HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tjlee@iastate.edu (Tom Lee)
Subject: Lamplighter, over and out
Summary: The Lamplighter leaves Callahan's Place
Originator: tjlee@pvio.vincent.iastate.edu
Organization: Seven Wishes Lamp Co.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 16:48:05 GMT

	The Lamplighter brings forth his hourglass from his hip pack and
examines it.  His demeanor becomes sad, but it was sad to begin with; as
if he were hearing bad news he'd anticipated.  And, around him, the air
quiets, as nearby patrons realize that the time has come for the
Lamplighter to leave.

	"Mike," he says, clicking down a coin, "it's time for my last
toast."

	Mike Callahan picks up the coin.  It has the Arabic numeral 9
stricken upon it, surrounded by some foreign script.  "All good things
must come to an end," he says, and he fixes the Lamplighter what looks
like an ordinary Coca-Cola.

	"It's time for me to leave Iowa State University," says the
Lamplighter.  "That means leaving all network access behind, which is
quite an uprooting for me.  Soon Aurora and I will be off to New York,
and by the first of September we'll be settled into our new apartment.
We'll try to find access to email, and hopefully Usenet, but if it costs
money, we're going to have to wait until I've found a job."

	The Lamplighter thanks Mike for the drink, and, at the chalk
line, raises the glass high.  "To every one of you," he says, "by
yourselves and all together!  To Callahan's Place, eternally recreated,
eternally renewing!  And to whatever is in us people, that makes us come
up with places like this -- may it never die!"  A quick quaff and a slow
toss complete the ritual.

	He hugs everybody he can, individually and all together, which
takes some time.  I wish I could go through every name, but I'd
certainly wind up forgetting someone I didn't want to forget.  Finally,
he makes a last phone call to Radio Free Colorado, picks up his lantern,
smiles, waves, and walks out the door into the night.

	The radio plays ...

"Two of Us"
by Supertramp

Look at me, I'm a speck of sand,
And I'm building dreams in a stranger's land
Tell me, why do I care?
Tell me, why do I care?

Every time that I'm feeling down,
Well, they pick me up and they spin me round
Tell me, where do we go?
Tell me, where do we go from here?

What are we gonna find out,
What are we gonna find out,
In the wilderness
That this loneliness brings?
Just as long as there's two of us,
Just as long as there's two of us,
We'll carry on.

Won't you hold me?

When is Man gonna find out,
When are we gonna find out,
What the Universe
Is just waiting to hear?
Just as long as there's two of us,
Just as long as there's two of us,
Just as long as there's two of us,
We'll carry on.

	As the door swings shut, a Tarot card blows in from somewhere in
the night.  A brief glimpse seems to suggest that it's the Hermit, but
when it settles to the ground it proves to be the Two of Cups.

All my best to you all.
Tom Lee
From: aahz@netcom.com (Aahzmandius)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Another Life Update from MonTemplar!
Date: 17 Aug 92 12:06:01 GMT
Organization: Bill 'n' Opus for Prez

A 386*SX*?!?!?!  Can't you get a *real* computer???????

Note: I'm only half-joking here; I consider anything less than a 386/25
woefully underpowered for Windows.  Even on a 486/33, Windows is only as
fast as a pure-DOS 386/20.....mind you, getting one of those accelerated
graphics boards helps a lot.
-- 
                         --- Aahz (the *other* Dan Bernstein)
                             @netcom.com 

Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6

"I 'got a life'.  Now what?"
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: ajm@wag.caltech.edu (Abner J. Mintz)
Subject: Re: hello again, anyone for a toast
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 13:10:22 GMT

Sayeth Danger Mouse to Raven ...
>"Try the Danish smoked, it's delicious.

Abner says, "may I try that too?"  He takes one of the pastries over to the
fireplace to smoke it ...  =8)

Actually, I love cheese too!  My favorite kind is Brie, which I learned to love
while I was living in France.  That was before the yuppies found out and 
raised the price to the moon and back...  

Abner looks a bit wistful, remembering last Valentine's day, when he went to
the local cheese shop and bought a number of cheeses and some imported         
chocolate; he added two pieces of cheesecake, and had a local singing group,
the Dreamers, come by and sing a song to Rachel after she and he got back
from the Italian dinner.  By then, she was half delirious from the flu, and
her parents had to come and drive her home ...  *sigh*
From: LALFORD@FSU1.CC.FSU.EDU
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Greetings again
Date: 20 Aug 92 03:39:59 GMT

Nicarra pauses briefly in the Place once again.

"No, I'm noit heor long.  But I wanted people to n


"No, I'm not here for long.  But I wanted to tell people that I will be appearing at the world sf con in Orlando in Sept.  I even have a room booked.

My only regret is not being in one place long enough to arrange for a
second occupant.  The Orlando Heritage Inn is charging by the room and
not per person.  Ah well."

Nicarra
From: daq@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Doug Quarnstrom)
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 03:18:33 GMT
Subject: Re: Re: Responsibilities of Artists (was Re: Pornography and Playboy)
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: alt.callahans

In alt.callahans, sjane@bmers248.bnr.ca (sjs) writes:

> In article <122420105@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> daq@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Doug Quarnstrom) writes:
> 
> >If truth, rationality, and the ability to penetrate propoganda were 
> >the panacea you suggest, then all logical and intelligent people 
> >would believe more or less the same thing.  
> 
>   *bzzzzt* faulty argument: conclusion cannot be deduced from premise.

Bzzzt bullshit.  Your argument is that logic will enable people to
see through propaganda to truth.   This suggests that if propaganda
is seen through that there is a truth to be seen.  I am saying that
all there IS is propaganda.  If YOU were right, then all logically
trained people would have very similar thougths.  They do not becuase
in the end, WILL is deteminative of truth.

> 
> In any case, I do not mean to suggest that logic is the be all and the end
> all.  It *is* a useful tool and as such I think it should be taught. 

I agree with this.

> 
> sjs
> p.s. Leave us not get into a discussion about relative & absolute truth,
> leave us not.
> p.p.s. *pedant warning on* 'propaganda' has 3 'a's, not 2.
>                            'separate' has 2 'a's, not 1.

Thanks for pointing it out, but it is usually considere pretty
droll to harp on spelling in notes.  I NEVER proofread throwaway
posts to the net.

doug
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: jesse@uts.amdahl.com (Jesse Mundis)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: a beginners question(s)
Date: 18 Aug 92 18:22:33 GMT
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

smith@muvms3.bitnet (Phil smith) writes:

>Ok, I've just discovered alt.callahans and I have a couple of questions:
>(and yes, I looked for a FAQ and did not find it)

There is one.. its probably buried under a pile of soap boxes or peanuts
around here somewhere.  Anyone have a copy handy?

>1.	are there guidelines for selection of an alias?

Not really.  Other than not taking someone elses.  They might get annoyed.

>2.	are there special netetiquette (sp?) that I should 
>	be aware of?

Be accepting of others.  Disagreements are fine, but if you want to vehemently
espouse some position or other, be prepared to have soapboxes appear under your
feet. :-)

Other than that, the motto of Callahan's is "Shared pain is lessened, shared joy increased; thus do we refute entropy."

>Thanks
>phil

You are welcome.


-- 
    Jesse Mundis     |      Amdahl Corporation       | Freedom is just chaos
jesse@uts.amdahl.com | 1250 East Arques Ave  M/S 316 | with better lighting.
   (408) 746-4796    |   Sunnyvale,  CA 94088-3470   |    -Alan Dean Foster 

#include <Disclaimer.standard>
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: brumby@nella11.cc.monash.edu.au (Stephen McNamara)
Subject: Re: C: Re: set pun
Organization: Monash University, Melb., Australia.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 12:46:42 GMT

   The brumby looks back into the place.

jevans@ius.indiana.edu (JEVANS) writes:
>              The Doctor pipes up from table 82 "Sounds like a key
>          decision to me!"

   "Treble maker!"


-- 
     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.
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: lower-tony@CS.YALE.EDU (Tony Lower)
Subject: Re: Invisible Callahans
Organization: Yale University Computer Science Dept., New Haven, CT 06520-2158
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 20:22:25 GMT

Whoops... I thought that everyone knew "squiffy"... it's reasonably
common where I am, and it's an imported Britishism besides.  Anyway,
it is synonmous with inebriated.
From: jevans@ius.indiana.edu (JEVANS)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: One more thing, Manx
Date: 12 Aug 92 22:01:44 GMT


              The Doctor sips his God's blessing and says, "Thank you
          ever so much for taking up the gauntlet, Manx. I just glove
          puns."

Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: gryphon@openage.openage.com (The Golden Gryphon)
Subject: Re: A True Story
Organization: Open Age, Inc.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 15:40:50 GMT

aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Aaron Humphrey) writes:

>"It's an anniversary.  In fact, it's the anniversary of my marriage--the first
>one, hopefully of many.

"Congratulations!  Many many happy more ones too!"  Cries a somewhat tanked
Golden Gryphon.  After having reestablished his news feed he proceeded to
order a double Long Island Iced Tea, and curl up in a corner.

>"Following in the footsteps of kitten, who told her story of how she met up
>with t.c., I will, if there is sufficient demand, tell the story of how I met
>my wife Nicole."  Alfvaen pauses for what will doubtless be a huge number of
>positive responses asking for Alfvaen to tell them a stoooory...and then he
>begins, with an X-Window behind him showing images along with the story.

TGG settles in for a good story.

>Alfvaen realizes that it's time for a toast.  He opens one of the cases Manx
>bought him, opens a Wildberry, and pours himself a shot-glass full.  "To the
>Luiken family, ConText '89(especially Robert Runte, who brought Nicole down),
>and especially my wife, Nicole herself, whom I still love as much as I did the
>day we were married, if not more.  And to myself, for having such good taste!"

><<<<!!!cRaSh!!!>>>>>>>>>

The Golden Gryphon lends his glass to the moment.  PERMANENTLY!

<<CRASH!!>>
-- 
The Golden Gryphon 				gryphon@openage.COM
Solve a man's problem and he has 1 less.        No incumbents in 92.
Teach a man to think, and all his problems are less.
Openage - The Premier SCO UNIX integrator in the Washington D.C. area
From: JMPIERCE%USMCP6.bitnet@VM.TCS.Tulane.EDU (JIM PIERCE)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: re: Thoreau and timothy
Date: 17 Aug 92 05:21:11 GMT
Organization: Yale CS Mail/News Gateway


  "Hmm. Although I haven't read any Thoreau, I have read The Whole Earth
Catalog, Epilog, and the Co-Evolutionary Quarterly. I don't think
many people who talk about going back to the simple life have been there.
Its a lot of hard 14 hour days ! Thats why families were large, to
have enough survivors to work the land. Several people I met, wanted
to buy cast iron stoves, metal plows, etc. When I asked them did they
know where those things came from, one of them actually said, 'from the
catalog man.' Of course, most of the people in that room realized that
there has to be an industrial base of some sort in order to make those
tools. Which was the point I was trying to make. I, myself, was almost
caught up in that desire to build a dome house and live off the land.
I got to where I liked the toys that civilization gives us. I have
done without air-conditioning, radio, food, water, but I was lost out
in the woods. Not a pleasant feeling, to be alone in the middle of
no where and not know where you are but in general terms.
'Well, I know I'm in Texas, now if I can just figure out where !'

   I do think that many so-called comforts of civilization are detrimental
to our air and water. My feeling is that if none of us humans are alive
because of bad food/water/air, we don't have to worry about jobs then !
Ah well, enough soapboxes for now...

    Alfvaen, I found this real good book you and others here might be
interested in. Its called 'Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton, The Secret
Agent who made The Pilgrimage to Mecca, Discovered the Kama Sutra, and
brought The Arabian Nights to the West' by Edward Rice.
{ by Scribner's Sons , no ISBN } It is a rather good hard look at his life,
whenever multiple versions of an event is know, the author lets you know.
A ten page bibliography and a good index. No punches are pulled, neither
on Sir Burton nor on his enemies. It took me several months, about
10 days of actual reading. It was rather tough going because of some
occasional convoluted text. Mostly I would read 2-3 paragraphs while on
my breaktime.

    As for music, I'm listening to Public Radio and its a New Age
Music show called 'Echos.' { Every Sunday night for those in the US. }

    On the above, lost in the woods. I also knew which county I was
in, but that didn't do me much good. It was about 3 miles to the nearest
road, without help being there. { poorly traveled } Anyway, I was able
to get up a small hill and spot wood smoke from camp, only six miles
away through Prickly Pear Cactus. { Those in Australia, the cactus that
tried to take over in certain areas of your country, thats from where
I grew up. } { and yes, when lost I almost panicked... }

  Well, more to read. Later. " DJ.

* <JMPIERCE@USMCP6.BITNET> Jim "NickD." Pierce; Bach. Sci. in Appl. Cmp Sci
* USM Academic Computing on the Gulf Park Campus. Disclaimer: Standard.
* "I'ts still Rock 'N' Roll to me !" Billy Joel.
From: rmarsh@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Desctop Pub-lishing
Date: 14 Aug 92 12:56:53 +1200
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

In article <1992Aug13.211046.27085@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca>, aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Aaron Humphrey) writes:
> Alfvaen displays a sheaf of papers to Stranger-No-More and the assembled
> patrons.  (And the disassembled ones, too--why not.)  "Since Stranger-No-More's
> request for patron descriptions, I've been collecting them all, or at least
> the ones that made it to my site.  One day I'll probably get around to editing
> this all together into a bestiary of sorts.  Here's a roll call of who-all is
> on my list..."
> 
[A whole lot of people who aren't me]
> 
> "Anyone who's not on this list feel free to post or email a description, or
> you'll end up being left out of the final compilation...although it will be a
> open-ended anyway.  Maybe it will even be a regular posting, called 'Who are
> these people, anyway?' or something like that.  Comments?"
> 

  Stumpy stands in the doorway to Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, the one that
opens into the courtyard of the Enchanted castle, with a glass of golden 
brown liquid in one hand. He is in his early twenties, 5'7" (1.7m) tall, 
about 140lbs (63kg) with vaguely wavy, shortish middling-brown hair. In VR 
as in RL he wears mostly jeans in black (preferred) or blue, ordinary
black leather shoes and glasses. In VR however his shirt os somewhat more 
impressive than anything in his RL wardrobe. It shimmers and swirls with 
all the colours of the rainbow, changing subtly depending on his mood and 
has also been known to function like an X-window. Currently it is 
displaying a mix of thoughtful pastels, excited pinks, purples and blues, 
and an apprehensive dark metallic green. 
  "Well, for the benefit of the new-comers, and Alfvaen's list, I've been
here since about March. I followed hot on the heels of probably the best
entrance Callahan's has seen in a long time, anyone who was here when the
Balrog arrived will know what I'm talking about. Here, as in RL my name is
Robert G. 'Stumpy' Marsh, known almost exclusively as Stumpy. I live in
Hamilton, New Zealand and yes the address below is all you need to get mail
to me. As DM once pointed out, New Zealand *is* small, but we are *not* part
of Australia. 
  "I'm 21, single and, like many other patrons, a role-player, SF-fan (yes
Doctor that most definitely includes your illustrious namesake), and
reforming computer-geek.
  "I still can't reply to E-Mail, but I'm going to try to find a way to get
some out soon, and may finally get around to getting E-Mail for myself in
the near future."
  Stumpy takes his glass out into the courtyard to join the party. "Happy
Birthday, Brandon. May your chips never be down."
-- 
Robert 'Stumpy' Marsh | 95 Fairfield Rd | I can't reply to E-Mail, but 
rmarsh@waikato.ac.nz  | Hamilton        | don't let that stop you sending.
+64 7 855 4406        | New Zealand     |
From: trumpins@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu (Barbara Trumpinski)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: for Joe Shuster ! re: A toast for a maker of legends...
Date: 20 Aug 92 01:34:05 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana




>  "The time, 1952. location, a local drugstore news rack. The Comics
>Section. A voice is heard to say,'But Mom ! Its a Superman Comic !
>Please !' That was me..." DJ.


><Crash!>


>  Sigh. All gone, my 'Sgt. Rock and Easy Company', the 'Haunted Tank',
>'Green Lantern', 'Fantastic Four', 'Super Girl', 'Spiderman',
>but the one I always looked forward to buying was 'Superman!'.

"oh, yes."  kitten is still in catch up mode...but this caught her
eye..."dreamy jim, you touched a soft spot in my heart...i used to go
down to the drugstore on the square...drink nickle green rivers and
read 12cent comic books...i once fell out of a tree onto my head
playing lois lane to the boy next door's superman...."

--
***************************************************************************
conan the librarian a.k.a. kitten           /\ /\  barbara ann 
"my life's a soap opera, isn't yours?"      {=.=}
                                              ~   trumpins@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu 
"perhaps _any_ universe becomes real in proportion 
to the number of people who believe in it and spend time there." s. robinson
From: jane@soave.swdc.stratus.com (Jane Beckman)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Quote Happens [Time][and a little philosophy..]
Date: 20 Aug 92 00:50:32 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc., San Jose, CA

In article <1992Aug18.140451.282@doc.bmd.trw.com> dirbze@doc.bmd.trw.com writes:
>
>> sjs:
>>   Why aren't labour-saving devices?
>> 
>	You know, this is one of those threads that made me go 'hmmmmmmm'...
>I started from with the thought that labour-saving devices are...[grin]... but
>this quickly led to the question, 'Well, if so, how come I STILL never have
>enough time..' 
>
I believe they did a study, and found that the major effect of
labor-saving devices was to free up time to do more labor, of
different kinds.  The same was found to apply to the
automation of the workplace.  Remember when they said that
"labor-saving devices" would lead to the four-day work week?
Okay, all you folks in the computer industry, does having a
machine that works at rates unheard-of in 1930 mean you are
spending little time at the office?  Au contraire!  Many
computer industry employees work hours that are positively
Dickensian.  Ah, but the machine is saving them labor, doing
all those processes that once needed man-hours---so that they
can re-allocate the time to doing more and more work in other
areas.  I've put in my share of 50-hour weeks, and we won't
even say anything about Alaric, and the days he's at work from
10 a.m. until 5 a.m. the next day, because the build must go
through that night.  Why?  Because the schedules of today are
also accelerated, to meet this fast pace of technology and
day-to-day life.  It takes all the running we can do just to
keep pace with the treadmill.

We create more and more expectations of our environment, as we
go on.  Feel overwhelmed?  Don't worry, you're not alone.  It
is not enough to do one thing, nowadays, but we must cram
every day with a plentitude of tasks, most created by our
modern environment.  The office worker of 1900 did not spend
two hours in rush-hour traffic so he could live far enough
away from the office to have a certain "quality of life"
either.  Where's your nearest market?  In 1925, it was at the
end of the block, if you lived in the suburbs of the era.  Now
it's within "driving distance."  And of course, you must make
time to buy gas, have your car serviced, etc.  If you try to
return to the low-tech society of the past, you will find that
it puts you at considerable inconvenience, and often eats into
your scant and precious time, for the system no longer is set
up to deal with variants from its impersonal march of progress.  
All these things bind us into the web, and root us into a 20th century
that allows no compromises.

--
  Jilara   [jane@swdc.stratus.com]

I've worn high-heeled pointed-toed fashionable shoes for the past 
twenty years, and you ask me about if *getting tattooed* hurt?!
From: jevans@ius.indiana.edu (JEVANS)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: The Doctor arrives at the B-day Faire
Date: 14 Aug 92 14:32:45 GMT


              The Doctor collects a God's Blessing, downs it and
          smashes the glass in the fireplace. "I'm off for the B-day
          Faire, everyone. Hope to see you there!" The Doctor waves
          and heads out the door.
              Stepping into the TARDIS, The Doctor smiles and says
          "This should be most interesting!" The TARDIS
          de-materializes.
          **********************************************************
              The TARDIS materializes a safe distance from the hay
          wagons, so as not to startle the horses. The Doctor emerges
          from the TARDIS, locks it up nice and tight, and heads off
          to search for Didi and merriment galore.

From: daq@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Doug Quarnstrom)
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 03:09:53 GMT
Subject: Re: Frottage with the lovely Jeanne de Montfort
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: alt.callahans

In alt.callahans, aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Aaron Humphrey) writes:

> hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:
> : "My favorite poet had the poor taste to set her poetry to music and make a
> : pile of money off it.  She's therefore not recognized for what she is
> : (IMHO, this century's greatest poet of the human condition).
> : 
> : "Oh, yes.  She's a damn fine composer, too.
> : 
> : "Who?  Joni Mitchell, of course."
> 
> Alfvaen nods.  "These days, it seems that if you write poetry that rhymes, or
> has meter, you better put it to music.  (Anyone have any outstanding examples
> of free verse set to music?  I can think of one offhand--Robert Priest's song
> "Congo Toronto".  But then, he's primarily a poet, and secondarily a musician.)
> 
> "Neil Peart is another good example of a poet--in fact, when my wife took a
> Comtemporary Lit course a couple of years ago, they read the lyrics to the
> songs 'Freewill' by Rush, and also 'One' by Metallica(not by Peart that I know
> of, but still unusual for poetry...).  Let's face it--there's some good poets
>out there masquerading as songwriters.  In many cases, the songs work better to
> music, but they're still poems, a lot of them.  I'm constantly forgetting that
>when I say that I don't like a lot of poetry.  (Yes, I'm sadly like StM in that
> way.  Ogden Nash, T.S. Eliot, Lewis Carroll, and music.)"

Cringe cringe.  I HATE Rush's lyrics quite a bit for reasons I will
not go into here.  I will also add my voice to the 'do not write
of twentieth century poems' crusade.  Theare are some damned 
good ones.  John Berryman's _Dream Songs_ can be fun.

doug