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Pagoo Call Catcher

Vol. 2, No. 32

December 20, 1996

Welcome to another Tripod Insider -- your source for all things Tripod. This week's theme seems to be bodily emissions: read about the "Prospectus Runs" in Work & Money; controlling your flatulence in HOMELIFE; the hemorrhaging middle class in Politics & Community; and the blood, sweat, and tears from Tripod's holiday party at the very end of the Insider.

Content And Services

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Breaking News

This week Tripod introduces Premium Membership. We took some of the best parts of Tripod and made them even better. In addition to the existing content and services, with a Tripod Premium Membership you can get:

• more disk space (5 megabytes)
• your own Personal Chat room
• a 20% discount on all Tripod apparel
• advance previews of all new Tripod services

We'll be adding more Premium Membership features over time -- all of which Premium members will receive at no additional charge. Tripod Premium Membership is only $3/month, or $18 for 6 months.

WORK & MONEY

Ken Kurson's monthly finance column has developed "A Bad Case of the Prospectus Runs." Learn how KK's dinner in SoHo with Harry Goldstein and some guy named Randy led him to conclude that mutual fund companies skew their figures -- perhaps to purposely mislead consumers -- in a hilarious and enlightening new edition of "The Buck Starts Here."

Speaking of Harry Goldstein, he's just been given a fancy new title and a lot of new responsibilities in his job at ACME. Problem is, the whole company is closing down shop in a few months. Read all about Harry's "Promotion Emotions" in the latest installment of "The Working Life."

You can also read a review of "Hard Hatted Women," a classic book from 1988 that takes a hard look at the plight of women in the trades; offer some credit advice to a single mother in this week's Dilemma; or debate the mercenary nature of the holidays in this week's Work & Money survey.

Randy Williams, Editor

POLITICS & COMMUNITY

The stock market is hitting record highs, but what does this new wealth mean for the average American? Not much, according to radical historian Howard Zinn. The free market continues to do what it does best: create wealth at the top, poverty at the bottom, and insecurity in the middle.

Then visit this week's Politics & Community survey, which asks the eternal question: Is capitalism the best way to organize a society?

Josh Glenn and Mike Agger, Editors

HOMELIFE

This week in Living and Travel, Ron Deutsch heads for Prague and discovers the Velveeta Revolution. Pearl Jam, Michael Jackson, and thousands of other Americans have descended on Prague to consult, philosophize, sing, and whatever else it is that Americans do. But Deutsch finds the people of Prague pretty ambivalent about the whole thing.

In the Women's Room, Bernadette Noll teaches an ex-yuppie how to thrift shop, and discovers that it is indeed an art, in The Thriftseekers.

Take in a review of Ernest Callenbach's "Living Cheaply With Style" (a guide to simple living that sounds nothing like the Unabomber); read Doctor Bob's expert advice on controlling your flatulence (and when it's ok to blame it on the lactose intolerance), and the pros and cons of getting your tonsils removed; and nominate the dubious Web achievements of 1996.

Emma Taylor, Editor

Tripod Insider

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The media frenzy continues here at Tripod. We have been featured in a number of magazines these past few weeks and this Wednesday, when a local TV station popped in on the Pod, Kara the Communicatrix took a shot at being Tripod Spokesmodel while the rest of us acted really busy for the camera (nice going, Jesse). All this fame is really starting to cut in to our work time...

In more festive news, last Friday the whole Tripod crew (including the city folk) gathered in Williamstown for our holiday party. It was a pretty lively evening, complete with a visit from Santa Claus (no stock option bonuses, though -- perhaps Bruce was cast against type?). The party turned a bit more wild after C.E.Bo and Chairman Dick left. DJ Matt Goldberg turned up the stereo and inspired the crew to dance the night away.

It's not very often that we get to see Bruce's wild side, but he certainly was doing the "Funky Beancounter" with the ladies (almost killing Michelle at one point). Other dancing stars included Janet "We Got the Funk" Daly, who tore up the floor, and Jon -- whose "Tech Vogue" gyrating was perfected doing what he has to do to keep the servers running. Dan "Rug-burn" Reines taught us a few moves all his own, proving that the '70s are still with us. And last, but certainly not least, Josh showed that in addition to his many editorial talents he possesses amazing pelvic control.

From all the friendly folks at Tripod, Happy Holidays. Please visit our special "Yule for Life" and see how "stoked" we are about the holidays.
Tripod Membership

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Thanks for becoming a member of Tripod.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me.
My mailbox is always open.

Tung T. Pham
Membership Director
[email protected]

This has been another issue of the Tripod Insider, the occasional newsletter on what's happening at Tripod. Past issues of the Tripod Insider are also available.

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