OPN May 94      *            *                 *                      o
    _           ____________________       ________=============________
 ==| |==1600    \___________________)      \___________________________/
   | |                          | |        *   /   / """"U""""
 __| |__1400        *           | | *         /   /
   | |                        --| |-----------------H        *        *
 __| |__1200  *               \______  EFN 1701     H-(-
   | |            *                  \--------------H
 __| |__1000                       *                             *
   | |                  *
 __| |__800     *                      -opn--opn--opn--op           *
   | |             *         *     -opn--opn--opn--opn--opn--
 __| |__600                      -opn--opn--opn--opn--opn--opn-
   | |          *              -opn--opn__________--opn--opn--opn
 __| |__400                  -opn--opn-/  ____   /opn--opn--opn--op
   |$|                *     -opn--opn-/  /--o/  /opn--opn--opn--opn-
 __|$|__200                -opn--opn-/  /--o/  /opn--opn--opn--opn--o
   |$|                    -opn--opn-/  /--o/  /__________opn--opn--opn
 __|$|__0
  /$$$\                        Welcome to Oregon Public Networking
 ($$$$$)                                Population: 623
  \OPN/

HIGHWAY ROBBERY: SELLING THE NET

Now that EFN is on the internet, it's time for all of us to become
active in opposing the struggle for corporate domination of the
internet which is currently playing out in Washington, D.C.  The May
'94 PC WORLD magazine carries an excellent article by Joe Abernathy on
p. 56 that is most interesting and important.  In the article,
Abernathy discusses the incredible levels of PAC spending by
telecommunications corporations to congresspeople involved in
communications deregulation.  Pending legislation is summarized, and
issues of selling the internet backbone to private corporations,
monopolistic control and anti-trust are touched on.  I strongly urge
all of you to read this article and follow up electronically (how to do
so is laid out in the "Government Access on the Internet" side-box in
the article).

    "With the NII (National Information Infrastructure), you don't
    see a vision.  You see a business plan for the seven regional
    Bells, Hollywood, and the cable industry" -- Jeffrey Chester,
    Center for Media Education.


AIR CONDITIONER(S) FOUND

Captain's epilogue, stardate 1994.05.11, thanks to three generous
offers by members and contacts of members online, plus some quick
legwork by volunteers, EFN now has one air conditioner to keep the
computer cool plus leads on two more, which may become necessary when
we add disk space.  Thanks also to Wanda Ballentine for educating us
about ozone-responsibility and alternative refrigerants that can be
used in air conditioners.


PUSHING THE ENVELOPE(s)

EFN would like to collect and "re-use" #10 size envelopes that were
printed for businesses that moved or changed their name before the
envelopes were used.  If you have an available supply, please let
us know (e-mail to pledge@efn.org).


MONEY MATTERS

We're renting another room for EFN's equipment, increasing the number
of phone lines to 24 in the next few weeks, setting up our new terminal
server, and adding more disk space, memory and tape units.  We are
spending money as fast as it comes in trying to keep up with EFN's
expanding population (We're now getting 18 or more requests for new
accounts each day!).  Please send what you can.  Multiples of $7 are
encouraged so you can get the maximum number of months of priority
access for your contribution.

Please mail a check today (payable "Oregon Public Networking" or "OPN")
to:

            OPN, Attn: Fundraising
            PO Box 1221
            Eugene OR 97440-1221

Please write your user-id (login name) on the check for proper credit.  
Thanks for your support.

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