Neighborhood Fences increased once more, though not near the new record-for-activity set four days ago. This time, indicators of confidence dominated conversations. Indicators of tolerance rose over intolerance during the night by a ratio of 2.71:1.
     Neighborhood=Remoulins: You payin' 'tention, Edgar? Watchin' these numbers fr' Ganj Dareh Central? If'n you squint, they graphs dance pretty at times. You see how t' Incident Rate fell yest'day? Knew it, knew it. No meanies, fr' outside or fr' inside, gonna get ol' Ganj Dareh down, not fer long. We've pluck, Edgar, we've c'passion, we've arms wide 'nuff to take in t' whole wide world (sniff). CUL, Edgar. Them numbers callin' t' me agin.
     Neighborhood=Pachacuti: I took my nephews, Andy, Randy and Sandy, out on the paths yesterday. They'd come home from the Network of Learning in a tither about the violence out there. I took it as another opportunity for them to learn the Good Path through Zh nd�, this time, "All it takes for Evil to win is that Good Men do Nothing." So, we went forth and did Good. Actually, opportunities were a bit scarce, but we settled two arguments and broke up one fight — and not a Gastarbeiter among them. Those tykes of mine took to Good Works with gusto ...
     Neighborhood=Vestmannaeyjar: Milton wanted to shut down our stone's-throw klatsch. I hit him with, "Just like that, eh, you slacker? You think a little civic action is going to hold the riff-raff back? Think again, buddy." So, I want all of you out there to know: You see a fight, two taps, and let me — and the whole town — know. Pass that on!

     Notable excerpts: Round-robin Klatsch "Evaluations of Anshin Competitor 'Combine for Anshinkan in Ganj Dareh Neighborhoods (Weir Annadetcall, Tactician)'"
     By: Foxfire [Neighborhood Xref=Skeinswift]
     .full-video/visual interpretation=off: I've been observing at one of these clinics for five days now. I'm a Nurse-in-Training. My, uh, neighborhood made Tactician Annadetcall accept me as a condition to his lease on the building. I'm speaking here today because, to be frank, Weir asked me to. He didn't tell me what to say, but simply asked me to say a few words about my experience with them. I guess he's hoping for me to say some good things, which I will.
     I'm not going to compare his clinic with Byukan-Hamil's because, well, I don't think I can — or should. I will talk about Gatogrebok's equipment and their people.
     Their equipment is state-of-the-art, as good as anything I've seen during my training. They've a few new pieces of med-tek, coming as they do from another continent. Hey, I really liked a tendon-repair add-on to the osteo-tek unit: quick, less discomfort, good messages as it works. Come to mention it, all their tek did a better job in those areas.
     Then, there's acu-tek. I've read about this, but never seen it before, and I don't think Byukan-Hamil, er, I don't believe we're using it anywhere on this continent. In case you don't know, acu-tek is a device you take home, and you're supposed to scan yourself daily. Acu-tek transmits the data back to your clinic over Em-Deh, and the clinic checks you over that way, how you are today, what trends, if any, are developing in your health.
     You'd have to get in the habit of using it, which can be hard, but maybe you could do it before or after you nano-scour your teeth. So far, at our clinic, about forty percent of our patients use their acu-tek regularly, but it's too early to tell how preventive it really will be.
      Well, enough about equipment.
     People, then: uh, their Nurses mainly because I hardly saw their administrators except, of course, while they were repairing the house-row where they put the clinic. Those guys, the, uh, administrators put together a nice clinic. They seemed to be really concerned about the Nurses and patients, thinking how to make things the best possible for them. They did change a few of the local patterns — not many, though — and I have to say I liked most of those changes, especially in the flow through the building, how they worked the Path-and-Goals Pattern.
     On the other hand, I did not like what they did with the Intimacy Gradient. The clinic moves very quickly from the formality of the entrance room to the privacy of exam and treatment rooms. I — I guess that can be O.K. I'm just used to a little more transition.
     I really like the Nurses. They're warm and knowledgeable. As a Nurse-in-Training, I shouldn't say much more than that, I guess.
     That's what I have to say right now. Of course, Weir will never see this (giggle) unless his combine wins the selection. I do urge you to try out one of their clinics and make your own judgment. Thank you.

     Phoebe, though pleased with her improved satisfaction rating, didn't allow it to distract her. She also didn't let the now-public connection between The Tangent and Gatogrebok steal any time. She just hoped today copied yesterday, so she could make decent progress on her strategic plans. After all, it just wasn't over till it was over.