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Phirst Amendment Vol. 1 Issue 01
Phirst Amendment
Vol. 1 Issue #1
07 November, 1993
A KAoS production
Article I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or
the press; or the right of the people, peacably, to assemble and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances.
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Editing, Story Continuity, & Public Relations...........David Lightman |
| Good Cop................................................David Lightman |
| Bad Cop.....................................................Anesthesia |
| Editorial Assistance, Research, & Footwork.......................Storm |
| |
| Table of Contents.<DL>...............................................01 |
| Introduction.<Anesthesia>............................................01 |
| Who is KAos? and What is Phirst Amendment?..<KAoS>...................02 |
| Poet's Corner..<Featuring Danny Elfman>..............................03 |
| Chemical of the Month <Anesthesia>...................................04 |
| Money.<DL>...........................................................05 |
| The New Modem Tax!.<Anesthesia>......................................06 |
| Funny Money..<George Knoblauch>......................................07 |
| Food for Thought.<Storm>.............................................08 |
| Paper Recycling.<DL>.................................................09 |
| Dumpster Diving.<Anesthesia>.........................................10 |
| Gnus Around Town.<DL>................................................11 |
| BBS Connection.<Anesthesia>..........................................12 |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The purpose of this first issue of 1A is to greet the community which it
is intended to serve. We, herein, will give examples of the data to be brought
to you. We intend to provide this newsletter to the world, with the intent of
mass dissemination of data we are able to provide. Nothing is to be censored as
it is provided to us, with the exception of nonsense.
In future issues we will attempt to educate and inform you in many
diversified areas. As we are writing this for you, we plan to develop
certain areas for you, our readers, to submit articles, news going on around
the community, and OF COURSE, suggestions.
We will soon have a host of means to support you, dear reader, with a
multitude of media avenues with which to contact us. We can currently be
reached through Internet, for those of you with access. If you do not, leave
a message to anyone who claims to be willing to assist you. Current and
future issues will be easily found at ``Frayed Ends of Sanity'' @
(606)491-3483 and a few other boards TBA. We welcome your comments,
suggestions, pizza, articles, or whatever you feel like sending (Just send us
mail!) We will attempt to reply to all intelligible correspondence.
- Thanks
- Anesthesia (606) and David Lightman (314)
- Together, we are KAoS.
- Keep reading and have a Big Dog.
DLightma@nyx.cs.du.edu
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ Who is Kaos? What is Phirst Amendment? +
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Well, Let's get the who before the what, shall we?
Author Profile: David Lightman
Nicknames: Daiv, Spif, Alec and a slew of other four letter names.
Age at this date: 22
Age at other dates: 14,9, and 28 respectively.
Favorite Books: Unlimited Power- Anthony Robbins
Roget's Thesaurus- Bob Roget
Live Debt Free- Ted Carroll
Past Handles: Richie Adler (for about 1 month) c.'83
Alec Brenden (stage name when playing with Monde) c.'85
Handle Origin: When I first started, it was a pretty common handle, but now
its origin is more arcane. The movie WarGames' main character.
Height: 'bout 6'0"
Weight: 155#
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Blonde
Computers: Toshiba Laptop, '286 mutt Clone (built it m'self), AT&T 6300.
Sysop of: The Dark Tower, Sigma Phi House
Co-sysop of: The Forbin Project, The Black Hole
Net Address: DLightma@nyx.cs.du.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
How'd it all start? Sheez... that's a question now isn't it? Well...
When I was REAL young, like 7 or 8, my parents bought a TRS-80 model
one for their business. It was intended to keep track of inventory and
customers and the like. It didn't take too long for me to start figuring out
how to program the thing; writing card games, and text adventures in BASIC.
I worked on that thing until it about blew up. (In fact, it did, or at
least the monitor did...) I was always trying to figure out new and faster
ways to do some of the simplest things. For instance, I spent a week figuring,
of the 100's of ways to change the screen from compleatly black to compleatly
white, which was the fastest. I finally found it and was satisfied...
Muahahaha.
Anyway, after the thing died, my father bought me a PCjr. The modem
was cheap and the salesman told him that, with Compuserve, it was a great
educational tool. (Yeah, right.) I started calling BBSes in the St. Louis
area at this point. I was calling basic AE boards and a few others and
cannot even remember what the program was called, but a few boards were The
Great White North, The Twilight Zone, The Junk Drawer, and The Rolla Link in
Exile (some of which are still up, I think...)
I saw all of these programs and decided to write one for the IBM, since
the only thing available at the time was FIDO and Apple programs. I
incorporated all of the functions that I found useful and some really stupid
ones like the spinning cursor and 'f/ph' convention. The Dark Tower was
born. I spread the number around through chats and teleconferences, and soon
had a pretty thriving 300 baud board... (laughs)
I was hanging around with a pretty elite crowd at the time: Knight
Lightning, Dr. Forbin, Taran King, Forest Ranger, Cool Shades, et. al. They
were all on my board at one time or another, and they helped make Dark Tower
what it was.
Not too long after, my parents divorced. My dad sold my computer for
like $150 or something. I was pissed. I moved out and lived on the streets
for a little while. I did so many different things to make money it isn't
even funny. But, I finally got my high school diploma and a few years of
college and thought I was good enough to take a crack at the Underground
Community again.
Here I am now, with about 5 years of street knowledge, a grudge the
size of Milwaukee, and a couple computers... I'm ready to rock. How 'bout you
Anesthesia?
===============================================================================
Author Profile: Anesthesia
Age at this date: 23
Favorite Books: Penthouse, Playboy, Hustler, and Gallery
Past Handles: Max Headroom
Ch:>pper
Space Monkey
The Illusionist
Handle Origin: It's a Metallica song.
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 140-180# (depends on the time of year and time of day)
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Brown
Computers: yes.
Sysop of: Frayed Ends of Sanity (606)491-3483
Co-sysop of: Too numerous to list
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Kay... It all started a long, long time ago... in a galaxy far, far... (wait
wrong story)
I started off with an original Apple and opened my first board pretty much
the first day I owned a modem. After looking at the vast availability of BBS
software in '78, I decided to write my own. That's how and why I learned how
to program. I learned from a lot of guys at MIT, people on chats across the
world, Internet, Telnet, Tymnet/Sprintnet. My best advice to anyone is to
always use the right tool for the wrong job. (as he tries to remove a screw
with a pair of tweezers) And NO! I don't cook chickens or other farm
animals in microwave ovens.
For many years, a member of several interesting and popular groups, my
board has supported many groups over its 12-13 years of operation and is always
ready to carry anyone's stuff.
Of the many people that have influenced me over the years, a few people I
would like to thank are Taxi, British Knight, Digitone Cypher, Rambo, Scooter,
Predat0r, but most of all Knight Lightning and Taran King for Phrack. Sorry for
those I missed due to space considerations, you will be recognized elsewhere
soon!
=============================================================================
In closing, we would like to express out thanks for giving our first issue a
chance. With your help, we can only get better! We would also like to thank
all boards that keep these files available for you. Also, thank YOU, in
advance, for passing this file on to another board for us. We need all the help
we can get in spreading our message and this file. We are still establishing
out distribution network and are counting on you to pass these first few around
until it IS established. Please keep reading this and STAY FREE!
- KAoS
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Poet's Corner |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
[Note by David Lightman: For those readers who were of age in the 60's, it's
real easy to determine what this song is most likely about. How many
governmental killings have their been? Who can count that high? Without a
trial of peers, without warning: people who are a threat to the people in power
can and have been "picked off" quite readily and most hastily throughout the
1950's and up. All the more reason to be a dissident, I feel.
This lyric illustrates, quite vividly, the purpose of this newsletter. Future
editions of Poet's Corner, will show similar views from other prominent members
of our society.
Aspiring Poets... have at it... send us your best.]
Right to Know
by Danny Elfman
from Oingo Boingo's Dark at the End of the Tunnel
On a cool, dark night, someone's coming down the street,
With a smoking gun and smile on his face
for all to see, the rest is history.
No one knows what's on his mind,
Except him and his monkey, come on... come on...
When the big man fell with a secret on his lips,
So Close, So Close - 'Til the bullet gave its kiss.
The World cried out. The rest is history.
No one knows what's on his mind,
except him and his monkey, come on... come on...
You've got a right to know...
You've got a right to know...
You've got a right to know...
You've got a right to believe that there's something more to see.
There's a man at the desk who is talking real soft,
to a half a dozen guys, but not a word is lost.
The men depart, they all know what to do...
With a rifle aiming through a clearing in a bush,
So close, So close; but no one thinks to look.
You've got a right to know...
You've got a right to know...
You've got a right to know...
You've got a right to believe that there's something more to see,
than a big bunch of flowers in a cemetery.
So why hold out, come on and give your testimony.
On a phone connection, on the other side of town,
sits a man with a pencil who doesn't make a sound.
He nods his head, the rest is history.
But no one knows what's on his mind,
except him and his monkey, come on... come on...
When the big man fell with a secret on his lips,
So Close, So Close - 'Til the bullet gave its kiss.
You've got a right to know...
You've got a right to know...
You've got a right to know...
You've got a right to believe that there's something more to see,
than a big bunch of flowers in a cemetery.
So why hold out, come on and give your testimony.
On a cool, dark night, someone's coming down the street...
[Not sure where to put this next column, so while you're still pumped up,
here's...]
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Chemical of the Month /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
by Anesthesia
This is where I can share with you some basic information on common chemicals. I do plan on compiling these into a series of recipes once you have been introduced to the basics of chemistry and rudimentary safety.
This time it is:
Sulfuric Acid
(H2 SO4)
AKA: Oil of Vitreol, dipping acid
Description:
Colorless or dark brown oily liquid
Uses: Manufacture of iron, steel, rayon, film, fertilizers, and dyes;
petroleum refining; etching; alkylation catalyst; electroplating
baths; laboratory reagent; nonferrous metallergy and batteries.
Hazards:
Highly toxic, extremely corrosive to body tissue; will cause
immediate and severe burns. Inhalation of vapor will cause loss of
consciencesness and severely damaged skin, eyes, and respiratory
tract. Keep cool and dry.
[Now for what can best be termed: The Topic of the Month.]
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Money |
| by David Lightman |
| Research Assistance by Anesthesia |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| dedicated to My Father |
| for teaching me the value of independent thought |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The major focus of my concentration for quite some time has been money.
Most people really like money. And a good many of our lives would be a little
inconvenienced by the lack of said currency. But what do we know about our
currency supply? What do we know about the bills themselves? These things and
more remain to be explored here...
*The Role of the Freemasons in our countries history:*
The remarkable part of the one-dollar bill is the Great Seal of the
United States (the two circular emblems on back). Some see in the seal,
evidence of a Masonic conspiracy. At any rate, the pyramid with the eye
above it is an obvious nod to Freemasonry. (The truncated pyramid represents
the unfinished temple of Solomon, the eye represents the Grand Architect of
the Universe.)
In 1954, University of Texas doctoral candidate, James David Carter,
wrote a dissertation (Freemasonry in Texas: Background, History, and
Influence in 1846) that summarized further rumored significance of the Great
Seal. It is claimed that the eagle on the seal has thirty-two feathers in
its right wing and thirty-three feathers in its left. The thirty-two
feathers symbolize the thirty-two Scottish Rite degrees (earned titles) of
Freemasonry. There are also thirty-three honorary degrees, which accounts
for the thirty-three feathers. The eagle's nine tail feathers correspond to
the nine degrees of the York Rite. "E. Pluribus Unum," on the eagle's banner
is a masonic motto. Above the eagle's head are thirteen stars, representing
the thirteen colonies but arranged to suggest a Star of David. King David
figures into Masonic legend. The glory around the thirteen stars is
celebrated with alternating long and short marks, suggesting the twenty-four
divisions of the Masonic gauge (ruler).
* Other Countries Money *
US Dollars are much easier to counterfeit compared to many foreign
countries. Not only to foreign currencies carry watermarks (a valuable
anticounterfeiting device the U.S. Treasury has declined to use), but they
also sport various high-tech gimmicks.
Buried inside the Scottish pound not is a strip of microfilm. Across
the top of the front one-pound note is written "The Royal Bank of Scotland
Limited." The Microfilm runs vertically through the 'n' in the word 'Bank'.
If you hold the note up to the light and examine the strip with a magnifying
glass, the film is seen to spell out the initials of the Royal Bank of
Scotland: RBS.
Israeli currency has an opaque magnetic filament that is said to spell
out the name of the central bank magnetically, in Morse code.
The Day-Glo Colors on many Third World currencies are there for a
reason. Bahamian money, for instance, has a "prismatic background"- a
delicate pattern of conch shells that grades from turquoise to lilac to pink
to orange to gold. A counterfeiter trying to reproduce the pastel tones on a
color copier runs into trouble. Fiddle with the color adjustments as he
might, at least one of the colors fails to reproduce.
Queen Elizabeth II's hair has been a source of notaphilic rumours in
the Commonwealth nations. The 1954 issue of Canadian dollars contained a
remarkably convincing devil's face in the Queen's hair, just to the right of
her earring. The portrait was retouched after public discovery of the face.
Now the devil's face dollars are virtually uncirculated. (Collectors HOARD
them.) The face was claimed to have been the work of an antiroyalist
engraver. The current portrait of the Queen on British pound notes has what
may be interpreted as a panting Pekinese dog. It is also in the hair, on the
right side, directly in line with the Queen's eyes.
All of these countries use state of the art anti-counterfeiting
technology. Yet the U.S. refuses to adopt any of them. Are they too stupid?
Has the bureaucratic machine become so large and cumbersome that matters of
security as important as our currency supply are left unguarded (or guarded
by 100 year old security systems)? Is someone being paid to leave American
bills the way they are? The pound, mark, etc haven't been in their present
form for the past 200 years? Why has our bill remained the same? (Easily
counterfeitable)
In a recent interview conducted with a member of the Tunisian military,
it is rumoured that Iran has for some time been buying America, chunks at a
time, with counterfeit cash. He said that there were definitely more reasons
for the conflict known as Desert Storm than were publicly stated. But that's
a whole issue in itself.
If a country in such poor financial shape as Iran can buy our country
from under us using counterfeit money... how many countries with slightly
higher standards of living and less morals have thought of the same thing?
* How easy IS it to counterfeit American currency? *
The Treasury Department does not produce the paper used to print
money. The paper's manufacture is contracted out to a private company better
known for business stationery: Crane and Company of Dalton, Massachusetts. The
type of currency paper now used, with the red and blue fibres, was developed
by the Treasury Department in conjunction with Crane and Company. It has
been in use since 1879.
Officially, the formulation of the paper is a secret. In fact, however,
there is very little that isn't know about the paper. Every counterfeiter
since 1879 has tried to duplicate it, with varying degrees of success. From
time to time, curious paper chemists have broken it down and surmised its
salient features. It's known, for instance, that the paper is 75% cotton and
25% linen. (Originally it was 100% linen, then 75%, and then 50%.) It is
permeated with red a blue fibres. U.S. Currency has three hidden security
features:
1. The paper fluoresces under and ultraviolet lamp.
2. The ink is magnetic-not to a degree you could notice with a pocket
magnet, but enough to be detected with special machines.
3. The paper is riddled with tiny, invisible holes. Under a
microscope, pinpoints of light shine through. (Many counterfeit papers
are solid.)
Money used to be made from used clothing. Crane purchased old cotton
shirts, hired ragpickers to remove the buttons, and bleached the fabric
white. Now most shirts contain polyester, and the dyes do NOT bleach out.
"New rag cuttings" - small squares of virgin fabric - rather than old shirts
are the principal raw material of money today. Crane buys them from textile
firms.
The first step in production of any rag paper is to convert the rag
into pulp. The cuttings of cotton and linen (in a 3 to 1 ratio) are mixed
with water - probably just enough to cover the cloth- and beaten in large
machines. Hours later, the mixture is a uniform pulp with no fibres
remaining.
The blue and red fibres must be added at this stage. If they were
added during the beating, the colored fibres would, likewise, be reduced to
pulp. Examination of the finished currency paper reveals that the fibres are
embedded in the paper, not just pasted onto its surface. Therefor they must
be mixed into the pulp before the sheets are formed.
The pulp is poured into molds. The paper molds usually consist of a
wooden frame with a fine wire mesh bottom. They are somewhat larger than the
dry, finished sheets, to allow for shrinkage. The pulp must be spread evenly
in the mold, and the amount of pulp must me gauged to a final dry-sheet
thickness in the range of 0.0042 to 0.0045 inches.
Excess water drips through the wire mesh, leaving a newly formed sheet
in the mold. The damp sheets are probably "couched" as most fine paper is -
carefully transferred to wool mats, or "felts". The sheets and felts are
sandwiched together and squeezed in a press to further remove water.
The next step is loft drying, to which currency paper owes much of its
durability. The sheets are peeled from the felts and placed on a large
screen, the loft, to dry. The faster paper dries, the stronger it becomes;
the loft allows it to dry from both sides at once.
Paper to be used for printing must be "sized". Sizing prevents the ink
from soaking in and spreading out. If you try to write on a paper towel (and
unsized paper) with a fountain pen, the ink would feather and the writing
become illegible. Currency paper, then, obviously is well-sized to take the
fine writing. The best sizing material, and the one that paper chemists
agree is used for U.S. currency, is glue. Glue-sizing is actually a gelatin
made by boiling the hooves, ears, and other unused parts of slaughtered
livestock. (Ick!!- Anesthesia) It is sold in a dry, flaky form, and
dissolved in water to yield a thin sizing bath. Dry sheets are immersed in
the bath, removed, pressed, and dried.
The exceptional uniformity of currency paper betrays the final step in
its manufacture. No matter how carefully, the pulp is spread in the molds,
even thickness is impossible to insure without plate finishing. In this
step, the sheets are sandwiched between polished, metal plates. Heavy
rollers compress these sandwiched sheets under great pressure. Although mere
lagniappe, this finishing is nearly impossible to duplicate with makeshift
equipment. High pressure rollers are expensive machines. (In contrast, all
the steps up to plate finishing can be duplicated by amateur paper-makers at
home.) The thickness of counterfeit paper usually varies outside the
Treasury Department tolerances.
The finished sheets are cut to measure 53.5 by 63.0 cm - just enough
for 32 bills, eight down and four across.
* What is money really worth? *
When this country first started doing the currency thing. They adopted
the term dollar for their bill, to spite the British and NOT call it the
pound. Instead of having an abstract term for tender that has no REAL value,
the government at the time, which WAS a good government, decided to back each
piece of tender with actual precious metals. Coins were made from silver.
With the exceptions of the lower valued coins which were made from less
precious metals. It would have been ridiculous to see the size of a coin
made from a pennys worth of silver. So to make the public more at ease with
carrying the coins, they were made of a pennys worth of copper and five cents
worth of nickel.
The U.S. Government requested and received permission from all other
countries and the citizens of America to produce coinage from the
aforementioned metals. Susan B. Anthony Dollars, Kennedy Half-Dollars,
Quarters and even dimes were to be bonded with copper and zinc, decreasing in
content of silver since 1965. In 1983 or so, the value of the dollar had
depreciated so much that the actual value of the copper in the penny was
about 2.5 cents. That was when The Department of Treasury decided to start
making pennies out of zinc. Zinc was NOT one of original metals that the
U.S. requested to mint.
The Original Dollar was the Gold note. Yes, those are very old and
ONLY worth one dollars worth of merchandise. (except to collectors) But why
does the U.S. government demand their return when they are deposited into a
bank? Why do they destroy them? Easy... They are contracts. They state that
the U.S. Dept of Treasury will pay the bearer on demand, one dollars worth of
GOLD! The Dept of Treasury now refuses and denies that this contract exists
on the bill. Incidentally, after the nations gold supply was spoken for,
they started making the more commonly known 'Silver Note' which is also hunted
down and killed, and the contract denied.
The whole reason behind the change of mind about backing the bills with
physical valuables was simply GREED! American politicians wanting to stimulate
the economy (and thus stay in office and maintain power) need only print more
money. Sure it's worth less (sic!), but people are stimulated into spending
more of it, when there's more to go around. Its effect is similar to decreasing
the Federal Interest Rate. More money is in the system, so consumers and
businesses are more likely to spend that money thus further increasing the
amount of money in physical circulation and the cycle, the politician hopes,
continues from there.
So, politicians since the 1900's have been steadily deteriorating the
value of the dollar, by allowing it to become an intangible item. A citizen
can live an entire year: Working, spending, circulating "cash"; and never
see a solitary bill. Direct deposit puts the check electronically in the
citizen's account. He writes checks and uses credit cards to pay his bills,
buy his necessities, etc. A check is written to Master Card for the balance,
and all the while, the citizen feels no doubt that his country's currency is
now an entirely abstract concept, backed by nothing but the support of the
country.
If, or more likely WHEN, this country does go belly up - every cent in
every citizens possession will be entirely useless... it cannot be melted
down, it cannot be redeemed, and no other country will honor currency from a
defunct country. We will be SOL! Ever notice that when the value of the
dollar decreases, the value of Gold and Silver increases?!? That is because
major economic indicators point at one time or another, that the country is
nearer or further from ruin. Intelligent investors KNOW that it is
inevitable. They buy tangible, precious metals as doomsday looks nearer.
So far it has not happened... When will it? I'd need a pair of crystal
balls to be able to determine that, but now that you KNOW, you can act.
Ignorance is no excuse. We WILL keep you informed.
Information from this article has been generated from several books I
have read over the years and interviews conducted with relevant parties.
Also a few conventions and recordings from people cited as being 'rebellious'
and some even charged with supposed 'Treason' and 'Conspiracy', for "leaking"
information that of which the public should be informed. It is for these
people I am inspired to keep that feeling alive. To not stop thinking for
myself, and to NEVER take the word of the government or a politician without
physical backup.
[While you're considering how politicians are trying to take more of the money
they print so abundantly. Here's an...]
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Editorial on |
| "The New Modem Tax" |
| by Anesthesia |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) is again attempting to impose a
"Modem Tax" on all informational services.
This has been attempted twice before (1987 and 1989) and will always be a
threat until it is retaliated against. This tax will require that all
informational services be required to pay for telephone line access based on
usage. This could cause prices of these services to increase by as much as 300
percent.
Some of you may feel that these high cost companies are getting what they
deserve. This may be true. But if this passes, what is to stop them from
charging us a tax on ALL modem use?
We highly suggest that you write your Congressman and local Representative
to protest this tax and any others like it. If you wish to enjoy your online
freedom (key word-"free") then We Must all join together and do this.
-Anesthesia
[Now that we've whet you're appetite, here's a fine article about how the
current political regime has illegally produced its non-backed denominations of
"tender".]
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Funny Money |
| by George T. Knoblauch |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
I was rummaging through an antique chest in our attic. I found an old
dollar bill which said "Silver Certificate" redeemable at any bank for one
silver dollar. I looked at a dollar bill which I had in my pocket but it only
said Federal Reserve Note. Not a word that I could redeem in silver dollars. I
thought a note was a debt. I figured: Hell, I'll take it to my bank the next
time I go and get a silver dollar for it. Would be nice to have an old silver
dollar for a change.
The next time I was at the bank, I gave the teller the old silver
certificate. I asked for a silver dollar to replace it. Her mouth dropped
open.
She said, "I'm sorry, sir, I have no authority to give you a silver dollar
for this bill."
"What do you mean? It says right on the bill that it can be redeemed at
any bank for a silver dollar!"
"Yes sir, it does. Just a minute while I ask the Vice-President to look at
it and to give you his decision."
The Vice-President came to the window with the dollar in his hand. He
said he was sorry but the redemption of these old bills stopped in 1964.
"How did that happen?" I asked.
"Congress passed a law taking us off the silver standard. They set a date
to allow for the exchange of these old bills for silver. That ended in 1964. I
can only suggest if you want a silver coin, you'll have to go to a coin shop."
I stopped at a coin shop on the way home. I found that I would have to pay
7 Federal Reserve Note dollars to purchase a one dollar silver coin.
"What a lot of nonsense." I said, "Just what in blazes is going on with our
money?"
GOLD--MONEY--SILVER--DOLLARS!
What did our Founding Fathers have in mind concerning money when they set
up our Constitution?
Was it to be a piece of paper with different numbers printed on it? No.
Do you think they had experience with paper money? You bet they did. In our
Constitution, (Art I, Sec 8), we gave Congress authority "to coin money".
Further, they are to regulate the value of our money. Nowhere in our agreement
for this business of government was the power given to "print money." The money
experience of the colonists under the Articles of Confederation was disastrous!
Each of the original colonies had gone through periods of coined money and paper
money. They had over 100 years of experience with money which varied from day
to day and from state to state. Paper money was no stranger to the men who went
to Philadelphia in 1787.
Roger Sherman was one of the delegates from Connecticut. He was largely
responsible for the restriction in our Constitution that money had to be coins
and not a piece of paper. Roger Sherman had the distinction of being the only
man to sign three major documents in the early history of our country.
His signature appears on the Articles of Confederation, Declaration of
Independence and of course, our Constitution. In 1752, he wrote a blistering
article against paper money entitled: A CAVEAT AGAINST INJUSTICE. He had spent
many years trying to run businesses in the private sector and experienced the
evils of paper money first hand. The book has been reprinted by Publisher
Spencer Judd. It is available from the publisher at
Spencer Judd
Post Office Box 143
Sewanee, TN 37375.
Major William Pierce, a delegate from Georgia, wrote sketches of all the
men who attended the Constitutional Convention. This is his description of
Roger Sherman: "Mr. Sherman exhibits the oddest shaped character I ever remember
to have met with. He is awkward, un-meaning, and unaccountably strange in his
manner. But in his train of thinking there is something regular, deep, and
comprehensive; yet the oddity of his address, the vulgarisms that accompany his
public speaking, and that strange new England cant which runs through his public
and private speaking make everything that is connected with him grotesque and
laughable; - and yet he deserves infinite praise; - no Man has a better Heart or
a clearer Head. If he cannot embellish he can furnish thoughts that are wise
and useful. He is an able politician, and extremely artful in accomplishing any
particular object; - it is remarked that he seldom fails."
(Documents Illustrative of the Formation of the Union of the American States,
House Document No. 398, 69th Congress, 1st Session) (1965).
There was a lot of debate during the convention about permission to issue
"bills of credit" or paper money. The other delegate from Connecticut was Mr.
Oliver Ellsworth. During debates on money he declared this was a good time to
shut the door against the future use of paper money. He further stated, "The
mischiefs of the various experiments which had been made, were now fresh in the
public mind and had excited the disgust of all the respectable part of America."
On the motion to deny permission for the government allowing the issuance of
paper money, only New Jersey and Maryland voted no.
Roger Sherman was on the committee which considered the prohibitions
against state governments. Mr. Sherman felt this was just the right situation
for crushing paper money. One proposition was to allow the issuance of paper
money by the states with the consent of the legislature. He said, "If the
consent of the Legislature could authorize emissions of it, the friends of paper
money, would make every exertion to get into the Legislature in order to license
it."
He and Mr. Wilson of Pennsylvania moved to add some special words. "Nor
emit bills of credit, nor make any thing but gold & silver coin a tender in the
payment of debts."
The entire convention agreed to this clause and included it in our
Constitution in Article I, Section 10. Let's examine that command. No State
shall emit bills of credit nor make any Thing but gold and silver coin a tender
in the payment of debts! I point out a small yet important item in that
restriction. Any Thing is two separate words and the word thing is capitalized.
Our Founding Fathers were determined that only gold and silver coin could be
legal tender. By capitalizing "Thing", they were certain no one could raise a
question in that aspect.
If you have a debt with the state in which you live, they cannot make any
thing a tender. This includes repayment of debt in other than gold and silver
coin. You can volunteer, of course, to pay the debt in anything your state will
accept. Be it money orders, checks, federal reserve notes, wampum, bingo chips
or beads. But we know there is no gold or silver coin in circulation. For any
state to force you to pay in any Thing but gold or silver is a violation of your
rights. It is also a violation of a specific state duty under Art. I, Section
10.
The Constitution is the supreme law of the land and is binding on all
states. The supremacy clause makes it very clear.
On March 3, 1884, the United States Supreme Court changed all that. In a
case called Juilliard vs Greenman, they said the restriction against the
issuance of paper money was against the states. It did not apply against the
federal government. The so-called interpreters of law have, again, taken it on
themselves to change our Constitution in violation of our amendment process.
A book written in 1886 by a historian named George Bancroft called "A PLEA
FOR THE CONSTITUTION" clearly points out the illegality and fallacy of the
decision by the Supreme Court. I recommend it highly and it is also available in
reprint from Publisher Spencer Judd, whose address appears above.
Another authorization we did not allow is for the legislative body to
delegate any of their duties to any other body, under ANY circumstances.
However, in 1913, Congress gave permission to a private corporation called the
Federal Reserve System to control our money. More on this in a later chapter.
Looking back to Section 8 of Article I, we find Congress is to "fix the
Standard of Weights and Measures." For the sake of our illustration, and to
show how idiotic it was to hand over the control of our money, let's pretend
Congress also gave that required duty of weights to a private company. This
outfit (whoever it might be) has decided an ounce is now a pound and a liquid
ounce is now and forever a gallon.
They are controlling only weights and measures... not the value of an
article. Now a gallon of gasoline costs you $32.00 instead of one dollar. The
cost of a rib steak is now about $64.00 a pound. Can you imagine how the people
would explode if this had happened? Only because Congress reneged on its duties
to fix the standard of weights and measures.
We know they didn't give this duty to a private outfit. They DID give the
mandated duty to regulate the value of our money to a private company. Now who
is breaking the law? The same thing happens to the value of our dollar as in the
above illustration of variations in weights and measures. The effect is not as
dramatic because they complete money manipulation slowly and it is carried on
behind closed doors. People are mostly ignorant on money issues. The
bureaucracy and the Fed prefer it that way.
We often hear the phrase "ignorance of the law is no excuse." What do you
suppose their excuse is for violating our basic law? Ignorance on our part of
this dereliction of congressional duty is also no excuse.
Alexander Hamilton in The Federalist Papers, No. 42 equates the value of
coins with weights and measures. "The regulation of weights and measures is
transferred from the Articles of Confederation, and is founded on like
considerations with the preceding power of regulating coin."
All the gobbledegook in Washington DC will not change the fact our elected
people in Congress did and are violating their oaths. They are breaking the
law. And we are the victims!
James Madison, in paper No. 44, speaks of the restrictions against the
states (Art I, Sec 10) by saying "The extension of the prohibition to bills of
credit must give pleasure to every citizen in proportion to his love of justice
and his knowledge of the true springs of public prosperity. The loss which
America has sustained since the peace, from the pestilent effects of paper money
on the necessary confidence between man and man, on the necessary confidence in
the public councils, on the industry and morals of the people, and on the
character of republican government, constitutes an enormous debt against the
States chargeable with this unadvised measure - it may now be observed that the
same reasons which show the necessity of denying to the States the power of
regulating coin prove with equal force that they ought not to be at liberty to
substitute a paper medium in place of coin."
Yet the states cry they have to use whatever the federal government issues
for money. From what we have looked at so far, we all know this is pure horse
manure. The relationship of the states to the national government is turned
upside down. The states were jealous of their sovereignty and that was
apparent throughout the convention. This was to be a union of states, not an all
powerful federal government which could do no wrong. We've let it get away from
us. What consideration can our elected officials give to their oath? Perhaps
it's just a ritual now, only so many words which have to be recited each time we
return them to the funny farm in Washington.
If they were honorable men, the oath would be all important and binding on
them. Then we would not have to worry if our Constitution were being obeyed.
Okay, now what do we have to do? Throw them all out of office whenever they come
up for election. We certainly don't need Republicans, Democrats, liberals,
right wingers, conservatives or left wingers. There is no requirement that a
member of Congress be a lawyer either! We need those bakers, butchers and
computer operators. We need honest Americans as our representatives who will
restore our Republic to the greatness our Founding Fathers intended. Get on the
phone and call the local offices of all Senators and Congressmen. Ask where
they found authority to delegate their duties to a private company like the
Federal Reserve or to any other body for that matter. Write letters to their
Washington offices and ask the same questions.
Write your Governors and ask if the United States Constitution is still
binding on the state. Ask specifically about the restriction in Art I, section
10! Letters every couple of weeks would not be too often to let them know you
know what is going on. You want it changed. Certainly it wouldn't be too much
to require them to obey a document they swore to uphold.
Reports are that some of the State Supreme Courts have decided that the
restriction does not apply to their particular states. By what right? Did you
agree to allow the judiciary of your state to decide that the oaths to support
the Constitution is no longer binding on them? They need to be denied their
offices also.
We now have lawyers running and manipulate our lives. Let's make it stop.
These sort of decisions only show that lawyers are taking care of their own in
the mutual admiration society called government. If government thinks we would
agree to paper money instead of gold and silver, submit a proposed amendment to
our Constitution. Let's find out if we will allow for the change. The
amendment process is spelled out in Art V. Make them use it and stop these
violations of our basic law.
They really have a good deal. They can issue a piece of paper with the
number one on it followed by as many zeros as they feel necessary. Then it can
be called money. They also are aware that gold and silver cannot be
counterfeited!
They prefer the paper method. AFTER ALL... IT'S YOUR MONEY! But then,
they will probably ask... just who are you? Simply remind them.
[This column has a decent introduction of its own, so here's]
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Food for Thought |
| by Storm |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
This section is to focus a little more attention on one specific aspect
of our government's 'manipulation', if you will, of our society in attempt to
maintain full control of our populous, en masse. That aspect is, diet.
Why has the USDA admitted that the amount of protein actually required
for human life, is about half of what they currently list as the RDA of protein?
I hate to keep saying this, but it's the common denominator of our culture,
GREED! Politicians don't stay in office if they displease powerful entities.
Politicians don't get their juicy kickbacks, if they don't do as the SIGs
(Special Interest Groups) wish. Why else would lawyers, who otherwise would
be making at least $100K a year with big law firms, take a job making half of
that (sic) and be harassed by the public, after spending hundreds of thousands
of dollars to campaign. It's not their humanitarian nature coming out, it's
their greed.
One specific SIG we will be addressing, is the Beef Industry. Another, the
American Dairy Council, among others of their ilk.
I have been a vegetarian for about five years now. Before I made the
switch, (Yes, I was raised on the standard meat and potatoes fare.) I read as
much as I could find on the topic of vegetarianism. I found books on every
aspect: Religious, Dietary (losing weight), Planetary Gain, and Economic.
If you live on your own, no doubt you've experienced the sticker shock, as
I did, when you visit the meat department of your local SunFresh, Safeway, IGA,
or what have you. That was one of my first motivators.
Being one of the first vegetarians, at the beginning of what seems to be a
trend, put a spotlight on me. People who were interested incessantly asked for
recipes, ideas, information on which products are animal based and which are
borderline, the list of questions goes on and on.
I've decided that as vegetarianism, for the time being, is an alternative
lifestyle, there is, indeed, a place for its recognition in The Phirst
Amendment.
I'll start with the basics of how the government is doing things that we
haven't necessarily approved of, with our tax dollars, to support the meat
industry, even though it is essentially a huge waste. I'll then progress to the
health benefits, and provide a recipe that you can try to see that, in reality,
one can actually ENJOY a vegetarian diet.
If there is enough response, I will consider a between issues issue,
specifically of Food for Thought and a few columns from readers.
Francis Moore Lappe, food expert and author of Diet for a Small Planet,
said in a TV interview that we should view steak as a Cadillac. "What I mean",
she explained, "is that we in America are hooked on gas-guzzling automobiles
because of the illusion of cheap petroleum. Likewise, we got hooked on a grain-
fed meat based diet because of the illusion of cheap grain."
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has compiled data over
the years, concluding that over 90% of the grain produced in the U.S. are fed to
livestock that is destined to be slaughtered for meat. Yet the process of
producing meat from grain is extremely wasteful. For example, the USDA's
Economic Research Service tells us that we get back only one pound of beef from
sixteen pounds of grain.
Dr. Aaron Altshul points out in his book, "Proteins: Their Chemistry and
Politics", that in terms of calories per acre, a diet of grains, vegetables, and
beans will support 20X as many people as will a diet of meat. As it stands now,
over half of the harvested acreage is used to feed animals. If the earth's
farmlands were used primarily for the production of vegetarian foods, the planet
could easily support 20G people and more.
Facts like this have led experts to point out that the world hunger problem
is mostly illusory. We are producing enough food at this point to feed
everyone. The allocation of the food we DO have is poorly managed. Rene
Dumont, a French agricultural economist reported to the United Nations World
Food Conference: "The overconsumption of meat by the rich means hunger for the
poor. This wasteful agriculture must be changed - by...a massive reduction of
feed cattle."
From the economic viewpoint alone, reduction of our cattle crop would seem
quite sound - unless you happen to be in the meat industry. In a cow rancher
trade publication -"Farm Journal", an editorial was printed entitled, "Who Will
Defend the Good Name of Beef?". The magazine urged the nation's beef-cattle
raisers to chip in $40 million to finance publicity to keep beef consumption and
prices sky high. I'm sure you've noticed the ads: "Beef: Real food for Real
people." and "Beef: It's what's for dinner." and "Beef: Linked with heart
disease and Cancer - Eat up!"... oh, I don't think that last one made it to the
press yet... Why, suddenly, are they forking so much of their profits into
keeping people eating what they have (supposedly) been eating all along and know
is good for them? Perhaps it's the fact that in England alone, over 28,000
people switch over to vegetarianism - EVERY WEEK! In England, they mark which
products have no animal-based products with a nifty little green mark.
It's a breeze to be a vegetarian, when the government you are ruled by is
receptive to it. However, our country is spending millions to keep the meat
industry alive. Where does that money come from? Our pockets! The meat
industry has managed to grab, through its power as an economic and political
force, a unfair chunk of our tax dollars. The meat industry is so wasteful and
costly that it needs subsidies in order to survive. Consider this: If it were
not for the subsidies provided by our tax dollars, low-grade hamburger would run
upwards of $7 a pound. Most people are unaware of how heavily the government
supports the meat industry by outright grants (money that doesn't have to be
paid back - EVER!), favorable loan guarantees, et al. In 1977, the U.S
government bought an extra $100 million of surplus beef and school lunch
programs.
More tax dollars are siphoned away to support a disease-controlling network
of inspectors. If an animal dies of disease, we (taxpayers) pay the farmer to
dispose of the carcass. If we didn't pay him to destroy it, it would end up on
John and Sally Lunchbucket's dinner table. In 1978, $50 million dollars were
given to cattle farmers for destroying cattle with brucellosis (a flulike
disease that affects cattle and other animals.) Under another program, the U.S.
government guarantees loans (meaning if the rancher defaults, the tax money
covers the tab) for up to $350,000 for meat producers. Other farmers only
receive guarantees of up to $20,000. An editorial in the New York Times called
this subsidy bill "Outrageous", stating that it was "a scandalous steal out of
the public treasury." Also, despite much evidence from government health
agencies showing the link between meat-eating and cancer and heart disease, the
USDA still continues to spend millions promoting meat consumption through its
publications and school lunch programs.
Not only is our economy affected, but so is our environment. The U.S.
Agricultural Research Service determined that the contaminated runoff from
slaughter houses and feedlots are a major source of pollution to our nations
water supply. Not only is our fresh water supply being polluted by the meat
industry, it is being depleted as well. Paul and Anne Ehrlich explain in their
book "Population, Resources, and Environment," that to grown one pound of wheat
requires a mere 60 gallons in comparison to a pound of meat which requires a
total of 2,500 to 6,000 pounds of water! One large chicken slaughtering
operation in Tennessee was found to be using 100 MILLION gallons of water DAILY!
This same volume would supply a city of 25,000 people.
I overhead a conversation in a bus terminal, where each person was
pretending to be "Green" (slang for Environmentally Conscious). One was saying
how the car of the other was generating a deluge of gasses. And that cars, too,
not just the CFCs (Chloro-fluorocarbons) from spray cans, aided to the global
warming trend called the "Greenhouse effect". The one who was being attacked
responded, "Oh, what cars do is nominal compared to the ether produced from all
those cows." TRUE! Know WHY there ARE so many damn cows?? We raise them
specifically to EAT! They don't just wander around the plains and mate so
profusely that we just cannot control their numbers except for hunting them down
and killing them... (oh and we might as well eat them...) We genetically
control the mating of cows to create the largest one that puts on the most bulk.
The instant they reach peak size... WHAM! in the head with a sledgehammer and
straight to your table, after a couple of weeks hanging around. Incidentally,
the newest piece of cow in your average market, will be no less than one month
dead.
The whole idea of killing things to survive allows us remain desensitized
and therefor be more easily used a puppets. If we kill animals for sport, if we
kill animals for food, if we cause pain or death intentionally; it gradually
becomes even easier to kill our own kind: not just for our own survival, perhaps
even for sport. This tangent will be continued in a forthcoming issue.
How do you survive without meat?
I have no idea how many times that question has been asked of me. But the
answer is: 'Quite Easily.' With increased evidence of the effect of diet on the
life and well-being of the human body, more and more people are asking: Is it
actually better to be vegetarian?
In search of the answer, let us consider two different aspects - the
anatomical structure of the human body and the physical effects of meat
consumption.
Physiological Comparisons
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meat-Eater | Herbivore | Man
| |
Has Claws | No Claws | No Claws
| |
No Skin pores, perspires| Perspires through skin | Perspires through skin
through tongue | pores | pores
| |
Sharp front teeth for | No sharp front teeth | No sharp front teeth
tearing, no flat molars | has flat rear molars | has flat rear molars
for grinding | |
| |
Intestinal tract 3 times| Intestinal tract 10-12 | Intestinal tract 12 times
body length so rapidly | times body length | body length
decaying meat can pass | |
out quickly | |
| |
Strong hydrochloric acid| Stomach acid 20 times | Stomach acid 20 times
in stomach to digest | less strong than meat- | less strong that meat-
meat | eaters | eaters.
Since eating begins with the hands and mouth, what can those parts tell us?
Human teeth, like those of other herbivorous creatures, are designed for
grinding and chewing vegetable matter. Humans lack the sharp front teeth for
tearing flesh that are characteristic of carnivores. Meat eating animals
generally swallow their food without much chewing and, therefore, have no need
for the grinding capacity that molars provide. Also the human hand, with no
sharp claws and with its opposable thumb, is better suited to harvesting fruits
and vegetables than to killing prey.
Once in the stomach, meat requires digestive juices high in hydrochloric
acid. The stomaches of humans and other herbivores produce acid less than
1/20th the strength of that found in carnivores.
Another crucial difference between the meat-eater and the vegetarian is the
length of the intestinal tract. This is where digestion is compleated and that
which is in the food, be it disease or nutrient, is absorbed into the blood. A
piece of meat is just a chunk of corpse, and its putrefaction creates poisonous
wastes within the body. Therefore meat must be passed quickly. For this
reason, carnivores have short digestive tracts (only 3 times their body length).
Since man, like other non-flesh-eating animals has an alimentary canal 12 times
his body length, rapidly decaying flesh is retained for a much longer time,
producing a host of undesirable toxic effects.
One organ adversely affected by these toxins is the kidney. This vital
organ, which extracts wastes from the blood, is strained by the overload of
poisons introduced by meat consumption, just as it is the first organ to go in
alcoholics. Even moderate meat eaters demand three times the work from the
kidneys than do vegetarians. The kidneys of a young person may be able to
handle this, but as one grows older, the chance of kidney failure greatly
increases.
The inability of the human body to deal with excessive animal fats and
cholesterol (which is found ONLY in animal products) is another indication that
meat-eating is not natural for the human body. Carnivorous animals can
metabolize almost unlimited amounts of cholesterol and fats without any adverse
affects. In experiments with dogs, up to one pound of butterfat was added to
their diet over a period of two days, producing absolutely no change in their
serum cholesterol level.
On the other hand, the vegetarian species have a very limited ability to
deal with any level of cholesterol or fats beyond the amount required by the
body. When, over a period of many years, and excess is consumed, fatty deposits
(plaque) accumulate on the inner walls of the arteries, producing a condition
known as arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Because of the reduced
blood flow to the heart, the chance for heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots
is increased greatly.
As early as 1961, the "Journal of the American Medical Association" stated
that 90-95% of heart disease, the cause of more than half of the deaths in the
US, could be prevented by a vegetarian diet. [Diet and Stress in Vascular
Disease, Jrnl of AMA, 3 June, 1961 p. 806] These findings are supported by an
American Heart Association report that states, "In well documented population
studies, using standard methods of diet and coronary disease assessment...
evidence suggests that a high-saturated-fat diet is an essential factor for a
high incidence of coronary heart disease." The National Academy of Sciences
also reported that the high serum cholesterol level found in most Americans is a
major factor in the coronary heart disease "epidemic" in the United States.
Further evidence of the unsuitability of the humans intestinal tract for
the digestion of flesh is the relationship between colon cancer and meat-eating.
One reason for the incidence of cancer is the high-fat, low fibre content of the
meat-centered diet. This results in a slow transmit time through the colon,
allowing toxic wastes to do their damage. While being digested, meat is known
to generate steroid metabolites possessing carcinogenic (cancer-causing)
properties.
As research continues, evidence linking meat-eating to other forms of
cancer is building up at an alarming rate. The National Academy of Sciences
reported in 1983 that "people may be able to prevent many common cancers by
eating less fatty meats and more vegetables and grains." In his "Notes on the
Causation of Cancer", Rollo Russell writes, "I have found of twenty-five
nations eating flesh largely, nineteen had a high cancer rate and only one had a
low rate, on that of thirty-five nations eating little or no flesh, none had a
high rate."
Some of the most shocking results in cancer research have come from
exploration of the effects of nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are formed when
secondary amines, prevalent in beer, wine, tea, and tobacco, for example, react
with chemical preservatives in meat. The FDA has labelled nitrosamines "one of
the most formidable and versatile groups of carcinogens and their role... in the
etiology of human cancer has caused growing apprehension among experts." Dr.
William Lijinksky of Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducted experiments in
which nitrosamines were fed to test animals. Within six months he found
malignant tumors in 100% of the animals. "The cancers," he said, "are all over
the place; in the brain, lungs, pancreas, stomach, liver, adrenals, and
intestines. The animals are a bloody mess."
Numerous other potentially hazardous chemicals, of which consumers are
generally unaware, are present in meat and meat products. In their book
"Poisons in Your Body," Gary and Steven Null give us an inside look at the
latest gimmicks used in the corporate-owned animal factories. "The animals are
kept alive and fattened by the continuous administration of tranquilizers,
hormones, and 2,700 other drugs," they write. "The process starts even before
birth and continues long after death. Although these drugs will still be
present in the meat when you eat it, the law does not require that they be
listed on the package."
One of the chemicals is diethylstilbestrol (DES), a growth hormone that has
been used in the U.S. for the last thirty years despite studies that have shown
it to be carcinogenic. Banned as a serious health hazard in thirty-two
countries, it continues to be used in the U.S. meat industry, possibly because
the FDA estimates it saves meat producers more than $500 million annually. So
in order to stimulate profit, they poison the consumer, willingly and knowingly.
Another popular growth s
timulant is arsenic. In 1972, this well known
poison was found by the USDA to exceed the legal limit in 15% of the nation's
poultry.
Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite, chemicals used as preservatives to slow
down the putrefaction in cured meat and meat products, including ham, bacon,
bologna, salami, frankfurters, and fish also endanger health. These chemicals
give meat its bright red color by reacting with pigment in the blood and muscle.
Without them, the natural gray-brown color of dead meat would turn off many
prospective consumers.
Unfortunately, these chemicals do not distinguish between the blood of a
corpse and the blood of a living human, and many persons accidentally subjected
to excessive amounts have died of poisoning. Even smaller quantities can prove
hazardous, especially for young children and babies.
Because of the filthy, overcrowded conditions forced upon animals by the
livestock industry, vast amounts of antibiotics must be used. But such rampant
use of antibiotics naturally creates strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
that are passed on to those who eat the meat. The FDA estimates that penicillin
and tetracycline save the meat industry $1.9 billion per year, giving them
sufficient reason to overlook the health hazards.
The trauma of being slaughtered also adds "pain poisons" (such as powerful
stimulants) into the meat. These join with uneliminated wastes in the animal's
blood, such as urea and uric acid, to further contaminate the flesh that
consumers eat.
In addition to dangerous chemicals, meat often carries diseases from the
animals themselves. Crammed together in unclean conditions, force-fed, and
inhumanely treated, animals destined for slaughter contract many more diseases
than they ordinarily would. Meat inspectors attempt to filter out unacceptable
meats, but because of pressures from the industry and lack of sufficient time
for examination, much of what passes is far less wholesome than the meat
purchaser realizes.
A USDA report lists carcasses that passed inspection after diseased parts
were removed. Examples included nearly 100,000 cows with eye cancer and
3,596,302 cases of abscessed liver. The government also permits sale of
chickens with airsacculitis, a pneumonia-like disease that causes pus-laden
mucus to collect in the lungs. In order to meet federal standards, the
chicken's chest cavities are cleaned out with air-suction guns. But during this
process, diseased air sacs burst and pus seeps into the meat
The USDA has even been found to be lax in enforcing its own standards. In
its capacity of overseeing federal regulatory agencies, the U.S. General
Accounting Office cited the USDA for failure to correct various violations by
slaughterhouses. Carcasses contaminated with rodent feces, cockroaches, and
rust were found in meat-packing companies such as Armour, Swift, and Carnation.
[Jean Snyder, "What You'd Better Know About the Meat You Eat." Today's Health,
Vol 19, pp38-39.]
For many Americans, protein makes up more than 20% of their diet, nearly
twice the quantity recommended by the WHO (World Health Organization). Although
inadequate amounts of protein will result in loss of strength, excess protein
cannot be utilized by the body; rather, it is converted into nitrogenous wastes
that burden the kidneys. The primary energy source for the body is
carbohydrates. Only as a last resort is the body's protein supply used for
energy production. Too much protein intake actually reduces the body's energy
capacity. In a series of endurance tests conducted by Dr. Irving Fisher of
Yale, vegetarians performed twice as well as meat-eaters. By reducing the non-
vegetarians' protein intake by 20%, Dr. Fisher found their efficiency increased
by 33%. Numerous other studies have shown that a proper vegetarian diet
provides more nutritional energy than meat. Furthermore, a study by Dr J.
Iotekyo and V. Kanpani at Brussels University showed that vegetarians were able
to perform physical tests two to three times longer than meat-eaters and were
fully recovered from fatigue in one-fifth the time needed by meat-eaters.
You may think that I am preoccupied with living forever and that's my
motivation. My motivation is to outlive those who are suppressive in our midst.
By being healthier, I suffer less down time. When I changed my diet to
vegetarian a few years back, I noticed that I was more aware and could
concentrate more easily. By subscribing to the common mentality that American
powers want you to, you can end up an excellent puppet, unable to think, unable
to stand up for your opinions, which you are unable to form. That's not what I
want out of my life... How about you? By having an entire subculture aware of
what is going on around them and able to act, we may just change this country
around.
- Storm
Barbecued Eggplant and Lentils
I know there's a lot of social stigma about lentils, being a hippy food (as
in The Young One's - Neal always making Lentil this or lentil that...) And I've
never like eggplant all that much... but this recipe is EXCELLENT! Definitely
worth a try.
1 cup dried lentils 2 cups water
1 medium eggplant (1.5 lbs) 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup oil
2 onions, thinly sliced 2 cups tomato puree, juice,
2 tablespoons wine or cider vinegar or pulp
2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons chili powder Hot pepper sauce to taste
Combine lentils and water in a 2-quart pot, bring to a boil, cover, and
simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes, combine flour and salt in a
paper bag, and shake eggplant in this mixture to coat.
Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet, add eggplant, and cook about 10
minutes, turning to brown all sides. Add all the other ingredients except the
lentils, bring to a gentle boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 to 20
minutes, while waiting for the lentils.
Taste sauce for seasoning and adjust, if necessary. Stir in lentils,
replace cover, and continue to cook until lentils are quite tender, about 30
minutes. If sauce becomes too thick or dry, add more tomato liquid, as needed.
Cooking too vigorously will cause liquid to evaporate, so try to keep sauce at
just a simmer.
[Now that we've all been environmentally enlightened...]
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Paper Recycling |
| by David Lightman |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
You've heard a lot about paper recycling. Some of it's garbage. Some of
it's not. If you really want to save the planet, you'd better get the straight
facts on recycled paper. And you'd better make sure that the recycled paper
you're buying is made from POST-CONSUMER waste. Otherwise, you're doing very
little to help our environment. Here's Why.
Post-Consumer waste is garbage. It is USED paper, like newspaper and
computer paper. It is paper that would normally end up in landfills.
Manufactured waste is not garbage. It comes from the scraps of paper left
over after products like envelopes and tablets are made. These scraps have
always been reused by paper manufacturers. They've never been dumped in our
landfills. A lot of "100% recycled" papers are made from 100% manufactured
waste.
Consider these facts: For every ton of post-consumer waste paper used, 17
trees are left standing. One ton of post-consumer recycled paper saves enough
energy to run the average home for six month. Paper takes up 40% of our
landfills. U.S. landfills are closing at the rate of about one per day. One
ton of post-consumer recycled paper saves 7,000 gallons of water.
Turn it around. Buying and using recycled paper made with POST-CONSUMER
waste, is only part of the solution. You should also be recycling the paper you
use everyday.
[Speaking of trash, and its uses: Here's an excellent article by Anesthesia
with another viewpoint on that topic.]
_____________________________________________________________________________
[ Dumpster Diving: ]
[ Why, Where, When, and How ]
[ by Anesthesia ]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is one of my favorite pasttimes to occupy my extremely spare time
(HA!) It is like a scavanger hunt for knowledge each time. You would not
believe what people throw away without a care or worry.
First, I will cover 'Why!' The reasons are simple. Trash is in the eye of
the beholder. [Ouch! - Daiv] There are many useful things you may find or
learn. It is an easy way to gain books, memos of various natures, (including
password and number changes), and full credit reports to name a few things.
Plus, it is generally a safer and easier way to gain these items than any other
way I can name.
Where? Well, businesses are generally the best. Pick things you are
interested in. I suggest car dealerships, strip malls, restaurants, and such.
I tend to stay away from large malls due to the high risk (from the security)
and difficulty of obtaining useful items. I do know of ways to overcome this
and I will discuss these in later issues.
When? I suggest late at night, while wearing dark clothes. [Dark brown is
much better than black, as black is much darker than natural darkness - Daiv]
This is my opinion, but I feel it is better to be safe and free than brave and
(possibly) incarcerated. Social Engineering skills come in handy for any
daytime diving. Also, avoid patterns and repitition. Do not make a systematic
plan that involves hitting so many in one area. Spread out, it is much easier
not to get caught, if they are NOT waiting for you.
How? Wear dark, nonrestrictive clothing. Do NOT wear baggy items. But
if you do, try to take them in by using duct or electrical tape. You do not
want to get your pants snagged while you've got to 'not be where you are' very
quickly! I also suggest that if you drive - to park a distance from the
immediate area. I prefer to park on the other side of some woods. Have a
excuse prepared as to why you are there just in case. The 'poor kid getting
aluminum cans' is a good one, since you're wearing old clothes anyway.
Good luck and expect to hear more on this in the future.
- Anesthesia
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Gnus around Town |
| by David Lightman |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
This section is to be supported by you, our readers. Keep us informed of
deals going on around you that can help everyone. Especially if we all do it at
the exact same time. (heh)
Ford is currently hosting FREE repairs to Ford Trucks from '84 and up as an
incentive to new truck buyers and to maintain customer loyalty. If you are the
original owner, any truck from 1984 to 1993 will be repaired for free. Any
truck from 1987-1993, regardless what generation owner you are. The types of
repairs covered by this new promotion is unknown. This program is not being
advertised widely. Let's make it so.
Info from: The Mechanic
Denver, CO
Although most states have automobile lemon laws, only Florida records each
instance of vehicles that couldn't be fixed. Its 1991 listings, weighing the
number of `lemons' against the carmakers' statewide market shares, shows Honda
as the best, with a lemon index of 0.00. Close behind - with indexes of 0.29
and 0.50 - are Ford and General Motors, respectively. They are followed by
Toyota/0.70, and Mazda/0.95. The worst lemons in Florida: BMW/9.32 followed by
Hyundai/7.34, VW/5.41, Mercedez/3.63, and Volvo/3.32.
Info from: Florida Lemon Law
Arbitration Program
A free newsletter called "Gifted Education News-Page" contains current
information on educating gifted children. Discussions of current issues in the
field... reviews of books and educational materials are covered in this bi-
monthly periodical. Again, it is free.
Gifted Education Press
Box 1586
10201 Yuma Court
Manassas, VA 22110
Info from: Oliver Wendell Jones
St. Louis, MO
Counterfeiting is escalating. Near-perfect $100 bills are turning up -
sporadically all around the world. The bills have been improving since 1990-
although the media only recently discovered that these phony bills exist.
Problem: These particular fakes are so good, they fool the Federal
Reserve's state-of-the-art currency handling machines.
Beware: Phony bills of only slightly lower quality - still very hard to
spot - are popping up everywhere... thanks to color laser printers.
Caution: Counterfeit bills should be turned into a bank... but there's no
reimbursement. Never try to pass phony bills as the real thing. The penalties
are far more costly than the face of the bad bill.
by Edward P. Mrkvicka, Jr.
Reliance Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 413
22115 O'Connell Rd.
Marengo, IL 60152
Condom allergies are becoming a problem as more people use latex-rubber
brands for safe sex. About 1-2% of the United States population - male and
female - is allergic to latex rubber. Symptoms: Redness and swelling in the
groin, vaginal burning, an eczema-like rash on the inner thighs. See a doctor
if symptoms develop - a switch to a different type of condom is usually helpful.
Author requested Anonymity
For those of you familiar with Phrack's mailing service, but haven't
checked out the server in a while. It's worth checking out again. They now
offer much more than just mailings of Phrack. Send an Internet message to
Phrack@StormKing.Com with the body of help for more assistance. A big 'huzzah'
to the folks at Phrack for the extra services! We DO appreciate them.
Ranxerox
Cincinnati, OH
Sierra, a maker of fine games, has done quite a lot with their new online
service lately! Interactive games, chat, and picture personalities, just to
name a few. Call 1-800-Sierra1 for more information, or check out their ad in
the 1992 issue of online access.
The Terminator
San Francisco, CA
[Every newsletter seems to have a section for plugging BBSs. The following
column will allow readers to profile BBSs nationwide that have piqued their
interest.]
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| BBS Connection |
| by Anesthesia |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
In an attempt to help good users find great boards we would like to review certain boards that we call or hear about. If you would like a BBS mentioned, write us with details. As an example, I'll use my board:
Board Name: Frayed Ends of Sanity
Phone Number: (606)491-3483
Previous Incarnations: Infinity Complex, Quests End, Terror Dome
Year of Origination: Circa 1980
System Type: IBM
Software Type: Single-User TAG, soon to switch back to The Major
Sysops: Harvester of Sorrow, and Anasthesia
Speeds: 1200/2400/9600/38400
New User Password: NA
Other Info: An old large board that is always growing. Mainly for support of
text files, virii research, and freedom of speech. Very
informative and active with high and varied message content.
Averages five megs of uploads per day. Always looking for new
callers and ideas. Give us a ring, we are waiting.
===============================================================================
Conclusion:
Not too many contributions this issue. We've really given ourselves a
quick deadline. And, quite frankly, I'm surprised that we've had the response
we have (and this is the first issue!). By all means, write to us in any way
you can. Try calling Frayed Ends of Sanity @(606) 491-3483. Send us mail at
DLightma@nyx.cs.du.edu. We are here for you. We do respond to our mail. If
you wish either of us specifically to reply, just say so in correspondence at
either site.
Any ideas, comments, anything... are welcome. By February we will have a
mailbox set up. And by March or so, we're gonna set up a BBS. It should become
increasingly easier to contact us.
Article I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or
the press; or the right of the people, peacably, to assemble and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances.
