Eternal Sunshine #130
March 2020
By Douglas Kent - 911 Irene Drive, Mesquite, TX 75149
Email:
dougray30@yahoo.com
On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/270968112943024/ or on the web at http://www.whiningkentpigs.com/DW/. Follow on Twitter at @EternalSunshDip. Also be sure to visit the official Diplomacy
World website which can be found at http://www.diplomacyworld.net.
Sign up for the
Eternal Sunshine Mailing List at https://mailchi.mp/45376bbd05df/eternalsunshine
Check out my eBay
store at http://stores.ebay.com/dougsrarebooksandmore
Quote
of The Month
– “You know what your trouble is, Willy? You always
took the jokes too seriously. It was just jokes. We did comedy on the stage for
43 years. I don't think you enjoyed it once.” (Al Lewis in “The Sunshine Boys”)
Welcome to
Eternal Sunshine, the only Dipzine edited by two illiterate black cats. Since they have no opposable thumbs, they
don’t truly edit it as much as walk all over it. Sanka also crews on
the corners of the paper a bit. Toby and
Sanka both feel they should be intimately involved in
the production of Eternal Sunshine, since they are both experts at the
play of Diplomacy. Proof of that can be
seen below:
I realized
this week that this COVID19 pandemic is suddenly making my life of solitude and
desperate loneliness a positive, at least in the short run. If I don’t get sick from work, or from the
grocery store, I don’t see how I could possibly get infected. That’s the extent of my human contact. I’m still taking the appropriate precautions,
like washing my hands frequently and trying not to touch my face. But it’s a lot easier when I don’t have to
try and stay six feet away from other people…I don’t SEE other people,
ever. I’m trying my best to avoid social
media, because it just makes me feel so anxious and stressed. I need to relax, but it’s hard
sometimes. My mind is always in
overdrive, and isolation just gives me more time to think about shit.
In zine
news, we have a game start of Balkan Wars VI, and a new game opening for
Gunboat (the Gunboat opening is in Andy York’s subzine
so if you want to play in it email HIM not me, wandrew88@gmail.com is his email address. Speaking of Andy York, the latest issue of
his subzine Out of the WAY can be found in this
issue, immediately before my Games section.
If you’re smart, you’ll read it.
And if you’re not smart…well, read it anyway. Besides the Gunboat opening, he has a game of
Hangman starting this issue.
Back to
the zine proper. The current Diplomacy
opening is nearly full as well. By
Popular Demand is underway, with the first results at the back of the zine, and
next issue I’ll probably start Kendo Nagasaki, which I expect all of you
to participate in. Don’t worry about
losing; I never win that damn game, even when I figure out the location.
Don’t
forget there will be a new issue of Diplomacy World out around April 1st. You can find that issue, and every prior
issue, at www.diplomacyworld.net.
That’s
about it from me. On to the zine, and
I’ll see you in April!
Game Openings
Diplomacy (Black
Press): Signed
up: Heath Davis-Gardner, David Cohen, Paul Milewski,
David Burgess, Mark Firth, needs two more.
Gunboat
(No Press):
Check out the opening in Any York’s subzine. Sign up for this opening ONLY through
him at wandrew88@gmail.com
By Popular Demand: Ongoing. Join in the fun! You can join at any time.
Where in the World is
Kendo Nagasaki?:
Coming soon, will likely start next issue.
Movie
Photo Quiz:
I am considering bringing this previous staple of Eternal Sunshine back. Let me know if you’d be interested in
playing. It was my attempt to do a movie
quiz that eliminated the ability of anyone to nudge their scores higher by
doing internet searches. Take a look at
the end of an old issue like #68 if you want to see how the game went: (http://www.whiningkentpigs.com/dw/eshtml68.htm).
Coming Soon: Open to suggestions. I’m even open to running Deviant Diplomacy
again (go look at issues like #38 to see what a chaotic variant that is). Thinking of Woolworth or another Gunboat when
Andy’s fills.
Standby List: HELP! I need standby players! – Current standby
list: Andy York, Andy Lischett, Paul Milewski.
Meet Me in
Montauk
The Eternal
Sunshine Letter Column
John David Galt: It's a shame that
you didn't restart in time to do an election prediction game this year. With 24 candidates at the start of the D
primaries it would be a monster.
[[I don’t think I’ve
ever done a political prediction game in any of my zines. Someone in a subzine
likely did; I think Richard Weiss ran one in Eternal Sunshine or Maniac’s
Paradise. If I did I might have chosen
to run a Bourse. Too late now. Plus, I hear about politics WAY too much day
in and day out that I use the hobby as an escape from the noise.]]
Richard Smith: Just BPD for now though
I will play Kendo and your movie quiz, though I guess with latter you'll have
to avoid pictures that spill the beans on the Google image search https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/1325808 or similar (other search engines are
available but The Big G is watching you, and the Chinese).
[[Yeah, that does kind
of ruin the game. The whole reason I moved
to photos instead of quotes was the ease of “assisted guessing.” I’ll have to think about that.]]
Andy York: Glad you
were able to get out and play some favorite arcade games. I think I was at one
of those (or similar venue) about 20 years ago when I was at an IT convention
in Dallas. As I remember, loads of fun!
[[It was a blast. Sadly, it’s exactly the kind of place I think
I should avoid until this current health scare calms down. Cramped quarters and video game machines with
people touching all the controls? Not
this week.]]
Haven't seen any of
the films you mentioned, though I'd considered going to "Stan &
Ollie" when it was in the theater. Last night I did go to a screening at
AFS Cinema (Austin Film Society's two-screen venue) of "Come & See".
It is a restored, hyper-realistic, 1985 Soviet film of the Belorussian
partisans fighting Nazis in 1943. All of the scenes are based on actual events
and the writer participated in those operations.
[[That sounds
interesting, I wonder if they’re doing a DVD release of the restored version?]]
The Dining Dead – Eternal Sunshine Movie Reviews
I haven’t been
watching nearly as many movies during the past month. I’m sure the length of this section will be
somewhat random each issue, depending on how much free time I have and what
kind of mood I’m in. This month I’ve
been re-watching all of the original 45 episodes of Columbo, as well as the
first season of Ricky Gervais’ After Life (in preparation for the next season,
due to be released on April 24). Perhaps
I’ll throw in a quick review of either (or both) for those of you with no
exposure to them.
Another reason for the
decline in reviews this issue is a large number of movies that I started (95%
from streaming services) which I turned off within fifteen minutes. It’s remarkable how much crap is available on
Netflix, Amazon, and Shudder. If I can’t
make it past the fifteen-minute mark without losing interest (if I had interest
in the first place) I don’t think it’s fair to even mention the film.
Ice station Zebra (TCM) – I couldn’t
remember if I like this movie or not, as it had been decades since I watched
it. Now my memory has been refreshed:
it’s a bore. The story itself has all
the necessary makings of a good film, but the direction and acting is terribly
flat. Patrick McGoohan
is the only bright spot. Even Ernest
Borgnine’s character is boring and a snoozefest. A waste of a good novel.
My Favorite Year (TCM) – This film
came out when I was in Junior High School, and at the time it was my friend
Alan Licht’s favorite movie of the year (we did the top movie and LP lists for
the school newspaper at that time, through our Writer’s Workshop class. Incidentally, that was the only class I was
ever given an F in, as during one quarter I handed in absolutely zero
assignments; I’d spent my time writing sarcastic spoof articles that you might
find these days in The Onion, as well as morbid haikus. Mrs. Aquardo, our
teacher, approached me at the end of the quarter and almost tearfully told me
I’d given her no option but to fail me.
I suppose she expected me to be upset, since this was a school full of
kids whose families generally had more money than sense, and who were talking
about what Ivy League university they’d be attending as early as elementary school. I just smiled and shrugged and told her not
to worry about it. My biggest concern at
that time was my terrible acne, and trying to find two matching tube socks to
wear to school every day. Having a
matching clean pair was like winning the lottery! Anyway…).
It holds up surprisingly well.
I’ve never been a big fan of Richard Benjamin’s directorial skills, but
this film is a big exception. Peter
O’Toole is delightful as the Errol Flynn-like star Alan Swann. It also reminded me of the great comedic
timing Mark Linn-Baker showed off later on in the TV series “Perfect
Strangers.” Bronson Pinchot received all
the attention in that show, but Linn-Baker was the critical straight man. The humor in My Favorite Year works
like a fine-oiled machine. It’s well
worth revisiting if you’ve never seen it.
Columbo (DVD) – I feel sorry
for people who can’t appreciate the genius of Columbo. The formula for the series was pretty well
set from the original television movie “Prescription: Murder” from which the series
was built. It went against every mystery
series rule that TV had set at the time.
You knew exactly who the murderer was (in all but two episodes, put in
for a change of pace). The star, Peter
Falk, didn’t generally appear until at least fifteen minutes in. He was rumpled, absent-minded, short, had a
glass eye, dressed in a tan suit and raincoat; the antithesis of every popular
leading man. Yet this supposedly
bumbling detective would walk into a case and inevitably find the little “loose
ends” that would set him off on the chase against a polished, egotistical,
superior killer. I’ve heard some people
claim part of the appeal of Columbo was class warfare, but I’ve never
found that to be the case. It wasn’t
that the killers had money (although almost all of them had plenty); it was
more that the series worked best when Lieutenant Columbo was pitted against his
opposite in type: someone clean, suave, fashionable, powerful…the kind of
person who would initially take him for granted. In truth, because the “mystery” of the show
was how would Columbo catch the killer instead of the more common “whodunit”
structure, each episode was dialogue-heavy, a battle of wits between murderer
and investigator. Peter Falk was the
perfect actor for the part, and a lot of the quirks that have become well-known
parts of Columbo were actually aspects of Falk’s own personality. The quality of the writing – and the
originality of the clues in each episode – were what kept the series going for
as long as it did. It helps to remind
neophytes that Columbo was part of the “Mystery Wheel” series of three
or four mystery shows alternating, so instead of having an episode every week,
there would only be one every three or four weeks. It was that which helped the show maintain
Falk’s demand for perfection for as long as it did. And for a while, despite cost overruns and
schedule delays which were often blamed on Falk’s requirements, Falk was the highest
paid actor on television (when measured by salary per episode). The more modern Columbo episodes, made
as occasional TV movies long after the original series had ended, are not
nearly as good (with the exception of “Agenda for Murder,” starring Patrick McGoohan and directed by him as well). Don’t bother with those newer ones until
you’ve allowed yourself to enjoy the original episodes. The only caveat is that after the first
season or two, the network demanded that some episodes be made as two-hour
episodes instead of ninety minutes. In
general, the two-hour episodes feel a bit padded, and might have improved if
they’d been cut to the shorter length.
But Columbo was still head-and-shoulders above most of what the
networks were delivering in those days.
After Life (Netflix) – After
Life was Ricky Gervais’ latest Netflix series (he’s the genius behind The
Office, Extras, Derek, An Idiot Abroad, and lots
more). Of all his series, I think Derek
was the best up to this point, but while I have watched that a few times and
would be interested in a new season if he ever did one, After Life is
three levels above.
Gervais stars as Tony,
a writer for a free local newspaper owned by his brother-in-law. After 25 years of marriage to Lisa (Kerry
Godliman, a major force in Derek), he is now a widower; Lisa died from
cancer. Tony feels hopeless, lonely, and
suicidal, but is able to stave off suicide by watching videos his wife filmed
for him while in the hospital, and because of the duty he feels to his dog. Unable to go through with killing himself,
Tony adopts a new “superpower”: he is going to do whatever he wants, say
whatever he wants, and not care about the repercussions or how if affects other people.
“If it doesn’t work, I can always fall back on suicide” is his Plan B.
The humor in After
Life is as dark as you would expect (with a few exceptions), perhaps even
darker than you imagine. Gervais has
always been hilarious, and with Derek he also revealed an ability to act
with real emotion. After Life is
truly moving; I’ve watched the first season twice and I go back and forth
between belly laughs and uncontrollable tears.
I identify with Tony in a number of ways, and in my day-to-day life I
have a tendency to be blunt and honest in the same way, although with less
bitterness. Parts of my time with Mara –
and afterwards – carried a similar sense of hopelessness. I’m really looking forward to April 24 when
the second season becomes available on Netflix.
The other night as I
cried myself through the end of Season 1, I had to ask myself why I felt like I
was crying tears of mourning, much like the mourning Tony is doing over his
wife. Nobody that close to me has died
recently, what was I mourning?
I thought about it for
a while. I think I am simply in mourning
for my lost life, and lost years. So
much feels wasted, and none of it is recoverable. And that’s one of the driving messages
Gervais is trying to give us: cherish what time you have. When it’s over, it’s over.
In the Mouth of
Madness
(Shudder) – A sort of low budget John Carpenter film with Lovecraftian
overtones. Sam Neil plays an insurance
investigator with a skill for detecting fraudulent claims. He’s asked to investigate the disappearance
of horror author Sutter Cane, who has vanished without a trace and hasn’t
delivered his latest manuscript.
It’s not especially
great, but it’s still a generally enjoyable ride. Plenty of decent performances, including
Charlton Heston as the head of Cane’s publishing house. This was made back in 1994, and since then
we’ve seen a lot more films (many better than this one) that deal with the
blending of fiction and reality, and what happens when those two worlds begin
to meld into one. I suppose In the
Mouth of Madness was a little more original when it was first
released. It didn’t do especially well
at the box office, and sems to have been generally forgotten. It’s also got a bit of the obligatory
Stephen King feel to it, who Sutter Cane was obviously based loosely on. The creatures in the film are similar-looking
to what you’ll find in Carpenter’s The Thing, and you’ll get a sort of
“made for cable” vibe from the whole movie.
I wouldn’t bother
hunting it down – it simply isn’t good enough to do that - but if you have Shudder
and want to kill 90 minutes you may as well turn it on. Even at his worst, John Carpenter is a
quality director.
Drop Dead Gorgeous (DVD) – A
mockumentary from 1999 starring Kirsten Dunst and Kirstie Alley. It seems like a take-off on teen beauty
pageants – and it is – but more than that, it shines a spotlight on the
hilarity found in small towns in the U.S., especially at the time it was
made. I discovered this movie when it
came out and enjoyed it with my first wife Mara, and soon after we split, I
introduced it to my girlfriend Andrea.
Later I got to show it to Heather.
All three fell in love with this movie, and I made it a point to buy
every copy I could find at Bog Lots for $3 and give them away as gifts. For a good while you couldn’t find it on DVD
at all, but I guess they made a new run (or warehouses finally locate few
cases) because it can be bought new online for around $15. I’d love to see a Blu Ray edition, but as
usual I suspect music licenses will be the hold-up.
Allison Janey is
hilarious as Loretta, best friend to Kirsten Dunst’s mom (Ellen Barkin). There’s
also the film debut of Amy Adams, who has gone on to much bigger things in the
years since. Denise Richards and
Brittany Murphy also appear as pageant contestants. It’s hard to describe how on-target this
movie is, and it’s the sort of comedy you can watch over and over, discovering
new little jokes or things going on in the background that you missed
previously. The plot is rather simple:
sweet and innocent Amber Atkins (Dunst) is one of the contestants in the Mount
Rose, Minnesota local pageant for Sara Rose American Teen Princess. Her main competition is Becky Leeman
(Richards), a mean, stuck-up girl whose mother (Alley) is the head of the local
pageant chapter. Some sinister pitfalls
await contestants who might get in Becky’s way to the crown. Can Amber survive and somehow win the pageant
despite the power for Becky’s family?
“Rich family in a small town?
It’s front page news when one of them takes a shit” as Loretta describes
it. There are a few unexpected twists
and turns, so don’t expect things to wrap up as quickly as you might have
guessed.
There are great
performances all around, including character actors like Mike Malloy (who was
so brilliant in In the Company of Men) Michael McShane (the dying
occupational hypnotherapist in Office Space), and Will Sasso (who more recently appeared in some episodes of
Allison Janey’s TV show Mom). But in the
end, it’s just a dopey comedy, a mockumentary made before the genre became
tired and overused. If you spent any
time in a small town, this movie should make you homesick. And if you didn’t, you’ll still laugh a
bunch. On the Sunday before this issue
came out, I was really stressing over life and the world and panic, and my
place in it. Watching Drop Dead
Gorgeous for maybe the 50th time gave me some much-needed peace.
Out of the WAY #19
by W. Andrew York
(wandrew88 of gmail.com)
Hi there! I’m back, resurrecting my subzine
that ran in ES from 2008-2010. During
that time, eighteen editions came out so we’re up to number 19 for its second
go-round in this ‘zine. Comments, suggestions, letters, game requests and game
participation is encouraged and very welcome.
And, speaking of games, I always try to run at least one
“everybody plays, join any time” offering so please join in. In the original
run, I tried a “Facts in Five” version that had only a lukewarm reception and
at the end discussed various ways to improve it. I’m willing to dust it off,
tweak the rules and run it again if there’s interest.
In the meantime, I’m starting the variation on
“Hangman” that began after “Facts in Five”. It had several very enthusiastic
players that sent in commentary on their thought processes and speculations
that were edited into a commentary at the end of each round. And, there’s no
need to dig into back issues for the last uncompleted round – this is starting
afresh with a brand new word! I’ll also open a couple of waiting lists to see
what other interest there is – feel free to recommend ones you are interested
in playing or would like to see.
I’m still working on finalizing some overall content,
thinking on adding bits such as a “Commentary” and a “Spotlight on Texas”. The
Commentary will be my personal view on some current topic or trend. I had
started one for this issue on the COVID-19 situation, but it is too fluid and
anything I wrote would likely be invalid by the time you read it. So, with not
enough time to put together a reasonable replacement, we’ll push the start
until next time. The “Spotlight on Texas” will be a short piece on Texas
history, place to visit, event, people, etc. To tease that column, here are two
bits about three Texas governors:
James “Big Jim” Hogg was governor from Jan 20, 1891 to
Jan 15, 1895. He named his only daughter Ima. Some inaccurate reports have him
naming a second daughter Ura, but he only had the
one.
James “Pa” Ferguson was governor between Jan 19, 1915
and Jan 25, 1917. In his second term he was impeached on 10 of 21 charges and
removed from office. His wife, Miriam “Ma” Ferguson, then twice ran
successfully to be governor, from Jan 20, 1925 to Jan 18, 1927 and again from
Jan 17, 1933 to Jan 15, 1935. One her campaign slogans was “two (governors) for
the price of one” as her husband, basically, would run the State through her.
Both of her governorships were plagued by scandal and controversy.
If you have any suggestions for topics or other things
you’d like to see in the subzine, let me know. Be
safe, wash your hands and stay well!
===================================
Random Review
Last week, thanks to the Austin Film Society, I had
the opportunity to see a newly restored print of “Come and See” on the big
screen. It is a 1985 Soviet film about Belarusian partisans fighting the
Germans in 1943. Based on a book co-written by the screenplay writer – who
participated in that conflict – in a hyper-realistic portrayal. Though not
overly graphic, it is a frank and brutal recreation of that time.
Focused on a teenager who, after recovering a rifle
from a past battlefield, joins the anti-German effort. From his introduction to
the partisan camp, he is followed into the depths of defeat countered by the
occasional bright spot, including teaming with another young female to rejoin
the cause after being separated from the group.
There is little attempt to
show any compassion to the German side, rather than trying to provide a balance
to the cruelty presented. However, the Belarusians are not given a pass as
being only benevolent. Their collection of supplies from locals, and some
indifference to the ramifications of their actions on the local populace, is
also depicted.
Having read a considerable
amount of material on the German-Russian conflict, nothing on screen was a
surprise to me. However, someone without that background may find events
disturbing. In fact, in the introduction by the Film Society’s director of
programming, he mentioned that if a viewer needed to leave the showing it had
happened before.
The only negative bit, from
my perspective, is the tag at the end of the movie prior to the credits. It was
a photo/film clip montage moving back in time to the pre-war and early days of
Hitler’s rise to power which continues to pictures of him as a child. I’m not
sure whether the filmmaker was trying to blame the depredations of the German
military solely on him or had some other purpose.
If you’d like to see a
snippet of the partisan/anti-partisan battles on WWII’s Eastern Front, you
can’t go wrong with this film.
===================================
Babylon 5 Quote
Londo in “In the Beginning”: “The quiet one are the ones that change the
universe, Luc Derardi. The loud ones only take the
credit.”
Source: But In Purple...I’m Stunning!
by J. Michael Straczynski, edited by Sara “Samm” Barnes, copyright 2008.
===================================
Mini-Book Reviews
(finished since the first of
this year)
Dr. Benjamin Church, Spy by John A. Nagy (2013; 211p).
Nagy
specializes in Revolutionary War spycraft and, in
this volume, he focuses on one of the Revolutionary leaders involved in most
early patriot efforts in and around Boston in the mid-1770s. Dr. Benjamin
Church, one of the most accomplished physicians in the Americas, established
the Continental Army medical department and was often a go-between with other
leaders and the Continental Congress. He was also providing information to the
British military occupying Boston.
Well
written, and thoroughly documented, this is a fascinating look at early spycraft and the birth of America. If this at all interests
you, pick it up. Recommended. [February 2020]
Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day (2019; 257p).
Day’s
book provides a way to remove the obstacles that may be blocking your
creativity. She delves into building up your confidence in sparking your
creativity, how to overcome enemies (aka obstacles) and enlisting allies to
provide support in your effort. In doing so, you will “use up” the book (lots
of written exercises, drawings, and even a page torn out).
I
read it in smaller chunks (basically a section each day) and found it quite
helpful and a bit inspirational. It’s well worth reading if you’re in a
creative rut or looking at a way to “refresh” your efforts. Recommended
[February 2020]
Hitler’s Northern War: The Luftwaffe’s Ill-Fated
Campaign 1940-1945 by Adam R. A. Claasen (2001; 338p).
This
is a scholarly look at German involvement in Norway and environs during WWII. The
author sets up the importance of Norway to the German war machine and the run
up for the invasion. The bulk of the book deals with the German invasion of the
country, the Allied countermoves and the eventual Axis dominance of the country
and sea lanes, with emphasis on the contribution of the Luftwaffe.
Later
chapters deal with the contribution of the Norway based air force in the Battle
of Britain, the efforts to disrupt the Arctic convoys supplying the Soviets and
the backwater it became after 1942.
Definitely
not for the casual reader, it is well written with solid analysis of the
Luftwaffe, its successes and failures vis a vis Norway. Recommended [February
2020]
Mr. Punch by Neil Gaiman (2014; 122p).
A
look at a classic children’s show underpins a story about a boy growing up and
learning about one set of his grandparents. The graphic novel, masterfully
illustrated by frequent Gaiman collaborator Dave
McKean, is a bit of a haunting tale that is accentuated by the images.
For
older readers only, but definitely a masterwork of collaboration. Recommended.
[January 2020]
Sky-Blue Wolves, The by S. M. Stirling (2018; 451p).
The
final book of Stirling’s Change series tries to wrap up the current threads and
foreshadow future events. However, even with the length, it seems hurried and a
bit disappointing as I’d hoped for more. Regardless, it was a fun read with
plot twists and a few surprises.
However,
it is only for someone who has been reading the series. As an introduction into
the Change world, most folks would be foundering in trying to grasp the
characters’ reality. [January 2020]
Stormtrooper on the Eastern Front by Mintauts Blosfelds (2008; 207p).
This
memoir, published posthumously by his daughter, is Blosfelds’
story as a member of the Latvian Legion of the SS during the Second World War.
The book opens with a brief discussion of his pre-war life and the early months
of the German occupation. It ends with a recap of his time in various western
POW camps through his release.
The
bulk of the book covers his induction in German military in May 1943,
subsequent training and, in being an instructor for later recruits. Eventually
posted to the front lines, he sees combat, ends up wounded and sent to the rear
for recovery. Eventually, after several postings and many adventures, he
retreats to surrender to the Americans. Surviving the war he ends up in
Britain.
The
book is a personal view relating the experience of a foreign citizen fighting
for his country’s future as part of the Nazi military against the Soviet Union.
It doesn’t discuss much of the Nazi ideology, one almost thinks for him it
wasn’t so much in support of Hitler’s aims but against the Soviets reality.
Well
worth reading if the topic interests you; but otherwise not recommended.
[February 2020]
===================================
Recipe of the
Month
Recipe Philosophy: Except for baking, recipes are only
suggestions. I rarely precisely measure, eyeballing most everything. The listed
measurements,
for the most part, are estimates from the last time I made the recipe. Feel
free to adjust to meet your personal tastes –
and
remember, it is easier to add “more” of something than to compensate when “too
much” has been added.
For ingredients, if you don’t like raw onions, omit
them or replace with celery to retain the crunchiness. If you like food with
more spice, add
an
extra jalapeno or use habaneros instead. On the other hand, if you don’t like
spicy food, replace the jalapeno with half a bell
pepper.
Optional items are used when I’m looking for a variation or making it for individuals
with specific preferences or allergies.
Bacony Brussels Sprouts
by W Andrew York
(last reviewed Mar 2020)
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 lb Fresh
Brussels Sprouts
4 Strips of Bacon (about half
fat/half meat, cut into 1” or so pieces)
2 Garlic Cloves, minced (or Garlic
Powder)
¼
cup Diced Onion (Sweet preferably,
but white or yellow is fine)
Additional Oil, if needed or desired (Grapeseed is
preferred)
Steps:
1)
Trim stem of
Brussels Sprouts, remove outer and damaged leaves, slice in half (if large,
quarter to make sections similar in size)
2)
Coat a skillet
with cooking spray, heat to medium-high, add Bacon
3)
Cook Bacon to
render the fat, add Oil if Bacon was meaty.
(Note – you could drain and replace bacon fat with oil
if you prefer, though you would lose much of the bacony
flavor)
4)
Add Onion and
Brussels Sprouts, heat until cooked through and beginning to char
5)
Add Garlic, or
sprinkle desired amount of Garlic Powder, continue cooking 1-2 minutes (don’t
let the garlic caramelize)
6)
Remove from heat
and plate Sprouts from cooking pan with slotted spoon to leave behind excess
fat/oil
Notes:
- An easy way to cut Bacon strips is with kitchen
scissors directly over the pan, minimizes contamination from the raw meat
-
To add some heat, add ¼ cup diced jalapenos (or other spicy peppers) with the
onions
===================================
Game Section
Game Openings: Breaking Away (Kent); No-Press Gunboat
Diplomacy (7 openings)
Possible Game Openings: Facts in Five (everyone plays,
will run if enough interest)
Suggestions accepted for other games to offer.
Hangman, By Definition
This is a five round game, with each round consisting
of a variable number of turns. The winner will be the person who wins the most
rounds, with a tie breaker being fewest total number of turns in those winning
rounds. Second tie breaker will be the most number of letters guessed (by total
count revealed, not by individual letter).
Each round will consist of identifying a word of at
least six letters. Along with each word will be the first definition given. All
words and definitions will be identified by blank spaces. Words and definitions
are verified in a dictionary that was my high school graduation gift (slight
hint to those who might want to find the edition).
The goal is to guess the word in as few turns as
possible. Each turn, all players will submit one letter to be revealed. The
letter submitted by the most players will be the letter revealed in the next
turn. Ties will be broken by a randomized method. Additionally, each player
should submit a guess for the word. Once the word is correctly identified
(spelling is important), that round will end and a new round will begin. All
players who guess the word in the same turn will share in the win for the
round. If the word is not guessed by the end of six turns with no letter being
revealed, no one will win the round.
Along with revealing letters in the word, letters will
be revealed in the definition. There are no bonus points for guessing any part
of the definition, it is only there to help players figure out the word. No
guesses about parts of the definition will be confirmed or displayed except by
the letter revealed in that round. The letters “E” and “S” can never be chosen
as the letter to be revealed.
Game 1, Round One, Turn Zero:
Letter
Votes: <<pending>> Revealed:
tbd
Words
Guessed: <<pending>>
Solution:
Word: __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __
__ __
Definition: __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __
__ __
__ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __ __ __
__ __ __
__ __
Never
Revealed: E, S Already Revealed: <<pending>>
Game Words
Correctly Guessed: None, yet
Player Comments: <<pending>>
===================================
Deadline for the Next Issue
of Out of the WAY:
April 15, 2020 at noon –
See You Then!
Game entries, letters of comment and other material can
be sent to:
wandrew88
at gmail.com; or by post to: W. Andrew York; POB 201117; Austin TX 78720-1117
Eternal Sunshine Game Section
Gamestart!
Balkan Wars VI, “Bad Way to Go”,
2020Apb08
The Players:
Albania: Mark Firth – mogcate@aol.com
Bulgaria: Jack McHugh
- jwmchughjr@gmail.com
Greece: Kevin Wilson –
ckevinw@gmail.com
Rumania: Brad Wilson –fullfathomfive675@gmail.com
Serbia: Hugh Polley – hapolley@yahoo.ca
Turkey: Heath
Davis-Gardner – heathdavisgardner@gmail.com
Black Press is permitted in this game (you may write
press from any location, as may any other player or non-player). As per the rules, there are NO season
separations in Balkan Wars VI.
Draws must include all survivors, and they must pass
unanimously. Voting is secret. NVR = Yes.
ALL
Players Must Be Signed Up to the ES Mailchimp List at https://mailchi.mp/45376bbd05df/eternalsunshine
Deadline
for Winter 1909/Spring 1910 Builds, Moves, and Press is: April 18, 2020 at 7am
My Time (U.S. central time)
Diplomacy, “Indestructible Machine”,
2020A, Fall 1901
Austria: Rick Davis – redavis914@aol.com - F Albania – Greece, A Budapest - Rumania (*Bounce*),
A Serbia Supports F Albania - Greece.
England: Mark Firth – mogcate@aol.com - F North Sea Convoys A Yorkshire – Denmark,
F Norwegian Sea – Norway, A Yorkshire -
Denmark (*Bounce*).
France: John David
Galt – jdgalt@att.net - F Mid-Atlantic Ocean – Portugal,
A Picardy Supports A Ruhr – Belgium, A Spain
Hold.
Germany: Tim Haffey – trhaffey1@gmail.com - F Holland Supports A
Ruhr – Belgium,
A Kiel - Denmark (*Bounce*), A Ruhr -
Belgium.
Italy: Toby Harris – toby@responsiva.biz - A Apulia – Tunis, F Ionian Sea Convoys A Apulia – Tunis,
A Venice - Trieste.
Russia: Bob Durf – playdiplomacymoderator@gmail.com - A Galicia – Vienna, F Gulf of Bothnia – Sweden,
F Sevastopol - Rumania (*Bounce*), A St
Petersburg - Finland.
Turkey: Jack McHugh - jwmchughjr@gmail.com - F Ankara Unordered,
F Smyna –
Constantinople (No Such Unit), A Bulgaria - Greece (*Fails*), A
Constantinople - Bulgaria (*Fails*).
Please
Note Tim Haffey’s new email address! trhaffey1@gmail.com . Also Mark Firth
suggests people use mogcate@aol.com for him since some people had issues with his work email
Supply
Center Chart
Austria: Budapest,
Greece, Serbia=3 Even
England: Edinburgh,
Liverpool, London, Norway=4 Build
1
France: Brest,
Marseilles, Paris, Portugal, Spain=5 Build
2
Germany: Belgium,
Berlin, Holland, Kiel, Munich=5 Build
2
Italy: Naples,
Rome, Trieste, Tunis, Venice=5 Build
2
Russia: Moscow,
Sevastopol, St Petersburg, Sweden, Vienna, Warsaw=6 Build 2
Turkey: Ankara,
Bulgaria, Constantinople, Smyrna=4 Build
1
Unowned: Denmark,
Rumania.
PRESS:
The further adventures of King of the World (well,
bedroom (well, his own)) Pfeffel I (aka Bozzer): It was a big door and
striking it with his sceptre was rewarded with a
sonorous boom that must have reached all the way to Berlin.
Yet of answer, there remained none.
Eng (gov’t) - board: To confirm, my email is mogcate<at>aol.com
since the work one didn’t for some of you.
Equally it seems at least one player is not receiving any
of those I’ve sent. Or is it a post-Brexit snub..?
Athens, Greek Underground News (GUN), Summer 1901
Greco Parvolempmpplois
The news from the North is pretty tame. Looks like
England, Germany and France are going to just take neutrals and build in the
winter.
Well, on that point England is expected to build a fleet
striving to be the sea power in the North.
France is expected to build two fleets and move against
England but he could build an army in Par to defend against a Germany invasion.
We think the former will be the case.
Germany will get three builds and this may make his
neighbors nervous. However, our contacts in Berlin say the Kaiser has no
interest in attacking France as England remains non communicative with Berlin.
Based on that info we feel Germany will build two fleets to use against
England.
Russia seems to be uncertain about what to do in StP. As yet we can't say more than he will take Swe and build in StP(nc). But, we can get no feeling for the army moving to
Norway or Finland and we feel he will take it back to Mos.
In the south we see the following
Russia only has one move. F Sev-Rum
Supported by A Gal. Nothing else makes any since. Then, of course, he will
build a F Sev.
Turkey will undoubtedly take the Black Sea. Bul could move to Rum or Gre.
Probably Greece.
Austria will move S Alb-Greece supported by A Ser and A
vie-Tri.
Italy will most likely move A Apu-Tun
convoyed by F Ion and build F Nap. A Ven will hold again.
In other words all the neutrals will be taken without
much trouble. Cheers
Deadline for Winter 1901/Spring 1902
is: April 18, 2020 at 7am My Time
By
Popular Demand
I’ve run this game (or
By Almost Popular Demand, a slight variant) a number of times in Eternal
Sunshine. The rules are simple: I supply
you with five categories. You send in what
you think will be the most popular answer for each category. Research IS permitted. You get one point for each person who
submitted the answer you gave. So, if
you and two other people send in the same answer that’s three points. You also get to choose a Joker category,
where the points are doubled. So in the
example I gave, you’d get six points in that category if you chose it as your
Joker that round. If you don’t specify a
Joker, it gets applied to the first category listed (so you don’t “lose” the
Joker). Always answer for every
category: any answer is legal, and will earn a point even if you’re the only
person to give it. High score after ten
categories wins. Any player who joins
after the first round starts with the lowest score so far; if you join starting
in Turn 3 and the person doing the worst has 27 points so far, that’s what you
start with. Also if you miss a turn, you
get the lowest score that round rather than zero. This makes the game more competitive and
keeps you playing even if you arrive late or forget to play one turn.
Turn
1 Categories:
1. A Johnny Depp film
2. Something you can’t
buy on Amazon.com
3. A card game that
children play
4. Someone you tip other
than a food server
5. A geometric shape
Joker
category shown in BOLD. Most
popular answer shown in italics.
Mark Firth misses the highest possible score by only 4 points. Poor Kevin Wilson scores the lowest total.
Comments
by Category:
A Johnny Depp film: Mark Nelson –
“Pirates of the Caribbean could be a good choice, but instead I'll go for
"Edward Scissorhands" - was that the movie that first made his
name?” Andy Lischett
– “Edward Scissorhands (Not just in this movie, but whenever I see a Johnny
Depp movie, I'm reminded of what a bad actor he is).” Dane Maslen – “If there had been only one
Pirates of the Caribbean film, I'd have gone for it, but instead I've gone for
his first film. Maybe other people will
do the same.” Mark Firth – “Couldn’t be
bothered typing that huge Cap’n Jack #1 title!” Andy York – “I’ve never seen Edward
Scissorhands.”
Something you can’t
buy on Amazon.com: Mark
Nelson – “Is there something you can't buy on Amazon? I will go for
politician in the expectation that no-one else will pick that.” Andy Lischett – “I
was going to pick ice cream or used cars, but SEX will probably be the number 1
answer.” Mark Firth – “I didn’t
check.” Andy York – “I’ve never bought
anything on it.”
A card game that
children play: Richard
Smith – “Shithead, my nephew taught me this game.” Mark Firth – “We will attack - and you don’t
want dat.” Andy York – “I didn’t think
kids played cards much any more.”
Someone you tip other
than a food server: Mark
Nelson – “In Australia there is no-one than you tip, you are not even expected
to tip the food server! PS You said that research was allowed... I had to do a
google search to find out who you're expected to tip in the US... I remember
tipping the people who make up the room each day... but I couldn't remember
what they are called (!)... in any case I thought that bar tender would be more
popular!” Dane Maslen – “Just for you I
translated 'taxi driver' into American English. ☺” [[We call them both here, cab or taxi driver if they drive an
actual cab. These days more people tend
to take ride-share services like Uber than true taxis]]. Mark Firth – “Our local firm are really nice.
They even invited us in for a cup of tea.”
Andy York – “Not that I use taxis very often. I also thought of Bartender (too close to a
food server so exempted) and housekeeper/maid (in hotels, etc.).”
A geometric
shape: Mark Nelson – “I think
a triangle would be a good answer here.
I'm tempted to say a circle because it is the "perfect
shape". Have you read
"Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions"? I haven't - though I have
read Ian Stewart's 2001 sequel "Flatterland".”
[[No, I haven’t read either book]]. Andy Lischett – “My
favorite geometric shape is a circle but my answer is CUBE.” Dane Maslen – “Joker on 5. It could well lose out to SQUARE, but I'm
even less confident about my other four answers.” Mark Firth – “Keep it simple.” Heath Davis-Gardner – “Since I have no sense
of how any of these will do I'll joker on this one.”
Turn
2 Categories:
(Don’t
forget to specify a Joker category, or it will be applied to Category 1)
1. A novel by Kurt
Vonnegut
2. A past or current
Dutch colony
3. A horror movie
4. A flavor or type of
cookie
5. A model of car
currently being manufactured – NOT a make (For a Ford Model-T, Ford is the
make, Model-T is the model).
Deadline
for Turn 2 of By Popular Demand is: April 18, 2020 at 7am My Time
Deadline
for the next issue of Eternal Sunshine is: April 18, 2020 at 7am My Time (U.S.
central time)
See You
Then!