~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * /^\ o/o o\o Christmas Greetings from /* o *\ Vesta and Terry. o/ \U/ \o / o o \ o/!!!!!0!!!!!\o NetLetter ------- 'Between Ourselves' XXX### ###SSS Your crew is: Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson Chief Navigator - Terry Baker tm number 108 date December 11th 1996 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ . Bob Lennox tells us that he still lives in Halifax not as we reported in Netletter nr 107 - Sorry Bob! . All you computer buffs - Alan Rust thought this might interest you (_(__, (_(__, (_(__, (_(__, /~._ /~._ /~._ /~._ , _ __ / /~~~ , _ __ / /~~~ , _ __ / /~~~ , _ __ / /~~~ `( )---))------`( )---))------`( )---))------`( )---)) /\~~~`\ /\~~~`\ /\~~~`\ /\~~~`\ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Artistry from Vesta ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Variations on "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" 'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the shop, The computers were whirring; they never do stop. The power was on and the temperature right, In hopes that the input would feed back that night. The system was ready, the program was coded, And memory drums had been carefully loaded; While adding a Christmasy glow to the scene, The lights on the console, flashed red, white and green. When out in the hall there arose such a clatter, The programmer ran to see what was the matter. Away to the hallway he flew like a flash, Forgetting his key in his curious dash. He stood in the hallway and looked all about, When the door slammed behind him, and he was locked out. Then, in the computer room what should appear, But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer; And a little old man, who with scarcely a pause, Chuckled: "My name is Santa...the last name is Claus." The computer was startled, confused by the name, Then it buzzed as it heard the old fellow exclaim: "This is Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, And Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen." With all these odd names, it was puzzled anew; It hummed and it clanked, and a main circuit blew. It searched in its memory core, trying to "think"; Then the multi-line printer went out on the blink. Unable to do its electronic job, It said in a voice that was almost a sob: "Your eyes - how they twinkle - your dimples so merry, Your cheeks so like roses, your nose like a cherry, Your smile - all these things, I've been programmed to know, And at data-recall, I am more than so-so; But your name and your address (computers can't lie), Are things that I just cannot identify. You've a jolly old face and a little round belly, That shakes when you laugh like a bowl full of jelly; My scanners can see you, but still I insist, Since you're not in my program, you cannot exist!" Old Santa just chuckled a merry "ho, ho", And sat down to type out a quick word or so. The keyboard clack-clattered, its sound sharp and clean, As Santa fed this "data" to the machine: "Kids everywhere know me; I come every year; The presents I bring add to everyone's cheer; But you won't get anything - that's plain to see; Too bad your programmers forgot about me." Then he faced the machine and said with a shrug, "Merry Christmas to All," as he pulled out its plug! (author unknown) From Alan Rust,Sysop, ACRA Airline BBS, see web site http://www.mortimer.com/acra . While on the subject of computers, Alan also supplies us with the following information about computer virus - The Internet is constantly being flooded with information about computer viruses and Trojans. However, interspersed among real virus notices are computer virus hoaxes. While these hoaxes do not infect systems, they are still time consuming and costly to handle. The PKZ300 Trojan is a real Trojan program, but the initial warning about it was released over a year ago. Repeated circulation of the warning is a nuisance. Individuals who need the current release of PKZIP should visit the PKWARE web page at http://www.pkware.com. The "Irina" virus warnings are a hoax. The "Good Times" virus warnings are a hoax. There is no virus by that name in existence today. The "Deeyenda" virus warnings are a hoax. The Ghost.exe program was originally distributed as a free screen saver containing some advertising information for the author's company (Access Softek). and is not a virus. ~-=o0o=-~ . Tale from 'Touchdown', British Airways bi-monthly newsletters for their retirees - Jun 16th 1946, B.O.A.C's, now B.A., Lockheed Constellation 049 registration G-AHEM 'Balmoral' left Laguardia New York for London Heathrow on a proving flight completed in 11 hours 24 mins non-stop at a block speed of 302 mph. . Found on the Internet FLY DELTANENTAL? CAL/DAL MERGER TALKS ROCK AIR-TRANSPORT WORLD Merger mania could be looming in 1997 should Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines move their ongoing merger talks from mere courtship to consummation. According to the Dec. 4 New York Times, DAL, the world's third-largest airline, and CAL, the number five seed, started talking months ago at the instigation of Houston-based CAL. The talks are no longer preliminary or informal, an indication that executives of both carriers have found common ground to continue negotiations. LACK OF LATCHED LAP BELTS LEAVES PING-PONG PAX FREE-FLOATING Those aboard two American Airlines planes got an object lesson in clear air turbulence when they became weightless over the Rockies Thursday, injuring 17 who bounced around inside the fuselage. According to AA spokesman Tim Smith, 14 pax and two FAs were injured on an MD-80 tossed about by rough air about 30 minutes from Salt Lake City. At about the same time Thursday, an AAL Fokker 100 with 80 on board encountered turbulence over New Mexico enroute from Salt Lake City to Dallas, injuring one. Earlier that same day 11 people were injured aboard Singapore Airlines Airbus in a CAT encounter over Australia. C'mon folks: let's be belted up there. AA SIGNS OFF AT Dallas Fort Worth (DFW): American Airlines decided to pull the plug on its eight roadside gate-information signs at DFW after a jury in a $24 million auto accident liability award found the airline grossly negligent for erecting the signs. Drivers at DFW will now have to find some other deep pocket to blame for their fender benders. (Has a precedent been set here? - eds) "Some are concerned about the risks from computer hackers with such a connected system. (A spokesman) said that with the current FAA software, it's not a problem. A recent White House panel on security concluded that (the) software is so out of date that no one could possibly hack into it." "They're multipurpose. Not only do they put the clips on, but they take them off." -Pratt & Whitney spokesperson explaining why the company charged the Air Force nearly $1000 for an ordinary pair of pliers ~-=o0o=-~ . Interline stuff Cruise 7 night Southern Caribbean on 'Monarch of the Seas' weekly Jan 12 thru Aug 17. Ports of call - San Juan, St.Thomas, Martinique, Barbados, Antigua back to San Juan. From US$649 pp dbl. Cruise the Eastern & Western Hemispheres - onboard a transatlantic sailing, the 'Splendour of the Seas' a 13 night cruise from San Juan to Barcelona all for US$999 pp dbl. Now how about Alaska cruise on the 'Legend of the Seas' with its own 18 hole golf course and a 43,000 sq. ft. glass solarium. From US$899 pp dbl. 'Soverign of the Seas' start their 3 night Bahamas cruises from Miami on Jan 3rd weekly from US$249 pp dbl. Why not call 1-800-665-3100 for more details. ~-=o0o=-~ . That's it for this time, please we need your input, send comments and email addresses of any others who may be interested to Vesta with a copy to Terry. -!- Landing on an Island in the Pacific. _____(~)_____ ! ! ! This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. <<<>>> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ................................................... . GREETINGS FROM . . Vancouver Island . . BEAUTIFUL B.C. CANADA . ...................................................
