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.

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General Information

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.

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Your BIRTHDAY TREE

October's gemstone is Opal, the symbol of Mystery, flower is the Amaryllis
November's gemstone is Topaz, the symbol of Truth, flower is the Chrysanthemum

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EVENTS

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!

COOKING ON THE WILD SIDE Recipes and more    ...by Wildchild.

Happy Halloween Chat Friends!! Hope everyone is ready for the little Goblins and Ghosts
and Witches that will soon be knocking on our doors. Thank you to crumbl from #40something and other places around the net for the following recipes.  Next month is Thanksgiving so how about some family favorites that you cook. Thanks to all that send in recipes when they are needed.  If you don't see yours this month make sure to check next month. Until next time don't for get to lets keep cookingonthewildside.

wildchild

Zesty Pasta ½ lb. hot Italian sausage (or substitute your choice) 1 green pepper, seeded & chopped 1 can Cream of Celery soup ½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream ½ tsp. hot pepper sauce (or to taste) ¾ lb. fresh pasta Cook pasta until al dente.  Meanwhile, cut sausage into ½" slices; brown in skillet with green pepper; drain.  Add soup, yogurt or sour cream, seasonings and hot pepper sauce to sausage; stir over low heat until  warmed through.  Toss pasta with sauce and serve with salad and crusty bread.

Chicken Fried Steak 4 cube steaks (¼ lb. each) * ½ cup flour ½ cup bread crumbs 1 egg ½ tsp. paprika ½ tsp. basil Wipe steaks; dip in egg, then in crumb mixture to coat completely.   Place in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to set coating.  Melt butter in heavy  skillet and sauté steaks until golden on one side - 3 minutes.  Turn and sauté untildone to taste.  Serve with fried onions and gravy. * Substitute your choice of cut, and pound it thin.

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MAYBE MABLE KNOWS?     Advice

Suggestions and comments .. submit them to the newsletter with Mable in the subject line.

Reserved for those who have questions which can benefit from answers with a fresh perspective!

MOVIES                 Movie Reviews - by Zadi of #Lupuschat

Suggestions and comments .. submit them to the newsletter with Movies  in the subject line.

"Shall We Dance" is filled with characters with character, very little cussing, and lots of cool dancing. If you liked "Dance with Me" then you'll like this one. It was originally to be filmed in Toronto, but had to be moved to Winnipeg due to the SARS scare. The official site for the movie is http://www.miramax.com/shallwedance/ if you want to check it out before viewing. WARNING, though, that site tells way too much of the plot, in my opinion.

Great movie, and one to be recommended highly!

THE BOOK NOOK         Book Nook by Lorellei

Suggestions and comments .. submit them to the newsletter with Book Nook in the subject line.

"Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell"  by Susanna Clarke
 Published September 2004 (hardcover)  List $27.95 --- Amazon Price $16.77  Used listed from $14.59(Audio edition available for $59.95)

Generally, I hesitate to attempt reviewing a book that is almost 800 pages, especially a novel, a first book by an author and added to that, an English fantasy tale. However, this one fell into my hands from a friend who thought I had to have it so the natural course of events took over. A book in my hand turns into time spent reading.

The year is 1806. A society of magicians in York, England meets each month.  They aren’t really magicians, (they can’t make real magic), but they study the practice and its history. John Segundus joins the society and throws the group into great thought and discussion with his question, “Why is magic no longer practiced in England?”  One member, Honeyfoot, becomes obsessed with the question and joins Segundus in visiting a real magician named Norrell, who is a stranger to this group. Segundus and Honeyfoot cannot, or will not, enlighten the group as to the details of their mysterious experience full of unusual happenings during their visit to Norrell but they firmly report one thing Mr. Norrell can actually PRACTICE magic.

Some members of this prestigious academic group of magicians challenge Mr. Norrell to either prove he is a real magician who practices real magic or he must never again call himself a magician. In return, he bargains, they must do the same.  All the academic magicians sign the agreement except Segundus. When Mr. Norrell, (from the comfort of his own home), causes all the statues in the cathedral to come alive, he and Segundus become the only magicians left in Yorkshire.

Mr. Norrell is a recluse, socially lacking and insecure in the company of anyone. He does love English old magic and hopes to restore its use. He moves to London, the only known Old English Magic Practitioner. He is aided by Mr. Lascelles and Mr. Drawlight, who figure Mr. Norrell will make them rich. Mr. Norrell begins to move about in proper social and political
circles. He performs an amazing magical feat on the young wife of an influencial cabinet minister, creating a permanent position for himself in that arena. Fame, notoriety and influencial political allies pretty much ensure his achievement of about anything he seeks or desires. He sets out to remove all other magicians from current society, to acquire and horde every known book about magic to put himself in the desireable position of being the only magician in the land and in complete control of the new English magic. Soon he is assisting the government in the war against France, sending out ghostly fleets of rain-ships to confuse and alarm Napoleon Bonaparte.

Arriving on the scene is one wealthy gentleman named Jonathan Strange. From the western part of England near the Welsh border, Jonathan Strange is bored and wants to find something interesting to do. Having picked up a bit of knowledge of magic here and there, Strange ends up studying under Norrell who has decided that this would be the only way to ensure his own status as THE magician, get help with his projects and have some control over Strange's actual knowledge of magic. Of course, a conflict arises. Norrell is more a guardian of magic and believes in the strictest control of the power and knowledge of magic. Strange is extremely attracted to wild, perilous magic. He becomes fascinated by ancient, shadowy Raven King, a child abducted by fairies who became King of England and Faerie, and was, course, the most legendary magician of all. Conflict is inevitable and frequent. Eventually, Strange's pursuit of long-buried magic threatens to destroy his partnership with Norrell!
 and everything else he holds dear.

This novel is about the conflict between the two magicians, as well as greed, love, jealousy, envy, friendship,power, arrogance and redemption. It is also a factual look into the history of England and well as the author's entertaining imagination about the history of English magic, the world of fairies and an enjoyable poke of fun at English society, reverently done. Susanna Clarke is excellent with descriptive portraits of characters and their personalities. Her work is reminiscent of books done by Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.

I always wonder how a very new book gets put on the New York Times Best Seller list as soon as it comes out; this one deserves it's 5th place during the week of October 10th, having already been on the list for 5 weeks. I imagine it will rise up to the top. It's a good novel, one you don't want to put down.

Lorellei

PETS AND PESTS         Critters   by Momma

If you have questions, interesting facts or suggestions, other notable news concerning pets and pests, please submit them to the newsletter with Pets and Pests in the subject line.
The cooler weather is here and winter will soon be upon us. Now many of us will be forced to hide from the cold and stay indoors where it is warm. This is when we tend to notice that we have picked up a few roomies over the summer.  While most spiders are not poisonous, more people have a fear of spiders than not. These tips might help you with a spider problem, or give you a peaceful night's rest not worrying about them...

Chestnuts...Chestnuts have been proven to repel spiders. Keep some on the windowsill or anywhere you feel you may have a spider problem...
Get a package of pipe or chewing tobacco. Soak it in a gallon of boiling water and let cool. Strain the liquid into a clean container. Pour a cup of tobacco juice with 1/2 cup lemon dish soap into a sprayer, hose end sprayer, or spray bottle. Spray around the outside of the house and windows. In basements, spray baseboards and around window wells. This solution also kills various
other types of bugs, while taking care of those pesky spiders!

You might have noticed tiny hills and/or holes on your lawn recently. These could be from cute but pesky moles.  If you think you have moles, look at the holes and visually find the "line" from one to the other. Dig down until you find the mole run. Moles hate noise and can be scared off by placing the mechanism from a musical birthday card in the hole. You can also  place a few children's toy windmills around the  garden so the sticks are down in the mole runs. When the wind blows, the noise from the windmill will also scare them away. There's good news and bad news with
these tips....The good news is---the moles will leave. The bad news? Your neighbors will hate you because chances are they are moving over to their yard. Oh well, can't win 'em all...

Service Pack 2 for Windows XP - contributed by Amazing

Schedule info provided by Amazing

Whether it's lighthearted, serious, poignant, or just plain silly, send your contributios to the newsletter with LIBRARY in the subject line.


Where was the Kingdom of Heaven and why was it so called? And,   yes, it is - still - an earthly place, not spiritual.

The 'Kingdom of Heaven' was a jocular name for what is now known as Lundy, the island in the Bristol Channel off Ilfracombe Devon, UK.  It was called that because William Hudson Heaven bought the island in 1834, and his family owned it until 1917.  He built the Church of St Helena, amongst other buildings.  Lovely place for bird watching and bell ringing - if the weather allows you to get off the boat!  Last time I was there (about ten years ago), the bells were unringable but they have now been restored and augmented to 10.

It is said that the Bishop of Exeter, or maybe it was the Dean, made the crossing to Lundy in the 19th century during a particularly rough sea and on landing ashore declared that he had
"been through purgatory" and now found himself in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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Our hearts and prayers go out to all those who are recovering from the hurricanes in Florida.  Thank God, none of our StarLink-IRC families experienced injuries or fatalities.  Godspeed in recovering from the property damage!
Ellegon, a native Floridian, experienced a good bit of property damange with her home uninhabitable due to structural damage, and bless her heart, she has still held onto her sense of humor.  She shares this with us
You exhibit a slight twitch when introduced to anyone with the first names of Charley, Frances, Ivan or Jeanne
Your freezer never has more than $20 worth of food in it any given time
You're looking at paint swatches for the plywood on your windows, to accent the house color
You think of your hall closet/saferoom as "cozy"
Your pool is more accurately described as "framed in" than "screened in"
Your freezer in the garage now only has homemade ice in it
You no longer worry about relatives visiting during the summer months
You too haven't heard back from the insurance adjuster
You now understand what that little "2% hurricane deductible" phrase really means
You're putting a collage together on your driveway of roof shingles from your neighborhood
You were once proud of your 16" electric chain saw
Your Street has more than 3 "NO WAKE" signs posted
You now own 5 large ice chests
Your parrot can now say" hammered, pounded and hunker down"
You recognize people in line at the free ice, gas and plywood locations
You stop what you're doing and clap and wave when you see a convoy of power company trucks come down your street
You're depressed when they don't stop
You have the personal cell phone numbers of the managers for plywood, roofing supplies and generators at Home Depot on your speed dialer
You've spent more than $20 on "Tall white kitchen bags" to make your own sand bags
You're considering upgrading your 16" to a 20" chainsaw
You know what "Bar chain oil" is
You're thinking of getting your wife the hardhat with the ear protector and face shield for Christmas
You now think the $6000 whole house generator seems reasonable
You look forward to discussions about the merits of "cubed, block and dry ice"
Your therapist refers to your condition as "generator envy"
You fight the urge to put on your winter coat and wool cap and parade around in front of your picture window, when you finally get power and your neighbor across the street, with the noisy generator doesn't get electric
And finally, you might be a Floridian if
You ask your sister up north to start saving the Sunday Real Estate
classifieds!

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Thank you to DDPS for sharing this... I'm DRUGGING my kids as prescribed here!

The other day, someone at a store in a small town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farm house in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, "Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?"

"I did have a drug problem when I was a kid growing up."
I was drug to church on Sunday morning.
I was drug to church for weddings and funerals.
I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.
I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher. Or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink if I uttered a profane four letter word. ( I do know what Lye soap tastes like.)
I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs
out of dad's fields.
I was drug to the homes of Family, Friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one, to mow the yard, repair the clothesline or chop some fire wood, and if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the wood shed.

Those drugs are still in my veins; and they  affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine,  crack or heroin, and if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America might just be a better place today. Don'tchya think?

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Thanks to BG for reminding us!!  It's so um er well "appropriate" as I go for my very first mammogram this week.  Now I'm bringing a fire extinguisher.   And maybe even a .38! 
October is breast cancer awareness month. Here's hoping that this story will bring a smile and a reminder that mammograms are an important appointment to make and to keep.
1st place in Humor category.  Today the Dayton Daily News published the winning entries in the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition by Leigh Anne Jasheway of Eugene, Oregon

The first mammogram is the worst. Especially when the machine catches on fire. That's what happened to me. The technician, Gail, positioned me exactly as she wanted me (think a really complicated game of Twister - right hand on the blue, left shoulder on the yellow, right breast as far away as humanly possible from the rest of your body). Then she clamped the machine down so tight, I think my breast actually turned inside out. I'm pretty  sure Victoria's Secret doesn't have a bra for that.

Suddenly, there was a loud popping noise. I looked down at my right Breast to make sure it hadn't exploded. Nope, it was still flat as a pancake and still attached to my body.

"Oh no!" Gail said loudly. These are perhaps, the words you least want to hear from any health professional. Suddenly, she came flying past me, her lab coat whipping behind her, on her way out the door. She yelled over her shoulder, "The machine's on fire, I'm going to get help!"  OK, I was wrong, 'The machine's on fire,' are the worst words you can hear from a health professional. Especially if you're all alone and semi-permanently attached to A MACHINE and don't know if it's THE MACHINE in question.

I struggled for a few seconds trying to get free, but even Houdini couldn't have escaped. I decided to go to plan B yelling at the top of my lung (the one that was still working). I hadn't seen anything on fire, so my panic hadn't quite reached epic proportions. But then I started to smell smoke coming from behind the partition. "This is ridiculous," I thought. I can't die like this. What would they put in my obituary? Cause of death breast entrapment? I may have inhaled some fumes because I started to hallucinate.

An imaginary fireman rushed in with a fire hose and a hatchet. "Howdy, ma'am," he said.  "What's happened here?" he asked, averting his eyes.

"My breasts were too hot for the machine," I quipped, as my imaginary fireman ran out of the room again. "This is gonna take the Jaws of Life!"

In reality, Gail returned with a fire extinguisher and put out the fire. She gave me a big smile and released me from the machine. "Sorry! That's the first time that's ever happened. Why don't you take a few minutes to relax before we finish up?"  I think that's what she said. I was running across the parking lot in my backless paper gown at the time. After I'd relaxed for a few years, I figured I might go back. But I was bringing my own fire extinguisher.

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Thanks to Momma for sharing these with us.  How true, how true for some of these!!
BIT  A word used to describe computers, as in "Our son's computer cost quite a bit."
BOOT  What your friends give you because you spend too much time bragging about your computer skills.
BUG  What your eyes do after you stare at the big mean computer screen for more than 15 minutes. Also  what computer magazine companies do to you after they get your name on their mailing list.
CHIPS  The fattening, non-nutritional food computer users eat to avoid having to leave their keyboards for meals.
COPY  What you have to do during school tests because you spend too much time at the computer and not enough time studying.
CURSOR  What you turn into when you can't get your computer to perform, as in "You $#% computer!"
DISK  What goes out in your back after bending over a computer keyboard for seventeen hours at a clip.
DUMP  The place all your former hobbies wind up soon after you install your computer.
ERROR  What you made the first time you walked into a computer showroom to "just look."
EXPANSION UNIT  The new room you have to build on to your home to house your computer and all its peripherals.
FILE  What your secretary can now do to her nails six and a half hours a day, now that the computer does her day's work in 30 minutes.
FLOPPY  The condition of a constant computer user's stomach due to lack of exercise and a steady diet of junk food (see "Chips").
HARDWARE  Tools, such as lawn mowers, rakes and other heavy equipment you haven't laid a finger on since getting your computer.
IBM  The kind of missile your family members and friends would like to drop on your computer so you'll pay attention to them again.
MENU  What you'll never see again after buying a computer because you'll be too poor to eat in a restaurant.
MONITOR  Often thought to be a word associated with computers, this word actually refers to those obnoxious kids who always want to see your hall pass at school.
PROGRAMS  Those things you used to look at on your television before you hooked your computer up to it.
RETURN  What a lot of people do with their computers after only a week and a half.
TERMINAL  A place where you can find buses, trains and really good deals on hot computers.
WINDOW  What you heave the computer out of after you accidentally erase a program that took you three days to set up.

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Thanks to LindyM for sharing this one!!

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHOM TO MARRY?
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10
No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
 -- Kirsten, age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
-- Camille, age 10
No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married.
-- Freddie, age 6 (wise beyond his years this one)

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
 -- Lynnette, age 8
On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10 (another savant)

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?
I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
-- Craig, age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they're rich.
 -- Pam, age 7
The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
-- Curt, age 7
The rule goes like this If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
 -- Howard, age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
I don't know which is better, but I'll tell you one thing. I'm never going to have sex with my wife. I don't want to be all grossed out.
-- Theodore, age 8
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
-- Anita, age 9

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favorite is........
HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck.
-- Ricky, age 10

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Thanks to LindyM for this one!  Kids DO say the darnedest things!!
 
 1. Dear God, please put another holiday between Christmas and  Easter.There is nothing good in there now.Amanda
  2. Dear God, Thank you for the baby brother but what I asked for was a puppy. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up. Joyce
  3. Dear Mr. God, I wish you would not make it so easy for people to come apart. I had to have 3 stitches and a shot.Janet
  4. God, I read the bible. What does beget mean? Nobody will tell me!  Love, Alison
  5. Dear God, how did you know you were God? Who told you?  Charlene
  6. Dear God, is it true my father won't get in Heaven if he uses his  golf words in the house? Anita
  7. Dear God, I bet it's very hard for you to love all of everybody in  the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it. Nancy
  8. Dear God, I like the story about Noah the best of all of them. You really made up some good ones. I like walking on water, too.Glenn
  9. Dear God, my Grandpa says you were around when he was a little boy.  How far back do you go? Love, Dennis
 10. Dear God, do you draw the lines around the countries? If you don't, who does? Nathan
 11. Dear God, did you mean for giraffes to look like that or was it an accident? Norma
 12. Dear God, in bible times, did they really talk that fancy?  Jennifer
 13. Dear God, how come you did all those miracles in the old days and  don't do any now? Billy
 14. Dear God, please send Dennis Clark to a different summer camp this year. Peter
 15. Dear God, maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they each had their own rooms. It works out OK with me and my brother. Ilene
 16. Dear God, I keep waiting for spring, but it never did come yet.  What's up? Don't forget. Mark
 17. Dear God, my brother told me about how you are born but it just doesn't sound right. What do you say? Marsha
 18. Dear God, if you watch in Church on Sunday I will show you my new shoes. Barbara
 19. Dear God, is Reverend Coe a friend of yours, or do you just know him through the business? Donny
 20. Dear God, I do not think anybody could be a better God than you.  Well,I just want you to know that. I am not just  saying that because  you are already God. Charles
 21. Dear God, it is great the way you always get the stars in the right
place. Why can't you do that with the moon? Jeff
 22. Dear God, I am doing the best I can. Really. Frank
 23. Dear God, I didn't think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset you made on Tuesday night. That was really cool.

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Thanks to excited of #fibrochat for this one

Three men were sitting together bragging about how they had given their new wives duties.

The first man had married a woman from Alabama, and bragged that he had told his wife she was going to do all the dishes and house cleaning that needed done at their house. He said that it took a couple days but on the third day he came home to a clean house and the dishes were all washed and put away.

The second man had married a woman from Ohio. He bragged that he had given his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes, and the cooking. He told them that the first day he didn't see any results, but the next day it was better. By the third day, his house was clean, the dishes were done, and he had a huge dinner on the table.

The third man had married a Delaware girl. He boasted that he told her that her duties were to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed and hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn't see anything, the second day he didn't see anything, but by the third day most of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out of his left eye. Enough to fix himself a bite to eat, load the dishwasher, and telephone a landscaper.

Got to love them Delaware girls

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Thanks to ItsyDad for this one!

I was out walking with my then 4 year old daughter.  She picked up omething off the ground and started to put it in her mouth.  I asked  her not to do that.
"Why?"
"Because it's been laying outside and it is dirty and probably hasgerms."
At this point, she looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?"
Uh, I was thinking quickly, "...all moms know this stuff.  It's on the Mommy Test.  You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information.
"OH...I get it!" she beamed.  "So if you flunk, you have to be the Daddy.

New Baby