*** Quoting Michiel van der Vlist from a message to Carol Shenkenberger ***

MvdV>  MvdV>> Partly - or mostly - paid for by the US tax payer. She is a
MvdV>  MvdV>> special case.

 CS> No taxpayer money is actually involved unless I do DSNDSN calls
 CS> and as far as i know, no other sysops have DSN at home on their BBS.

MvdV> Ok, so I misunderstood. I was under the impression that you used the D
MvdV> for the main leg of your connection with your uplink.

Yes and no.  I can see when reading ahead though in this message, where the
¨confusion is.

As US Navy, I do have one advantage.  I can get around the 700$ fee to get
a ¨line installed but it has to run through the base communications office.
 That ¨means, DSN.  To cut costs, the military setup their own cables and
lines and ¨satilite for work use back 15-20 years ago.  I am granded the
excess capacity ¨if that. I am not for example allowed to have 2 phone
numbers here in Japan as ¨that would be more than my share.

My posts will not match between 2 years ago and now, as I no longer live
out in ¨town but on the base.  Both cases were the same in that I access LD
¨(international) via the base and that is at 'cost'.

 CS> can understand the confusion easily.

MvdV> Well... how about your connection when you are at sea? That *is* at ta
MvdV> cost isn't it?

Yes and no.  The connection is for work needs and a flat fee, mostly off
¨military sats (no commercial charge other that that to operate) and we get
to ¨use it ina minimal way to send email and such.  Tiny QWK packets like
Dale ¨sends me are well acceptable. I can fit 15 of them on a floppy.  The
GIGS I ¨transit every hour, are 'other things' and all work related.  I
have no more ¨allowance than that nor does any other.  I tend to be a bit
'short' with some ¨who offer me a feed that requires more, as it isnt
acceptable.

MvdV> this not meant to paint you into a corner, I was just explaining that
MvdV> you are a special case. I think it is perfectly ok for someone in your
MvdV> situation to get compensation from your employer for odd hours and bei
MvdV> away from home for extended periods. Communication facilities for thos
MvdV> away from home are and should be part of the fringe benefits.

It would be nice, but we get only the excess that doesnt cost more. Really
and ¨truely.


MvdV> When I had a job that often took me abroad I thought it was perfectly
MvdV> natural that my employer paid for the daily telephone calls I made wit
MvdV> my wife. Your employer is the US tax payer and so I find it perfectly
MvdV> ok when the tax payer foots at least part of your telecom bill when yo
MvdV> are away from home.

Smile, my work place doesnt allow me to call home when at the pier as it
costs ¨them 3 yen a minute.  I can email home, but if i want to call, I
have to use my ¨cell phone.
                                       xxcarol

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