The HomeCraft BBS
This will be a regular column in the HPJ -- a place for you to express your thoughts and say anything you want to say. Tell the world about the little things that make life worth living or that irritates you. What are you thankful for? What bother's you? What problems do you have? How would you make the world a better place? What would you change in your life? What makes you happy -- or sad?
Our rules for this column are simple. We ask that you keep what you have to say to no more than two or three paragraphs. (Anything longer can be published as an article). And we will not publish anything that libels a person or group of people, or that incites violence or hatred. The HPJ is about finding ways to solve problems and live together, not creating problems and barriers between people.
We will not publish your name, unless you specifically request us to do so. However, all material submitted to the HPJ THOUGHTS column must include the writer's name. We will include the writer's initials so that each thought can be identified. We will, at your request, use initials other than your own.
If you want to specifically respond to something another person has said in this column, you can identify their remarks by the issue number and their initials. For example, if you want to comment about the first thought in this issue (about letting kids answer the phone), you might say something like, "In issue one, LLJ didn't like people who let their kids answer the phone. I disagree... "
How do you send your thoughts, comments, problems, loves, dislikes, and ideas for creating world peace to the HPJ?
You can write us a letter. Send it to: The HPJ, P.O. Box 1123, Cannon Beach, OR 97110
You can also call our BBS and send an E-Mail to: HPJ EDITOR. The number for our BBS is: 503-692-0382. (For more information about the BBS, please see the section in this issue which discusses using the HomeCraft BBS).
You can send a fax to: 503-692-0382. Notice that our BBS and fax numbers are the same. Our computer automatically detects whether the call is for the fax machine or the BBS. If you are sending a fax, start sending it as soon as you hear our phone start to ring (automatic fax machines will do this when they send a fax). This allows our computer to detect the fax tone from your fax machine.
For this first issue I asked some of my neighbors and business associates about their feelings, problems and their advice for making a better world. Here's what they had to say:
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I don't like calling people who let their little kids answer the phone. - LLJ
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Religion and churches have it all wrong. To create a better world we don't need to love one another. The message has become distorted over the centuries. Although he was paraphrasing someone else, John F. Kennedy came closer to what the world needs when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." All the problems in the world stem from one basic problem - people who think of themselves first. They ask, "What can I take for myself." It might be a commuter pulling into a parking lot and swerving to cut off someone else in order to grab a choice parking space. Or, on a larger scale, it could be a country invading another and slaughtering millions. -- It's the all the same problem.
We don't need to love one another in order to have a better world, we only need to respect one another and think of others first.
- RBT
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Don't discount the importance of small, seemingly insignificant daily decisions. Because these small decisions add up to who and what you are.
Make wise choices. - WOM
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I need help. Is it illegal to compliment a women on how she looks? If not illegal, is it immoral? Is telling a women that she looks good considered sexual harassment? If she's wearing something nice, should I tell her that her clothes look good or that she looks good?
I enjoy looking at good looking women, but I don't want to offend them, or worse, break a law. - DJS
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We hear about so many of our leaders, people in government, who have, in their past, done something wrong and thus we tell them they are not fit to serve in government. But, is there any one of us who has a perfectly clean past? Anyone of us who has done nothing "wrong"?
I submit that we need a process - an educational course or something - through which people can go and which "legally" cleanses them of their past "sins" so that they can serve in public office or other positions of leadership. People can change, so let's give them a chance to change.
-- C.J.T.
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You just told me that the HPJ is going to help bring about a better world by helping people to understand each other better. You've got to be kidding!
There are too many people that don't want to understand each other.
What are you going to do about the Iranians? They put people who write books (Satanic Verses) that disagree with their philosophy under a death sentence. Should we try to understand them or areb you going to try and get them to understand us? And the same thing exists on a personsal scale. Are you saying we should try to understand a man who regularly beats his wife? Are you saying we should try to understand drug dealers? - M.A.H.
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I don't understand: men are at their sexual peak when they are 17-30 years old. Women when they are 35-40 years old.
Wouldn't it be great if we could somehow get our biological clocks to match? - PRT
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I quit my job because I couldn't work anymore. I was working 10, 12 hours a day, six days a week -- sometimes even seven days a week. My hands were shaking. Sometimes I'd have to close my office door because I'd start crying for no reason. Or, if I was in an airport and my plane was late, I'd start crying uncontrollably. So I quit my job before I went crazy.
Now I can't get another job. I've been to several interviews, but it's embarrassing to break down and start shaking in the personnel office or start crying while touring a shop. Although they are different companies, seeing their offices - seeing people in cubicles - seeing a manufacturing shop -- all bring back memories of my old job and then I lose control of my emotions.
I've tried seeing two different councilors. One said I needed to learn relaxation techniques. The other told me I needed to make friends with people. Their advice didn't help. I don't understand.
It's been two years since I left my job. My savings account is almost empty. I don't know what to do. - HCS
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What do you do when you are married to one person and in love with someone else? A someone else who once loved you, but is now married to another man. - RCC
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I like trains - ZDH (8 years old)
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I've noticed that some people complain about the way other people drive. In fact, I'm thinking of one person in particular. She's always complaining about people cutting her off or about people running a red light. She gave me a ride home from work the other day. We pulled out of the parking garage, turned left, and pulled up to a stop light in a left turn only lane. I wondered about this because I knew we had to go straight, but maybe she knew a shortcut.
She did.
When the light turned green, I was thrown back in my seat as she stomped on the gas pedal. She sped straight ahead, explaining that this was easiest way to get ahead of all those people waiting in line to go straight.
I think that people who complain the most, are the cause of most of the problems. - MSD
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There have been times when I've felt I've screwed up and made a a really stupid mistake. I get upset of the money I've wasted or the time I've lost because of my stupidity. But, I heard about two things today that make me feel better.
On the Osgood file on the radio this morning I heard about a man named Fredrick R. Dejoya. He lives in Connecticut and had purchased a state lottery ticket that turned out to be a $100,000 winner. He thought he'd be smart and save on taxes by waiting until April 26th to claim the winning prize. In Connecticut you need to turn in winning tickets at the store where you purchased them. It turned out that April 26th was a sunday and the liquor store where he purchased the ticket was closed.
Then on monday he couldn't find the safe deposit key to open the box where the ticket was stored until late in the day and by then the bank was closed. It was now two full days past the expiration date of the ticket, when on tuesday he was finally able to bring it into the store. Because he tried to avoid some taxes he got nothing, he was too late.
So don't feel too bad when you are having a "bad" day.
Then in today's OREGONIAN newspaper I read about a woman who had a scratch off lottery ticket which she modified so that it looked as if it was a $1.00 winner. The convenience store employee where she tried to cash the ticket noticed the ticket was altered and refused to pay the $1.00 prize. The woman left the store before the employee could do anything further. Why do I bring this up? Because it turns out the ticket, before it was modified, was a $5,000 winner. The woman tried to cheat and lost $5,000!
Robert Taylor - Editor HPJ
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People need to listen to each other more. Respect differences and not prejudge. And they need to compromise more. M.M.
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People need to look at our commonalities. P.M.
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I would encourage people to seek the love, joy & patience that only he {GOD} can give. E.H.H.
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I get angry when I read something that shows the feelings of a person who thinks "his people" -- and this refers to any group -- are more important than others. Take a look at this article in the paper: {From an article in the L.A. Times quoting a black U.S. soldier serving in Somalia}. "Black people in LA may think the got it bad, " said Anderson, who is from Peoria, IL. "But the LA riots were a cakewalk compared to this. It sure hurts to see people in a bad way, and it especially hurts to see black people this way."
I hurt when I see anyone suffering. I would like to see all suffering in the world ended. The color of your skin makes no difference.
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I heard this on the radio today and I think it is very true: "Early love is when you love the way the other person makes you feel. Mature love is when you love the person for who he or she is." -BBG
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I know you said that you don't want a polical oriented answer, but politics can not be separted from our personal lives. I am very concerned over the trend this country is taking toward having the government take care of us and protect us. We are giving up responsibility for our lives and when we are no longer responsible, that's when the social fabric of society starts to come apart. - PJK
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Tell everyone what you think. Send your thoughts, comments, ideas and complaints to the HomeCraft Personal Journal. We want to hear from you and so do the 10's of thousands of other people who are reading this.
Our address is:
H.P.J.
P.O. Box 1123
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
Or call our BBS at 503-692-0382 and leave a message for the "HPJ Editor".
