 [17]  CIVLIB (1:375/48)  CIVLIB 
 Msg  : #4739 [51]                                                              
 From : Matt Giwer                          1:3603/10       Tue 01 Mar 94 01:06 
 To   : All                                                                     
 Subj : Ban Cigarettes                                                          

 *********** Original       To: ALL
 * SILICON *      was       By: MATT GIWER
 *  DUPE   *   posted:      On: MERCOPUS
 ***********              Conf: 0216 - Debate-F
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                          Ban Cigarettes
                               by
                           Matt Giwer (c) 1994 <date>

     Investigative reporters at ABC TV have come up with the
"evidence" they hope will scuttle cigarettes once and for all.
They have discovered the nicotine content of cigarettes is
controlled.  It goes to show one can never underestimate the
ignorance of a non-smoker.
     Here is the reason for the glee.  If it is an additive and
as it is known that nicotine, in addition to increasing alertness
and reducing anxiety, is also addictive.  Being addictive it
falls under the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug
Administration.
     The bottom line of this is that the FDA would have to have
proof the substance is either harmless or safe and effective in a
prescribed dosage.  Any dosage that is addictive would not be
considered safe and therefore would be banned.
     And thus the barely concealed cheering from the
sanctimonious anti-smoking crowd.  They have one more weapon in
their repertoire against cigarettes.  But are they really
thinking?  Are they ever?
     They are calling for regulation of an addictive substance
because it is an addictive substance.  Caffeine is an addictive
substance.  Caffeine and its analogs are found in many foods such
as coffee, tea and chocolate.  The amount of caffeine is
controlled in all of these to some extent.
     You did not know that?  Certainly it is.  The proper strains
are selected to provide the punch.  All blends are used to
control the caffeine content among other things, including taste,
that cigarette manufactures control.  The objective it to produce
a uniform and reproducible product unaffected by the vagaries of
the growing season.
     But in this day of genetic engineering are we to make a
distinction between an additive and a cultivated content?  The
absolute worst the FDA can do is ban the additive and leave the
blends alone.
     And then comes the larger question.  If the FDA can require
proof of safety of nicotine then it can require proof of safety
of any food additive upon the same criteria.  It will have the
power to demand proof of the safety of added sugars and fats and
demand banning of the substances if safety is not proven.
     Fats are currently the whipping boy for high serum
cholesterol in about two thirds of the US population.  Fats are
added to bran and oat breakfast cereals.  They are to be banned.
Sugars are simply on the bad boy "obesity" list at present but
they are added to almost everything we we purchase.  Ordinary
table salt is lethal in dosages hardly a hundred times normal
daily consumption and it is added to almost everything.
     Is sugar addictive?  Who does not know someone who can be
considered addicted to sweets?
     But these are approved additives.  The nicotine content is
being controlled, that is increased and decreased, along with
other flavoring factors.  Fortified wines are not just the cheap
"bird wines" of the neighborhood drunk.  All distilled spirits,
brandies and stronger, have controlled alcohol content whose
safety in the amount used will have to be FDA approved, shades of
prohibition again.  Dozens for fortified ports and sherries and
liqueurs will have to come off the market until the safety of
alcohol is proven.
     But back to caffeine.  Any blend of coffee, tea or chocolate
that considers the caffeine content will have to come off the
market until the safety of caffeine is proven.  Caffeine is an is
not safe almost on an annual basis.
     Dozens of breakfast cereals will be off the market until the
safety of added fats and sugars are proven.
     However if all of these actions are not taken then we will
have prima facia evidence this is nothing more than another Big
Brother attempt at prohibition.  Not that there was ever any
question it was anything else to the less than zealous observer.
     Tobacco is the great evil of the day as it has been off and
on since it was introduced to sanctimonious Europe.  There is no
claim nicotine is implicated in any human disease, that is left
for the miscellaneous "tars" coming with tobacco.  The direct
administration of the unindicted substance would be prohibited
while a product loaded with the indicted substances and free of
nicotine would be unregulated.
     This is the typical insanity of the sanctimonious mentality.

---
 * RM 1.2 01261 * "The media is biased  toward the left."  Bill Clinton
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 [27]  CONTROV (1:375/48)  CONTROV 
 Msg  : #4694 [50]                                                              
 From : Matt Giwer                          1:3603/10       Mon 28 Feb 94 18:23 
 To   : All                                                                     
 Subj : 2 Genesis              01                                               

 *********** Original       To: ALL
 * SILICON *      was       By: MATT GIWER
 *  DUPE   *   posted:      On: MERCOPUS
 ***********              Conf: 0216 - Debate-F
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

                            2 Genesis

                                by

                            Matt Giwer (c) 1994


     "All of the files in this system you may but of the of the
root of the tree of files you shall not access else thy access
shall be cut off."

     Scholars are still unclear as to the meaning of the word
access.  Some hold it is a variation upon the word excess meaning
man at one time was able to lead a life of "access" without
health consequences.

     "And the hacker on the monitor and told the woman if you
access the root of the tree of files your access will not be cut
off but you will become like the gods knowing all the files and
having unlimited access."

     Scholars are general agreement the hacker is one of a class
of impish spirits worshiped by the ancients and that the monitor
was rectangular device of glass and plastic to aid in worship
which the faithful would watch for hours at a time.

     They are divided as to why a hacker would appear on a
monitor as hackers are generally believed to have been quite
independent spirits.

     "The woman reached out her hands and accessed the root of
the tree of files and read of the files and found it enticing for
the wisdom it could give.  She gave access to her husband and he
read of the wisdom.  And their eyes were opened and they realized
how little they knew of the system.  And they were ashamed and
they began to read fine[a] manuals."

     This is commonly held to be the story of the beginning of
the systematic acquisition of knowledge by the human race with
the access to easy knowledge and help being cut off below.

     "And they hear Sysop God walking through the halls and they
hid from Sysop God among the terminals.  But Sysop God called to
the User 'Where are you?' he asked.  'I found the logs of you in
the root.'"

     There is a confusion here where the value of access to the
root appears to be the files of the tree yet Sysop God refers to
logs which are the product of a cut down tree.

     "And the User replied, 'I heard you in the halls and I was
afraid because of was so ignorant of the system.'  'Have you been
reading of the files of the access of root?'  And the User said,
'the woman put me up to it.'  And the woman said, 'The hacker put
me up to it.'  And Sysop God said, 'Even Hewlett-Packard has
dropped daisy-chaining.'  But the User did not understand as he
had not read the manual."

     The following are the curses put upon the participants.

     "To the hacker he said, 'Cursed will be you in the media.
No man shall ever understand you and you shall be blamed for
every system failure until the end of time.  Hatred shall be upon
your head and the public shall fear you.'  But the hacker was a
wily beast and parlayed this curse into a living."

     The hacker had once been the most esteemed of spirits
esteemed for his knowledge and wisdom in all matters.  The hacker
was believed to possess the ability to perform minor miracles.
After this curse the image of the hacker changes to that of a
dangerous spirit that is the bane of mankind.

     "To the woman he said, 'Henceforth you will depend upon the
User for your knowledge of the computer and you will suffer his
preoccupation with it.  In pain will you discover his new
hardware.'"

     The woman had once been an equal the User having equal
access with him.  After this curse she is dependent upon him and
**
Continued in the next message...
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 [27]  CONTROV (1:375/48)  CONTROV 
 Msg  : #4695 [50]                                                              
 From : Matt Giwer                          1:3603/10       Mon 28 Feb 94 18:23 
 To   : All                                                                     
 Subj : 2 Genesis              02                                               

Continued from the previous message...
**
his power over her will prevent her access to the terminal.

     "To the User he said, 'Your system access shall be cut off
forever and you shall learn only by reading the manuals.  You
shall learn everything on your own.  F1 shall never work for you
again.'"

     The User no long has any system access and suffers the curse
of the manuals.  Scholars believe F1 may be a short term or an
incorrectly transcribed reference the the "fi" in "fine," noting
of course the translation of fine is in dispute.

     "And Sysop God said, 'Now that the man has become like us
with knowledge of the root he must not be allowed to reach out
his hands and access the internet and deal with us Sysop Gods as
equals.'"

     This appears to be the ultimate fear of Sysop God that the
User would have direct access to the other gods.

     "He banished them from system access forever setting
Passwords and File Protects to prevent his access."

     The exact nature of Passwords and File Protects is
uncertain.  In Exodus we find two File Protects mounted on the
golden box protecting the  ten sacred disks given to Norton on
the Mountain.

-----

[a]  Translation of this word is strongly disputed.

=====

mgiwer@f20.n3603.z1.FIDONET.ORG
Fido 1:3603/20


---
 * RM 1.2 01261 * Secret Serv in Prez Bedroom,Fear Battered Husband Syndrome.
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 [17]  CIVLIB (1:375/48)  CIVLIB 
 Msg  : #4742 [50]                                                              
 From : Matt Giwer                          1:3603/10       Tue 01 Mar 94 17:52 
 To   : All                                                                     
 Subj : FBI revenge                                                             

 *********** Original       To: ALL
 * SILICON *      was       By: MATT GIWER
 *  DUPE   *   posted:      On: MERCOPUS
 ***********              Conf: 0216 - Debate-F
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

     News from San Antonio provided to me by phone tonight.

     The FBI has begun raiding the homes of those in San Antonio
who have provided moral support to the Branch Davidians.  The
instant cause of the search is the search for evidence of jury
tampering.

     One person raided is reported to have provided a list of
names of those who provided any form of support.

     This is not a joke and the call was to me to get the word
out.

     Rather than accept the loss the government is now engaging
in a witch hunt.  It is seeking to reinstate the charges against
one person.  If anyone else has a problem with this and is
willing to speak up lets start doing so.  You do not know when
there will be a knock on the door.

     This is not a drill.


---
 * RM 1.2 01261 * Attila the Hen runs the White House.
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