HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ablanch@physics.su.OZ.AU (Shonias)
Subject: Re: A new wizard.
Organization: School of Physics, University of Sydney, Australia
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 06:58:29 GMT

Shonias finally pulls herself far enough out of her work to 
notice the goings on in the Place. She too notices a new feeling
of magic, but a familiar one. She looks back in through the french
doors to see a Wizard, looking stately, but, (typically for a wizard)
slightly overdone. She giggles to herself, reflects on points of
position and etiquette, and decides that yes, it is not unfitting 
for an elf-queen to greet a wizard. (Just in case anyone thought this
elf was geeting a little too big for her kid boots, her dilemma 
was her wothiness to address a wizard, not vice versa)

"Welcome sir," She bows low, "I am honoured to meet...." There is
a dawning of recognition, and Shonias hugs the wizard. "I am so
pleased to see you made it, and I apologise for taking so long to
greet you."

"A drink for the wizard, Mike, if you will"

She tosses the silver dollar to the bar, and invites the wizard
to the picnic...

Shonias



--
**************************************************
Any time, any place,
I'm just the fool who puts the smile on your face.
**************************************************
From: JPIERCE@MIAMIU.BITNET (Jeff Pierce)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Dr. Asimov
Date: 8 Apr 92 00:17:02 GMT
Distribution: world,local
Organization: Miami University - Academic Computer Service

Happy the Man also sheds a few tears.  "One of my professors at my
undergraduate college interviewed a number of science fiction writers
for her doctoral thesis in the early 1970s.  I remember her telling me
that Dr. Asimov was very helpful with her interview/research, although its
likely that he was working on three or five books at the time.  On the other
hand, Harlan Ellison was very critical, mean-spirited, and in all ways an
unpleasant interview."
                                      Happy the Man
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: HF.TXG@forsythe.stanford.edu (Tonya Gonzales)
Subject: Re: abortion
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 17:10:01 GMT

But David, I think you are imposing your views on someone else when
you make it illegal for someone to do something.  You think its
amoral, disgusting, like an inocent victim who just happened to be
on the street...fine. However, other people *don't* feel that way.
We aren't telling you to go out and destroy the baby that you
create, we just saying *we* deserve a choice to have our own views
and feelings on this subject. By saying yes to choice we aren't
limiting anyones right to do what they feel is correct. By saying no
to choice you have taken peoples rights away.

I also think people are ignoring a very basic fact. Women have been
performing abortions on themselves and others for hundreds and
hundreds of years. Regardless of whether or not it was legal. And
the last period of time when it was illegal, women were dying for
it.

I think 'Roe' put it best at the last rally I went to. She said "I
am *not* pro abortion, I am pro choice."  (this was the same rally
they were selling abortion devices for women, so that if abortion
was made illegal women could once again take care of themselves and
each other.)

Just in case you or anyone else is interested in getting a woman's
view, and a fathers view of abortion there is a book out called  The
Choices We Made. Its personal views of people who had to face the
choice both when abortion was legal and illega. I think people will
find it quite interesting.
From: /G=Rhodri/S=James/O=SJ-Research/ADMD=INTERSPAN/C=GB/@MHS-RELAY.AC.UK
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Tam Lin/Thomas the Rhymer (sources and history)
Date: 9 Apr 92 17:08:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: MHS.ARM200-920409171758-9EE1988*

moh2@quads.uchicago.edu (Kateri/Mary Anne) writes:

>In article <OLSON.92Apr7235623@husc8.harvard.edu> olson@husc8.harvard.edu (Chip
Olson) writes:

[Kateri tells us more about Tam Lynn/Thomas the Rhymer]

In the fanzine "Reading Matters", we developed a theory that you could group
the variants according to whether the queen rejected him (Thomas the Rhymer)
or kept (Tam Lin, spell it how you will), or for that matter whether he
rejected the queen (Tom O'Bedlam).  I may have got these wrongly assigned,
my memory is fuzzy and my issue at home.


>Another marvelous version is that written by Ellen Kushner, entitled, I believe
>_Thomas the Rhymer_.  Better than her first novel _Swordspoint_ - which I
enjoyed.

I think it's called "Tam Lynn" (sp?), I'll check over Easter  (she's reading
from it at Illumination -- plug, plug!)

Another wonderful book on the same subject is Diana Wynne Jones' "Fire &
Hemlock", arguably her best book.  (Again, fuzzy memory => I can't remember
how to spell Wyn -- Diana will kill me!).

---
Windsinger  -  Rhodri James    *  "Within the darkness of the night,
                               *   When clouds have put the stars to flight,
Rhodri.James%gb.INTERSPAN.sj   *   Whatever dangers may assail us can be borne,
            @mhs-relay.ac.uk   *   For every darkest hour must have its dawn."
   or                          *
rmj10@phx.cam.ac.uk            *               -- "Dawn", Rhodri James
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: braley@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca (The Didi-Sprite)
Subject: Re: A return, and a good-bye....
Originator: braley@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca
Organization: SOCS, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1992 06:39:04 GMT

In article <1992Apr7.162722.16061@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca> aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Alfvaen) writes:
>Barbara Trumpinski writes
>> kitten waves to legion...."welcome back...i will eventually come to
>> holomuck....one of these days....i promise, you guys...really."
>
>Alfvaen grins.  "You'd better, kitten...you're going to feel left out if  
>you don't.  And how about Didi?  It wouldn't be quite right unless we can  
>get Didi there too..."
>--
>
You are so kind, Alfvaen!  In fact, I have been promised a guided 
tour next week by one of the wizards who resides there.  So ...
get out the welcome mat ... the -Sprite is on her way!

----<--<@

The Didi-Sprite
Montreal * Canada

braley@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca
From: vad276g@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au (Stephen McNamara)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: balrog meets Tizrak !
Date: 2 Apr 92 14:08:24 GMT
Organization: Monash University, Melb., Australia.


   The brumby arcs up after much too long without a news feed or puns.

olson@husc9.Harvard.EDU (Charles Olson) writes:

>Castellan rolls his eyes.  "They'll get a charge out of that, I'm sure..."

   "Positively stunning Castellan."


-- 
     The Silver Brumby of      vad276g@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au (till Apr 13)
      the Silicon Plains           brumby@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au

      The grass is always greener on the other side of the network.
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: pope@suphys.ucc.su.oz.au (Michael Pope)
Subject: Yet another new face in the bar.
Summary: An introduction of sorts.
Organization: Sydney University Computing Service, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 05:33:45 GMT

A roaring wind can be heard frok outside of the bar, and the sound of thunder
from some distant storm.  The door to the bar flies open and in walks an old
man with a long flowing grey beard, long grey hair and a pointed cap.  Although
it appears that it has been raining where he has come from, he is perfectly dry.
His eyes are a not brilliantly exciting blue, but they twinkle mischeviously,
like they belong to someone much younger.  He is wearing long flowing grey robes
and on his feet, he wears a pair of well worn sandles.  In his right hand is a
long staff made of yew, and over his left shoulder he carries a sack.

The sack is non-descript, but wriggles as if something alive was within.  He
surveys the room and smiles at those he looks at.

Marching up to the bar, he addresses the barkeep.

"Greetings Mike", he says.  "A Pan-Galactic Gargle blaster if you please."
With this, the man produces a gold coin from the folds of robes and puts it on
the bar.

"Share and enjoy", smiles Mike.

"Thanks muchly,' returns the man, and downs the bubbling contents with a gulp.
He then turns and marches to the chalk line, tossing the now empty glass into
the fire place, he exclaims
"I, the Wizard, do greet all of thee.  I come to perform magic, not merely
triffles that amuse and astound, but real magic.  Can anyone tell me what
magic I refer to???  I shall leave this", and with this he pulls from his
back a crystal ball.  "When one of you can tell me what magic I have come to
do amoung you, I will begin to perform it with all my might.  Simply speak
your thoughts to the crystal ball, and I will hear."

With this he lays out the ball on the floor.  He then pulls out a pipe, 
already lit from his robes, and begins to smoke.  Smoke rises up and takes
various wonderous forms, that of unicorns, dragons and so on.

"Fare thee all very well," he says, and becomes enveloped in the pipe smoke,
until all that remains is the sweet smell of tabbaco, wher the Wizard once
stood.
From: rmarsh@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Go Bush!
Date: 16 Apr 92 23:06:17 +1200
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

In article <1992Apr16.075715.5762@cco.caltech.edu>, lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Speaker-to-Minerals) writes:
> StM requests, "For the benefit of those of us at the antipodes, could you
> perhaps enlighten us as to the difference between a bushwalk and `going
> walkabout'?  Thanks in advance."

  "I'm not an Australian, but perhaps I can answer that one. Going
walkabout is, I believe, an Australian aboriginal custom involving going
back out to the outback and returning (mroe or less metaphorically
depending on the walker) to the dreamtime. I could be way off base here, so
don't be surprised if one of the folx from across the ditch tells us I'm
wrong.
  "Going on a bush wlk on the other hand is very mundane. You pack up you
gear, find the nearest (or most scenic) piece of bush you can, and you walk
through it - usually along the thoughtfully provided track. If you don't
use a track it is a bushcrash, rather than a bushwalk, and rather more fun,
though exhausting.
  "Going bush is more like going walkabout. It simply means disappearing
(often, though not always, into the bush). It could be thought of as a
similar sort of thing to going walkabout, only for general consumption
instead of being a peculiarly Aboriginal thing to do."
  "Let the experts now tell me where I went wrong! Hope it helped, StM."

-- 
Robert 'Stumpy' Marsh | Brought to you from the bottom of the world
rmarsh@waikato.ac.nz  | both topographically and socio-politically.
+64 7 855 4406        | Whatever happened to Godzone?
    SnailMail: 95 Fairfield Rd, Hamilton, Aotearoa (New Zealand)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Speaker-to-Minerals)
Subject: Re: Natural Science, Natural Religion
Reply-To: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 05:36:05 GMT

In article <rr8djINN88r@agate.berkeley.edu>, erikred@ocf.berkeley.edu (Erik Nielsen) writes:
>on the other hand, I
>am perfectly willing to accept "Do unto others as you would have them do
>unto you" as feasible social model on which to base a society, since the
>statement is merely advice, not necessarily dogma.

I don't know about that.  As I've said before, the "Golden Rule" is a license
for a fanatic to do literally ANYTHING to coerce others into accepting his
beliefs.  After all, the fanatic can reason, he'd rather have someone take ANY
necessary steps to enlighten him, rather than have his soul consigned to hell.
Wasn't this pretty much the justification for the Inquisition?
From: brumby@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au (Stephen McNamara)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Before I forget...
Date: 8 Apr 92 19:21:20 GMT
Organization: Monash University, Melb., Australia.



   The brumby has returned from his gallop across the hills, which
brought tears to the eyes of at least one person. Now he decides to
settle down to some serious eating. And teasing.

>>>"ha!  there isn't a cow in all of VR who would dare to soil didi's
>>>meadow with a pattie or pie...."

>>   "No, but there is this silver stallion who hasn't arrived yet...."


>"YOU WOULDN'T DARE!!!!!!!"  kitten is absolutely shocked at the silver
>brumby....and he didn't even include a smiley face...."i'd hate to
>have to pop you on that beautiful nose....:) "

   "But Kitten, horses are famous for leaving signs of their presence. I
mean, after eating all this wonderful grass what do you expect me to
do?"

   With that, the brumby sets to work on shortening the grass as fast as
he can.


-- 
     The Silver Brumby of          brumby@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au
      the Silicon Plains

      The grass is always greener on the other side of the network.
From: seawasp+@pitt.edu (Ryk E Spoor)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: RHPS
Date: 7 Apr 92 15:21:26 GMT
Article-I.D.: unix.204518
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

In article <1992Apr6.151155.10693@seq.uncwil.edu> milar@seq.uncwil.edu (Panther) writes:
>seawasp+@pitt.edu (Ryk E Spoor) writes:
>>'cult' film, Big Trouble in Little China. But you know what Jack Burton
>>always says..."

>Panther smiles. "It's all in the reflexes."  She grins at Sea Wasp.

	The Wasp grins back. "Well, that too, but I was thinking:
	" 'Y'know what Jack Burton always says?'
	" 'Who's Jack Burton?'
	" 'ME, Jack Burton! Jack Burton always says... ah, what the hell.' "

	" 'Ah, go ahead, world -- gimme your best shot. I can take it...' "

					Sea Wasp
From: mwhitaker@cix.compulink.co.uk (Mike Whitaker)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Time for a break, and a birthday wish....
Date: 14 Apr 92 03:25:51 GMT
Reply-To: Mike Whitaker <mwhitaker@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Organization: Gated to News by demon.co.uk

A slightly weary looking Bard steps through the X-window into the
meadow, Princess slung across his back as ever. He smiles as he
spots the Grey Lady, and snaffles one of the remaining potstickers 
before they all vanish. Finding a convenient tree, he sets his back
against it, leans back and closes his eyes. For a moment or two he 
remains motionless as a relaxed expression slowly spreads across 
his face, then his eyes open and he sits upright.
"That's better. I never knew arranging a wedding reception was such 
hard work. Anne and I have a date - 5th June 1993 - and a choice of 
two venues." He sighs. "Now all we have to do is prune a list of 
150 friends and relations down to the 80 to 100 that either place 
will hold, and try and avoid upsetting too many people. Tricky."
He takes a sip at the glass of Southern Comfort he brought through
with him, then grins. "But I didn't come here to moan - I came here 
to unwind. Oh, and..." he looks round and eventually spots the 
birthday mouse. "...DM, many happy returns. Sorry I'm late with the 
good wishes, but I see you've been having fun!"
---
The Bard: a.k.a. Mike Whitaker, Cambridge, ENGLAND
E-mail to: mikew@sdl.mdcbbs.com
Reading alt.callahans as: mwhitaker@cix.compulink.co.uk
Posting via: demon.co.uk or ucbvax.berkeley.edu
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Alfvaen)
Subject: The Sentence From Nowhere
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 17:40:09 GMT


"Wilma, you're a geek and a loser, and I don't want you on my softball  
team."

--

---Alfvaen(and no, this isn't my real name!)
Canadian Network For Space Research, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
If you stand on your head, you will get footprints in your hair.
Current Album--X:Ain't Love Grand
 "There's a big, ugly city out there."
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: lindercs@HYDRA.ROSE-HULMAN.EDU (Galadin (Craig Linderoth))
Subject: Re: Martyr's Little Problem...
Reply-To: lindercs@HYDRA.ROSE-HULMAN.EDU
Organization: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 17:20:14 GMT

In article <92106.124200AXM113@psuvm.psu.edu>, Abner Mintz <AXM113@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>>"_And_ I posted mine too early!!"
>
>>"I suppose you could call it...Premature Congratulation...?"
>
>>"How embarrassing!!!!" ;-)
>
>>                        (The Blushing) Martyr.
>
>"And once you posted, you were impotent to stop it from being read ... we
>understand."
>      Tizrak holds both hands over his mouth, to prevent any further puns.
>This could too easily slide over the edge into an innuendo battle, and he
>hasn't had time to erect any defenses.
	Galadin looks at the punslinging Tizrak and then runs for a sec.  When
Galadin returns, he is carrying what looks to be a rifle with a large hopper
on top of it.  Galadin walks over to the bar, grabs a bowl of peanuts, and
drops them into the hopper.  He then puts the bowl back, aims the rifle at
Tizrak, and pulls the trigger.  There is a discharge of peanuts that seem to
blast away any defenses that might have been erected.  The rifle then keeps up
a rhythmic pulse of peanuts in the direction of Tizrak.


******************************************************************************
*Craig Linderoth                * Reality is for People who Lack Imagination.*
*Lindercs@Rosevc.rose-hulman.edu*   The Callahanian Protector of People from *
*ChemEng, Rose-Hulman           *    Outrageous Pun Throwers    SPLAT :)     *
******************************************************************************
From: moh2@quads.uchicago.edu (Kateri/Mary Anne)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: POEM:  Glory - alt.callahans #6713
Date: 9 Apr 92 15:25:31 GMT
Reply-To: moh2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations

Alaric,

	It may be dated, but I liked your poem, especially the line about so 
many protected by so few.  That is the real justification for the existance
of warriors in my view.

						 - Kateri

-- 
The autumn leaves are falling like rain.
Although my neighbors are all barbarians,
And you, you are a thousand miles away,
There are always two cups at my table.		 - A T'ang Dynasty poem
From: moh2@quads.uchicago.edu (Kateri/Mary Anne)
Subject: Re: Dr. Asimov
Keywords: Death, Renescance Men, etc.
Reply-To: moh2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Distribution: world,local
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 04:38:23 GMT

"Dammit."

Kateri reads  the posts on Asimov's death with a feeling of bitter loss...
not to mention that somehow she had missed that Clarke had died (he wrote
some of the most beautiful books on the country I was born in...).

"Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Roddenberry, Seuss, Jim Henson...I feel as if
my childhood was dying before me..."

And tears roll silently down her face to the confusion of those sitting
around her in the computer room.


 - Kateri
-- 
The autumn leaves are falling like rain.
Although my neighbors are all barbarians,
And you, you are a thousand miles away,
There are always two cups at my table.		 - A T'ang Dynasty poem
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: mar@physics.su.OZ.AU (David Mar)
Subject: Huh? [Re: Dr. Asimov]
Organization: School of Physics, University of Sydney, Australia
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 07:52:47 GMT

> [StM correct himself:]
>>" [...] In one of his articles, he uses the speed
>>of light and the frequency of the variation of intensity of the output of a
>>celestial object to derive the MINIMUM size of the object.  It's as if he'd
>>never heard that resonant systems have harmonics."
>
>Sorry, I meant "MAXIMUM."  Also, I think Asimov was talking about quasars in
>the article in question.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute......" Danger Mouse yelps in
consternation.

"I accepted your original statement, but have enormous problems with your
emendation, StM. Since we are talking about quasars, and since my PhD topic
is quasars, I would really like to clear this up.

"From the speed of light and the frequency of light intensity variation
from an object, we _can_ work out the maximum size of the object. Quasars
vary their output on a timescale of a few days. Since nothing travels
faster than light, information cannot be transmitted from one side of the
quasar to the other fast enough to control this effect if the quasar is
more than that number of light days across. Therefore we have a maximum
physical size for the object. It seems to me that Asimov was right on that
one.

"You mention resonant systems. I don't really understand what these have
to do with the situation at all. Perhaps you are thinking of the possibility
that a larger system can somehow resonate and simultaneously vary at each
point. This simply is not possible, since the stimuli which cause the
resonance have to travel, and are limited to the speed of light, so the
whole thing gets out of step.

"Hmmm... have I managed to convince you?"

- Danger Mouse.
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: aahz@netcom.com (Aahzmandius)
Subject: Re: ??????
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 92 18:54:41 GMT
Organization: Bill 'n' Opus for Prez

Those of you trying to send mail to John Cohen should have noticed that
he's posting from the same site as Liralen, and therefore my previous
post on getting mail to Liralen applies:

There is no site @polari.com!!  You must send mail to @polari.uucp!!!!

So, to e-mail John, use pacific@polari.uucp.
-- 
                         --- Aahz (the *other* Dan Bernstein)
                             @netcom.com 

Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6

Mothers are inventors by necessity
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Speaker-to-Minerals)
Subject: Re: Isaac Asimov
Reply-To: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 21:43:36 GMT

In article <STEVE.92Apr13124856@diana.Advansoft.COM>, steve@Advansoft.COM (Steve Savitzky) writes:
>Aahz suggests that Asimov's doctorate in biochemistry "was received
>*before* he became a Famous SF Writer."  
>
>"Almost right," says the Mandelbear.  "Actually, he had already
>published quite a few short stories (I'm not sure about novels) before
>he (and my father--they were in the same class at Columbia--especially
>scary since they both had bypass operations in the same year...) got
>his degree.  Somewhere in one of Asimov's essays he recounts the story
>of the day he passed his orals: the last question was something like:
>
>  So, Dr. Asimov, tell us about the properties of Thiotimaline...
>
>"(which, if you don't remember, is a fictional chemical that disolves
>1.4 seconds *before* you add water to it)."

Of course, "On the Endochronic Properties of Thiotimiline" was SUPPOSED to have
been published under a pseudonym.
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: allbery@NCoast.ORG (Brandon S. Allbery KF8NH)
Subject: Re: steel bars
Reply-To: allbery@ncoast.org (Brandon S. Allbery KF8NH)
Organization: North Coast Public Access *NIX, Cleveland, OH
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 23:01:23 GMT
Followup-To: alt.callahans

As quoted from <1992Apr7.072229.13451@ucc.su.OZ.AU> by mar@physics.su.OZ.AU (David Mar):
+---------------
| > [Michael the dark elf:]
| >		And at the edge of hearing comes a pun:
| >			"Steel bars do not a prism make."
| >	
| >		Not bad, but not the sort of pun the elf would Bragg
| >	about.
| 
| "Please. You're grating on my nerves."
+---------------

Utterly bar-bar-ic.

++Brandon
-- 
Brandon S. Allbery, KF8NH [44.70.4.88]        allbery@NCoast.ORG
Senior Programmer, Telotech, Inc. (if I may call myself that...)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans