Why views instead of news? I believe its all views in the end.
ViewsPaper is presented as a showcase of what can be done with Waldo. This issue is formatted for reading in a size 12 font --Palatino or New York would be a good choice. Some articles have a return at the end of every line but most do not--this was done to facilitate using a font of your choice to display the text.
This first issue, Volume 1 Issue 1, is a first step and future issues will not look like this one--in fact none will have any family resemblance except for the appearance of Waldo itself.
Each issue will contain information about Waldo. The bulk of the contents will vary wildly as will the publication dates. ViewsPaper will define a new vista of publishing.
Please write me concerning articles you would like to publish in ViewsPaper at:
LETTERS: EMAIL:
ARTWAY CompuServe: 72067,3046
P.O. Box 3442 GEnie: J.GAUDREAULT
Omaha, NE 68103
^
*|Waldo Notes|*
^
*General Waldo Stuff*
Note: If quotes are used in a Title then Waldo will not properly load the document. Until further notice please refrain from using quotes in Titles.
It is recommended that you change the application size of HyperCard to
1000 (1 megabyte) for Waldo. See the documentation with your
Macintosh for instructions for doing this.
Version 3.1.2 corrects for a bug in the Second Sight File List—when Selecting a File to load from the File List the File Name would not appear in the load file dialogue box as it should. This is fixed in version 3.1.2.
Version 3.1.2 released date was May 1992.
In version 3.1.1 the user has the option of Clicking to exit without deleting the Title from the List. In the message box the brackets "[]" enclose the number of the next Title in the Queue. (The same as the HyperButton Queue.)
In version 3.1 Scan List view has a Select option. If a Title is Selected the user must Insert the Title back into the List or the Title will be deleted from the List. This has changed in version 3.1.1 and later.
John J. Gaudreault
^
*From Simple Text to Waldo*
From Simple Text to Waldo
The simplest strategy for creating a Waldo document would be to use your favorite wordprocessor to write, imbedding the formatting characters as you go. With the insertion of 4 simple characters from your keyboard you can create a document, up to 999 pages in length. The document can contain a table on contents, a sub-table of contents and pictures--in XStacks (actually you can have graphics, animation and sound). Any one with a word processor (including an IBM compatible computer) can create a Waldo document--no special program is needed. Waldo will read anyone's writing. But when Waldo loads the text something wonderful happens!
^
*Converting Pre-existing Text to a Waldo Document*
Use Pre-existing Text for Creating a Waldo Document. You could use a pre-existing document that you transferred off of a floppy\disk or that you downloaded with a modem and insert the formatting characters yourself to create a Waldo document out of someone else's file.You may want to do this if you want to redistribute the file in a more easily read and referenced form. Some files you may want to do this to are: instructions for programs that are text files, technical or scientific papers, directions for a machine that are in text file form, combinations of text and graphs and spreadsheet data that you want to combine into a report, combine a series of letters and notes from one or more sources as references.
NOTE: It is important that there are no "spaces" at the beginning a line with formatting characters.
^
*Greater IBM Compatibility*
There is now a Waldo FreeWare utility called UserWare>Waldo. It will convert plain text files formatted for the IBM compatible HyperText programs from UserWare into Waldo documents. This program will translate "single file" UserWare files into Waldo documents. Currently UserWare>WALDO version 1.1.1 (04/92) will only convert single files that contain UserWare formatted Pages. Some older UserWare files have a single file for each page of text. Currently you must manually merge these Pages into one file before processing. Future versions of UserWare>WALDO may perform this function automatically.
UserWare>WALDO™ is a FreeWare application for converting UserWare files to WALDO documents. UserWare markets several HyperText readers that run on IBM compatibles. UserWare applications read in plain text as does WALDO.
IRIS, PRISM and DART are HyperText programs from Ted Husted and UserWare. They, like WALDO, use a plain ascii text file format.
Ted Husted
UserWare
4 Falcon Lane East, Fairport NY 14450-3312.
(716) 425-3463.
^
|
*|Some New Things In Waldo Version 3.1|*
^
*The Notes function of HyperButton*
In Waldo 3.1 there is a new function within HyperButtons. You may attach a note to each HyperButton (HB). You may also display a List view of the HB Queue. From the List view you may rearrange the Spots within the Queue and delete Spots. The first part of each note is shown in the List view for identification of individual Notes. There may now be as many as 100 Spots in a single Queue. The Notes may be saved to a file on Disk. When the HB list is saved to disk any Notes are saved along with it and may be reloaded.
I have chose to implement this type of indexing (HB) rather than one which actually "marks" text because marking text would allow for one simple "path" through a document and would not allow for "doubling back" across your "path." HyperButtons does allow you to construct a complex path through the document and make notations along the way. More than one path may be constructed and followed. An author or reader may transfer HB lists electronically to others for inclusion in their copy of the document. Other programs may leave a visible mark by way of highlighting the text with boldfacing or the like but this seriously limits their usefulness.
^
*QuickImport--text without Titles*
For those of you who want to quickly want to import preexisting text, you may go through the document using your wordprocessor and marking the end of Pages using the caret symbol. Waldo will import the file using only the end of page marker. From within the Table of Contents you may hold down the Shift key and click on a Page number. A dialogue will appear and ask you to give the Page a Title. This allows you to Title only those Pages of particular interest. (The titles entered this way will be lost and are not added to the document but will be retained as long as the document is loaded into a copy of Waldo.)
If you wish to QuickImport a document and add Folded Pages then you MUST create Folds the normal way and give each Page within the Fold a minimum Title of two asterisks next to one another on a line by themselves followed by a RETURN. Pages outside of the Fold do not have to have any Title. My preference is to give each Page a Title--at least two asterisks.
^
*WaldoTools™ Is Coming*
WaldoTools, an analytical program, is only available direct from ARTWAY. WaldoTools will check a document for proper formatting and create a report on disk which will show any formatting errors and also give the statistics of the document. WaldoTools will provide for automatic formatting of preexisting files into Waldo documents. It allows for a semi-automatic formatting and Titling. (If the original file contains graphics then you should manually go through the document with a compatible wordprocessor and place an XStack formatting character before each graphic and then save the file to disk as plain text.) The graphics may be copied and pasted into a HyperCard stack and displayed as XStacks.
^
*Why XStacks??*
I chose to impliment graphics through XStacks rather than having graphics right on the page as others have with a "traditional book" perspective. Waldo has a standard Page size which is readable on any Mac screen size. Graphics are an important part of many documents and will not be limited by the standard Page size needed for text therefore XStacks. XStacks are completely non-standard in that the only limitation placed on them are those of HyperCard itself and as many programmers know HyperCard can gain new functions through the use of XCommands and XFunctions
Another advantage to XStacks is that one person may be working on a document's text while others may be working independantly on the XStacks. Colborative documents may be easily constructed and updated as needed.
^
*XStack-illusion*
¥1
Here is a trick for the light of heart and the slight handed. Take a screen shot of a Waldo document Page. Use TeachText to load the image and copy and paste it onto the top layer of the XStack. Create your graphic over the text field image and then it will appear that there are graphics within the Waldo document instead of in an external stack.
^
*More About XStacks--Getting Centered*
On Macs with screens larger that the nine inch screen of a Plus, SE or Classic, when an XStack is displayed, it will always be centered on the display screen even though the copy of Waldo has been moved off center of the screen. This ensures that if an XStack has a window larger than the classic nine inch screen that it will at least be centered on the display if it is displayed in a scrolling window.
^
*Transferring Titles to Title List--Now They Go After!*
New in version 3.1 of Waldo is Button Titles transferred to the Title List now go after any old entries in the Title List instead of before andy existing Titles. What this means is that you may build up Title Lists by using matches from the Button List. By transferring the Titles "after" existing Titles you may build a List that proceeds through the document in ascending fashion from the first occurrence to the last in the document. Remember to start looking for matches on the first Page of the Document. Preceding matches should start on the Page "after" the last Page Button marked.
^
*Sorting Some Lists*
The File List, a function particular to creating files for use with the Second Sight Bulletin Board System, and the Button List items may now be sorted alphabetically. This is an optional aid in organizing the longer lists now available with Waldo version 3.1.
Museums are,reasonably, only able to display a small fraction of their collection to the public at any one time. Computer graphics artists do not normally have their work displayed to the public because of the equipment requirements. If an artist's work is to have a broad audience, his work must be collected by many museums. To overcome these limitations, and others, I have envisioned a new museum--a museum without walls; ARTWINDOW.
ARTWINDOW TM is a new way for the public and scholars to access the visible and the invisible in a museum’s collection. For the first time, people will be able to see and interact with all of a museum’s collection. ARTWINDOW places images of all the items in a museum's collection onto a video disk(s), or similar optical storage medium. These images will be accessible via computer from remote locations (schools, libraries and other public places) where kiosks will be set up at one end of an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) hookup. People at the remote site will be able to talk with personnel or interact with the museum computer through a variety of input devices (e.g., keyboard, trackball, touchscreen) while receiving and viewing high resolution computer graphic reproductions of items in the museum's collection as well as text information.
^
*How to Look Through an ARTWINDOW*
A person may find an ARTWINDOW kiosk in a branch of their local library. A computer and two monitors are visible. The smaller screen is for text and a larger screen is devoted to displaying graphics. The person selects (via the keyboard or trackball) the menu option for an introduction. After the individual is orientated s/he chooses to browse through the collection of a large eclectic museum. S/he has the option of scanning text descriptions, looking at small "thumbnail" black and white illustrations of objects or going directly to full-color high-resolution images.
The manner in which the person browses has a direct bearing on the speed with which s/he retrieves information from the museum's storage device. Here the interface is of the greatest importance. When s/he finds an object s/he is interested in, s/he may access further information on the object including its provenance and other information from the registrar's file. It is important to establish standards for HyperText links between information so that the browser or the researcher is able to create, as well as discover, links between information.
It is important to allow the user to establish his/her own links as well as referencing the ones built into the information by the museum. Another feature of equal or greater importance is the ability for the user to "store" a session and be able to re-access it at a later time. The storage could be external at the remote kiosk in the form of a printout or actually written to a floppy disk. The floppy disk that the user would take home or a local high-density storage medium at the library would be ideal as it would allow the user to resume the session at a later date. The availability of a color laser printer at the kiosk location for color reproductions, though expensive, would greatly enhance an ARTWINDOW.
^
*Advantages of ARTWINDOW-ing*
The advantages for the institution, gallery or individual artist who would want to set up an ARTWINDOW are real and immediate. (Given that all of the information, equipment, software and computer images are in place.) The whole collection of objects is available at all times. Objects that are too small or too large for easy viewing could be seen as though they were being held in one's hand and rotated for viewing--again, given that the appropriate images have been photographed and stored as computer images, the appropriate software is driving the session and the ISDN link is in place. All text information is available and in computer format so that it can be accessed without the constraints of print information. Culled text and images can be archived in digital format (floppy disk/optical disk) for later use. Messages and notes to the museum staff can be relayed via electronic mail.
ARTWINDOW gives a more efficient interface to the museum's holdings. Greater depth of access with greater convenience. Most or all of the information and images could be accessed from a Bulletin Board System (BBS). A standard BBS would allow a less efficient and slower (slower for the transmission of images)
access. But the BBS would be able to be accessed by a larger audience and at times not burdened by the time constraints placed by the operating hours of a library or university. Anyone with a computer and a modem and proprietary free communication software could dial up the museum at any time and peruse the collection.
^
*What is ISDN? When Will ISDN Be Here?*
The main difference between an ISDN phone line and a standard BBS hookup over standard phone lines is the speed. With modern high-speed modems and data error correction/data compression standards such as V.42bis, speeds approaching ISDN can be achieved. ISDN has the added feature of three virtual lines going to the user, allowing concurrent voice/data communications. Although that feature could be effected with special "black boxes" that would multiplex voice/data over the same line, it would be at the cost of degradation of transmission speed as well as the need for both ends to have the "box." However, it is no problem to include voice/data "switching" in the software to allow consecutive voice/data over plain-vanilla phone lines. The technology that allows for this simultaneous transmission of voice and data is Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). ISDN is a new class of service available from the local telephone company. It brings three channels,instead of the standard one, into the house using the existing universal (copper) 4-wire configuration. With only a 1.5 times higher monthly bill and a change in the wall jack, two-way voice and data communications will be possible. Only one new communications device will be necessary: an ISDN terminal adaptor for a computer, a special A/D converter or a new digital telephone to hook into the ISDN phone jack. ISDN Basic Rate interface standard allows for two 64kbps and one 16kbps lines between sites. Voice and computer data can be transmitted concurrently. High resolution color images will be transmitted in as little as 12 seconds. Low resolution black and white images for scanning through the database should take one to five seconds. Images will be accompanied by associated text information. Through data compression algorithms and by packetizing signals, higher throughput and greater complexity of transmissions can be achieved.
^
*What About After We're Hooked Up?*
The museum has information, both text and graphics images, stored in a "database." This is separate from the museum's own records. The graphics and text are stored on a "laser disk," which can hold as many as 54,000 images. Any updates to the collections or notes can be stored on an erasable medium such as a hard disk or an erasable optical disk. Semiannual updates to the laser disk(s) could be effected--the frequency depending on the dynamics of a particular museum's collection.
All information will be linked via a HyperText program. This proprietary software will be written to provide a standard interface. (An international standards committee could be established to hammer out these issues.) As ISDN becomes universally available, it will be possible for the interested person at home to access this system with a personal computer and personal ISDN.
Complementing the ISDN system will be a standard computer bulletin board system, for the current generation of personal computers and phone service, for database access. People will be able to download compressed image files to view at leisure. These images will be selected from text descriptions.
Connection to the ISDN service involves little change to onsite equipment for the museum. Standard 4-wire hookup is used (ISDN uses all four of the wires while standard service usually uses just two wires.) An RJ-45 jack is substituted for the standard RJ-11. Both ends (museum and remote) must have an ISDN adaptor. Of course, the local phone system must have the service available for hookup to the location.
A person at the remote site may scroll through low resolution black and white reproductions from the museum collection while talking to a person at the museum. S/he finds an interesting image. S/he would make a selection from the menu screen and a full color high resolution image would start to appear on the large graphics screen. (12 seconds) Both image and text would be stored to a mass storage device at the remote location (hard drive or optical drive) for later processing.
Photographing of the collection and transfer to computer medium is a task that must be considered by each museum individually but will benefit from national and international standards that can be created. A committee could be established by an institution such as the Getty Museum and/or the Library of Congress that would develop these standards.
Most art museums deal in static displays. Occasionally they present movies, concerts, performance art and other dynamic art. ARTWINDOW provides for a dynamic interaction with all aspects of the museum collection with minimal staff overhead.
^
*BBS Support for Today*
I feel it would be best to use the paradigm of the BBS for ARTWINDOW. It is a well established format for accessing remote information hosts. ISDN access will be limited to expensive hardware setups for the next one to two years, until ISDN adaptors come down in price and the service becomes universally available from the local Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC). Therefore, access will be limited to those that have the resources to obtain this new class of communications: schools, libraries, museums. Later, artists themselves will be able to assemble their own ARTWINDOW.
A more modest, but powerful nonetheless, interface can be effected by a regular bulletin board system (BBS). Files could be stored in an archived/compressed format and be transmitted at the highest speeds permitted over regular phone lines (9.6 kbps). Museums can effectively get a hand up by implementing BBS's now. The BBS has all the potential of ISDN minus the speed and the ability of concurrent voice/data transmission. The speed issue may not be as disparate as it first appears--by utilizing data compression techniques (MNP 5 and V.42bis) and high-speed modems (9.6 kbps) now available, throughput as high as 38.4 kbps can be achieved. By using these same techniques, I see no reason why an ISDN connection cannot support a throughput of 256 kbps. Most people telecommunicate at 1.2 kbps.
^
*Conclusions*
While Videotex and other new technologies flex their muscles in the wings awaiting to take over the stage, the mature technology of computer bulletin board systems (BBS) is gaining large numbers of new converts every day. There are an estimated 10,000 BBS's in the country today. (Some put the number as high as 30,0000.) As our population grows up with this type of service, it considers it as much a necessity as television, cars and video.
Many smaller institutions will be able to reach a larger audience and possibly obtain greater funding. Larger institutions will enhance their educational function and extend the scholarly reach of their collections. Individual artists and associations of artists will be able to communicate directly to the public without an intervening institution. To me, it is not when but now. As the current grade school children reach driving age, they will have been bottle fed on a plethora of communications and computing technologies. They will expect no less in the adult world.
It is beyond the scope of this article to list and explain the technology needed to actually hook up an operational ARTWINDOW. Within a year's time, I will be publishing a "cookbook" for creating your own ARTWINDOW. It will be published in a proprietary HyperPage TM format and possibly in a traditional paper form. The cookbook will contain lists of, and vendors for, hardware as well as instructions for hooking it all up. Software will not be included. I may develop ARTWINDOW software, as a commerical project, on my own if there is not interest to assist in its development--it has not been decided yet. I have a message area on my BBS, ARTWAY, as a forum for further dialogues and information concerning ARTWINDOW. (ARTWAY 402-391-2039 11am to 11pm--12/24 8N1 -- ARTWAY BBS will not be available again until September 1992.)
There will be a BBS topic posted in ACEN. I am asking you to respond to these ideas with your reflections and reactions. What would you as an institution see as necessary considerations before implementing an ARTWINDOW in your museum? Where would single artists and collectives of artists see advantages to implementing an ARTWINDOW? Manufacturers, museums or individuals interested in assisting with the task of developing standards for ARTWINDOW are encouraged to contact me also. If interested parties do not participate, a standard will still be implemented, but it will lack a fully rounded information base.
^
|
*|Poems: Copyright 1990-1991 Julie Pusch, All Rights Reserved|*
^
*Waste*
It is rust
working in secret
that paints the mind
which refuses to grow
oxidation is a comfortable process
working silent transformations
beneath the surface
one is hardly aware
of the change
slowly vital substance fades
compromising the integrity
of the structure
and then one day—
suddenly, it seems,
the original is gone
leaving only a rusted
shell of thought
empty
in mindlessness
crumbling and hopeless
^
*The Maple at Night*
beyond last light
a hidden shift in the dance
unlocks a consciousness of wind
earth's child rises into shadow
and the imprint of modification
is thrust up through her brown body
into gray
the boundaries of her perfume
singing into alignment
she is an
expression
traced
across
the
outline
of
power
she is
aware
and will gather the difference into herself
^
|
*|The Romance and Sense of Perfume for Men and Women|*
^
The Romance and Sense of Perfume for Men and Women
by Jeirenne A. Galloway
*Fragrance…Perfume…*.These words evoke romance and seduction,
mystery and luxury. As old as Greece and Rome, as old as Egypt,
fragrances have long held fascination for man and woman alike.
While the ancients had relatively few essential oils from which to
mix their brew, modern man has hundreds of natural and synthetic
products at his disposal. This proliferation has made hundreds of
name-brand fragrances available to men and women.
With such a staggering number of choices available, how does one go
about choosing a new fragrance? Typically you go to the fragrance
counter and try two or three…then you can’t smell any more
without getting them mixed up…after that you wait for a couple of
hours and—if you’re lucky enough to find one you like—you ask
yourself, “Now which one DID I put on my left wrist?”
^
*A less pleasing (but unfortunately not infrequent) sampling*
experience is one of being approached by the sales clerk who has a
vested interest in pushing one particular fragrance which may not
suit you. Or worse yet, being sprayed without your consent by a
strategically placed model.
So modern man has devised many new fragrances, but he has not
updated this primitive method of random sampling.
Don’t despair at the fragrance counter; help is at hand!
You will be happy to know that most people (both women and men)
have an excellent memory for smells. This is because the sense of
smell is directly connected to the emotional part of the brain—
that is, it doesn’t go through rational processing in the frontal
lobes. This is why a faint aroma can take you vividly back to a
childhood visit to your grandparent’s house.
^
*The direct connection of emotion to smell* means that you don’t need
anyone to tell you whether you like a fragrance. Rather, you have
a gut reaction that says “yes” or “no.” In other words, your nose
knows! You know what smells you like; what you don’t know is how
to describe that fragrance or what brand-name bottle it’s in.
Perfumers have an extensive vocabulary to describe specific smells
The perfumer uses these notes in combinations such as “spicy
oriental” or “green fruity floral.” (If this is beginning to sound
like a wine tasting, I can assure you there are lots of parallels -
- except that perfumers don’t conveniently label their product with
useful names like Chardonnay or Cabernet Savignon.)
^
*By analyzing the fragrances you have used in the past*, we can
almost always find those notes you look for in a fragrance. For
some they vary depending on the occasion, your mood or the season.
For others, the same notes or combination of notes are picked in
fragrance after fragrance.
Consistency is no accident. We usually have good memories
associated with the notes we pick; that’s why the fragrance makes
us feel good when we put it on. I know one woman who used
Youth Dew and its cousins for twenty years. We traced her choices
to her grandfather and her pleasant memories of his Old Spice,
which has the same dominant notes as Youth Dew!
^
*As you can see, fragrance is certainly fascinating* but doesn’t have
to be mysterious. Just as people have their colors done, so too
can you have your fragrance preferences analyzed. The results will
show a list of related name-brand fragrances which you may try
and/or show which note(s) you should look for in future fragrance
choices.
^
*If you are interested in receiving a personal analysis* which finds
your notes and recommends other name-brand fragrances to try, or if
you simply want to learn more about fragrance, please feel free to
write me at Enfleurage Press, 643 N. 98th Street, Suite 137, Omaha,
NE 68114, USA. Fees for analysis and literature (quoted in US$,
payable to Enfleurage Press) are as follows:
For Men or Women
-Personal Fragrance Use Analysis $19.95
-Fragrance Works, a booklet about
choosing and using fragrance $ 5.95
For Women
-Fragrance Guide, a guide to over
700 name-brand women’s fragrances $ 5.95
-Fragrance Works and Fragrance Guide $ 9.95
-“The Works” (Personal Analysis,
Fragrance Works & Fragrance Guide) $27.95
-Samples from my Fragrance Reference
Library of over 250 name-brand
fragrances $ 2.50 each
Shipping and Handling
-For one to three items $ 1.50
-For greater than three items $ 0.50/item
Note: Nebraska residents add 6.5% sales tax.
Satisfaction is guaranteed, or your money will be cheerfully
refunded!
Copyright 1992, Jeirenne A. Galloway
^
*About the Author*
Jeirenne Galloway first began researching fragrance for a christmas gift to her family and friends in 1983. The gift was such a success that Ms. Galloway was encouraged to further develop the original concept.
Over the ensuing years, she researched fragrance composition, manufacturing, marketing and categorization. She now consults to women and men about their fragrance selection and usage. her liquid reference library contains some 200 name-brand fragrances an
Ms. Galloway is a native of Houston, Texas. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rice University and a M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. She currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska.
^
|
*|Digital Publishing|*
^
*Disktop Publishing Association*
PRESS RELEASE
Ron Albright Contact: Ron Albright
Disktop Publishing Association
1160 Huffman Road
Birmingham, AL 35215
Voice: 205-853-8269
FAX: 205-853-8478
BBS: 205-854-1660
NEW ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCED TO PROMOTE ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING
BIRMINGHAM, AL: The "Disktop Publisher's Association" ("DPA") is an association for parties of all levels who share interest in the dissemination of information in electronic ("computer readable") format. Those eligible for membership include authors, publishers, and consumers of on-disk publishing.
"Electronic publishing," in its broadest sense, shall mean the authorship and production for general consumer access of any materials which are primarily read by computer and viewed on computer monitors. Electronic publishing - also synonymous with "paperless," "digital," and "on-disk" publishing - includes fiction and nonfiction works that are stored and distributed on disk or available by modem access on "bulletin board systems" ("BBSs").
Electronic publishing, in this sense, specifically does not include programs (which are sets of instructions used by a computer to perform other tasks) unless these programs are designed to facilitate the reading of written materials. Examples might include hypertext authoring programs or text viewers.
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of the DPA includes:
1. To promote, though improved public awareness, the benefits of electronic publishing. These benefits include availability - often on a 24 hour a day, on demand basis - of electronic publications, faster production time, cheaper cost, easier revision and updating, reduced consumption of natural resources, and - using appropriate reader software - enhanced presentation and readability.
2. To provide a forum for discussing the unique challenges of successfully publishing and marketing disk-based publications. Examples might include matching an author or publisher with the appropriate medium for a proposed project. Would hypertext be best? Plain ASCII? Multimedia?
3. A matching service will be organized to place authors - who may not be interested in complexities of marketing and publishing - with publishers who may be willing to assist in these commercial aspects. "Writers write and publishers publish" is an axiom that applies to electronic publishing as well as traditional formats.
4. To share resources for mass marketing electronic publications. Examples might include sharing of costs of mailing publications to user groups, etc. DPA will also assist new authors and publishers in getting press releases circulated and media coverage. Sharing mailing lists with other publishers is another possibility open to members.
Membership Requirements
The only requirement for membership shall be an interest in the advancement of electronic publishing. No fees will be solicited during the start-up phase.
Interested parties can contact the DPA electronically at:
The DPI BBS - 205-854-1660
Or through electronic mail on CompuServe (75166,2473), MCI Mail (RALBRIGHT), GEnie (R.Albright) or through the mail at the above address.
^
*Creating Electronic Books (E-Books)*
A new era is at hand for the self-published author. The fiction writer,history writer, the science writer, art critic, technical writer, political writer and all others have entered a new age of freedom of expression with Waldo. In our new age of instant change electronic publishing has created a counter balance to instant thought. By means of the fluid distribution of information via online communications and network communications a free exchange of ideas can control the rate of change through informed responses to events. Complex ideas can be expressed through the combined power of the written word, graphics, sound and animation.
No longer are authors restricted to the vagaries of the market place and distribution channels--author/publishers now need only be responsible to the reader.
^
*Creating Electronic Magazines (E-mags)*
Creating Electronic Magazines (E-mags)
You may want to publish a E-mag for your company and "mail" it to all employees on your computer network. A parish may want to distribute information to the churches over modem. If you are the systems operator (SYSOP) of a computer Bulletin Board Service (BBS) you may want to publish a E-mag for your subscribers or you may wish to distribute it to other SYSOPS for a subscription fee. If any SYSOP uses FreeSoft's Second Sight BBS software (or Red Ryder Host V 2.0+) they can publish the same E-mag "online" using Waldo's BBS functions (which implements many of Waldo's features online for the BBS reader).
^
*More about BBSs and Waldo*
More about BBSs and Waldo
There is no better option available to the Macintosh SYSOP than to combine FreeSoft Company's Second Sight BBS software and Waldo. Waldo gives Second Sight the ability to create online Waldo documents. They can have tables of contents, sub-tables of contents, and gives the reader the ability to create personal tables of contents as he reads. The power to have large amounts of text online in a easy to read format is possible. Waldo allows the reader to quickly find the text he wants to read without scrolling through long documents.
( The FreeSoft Company, 105 McKinley Road, Beaver Falls PA 15010
412-846-2700 )
BBS distribution of news and information is going to grow...
^
*And More about BBSs and Waldo*
And More about BBSs and Waldo
Electronic publishing will grow fantastically in the next few years. There are already small entrepreneurs and large national organizations who are distributing news and information to BBS SYSOPS who are in turn republishing that information to their subscribers. It is the beginning of a revolution in electronic publishing.No longer are publishers limited by the traditional means of distribution. You may remember what the Whole Earth Catalogue did to change of way of thinking about information tools--well I believe that new tools like Waldo are going to transform communications. Waldo has had predecessors but Waldo is the first affordable access to electronic documents. Waldo has imitators but no equal!
^
|
*SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT, SIZZLES*
Power. Money. Sex.
Candidate Mark Hamilton uses every device at his disposal to
subvert the rules and buy a seat on the County Commission. But
this ruthless campaign is designed only to mask the intent of
Hamilton and his cronies, who want to control all of Newton
County.
Journalist Gale Morgan covers the sizzling 1990 commission
race, a rodeo of back door politics, good-old-boy manipulations
and under-the-table deals. The Newton power brokers will stop at
nothing to prevent her from exposing their plot. What they do
will shock you. What Gale Morgan does to end their reign of graft
and corruption just may destroy her.
Newton County: Where investigative journalism is a term they
hear occasionally on the national news; Where the landfill is
hot, and the power-base is determined to keep that information
under wraps pending a deal that will line their pockets; Where,
instead of coming in pony glasses, B&B represents the tactical
bullying and bribery tradition of the good-old-boy network.
Inspired by one reporter’s real-life experience in a town
too small to hide the big lie, ‘Southern Discomfort’ is hot.
Catch the sizzle!
“Southern Discomfort,” a full-length fiction novel by A.C.
Aarbus, is the first in a trilogy. Look for it’s sequel,
“Newton’s Law,” with a projected release date in late 1992.
^
*|GLOBAL PAPERLESS PUBLISHING|*
^
*Ruby’s Pearls Paperless Elecmag*
Del Freeman 1,226 Words
3803 Cypress Avenue
Sanford, FL 32773
SS# 264-68-4627
Phone 1-407-328-7674
GLOBAL PAPERLESS PUBLISHING
By Del Freeman
Ruby’s Pearls Paperless Elecmag hopes to bring honors home
to Sanford this year for its entries in the first annual Disktop
Publishing Association (DPA) Digital Quill Awards. First launched
from Callahan, Florida, Ruby’s Pearls is the flagship of A.C.
Aarbus Publishing, Inc., a non-profit corporation, and will soon
be joined by a second Aarbus publication, On The Edge. While
Ruby’s specializes in the eclectic short fiction and humor
stories, OTE will be devoted to short science fiction stories.
The Aarbus principals explain their decision to publish
electronically by pointing out the difficulty the novice
experiences in breaking into fiction writing.
“It’s a lot like getting your first job without experience,”
said David Freeman, who adds the hypertext reader containing
animation and music to the magazine each month. “If you can get
an agent, you can get a publisher and vice-versa. The whole
thing was a chicken and egg puzzle, to which no one had an
answer.”
Believing that what writers most want is to be read, Aarbus
was formed with an eye toward showcasing work on a one-time
basis, in the manner most beneficial both to contributors and
readers. The corporation makes no payment to its writers, and
claims no rights aside from that one-time showcasing. The Aarbus
principals bear all costs of long-distance calling by modem to
publish the elecpub, and have refused advertising revenue,
preferring to offer reading pleasure without distraction.
Adding distributors each month, Freeman has built the
distribution to include one or more locations in 34 of the 50
states, to filenets and paid information services across the
nation. By ‘echoing’ on electronic bulletin boards, contributor
works are seen as far away as London, France, Australia and
Canada.
^
*Treasures*
The local electronic bulletin board, Treasures, located in
Longwood, Florida, is the Southeastern Florida hub for the
national RIME conferences, and provides space for submissions to
the Aarbus publications. Treasures also serves as home board for
the magazines, and maintains the twice-daily e-mail which Aarbus
President, Patsy Sauls, uses to confer with her Sanford-based
production supervisor and editor, from her home in Callahan,
Florida.
Electronic publishing purely for reading pleasure is a
relatively unknown offshoot of BBSing, but one that promises to
expand as more and more PC owners discover the ease of tapping
into entertainment at their fingertips via their home computer.
Statistics indicate that of the 100 million computers on desks in
America, fully half are in private homes, and sales continue at
an approximate 20 million yearly. Government census studies
indicate almost 75 percent of the populous has some hands-on
experience with computers on a daily basis, and it is an audience
Aarbus sees as relatively untapped.
When the Aarbus principals saw the medium of electronic
publishing featured in Writer’s Market last year, bringing it to
the attention of writers, publishers and editors, they contacted
Writer’s Market, and secured a listing for Ruby’s Pearls in the
1992 edition.
^
*There are a number of fine writers out there…*
“There are a number of fine writers out there who aren’t
discovered because the publishing concern’s professional readers
apparently don’t have the time or interest to review that work,”
said Aarbus President, Patsy Sauls. “If you’re not Stephen King
or Danielle Steel, and you have the desire to write and be read,
you have to find another way. For us, and a lot of other
frustrated writers, this is it.”
While hard-copy publishing costs increase for major
publishing houses as their ability and inclination to give a
first work sufficient publicity declines, just the opposite is
true of electronic publishing. An energetic author can give his
work as much or as little publicity as he or she desires by
writing his or her own blurb to entice readers.
“It does your soul good to know that your work is published,
but if you can’t get the word out that it is published, you might
as well keep it stored in the computer,” Patsy said.
Using electronic mail (e-mail), Aarbus posts notices to
national and international bulletin boards seeking contributors,
and also advertises its product with its tagline: “Do more than
hug a tree-save its life. Read Ruby’s Pearls.”
Each message sent by an Aarbus principal is signed off with
that tagline, which Freeman thinks says it all. “It’s not only
economically feasible publishing, which allows otherwise
frustrated writers to showcase their work,” Freeman said, “it’s
environmentally friendly.”
^
*According to government statistics*
According to government statistics, paper represents the
greatest percentage of waste contributed yearly to shrinking
landfills. Aarbus proudly proclaims it doesn’t cut down trees and
doesn’t generate paper; two considerations the corporation
considers highly pertinent in the 90s. Freeman points out that
the added benefit of free, entertaining reading to all who own or
have access to a personal computer makes the situation a total
win-win.
The formation of Birmingham, Alabama-based Disktop
Publishing Association, (DPA), by Computer Monthly columnist,
Ron Albright, has been a boon to electronic publishing, according
to the Aarbus principals. The organization seeks to solidify a
scattered band of electronic publishers and to adopt a universal
reader shareware program, so that all elecpubs belonging to DPA
may be read with the same reader. DPA also encourages the
compilation of elecpubs in ASCII text format, so that the
publications can be read regardless of a user’s ability to employ
the reader, which merely allows the stories and articles to be
viewed in magazine format.
Taking a new tack on an old idea, the Aarbus principals
previewed their full-length novel inside the short story
collection. Ultimately, they published the novel electronically
to BBS bookstores across the United States, to GEnie and to
CompuServe.
The publisher elects not to include bios on its writers, but
includes published authors alongside complete unknowns, and makes
each selection based purely on the quality and appeal of the
story. “We are only interested in producing an enticing
collection of short stories in each issue,” Freeman said, “and we
don’t care if it’s a first story or an award-winner from an
established author.”
^
*…they eschew advertising revenue…*
While they eschew advertising revenue, the Aarbus principals
see the electronic medium is a viable alternative to, as well as
competition for, hard-copy publishing. Many electronic magazines
dealing with specific topics have already sought and obtained
business advertising. A national business concern has everything
to gain by advertising in this national market at a cost greatly
reduced from hard-copy, radio and television advertising, they
point out. Changes or additions to ads are accomplished
instantaneously and there is virtually no copy deadline.
With many of the electronic magazines devoted to updates in
the medium, software and hardware producers are a logical source
of advertising revenue, as are individuals seeking to sell or
purchase computer and software equipment and programs.
And, they say, the positive feedback from their electronic
endeavor is rewarding in itself. Writers who heretofore were at
the mercy of indifferent publishers and distracted editors no
longer have to wonder about the quality of their work, they say.
The writers can upload anything, with or without an electronic
magazine, and let America take a look at it on bulletin boards
across the country.
“Computers don’t just facilitate wordprocessing and
spreadsheets, or allow the kids to play video games,” Sauls said.
“In this day and age, computers can literally emancipate
both the writer, and the reader, in each of us.”
END
^
*Ruby’s Pearls is published monthly* to free and paid bulletin
boards across the U.S. and abroad. Submission information is
contained in each issue, and a one-time download of its reader,
Irisread.zip, allows reading in magazine format. The Ruby
volumes, Rubyv#.zip, can be read as ASCII text without the
reader. If you are unable to locate the magazine, contact the
publishers at their home board, TREASURES, 1-407-831-9130, for
information regarding the nearest distribution point, or possible
upload to your home board with your Sysop’s agreement.
^
|
*|ORCHID OBSESSION|*
^
Del Freeman
3803 Cypress Avenue
Sanford, FL 32773
SS# 264-68-4627
Copyright 1992(c)
1-407-328-7674
*Any number of epiphytic or terrestial plants of the*
The alluring lushness of the exotic flower is as
intoxicating as a magnum of Dom Perignon, as expensive and habit-
forming as a narcotic.
Khaki-clad groups trekking through the Central American
jungle seeking the plant in its native habitat may look like drug
runners, but although they are in the hills of Panama, haven of
the infamous Manuel Noriega, they are not a band of guerrillas.
Armed with collecting poles, more often than not, they are a
group of orchid collectors on an expedition. The collecting pole,
a long pole with a fork on the end, is jabbed into the trees to
snare and collect orchids in Mexico, Central America, the
Caribbean, and other tropical landscapes.
Orchids, related to air plants, grow high in trees,
disdaining the soil of common flowers and unfolding their beauty
to the heavens. In ownership, their devotees say they are the
closest thing to heaven on earth.
^
*family Orchidaceae, found the worldwide, but chiefly in the tropics*
When not in bloom, orchids look like any number of other
plants, and a guide proves helpful in determining what is worth
snaring; what is best passed over. Collectors frequently stand
upon one another's shoulders in pouring rain to hack the plants,
some as much as two feet or more in circumference, from their
niches in trees.
Finding the orchids is no more or less entertaining than
observing the guides, whose keen eyes spot the elusive plants
while traveling down the highway at 40 miles per hour, and bring
their vehicles to a screeching stop.
Although often misunderstood, orchids are not parasites.
Their aerial root systems provide their food. Thought to be
delicate, they are actually tough organisms, capable of standing
some abuse.
One orchid collector says before buying her first plant, she
thought them soulless, devoid of charm. She likened them to bird-
of-paradise plants--sort of pretend flowers you find in
refrigerators. And many equate orchids only with the purple
corsage received as a prom flower--white if the date was truly
special. In actuality, orchids come in a variety of shapes,
colors, (except pure black), and scents, and the versatility of
the plant is an attraction for many interested orchid breeders.
The plants exude a range of scents, from what many describe
as a sweet, heady perfume of vanilla or violets, to rhubarb and
rotten meat, a scent used to attract flies for pollination. The
Lady of the Night orchid, for instance, emits its marvelous
fragrance only at night, to attract moths. When brought into the
house, it will permeate each nook and cranny with its fragrant
scent. There is even a yellow orchid which smells like white
chocolate.
^
*and having brightly colored flowers of unusual shapes.*
There are orchids that look like dancing ladies, and those
that look like the slipper a lady might wear to the ball. Most
bloom right-side up, but there are those that grow and bloom
downside up, poking their bulbs through the bottom of hanging
baskets, the flowers suspended while the leaves grow straight up.
¥2
Orchids come in a variety of textures, also--some as thin as
tissue paper and others waxy or velvety to he touch. Most bloom
annually, and some have nectaries, a long slender tube with a
drop of honey in the end to attract pollination.
The most common of orchids, the Cattleya, is frequently seen
in corsages. Discovered as a result of an English nobility
expedition in the early 1800s, it is named for its patron, Sir
George Cattleya, and requires eight years to bloom.
^
*Businesses have jumped onto the orchid bandwagon*
Businesses have jumped onto the orchid bandwagon, with many
using them for decoration in their stores. Some orchid ranches
offer to board privately owned plants, allowing the business
owner to pick and choose which to feature in an ever-changing
monthly display, without the responsibility of daily care. The
challenge of getting an orchid to bloom relies on a combination
of humidity, light, temperature and watering--skills an orchid
ranch possesses in abundance.
Orchid Societies exist in many locales, bringing together
groups of orchid enthusiasts who spend long hours tending,
heating, misting, and admiring their treasures. Orchid
exhibitions are a common event in many areas where climate and
interest abound.
And for those who choose to collect, breed and care for
their own exotic plants, enthusiasts warn that the first little
orchid plant may well result in more, and ever more, complete
with greenhouse, khaki fatigues, and collecting pole.
END
^
|
*|An Introduction to Four Winds Institute, Inc.|*
^
¥3
*Four Winds Institute, Inc.*
P.O. Box 32257 • Tucson AZ 85751 • (602)722-5688
Exploring pathways of knowledge that humanity may live in harmony with Nature.
^
*BACKGROUND*
Four Winds, Institute, Inc., was incorporated in Omaha in February 1991 and received its non-profit status in October 1991 to serve as a center for eco-transformation through education. Four winds is a term used not only by American Indians but also by indigenous peoples around the globe to describe the four directions and, therefore, all cultures, all persuasions. Four Winds Institute, Inc., invites all peoples to join in “Exploring pathways of knowledge that humanity may live in harmony with Nature.” The metaphor of “wind” is appropriate. We can not see wind. We only see — or hear — its effects. Yet we feel the wind and know of its power. Four Winds’ goals and activities complement the energies of other environmental organizations. It is not a lobbying organization, but one that believes the best plan to protect Earth and its diversity begins with education.
^
*CENTERS*
Four Winds Institute currently operates in Omaha, Nebraska, and Tucson, Arizona. It is working to establish grass-roots programs and satellite centers across the country.
^
*PURPOSE*
Four Winds Institute, Inc., a center for eco-transformation, is a not-for-profit, non-political, non-religious organization established to provide an educational and research environment for the exploration and integration of new technology, ancient wisdom and environmental protection. Four Winds is a catalyst for dialogue between the scientific community and those who intuitively understand natural law. Its founders believe that through this exchange a holistic attitude toward planetary healing is strengthened. Drawing from the earth’s rich ethno-diversity, Four Winds seeks to become a conduit for creative thought on preservation and conservation, reintegrating a higher consciousness with technological innovation to restore ecological balance.
^
*BELIEFS*
• Nature is sacred, and human nature must reflect an attitude of
reverence and stewardship toward Earth.
• Sacred places provide us with “earth wisdom” and must be
respected and preserved.
• Eco-systems and architecture must be sensitive to both the
functional needs and creative
dimension of the community. Four Winds intends to establish
leadership for a new Western World view of Earth harmony through
• Science has the capacity to provide earth-friendly technology and
must be urged to implement it in every instance.
• Ancient wisdom reintroduced can facilitate restoration of
planetary harmony.
^
*FOCUS*
It is the goal of Four Winds’ programs and forums to heighten environmental awareness to affect global interaction and change. Four Winds, then, becomes a center to introduce and bring together new earth-friendly technologies, where practical application of technologies are showcased in a “prototype for humanity.” This year, it will publish its first newsletter, “Gaia,”to help disseminate information on these technologies, its own seminars and workshops as well as other environmental protection information for home or business. In addition, through seminars, workshops and one-on-one training, Four Winds will work with groups who wish to initiate grass-roots environmental protection activities and programs and organize a Four Winds’ satellite in their own communities.
^
*MEMBERS & BENEFACTORS*
Student, Individual and Family memberships are available at $12, 22, and $28. Send to: Memberships, Four Winds Institute, Inc., 1010 Douglas-on-the-Mall, Omaha, NE 68102. Members will receive “Gaia,” Four Winds’ first newsletter to be published in 1992, and a $2.50 per person discount on workshops, lectures and seminars. The generous support of Members and Benefactors helps to promote environmental awareness.
^
*BOARD OF DIRECTORS*
Members of the Board of Directors of Four Winds share concerns for restoring balance and harmony on Earth. They have widely diverse interests, widely diverse skills, and all are dedicated to eco-transformation. Their areas of expertise include but are not limited to: publishing, education, business/financial, fund-raising, marketing/public relations, operations/facilities, psychotherapy. Board growth and development is a high priority of Four Winds.
^
*ADVISORY COMMITTEE*
Individuals who are not serving on the Board of Directors, but who are significant contributors to the organization and development of Four Winds Institute, include an attorney, president of an award-winning advertising agency, environmental consultants and educators. Four Winds encourages interested persons to contact President Barbaralie Stiefermann, (602) 722-5688, or via fax, (602) 881-4413, or Nellie MacCallum, (402) 341-1110.
^
*GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT*
The Board of Directors has launched a two-phase program of development. Phase I, or the organizational phase, includes development of corporate and educational networks; program, board, staff and image development; fundraising; site and facility acquisition. Phase II, or the implementation phase, includes extensive fund-raising; expanding corporate and educational networks; increasing administrative and support personnel; construction of prototype facility; and expanding satellite operation.
^
|
*|Sample of Four Winds Programs|*
^
*Planting the Seeds for Global Transformation*
• Planting the Seeds for Global Transformation: Understanding the Human Process (By understanding the human process, one can become a more effective communicator and arbiter. This continuing seminar guides participants through a learning process that uses as a model humanity in harmony with Nature. Old scientific thinking is no longer operative in the new era of ultra-technology. Our environment is based on relationship, fluctuation and dynamic flow. Here, participants relate these to strength in ethno-diversity, attuning to our natural environment and overcoming limitations. Feb. 18, 1991, for eight weeks, Omaha)
^
*Growth & Development*
• Growth & Development in Awareness of Mother Earth: “Our Responsibility as Stewards” (The desert isn’t a barren place, but fosters a wealth of life, much of it invisible to the casual observer. In the weeks to come, participants explore ways to become more aware of all forms of life — the bounty of Mother Earth —-and why each of us must claim stewardship if the fragile planet is to be our legacy to future generations. The explorations becomes both an academic one, through books and articles, and a hands-on one, each month venturing into the wilderness to experience the miracle of Earth. Feb. 26, 1991, weekly, Tucson, AZ)
^
*Pathways for Understanding*
• Pathways for Understanding: Cross-Cultural Concepts of Earth & Stewardship (Language is the basis of communication. But how each culture forms mental and verbal constructs for an object or an idea is a complex process shaped by the particular belief system of that culture. For example, our social and linguistic constructs of Earth —- as well as our relationship to it —-are dynamic paradigms that shift with the winds of time and are as varied as the landscape. In this retreat, explore some perceived obstacles to finding common ground on the pressing issue of environmental stewardship. Raising eco-awareness can begin when the barriers to cross-cultural understanding have been dropped, better enabling us to arrive at global solutions. Aug. 24-26, Omaha)
^
*Native American Sacred Places*
• “Native American Sacred Places: Stories on the Wind” (For thousands of years, American Indians have lived in harmony with the landscape. Nature plays an important role in traditions and beliefs of all peoples. To Native Americans, all life is sacred. But the sacred landscape is being replaced by highways, ski resorts, housing projects, mines, or is vandalized or desecrated. Further escalating estrangement from the ancestral places are industrial pollution and energy production wastes, which make unfit many delicate habitats where plant and animal species important to Native American lifeways once thrived. Nov. 1, 2, 1991, Omaha)
^
*Our Desert Heritage*
• Our Desert Heritage — Take Pride in Protecting It (These four seminar-sessions shed new light on mysterious, prickly succulents. Learn more about these incredibly successful microcosms with built-in defense systems. Discover which critters call them home, and which shy away. Nov. 13, 20, Dec. 4, 11, 1991, Tucson, AZ)
^
*Understanding the Saguaro *
• Understanding the Saguaro of the Sonoran Desert (This daylong field trip culminates the activities of the continuing seminar “Our Desert Heritage.” Trek through the sagebrush to stalk the mighty Saguaro to learn more about this extremely adaptable plant. Feb. 8, 1992, Tucson, AZ)
^
|
*|Four Winds Institute, Inc.|*
^
*Exploring pathways of knowledge* that humanity may live in harmony with Nature
Spring/Summer 1992
Dear Friends of Four Winds,
The Hopi have warned us. In the Fall of 1990, Tribal Elder Thomas Banyacya spoke to a group of two hundred at the Spirit of Place Symposium in Mesa Verde. He didn’t mince words. People—all peoples—must clean up the polluted mess they’ve made of the world and return to living within the natural laws known to people of antiquity. . . . “To the native people, the law of the Great Spirit is the law of the land,” he says emphatically.
^
*Today, more than at any time in the past*, conventional thinkers are rocked out of their complacency, made increasingly aware that the “law of the Great Spirit” can only be brought about by a new Weltanschauung — brought about through education. Needed is renewed spirit abiding in the hearts and minds of humankind dedicated to stewardship, reverence and harmony for and with Earth and all its peoples.
^
*We have watched with interest as spiritual awareness* burst forth into a fad of mass consciousness raising. Yet the plethora of something-for-everyone esoterica has done little by itself to calm spreading neuroses fueled by ravaged forests, tainted streams and inedible foodstuffs. The outward expression of our in-turning must be an awareness that Earth is a fragile system, one with a miraculous capacity to heal itself —but only when and if we slow and eventually stop the slashing, goring, plundering and poisoning of our planet.
^
*A small concerned group* from diverse backgrounds came together in 1990 to learn something about stewardship. We began the struggle to comprehend the complexities of environmental problems, participating in protection activities, listening to our Native American friends, stretching, changing. We became aware that the process of “knowing” means that each of us is both student and teacher. Thus, taking form almost as an act of self-creation, Four Winds Institute, Inc., unfolded. Early in 1991, it received its non-profit status.
^
*Now, as we reach out to expand the Four Winds network*, our hearts already link us to kindred spirits through a single desire—to increase awareness that air, water and soil are like a common DNA among us all. The Earth mother nurtures "all" her children, and her children must learn to care for her.
^
*Exploring pathways of knowledge* that use technology and resources for the betterment of humanity—rather than its destruction, Four Winds dares to dream a renewed world view of global interconnectedness. Its mission goes beyond urging reversal of our consumptive attitudes and rapid depletion of non-renewable resources to exploring alternative ways of living—in harmony with Nature. To do so assumes a renewed appreciation for life’s great diversity—including cultural. Four Winds is dedicated to achieving living, learning and exploration facilities that are: energy efficient and environmentally sound; functionally aesthetic—innovative and “a part of” nature, not apart from it; and fiscally responsible. Four Winds’ believes the solutions to contemporary problems lie not only in the future, but also in the present and past.
^
*Because we believe you are strongly committed* to bringing about change, we ask for your help. We invite you to invest in the future what you feel you can: of yourself, your resources. Your gift is tax deductible and goes toward creating and presenting additional educational forums, programs, published materials.
We, its Board of Directors, believe in Four Winds with the deepest conviction. The Institute is timely. It does not exclude. It includes. It does not duplicate the efforts of other environmental organizations, it complements them. It is our great hope that before long, headquarters for this multicultural, multidisciplinary center will offer a number of self-sustaining possibilities and become one more light in the darkness.
The time is ripe. This is the season. And you already are participating in its creation.
^
*Today, more people than ever are seeking wisdom* about living balanced lives, listening to the voices from the four winds, as well as to the voices of science. If you believe as strongly as we that now is the time to tap into the wellspring of interest in environmental protection, then please join Four Winds in helping to protect our air, water and soil. Small groups are being heard. With your considerable support and creative spirit, Four Winds can join hands around the Earth.
Inviting you into co-creation,
Barbaralie Stiefermann, President
P.S. Student memberships are only $12. Individual memberships are $22. Family memberships are available at $28. Send your check, payable to Four Winds Institute, to:
Memberships
Four Winds Institute, Inc.
1010 Douglas-on-the-Mall • Omaha NE 68102
^
|
*|The Spaces Between Time|*
^
*Compiled from interviews with Hector Franco*, Wukchumne Indian,
Central California, and other sources
By Charlotte Meares
Excerpted for the multimedia program:
“NATIVE AMERICAN SACRED PLACES: Stories on the Wind”
^
*The smell of iodine plant settles in the nostrils*. On a path to the ancient petroglyphs, the long, jagged glass fingers of broken bottle reach upward, viciously awaiting the unsuspecting. “Why were we not invited to come out here and take a look at your experimentation,” Hector Franco asks the air. His question, rhetorical now, spears the invisible county board of supervisors who approved sandblasting to erase confetti-colored graffiti painted irreverently, flamboyantly over the legends of his ancestors. Eyes moist, Hector stares at the ghostly remains, all that is left of the messages of the ages. “This is our inheritance,” he says to no one, waving at the chalky traces.
^
*missing hillside*
He points above him to blocks of missing hillside—granite quarried and crushed for driveways, concrete and highrises. Dynamite-tossed boulders—many bearing prehistoric rock art—lie here and there like chipped marbles. Surfaces corrugated for inserting explosives resemble borer beetle tracks on bark. “This place here was level at one time,” Hector says, pointing to a pile of rubble. “There was a granite slab here and it was level. This was a place where the people came to dance. But you couldn't tell now.”
^
*Tony loves Margo*
He looks and me and says to the wanton destruction, “You can't deface a known archaeological site.” A trailer-size boulder behind him reads: “Tony loves Margo.”
^
*Historians call us Yokuts*
Historians call us Yokuts. We call ourselves "Inyana,"one people. In the time before the settlers, gold and the locomotive, the Inyana enjoyed abundant life in this sun-washed valley and thanked the Great Spirit with wonderful dances and songs. We walked softly through the forests of oak and sycamore. We took salmon and other fish from the singing rivers, streams and the lake that is no more.
^
*We are a praying people*
We are a praying people. We look to the sky and rising sun and give thanks for the new day. When we enter a strange place, we offer a prayer that the spirits of that place accept us and help us to be in balance with it.
When we're here, we're not just praying for our relations by blood or marriage. We're praying for the well-being of all people in our valley and throughout the world. We're not a selfish people. We don't pray for just ourselves — we pray for all life. In Wukchumne, we say "Comoy-nim Yokuch," "all my relations." That means everything. Even the rocks are our relations. We're connected to everything.
^
*We believe that these places are alive*
"We believe that these places are alive. There are a lot of spirits that guard this place . . . powers that live here, and we respect them very much. Every place that's sacred all over the world should always be approached with reverence and respect. We respect "this" place. This is a very sacred place to us, even as much as it's been vandalized . . . we still feel it has a power.
This is a place where our people come to get help and guidance. We feel that the Creator put this place here for us so we could be connected with all living things . . . our brothers and sisters and all living things.
Each time we come here, we tell the spirits of this country that we come here in peace, we're here only to do good. We tell the spirits that we want them to take care of us and our friends . . . and watch over them.
^
*When we're here,*
When we're here, we don't turn over rocks or break sticks and make a lot of loud noises. It's good to be happy and laugh, but whenever we visit these places, we try to conduct ourselves with respect.
We call the rock paintings "Copch'-ke." There's a faint picture of a coyote and a man with his bow. It signifies change. In the old days our people would shoot arrows to mark another cycle, another season. Our Indian doctors would gather here and look at the change in the way the constellations were lined up. That's how they knew that winter would soon be upon them.
Now, we come here and do the best that we can with the information that has been passed down to us. We try to acknowledge the seasons.
^
*These are doctoring symbols*
These are doctoring symbols. Here is the sky . . . and, there, the stars. A figure painted in black and white like the one here represents balance. This healing site is thousands of years old. The paintings were probably touched up as recently as several hundred years ago. To show reverence, we offer water and sprinkle it around. This figure with a headdress is a doctor. He's praying. Our people came to pray and listen. To dream . . . to contemplate many things.
Women's and men's societies all had their spiritual leaders, their seers, their dreamers, and they would come paint these symbols. To us, these paintings have a message of past, present and future. Some of these paintings are like prophecies.
You'll see a man there. Rays flow from his head. He's an enlightened creature.
In time, these paintings are going to disappear. Little by little they're going to fade. We don't want to see that process accelerated by vandalism. The paintings are important. But the "place" is more important. If the place is destroyed or desecrated, the paintings mean nothing. You must protect a place that has power.
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*Eagle dancers*
Eagle dancers and spiritual leaders would come here to cleanse and purify themselves and ask for wisdom. This is a dreaming place. A place to fast for many days, to prepare for ceremonies and dances. Then the fasters would go down into the village and dance for the people. Many times we have left offerings here only to come back and find them gone.
I brought my son here at the spring equinox. He was seven months old when I gave him this place. The place itself shined that day . . . it literally glowed. In olden days, these sacred places were kept clean. I've asked this sacred mountain to cleanse and purify itself . . . to make it good for us and to take care of our people.
When I was a child, my dad, my uncles and I would go to many different spots. I remember once we were crawling down into a little cave — we were curious what was down there — and we came across some paintings. We had never seen them before.
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*There is a story among our people*
There is a story among our people that when they first walked through this valley, the paintings were already there. They were inscriptions left there by our Creator. Much the same way you would say God gave Moses the Commandments.
There used to be pounding rocks here with the pounding pole still in them. They were right here. Now they're gone. Evidently someone must have dug them up. Probably for a lot of money. Look. The graffiti is creeping up. You'll see over there. It's more evident. There's more modern art. That's "rock" art!
People need to understand that all land is sacred. Except some places have their own particular powers. Scientists and geologists have been noticing over the years that there are places that generate measurable positive and negative energy.
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*A microwave tower pierces the center of our world*
A microwave tower pierces the center of our world. There, under this grotesque steel, is an ancient rock with a carving of our valley. Another tower had been proposed for Condor Rock, where we still hold our Condor dances.
In Red Banks, there was a place where the Indian doctors went to leave all the negative things that they took from the people, like sickness and bad spirits. The old ones told us that place should never be disturbed or it would poison the people and poison the land. They warned us it had sickness there. It's ironic. Today, Tulare County is the second richest agricultural county in the world.
The Eagle song is an old song passed on to us from the very beginning. I saw in my mind's eye an image of one of our sacred mountains. One of the main spirits that lives there — the deer spirit.
When our people started losing connection with these places, problems started. Anyone who loses connections with sacred places loses something they can't replace. Every culture, every group, has a connection with a place that makes them who they are.
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*It's really important to our people*
It's really important to our people to be able to come here. There was a time when we were told not to come back. But we came anyway. For years we've been coming here in secret.
We were doing what we were put here on this Earth to do — to take care of these places . . . to watch over them. My son needs this place. My daughter needs this place.
*About Stories: Stories teach values.* They tell us how to act. How to behave. They teach discernment. They present complex/abstract ideas. Storytellers embellish them with the ridiculous or the exaggerated. Rich with symbol and metaphor, stories answer the many questions children universally ask their parents and grandparents about the mysteries of life. In stories, animals take on human characteristics. They are wise, foolish, playful, cruel, convey hope, despair. In Wukchumne stories, everything has some good quality to it. Nothing or no one is all bad. Stories are a tale of cause and effect. Dubious heroes, honorable heroes, magical abilities. . . . Stories were "put away" in a sack and tied up in an old oak tree until the next storytelling time.
