From harelb Thu May 9 00:16:23 1991 To: rjh1@midway.uchicago.edu, Subject: [Harel.Barzilai@mac.dartmouth.edu: PSNs and ACTIV-L] Have you contacted Jonathan about his paper? It's not listed in the prog-pubs listing of papers.... Harel (will reply to your letter as soon as I can) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Date: 30 Jan 91 00:40:12 From: Harel.Barzilai@mac.dartmouth.edu To: Jonathan.R.Shewchuk@F.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Cc: harelb@cabot.dartmouth.edu, davids@eleazar.dartmouth.edu, jfield%ucsd.BITNET@dartcms1.Dartmouth.EDU, hrhoads@eagle.wesleyan.edu, jdf2@midway.uchicago.edu, rjh1@midway.uchicago.edu, terri@csd4.csd.uwm.edu, CBFORCEY@PUCC.Princeton.edu, chandra@ucscb.ucsc.edu, hiramc@sco.com, MATHRICH%UMCVMB.BITNET@dartcms1.Dartmouth.EDU, dmstern@ATHENA.MIT.EDU, Jeff.Strabone@mac.dartmouth.edu Subject: PSNs and ACTIV-L --- You wrote: I am a student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. I write for a campus newspaper called "The Student Union." I am subscribed to AML. I would like to obtain Peacenet's brochure. Also, I would like some ideas on how to obtain more information on current issues; particularly, anything suitable for inclusion in a student newspaper. --- end of quoted material --- Dear Jonathan, I will email you PeaceNet's brochure from my "cabot" account, where all my AML files are. I will also email you the AML file "proj.main" which describes what I've called the Progressive Alliance Clearning House (PACH) project. It describes my ideas about where to expand the project started with AML and then ACTIV-L and soon misc.peace (a full-distribution UseNet newsgroup, will carry ACTIV-L, but much more manageable than 20 messages in your mailbox per day, plus will reach more people). This expansion involves linking "our" electronic network (or networks) to a network of Progressive Student Newspapers (PSNs); this way, the info from PeaceNet, LADB, etc, can be "funneled" to reach not just computer users, but, via PSNs, to tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands, or students across the country. The PACH file is not short, but I hope you read it, especially since you are a PSN person. I can only "advertise" it by telling you that it was after someone forwarded a copy of this file to PeaceNet Director Howard Frederick that he wrote to me expressing enthusiasm and offered and gave me a free PeaceNet account, which RIch now uses, and which started our (ACTIV-L's) working relationship with PeaceNet (by the way, their brochure starts off slow; info on subscribing and prices (reasonable) are at the bottom). As you may know, PSN-networks already exist; the Network of the Alternative Student Press (NASP) and, working with the Institute for Social and Cultural Change (see "groups" AML resource file), the New Liberation News Service. I will email you "PSN people," a listing of close to a dozen people who ar eor were on AML who are editors of staff on PSNs. Also, info on NASP and NLNS are inthe appendices to the "PACH project" file; I suggest you read this file first. I had been in (some) communication with Jason Pramas of NLNS, but that, and work on establishing a working relationship with NLNS, the Institute for SCC, etc, are on hold due to personal/academic matters (I'm not sure when you joined AML, but I suspended grad studies in Chicago because of pollution related health problems; shows you you can't underestimate importance of "environmentalism" while working on Central America, covert action, etc!) But I would like to have misc.peace up and running soon. At the bottom is a "table on contents" of what I'm sending you. I would like to add also that as part of the PACH project ideas I would like to make available to PSNs all the AML resource files. These include "groups" and "publications" but also things like lists of activists vidoes, which I hope the central network can make available, via the PSN network, to campus groups across the country; ditto for resource files such as the one I recentlly posted, about Speak Out!; did you see the ACTIV-L post heade "BRING A SPEAKER TO YOUR CAMPUS!"? Also quite useful is my 2+ Meg library of info. If you've noticed, I've posted alot to UseNet lately. Using the heierarchy of files and emacs, I almost instantaneously retrieved the stats on number of years left before petrolium reserves are gone in reply to an article; almost instantaneously I can retrieve info on contra attrocities, income redistribution during '80s, Amensty quotes on El Salvador, deforestation, etc. In replying to another post, I was able to, again, in a metter of seconds, find the quote saying the military budjet could *easily* but cut by 100 billion, by the Center for Defense Information, plus finding and pasting CDI's entry in the AML resource file "groups" showing they are a respected grou of retired generals and admirals (advocating sensible military spending, among other things). Similarly I could an did retrieve in seconds World Court quote saying Nica did not supply arms to El Salv. when Reagan said it did. Sim.ly for fairness of '84 nica elections. I would like to make this power available to PSNs for when they write articles. Those who have a unix account and can use emacs can copy my 2meg directory; in the meantime, Rich has put many of these files from my directory (and many, many others) on an archiver, so that by sending LISTSERV the right command, you can have any of these files sent to you. We need to organized these files better (also, I know by directory well, but it's mainly having a heierarchy of file so the megabytes are organized). As I said, I'm not currently able to work on these major projects (excepting finishing setting up misc.peace), but volunteers are always welcome -- see misc.peace announcement. In peace, Harel Enclosures: "PACH project" (there is a "part I", an essay on effectiveness in activism which leads to this "file #2"; I'm not sending it right now to avoid inundating you totally.) "PeaceNet Brochure" "PSN people" (partial) listing of PSNers on ACTIV-L "misc.peace"