The
StarLink-IRC NEWSLETTER |
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StarLink-IRC Network - Your family
friendly cybertown!
This is YOUR newsletter - Send news items to newsletter@starlink-irc.org Send any gossip or other dirt to the same place! Contributors: Please eliminate the forwarding marks (>>>) from submissions!! SL-IRC LOGO STUFF SHAMELESS PLUG We have made available some items
(mugs, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats) with our logo at Cafepress - http://www.cafeshops.com/slirc
Cafepress sets the item base cost and handles all sales,
production, shipping, and warranty.
StarLink-IRC gets no money from sales of these items.
General Information Logo Stuff:
SL-IRC logo items www.cafeshops.com/slirc
Security: TriStar and security: www.starlink-irc.org/security/ Webring: For your webpages check www.starlink-irc.org/webring.html Guestbook: Visit or Sign our www.starlink-irc.org/guestbook to enter your comments. Ombudspersons: See www.starlink-irc.org/slirc-org.html#Ombudsman Why We Are Here: A #Townhall Special Presentation Email Updates: To
all channel owners: If you
have changed internet service providers please let cservice know if you
have a new email address. We need the information to be able to contact
you in case of problems with your channel or in case you have forgotten
to authenticate in your channel and need a reminder to do so. Email
addresses ARE kept confidential- send updates toslirc-register@starlink-irc.org
Word Games: Live trivia at various times and places throughout the week. #International: We hope to bring together folks from all nations and languages .. come join us for chat, good friends, and if you can volunteer to translate, all the better. Even a smattering of another language is welcome! DISCLAIMER - Web sites shown or linked here may contain executable files or programs. Be advised that StarLink-IRC has no knowledge of the suitability or effects these may have on your system. We advise everyone to make a carefully informed decision prior to running any new software. What a happy day for StarLink-IRC folks when our Editor Emeritus, Lois, returned to us after being away for a while due to illness and recuperation. WELCOME HOME, LOIS!! Are you an avid reader? Would you like to write a book review column for our newsletter? Maybe you have another idea for a monthly column. Please submit your ideas!! |
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Your BIRTHDAY
TREE
May's gemstone is Emerald, the symbol of Hope, flower is the Lilly of the Valley July's gemstone is Ruby, the symbol of Generosity, flower is the Morning Glory EVENTS
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Amazing is back. Yea. Now see this is what happens when you dye your sister's hair and you're Canadian ...July 4, 2004 Dateline #Channels <Amazing> no polka dots <Amazing> but.. <Amazing> i do have to take her to the hairdressers this morning <Amazing> she's hoping they can fix it cause she has to go back to work tomorrow...lol <Amazing> i streaked my sis's hair last night... <Amazing> only there arent any streaks <Amazing> its kind of different colors ALL over <Amazing> even a bit of orange Note that your intrepid web editor added this. Amazing didn't have a colum this month and if she had she would have said a bunch of bad stuff about a spider and a weed eater .. NONE of which is probably provable in a court of law. Mostly. Thanks to everyone for making StarLink-IRC the wonderful cybertown that it is! As some of you might know, there are other nets out there with the word 'starlink' in them. When telling your friends about what net you chat on -- PLEASE make sure you say StarLink-IRC.Org. And don't forget There is a quicklist at http://www.starlink-irc.org/serverlist.html |
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NEW CHANNELS |
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Let us know what's
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contributed by everyone
In
an attempt to get more of our chatters involved in our newsletter and
to make it more interesting, we are adding several new columns.
The recipe column has been very popular! I hear tell there is a
movie critic's corner starting soon. That's exciting!! I'd
love to see a gardening column if that's an area of expertice for any
of you. Maybe even a book review column would be nice?
Please get together with me if you have other ideas or if you're
willing to do a column!
I have been asked to write an “advice column” for the monthly StarLink-IRC newsletter, but I am finding this impossible as I have not yet been sent any letter requesting advice. Do you have any advice as to how I could make people more comfortable about sending in letters? Thank you, Mable Dear Mable, I feel that this is a cheap (®IMI) ploy to get the readers of this StarLink-IRC newsletter to send you problems to solve, but since you have asked for my advice, and that is why I am here, I will give you some advice. You need to make the readers feel that they are able to trust you. They need to know that their identity is kept secret. The following are a few concerns that they may have. Q. How do I know that my identity will be kept secret?I certainly hope this answers your questions. Feel free to contact me with an email at: newsletter@starlink-irc.org Please put MAYBE MABLE KNOWS in the subject line. Signed, Mable
The movie critic is out this month - hopefully, looking at movies.
When puppies are born they receive some natural protection against disease from their mother's milk. This protection is only temporary and it declines in the first few weeks of the puppies life. When this happens the puppy is at greater risk of infection and disease. The mother can only pass on the immunity that she herself has, her ability to do this depends on whether or not she has been properly vaccinated and has had regular boosters. The puppies only absorb the antibodies associated with immunity during the first few days of their lives. The amount of milk they consume relates to the amount of immunity they acquire. The immunity that the mother passes on diminishes in the puppy at certain ages. Your veterinary surgeon will probably vaccinate your puppy at both 8 weeks and 10 or 12 weeks of age, depending on which vaccine they use. Puppies are vaccinated at this age because it has been found that their immunity levels are starting to decrease or disappear altogether at these times. These vaccines take time to become effective, usually between 7 to 14 days after both doses have been given. During this time after vaccination it is essential that, to reduce the risk of infection, you keep your puppy away from other dogs, especially if you don't know their vaccine status, and avoid places where other dogs might have been. Vaccinations contain a harmless form of the virus or bacteria which causes that particular disease. The vaccination works by stimulating the puppy's natural defense mechanisms to set up a protective screen against the disease. This protective response is remembered and triggered whenever the puppy encounters the disease. The main diseases that puppies and adult dogs can be vaccinated against are: Canine distemper is transmitted by droplets of moisture which the dog picks up by sniffing where the infected dog has been. Once an outbreak has begun it is usually too late to vaccinate as the incubation period can be as much as three weeks long. The symptoms include coughing, diarrhoea, high temperature, vomiting, sore eyes and a runny nose. Sometimes the nose and foot pads can become hard and cracked. In severe cases pneumonia, fits, muscle spasms and paralysis can occur. Distemper is often fatal and those that do survive can be left with permanent disabilities, nervous twitches and epileptic fits. Canine parvovirus appeared in the late seventies and caused the death of thousands of dogs. Regular outbreaks have been common where unvaccinated dogs are. It is transmitted through contact with infected feces. It can be carried by the dog via its hair and feet. It is an extremely difficult virus to get rid of and can stay in the environment for many months. Although dogs of all ages can become infected with parvo it is most commonly seen in puppies and dogs under one year old. The signs of this disease appear quickly and the symptoms are depression, severe vomiting, high temperature, refusal of food and water, abdominal pain and profuse foul smelling bloody diarrhea. As a result of these symptoms the dog can become severely dehydrated very quickly, it may collapse, and some can die within 24 hours of contracting the disease, even with veterinary treatment. Canine hepatitis is a disease which attacks the liver, kidneys, eyes and lungs of the dog. It is transmitted by direct contact with infected urine, saliva and feces. Dogs that are recovering from this disease can still be infectious to other dogs for more than 6 months. Again dogs of all ages can contract this disease but they are most commonly infected in their first year. The symptoms of hepatitis most commonly includes lack of appetite, high temperature, pale gums and conjunctiva, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. As a result of this the dog can develop jaundice. The disease can develop quickly, between 24 to 36 hours, and can sometimes cause respiratory failure and death. However dogs which recover sometimes suffer from 'blue eye' which is a clouding of the cornea. This usually resolves itself through time. Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease which can be picked up from contact with urine of infected animals. There are two ways in which it can be picked up. Firstly, it can be picked up from the urine of infected rats. Dogs can get it from rats if they drink or swim in canals or rivers that are inhabited by these infected rats, or even from sniffing where a rat has been. This is also known as Weil's Disease. This disease affects the liver, sometimes the kidneys may be infected too. The symptoms of this disease are depression, high temperature, severe thirst, lethargy, increased urination, abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhea and jaundice. In severe cases death can occur within a few hours, at the very least serious liver damage can occur. This form of lepto can be transmitted to people too. Secondly, it can be picked up from the infected urine of other dogs. The damage that this causes is mainly to the kidneys and may cause problems as the dog gets older. Jaundice can also be seen but this is not common and is not too severe. Dogs that recover from this can still excrete the bacteria in their urine for up to a year making them a source of infection. Cats are seldom, if ever, infected with leptospirosis. Canine parainfluenza virus is an infectious agent which causes kennel cough. It can be contracted anywhere where dogs meet, for example, at the park, training classes, boarding kennels and dog shows. It is passed on by contaminated airborne droplets or direct contact with infected dogs. It is highly contagious and can spread rapidly. The symptoms are a dry, harsh cough, which may cause retching. Owners refer to it as though the dog has something stuck in its throat. This coughing can last for several days or weeks, with treatment it can take up to 2 or 3 weeks for the dog to recover. If the dog has no treatment they can develop secondary infections which can lead to pneumonia. Vaccination of your dog against these major infectious diseases is necessary to the health of your dog. The vaccine protects your own pet and prevents it from being a carrier of disease and spreading infection. Immunity to these diseases does not last indefinitely so regular boosters are vital to maintain this. Once your dog has had its primary course of vaccinations you will be given a vaccination certificate which will have your pet's details on it, the dates the vaccine was given and when the booster is due. This certificate is important if you are putting your dog into boarding kennels or going to training classes. Many of these places will not accept your dog unless you can show this certificate and it is up to date. Your veterinary surgeon will send you out a reminder when the next vaccination is due. *Next month...the health of your new kitten |
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Hey
! Try this one- http://www.starlink-irc.org
- believe it or not, there are a LOT of good links and
information on the site. If you haven't browsed the links lately, give
it a try! Some stuf for kids too!
No
new tips this month.
Send in your handy hints, tips and tricks for just about anything from
sailing to tiddlywinks. We're alwaysItsy
mIRC
tips and tricks
No tips this month.
HAPPY FOURTH
OF JULIE
AND CANADA DAY PS If you have any subjects that would be good for on of our weekly #townhall block parties, let someone know and we'll see what we can do. RESERVE TOWNHALL FOR YOUR MEETING! #Townhall can be reserved for parties or meetings. Send an email to slirc-register@starlink-irc.org if you are interested in reserving the channel for an event. An email will be sent back, confirming the reservation. Put #townhall in the SUBJECT of the mail, and date, time and reason in the BODY. |
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FOLLIES
FOR JUNE/JULIE
With only two more girl months left, your intrepid searcher for truth has ferreted out two more stories related to some regulars on the net. Of course, to avoid embarrassing the poor dumb people who aren't smart enough to keep themselves out of the follies, they will remain anonymous. First of all, Andrew recently moved to the States from Canada and has found an apartment in a neighborhood that is like downtown Baghdad but without the safety. I quote - "Repeatedly described in most tourist guides as "the worst neighborhood in ... thrives despite its bad rap. Sure, there are loads of drug dealers, addicts, prostitutes and mentally unstable street people, but if you can get past that, you'll find it is also one of the city's most exciting and diverse locales." Remember what the used house ads mean when they say "fixer upper" ? Its safe to say Drew has moved into a "fixer upper" part of the planet. Your ever concerned reporter suggested that he find some martial arts classes in self defense, specifically something like say, oh, minelaying. On the yat front, it seems that NOLady spent a few minutes in the grocery store having a disagreement with the ATM when it refused to take the store's charge card instead. Now, most of us might have avoided this by reading the card, but, according to NOLady, 'they were the same color'. Yes. Good reason. (I will ask her for change for $10 and insist on getting $20s back cuz theyre the same color. If that works I'll report it here.) (Right, like I'd kill THAT golden goose.. but I digress.) Oh, I forgot the anonymity. Oh well, too late now. Oops. |
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Thanks to Wullie for this one!!
Tomb Guards Stand Sentinel Through Isabel's
Threatening Sweep
Standing guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National
Cemetery at the height of the storm caused by Hurricane Isabel,
Sergeant First Class Fredrick Geary heard a sharp cracking sound. The
tomb sentinel did not flinch as an old tree collapsed a couple dozen
yards from the plaza where he stood.By Steve Vogel, Courtesy of the Washington Post Thursday, October 2, 2003 "There was this crack, and it was on the ground," Geary said the day after Isabel crashed through the Washington area on the night of September 18. "I just watched it." Geary could have retreated to shelter. As Isabel approached, commanders gave tomb guards the option of moving under the shelter of the tomb's arches or even inside the trophy room during the storm. That did not happen. Other than something earth-shattering, we had no intention of doing anything other than our duty," said Geary, who, as sergeant of the guard, made the decision to keep the sentinels on the black mat that they walk 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. It was a heartwarming story of devotion to duty and honor in the face of adversity, and it made the news around the country and the world. But the version most people heard was a bit exaggerated. The Associated Press, which broke the story, reported that the tomb guards "were given -- for the first time in history -- permission to abandon their posts and seek shelter." Picking up this theme, Tom Brokaw of NBC News saluted "this display of pride and patriotism," reporting that "those who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery were told they could abandon their 24-hour-a-day post and come indoors." In fact, according to tomb guards and their commander, the soldiers never had permission to abandon their posts. They did have a contingency plan allowing them to withdraw to safer positions while continuing to guard the tomb. If the wind had really been nasty, they could have moved underneath the amphitheater arches, a position that afforded some shelter but would have left them outdoors. If conditions were life-threatening, they could have moved inside to the trophy room. The sentinels would have been able to watch the tomb even had they been forced inside, according to Capt. Tom Piaget, commander of the company that oversees the tomb sentinels. "The mission was never in jeopardy, and neither were the soldiers," he said. Most news reports also made it sound as though the guards had stood up to the instructions of confused though well-meaning superiors. They did not report that it was Geary himself -- the sentinel who stood through much of the storm -- who had suggested that the tomb guards needed a contingency plan. Based on the projected threat of Isabel earlier in the week, Geary, as sergeant of the guard, had recommended to his chain of command that the guards have a backup procedure in case the winds were endangering lives. The plan was approved by Arlington National Cemetery Superintendent Jack Metzler and by commanders with the 3rd U.S. Infantry (Old Guard), the regiment at Fort Myer in Arlington responsible for protecting the tomb. "It would have been irresponsible not to have a contingency plan," Piaget said. The version viewers heard on CNN even had the soldiers disobeying orders to stay at their post. "The soldiers who stand guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery were given permission to leave their posts and seek shelter," Anderson Cooper told viewers on Sept. 19. "It was an order the soldiers on duty did not obey." It made for a better story that way. The actual version is still impressive. At the cemetery the day after the storm hit, ground crews were busy cleaning up 24 fallen trees, including two near the tomb and its sentinels. However, tomb sentinels are accustomed to all kinds of bad weather while on duty. Geary, 37, a resident of Prince William County, was downright dismissive of Isabel. "This storm did not live up to anywhere near the hype that the media made," he said. "It wasn't anything more than we've seen at other times." Superintendent Metzler was impressed. "There were trees coming down, the wind was blowing, but they stood their post," said Metzler, who lives at the cemetery. "These guys are young studs." Guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns is a solemn duty, reserved for only the finest soldiers. The tomb, dedicated to lost and missing American soldiers from all wars, has been continuously guarded since 1937. Thanks to HighWayMan for this one!!
Laughter Is Good Medicine!
Thanks to LindyM for this one!!!In 1997, Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch (M-LAW) began a contest to expose how frivolous lawsuits, and a concern about potential frivolous lawsuits, have led to a new cultural phenomenon: the wacky warning label. You have probably heard about the lawsuit over a spilled cup of coffee. However, there are many other silly lawsuits involving products that have received far less attention. For example, did you know a man received $50,000 when he sued a small company that makes basketball nets because he claimed the company was responsible when he caught his teeth in a net while dunking a ball? People who make products hear about these outrageous lawsuits, and they often decide to slap common sense warnings on their product... "just in case." Over the years, M-LAW has received hundreds of warning labels from people around the world. M-LAW verifies the authenticity of each label and selects the "Top 5" for each year.Following is a list of some of the best labels from the first five contests:
1) On the box for an Ace elastic bandage in an emergency medical kit: "Not for internal use." Thank you to ItsyDad for this one!! A LESSON IN SOUTHERNOSITY
JUST SOME THOUGHTS
from Itsy... Thanks! Borrow money from pessimists - they don't expect it back. |
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Things To Do Today
Have you
tried to find the perfect verse, greeting or message when sending a
card, and your mind draws a blank? If you have some favorites, send
them to Pat@pobox.co~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Happy Birthday
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Thanks
once again to those who sent in
articles for the newsletter. Please encourage your channel owners
and other guests to send in their important dates for the month,
channel chatter, and general noteworthy news! It really gives our
network a stronger sense of continuity when we can share these events
with those outside the channels we normally visit. One of the
things I have always cherished about our network is the way channels
support and visit and encourage other channels rather than stooping to
the pettiness of competition and exclusion and such. That's just
another testament to the character of our community! If you are
as busy as I am, you don't always have the time to get out and visit
other channels. Our Sunday evening #Townhall meetings are an
excellent opportunity to come and meet other folks that we would not
normally chat with or get to know. Come join us for these
meetings which are often informative and always fun. We usually
have refreshments, too! But you all know how that goes with
Itsy around.... not even the platters are left by the time everyone
gets there!. |
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DAY |
TIME |
WHERE |
EVENT |
SUN |
9:30
PM |
#Townhall |
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MON |
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TUE |
10:00
PM |
#WTGO |
Live
Trivia and Games |
WED |
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THU |
8:00
PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM |
#OldRadio #Moonshadow #WTGO |
Fans
of Old Time Radio - 8th year online!! Trivia! Every thursday Live Trivia and Games |
FRI |
8:00
PM 9:00 PM |
#Islander #Just4Fun |
Live
Trivia! Now and then. Outburst games! Fun for All |
SAT |
10:00
PM |
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ANY |
All Day |
#TriviaDreams |
Trivia |
Be notified of page updates |
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