The
StarLink-IRC NEWSLETTER |
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StarLink-IRC Network - Your family
friendly cybertown!
This is YOUR newsletter - Send items to newsletter@starlink-irc.org 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 Why We Are Here: A
#Townhall Special
Presentation
Word Games: Live
Trivia throughout the week.SL-IRC Logo Gear: SL-IRC logo items www.cafeshops.com/slirc Security: www.starlink-irc.org/security/ Webring: www.starlink-irc.org/webring.html Guestbook: www.starlink-irc.org/guestbook. Ombudspersons: www.starlink-irc.org/slirc-org.html#Ombudsman #International: Mutilingual helpers always welcome! Channel Owner Email Updates: If you own a channel and change your contact address, please let a CService rep in #Channels know or send a note to slirc-register@starlink-irc.org NOTE: 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. Please feel free to send in things you'd like to share
with our
community of chatters.
Editor's Notes So sorry about accidently sending a joke to some or all of you earlier this week! I'm still not QUITE sure how I pulled that one off, but I managed! I have taken precaution to ensure that never happens again. Another Mardi Gras has some and gone, and we're still here to tell about it. Next Mardi Gras will be on February 27, 2006. We are hoping to have a gathering of StarLink-IRC folks come to enjoy this one with us as gngrbrd will have the week before Mardi Gras off for a change! If you are interested in attending this SL-IRC get together, just message or email me. Take a big whiff. Can you smell Spring in the air?!!! It's getting close! |
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Your BIRTHDAY
TREE
February gemstone is Amethyst, the symbol of Sobriety. Flower is the Violet March gemstone is Aquamarine, symbol of Health Flower is the Crocus DAYS OF NOTE Feb 21 President's Day (USA)
From the Langa List - "Don't be fooled" .. there are folks out there trying to scam people looking for "real" software. This one is about Spybot (highly recommended) and the cheap imitations. Always check VERY closely when looking for any software - be sure you have the right URL and are getting the right product. If you're not sure, go back to the source and re-ask. Always better safe than sorry |
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StarLink-IRC wants to welcome a new server that's in test phase right now: Tampa.FL.US.StarLink-IRC.Org with admin Shamgar and IRCop DrOakley. Try it out and drop by #Terranova or #channels and say hi and let them know how the connection to their server is working for you Here is a VERY good review of Mozilla
Firefox. Please check it out!
http//reviews.cnet.com/4520-3000_7-5561073.html?tag=nl.e501 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
happening in YOUR channel at newsletter@starlink-irc.org
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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!
Here is a recipe from momma from #momma^s_House. It sounds WONDERFUL. Can't wait to make it. Will let you all know when I fix it. Please send your recipe's and helpful household tips to. Until next month lets remember to keep
cooking on the
wildside.
wildchild
Reserved for those who have questions which can benefit from answers with a fresh perspective!
Keep watching this spot for future reviews from Zadi!
"America (the Book) A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction" by Jon Stewart along with Ben Karlin and David Javerbaum ("The Daily Show" writers)
Published by Warner Books, at $24.95 ISBN 0446532681, Published September 2004
Available in Hard Back Book, CD, Audio book and Audio Download This book is written like a
text book. Starting with Greece in the 5th century BC, it hop scotches
through history up to present day America. There are discussion
questions such as "Why do you think the Framers made the Constitution
so soul-crushingly boring?" and there are suggested classroom
activities such as, "Using felt and yarn, make a puppet of Clarence
Thomas. Ta da! You're Antonin Scala!" Amusing graphics include a board
game that resembles the game, Life, but which follows a presidential
term "Optimistic press release on economy ineffective. Spin
Again." No one evades the scrutiny of the writers, not even the
Pilgrims, who came to America "to escape religious persecution…create a
society where they could worship as they pleased and one day, God
willing, even do some persecuting of their own." Of course,
understandably, the media fares the worst. One chapter is dedicated to
telling the "inspirational story" of how the media "transformed itself
from a mere public necessity into an entertaining profit center for
ever-expanding corporate empires."
The writers of Comedy Central's fake news program,
which recently and somewhat scandalously won the Television Critics
Association's award for 'outstanding news and public affairs series,'
have put together an informative and extremely funny presentation of
our political history. The humor is intense, albeit based on truth, and
the ability to understand this fact is the key to enjoying the book. It
is also available in CD format, audio tape and you can even download it
on the internet. Nose around on Amazon or Barnes and Nobel, and
you will find the link to listen to (1) Jon Stewart talking about the
book or (2) an excerpt from the taped version. Both are entertaining
and amusing. Even if you don't buy the book, or rent it from the
library, you will find online information, reviews, tape excerpts and
sales spiels fascinating and enlightening. The book has been on the New
York Times Best Sellers List for 20 weeks, being #3 on the February 20,
2005 list. It's funny, informative and worth your time.There are full color illustrations, photos and charts. The book offers insights into America's unique system of government, dissecting its institutions, explaining its history and processes and exploring and exploiting modern urban myths. Release was timed to coincide with the height of the presidential campaign in 2004. This book has been called "the devil's own comedic handiwork, a side-splitting guide to the abuses and absurdities built into our political processes and institutions." by one New York Times reviewer. It has been called inspired, informative, ecumenical, evenhanded and a hilarious political satire. And it is, indeed hilarious. First off, if you are offended by profanity (which is, of course, a part of our culture), you may not want to open this book. While it makes you think and laugh, and teaches as well, it will make you cringe at what some would consider poor taste, vile language and, of course, extremely controversial ideas and suggestions. I personally appreciate the freedoms of our country, having lived in countries where freedom of speech is severely restricted. While I don't always agree with what people write or say, I am profoundly grateful that my government affords the freedom to express oneself openly and without fear of death or punishment. This book is cheeky, irreverent and playfully ingenuous. To sit back and absorb it, with the knowledge that it is intended to teach and to make you laugh at the same time, is to enjoy this taken-for-granted freedom that we in this country share. If you have a book you'd like to see reviewed, let us know. If you'd like to write a review yourself, please let us know. Books open the windows of the world. Always keep them around. Lorellei If you have a book you'd like reviewed, send an email with the subject "For Book Nook"; we're glad to have suggestions! If you'd like to review a book yourself, let us know. It's good to have fresh viewpoints!
Lovebirds
In keeping with Valentine's Day, and the "pet" section of
this column, I have decided to write about a beautiful caged bird often
considered for a family pet. Caged birds are ideal for those who wish
to have a pet, but can not handle the always present pet hair. Or who
do not wish to be forced to walk a pet several times daily while
carrying the plastic bag for cleanups.The species commonly called Lovebirds scientifically called Agapornis comprise of a very diverse and colorful group of parrots from Africa. Lovebirds have been kept as pets for over 100 years. The playful and very inquisitive nature, plus the small size, make lovebirds a very ideal pet especially when they have been hand raised. The lovebird is a short, thick-bodied parrot and is about 5 to 6 inches long from head to tail. A lovebird has a relatively large beak for it's size and the basic color of the species is green. Why call them lovebirds you ask? Well they were named lovebirds because if kept in pairs the lovebirds will constantly groom each other and sit as close together as possible when sleeping or resting. Lovebirds were a largely unheard of species outside of Africa until Europeans wrote in books and journals about these strange brightly colored birds they had seen while in Africa. The first Lovebird to be described in detail was the Red Faced lovebird in the early 1600, it was also the first lovebird to be imported into Europe during the 19th century since it was found in more widely in the wild than any of the other species. Other species of lovebird were imported soon after the Red Faced except the Peach face which was thought to be variant of the Red Faced, although the Peach Faced lovebird was acknowledged by the British Museum in 1793. It wasn't until 1817 that the Peach Faced lovebird was recognized as a separate species of lovebird and were imported into Europe in the mid 1800'sBecause lovebirds are an easy bird to keep as a pet and are very colorful they became favorites with people all over the world. Between 1900 and 1927 four more species of lovebird were discovered by explorers from Europe the Fischers, Masked, Black cheeked & Nyasa lovebird. Since there are large amounts of lovebirds in petshops or from lovebird breeders aviary's it is no longer necessary to import lovebirds from Africa. The wide variety of lovebirds around the world gives us an advantage over the Europeans who had to rely heavily of importation of lovebirds from Africa many years ago. Birds bred locally are much more likely to be tame and healthy. When considering a lovebird as a pet, you should be someone who will be totally committed to lovebirds. You must feel that you want to spend time with them and take good care of them. Having a lovebird as a pet is more than a hobby; it is like being the parent of an eternal three-year-old. If you put a lot of effort into making your lovebird's life comfortable and happy, she will reward you with unconditional love and years of fun. Lovebirds are a great intermediate-level bird, because they are more challenging to take care of than budgies, but easier to care for than large parrots. If you are dedicated and informed about how to best take care of lovebirds, then you will surely be successful. It is essential that your lovebird is fed a healthy, varied, nutritious diet. Lovebirds eat about one-fifth of their body weight daily. Malnourished birds will suffer from illnesses and may even starve. You may hear about special fad diets for birds, but in general, you should only feed your lovebird things that she could naturally eat in the wild. Basically, the only thing that lovebirds can drink is water. You should always provide lovebirds with a clean, fresh source of water. In the wild, lovebirds also drink fruit and vegetable juices, but do not give your bird commercially packaged juices to drink. These "human" juice drinks contain artificial sweeteners and preservatives. If you give your bird fresh slices of fruit and vegetables such as pears and celery, she will bite into the morsel and drink the natural juice. Lovebirds should never be allowed to have milk, carbonated beverages, caffeine or alcohol. Never give your lovebird distilled water, because it does not have any minerals and nutrients. The best thing to do is to give your bird spring water from companies such as Polaris and Evian. You can get a big spring water dispenser and fill your lovebird's water dishes with this water. If spring water is too expensive, you can also sterilize tap water by boiling it and waiting until it cools down before giving it to your lovebird. If you live in an area where tap water is relatively clean, it is safe to give your lovebird water straight from the tap. Lovebirds are principally fed a seed-based diet. However, you cannot only feed your lovebirds seeds. Lovebirds should also eat fruits and vegetables daily.Some lovebird books give you a list of seeds that you can buy individually and mix together. Most people would not have the time to do this, and it may be hard to find each type of seed. Today, commercially-prepared, fortified seeds contain a wide variety of seeds. It is much easier and healthier to buy your lovebird these packaged seeds. Most manufacturers do not make "lovebird seeds." You can feed your lovebird "budgie seeds" or seeds that were made for parakeets and small parrots. Some people feed their lovebirds "cockatiel seeds," but these often contain large seeds that lovebirds will not eat. You do not have to start a young lovebird off with canary seeds; most lovebirds will readily eat "budgerigar seeds." Organic produce is the best, because it is not sprayed with pesticides. Beware of produce that is mouldy or sprayed with chemicals. Never feed your bird any vegetable that you would not eat yourself. Inspect all fruits and vegetables closely, and wash them in lukewarm water. Dry the produce by shaking it. All produce should be eaten raw do not give your bird cooked or frozen food. Lovebirds can eat many types of fruits such as pears, apples, grapes, bananas, peaches, cherries, strawberries and melons. You should not give your bird too many citric fruits, such as lemons, oranges and kiwis. Fasten the fruit onto the bars of the cage with a clip, and remove the remains within a few hours, to prevent decay and insect invasion. Wipe the cage bars every day. Do not put fruit or vegetables on the bottom of the cage. Lovebirds can eat many types of vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, baby spinach, green beans, eggplant (the plant itself is poisonous), asparagus, chives, zucchini, red and green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, celery, peas in the pod, and corn. Dark green and deeply pigmented vegetables offer the largest amounts of vitamins, calcium and iron. Always remove all perishable food after a few hours. Before making that trip to the local pet shop or breeder to pick out a lovebird, have the cage set up and ready for the new tenant. Check with the salesperson at the pet shop to ensure that you are purchasing the right sized cage, and the toys your bird will need when you are not around to entertain her. Buy only approved bird toys! This will ensure that your new family member does not come to any harm by ingesting any harmful components that might break off from a toy not suitable. Consider these pros and cons to owning a lovebird. PROS *They are small and require relatively little space. *They are affordable and easy to breed. *They are attractively colored and undemanding with diet and care. *They are not as messy as large parrots. *They are small, active, happy birds who love to play and snuggle with you. *They can be very tame, affectionate, cuddly birds. *They are smart and full of personality. *They can learn some tricks. *They can double as paper shredders. CONS *They can be noisy and have loud, shrill voices, but they are not as loud as bigger parrots. *They are messier than birds such as budgies, and chew up your paperwork into tiny strips. *They can be quarrelsome with other birds. *They will not sing nicely like a canary, and very few lovebirds can learn human speech. *They can bite hard! Still want one? Then shop carefully, question breeders, and chose the one that responds to you and makes your heart flutter. And remember, housekeeping with any bird is important to their overall health and longevity! |
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An interesting page on historical (and slightly strange) aircraft. Try google maps.. you'll LOVE it and never go back to Yahoo or Mapquest .. Google Maps
Do you have a web site that has been particularly informative or helpful? Let us know, so we can travel through cyberspace to visit it, too!
WD 40
See what all you can do with it.contributed by Scorp Is there anything this stuff doesn't do ? When you read the "shower door" part, try it. It's the first thing that has cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stovetop ... Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and de greaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their Atlas missile parts. The workers were so pleased with the product they began smuggling (also known as "shrinkage" or "stealing") it out to use at home. The executives decided there might be a consumer market for it and put it in aerosol cans. The rest is history. It is a carefully guarded recipe known only to four people. One of them is the "brew master." There are about 2.5 million gallons of the stuff manufactured each year. It gets its distinctive smell from a fragrance that is added to the brew. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you. Here are some of the uses ~Protects silver from tarnishing ~Cleans and lubricates guitar strings ~Gets oil spots off concrete driveways ~Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery ~Keeps flies off cows ~Restores and cleans chalkboards ~Removes lipstick stains ~Loosens stubborn zippers ~Untangles jewelry chains ~Removes stains from stainless steel sinks ~Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill ~Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing ~Removes tomato stains from clothing ~Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots ~Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors ~Keeps scissors working smoothly ~Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes ~Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide ~Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers ~Rids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises ~Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open ~Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close ~Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards and vinyl bumpers ~Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles ~Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans ~Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons and bicycles for easy handling ~Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly ~Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools ~Removes splattered grease on stove ~Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging ~Lubricates prosthetic limbs ~Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell) ~Removes all traces of duct tape ~I have even heard of folks spraying it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain. ~Florida's favorite use was "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers ~The favorite use in the state of New York -- WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements. ~WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. It's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states. ~Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately, and stops the itch. ~WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag. ~Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone! ~If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start. ~WD-40, long known for its ability to remove leftover tape mung (sticky label tape), is also a lovely perfume and air freshener! Sprayed liberally on every hinge in the house, it leaves that distinctive clean fresh scent for up to two days! ~Seriously though, it removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks. ~Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40! And the beat goes on...............
Nothing special this month. Schedule info provided
by Amazing
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VALENTINE'S
DAY to THE IDES OF MARCH
And here we are at another heart full of chocolate day !Hearts, Massacres, and Assassinations Spring is just so jolly, ain't it? This is where you give your sweetie a box of chocolates, and two bottles of cholesterol meds and a coupon for liposuction ... and call it love. So in THIS spirit, IMI offers its ever-popular and romantic Valentines' Day Poem .. ROSES ARE RED
VIOLETS ARE PURPLE SOME POEMS RHYME OR NOT Have a happy Ides of March. If your name is Julius you might want to leave town. til next month. |
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Whether it's lighthearted, serious,
poignant, or just plain silly, send your contributios to the
newsletter with LIBRARY in the subject line.
LAUGHTER IS GOOD
MEDICINE!
[ACTUAL] HEADLINES OF 2004
contributed by ItsyDad
*my personal
favorite.... (Itsy)
Thanks to Itsy for this one!
This is gonna be one of THOSE days -- This is a REAL help desk
announcement message sent out early this morning in a large
organization which shall remain unnamed to protect the guilty. By
the way, they stayed locked out of their own room for over 6
hours! On a weekday. This the email as sent..."To All Users THE COMPUTER'S SWALLOWED GRANDMA
Thanks to Scorp of #Scorp's-Place
The Computer's swallowed Grandma. Funny Microsoft Articles
contributed by Itsy
Here's a collection of computer humor directly from Microsoft. Well,
ONE of them is a parody. The links were accumulated from colleagues,
Usenet and web searches, but mostly from "googlewhacking" the Knowledge
Base. Enjoy! (Links open new browser windows.)http//jazzkeyboard.com/jill/qarticles.html |
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Get Well Wishes
With the warmest of wishes this just comes to say hope that you're feeling much better today. |
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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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In Memory
Our hearts are filled with sadness for Makk and her family at this time of her father's death. Our love and prayers will remain with them as they celebrate his life and grieve his passing.
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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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