Moving Along
_________________
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Silver Threads June 1996
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Silver Threads (formerly Senior Group Newsletter) is the
bi-monthly publication of an informal group of netizens
interested in how the net serves the three score plus internet
user and vice-versa.
The newsletter is mailed to subscribers via e-mail and posted at
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/senior-citizens/center.html
The current issue WWW edition is at http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~kyletomi/threadx.html
There is no charge. Just contact editor, Jim Olson, at
olsonjam@uwec.edu
Any material in Silver Threads may be freely distributed.
**********************************************
Contents
Editorial Bits and Bytes
Features and Gleanings from the Net
Introducing
Notices and Reviews
The Cup of Memory
Caught in the Web
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EDITORIAL BITS AND BYTES
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What's in a name? Juliet said "A rose by any other name would
smell as sweet." But names do make a difference. The
soc.retirement newsgroup, for example, is intended fo all kinds
of "senior" discussion, but because of the title many posters
there feel it should be exclusively for discussing retirement
issues such as where to retire- taxes, pensions etc. Because of
the confusion of the term "senior" and it's implication the
founders chose to use the term "retirement."
When the Senior Group was formed we had a long discussion about
names and finally settled for the reference to "Senior Citizen"
because of its wide spread use. The initial discussion on almost
all net forums dealing with older people start with a discussion
of "Senior."
Whatever we are called, we know what we are.
All of this to note that we have changed the name of the
newsletter to "Silver Threads." We are "darlings" and we are
"growing old " regardless of hair color. Besides,If readers
don't get the reference to the song they are too young to be
here.
Let's not hear any more about names.
There are some additional changes in this issue. The Library
project did not seem to get many referrals, probably because of
the many net sources of similar information, so we have dropped
it and replaced it with "Caught in the Web," A section dealing
exclusively with the World Wide Web and the relevance it has to
sen-- oops Silver Threaders.
Along with the title we also have a web page to display the
current issue as well as our traditional spot on The Boulder
Community Net senior page.
The new site is at http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~kyletomi/threadx.html
where Tom Kyle has given us a spot on his home page and does the
work to take advantage of many web features.
If you are reading "Silver Threads," at that site,for example,
you can click on any e-mail addresses or web references and, if
your browser supports it, you will go at once to that site and
return here (we hope) with a click on your browser's back arrow.
We will continue the e-mail edition and have no plans to
discontinue it. E-mail is the universal communications tool on
the net.
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FEATURES AND GLEANINGS FROM THE NET
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The Good Old Days?
On almost every discussion group where the gray generation participates the subject of the values of the past and their loss in subsequent generations comes up.
Often these discussion are the result of one or another of the incidents that show our civilization in its weakest moments. The call goes out for a return to what some might call "The Good Old Days." In the following quotes from some of these discussions
various netizens express their perspectives in the issue:
___
I've just finished my sunday paper. Dunblane, Tasmania. Our press
led on the story of a young girl beaten to death by a gang of
teenage.....girls!Apparently a new phenomenon of this time! Can
we blame violence on TV for it all- it certainly does not help
but surely there is a lot more to it.It's not just drugs either,
or social envy, or poor housing conditions, or any ONE of the
many cited reasons. It surely is the whole mish-mash of our
modern civilisation where consumerism and money talk a lot
louder than any morals and where love of self exceeds all.
__
Yes, I find it hard to accept that some girls are becoming as
tough as boys nowadays. What kind of mothers will THEY make, I
wonder? Will the next generation be even harder?
Nevertheless, there are many young people, girls and boys, who
are STILL a delight to be with in this difficult age.
___
It appears to all of us who have reached at least the half
century mark, that something is terribly wrong with our society,
but we seem to be unable to make any progress making any
corrections. We blame TV and its predilections to violence and
sex, but since the public watches and buys the products
advertised, it continues with the trash unabated.
We blame the dissolution of family values, but family values
cannot be legislated. What has happened to the things we were
taught, and we taught our children - Always tell the truth, Have
good manners, do well in school, get a college education, be
self-disciplined, if you do something wrong - you will be
punished - swiftly.
There are lots more - including always wear good underwear, you
never know when you will be in an accident!
__
I do not think the world is a worse place now than in the
past. Weapons are more effective and news is broadcast further
and faster, and bad news outsells good news anytime that's all.
Of course, that also means that we Elders are not really much
better people than our predecessors were, (except for myself, of
course).
____
I wonder. In my lifetime many things have changed for the better. When
I went to Coral Gables High School in the 50's, the Black students who
lived across the street were bussed across town to a segregated
school. I remember seeing a sign outside a bar:
"No Jews
No Niggers
No Mexicans"
A little more than 100 years ago, it was lawful for people to OWN
other people in the USA. What about the workhouses that Dickens wrote
about? These happened in peacetime in "civilized" countries. I'd
rather be living now than any other time, although I miss friends and
family who have died...
___
re: 1940's
In discussing "the Jewish Question" and the difficulty of
disposing of so many in an efficient manner, the idea of firing
squads was rejected, as it was felt it would be impossible to
maintain the zeal to kill which was necessary. Hence the
impersonalization of the gas chambers - herd them in, seal the
doors, drop the gas, drag 'em out 20 minutes later.
Even Eichmann realized that The Other had to be objectified
(anonymity of nakedness and large numbers) in order to keep his
troops in hand. Faced with killing individuals, he doubted that
discipline could be maintained.
The Holocaust is important not only as a horrific event which
killed millions of Jewish people, (also gypsies, homosexuals, and
political prisoners - some "political prisoners" being
golden-haired little girls about 4 or 5 years of age; some
enchanting dark-haired boys of 8 or 10) but as a symbol of all
the people reduced to anonymity and objectified as an antecedent
to torture and killing.
The real fall from Eden was not the realization of nakedness and
wrongdoing, but the ability to do wrong, culminating in the
ability to kill one's brother.
______
One of the greatest evils of our time is the silence human
beings exhibit in the face of all the human suffering that is in the
world. We have to stop our world from burning. We can't stop it by
indifference. We cannot stand by when our brothers' and sisters'
blood flows.
____
I certainly agree that some environments were safer in our youth
than they are today. But there were still dangerous environments,
and for some kids the most dangerous environment was right where
they grew up, either in an abusive home or in an abusive
institution. We now know more about the kind of sexual abuse that
went on in some orphanages, run by religious orders, who used
their status to violate innocent children. Such abuses were
commonly hushed up by both church and secular authorities.
Sexual and physical abuse of children, right in the home, was
also a shameful hushed-up affair in those good old days. The
children were simply ignored or disbelieved when they complained
about abuse. Now the law takes them seriously. So it is not all
a nice picture of an idyllic past in which everything was rosy.
For some adults, childhood memories contain little of the
happiness that you and many like you, were able to enjoy.
*********************
Veni, vidi, vanity - I came, I saw, I'm beautiful
*********************
Water Power to Keep You Healthy
Kathyrnne Holden sends us us valuable
advice on the importance of drinking as an often overlooked but
essential part of keeping healthy.
What do you think would happen if I were to give a talk about a
precious substance that would carry life-giving minerals and
vitamins across the cell membranes of your body? That would rid
your body of wastes and toxic matter? That would help keep you
from overheating in hot weather? That would help prevent dry,
itchy skin in cold weather? That helps prevent constipation? Why,
tickets to that talk would be sold out! Most folks would ask,
"Where can I buy this stuff? I'll pay anything!" Now--what if I
told you that the stuff I'm talking about is easy to find;
cheap; available in your own home; and is commonly ignored? What
if I told you this precious substance is water?
Water dissolves the vitamins and minerals we need. Then blood,
which is mostly water, carries them throughout the body. Water
helps lubricate our joints. Water acts as a shock absorber inside
the eyes and spinal cord.
And think what happens when we eat a meal. When the digestive
system changes the food into fuel for the body, many toxins and
wastes are produced. Water is the force that carries these wastes
out of the body in the breath, in the urine, and in fecal matter.
If not for water, the wastes would become poisonous, and we would
die as a result of the food we eat and the air we breathe! Truly,
water is a miraculous substance.
There's nothing like it. Coffee, juices, and other fluids, as
well as most foods, contain water. But no substance can match all
the qualities of plain, pure water. For example, coffee, tea, and
many kinds of soda pop contain caffeine. Because caffeine is an
irritant, the body uses up some of its precious store of water to
flush the caffeine out of its cells. This means that
caffeine-containing fluids actually cause a slight dehydration!
This is also true of alcoholic drinks--that ice-cold beer
contains alcohol that will draw some water out of your body.
Sweet drinks like lemonade, pop, and other sugary fluids are
different--they cause water to concentrate in the stomach and
intestines, instead of getting absorbed into the rest of the
body, where it's needed.
Is your skin dry and itchy? Especially in winter? Well, it could
be because your skin doesn't produce as much oil as it used to.
But--if we don't drink enough water, there won't be enough to
supply all our body's needs. The skin gets left out. It becomes
dry, and itchiness follows.
Tip: Lay your right hand flat on the table, palm down. Then take
the finger and thumb of your left hand and pinch up some skin
from the back of the right hand. Hold it while counting to ten,
then release. If the pinched skin quickly flattens out, you're
probably getting enough water. But if it stays pinched up while
you count to twenty, it's likely you're dehydrated, and need to
drink more water.
How does water help constipation? In times when the body has too
little water, it will give top priority to organs like the brain,
and the kidneys. The brain needs water to keep its delicate
balance. The kidneys must have water to flush out body wastes.
The colon's job is to add water to the stool to keep it soft. But
a hard stool is not life-threatening, so the colon has a low
priority on water. When there's not enough to go around, some
water is removed from the colon and given to other organs. The
stool becomes dry and hard, and difficult to pass, resulting in
constipation. Sweating means your hot, right? Wrong! Sweating
means you're cool. During the hot months of summer, water can
make a life-or-death difference. Water forms lifesaving
perspiration that allows us to stay healthy in hot weather.
We can't depend on thirst to warn us to drink enough water. You'd
think we should eat when we're hungry, and drink when we're
thirsty. It's true that hunger is a timely reminder to eat. But
for some reason, our thirst mechanism doesn't work the same way.
By the time we feel thirsty, we're already dehydrated. And
extreme heat affects the brain, causing confusion. At this point,
a person may not be able to think clearly enough to drink water.
Older adults are more at risk. The thirst mechanism slows down
with age. Also, older adults are more likely to take medications
that decrease sweating. Among these are drugs used to treat
asthma, urinary incontinence, and Parkinson's disease. Unless
your doctor has ordered a fluid restriction, or other dietary
plan, the best bet is drink plenty of plain water, plus milk and
juices. Experts recommend at least two quarts (8 large glasses)
of water daily. If you drink coffee, tea, or other
caffeine-containing drinks, or alcohol, be sure to drink an equal
amount of water.
But if you're not used to drinking water, start gradually adding
a glass or two a day, and work up to 8 glasses. Your system may
take some time to adjust. You could find that you retain water at
first, but gradually your body will release the extra fluids and
stay at a well-hydrated level.
editors note-
To see what healthy living has done for Kathyrnne take a look at
her picture at http://www.fortnet.org/~fivstar/ksqurl.jpg
_________________
Veni, vidi, vermouth - I came, I saw, ... hiccup!
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INTRODUCING
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Fran Hintze
By way of introduction: I was born in Germany . I trained in
England to become a nurse and midwife, a profession far different
from anything my artistic, musically professional parents ever
related to. My husband and I came to Canada in 1956. He had been
a very young POW in the states during WW1 and loved America . I
worked in Nursing Administration, mainly Neonatology most of my
working life and obtained a degree in Health administration after
my divorce when I was 46 years old. My children (2) and 5
grandchildren are my joy.
My ventures on the internet have been interesting to say the
least. I attended a short course through my server just yesterday
and hope it will help get me to places of interest which include
classical music, opera and such. As for senior activities Calgary
has much to offer. The physically able can take a bus ride into
the mountains almost every day and groups of hikers or cross
country skiers can enjoy the outdoors at their own pace. I
consider myself in "pretty good shape" for a 67 year old but have
met group members in their 80's who are capable hikers or skiers
and come out every week.
___________
VENI, VIDI, VANDYKE -- I came, I saw, I grew a beard.
_____________
Morley Globerman
I just returned this afternoon from my 27th assignment with CESO
- this time in Guyana. Hot, hot, hot - and humid - the rainy
season starts early in May and continues for several months. When
it rains it is like standing in a tepid shower back home. But the
country is desperately poor, and it is remarkable how working
people can manage to put food on the table - lots of rice, plenty
of fruit in season, and the occasional chicken.
It is a real delight to see the light bulb light up in your
client's eyes when you propose an idea that to you is old hat,
but to him appears to be the most brilliant idea ever. For the
most part, things are relatively low tech, and one has to be
extremely flexible to adapt to conditions which at home would be
intolerable, but abroad one has to live with scarcities,
unavailability of infrastucture, power outages, telephones not
working, etc. etc. Bot on the whole, it is a marvellous
experience.
I spent two days in my latest assignment in Guyana looking for an
electric bell to wire up in the factory to signal the beginning
and end of the work day and the break periods - to no avail -
there simply wasn't a bell to be had... My assignments have taken
me to Ghana and Lesotho in Africa, Poland, Ecuador, Colombia and
Guyana in South America, Guatemala and Honduras in Central
America, and Barbados, Trinidad, Dominica and Monserrat in the
Caribbean. When my wife was alive, she travelled with me.
Unfortunately, she took ill three years ago when we were in
Lesotho, and passed away in June 1966.
Editors note- the U.S. version of that program is SCORE - the
Service Corps of Retired Executives - listed in the Blue Pages
under US Small Business Administration.
___________
Paul preached holy acrimony, which is another name for marriage.
* student answer in bible class quiz
__________________
Keith Leal
Born: Oct.11 1928 Stettler, AB Spouse: Eileen (Grue) June 26
1930 Lived: Red Willow AB, Lacombe AB, Edmonton AB, Pincher Creek
AB, Iran and Abu Dhabi.
Family Background: Paternal grandparents: Freshwater, Isle of
Wight and Salisbury, Hants. England Maternal grandparents: Malden
(Center) & Listowel, ON
Interests: Family genealogy, fishing, computing, our cabin in the
mountains, history, 4-tracking in the mountains, huckleberry
picking ..... not necessarily in that order.
Accomplishments: We-e-l-l.... I have a 1-yr-old GREAT
granddaughter, I've read five of Gibbon's seven volumes and
Hitti's "History of the Arabs" and a dozen more classics, but
can't renumber any of it. [~: Have also built a house and
established a mountain retreat with an 80' x 100' garden..... for
the gophers & deer and, finally, I've survived REVCAN for half a
century!
Creed: "Live fast, die young and have a good looking corpse".
(Too late now)
editors note- Keith has been writing a series of articles about
life in Iran in the Sansumite newsletter.
Jean_Sansum@mindlink.bc.ca
____________
Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.
______________
I was born Alta Sue Shellenbarger, on July 5, 1938 in Searcy,
Arkansas, of parents of mixed ancestral decent. Both families
were traced back to Queen Victoria of England and my fathers was
also traced back to Frankfurt, Germany.
I was married the first time at the age of 17 and have 3
children, ages 33, 37 and 39, two boys and girl. I have had two
years of college, completed accounting school, was an accountant
for many years, worked as executive secretary and senior data
processing clerk, drove truck for 15 years from coast to coast
and Canada, owned my own company, sold my paintings and worked on
a cattle ranch. I have worked as a waitress, cocktail waitress,
dance teacher, pbx operator, production technician and theater
usher, to name some of my accomplishments.... I was listed in the
Who's Who of California for four years running and have published
three books of my fathers writings.....
I like reading, painting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and many
varied crafts.... I have worked with computers for over 20 years,
and even had my own BBS, a number of years ago. I am new to the
Internet, only about two months, and find it fascinating and
abounding with information and new experiences..... I originally
got on the Internet, at the insistence of my oldest boy, to be
able to communicate more often with all of my children and yet
save on the phone bill..... I look forward to more involvement
with the Internet and enjoy surf the web.
_____________
Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire by night.
_______
Tom Kyle Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada * Web page
http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~kyletomi/
Born: Paisley, Scotland - April 22, 1932 Arrived Canada:
May, 1950 Family: Wife, Jacqui Son, Kerry, Daughter, Leslie
Grandchildren: Kyla - 6 Duncan - 2
Not yet retired, but looking forward to it. Interests are many,
and varied. Gardening - Golf, if the time allows - Reading -
Travel - History Geography - Current affairs - My Macintosh -
And, of course, especially my grandchildren.
I use a Macintosh LC2, with only 40 meg hard drive. Slow - but
who needs speed when you can drive a classic. My first
computer(?) was a Radio Shack CoCo2, complete with cassette tape
storage - it had 18K. The ultimate in minituarization ! Have used
Dos as well, with a Packard Bell, IBM compatible which I used in
my office for transferring data. The Internet is a new interest.
Have been involved for two years now, and learning something new
each day. I really do enjoy working on HTML to create Wide Web
Pages, and have done some pages on a volunteer basis, as well as
some personal 'vanity' pages.
I am interested in pursuing the HTML work on retirement My wife
keeps telling me I don't listen to her - at least, I think that's
what she said. . . .
____________
Solomon had 300 wives and 700 porcupines.
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NOTICES AND REVIEWS
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CEZANNE COMES TO US SHORES
Summer travelers take note: A once in a lifetime event is taking
place in Philadelphia, PA this summer. The work of Paul Cezanne,
dubbed the Father of Modern Art, will be on view until September
1 at the Philadelphia Art Museum. It is the first major overview
of the French master to be mounted in 60 years. The Philadelphia
museum is the only U.S. venue for this unprecedented exhibition
of more than 170 paintings, watercolors and drawings.
The exhibition opened in Paris last fall and moved on to London
earlier in the year. It played to packed houses in both cities.
The show by the French artist, who died in 1906, is seen as a
bridge between the Impressionists and the next generation of
Modernists. Cezanne was described by Matisse as a god and by
Picasso as ``my one and only master.'' Cezanne never used live
models, claiming they made him nervous. He did like to use
himself as a subject. The show does include a range of
distinctive portraits, vivid pastel views of his native Provence,
particularly the craggy Mont Sainte-Victoire, and more vibrant
later works.
One of his paintings in the exhibit, STILL LIFE WITH APPLES, was
reportedly purchased this May by the J. Paul Getty Museum for $25
million.
Visitors to the exhibition are encouraged to tour the
Philadelphia Museum's renowned collection of works by Cezanne and
his contemporaries as well as those of the nearby Barnes
Foundation in Merion, Pennsylvania.
Reservations and tickets are required for the show and may be
obtained by calling 215-235-SHOW. The museum has also scheduled
several concerts to tie into the exhibit.
The Philadelphia has updated its web site to include some of the
Cezanne works. Check it out at http://www.libertynet.org/~pma/
Pat McIntyre patmci@net-gate.com
___________________
VENI, VIDI, VEX -- I came, I saw, I pestered.
_______________________
William Morris Exhibition
The William Morris Exhibition is taking place at the Victoria and
Albert Museum in London and runs from 09 May to 01 September
1996. The exhibition covers all aspects of the work of William
Morris from his days as a student up to the time of his death.
I will give you a little background before covering the
exhibition. Whilst studying at Oxford he met William Burne-Jones
and Dante Grabriel Rossetti. (The leaders of the Arts and Crafts
Movement). He started off with the notion of becoming an
architect, which only lasted 9 months, and then he turned to
painting. In 1861 he started "The Firm" - Morris, Marshall,
Faulkner & Co. Morris was married to Jane Burden, a beauty of
the time, who was painted many times by Rossetti with whom she
had a passionate affair.
The exhibition includes works by Rossetti, Ford Madox Brown,
Burne-Jones, Webb & William Morris and covers Painting, Stained
Glass, Tapestry, Carpets, Embroidery, Tiles, Furniture,
Wallpaper (probably for which he is best known), soft furnishings
and General House Decoration, such as designs for ceilings at St.
James's Palace. In later life Morris turned to calligraphy and
there is a whole section of illuminated manuscripts executed by
him and produced by his 'Kelmscott' Press. The exhibition is
magnificent and shows his versatility and all the colours he used
are absolutely vibrant. I needed two and a half hours to cover
the exhibition and would have preferred two and a half days.
Margaret Auckland
xuegxaa@csv.warwick.ac.uk
_____________________
Veni, vidi, vegetable - I came, I saw, Mom made me eat it
__________________
SURF THE WAVE TO KNOWLEDGE WITH FREE SUMMER CLASSES!
Explore the Internet, sharpen your creative writing skills, or learn
to surf the World Wide Web this summer at Spectrum Virtual University.
We're repeating several of our most popular courses and introducing
a dozen new "focus groups" that will provide valuable opportunities
for hands-on learning!
All Summer classes are FREE to the public. Enrollment deadline is
Friday, June 14. Classes begin Monday, June 24 and run eight weeks.
If you have access to the World Wide Web, visit our virtual campus at
http://horizons.org and complete our 3-minute online enrollment form.
If you prefer to enroll by e-mail, choose up to TWO free classes from
the Calendar below and send a message to register@horizons.org with
the following information typed on three separate lines:
(1) your NAME, (2) your E-MAIL ADDRESS, and (3) the 3-digit ID numbers
of the classes you want to take. For example:
John Doe
john@anywhere.com
811 813
SUMMER 1996 CALENDAR OF CLASSES
Internet & Technology Courses
#811 EXPLORING THE INTERNET:
This introductory class explores the basics of getting started on the
Internet. Last winter, this popular workshop attracted over 40,000
students from 128 countries! The class examines how the Internet got
started, how to send and receive e-mail, how to subscribe to news
groups and mailing lists and other essentials. Ideal for beginners or
a good refresher course for intermediate users.
Creative Writing & Journalism Workshops
#541 EIGHT WEEKS TO CREATIVE WRITING:
Develop your creative writing abilities, sharpen your powers of
observation, and expand your vocabulary with this 8-week series of
self-guided exercises designed to fine-tune your creativity and help
you become a more powerful and eloquent communicator.
#550 WRITING FOR PUBLICATION:
Learn the nuts and bolts of writing for publication in a real-life
setting -- as a working member of the Virtual Free Press editorial
staff! Start at square one, learning to write an effective query
letter to pitch a story idea. Work with the editors on developing
content, researching leads, meeting deadlines, etc. Or work the
other side of the desk as an editor or news director -- supervise
writers, give assignments, decide what stories get published, and
co-ordinate the layout and design of your section of the magazine.
Learn first-hand what goes into creating a successful publication!
Gain experience this summer, meet new friends that share your love of
writing, and receive by-line credit for your work to start or enhance
your professional writers' resume!
INTERNET FOCUS GROUPS & WORKSHOPS
Focus groups provide an opportunity for "hands-on" learning rather
than just reading lessons and doing homework. This Summer, we are
introducing 12 focus groups that will explore popular Internet
resources. Each focus group will consist of 20-30 students, and
your "exploring team" will work together, gathering all the knowledge
you can from various online sources. By the end of the summer, you'll
be an expert on your chosen subject!
To enroll for one of these workshop, just enter the 3-digit Class ID#
from this list on your enrollment request.
from this list on your enrollment request.
#851 Lost In Space - First Steps for Beginners
#852 FTP & Telnet - Internet Building Blocks for Everyone
#853 In Search Of...Finding Things on the Net
#854 Kids' Stuff -- What's Out There For The Kids?
#855 The Family Tree Dummy, Not the Directory Tree!
#856 Surfing to Heaven - Religion and Philosophy on the Internet
#857 Mining for Gold on the Usenet Highway
#858 Spectrum Virtual University - Recipes for Survival
#859 Free Software - Where Is It & How to Get It
#860 Fun Things To Do on the Net
#861 IRC - The Worldwide Chat Connection
#862 Designing the Ultimate Web Page
DICK SIEG
_________
One of the opposums was St. Matthew.
_______________
Spectrum Tidbits
This compact printed newsletter is filled with useful advice for active persons over 60.
For example, a bit of advice on stopping repeated unwanted phone calls is to say in a loud voice. "Yes, officer, this is the call I want you to trace."
For information on subscribing contact Al Konersman at alrokon@aol
or at his web page, http://www.pe.net/~alrokon
_______________
>From another source comes this advice:
New Use for a Doorbell
I live with my parents and the other night my mother became ill
after they had gone to bed. My father banged on the wall until
his hand was sore trying to get my attention and finally he did.
Aterwards we talked over the situation and I told him that it was
hard for me to hear him because their bedroom is on a lower floor
at the other end of the house, also our neighbor is noisy. We
knew their had to be a way that they could call me.
What we did was to use a door bell that you plug into an outlet.
(We got ours very cheap at a garage sale.) The button can be up
to 50 feet from the bell and it rings loudly enough to wake me
and it is a different sound that I won't confuse with other
noises. Maybe this could help someone else who needs to
communicate over a distance because the button can be mounted if
desired and is fairly easy to push.
Sheryl Ramage
editors note-
These are wireless doorbells and are often sold just for this
purpose.
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The Cup Of Memory
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Magdalena's story
I was given the name 'Magdalena' when I was four. In 1943 I
arrived in Teheran in Persia on a train from Siberia with
thousands of other children, from babies to up to age 10. No
mothers. No fathers. No adults except the soldiers.
We were all put into hostels until we could be claimed by
someone, or adopted. I didn't speak much but I seemed to be
Polish, and so when I was unclaimed the Polish Consul- General
and his wife took me and called me 'Magdalena' and I became their
daughter.
That time is when my life started. I have no recollection before
that time. I remember no person before that time. I remember
nothing but snow and being cold and a little piglet that was my
only friend. When I woke crying in the nights I would always be
crying "they are taking the piglet from me... mama... mama...
they are taking the piglet..." and my mother who was not my
mother would kiss me and hold me until I fell asleep again.
The doctor thought I was probably born in 1939 and so I became
that age, but who can say when and where I was born? Not me. In
time I forgot the cold of Siberia and became happy in the warmth
of Persia.
Then came 1945 and the bitter memories for us Poles. In February
Churchill and Roosevelt met at Yalta and agreed to sell the
carcase of poor Poland to the butcher Stalin. Our General
Sikorsky was already assassinated. Russian soldiers surrounded
our home at the Polish Consulate in Teheran.
My brave father stayed at his post as long as he could and
managed to get papers and money to the Polish Government in Exile
in London, and then with help from the American Embassy we got to
Palestine and my father started a scheme to send food parcels to
Poland, which was occupied again but this time the uniforms were
Russian and not German. It was 1945; I was about six years old,
and in a foreign country.
Magdalena Mokrzycki
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Caught in the Web
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the World Wide Web appears to be taking over the internet as more
and more web sites come on line and as major computer giants
battle for supremacy in the web software department. The major
contenders appear to be Netscape's Internet Navigator,
Microsoft's Internet Explorer, and Apple will be out this fall
with its Cyberdog.
Meanwhile all we can do if we want to get into this new area of
netting is to upgrade our computers to minimum requirements. If
we don't, we can relax and just enjoy all the values already
there in the e-mail, mailing lists, and Usenet news groups and
pass on the web for awhile (not a bad option).
Doug Phassey, a net consultant who has volunteered to assist
Silver Threads in this area advises that one needs at least 8
megabytes of Ram (16 is a lot better), a modem at 14.4 or higher
speed, Windows or a MAC, a large hard disk with a fast access
time, and an internet service provider with at least a T1
(whatever that is) line feeding into a main hub of the internet.
Anything less he says and you will be frustrated and find the web
trip to be a bad trip. Doug will answer reader questions as he
get time at doug@alphadot.com.
Meanwhile we launch our section devoted to the web with a site
that may supply you with many answers. It is the Public
Broadcasting System site, http://www.pbs.org that has many
valuable sections, including a very well written and
comprehensive beginners guide to the internet. it is a good place
to start, free of the commercial hassle that you will find in may
other sites. ___________________
Lotte Evans rylcae@minyos.its.rmit.EDU.AU has some advice for webbing along with grandkids:
One for the Kids
Some time ago I wrote about some of the interesting things
available for children on the web. Now I alway get a lot of
information about new web sites and recently another excellent
site for kids dropped into my mailbox. This site is an upshot of
the giant amongst websites, Yahoo. If this site is news to you
try http://www.yahoo.com
My advice to you is do it when you have a lot of spare time at
your hands, because that site is BIG. Now I do not know a lot
about the history of Yahoo but I do know that it recently was
entered on the share market and within a very short time these
shares rose from around a dollar to thirty +. I have little
knowledge about the share market but I do know that much; boy
would I love to have bought a parcel of Yahoo shares when they
came on the market.
I notice that I have digressed, a very bad habit of mine. But
what can one do if inspiration hits in the middle of doing
something else? Back to the kids site, it is called Yahooligans
and its url is http://www.yahooligans.com isn't it a lovely
short url? I hate those long ones where it is so easy to make a
mistake.
The Web Guide for Kids YAHOOLIGANS! You will find almost anything
there of internet to kids including games, education, art,
history, sports,science and many more.
It also includes search engine to help you explore further.
_____________
Major Sites for Three Score Plussers
-Jim Olson olsonjam@uwec.edu
The three main sites for "seniors" continue to be the senior Page
at Boulder Community net,
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/senior-citizens/center.html,
The SCIP site, http://portal.mbnet.mb.ca/scip (place to go for
pen-pal listing), the elderhostel site,
http://www.elderhostel.org, and the
seniorNet site, http://www.seniornet.org.
All are non-commercial sites free from the sales pitches of the many commercial senior sites now on line.
The SeniorNet site has recently inaugurated a "RoundTable" feature
with various discussion groups. It is a difficult site to use, requiring a registration, singon, and an complex posting procedure- but will probably be more user friendly as it develops. If you have problems accessing it ask me, olsonjam@uwec.edu as I am
one of the several volunteer hosts at the site.
_________
Old Fogeys Seek Internet Chatters
>From the Old Fogies in Perth Australia:
The online world is a great place isn't it? We often chat
on IRC on Sunday mornings our time 8am to 10 am.
If you are interested to join in it would be Saturday evenings
your time ( I think about 7 - 9 pm).
We gather on channel sapphire.perthnet.asn.au 6667
editors note- for information on IRC chat go to the guides to internet in the PBS site mentioned earlier.
_____
We have many more suggestions for sites to visit but that should do it for this issue.
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This poem was written by
Mrs Elsie Harris of Nelson NZ for her One Hundredth birthday.
Elsie is now a resident of The Salvation Army's Omaio
Village Songer St. Stoke Nelson. NZ.
One Hundred
I'm feeling very nervous,
I could sit down and have a good cry,
I'm having my hundredth birthday,
And thats the reason why.
Some say have a drink of whiskey,
And some say a glass of gin.
But I'd sooner have a hot cup of tea,
With a spoonful of sugar stirred in.
They tell me I'm getting a telegram,
Believe it or not from the Queen,
That will give me the jitters,
I hope I don't turn green.
Fancy living 100 years,
Where has the time gone?
I'd like to have it over again,
Then I'd know were I went wrong.
The Lord will walk beside me,
To help me through the day,
So why should I be worrying,
He's always showed me the way.
You can contact her through Horace Basham
horace@hbasham.ak.planet.gen.nz