGION* OHIO VALLEY REGION* TENNESSEE-ALABAMA-GEORGIA REGION* SURVEYING AND MAPPING* VERTICAL (ropework) DIVING (scuba caving) Roolz ----- 1) I do NOT have areafix or an equivalent set up, so if you send me a message of this nature it will be ignored. I can do a rescan for you if you ask me to. 2) I currently make a mail run every Tuesday, so it would be best to poll me on Wednesday -- your mail will be waiting on hold for you. 3) Please poll at least once a week. 4) Do not hub the mail to others without prior approval, or your feed will be cut. 5) Don't be a jerk -- flamefests are mercilessly stifled. If traffic increases, so will the frequency of mail exchanges, and we might even get on the backbone. See the latest echolist in the CN_* section for more information. That is all... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Is Fido becoming atheist-only? A Russian reader amazed by atheism in snooze by Mikhail Ramendik, 2:5020/261.10,ramen@pccross.msk.su In many articles in the recent issues of FidoNews, there are ads of anti-religious echo conferences and even open flame against Christianity. Well, perhaps in the American custom it is okay. Reading it here in Russia, I wondered if the Net was entirely overtaken by active atheists, or the Christian sysops were simply too lazy to answer. The 'last bite' that made me write this was an article 'from Michael Johnson' in No.5. The word 'f&^k' was actually used without special characters, not only preventing SysOps from reading the snoozie to their girlfriends, but openly insulting all the community! Too bad I can not get a reliable feed of the z1 backbone here. FidoNews 12-07 Page: 17 13 Feb 1995 Otherwise I'd answer all the atheistic nonsense, because we have heard it here from the Communist government for 75 years! Atheism is indeed the source of communism, and communism acknowledges this. So there is probably nothing the atheists can invent to attack Christianity that the Russians do not know very well. Oh, if only I had the feed... So I'd like to know - is FidoNet officially atheist-only? If not, is religious discussion in the snooze okay? If yes, I'll be answering the atheists there. For we in Russia have seen the consequences of atheism. 75 years of technical stagnation, millions of martyred people, and a world war - this is what we paid for atheism! And personally I do not want my fellow Fidonetters to pay the same price. II II Now unto Him that sits upon the throne, II And unto the Lamb IIIIIIIIIIII Be glory and majesty, II Dominion and power II For ever and ever. II II II ======================================================================== Fidonews Information ======================================================================== ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ---------------- Editors: Donald Tees, Sylvia Maxwell Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar Tom Jennings "FidoNews" BBS FidoNet 1:1/23 BBS +1-519-570-4176, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(DS) [ more addresses: Rev. Richard Visage -- 1:163/409 Don -- 1:221/192, don@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Sylvia -- 1:221/194, max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com (Postal Service mailing address) FidoNews 128 Church St. Kitchener, Ontario Canada N2H 2S4 voice: (519) 570-3137 FidoNews 12-07 Page: 18 13 Feb 1995 Fidonews is published weekly by and for the members of the FIDONET INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR ELECTRONIC MAIL system. It is a compilation of individual articles contributed by their authors or their authorized agents. 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