"News is what powerful people want to keep hidden; everything else is publicity." Bill Moyers, his last broadcast, December 17, 2004.

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt" - Bertrand Russell

It’s a sad fact that in today’s world, especially the business world, if you aren’t constantly striving to better your position and move up the ladder, then you are suspect. You lack drive and ambition. Never mind that what you are currently doing may be perfectly suited to your abilities and desires. If you’re not trying to move up, there’s something wrong with you. This is elegant described in the Peter Principle (put forth in a book by L. Peter) which states: in a hierarchically structured administration, people tend to be promoted up to their "level of incompetence". And since you can’t demote someone in today’s business, there they stay, in a job they can’t handle, or they get downsized. And now, in continuing this trend, we introduce the Condoleeza Corollary to the Peter Principle, which states: After having risen to your "level of incompetence", and having demonstrated said incompetence, thou shalt be promoted further up the ladder.

Gunboat with press: Four signed up so far. Reconfirm for me if you are interested in this.

Perestroika Diplomacy: Add an economic twist to the classic game. Centers generate revenue, armies and fleets must be maintained, and treasuries can be sacked! Rules are available on request.

Signed up: Art Schleinkofer, Phil Reynolds, Harold Reynolds, Karl Schmit, Graham Wilson

Standard Diplomacy: That’s it, the one and only original

Signed up: Fred Wiedermeyer, Hank Alme, Cary Nichols, Graham Wilson, Karl Muller, Matt Sundstrum, John Power

Just the results please: Don’t really know what to call this one as I just came up with it. Perhaps it’s been tried before. The twist for this variant is that each season only the ending unit positions are published, not the orders. You’ll know who went where, but not who helped whom, or want may have been tried unsuccessfully.

Signed up: Phil Reynolds, Doug Kent, Graham Wilson

A new game for 3-4 players. Manager your factory and build your products, but beware, increased production means more waste, and if you aren’t careful you’ll find that working in a sludge pit affects your productivity and the bottom line.

Game Opening: Jim Tretick, Graham Wilson, Dennis Menear. Need ONE more.

Railway Rivals: Anyone have a favorite map they’d like to try?

Outpost: Sign up for the next game to start when the current one finishes.

Snowball fighting: Current game is over. Anyone interested in another go? 4 signed up so far

Signed up: Tom Howell, Dennis Menear

Sopwith: Snoopy just started. I’ll start taking names now for the next game if anyone’s interested.

Brendan Whyte

Reader’s Choice: I’m open to anything, just send me the rules and if I think I can run it, I’ll offer it.

It’s all over but the counting.

BOOB to GM: I think Cutler still will score, still will score.

GM to BOOB: He should, but will it count for anything, for anything?

BOOB to GM: But it will ONLY be two darn little points, not enough to get me out of third place....

GM to BOOB: Ahh, you’ve already answered that question.

BOOB to MIKE: Yes, well, Langford WINS the race, winning the race counts for something, like having the Yellow Jersey! And Rumsfeld gets 8 measly points, and more than enough Homegrown Evil to go around. Donald needs ALL the help he can get right now!! You lost Ashcroft already.

JON LANGFORD EXULTS: Fear and whiskey to all, eat my dust!!

DANS - PARTRIDGE: So what kind of bird are you enjoying on this Thanksgiving Day?

Partridge – DANS: One sculpted out of garlic mashed potatoes of course.

CHAPS - FIELD: Looks to me as though it'll come down to that 8th place rider. I'm hangin' back with Persia to try to get a windbreak from Tom's riders.

GM – CHAPS: Looks to me like Cutler’s got it locked up if he wants it. The only one who still has an energy bar left for that last sprint.

TEAM PHYSICIAN - BOOB: Grats on crossing the line first. Your rider didn't have much left in the tank; he left it all on the course!

Tom to Whom It May Concern: Contrats to Eric! As for me, equal first after losing my concentration: don't ask me how it happened - I sure don't deserve it. Gonna take a training break. Be back when computer is fixed and house is not so hectic.

Rick - Boob: Was Zero Boy taunting us last time? How bizarre.

Rick - Mike: Sorry, I guess Rumsfeld is scoring some points. We'll call you 'Eight Ball' from now on.

Puddy - Elaine: Got a question? Ask the Eight Ball!

MIKE to TOM: Wanna come to my place with your rented excavator? We could make my next croquet course much tougher, and more fun.

GM – Mike: My sisters and I used to play what we called "environmental croquet". We’d divide up the wickets and place them in rotation, each person getting to decide where to put them and what direction you had to go through them. Given that we had many acres of woods, fields and streams around the house there were some epic courses. Best wicket I remember was the one my sister stuck in some styrofoam and floated out in the pool!

MIKE AGREES WITH: "Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm." (ascribed to JFK; I don't have the original at hand to confirm.)

GM to ALL: Thank you all for playing. Next race starts soon, get a drink, take a steroid shot and sign up!

:Black Bottomed Girls (Brendan Whyte) 5 points

Homegrown Evil (Mike Barno) 8 points

Thin Bottomed Girls (Tom Howell) 36 points

Manager: Edith

The Four Kingdoms of Daniel Chapter Seven (Eric Brosius) 34 points

The Front Men (Jim Burgess) 35 points

Manager: Ian Curtis

The Team About Nothing (Rick Desper) 26 points

Manager: Frank Costanza

The vultures gather. Germany disappears from the map, and Italy retains a home center only because the carrion eaters are squabbling over the remains. Italy continues its move to a new home in the west while the Balkan wars do what Balkan wars do best, achieve nothing.

A strange and interesting turn. The Anglo-Russian alliance finishes off Germany, but while the Russians are pushing south, the English pivot to the north. Austria and Turkey continue to bounce around without any change with Bulgaria playing the beleaguered garrison. France walks out of Munich and Russia strolls in behind him. France moves on from Rome to Naples, and Austria strolls into Rome behind him, leaving Venice still in Italian hands. France retakes Marseille by force of arms, and then Italy hands him Spain back as well. Rarely have I seen so many centers freely surrendered!

England to all- The King sends his regrets to all regarding his lack of communication this season. He blames the holiday rush and a princess from another kingdom for his shortcomings. He hopes to return to normal operations next season.

Russia - Turkey: We can keep bumping heads forever, or you can write back!

Austria to Sultan Fred - If you expect me to bite you need to write.

Austria to King Robert - Here's hoping you're doing something other than waiting your turn to die.

GM to Austria: Does allemande left count?