August
2010
By Douglas Kent 911
Irene Drive, Mesquite, TX 75149
Email: doug of whiningkentpigs.com or diplomacyworld of yahoo.com
On the web at http://www.whiningkentpigs.com
– or go directly to the Diplomacy section at http://www.whiningkentpigs.com/DW/. Also be sure to visit the official Diplomacy
World website which can be found at http://www.diplomacyworld.net. Also remember to check out http://www.helpfulkitty.com
for official Toby the Helpful Kitty news, advice column, blog, and links to
all his available merchandise! Links to many
of the books and DVDs reviewed can be found by clicking on the Amazon Store
button in the main menu of the Whining Kent Pigs website. Or go to http://www.guysexplained.com where
women can learn all the secrets of how a man’s mind works, and why they act the
way they do.
All Eternal Sunshine readers are encouraged to join the free
Eternal Sunshine Yahoo group at http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/eternal_sunshine_diplomacy/
to stay up-to-date on any subzine news or errata. We also have our own Eternal Sunshine Twitter
feed at http://www.twitter.com/EternalSunshDip,
and a Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/group.php?gid=112223650909
Quote Of The Month – “It would be different, if we could just give it another go-round.” (Joel
in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”)
Welcome to Eternal
Sunshine, the only Diplomacy zine which can irritate and frustrate you
even when you’re NOT reading it.
Unfortunately I am quite short on time at the moment, so my usual
front-page ramblings will have to be kept to a minimum. (When I say unfortunately, I mean for me, not
for YOU…obviously you will all be very happy with this state of affairs).
I will focus solely on zine news.
This issue you’ll find the usual crap: the final chapter in Fire and
Rain, the typical games results, Hypothetical Questions, letter column. All the junk you usually skip over. Jack McHugh, Paul Milewski, and Richard
Walkerdine all return with their columns. Unfortunately Andy York was unable to make it
this month, due to personal issues, work pressures, and something about being
busy trying to decide which cat to adopt from the SPCA. Good for you, Andy!
As for some of the new things in this issue, for one there’s a
brief interview with author Lisa Gitlin, discussing her new novel “I Came out
for THIS?” I hope to do more interviews
in the future…and as a matter of fact, a new feature I’ll probably call “You
Don’t Know Me” should premiere next issue, which is another interview-type
column. There’s also this year’s
Football Prediction Contest. And
whatever else I cram into here.
Oh, by the way, Chris Babcock has a game he is offering, and I
wanted to publicize it here. This is his
description:
"The Face of your Enemy" Video
Press Diplomacy Game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzk0AHKQP8o
Play Diplomacy. Conduct press between turns
using email and whatever ever other means you can agree on, but... Submit at
least 30 seconds of video press and a 30 second video diary each turn.
Instructions on how to send videos so that they remain private until it is time
for the reveal will be provided before game start. Watch the introductory video
on YouTube. Contact Chris Babcock by email to join or to ask questions: cbabcock@asciiking.com
I guess that’s it for this month.
See you in September!
The
Month’s Playlist: Learning to Fall – Isaac Thompson; Laws of Illusion – Sarah
McLachlan; Soundtrack - She’s Having a
Baby; Ghostwritier – Beth Wood; Little Peppermints – Antje Duvekot.
Fire and Rain – Part Nine
I
kept an eye on the Call-Out schedule each morning, to see if the doctor had set
me up with an appointment. But for three
days, there was nothing. So I decided I
had no choice but to wait in line one afternoon and wait to see him without an
appointment. The other inmates waiting
in that line were usually there to ask questions about their eligibility for
RDAP or deal with matters within the program; I don’t believe anyone else in
line was there for a matter relating to life outside the prison system.
Finally
it was my turn, and I came in to the office and sat down on the metal chair
facing his desk. The walls were filled
with bookshelves, but I could see that for the most part they were simply
binders and records of inmates in the RDAP program. The whole room had a very administrative
feel; it wasn’t the office of a mental health professional. But he was the only real avenue I had to
discuss Mara’s suicide openly in my situation, so I began to explain what had
happened and my feelings about it.
The
doctor interrupted me. “Oh yes, I
remember now. I got your note, and I was
a bit confused by it. Why exactly did
you want to see me over this matter?”
“Well,
I mean…my ex-wife and I had been married for over ten years, and together for
nearly twenty. Aside from my family,
there is really nobody else in the world I’ve known longer. I tried to nurse her though physical and
mental ailments for years, before our marriage finally collapsed when she
attempted suicide in 1998.”
“But
you were divorced, yes?”
“Yes,
when I lost my insurance coverage, and when she wanted to remarry anyway, there
was no reason to stay legally married.”
“So
she remarried?”
“Yes,
and as I put in my note, she and her husband killed themselves together last
month, and I just found out about it.”
“So,
I still don’t understand. Why did you
want to see me?”
I
was starting to wonder if this was some kind of psychological method, sort of
like when the psychiatrist asks you “and how did that make you feel” when
you’re trying to get them to tell you something. But this guy’s demeanor was a bit too
straight-faced. “Because I want some
help dealing with all these emotions and feelings I’m having about this.”
“What
emotions? Why would this bother you so
much?”
“I
told you, because I was with her for almost 20 years. She was my first love, my best friend, and I
spent two decades trying to help and heal her.
Now she has killed herself, and I feel…well, I’m overwhelmed with
sadness and grief, obviously. And
tremendous guilt.”
“Why
would you feel guilty? You didn’t kill
her, she killed herself. And she was
remarried; her husband should feel guilty, not you. I’m just not sure what you want me to do for
you.”
“He
killed himself too! How would he feel
guilty?” This wasn’t going exactly the
way I planned.
“Are
you asking me to write you a pass to not work for a day or two? Because I am not really inclined to do that.”
“No,
look….I am having a lot of trouble dealing with this. I just wanted some help, or something to
read, or something to help alleviate my emotional issues.”
“Well
I don’t know what to tell you. Try not
to feel guilty. And just get over it.”
In
the real world, I know my reaction to this Abbot and Costello routine would
have been different. I could have
allowed myself to get angry, to confront him, to ask if he earned his degree
from a school he found in a matchbook cover.
But the entire experience was so surreal…and he was the man who, in the
end, was going to determine whether I was eligible for RDAP. I could not afford to act naturally.
So,
what else could I do? I thanked him for
his time and left. Now I felt shitty AND
completely confused.
Heather
did send me a book about dealing with the suicide of a loved one, and if
nothing else that book helped explain the causes of the guilt in more specific
terms, and the way the guilt is nearly universal to survivors. There are just so many “what ifs” and “should
haves” when somebody commits suicide.
Life is far too easy to connect on a string…if A happens, and you did C
instead of B in reaction, that result changes everything.
It’s
sort of the opposite to the way some people watch baseball; they think changing
one hit or one call would mean everything that happened afterwards would work a
certain way. If that guy walked instead
of struck out, the next hitter would have driven him in with his home run…but,
of course, with a runner on the pitch selection would have been entirely
different, the calls from the bench for hit-and-run or defensive player
positioning would change…it’s entirely different.
But
in life, when someone is sick and depressed and suicidal, changing one
decision, or one action, doesn’t solve the problem. You have to rewrite the entire script, and
when you do that you’re doing it with hindsight, and with knowledge you had no
access to back then. The truth is Mara
never got over her years of sexual abuse as a child, or the family situation
which allowed it….and, to top it off, the reactions she got when she began to
openly discuss it. I know I did the best
I could, even if I was an enabler with her other issues some of the time. It simply wasn’t good enough…and there may
not have been a good enough.
The
thing is, despite all her problems, I always cared for Mara, and always loved
her in my own way. I simply had changed
my focus to myself, and to trying to improve my own life and make it tolerable
or even enjoyable. She was the center of
a huge chunk of my life, but that was no longer true. Our orbits had changed. Still, as the song says, I always thought
that I’d see her again. And I’d hoped
that when I did, she’d be happy with her life.
I may have hoped for too much.
Much
later in my prison experience, my RDAP teacher read a paper I wrote about the
relationship and came to speak to me privately.
She had no idea what my life had been like, and I guess the fact that –
unlike most of her students – I was willing to discuss such personal aspects of
my history shocked her as much as the things I had to say. One thing she suggested was that I write Mara
a letter when I came home. Talk to her,
get all my feelings out, be honest about my guilt, the things I think I did
wrong, any suppressed anger at her for not doing more on her own. Pour everything onto the page. Then, I should go somewhere peaceful, by
myself, and burn it. In doing so, I’d be
purging myself symbolically of a lot of those feelings.
I’ve
never done that. But one day I
will. And the burning letter can be the
fire, and my tears will be the rain.
Last
month, we gave you these two hypotheticals: #1.
Your lover is away and you are looking after his/her apartment. You come across a diary. Do you read it? #2. The government has been overthrown by a party
that is violent and undemocratic. You
are asked to join the underground. Do
you?
Melinda Holley - #1 - I
grew up in a household with a five sisters and a suspicious mother. Do
you think I was stupid enough to EVER write anything down? That being the
case, I would NEVER read someone else's diary except if they'd disappeared and
I was looking for a clue or something. I think reading someone else's
diary (or other personal papers) is a horrible invasion
of privacy.
#2 - I'm too overweight to run, can't hit
the broadside of a barn, and have the worst 'poker face' of anyone I
know. I'd like to think I'd join the underground. I just don't
think I'd be very good at it.
Andy York - #1 - Nope, no questions about it
#2 -
Undecided, I'd need more information on the situation and my options for moving
to another country, working on change from within (without going into the underground),
etc.
Andy Lischett - #1 - No.
#2 - Why? To restore Obama? Seriously, probably not. I doubt that
I'm brave enough.
Rohan Keane - #1 - No. If it's bad I don't want to know and if it's good then
I don't need to know.
#2 - Hell no! I'm on the side of the government. I'd happily infiltrate the
group and spy on them for my new Overlords.
Phil Murphy - #1 - No.
Quite apart from the fact that I'd have a moral issue with prying into
someone's inimate papers or journals, I would probably find out something
better unknown. So I'd leave it as I found it.
#2 - Yes. Whatever flaws a
government may have, democracy and respect for the rule of law are inviolable.
It's my duty as a citizen to resist in these circumstances. Personally
however, I'd favour intelligence gathering rather than armed combat - I'd be
better at it and it'd serve the resistance better.
Tom Howell - #1 - If I
came across a diary, it would have been out in the open, not hidden away.
Probably a 50-50 chance I'd browse through it.
#2 - Assuming I hadn't been offed in
the overthrow, I'd probably be one of the guys handing out invitations...
Heather Taylor - #1 – Yes, because I am a nosy bitch. Then I’d put it back so they didn’t know I
touched it.
#2
– Yes, because I believe in democracy and limited government.
For Next Month (For the time being, I am selecting questions
from the game “A Question of Scruples” which was published in 1984 by High
Games Enterprises. The word Scruples is
also being used as a secret this issue).
Remember you can make your answers as detailed as you wish.: #1 – A friend asks you to write a
reference. You feel he’s poorly
qualified for the job. Do you
refuse? #2 – Your name sounds foreign
and is difficult to pronounce. Your
clients and superiors are always stumbling over it. You worry it may be affecting your
career. Do you change it?
The Eternal Sunshine Football Prediction Contest
Since training camps are soon to open, now is the time to make
your predictions. The contest is simple:
you get one point for each correct division winner, and one point for correctly
selecting the wild card teams (two per conference). Then you get two points for each team you
correctly choose as conference championship (meaning they play in the Super
Bowl), and three points for correctly picking the Super Bowl winner. We’re not picking winners for individual
playoff games…just the division winners, wild card teams, and who goes to the
Big Game. Any commentary you want to
include with your picks is welcome. And
remember, like all Eternal Sunshine contests, there will actually be a REAL
PRIZE for the winner! In fact, if we get
enough entries, I’ll give one to the runner-up too. If you’ve got any questions, just ask me. So
send in an entry and join in the fun! I
think I’ll even give my own picks next issue.
All entries will be published next issue, so get them in by the
deadline! In case you need reminding (or
if you are not a football fan and just want to see if you can guess the winners
and embarrass theses so-called experts), the divisions and their member teams
are as follows:
NFC
East: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas, Cowboys, Washington
Redskins.
NFC
North: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit
Lions.
NFC
South: Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Bucs, New Orleans
Saints
NFC
West: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St.
Louis Rams.
AFC East: Miami Dolphins, New
York Jets, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills.
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers,
Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns.
AFC South: Tennessee Titans,
Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars.
AFC West: San Diego
Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders.
Deadline
for Picks: August 29th at 7pm my time
Winter’s Bone – This film, which won the Grand Jury Prize
at this year’s Sundance Festival, reeks of desperation and misery. Nobody in the film ever truly smiles, except
for the youngest of children. Life is
hard, and it is never going to get easier; only harder. Such is the hand dealt to Ree Dolly (Jennifer
Lawrence). She lives in the Missouri
Ozarks with her father (who produces meth for a living), mother (basically
catatonic most of the time, between having gone crazy and the medication she is
on), and younger brother and sister. Her
father is under indictment for meth production, and out on bond. So Ree is truly in charge of the family, and
sees it not just as necessity but responsibility. Family blood is a powerful force in her
world.
Her
father Jessup is missing, and the local bondsman comes by to let Ree know that
he’s put their entire property (including their woodlands, the only true asset
they hold) up to cover the bond. If he
doesn’t show up for his court date, the family will lose everything they
have. So Ree, who lives by the code her
family has taught her (never talk to the police, never say anything about
anyone, never ask for what should be offered, and never ask questions) decides
she must break those rules, and sets out to ask her various nearby relatives –
all in the meth business – if they know the whereabouts of her father. Despite the danger, and the warnings from
those she first approaches, she sees no other option available.
The
film is based on a novel by Daniel Woodrell, who himself hails from the
Ozarks. So everything feels real, and
looks real thanks to the direction and screenplay writing of Debra Granik. Some of the homes look barely habitable, and
trash is strewn everywhere. The landscape
is barren, and the sky is gray. Danger
and mistrust lurk around every corner; little eye contact is made, and instead
eyes shift constantly. Food is scarce;
Ree makes some deer stew in one scene, and later is shown teaching her siblings
how to hunt squirrel. Despite being a
woman, she manages to hide her fear the best she can when facing the scariest
members of her extended family. She is
the patriarch, regardless of her gender.
This is her family, and she will fight to save them.
Jennifer
Lawrence gives a tremendous performance, and she carries the movie
throughout. It is only how she reacts to
each other character which brings them to life, and shows us who they are and
how dangerous they may or may not be.
Ree pushes as hard as she dares, but sometimes even she knows when lines
cannot be crossed. And through it all we
are reminded that she has committed herself to this family…they are her
responsibility to care for, and she’ll make any necessary sacrifice to do so.
Winter’s
Bone is not the greatest film of the year, but it is definitely worth
seeing. Look for it; it’s in national
release but for the moment seems to be showing only in the art house theaters.
Inception – The reviews I’ve
seen for Inception, the new film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, have in most part
been full of raves. And don’t get me
wrong; I did enjoy the film. It just
wasn’t nearly as exceptional as I had hoped it would be. Christopher Nolan (who wrote and directed one
of my all-time favorites, Memento) has long since moved into the world of big
budget blockbusters (Batman Begins and The Dark Knight being recent examples),
and Inception seems to be his attempt to blend that with the twisted
originality of Memento.
The
plot is rather simple on the surface, a sort of Mission Impossible crossed with
The Matrix crossed with Dreamscape.
DiCaprio plays Cobb, who with his partner Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)
freelance the ability to enter a target’s dreams, in an attempt to steal
secrets. As you would expect, part of
the mystery of the film is figuring out when someone is dreaming, or even
experiencing a dream within a dream. For
reasons unclear at first, Cobb is unable to return home to the United States. So when he is offered an “impossible” job of
planting an idea in a target’s subconscious in exchange for making a return
home possible, he agrees.
Commence
the Mission Impossible link. He
assembles his team, including a “forger” (someone skilled at assuming different
identities within a dream), an “architect” (who builds the world of the dream,
played by Ellen Page), a chemist (to build the necessary sedative to allow a
dream within a dream within a dream)…and off we go.
I
don’t want to go any deeper into the plot and spoil things for those who will
see Inception, but the logic of the “rules” of entering other people’s dreams
hold together rather well. I liken that
to the consistent but complicated world of Dr. Who. It might sound complicated, but it makes
sense. However, there were a few
instances where I was bothered by breaks in that chain of logic…where Nolan
doesn’t tie it together properly. And
the plot twists were not very surprising.
As Heather said, “When *I* figure it out before it happens, you know
it’s obvious.”
The
other significant problem with the film is, in my opinion, the casting of
DiCaprio. The emotion he shows on screen
never feels real; and the character is all too familiar territory for him. Again, Heather came up with the perfect line
as she whispered to me “Does he do any movies anymore where he isn’t a tortured soul?”
This
review sounds negative, but I know it really shouldn’t be. It was difficult to make out some of the
dialogue, which I attribute to the theatre…if it’s the movie itself, that would
be another problem. But still, Inception
is fun, interesting, has a lot of action, and a good summer popcorn movie (a
bit long though compared to others, nearly 2 ½ hours). So go see it, and have a good time. I just hoped I’d walk out feeling blown
away…and I didn’t. As a matter of fact,
I enjoyed Winter’s Bone in total more than Inception. It wasn’t fun, but it held my
attention better.
And
just in case you enjoy that kind of thing, Inception can also be seen in IMAX
theatres. The visuals are often quite
striking, so I would bet the IMAX version brings that to a whole new level.
Seen on DVD – The Shining (B+, it has been a while
since I’ve watched this, and
Kubrick’s direction made a bigger impact on me this time around). Magic (B,
s a child I just found Fats creepy, but as an adult I can appreciate Hopkins’
performance). Without a Trace (B, I still get choked up at the last scene. Judd Hirsch is an underrated actor.)
This issue, instead
of book reviews (which I haven’t done many of lately anyway), we’re lucky
enough to have a short interview with author Lisa Gitlin, who recently released
her first novel: “I Came Out for THIS?” (published by Bywater Books). I managed to bug Lisa into answering a few
questions. I’d love to do more of these
in the future, if any of our readers have connections with professional authors,
musicians, actors, athletes, etc.
How do you prefer to
describe the plot of "I Came Out for THIS?" Can you give a
short synopsis?
It’s about a woman
in her 40s from Cleveland, Ohio who has recently come out and fallen madly in
love and moves to Washington, DC to win the woman’s heart.
"I Came Out for
THIS?" is your first published novel, correct? Do you have other
novels in the trunk, or is this also the first you've written?
I have written books
of short stories (unpublished) and chunks of novels but this is my first
completed novel.
Have you been able
to make a living as a freelance writer prior to this, or do you have a
full-time job to support part-time writing?
I always made a
living as a freelance writer but after about 20 years of it I decided I was
sick of writing for everyone but myself so I got a very flexible job as a field
interviewer for a government health study, which allows me to devote my
creative energy to writing novels, which is what I always wanted to do. I plan
to drop the field interviewing job when I start making money writing books,
which is quite a challenge, especially when you’re no longer a spring chicken.
But I’m a pretty good writer and I think I can achieve what I set out to do.
There is a world of difference between writing articles and writing novels.
Which do you find
easier to write: fiction, factual articles, or using fact within fiction?
Using fact within
fiction. You don’t have to interview people; you only have to rely on yourself
for information.
What's next on your plate? Another novel?
Yes, I’m writing
another novel; I have around 80 pages done. It’s got a broader scope than I
Came Out For THIS? But that’s all I’ll say about it.
Was it difficult to
get "I Came Out for THIS?" published? Common industry "how
to be a writer" books suggest the first thing a writer needs to do is find
a literary agent. Has that been your experience?
Any writer who’s
written more than one book probably should have an agent, but you don’t need
one to sell a first novel. I sent my book directly to editors and had no
trouble getting them to look at it. But the fact that I was an experienced
writer helped to get their attention. You just have to be a little creative in
getting access to them. Editors know it’s hard to find an agent until you have
more than one book under your belt. The original version of my book was too
short – essentially it was a novella -- and that’s why I couldn’t sell it right
away. Finally Bywater Books said they wanted it, but I had to add to it, which
I did, and I’m pleased with the way it came out.
While quality books of the "lesbian
fiction" genre (as your publisher Bywater Books calls it) need better
publicity and distribution, do you worry that the expansion of the genre - as
with any genre - risks pigeonholing the books in that genre so that those
outside the immediate audience will never give them a chance? Clearly
"I Came Out for THIS?" can be enjoyed by a wide audience.
I think it’s a
balancing act – do you want to focus on your “niche” or market yourself as a
writer of “general fiction?” I certainly don’t want to be thought of as a
“lesbian writer” and in fact I did not write this book specifically for gay
readers. But if my book becomes a lesbian hit I won’t complain, even if it’s
not on the radar screen of most straight readers.
What has been the
biggest, or most pleasant, surprise in this process of having "I Came Out
for THIS?" published?
That just about
everyone who reads it likes it and gets a kick out of reading it. That makes me
very happy. Also, I was surprised at how much I myself liked my book, after it
came in the mail and I read it “with fresh eyes.” I was laughing out loud at my
own writing. That’s a great feeling after spending years writing a book and
feeling embarrassed by it half the time, thinking, “Who would want to read this
drivel?”
Rick
Desper: I was kind of hoping that you
would interpret my guess to be "best original screenplay", with the
understanding that it wasn't consistent with all of my guesses. But
really, is it fair to not give me credit when my guess does entail a property shared by all of the films? I
don't think so.
[[I think it was a bad decision
on my part, and in retrospect a shitty thing to do. So you get the point and my apology.]]
Dane Maslen: Regarding your black recliner, from the photos it seems to me
that the real owner of the house (dogs have owners; cats have servants) might
object to the black recliner being usurped by a guest.
[[Not if it’s Andy York, the
world’s #1 cat fan!]]
Andy York: OK, looking at the latest ES before it becomes stale
(and trying to clear my deck of everything that's come in over my two week trip
to Michigan). You are right, a house is a big
list of "what need attention next" and why I have chosen to be an
apartment dweller since I moved out of my father's house. It is much easier to
call in that the "dishwasher isn't working" at 9 in the morning and
come home from work to a new dishwasher that didn't cost a cent. Now, I might
try a condo at some point, but apartments (carefully chosen) suit me just fine.
[[Our
neighbors were loud, the walls and ceiling were thin, and how could we get a
few big dogs with no yard? Uh uh. But, I admit I NEVER thought I would own a
home. Just didn’t look like it was in
the cards.]]
Regarding
furniture, you only expect a bedroom piece (of higher quality) to last
(roughly) 10 years or more? And, for the rest, 5 years (albiet with pets)?
I"m not going to ask how much heavy "use" they get, besides the
cats, that requires such a frequent replacement. For me, I expect things to
last much longer than that.
[[Well
so far the cats have been good about the new furniture. But if they start to claw...well, once they
begin the damage, they keep going and going.]]
But,
then again, I'm single, don't entertain and have no concerns if the veneer is
cracked, the shelves sag from the weight of books or things are out of style.
And, having no fashion sense or compunction, makes things easier. In short, the
single life does have some advantages!
That
being said, your photos show a very "homey" home for the two of you.
One of these days, I'll have to visit and put the cats into a state of frenzy
due to the lack of visitors you've had. And,
no, no, no, I won't get a cat (in response to your note after William Wood's
LOC).
[[Come on, a cute fuzz
ball? You should reconsider. Besides, we both know you will.]]
Regarding
the car and passing inspection, I've had my car's battery disconnected a number
of times without any issues (other than resetting the clock and radio
stations). Interesting that it was an issue with your car.
[[With this model it seems to be a major pain in the butt. Never had that problem with any other
vehicle.]]
Jim
Burgess: I actually find the movie quotes a big pain in the butt! I
am motivated to catch and beat Pat Vogelsang, I'm pretty good at movie quotes
in general as I hear the voices of the characters in my head, so I usually get
who the actor/actresses are first. As Doug knows, early in the quizzes I
used to then go look up "Jack Nicholson" movies (not at quotes, but
just a list of the actor's movies to choose which one it is), now Doug
clarifies this is not allowed. But I work on these suckers ALL month,
every morning at 6AM, sometimes popping in DVDs/VCR tapes from my hugely
extensive collection to get voices anchored, or get them from Netflix. I'm presuming, Mr. Torture Mongerer
(i.e. Doug), that I am allowed to watch movies or parts of movies? I have
been doing that. This month is coming especially slowly. I don't
think I've seen the first movie, which has been especially torturing me.
And has me thinking in the evening as well. At first I thought it was a Marx Brothers movie, but went and watched parts of a number
of them and I convinced myself it wasn't them, but now I think it comes from
another Brothers, but I'm sure it is a movie I haven't seen, since I would
remember that quote, but I now have nailed the writing voice. Maybe one
of you will get that one. I'm officially calling uncle on Number 1.
Some of the rest are easy. But I've no clue again on the
theme. Most of these I've hit on the theme early which has helped me get
them all.
But this month has been especially painful for some reason, partly
how hard the theme is, I just want this to be over!!!! If it is another
one of these stupid "someone in this movie one a Best
Supporting Actor nomination" themes, I hate those since you can't
figure them out without cheating and looking at the Oscar lists for the most
part.
[[Nope,
as you can see...that wasn’t the theme!
Oh, and watching movies that you think may contain one of the quotes is
unquestionably NOT cheating.]]
The
Unquantifiable
by Paul
Milewski
There is an insidious
tendency to quantify everything. Color
is an example. In his book Chaos,
James Gleick compares the “reductionist” approach of Newton to the “holistic”
approach of Goethe. “What is red? To a physicist, it is light radiating in
waves between 620 to 800 billionths of a meter long.” On the other hand, “it was the perception of
color, to Goethe, that was universal and objective.” Does it really tell us anything about “red”
to say it is electromagnetic energy with a wavelength between 620 and 800
billionths of a meter? It tells me
nothing about what I experience when I see red (as opposed to some other
color). The color red “I see” is a
construct of my consciousness. Even if
you and I consistently identify the same things as being red (as opposed to
some other color), can I still be sure that my “red experience” is the same as
yours? It isn’t a function of the
eyeball or the optic nerve. It’s a
function of consciousness. You could
pick apart a brain cell by cell, neuron by neuron, and never “find” the
consciousness. Yet, it seems that
quantifying “red” gives us a feeling of confidence that we “know” something
about it.
Consider
cup sizes. I know a D cup is bigger than
a C cup, etc. Can you, or anyone you
know, describe the volume of breast contained in a D cup in terms of cubic
centimeters or any other measure? Would
it make a difference if you could? The
important thing isn’t a precise quantification; it’s your experience of the
thing.
A
person could be patronizing or condescending about two young people engaging in
sexual activity for the first time, saying they act as if they were the ones
who discovered sex, and their experience to them may be such that they feel
nobody else could possibly have experienced the same thing in the same way. It’s such a profound experience because
someone who hasn’t experienced it has no idea what to expect. Some things cannot be understood unless
experienced. There is an almost
irresistible tendency to doubt or question whether anyone else has experienced
something the same way you have. Some of
those experiences are unpleasant, like pain, the loss of a loved one, a failed
relationship; others are not.
Empathy
is a terribly important quality in a person.
It rests on the willingness of a person to believe that other people are
capable of, and do, experience the same things he does: pain, love, fear,
hunger, etc. I enjoy watching movies,
particularly romance and adventure films.
I find it reassuring to think that the people who made the film (wrote
it, directed it, acted in it) must experience the same things the same way I
do. What they understand as poignant,
heartbreaking, or emotionally charged, is the same thing I do. What they find adventurous or thrilling are
the same things I do.
There’s
a wonderful throwaway line about the difference between facts and truth that is
spoken by Harrison Ford in one of the Indiana Jones movies (archaeology just
deals with facts; if you’re looking for truth, the philosophy class is down the
hall). I interact with any number of
people on a daily basis. Some of them I
can recognize when I run into them in other settings. Some of them I remember by name. For the most part, I don’t know anything
meaningful about them, because I don’t know anything about their
experiences. They remain strangers to me
in the most profound sense. Oddly
enough, there are people like Doug Kent, whom I’ve never met, that I know a
great deal about. I suspect that in my
last moments on this earth one of the things I will regret most will be not
having known more people well.
Brain Farts: The Only
Subsubzine With It’s Own Fragrance
By Jack “Flapjack” McHugh – jack@diplomacyworld.net
(or just email Doug and he’ll send it to me)
Issue #21
Despite still having no job, and the
Braves in first place, I think this month is the first in a long time when my
life at least ended the month no worse than it started. Or maybe I’ve finally discovered how many
beers it takes for me to ignore reality.
Nothing else to say…go Eagles?
Adults’-Only
By Popular Demand
The players so far: Heather Taylor (HT),
Mark D Lew (MDL), Martin Burgdorf (MB), John David Galt (JDG), Kevin Wilson
(KW), Paraic Reddington (PR), Michael Moulton (MM), Bill Brown (BB), Brendan
Whyte (BW), William Wood (WW).
Round 8 Categories:
1.
A place people fantasize about having sex
at or in. Hot Tub – HT. Public Place –
MB. Bed – PR. Airplane Bathrooms – WW, MM, KW. Park – BW.
2.
The age a man begins to consider the use
of Viagra. 50 – HT. 40 – MB. 69 – PR.
55 – WW, MM. 45 – KW. 60 – BW.
3.
The age a girl begins to enter puberty.
13 – HT, WW, KW, BW. 10 – MB. 12 – PR, MM.
4.
A place to meet women when you want to
start a relationship. Church – HT.
Library – MB. Funeral – PR. Weddings – WW. Bookstore – MM. Bar – KW.
Nightclub – BW.
5.
A romantic movie that puts women in the
mood for sex. City of Angels – HT. 9 ½
Weeks – MB. When Harry Met Sally –
PR. Jerry Maguire – WW. Titanic – MM, KW. Sleepless in Seattle – BW.
New Scores: Martin Burgdorf (MB) – 127, Michael
Moulton (MM) – 118, Heather Taylor (HT) - 117, Mark D Lew (MDL) - 113, Kevin
Wilson (KW) – 112, Brendan Whyte (BW) – 105, Paraic Reddington (PR) - 104, Bill
Brown (BB) – 101, William Wood (WW) – 75, John David Galt (JDG) – 70.
Round 9 Categories:
1.
An artist whose work can be considered
erotic.
2.
A current television actress men might
fantasize about.
3.
The worst anniversary gift, from a
woman’s perspective.
4.
Another term for a woman’s breasts.
5.
Another word or phrase for sex other than
“fuck.”
Deadline
will be the Friday before Doug’s deadline, which means this month it will be August
27th at midnight.
When George Burns was 97 years old he was
interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, Oprah asked,'Mr. Burns, how do you carry so much
energy with you? You are always working and at your age I think that is
remarkable.'
Mr. Burns said, 'I just take good care of
myself and enjoy what I do when I do it.'
Oprah said, 'I understand you still do
the sex thing, even at your age.'
George said, 'Of course I still do
the sex thing, and I am quite good at it.'
Oprah said, 'I have never been with an older man, would you do it with me?'
So they had sex and when they finished
Oprah said, 'I just don't believe I have ever been so satisfied, you are a
remarkable man.'
George said, 'The second time is even
better than the first time."
Oprah said, 'You can really do it again
at your age?'
George said, 'Just let me sleep for 1/2
hour. You hold my testicles in your left hand and my penis in your right hand
and wake me up in thirty minutes.'
When she woke him up, they again had great sex,
and Oprah was beside herself with joy. She said, 'Oh Mr. Burns, I am astounded
that you could do a repeat performance and have it be better than the first
time. At your age, Oh My, Oh My!!!'
George said that the third time would be
even better. 'You just hold my testicles in your left hand and my penis in your
right hand and wake me in thirty minutes.'
Oprah said, 'Does me holding you like
that kind of recharge your batteries?'
George said, 'No, but the last time I had
sex with a black woman she stole my wallet.'
A farmer stopped by the local mechanic shop to have
his truck fixed. They couldn't do it while he waited, so he said he didn't
live far and would just walk home.
On the way home he stopped at the hardware store and bought a bucket and
a gallon of paint. He then stopped by the feed store and picked up a
couple of chickens and a goose. However, struggling outside the store he now
had a problem - how to carry his entire purchase home.
While he was scratching his head he was approached by a little old lady
who told him she was lost. She asked, "Can you tell me how to get to
1603 Mockingbird Lane ?"
The farmer said, "Well, as a matter of fact, my farm is very close to
that house. I would walk you there but
I can't carry this lot."
The old lady suggested, "Why don't you put the can of paint in the
bucket.. Carry the bucket in one hand, put a chicken under each arm and carry
the goose in your other hand?"
"Why thank you very much," he said and proceeded to walk the
old girl home. On the way he says
"Let's take my short cut and go down this alley. We'll be there in no
time."
The little old lady looked him over cautiously then said, "I am a
lonely widow without a husband to defend me.. How do I know that when we
get in the alley you won't hold me up against the wall, pull up my skirt,
and have your way with me?"
The farmer said, "Holy smokes lady! I'm carrying a bucket, a gallon
of paint, two chickens, and a goose. How in the world could I possibly hold you
up against the wall and do that?"
The old lady replied, "Set the goose down, cover him with the bucket,
put the paint on top of the bucket, and I'll hold the
chickens."
A frustrated
wife buys a pair of crotchless panties in an attempt to spice up her dead
sex-life. She puts them on, together
with a short skirt and sits on the sofa opposite her husband.
At strategic moments she
uncrosses her legs ... enough times till her husband says... "Are you
wearing crotchless panties?"
"Y-e-s," she
answers with a seductive smile.
"Thank God for that...
I thought you were sitting on the cat.
Dr. Epstein was a renowned physician who earned his
undergraduate, graduate, and medical degrees in his home town and then left for
Manhattan, where he quickly rose to the top of his field.
Soon he was invited to
deliver a significant paper, at a conference, coincidentally held in his
hometown. He walked on stage and placed his papers on the lectern, but they
slid off onto the floor. As he bent over to retrieve them, at precisely the wrong
instant, he inadvertently farted.
The microphone amplified
his mistake resoundingly through the room and reverberated it down the
hall. He was quite embarrassed but
somehow regained his composure just enough to deliver his paper. He ignored the
resounding applause and raced out the stage door, never to be seen in his home
town again.
Decades later, when his
elderly mother was ill, he returned to visit her. He reserved a hotel room
under the name of Levy and arrived under cover of darkness. The desk clerk asked him, "Is this your
first visit to our city, Mr. Levy?"
Dr. Epstein replied,
"Well, young man, no, it isn't. I grew up here and received my education
here, but then I moved away."
“Why haven't you
visited?" asked the desk clerk.
Actually, I did visit
once, many years ago, but an embarrassing thing happened and since then I've
been too ashamed to return."
The clerk consoled him.
"Sir, while I don't have your life experience, one thing I have learned is
that often what seems embarrassing to me isn't even remembered by others. I bet
that's true of your incident too."
Dr. Epstein replied,
"Son, I doubt that's the case with my incident."
"Was it a long time
ago?"
"Yes, many
years."
The clerk thought for a
moment, and asked, "Was it before or after the Great Epstein Fart?"
A Tribute to our Armed
Forces….
A teacher gave her fifth
grade class an assignment: Get their parents to tell them a story with a moral
at the end of it. The next day, the kids
came back and, one by one, began to tell their stories.
There were all the
regular types of stuff: spilled milk and pennies saved. Finally, last but not least, it was Janie’s
turn.
"Janie, do you have
a story to share? '
' 'Yes ma ' am.
My daddy told me a story about my Mommy. She was a Marine pilot in
Desert Storm, and her plane got hit. She had to bail out over enemy
territory, and all she had was a flask of whiskey, a pistol, and a survival
knife. She drank the whiskey on the way
down, and then her parachute landed her right in the middle of 20 Iraqi troops.
She shot 15 of them with
the pistol, until she ran out of bullets, killed four more with the knife, till
the blade broke, and then she killed the last Iraqi with her bare hands.
'Good Heavens, ' said
the horrified teacher. 'What did your Daddy tell you was the moral to this
horrible story?
"Stay
away from Mommy when she's been drinking."
AN AMERICAN IN LONDON
by Richard Walkerdine
An
American tourist in London decides to leave his tour group and explore the city
on his own. He wanders around, seeing the sights and now and then popping into
a quaint old pub to soak up the culture, chat to the locals and enjoy a pint of
English beer.
After
a while he finds himself in a really high class neighbourhood – big, stately
buildings, no pubs, no stores, no restaurants...but unfortunately no public
toilets!
But
he really, really needs to go after all those pints of beer.
He
eventually finds a narrow alley with high walls sheltering him from the
surrounding buildings and decides to use one of the walls to solve his problem.
As
he is unzipping he is tapped on the shoulder by a London policeman who says, “I
am sorry sir, but you really can’t do that here.”
“I’m
very sorry officer,” he replies, “but I really am desperate to go and I just
can’t find a public toilet.”
“That’s
all right sir,” replies the policeman, “just come with me.” He leads him to a
back delivery alley, then along a wall to a gate which he opens. “In there
sir,” says the policeman. “Anywhere you want.”
The
American tourist enters and finds himself in the most beautiful garden he has
ever seen: immaculate lawns, exquisite
statues, big fountains, sculptured hedges and huge beds of flowers all in
perfect bloom. Since he has the cop’s blessing he unburdens himself and is
greatly relieved.
As
he goes back through the gate he says to the policeman, “That was really decent
of you – is that what you call British hospitality?”
“No
sir,” replies the policeman, “that’s what we call ‘the French embassy’.”
GROWING OLD
by Richard Walkerdine
A young
boy, the grandson of a friend of mine, asked me the other day, “What was your
favourite fast food when you were growing up?”
“We
didn’t have fast food when I was growing up,” I replied. “All the food was
slow.”
“C’mon,
seriously, where did you eat?”
“It
was a place called ‘home’,” I explained. “Mum cooked every day and when Dad got
home from work we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn’t
like what she put on my plate I had to sit there until I did like it.”
By
this time the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he might hurt himself, so I
didn’t tell him the part about how I had to ask permission to leave the table.
But
here are some of the things I would have told him about my childhood if I had
thought his system could have handled it.
Some
parents never owned their own house, or wore jeans, or had ever set foot on a
golf course, had holidays abroad or had a credit card.
My
parents never drove me to school. I had a bicycle that probably weighed around
fifty pounds and had only one speed (slow).
I
remember we had a television which was really a piece of polished wooden
furniture with a screen that seemed about six inches square (that’s 150mm in
new money). It was, of course, only black and white and the station went off
the air at midnight after playing the national anthem and a poem about God. It
came back on the air at around six in the morning, usually with a locally
produced news and farm show featuring local people.
I
never had a telephone in my room. The only phone in the house was on a party
line with the house next door.
Before
you could dial you had to listen and make sure your neighbours weren’t already
using it.
Pizzas
were not delivered to our home...but milk was.
All
newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers. My brother
delivered newspapers six days a week and had to get up at six every morning to
do so.
Film
stars kissed with their mouths shut, at least in the movies. There were no
movie ratings because all movies were responsibly produced for everyone to
enjoy, without profanity or excessive violence.
My
first burger was a ‘Wimpy’. However you had to sit down on a chair, at a table.
Then a waitress asked you politely, “What would you like?” Your food was brought
to you on a plate, with a knife and fork. And you paid for it after you had
eaten it!
If
you grew up in a generation before there was fast food you may want to share
some of these memories with your children or grandchildren. But don’t blame me
if they bust a gut laughing.
Growing
up isn’t what it used to be, is it?
Here
is an ‘Older Than Dirt’ quiz. Count all the ones you actually remember, not the
ones you were told about. Ratings are at the bottom.
1 Headlight dimmer switches
on the floor of the car.
2 Using hand signals in cars
without indicators.
3 Having to pull out the
‘choke’ before starting the engine.
4 Sweet cigarettes.
5 Coffee bars with juke
boxes.
6 Home milk delivery in
glass bottles.
7 Party lines on the
telephone.
8 Newsreels before the main
feature film.
9 TV test patterns that came
on at night after the last show.
10 Peashooters.
11 78 RPM records.
12 Hi-Fi’s.
13 Tin baths.
14 Blue flashbulbs.
15 Cork popguns.
16 Washing machines with
wringers.
If you remembered 0-3
you are still young.
If you remembered 4-6
you are getting older.
If you remembered
7-10 don’t tell anyone your age.
If you remembered
11-16 you are older than dirt!
Yeah
of course I remembered all 16, but those memories are some of the best parts of
my life.
Don’t
forget to pass this on, especially to all your really OLD friends....
Diplomacy (Black Press – Permanent Opening
in ES):
Signed up: Zachary Jarvie, Brad Wilson, Jeff O’Donnell, needs four more to
fill.
“The Face of Your Enemy” Video Diplomacy (GM’d
by Chris Babcock):
See page 1 of this issue for a full description. Contact Chris at cbabcock@asciiking.com to sign up or
to get more information.
Gunboat Diplomacy (Black Press): Signed up: Five,
need two more to fill. Sign up now!
Diplomacy Bourse (Black Press): Buy and sell the
currencies of the Diplomacy nations.
This Bourse is using the new game “Dulcinea” as its basis. Players may join at any time, and
are then given 1000 units of every currency still in circulation. The rules to Bourse can be found in ES #24.
Youngstown IVa (Black Press): A classic, and quite
popular, version of the variant. Email
me for rules and maps, or you can find them at: http://www.variantbank.org/results/rules/y/youngstown.htm. Signed up: Phil Murphy, Brad Wilson, need eight
more to fill. Sign up now!
Final Conflict III (Black Press): Tom Swider’s global
nuclear variant. Rules and map elsewhere
in this issue. Signed up: Brad Wilson, David
McCrumb, need five more to fill. Sign up
now!
By Popular Demand: Game currently
underway, join any time.
Adult’s Only By Popular Demand: Game in Jack’s
sub-subzine “Brain Farts.” Game underway, join any time.
Eternal Sunshine Movie Quote Quiz: 10 rounds, join any
time. You can find it at the end of the
zine.
Standby List:
HELP! I need standby players! – Current
standby list: Graham Wilson, Jim Burgess (Dip only), Jeremie Lefrancois (Dip
only), Lance Anderson (Dip only), Martin Burgdorf, Paul Milewski (Dip only), Brad
Wilson, and whoever I beg into it in an emergency.
I’m going to continue to go through my
files and seeing what other variants I can offer, until I find one that gets
enough interest to fill. When I offer a
variant I’ll give it an issue or two, but if nobody signs up I’ll drop the
opening and replace it. If somebody
wants to guest-GM a game of anything, just get in touch. If you have specific game requests please let
me know.
Diplomacy
“Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” 2008A, W 11/S 12
Austria (Kevin
Wilson
- ckevinw “of” comcast.net): A Bohemia - Silesia
(*Fails*),
A
Budapest - Galicia (*Fails*), A Galicia - Warsaw (*Bounce*), F
Ionian Sea Hold,
A
Ukraine Supports A Galicia – Warsaw, A Vienna - Bohemia (*Fails*).
England (Jérémie
LeFrançois - jeremie.lefrancois “of”gmail.com): Build A London..
F
Belgium - Picardy (*Bounce*), A Berlin Supports A Silesia, F
Brest Supports A London – Gascony,
F
English Channel Convoys A London – Gascony, F Kiel – Holland, A Livonia -
Warsaw (*Bounce*),
A
London – Gascony, F Mid-Atlantic Ocean Convoys A London – Gascony,
A
Moscow Supports A Livonia - Warsaw (*Cut*), F North Atlantic Ocean Supports
F Mid-Atlantic Ocean,
F
Portugal Supports F Mid-Atlantic Ocean, A Prussia Supports A Livonia – Warsaw, A
Ruhr - Burgundy (*Fails*),
A
Silesia Supports A Livonia - Warsaw (*Cut*), A St Petersburg Supports A
Moscow.
France (William Wood
– wxmanwill “of” hotmail.com): Remove A Paris..
A
Burgundy - Picardy (*Bounce*).
Italy (Don Williams
– dwilliam “of” fontana.org): Build A
Venice.. A Marseilles - Gascony (*Fails*),
F
North Africa - Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Fails*), F Spain(sc) Supports F North
Africa - Mid-Atlantic Ocean,
A
Tyrolia – Munich, A Venice – Piedmont, F Western Mediterranean Supports F
Spain(sc).
Turkey (Brad Wilson
- bwdolphin146 “of”yahoo.com): F
Aegean Sea Hold,
F
Black Sea Convoys A Constantinople – Rumania, A Constantinople - Rumania
(*Fails*),
A
Rumania - Sevastopol (*Fails*), A Sevastopol - Moscow (*Fails*), A
Smyrna Hold.
Fall 1912 Deadline is August 30th at 7:00am my time
PRESS
CON-ROME: Let me know when
you need some help.
CON-LON: OK, I see 17 .... but 18?
Diplomacy
“Dulcinea” 2008C, F 08
Austria (Lance
Anderson – lance_anderson “of” hotmail.com): A
Bohemia – Silesia, A Budapest – Galicia,
A
Piedmont Supports A Marseilles, A Silesia – Prussia, A Tyrolia Supports A
Vienna – Bohemia, F Venice – Apulia,
A
Vienna - Bohemia.
England (Philip
Murphy trekkypj “of” gmail.com): Retreats A St Petersburg - Finland..
F
Barents Sea - St Petersburg(nc)
(*Fails*), F English Channel Supports F Mid-Atlantic Ocean,
A
Finland Supports F Barents Sea - St Petersburg(nc), A Gascony Supports F Spain(sc)
- Marseilles (*Void*),
F
Mid-Atlantic Ocean Supports F Western Mediterranean, F North Atlantic Ocean
- North Sea (*Fails*),
F
North Africa Supports F Western Mediterranean, A Paris Hold.
France (Brad Wilson
– bwdolphin146 ”of” yahoo.com): F
Portugal Supports F Gulf of Lyon - Spain(sc).
Germany (William
Wood – wxmanwill “of” hotmail.com): F Berlin Hold,
A
Burgundy Supports F Spain(sc) - Marseilles (*Void*), A Kiel Supports A Munich,
A Munich Hold,
A
Ruhr Supports A Munich.
Italy (Melinda
Holley – genea5613 “of” aol.com): F
Spain(sc) Supports F Western Mediterranean
(*Disbanded*), F Western Mediterranean
Supports F Spain(sc) (*Cut*).
Turkey (Jim Burgess –
jfburgess “of” gmail.com): F Albania - Adriatic Sea, F Black Sea Hold,
F
Greece – Albania, F Gulf of Lyon - Spain(sc), F Ionian Sea Supports F Tunis,
A
Marseilles Supports F Gulf of Lyon - Spain(sc), A Moscow Supports A St
Petersburg,
A
St Petersburg Supports A Silesia - Prussia (*Fails*), F Tyrrhenian Sea -
Western Mediterranean (*Fails*),
F
Tunis Supports F Tyrrhenian Sea - Western Mediterranean.
A/T
and A/E/T Draws Both Fail
Winter
08/Spring 09 Deadline is August 30th at 7:00am my time
Supply
Center Chart
Austria:
Budapest, Rumania, Serbia,
Trieste, Venice, Vienna, Warsaw=7, Even
England:
Brest, Edinburgh, Liverpool,
London, Norway, Paris, Sweden=7, Remove 1
France:
Portugal=1, Even
Germany:
Belgium, Berlin, Denmark,
Holland, Kiel, Munich=6, Plays 1 Short (No room to build)
Italy: None=0,
OUT!!
Turkey:
Ankara, Bulgaria,
Constantinople, Greece, Marseilles, Moscow, Naples, Rome, Sevastopol,
Smyrna, Spain, St
Petersburg, Tunis=13, Build 3
PRESS
Sultan
to Prime Minister: Yes, I took away your Barents Sea
mooring in Arkhangelsk, but I have no fleet there to be towed to the Pacific, I
have no idea what you're talking about. It is my Mediterranean fleets
that plan to go to the Pacific, but they plan to do it through the Atlantic.
POR-SUBLIME PORTE: Anything for you exalted one!!
PRIME MINISTER: I meant that to happen. Honest!
We're only away for the summer and then we'll be back. I'm just leasing the
Winter Palace to the Sultan for a few months... *whispers to aide* Think they
bought that?
Budapest
to Ankara: How's the 'French' Riviera this time of year?
“Dulcinea”
Diplomacy Bourse
Billy Ray Valentine: No activity.
Duke of York: No activity.
Smaug the Dragon: Sells 500
Pounds. Buys 351 Piastres.
Rothschild: Sells 285
Francs. Buys 49 Crowns.
Baron Wuffet: No changes.
Wooden Nickel
Enterprises:
Sells 176 Francs, 281 Marks. Buys 65 Crowns,
65 Pounds, and 64 Piastres.
VAIONT Enterprises: Sells 500 Pounds
and 98 Marks. Buys 400 Piastres.
Insider Trading LLC: No activity.
Bourse Master: Sells 500
Pounds. Buys 350 Piastres.
Next Bourse Deadline is August 29th at 7:00pm my time
PRESS
Duke of
York to
Smaug: You're breathing a whole lot of cold fire given that so much of
your coal is stale worthless Russian coal.
Rothschild
to the Dragon: What is my "puny nation"? My financial empire is
bigger than any nation.
SMAUG TO ALL: My
poor performance is the result of external pressures, namely the international
economic downturn, the volatility of commodity prices, and the nefarious
activities of the Gnomes of Zurich. My timing is not the issue
here! *snorts flames*.
Duke of
York to Rothschild: I
salute your brilliant trading, sir! With this turn you vault back into
the lead!!
Diplomacy “Just a Taste” 2009C, A 05/W 05/S 06
Austria
(William Wood – wxmanwill “of” hotmail.com): Remove F Greece..
F Albania Supports A
Serbia - Trieste (*Fails*), A Budapest Supports A Galicia – Vienna,
A Galicia - Vienna
(*Dislodged*, retreat to Rumania or OTB), A Serbia - Trieste (*Fails*),
A Trieste - Venice
(*Fails*), A Ukraine Supports A Sevastopol - Moscow.
England
(Paul Milewski – paul.milewski “of” hotmail.com):
Retreats
A Norway - Finland..
F Barents Sea - Norway
(*Fails*), A Finland - St Petersburg, F Liverpool - Wales.
France
(Paraic Reddington - Paraic.Reddington
“of” vix-erg.com): Retreats F Adriatic Sea - Apulia..
F Apulia Supports F Tunis
- Ionian Sea, A Burgundy Hold, F Edinburgh – Clyde, F Gulf of Lyon - Tyrrhenian
Sea,
A London – Yorkshire, F
Mid-Atlantic Ocean - Irish Sea, Naples Supports F Apulia (*Cut*), A
Piedmont – Tyrolia,
F Tunis - Ionian Sea, A
Tuscany Supports A Venice,
F Western Mediterranean
Supports F Gulf of Lyon - Tyrrhenian Sea.
Germany
(Philip Murphy trekkypj “of”
gmail.com): Build A Munich.. A Bohemia Supports A
Vienna – Galicia,
F Livonia - Gulf of
Bothnia, A Munich Supports A Piedmont – Tyrolia, F Norway - Barents Sea
(*Fails*),
A Prussia – Livonia, A
Silesia Supports A Warsaw, F Sweden – Finland,
A Venice Supports A
Piedmont - Tyrolia (*Cut*), A Vienna – Galicia, A Warsaw Supports A Vienna
- Galicia.
Turkey
(Graham Wilson – grahamaw “of” rogers.com): F Adriatic Sea
Supports A Trieste – Venice,
F
Constantinople - Aegean Sea,
F
Ionian Sea - Naples (*Dislodged*, retreat Eastern Mediterranean, Greece, or
OTB), A Sevastopol - Moscow.
Summer/Fall 06 deadline is August 30th at 7:00am my time
PRESS
E to G:
I am a little suspicious of your accent. I would have expected
"zat" and "zee" more from a frog than from a
kraut.
F to T - Your oil spill has spread to the Adriatic. This ecological
piracy cannot go unpunished. Have you no sense of global accountability? Our
clean up vessels are on their way to ascertain how much damage you have done.
Rest your head in shame!
KAISER
WILHELM TO FRANCE: If it's
easier to say sorry, why haven't I received your apology? Anyhow, the sooner
your men move on to Liverpool, the better! No woman is safe in the City of
London with all those bluecoats about!
F to A - Now where was that disband and what are your intentions?
Do you want to destabilise the board with an army disband or trust you 'ally'
with a fleet? My guess is the latter and you disbanded Greece.
F to G - We have sent your armies boxed sets of Ludo, Boggle and
Twister so that they do not get bored and look for something better to do.
F to E - Paul I could never understand your articles so I will send
you this missive in binary: 01010000 01001100 01000101 01000001 01010011
01000101 00100000 01001100 01000101 01000001 01010110 01000101 00100000
01001100 01001001 01010110 01000101 01010010
01010000 01001111 01001111 01001100 00100000 01000001 01001100 01001111
01001110 01000101 00100000 01000001 01001110 01000100 00100000 01000100
01001001 01000101 00101110 00100000 01010100 01001000 01000101 01010010
01000101 00011001
01010011 00100000 01000001 00100000 01000111 01001111 01001111 01000100 00100000
01000011 01001000 01000001 01010000 00101110
F to F - Don't forget to call your mother more.
White
Press Diplomacy “Creepshow” 2009D, F 04
Austria (Brad Wilson
- bwdolphin146 “of”yahoo.com): A
Trieste Supports A Vienna (*Cut*),
A
Vienna Supports A Trieste (*Cut*).
England (Chuy Cronin
– chuykdc_92 “of” hotmail.com): F North
Sea – Denmark, F Norway Hold,
F Norwegian
Sea Supports F Norway, A Yorkshire Hold.
France (Michael
Cronin – mfmcronin “of” q.com): F
Belgium - Holland (*Fails*),
A
Burgundy - Munich (*Fails*), A Gascony Supports A Munich (*Fails*), A
Picardy - Belgium (*Fails*),
A
Piedmont – Tyrolia, A Tyrolia - Bohemia.
Germany
(Pat Vogelsang – godawgsgo33 “of” yahoo.com): No Moves Received..F Helgoland Bight Hold,
F
Holland Hold, A Kiel Hold, A Munich Hold, A Ruhr Hold.
Italy (Graham Wilson
– grahamaw “of” rogers.com): Retreats A Ukraine - Galicia.. A Galicia –
Silesia,
F
Naples - Tyrrhenian Sea (*Bounce*), F Tunis - Tyrrhenian Sea
(*Bounce*), A Venice begs for mercy.
Russia (Kevin Wilson - ckevinw “of” comcast.net): A Budapest - Vienna
(*Fails*),
A
Rumania - Budapest (*Fails*), F Sevastopol - Rumania (*Fails*), F
St Petersburg(nc) - Norway (*Fails*),
F
Sweden Supports F St Petersburg(nc) – Norway, A Ukraine – Galicia, A Warsaw
Supports A Ukraine - Galicia.
Turkey (Larry Cronin
– lcroninmd “of” msn.com): F Adriatic Sea
Supports A Greece – Apulia,
F
Aegean Sea – Greece, F Eastern Mediterranean Supports F Ionian Sea, A Greece –
Apulia,
F
Ionian Sea Convoys A Greece – Apulia, A Serbia - Trieste (*Fails*).
Would Paul Milewski (paul.milewski “of” hotmail.com) standby for Germany?
W 04/S 05 Deadline is August 30th at 7:00am my time
Supply Center Chart
Austria:
Trieste, Vienna=2, Even
England:
Denmark, Edinburgh, Liverpool,
London, Norway=5, Build 1
France:
Belgium, Brest, Marseilles,
Paris, Portugal, Spain=6, Even
Germany:
Berlin, Holland, Kiel,
Munich=4, Remove 1
Italy:
Naples, Rome, Tunis,
Venice=4, Even
Russia:
Budapest, Moscow, Rumania,
Sevastopol, St Petersburg, Sweden, Warsaw=7, Even
Turkey:
Ankara, Bulgaria,
Constantinople, Greece, Serbia, Smyrna=6, Even
PRESS
None. You guys suck.
Diplomacy
“Bellicus” from Strange Meeting, Spring/Summer 1910
France
(Pat Vogelsang – godawgsgo33 “of” yahoo.com): No Moves Received! A Brest U, A Edinburgh U,
A
Paris U, A Picardy U.
Russia
(Chris Babcock – cbabcock “of” asciiking.com): A Belgium Supports A Burgundy,
A
Budapest Supports A Warsaw – Galicia, A Burgundy Supports A Belgium, F English
Channel - Irish Sea,
F
London – Wales, A Moscow Supports A Ukraine, A Munich - Tyrolia
(*Fails*), F North Sea - English Channel,
F St
Petersburg(nc) – Norway, A Tyrolia - Venice (*Fails*), A Ukraine
Supports A Warsaw – Galicia,
A
Vienna Supports A Budapest, A Warsaw - Galicia.
Turkey
(Phil Amos – p.v.a “of” btinternet.com): A
Ankara – Constantinople,
A
Armenia Supports A Sevastopol, F Black Sea Supports A Rumania, F Bulgaria(ec)
Supports A Rumania,
F
Constantinople - Aegean Sea, F Marseilles Supports F Piedmont, F Piedmont
Supports F Marseilles,
F
Portugal Supports F Western Mediterranean - Mid-Atlantic Ocean, A Rumania
Supports A Sevastopol,
A
Serbia Supports F Trieste, A Sevastopol Supports A Rumania, F Smyrna - Eastern
Mediterranean,
F
Spain(sc) Supports F Marseilles, F Trieste Supports A Venice, A Venice
Supports F Trieste (*Cut*),
F
Western Mediterranean - Mid-Atlantic Ocean.
Would
Brad Wilson (bwdolphin146 “of”yahoo.com)
standby for France?
Fall/Winter
1910 Deadline is August 30th at 7:00am my time
PRESS
Russia: France has the pretty boring job of sitting in Paris and
Brest hoping that two very clever players who have worked well together in the
past don't come up with a brilliant idea to make the rest of his life interesting.
If Pat wants to propose another 3-way draw and/or Philip wants to brainstorm
with me then we may be able to poo or get off the potty about the endgame. :)
Deviant Dip II –
“Black Licorice” – 2009Brc08 – Fall 1905
Heather Taylor Wins!
Drance (Jim Burgess
– jfburgess “of” gmail.com with Don Williams ordering units): A StP[Rogue],
A Ukr U, F Cyp(1) U.
England (Russell
Blau – russblau “of” imapmail.org): F
Ice-Nwg, F Ech-Nth, A Lon-Yor, F Bla S F Ank-Arm,
A
Smy(1) S F Ank-Arm, F Ank-Arm(1)[1 support], A Bul-Rum, F Cre S A
Gre(OTM).
Verminy (Hugh Polley
– hapolley “of” yahoo.ca): Retreats A Lvn-War..F Nat-Lvp[3 supports],
A War-Gal[3 suports], A Bel-Hol[2 supports].
Italy (John David
Galt – jdg “of” upports.sacramento.ca.us): F Nwy-Stp(nc), A Kie
S F Bal-Ber,
F Hol H(Dis, ret Hel,OTB), F Bal-Ber.
Austria (Jack Mchugh
– jwmchughjr “of” gmail.com): A Rum retreats OTB. No units.
Nussia (Mark D Lew –
markdlew “of” earthlink.net): A Tyr-Mun, A Boh S A Tyr-Mun, A Rum S A
Ser,
A Pru S A Ber, A Lva S A Gal-War, A Pic-Bel, A Bur S A Pic-Bel, F Spa(sc)-Mid,
F Iri-Ire, F Mid-Ech,
A Ber S A Tyr-Mun(Dis, ret Sil, OTB), A
Gal-War(Dis, ret Vie,Bud,OTB), A Ser S A Rum(Dis, ret Bud, Tri, OTB),
F Alb-Gre, A Arm-Sev.
Turkey
(Jason Bergmann – jasonbergmann “of” gmail.com): Marlow’s Steamship
Upp-Tun,
A
Rom-Ven[3 supports], A Gre-Ser(1) [3 Supports], F Bre H [2 supports], A Lvp-Wal
[3 supports],
F Naf-Wme(1),
F Ion-Gre[3 supports], F Wme-Spa(sc)(1) [3 Supports].
Supply Center Chart, With Owned Home
Centers in Bold
Centers With Garrisons Are Underlined
Drance St.
Petersburg, Cyprus=2
England Iceland, Smyrna, Crete, Constantinople, Wales, London, Bulgaria, Amenia=8
Verminy Liverpool, Moscow, Holland=3
Italy Denmark, Norway, Kiel, Sweden,
Berlin=5
Austria None=0,
No Units
Nussia Tyrolia, Piedmont, Marseilles, Trieste, Budapest,
Ankara,
Vienna, Portugal, Paris,
Munich, Rumania, Sevastopol, Belgium, Ireland=14
Turkey Corsica, Sardinia, Rome, Edinburgh, Naples, Tunis, Brest, Sicily, Venice, Serbia, Greece,
Wales, Spain=13
Build Centers (When Owned) Are As Follows
(Underlined Centers Have Garrisons):
Drance Ankara, Belgium, Crete
England Smyrna, Iceland, Trieste
Verminy Vienna, London, Liverpool
Italy Serbia, Edinburgh, Denmark
Austria Venice, Holland, Armenia
Nussia Tyrolia, Piedmont, Livonia, Budapest
Turkey Corsica, Prussia, Tunis, Sardinia
England,
Italy, Nussia, and Turkey correctly identified the Secret Word as Whisker
Votes:
Drance: 6 Yes on 101, 6 Yes
on 107.
England: 2 to support
moves. 1 No for #98, 1 No for #99, 1 No for #100, 1 Yes for #101, 2
Yes for #102, 1 No for #103, 1 No for #104, 2 Yes for #105, 2 Yes for #106, 1
No for #107, 1 Yes for #108, 1 No for
#109, 1 No for #110.
Verminy: 16 spent to support moves.
Italy: Buys 4 RP. 1 Yes on #98,
1 Yes on #99, 1 Yes on #100, 1 Yes on #101, 1 No on #102, 1 No on #108, 1 No on
#109.
Austria: No votes spent.
Nussia: Buys 24 RP.
Turkey: 32 for supports. Buys 3
RP. 1 Yes on #98, 1 No on #99, 18 Yes on
#101, 3 Yes on #102, 1 No on #103, 1 No on #104, 1 No on #105, 1 No on #108, 1
No on #109, 1 Yes on #110.
RP’s (Rule #21): Jack
McHugh - 0; Russell Blau - 0; Jim Burgess - 1; Hugh Polley - 0; John David Galt
- 19; Mark D Lew - 48; Jason Bergmann – 19.5.
Expenditure
of votes has now taken place, but prior to the voting on rules being
adjudicated, Mark D Lew owns 48 RP’s, which means he owns a majority of RP’s
and the game ends (no specific time was given for when such a majority is
counted, so I have decided it is a continual count). However, as he has won the game, based on
Rule #60 Heather Taylor is officially
the winner, and Mark D Lew instead is awarded a booby prize. Mark, watch your email for said prize. Any End of Game statements will be published
next issue. I wonder if there is, or
will ever be, appetite for another go at this variant? I was sad to see two players drop, especially
Pete Gaughan since his zine Perelandra is the wold reason I ran it in
the first place.
PRESS
Lew to Bergmann: Ben Sheets? Ben Sheets?? I've
overlooked a lot, including that Nasty Nussia rule, but this is the final
straw. The fact that you didn't even realize what an insult that is just makes
it worse.
Verminy: Hell with rule voting; nothing I vote for ever passes, and
connections I think exist don't.
England - GM: Yeah, you're right, those guys suck!
In case you were curious, here is how the
voting on rules WOULD have adjudicated:
Black
Press Gunboat, “Maple Sugar,” 2009Crb32, F 06
Austria: A Budapest –
Trieste, A Galicia - Rumania (*Dislodged*, ret Silesia or Bohemia or
Vienna or Budapest
or
OTB), A Serbia Supports A Galicia - Rumania (*Cut*), A Tyrolia Supports
A Venice,
A
Venice Supports F Tyrrhenian Sea - Rome (*Void*).
England: Retreats F North Sea - Edinburgh.. F Edinburgh
Supports F Norwegian Sea,
F
English Channel - Mid-Atlantic Ocean, F Norwegian Sea Supports F Edinburgh
(*Cut*).
France: A Spain Supports A Piedmont - Marseilles
(*Void*), F Tyrrhenian Sea - Tunis (*Bounce*).
Germany: F Belgium - English Channel, A Burgundy –
Marseilles,
F
Denmark Supports F Helgoland Bight - North Sea, A Gascony Supports A Burgundy –
Marseilles,
F
Helgoland Bight - North Sea, A Munich – Burgundy, F North Sea – Yorkshire, A
Paris - Brest.
Italy: F Ionian Sea - Tunis (*Bounce*), A
Piedmont - Venice (*Fails*), A Rome Supports A Piedmont - Venice.
Russia: A Albania - Serbia (*Fails*), F
Barents Sea - Norwegian Sea (*Fails*),
F
Black Sea Supports F Rumania (*Cut*), A Finland - St Petersburg,
F
Norway Supports F Barents Sea - Norwegian Sea, F Rumania Hold, A Ukraine –
Galicia,
A
Warsaw Supports A Ukraine - Galicia.
Turkey: F Ankara - Black Sea (*Fails*), A Bulgaria Supports F Greece, A Constantinople
Supports A Bulgaria,
F
Greece Supports A Bulgaria.
Proposed – Concession to Germany.
Vote with your orders!
Summer/Fall 1906 Deadline is August 30th at 7:00am my time
Supply
Center Chart:
Austria:
Budapest, Serbia, Trieste,
Venice, Vienna=5, Even or Build 1
England:
Edinburgh, Liverpool,
London=3. Even
France:
Spain, Tunis=2, Even
Germany:
Belgium, Berlin, Brest,
Denmark, Holland, Kiel, Marseilles, Munich, Paris=9, Build 1
Italy:
Naples, Rome=2, Remove 1
Russia:
Moscow, Norway, Rumania,
Sevastopol, St Petersburg, Sweden, Warsaw=7, Remove 1
Turkey:
Ankara, Bulgaria, Constantinople,
Greece, Smyrna=5, Build 1
Unowned:
Portugal.
PRESS:
R->T: I take
it that we have peace now. thank you. My Fleet in Black Sea is only there to
protect Rumania and to provide back up if
necessary. My Fleat will not attack Turkey as long as it does not attack me or
attempt to gain control of the black sea without letting me know. Thank you so
much
Austria
to Germany: My deepest apoligies for occuping Tryolia, I will stay for
as short a time as posible. Be assured Tyr will never attack, or support
an attack on Munich. Moved Gal-Rum.
R-A: Please I will be peaceful with
you if you stop attacking Rumania and Galicia.
T => R: The Turkish government
has no interest in occupying Sev, but needs to establish a F presence in BLA in
order to guarantee the security of its home scs.
E->G: Assuming you did not take London
this turn - it is yours in 1907. Also, my fleet F MAO will support A Gas
to Spa in the Spring, then A Spa to Por in the fall. All that I ask in
return is you leave me Lvp/Edi, and allow my fleets to stop any further Russian
naval advances. You don't want a Russian fleet in the Nth, do you?
E->A: Once I'm gone, you are
going to be Russia's target. Can't you see that?
France – Italian imposter: England remains my friend; sadly, Germany never was.
France – Italian nella realtà: I’ll
keep supporting you to Mar whilst I am able. Your fleet in GoL most acceptable.
E->T: Be patient. Austria will wake up eventually. Hopefully, it
will occur BEFORE Russia armies occupy Vienna.
T => G: It seems to me that you
are very vulnerable to a stab from the East.
Germany - Russia: Sorry, lost
momentum with NMR but thought I could push England out of Nth Sea.
T => E: It is the aim of
the Turkish government to keep its home scs and to occupy two scs on the
Balkans. It is our hope that once this is achieved the Turkish
people can live in peace.
Austria to Turkey:
Truly you have done a great job dispite bad odds, as you have taken
Greece with a Fleet I will keep my word and consede Greece to you so long
as you do not place an Army there. You
can even leave it empty and I will not move there unless it is necessary to keep another power out!
Congratulations on doing so well! Should
you wish to lend a hand look for Gal, or Bud to Rum. If you help me with
Rum, I will also consede Sev to you and will support your unit to Sev if
possible. Moved Gal-Rum.
T => I: Don't
use four letter words!
T => F: Please make suggestions
for a collaboration of our armed forces in the Med
Austria to France: I
would love to see you in Rome and/or Naples; and will support such moves
when possible. Good Luck!
T => A: Another attack on Gre
will be considered a declaration of war!
R-G: Hey you got in! Support me into
Norwegian Sea and lets toast the brit!
Graustark
Game 2002D, Spring 1918
England (Fred
Wiedemeyer – wiedem “of” planet.eon.net): F
Barents Sea Supports F Norway,
F
London Hold, A Moscow Supports A Sevastopol (*Ordered to Move*), F Norway
Supports A St Petersburg,
F
Norwegian Sea – Clyde, A St Petersburg Supports A Moscow.
France (Andy
Lischett – andy “of” lischett.com): F Aegean
Sea Supports F Ionian Sea –
Eastern Mediterranean, F Brest Hold, A
Bulgaria - Constantinople (*Fails*), F Greece - Ionian Sea,
F
Ionian Sea - Eastern Mediterranean, A Marseilles Hold, F Mid-Atlantic Ocean
Hold, A Naples Hold, A Paris Hold,
A
Piedmont Hold, A Serbia Supports A Trieste, A Trieste Supports A Serbia, F
Tunis Hold, F Tyrrhenian Sea Hold.
Germany
(Michael Quirk – michaelpquirk “of” cs.com): F Baltic Sea - Sweden
(*Bounce*), A Berlin – Silesia, A Budapest Supports A Vienna, A Galicia -
Ukraine (*Fails*), F Gulf of Bothnia - Sweden (*Bounce*),
A
Munich Hold, A Rumania - Bulgaria (*Fails*), A Sevastopol - Armenia
(*Bounce*), A Silesia – Warsaw,
A
Ukraine - Sevastopol (*Fails*), A Vienna Supports A Budapest.
Russia (Harley
Jordan
– harleyj “of” alum.mit.edu): A Ankara - Armenia
(*Bounce*),
A
Constantinople Hold, F Smyrna Supports A Constantinople.
DIAS Draw Failed, but Has Been Reproposed
Fall 1918 Deadline is August 30th at 7:00am my time
Graustark
Diplomacy Game 2004C, Summer/Fall 1911
Germany
(Dan Mathias – dcmathias “of” comcast.net): F
English Channel - Mid-Atlantic Ocean,
A
Galicia - Ukraine (*Fails*), A Gascony Supports F Spain(sc), A Kiel – Ruhr,
A
Livonia Supports A Warsaw – Moscow, A Marseilles Supports F Spain(sc), A
Munich - Tyrolia (*Fails*),
F
North Sea Convoys A Yorkshire – Norway, F Norwegian Sea - North Atlantic Ocean,
A Silesia – Warsaw,
F
Spain(sc) Supports F English Channel - Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Cut*),
A St
Petersburg Supports A Warsaw – Moscow, A Warsaw – Moscow, A Yorkshire - Norway.
Italy (Brendan
Mooney – bkmooney “of” comcast.net): F Ionian
Sea - Tunis (*Bounce*),
F
Portugal - Spain(sc) (*Fails*), A Trieste – Tyrolia, F Tyrrhenian Sea -
Gulf of Lyon, A Venice – Piedmont,
A
Vienna Supports A Trieste - Tyrolia.
Russia (John Biehl –
jrb “of” dccnet.com): A Moscow Supports A Ukraine (*Disbanded*).
Turkey (Colin Bruce
– CBruce “of” IWM.ORG.UK): Retreat A Galicia -
Rumania.. F Aegean Sea – Greece,
F
Apulia – Naples, A Budapest Hold, F Constantinople - Aegean Sea, A Rumania
Supports A Budapest,
A
Serbia Supports A Budapest, A Sevastopol Supports A Moscow, A Ukraine
Supports A Moscow (*Cut*),
F
Western Mediterranean - Tunis (*Bounce*).
DIAS Proposal Fails- But Germany Wins!!
Deadline for any EOG’s you want to submit is August
30th at 7:00am
Supply Center Chart
Germany:
Belgium, Berlin, Brest,
Denmark, Edinburgh, Holland, Kiel, Liverpool, London, Marseilles,
Moscow, Munich, Norway, Paris, Spain, St Petersburg, Sweden,
Warsaw=18, WINS!!!
Italy:
Portugal, Rome, Trieste,
Tunis, Venice, Vienna=6
Russia None=0,
OUT!!
Turkey:
Ankara, Budapest, Bulgaria,
Constantinople, Greece, Naples, Rumania, Serbia,
Sevastopol, Smyrna=10
PRESS
API-Berlin: The
Office of the Kaiser issued the following: The recent unannounced offensive
surge in the East has proven totally effective. Those who urged
capitulation and a withdrawal from all conflicts have been proven wrong.
In spite of a lack of support from supposed allies, and covert betrayal by
others, Victory is Ours! Peace will now, finally, reign, as will the
Kaiser. Deutschland uber alles!
Munich
Free Press: Singing heard in the streets: “Where were you when I needed
you?, … Where were you when I wanted you?, … Where were you when I needed you?,
… Where, where were you?”
Graustark
Diplomacy Game 2006A, W 06
Seasons Separated By Player Request
Austria (Don
Williams – dwilliams “of” fontana.org): Has A
Bohemia, A Galicia, F Greece, A Rumania,
A
Tyrolia, A Vienna.
England (Fred
Wiedemeyer – wiedem “of” planet.eon.net): Build F
Liverpool, F London..Has F Liverpool,
F
London, F North Atlantic Ocean, F Norway, A Paris, F Picardy, F St
Petersburg(nc).
France (Hank Alme – almehj
“of” alumni.rice.edu):
Has F Portugal.
Germany
(Harley Jordan – harleyj “of” alum.mit.edu): Disbands
A Gascony, Builds A Berlin, A Kiel..Has
F
Baltic Sea, A Berlin, A Burgundy, A Kiel, A Munich, A Prussia, A Silesia.
Italy (Jim Burgess –
jfburgess “of” gmail.com): Has A Bulgaria, F
Gascony, F Gulf of Lyon, A Marseilles,
F
Mid-Atlantic Ocean, A Spain, F Western Mediterranean.
Russia (John Biehl –
jrb “of” dccnet.com):
Has A Armenia, A Constantinople, F Ionian Sea,
A Moscow,
A
Ukraine, A Warsaw.
A/E/G/I/R Draw Has Been Proposed
Spring 1907 Deadline is August 30th at 7:00am my time
By
Popular Demand
Credit goes to Ryk Downes, I believe, for
inventing this. The goal is to pick
something that fits the category and will be the "most popular"
answer. You score points based on the number of entries that match yours. For
example, if the category is "Cats" and the responses were 7 for
Persian, 3 for Calico and 1 for Siamese, everyone who said Persian would get 7
points, Calico 3 and the lone Siamese would score 1 point. The cumulative total
over 10 rounds will determine the overall winner. Anyone may enter at any
point, starting with an equivalent point total of the lowest cumulative score
from the previous round. If a person misses a round, they'll receive the
minimum score from the round added to their cumulative total. In
each round you may specify one of your answers as your Joker answer. Your
score for this answer will be doubled.
In other words, if you apply your Joker to category 3 on a given turn,
and 4 other people give the same answer as you, you get 10 points instead of
5. Players who fail to submit a Joker
for any specific turn will have their Joker automatically applied to the first
category. And, if you want to submit some commentary with your answers, feel
free to. The game will consist of 10
rounds. A prize will be awarded to the
winner. Research is permitted!
Round 10 Categories
