THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE #290

April 18, 2005


Produced by Jim Burgess, 664 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908-4327 USA, (401)351-0287
Accessible through Internet at burgess of world.std.com (all E-Mail addresses are reported in this format, replace the " of " with "@"; if you bounce try sending to me from another account or FAX to (401) 277-9904. For Faxing, most of the time you have to call me to tell me it's coming so I can set up the FAX. Some of you have been getting bounced messages from my ISP's spam protection, if that happens to you, you can use my backup E-Mail at jfburgess of gmail.com, but I don't check that very often, so don't expect instant replies.
Web Page Address: /Postal/Zines/TAP/index.html


We are again seriously late for a whole host of reasons. I won't bore you with all of them, but the most important reasons are the sad one of having to report the passing of Phil Reynolds after his very, very long illness, and the movement of the whole diplom.org site by Millis Miller from David Kovar. The operation of the web site is still not up the way it eventually will be, but ALL the items are actually there, you just have to find them. The key to finding them is to note that you must use the www.diplom.org designation for the site instead of the diplom.org that we had been using. I've changes all the references in this issue of the szine, but not any of the other ones. If you're a bit resourceful, you'll be able to find everything, and eventually it will all be updated so it will all work as before. We need to first thank David Kovar for 15 years of assistance to all of us in keeping this site going. And then we need to thank Millis Miller for picking it up and keeping it going. As many of you discovered, the site was down for a little over a week and I didn't want to release the szine in the middle of it. Also, I needed to get standbys and begin to set up for taking over two of Phil Reynolds' games - both of the regular Diplomacy games.


THIS ISSUE IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF Phil Reynolds
First, here is the official obituary from one of the local newspapers (these things are very easy to find these days on the Internet):
Philip Paul Reynolds, 39, Sarasota, died March 13, 2005. He was born Oct. 16, 1965, in Gibson City, Ill., and came to Sarasota 38 years ago from there. He was managing editor for Health Management Technology with Nelson Publishing Co. and a publisher of Dippity Doo-Dah Magazine. He graduated from Pine View High School and was a member of the Sierra Club.
Survivors include his mother, Carole C. of Sarasota; and his father and stepmother, Rollie and Judie of Venice. A service will be later. Toale Brothers Funeral Home, Colonial Chapel, is in charge.
Memorial donations may be made to the Philip P. Reynolds Fund, c/o Century Bank, 3600 Tuttle Ave., Sarasota, FL 34239.
((Dippity Doo-Dah was of course one earlier incarnation for Phil of what you knew finally as ishkibibble. In particular, given his long illness, I think the fund is important to his mother and I intend to send something along. The illnesses Phil had were taxing on his mother, both financially and emotionally. Tom Howell has more about that in his latest Off the Shelf. In any case, Phil was a good hobby friend and a fellow publisher. Between Tom and myself, I think we're going to try to restart Phil's games, so contact one or both of us if you were in one of Phil's games and either can or can't keep playing. I also asked for other notes and commentary and here is what I received. There is more on the two games either I or Harold Reynolds - in his subszine - will be restarting.))


Karl Schmit (Mon, 21 Mar 2005 21:04:02 -0600)
Hi all,
I have some bad news for those not in the loop (or on the TAP mailing list). Phil passed away last Sunday, the 13th. Read below for what might happen with the ishkibibble games.
I just wrote a letter to Jim Dapkus. Is anyone in a game with Cary Nichols in a different szine? Perhaps you could let him know as well.
Rest in peace, Phil. He was my introduction to the postal Diplomacy world and opened my eyes to some great films in the short time I was an ishkibibble player.
-Karl, diplomacy of new.rr.com


Paul Risner (Tue, 22 Mar 2005 00:17:44 EST)
Hello All: I read the sad news today about Brer' Phil and thought I might write a few lines.
Like some of you, but not most of you I think, I knew Phil and gamed many weekends at his house when I lived in Sarasota. Phil had a regular gaming group that met on most Sunday afternoons to play some multi-player game or another, but mostly to sit and talk about life, the universe and everything. When Phil first became ill, he came to the hospital where I worked. He never asked for favors, but I made sure they took good care of him. After I moved away, we kept in contact through the games and a few times saw each other at conventions. I last saw Phil 3 years ago, when he passed through Memphis on his way back from a wild west kayaking trip...and he talked my ear off about more trips he had planned for later years...never once allowing that fate, time and health might conspire to prevent those trips. It did not matter: I saw in his eyes that he had already taken them, in his mind, and his descriptions of the sights and experiences only awaited the confirmation of being there. I lost many games and football pools to Phil (was anyone ever so good or so lucky at so many games?!) over the years and endured his endless sarcastic remarks about my lack of skill, but never tired of his company. I learned how to play Dip, and Civ and Mach from Phil...after receiving so many drubbings, I HAD to learn how to play them better...ha-ha! I appreciated his knowledge of football, particularly the few teams he really liked, and especially the Vikings! I liked his politics, though he was even to the left of me! I liked his resolve to live with this illness with good humor, despite what it did to him, and his concern for others, because he felt they worried too much about him. His take on religion, or lack of it, did not concern me and I was not worried for his salvation. I think he found what heaven he expected on this earth, and sought no other. He was honest. I could go on...I know Phil liked many things, but I know he loved two...his fat cat who, when his health looked to be failing a few years ago, he worried would need a home; and his Mother, whom I met, and who loved him without limits. For her, I am sad tonight and thankful that she had him for the time she did, and that she shared him with us. He was a good son to her, and treated her with great respect. So, to Brer Phil, my friend, I say "So long old pal..."
I'd enjoy hearing more from all of you...and would be happy to complete any of Phil's games I was in, although I can't recall which ones they were. It is a fitting tribute to Phil that he had so many friends, looking at the addresses above, and that games brought us all together. Surely a man can live in this world for a longer time and leave far less behind as a legacy.
Paul Risner, GOEBEN of aol.com


Marc Ellinger (Wed, 23 Mar 2005 21:56:50 EST)
I too am at a loss for words at the passing of Phil. Unlike others, I didn't know Phil for a long time, but he had a way of making you feel like you knew him forever.
I bumped into Phil in a PBEM Dip game several years ago. We hit it off and he invited me into the world of Zine Diplomacy. I enjoyed his games (both diplomacy and other deeper thinking games) and his commentary on movies and life (often both at the same time.) He and I would email to each other, both having very different views on many issues, but never finding fault with each other on a personal level.
I am 38 and when I see a contemporary pass on at such a young age, it hits a little harder than most would expect. I knew Phil was ill but I had no idea of the extent of his illness. I am still stunned at Karl's email. It's actually taken me a few days to compose myself to write this note (and not much of one at that) because just thinking about losing Phil is to address my own mortality.
I'll never forget the humor and good nature of Phil. He evidenced it in private and in public (through Ishkibibble) and he will be missed. I wish there was something profoundly deep that I could conclude with but I cannot put anything fitting in writing, so I'll say something simple:
My grandmother always said, "never say goodbye, just say until we see each other again." Phil, you touched more people than you'll ever know. I, for one, will miss you, until we see each other again.
Marc. ELLINGERMC of aol.com
((Thanks to all of you, I hope Marc and Paul will be willing to take up the restarts of Phil's regular Diplomacy games, see the intro to that down below.))


The postal sub price is still $1.50 per issue in the US and Canada, with double that for other foreign subbers(or $3.00 per issue sent airmail). Players in current games and standbys will continue to get the issues for free, and future game starts (except for Nuclear Yuppie Evil Empire Diplomacy, which is free) cost $20.00 ($15.00 for a life of the game subscription and $5 for the NMR Insurance. Or you can play in subszines for free and just jack up the issue page count. See the revised game start announcements below!
Check out the connections in the Diplomatic Pouch with all of the information you need to play Diplomacy on the Internet at: /
I also have taken over the Postal portion of the Pouch: http:/evel.diplom.org/DipPouch/Postal/
and TAP on the web is there at: /Postal/Zines/TAP/index.html
where the szine resides in html format. Presently, issues from #190 to the current issue are there, and I will be updating the back issues gradually someday. Also, check out Stephen Agar's more extensive efforts at: http://www.diplomacy-archive.com and http://www.diplomacy.co.uk
Peter Sullivan's subszine remains "in stasis", although all the back issues can be accessed via :
http://www.burdonvale.co.uk/octopus/index.html.
Peter was saying that he would be unlikely to be starting any new games in the Octopus until "at least the start of 2002." He is now hereby declared to be in official indeterminate stasis and that date is now a "whenever". In the meantime, Rip Gooch and Dave Partridge are picking up the choo-choo game slack in TAP. Contact Rip at xyropedes of canada.com or Dave at rebhuhn of rocketmail.com for more info.
The TAP mailing list has moved! It now is even BETTER protected than it was. I even have a bit of trouble posting to it. To post to this list, send your email to: tap of diplom.org. But this is completely moderated, it won't go out to the list unless I approve it. In general, I intend to keep traffic down to just the szine, as we've been doing.
General information about the mailing list is at: /mailman/listinfo/tap
You can sign up from there, or send E-Mails to: Tap-request of diplom.org; with the word `help' in the subject or body (don't include the quotes), and you will get back a message with instructions. You must know your password to change your options (including changing the password, itself) or to unsubscribe. Normally, Mailman will remind you of your diplom.org mailing list passwords once every month, although you can disable this if you prefer. This reminder will also include instructions on how to unsubscribe or change your account options. There is also a button on your options page that will email your current password to you. A big, big thank you for Millis Miller for setting this all up!!


THE SEARCH FOR DEREK NELSON
I'm going to continue putting some Golden Agers in here to hunt for, working up to some REAL, REAL hard people to find culminating in the 300th issue person whom I already have in mind. Derek Nelson is the person who won the first postal game in Graustark. He's been missing for at least 25 years, I know in the records I can find that he attended the 1976 DipCon in Baltimore. I think it will be fun if we can find these Golden Agers. So, let's really find Derek, it's worth fifty bucks!!! You have until issue #295 at the fifty buck price.
Feel free to spend the time looking for some of the backlog. Let's get Sylvain, Steve, Ed, Tom, Bill, Gregory, and ESPECIALLY Kevin found too!!! This is a regular continuing feature of the szine and I will be introducing a new "search for" every five issues. Moreover, you can win a $25 prize for finding some previous target who went unfound in the original $50 period. That means that if Steve Heinowski or Ed Henry or Tom Hurst or Bill Quinn or Gregory Stewart or Kevin Tighe or Sylvain LaRose or John Smythe is "found" from now on it is worth $25.
Winners will receive credit for Dip hobby activities that I will pay out as requested by the winner. Subscribe to szines here or abroad, run your own contests, publish a szine, finance a web page, GO TO A DIPLOMACY CONVENTION or whatever. Spend it all right away or use me as a bank to cover hobby activities for years. What must you do to win? Get me a letter to the editor for TAP from the person we're searching for.
This is very important, just finding them doesn't do it. They have to write me a letter. The final judge as to the winner of any contest will be the target himself and I reserve the right to investigate the winning entry. When you find someone I'm looking for, you should ask him to send me a letter for print that includes a verification of who "found" him.


INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION EXCHANGE NEWS
The British representative is the editor of Mission From God, John Harrington. John may be contacted at 1 Churchbury Close, Enfield, Middlesex EN1 3UW, UK.
E-Mail: fiendish of operamail.com, John.Harrington of tfeurope.com
Please include the full name and address of the foreign publisher with your order, if possible, as well as the szine title. Make your check in US dollars out to me personally or in GBP to John if you're doing things from that end. I will conduct business for Canadians as well, if I can, but prefer to deal in US dollars with them if possible, or Canadian dollars cash. To subscribe to American szines, the system works in reverse.
We have added a European continental representative, most of this traffic likely will occur between Ronald Camstra (in the Netherlands) and John Harrington, but if anyone here in the US wants to get money into Euros, we'll try to help you out. Ronald Camstra can be contacted at siedler of zonnet.nl and his home address is: Wielingenplein 48, 3522 PE Utrecht, the Netherlands. But in Holland it is most common not to send checks but to transfer money by bank. Dutch people can pay directly to Postbankaccount 4652247 of Ronald Camstra in Utrecht. Since he can see the name and address of the sender in his bankreceipt, people only have to mention the name of the zine and the editorial address along with their bank order. Ronald is obviously a huge Settlers of Catan fan. If you're interested in playing that game internationally by mail, I think Ronald can help you out.
We also have reopened a branch office of the International Subscription Exchange in Australia!! Brendan Whyte, the publisher of the excellent szine Damn the Consequences will be doing the honors, taking over in some sense from John Cain, who was the Australian rep for many years. You can contact Brendan to sub to Australian szines from the US or to sub to US szines from Australia, converting Australian dollars into American ones. We are now maneuvering deals to Europe from the other reps as well. You can find Brendan Whyte at bwhyte of unimelb.edu.au (note that this is a new E-Mail address for Brendan) or by mail to send checks at: Map Collection, ERC Library, University of Melbourne, Vic 3010, AUSTRALIA. That's a relatively new address adjustment.


WORLDMASTERS02 AND WORLDMASTERS04 SECTION
WorldMasters 2002 Email Diplomacy Tournament Finals are still ongoing.
See http://www.cat23.com/wm02/ for full details. Since I didn't get sufficient interest to get a team in for 04, I am back on the WorldMasters Tournament Management Committee again, I guess. See:
http://www.worldmasters.net/wm04/
for details on that, I've not seen much hype yet on the starting games, but I'll update this soon. It is helping now that I've joined the Yahoogroup WM04-Chat where this discussion is happening. You can join too! But most of the talk there has been about Yann Clouet and the French Hobby's new "World Palmares Evaluation" of FTF Diplomacy Play. Of course, Yann Clouet comes out #1, further backing up winning the John Koning award, and I am 1442nd (in a tie with Mark Nelson and Tony Dickinson, among others!). This uses lots of tournament results, more than 750 of them, and really is quite comprehensive. See those rankings at: http://www.18centres.com/SPIP3/article.php3?id_article=199


DIPDOM NEWS SECTION (with letters)
Obscure and not-so-obscure ramblings on the state of the hobby and its publications, custodians, events, and individuals with no guarantee of relevance from the fertile keyboard of Jim-Bob, the E-Mail Dip world, and the rest of the postal hobby. My comments are in italics and ((double quotation marks)) like this. Bold face is used to set off each individual speaker. I should also make a note that I do edit for syntax and spelling on occasion.
The game Diplomacy is a copyrighted product owned by Hasbro and all reproductions or other use of that material in this szine is intended to be personal use and not infringe on those rights in any way. All reproductions are done at a heavy financial loss to the editor and thus are without the remotest possibility of commercial intent, except to promote THE game, the Game of Diplomacy, which you all should purchase from Hasbro or other duly licensed distributors.
Stephen Agar has matched the Hasbro rule lists and more with some of the even older rulebooks. Check these out if you like:
http://www.hasbro.com/default.asp?xcc_gameandtoyinstructions
http://www.hasbro.com/instruct/Diplomacy.PDF
http://www.hasbro.com/instruct/Diplomacy(OlderVers).PDF
Nice of them to make BOTH of these available. And all seven different US rulebooks for Diplomacy can now be found here courtesy of Stephen Agar (relatively new address for this):
http://www.diplomacy-archive.com/diplomacy_rules.htm


Check out current and back issues of Diplomacy World - www.diplomacyworld.org
We are back on solid track, Tim Haffey has agreed to be the Production Editor that I needed. We always need more articles, Issue #93 is out NOW!!! If you think you should have been on that list and weren't, let me or Dave Partridge know. Help us out, write an article for a future issue!


Upcoming Diplomacy World Issue Deadlines:
Deadline Summer 2005, Issue #94: June 1, 2005
Editorial Board for Diplomacy World:
Tim Haffey, 810 53rd Ave., Oakland, CA 94601 USA; trhaffey of aol.com - Lead-Editor, Demo Game GM, and Publisher
Jim Burgess, 664 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908-4327, USA; burgess of world.std.com - Co-Editor
Stephen Agar, 4 Cedars Gardens, Brighton, UNITED KINGDOM BN1 6YD; stephen of stephenagar.com - Webmaster and Non-US Postal
Rick Desper, 5440 Marinelli Road, #204, Rockville, MD 20852, USA; rick_desper of yahoo.com - Demo Games
Dave Partridge, 15 Woodland Drive, Brookline, NH 03033, USA; rebhuhn of rocketmail.com - US Postal


ATTENTION: There is a new company doing a new PC Diplomacy game:
http://www.paradoxplaza.com/news.asp?ArticleID=239&Page=News
They ARE going to make it and release it this fall, but there are a number of concerns and opportunities that this is going to create. If anyone is interested, some of us have been in some informal contact with the game designers, but I really don't have the time to fully engage them. I think the key note to take away is that they're surely going to design a "simplified starter" version of the game that plays faster and more exciting. This is likely in some ways not to look like Diplomacy in any fashion that people familiar with variants would state. But they are committed to the basic design feature that you can make promises that you can't be held to keep. I don't want to be too negative or too positive about this development, but it will be something that "changes the environment". More on this for sure as I hear more.


David Hood and Michael Lowrey (Sat, 26 Mar 2005 16:39:10 -0500)
Time to Register for Dixiecon
The Dixiecon.com website is now ready to accept your registration for this year's Dip tournament in Chapel Hill, NC this Memorial Day Weekend. Richard Weiss, longtime Diplomacy hobbyist, is FINALLY coming to Dixiecon this year! Don't miss the chance to pound him into the ground! Sign up today at www.dixiecon.com
David, gamerhood of charter.net, and Michael, mlowrey of infionline.net
((As always, I cannot do Memorial Day, so I won't be there, but go hook up with Richard Weiss and have some fun!!!))


MUSIC AND MOVIES SECTION (WITH COMMENTS ON OTHER ARTS AND SOCIETY)
Tell me anything you like about the recent past in music. List a top two, a top ten, or a top 100, I don't care, just tell me something!! We're beginning to gear up for a "best of 2004" section.


Warren T. Goesle (Mon, 4 Apr 2005 19:36:00 -0400 (EDT))
Jim-Bob, The calendar says it's baseball season again, and the weather is finally agreeing, so I've come back out from under my rock to make the usual rants about "inequity" and "evil empires". I only do this because I know it makes your year.
((It really does, thanks for good timing. I love this, especially when the Red Sox are defending champs.))
It's been interesting to hear all the preseason discussions amongst the supposed "learned". As best as I can tell, if you follow all the national writers the playoff teams will be the Orioles, Tigers, Mariners, Twins, Phillies, Cubs, Giants and Marlins. I think they do things like that just to see if we're paying attention. Here's my take on the whole thing... ((Uh, duh....))
NL West: Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Diamondbacks & Rockies. Arizona might make it to 3rd, but I think San Diego holds that. Barry is the question for the division. If he's around, and the withdrawal from steroids doesn't take too much of a toll, then the Giants could make it interesting. But I think the Dodgers hold on in a slightly weak division, even without Gagne for a while.
((I say Giants, Padres, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rockies. You forget how much better the Giants supporting cast is, even without Barry for awhile. And I think he'll be back in May. Let me choose a "sleeper" pick in each division, since otherwise these are going to be real boring..... Padres, they can make a run, much more likely than the Dodgers.))
NL Central: Cardinals, Astros, Cubs, Reds, Brewers, Pirates. St. Louis pitching can't possibly be as good this year as they were last year, but Houston and Chicago are both worse, so the Cardinals hold on to the division, even if Pettite retruns to form. I'm starting to think that being a Cubs' pitcher can be hazardous to your health. I had to stop taking Dusty's phone calls during Spring Training, as I didn't want to get hurt.
((Here you are just right. I agree entirely, dangerous but true. Sleeper is the Reds, I have this funny feeling that Ken Griffey, Jr. is going to surprise everyone and be an MVP candidate this year.))
NL East: Braves, Mets (WC), Marlins, Phillies, Nationals. When a team wins a division 13 straight times, it's more than a coincidence. The change of manager in Philadelphia will be like shifting without a clutch, so I don't look for them to be any better this year. The Mets will likely get enough acquisitions to have a decent team at the end of the year, and a good foundation for '06.
((You know I GOTTA know the Braves will win and THEN they will blow it out in the playoffs..... see below too. I think you WAY overestimate the Mets, they will finish fourth and the Marlins will win the Wild Card: Braves, Marlins (WC), Phillies, Mets, Nationals. Sleeper is the Phillies. You know, with that team, and without Larry Bowa torturing them, they COULD just win the division.))
AL West: Angles, Mariners, Rangers, A's. The Rangers might make second here. The Angles, wherever they are, don't get the publicity that the other two evil empires get, but they should start to get lumped into that category.
((Well, you're right, the Anaheim Angels (I'm refusing to use the new name) will finish first, but you have the rest backwards. The A's will surprise with the new Ownership, including Billy Beane on the ownership team and so they are my sleeper. They may even spend a bit of money. Angels, A's, Rangers, Mariners.))
AL Central: Indians, White Sox, Twins, Tigers, Royals. Eventually the Twins will stay within the realm of statistics and have enough injuries to not field a major-league team for the whole season, and Cleveland's pitching will carry them.
((I think the Indians are the sleeper here and I commend you for picking them. But I think it will be the boring Twins, Indians, White Soz, Tigers, Royals.))
AL East: Evil Empire #1, Evil Empire #2 (WC), Orioles, Blue Jays, Devil Rays. If Boston is going to open with David Wells, who still looks like he ought to have a keg behind him when he pitches, they won't catch New York for the division. Nonetheless, the dearth of talent elsewhere will likely allow them in as a Wild Card.
((I think the Yankees with THIS team will crash and burn. But will George let them crash and burn?? Not without a fight. Guaranteed that at least five major league players will be on their team by the end of the year not there now. Start with the bullpen, CF, 2nd, and 1st as likely crash and burn positions. But, they may still win the division. I will pick the Red Sox unless the Yankees get those five players. Orioles, Blue Jays, and Devil Rays (gosh, how come the luckless Devil Rays get the first positive steroid test suspension, there oughta be a law!!). The Red Sox 1 and 2 starters (Wade Miller and Curt Schilling) will be in there before you know it. The Blue Jays are the sleeper, you heard it here first......))
NL Playoffs: Cards over Mets, Braves over Dodgers, Braves over Cards. AL Playoffs: Evil Empire #1 over Twins, Angels over Evil Empire #2. Evil Empire #1 over Angels.
World Series: Evil Empire #1 over Braves.
((I think that this is the "standard" answer for how the playoffs will turn out, and they are DEAD wrong. The right answer is those damned Marlins in the World Series again. Gosh if they won't just play like an expansion team!!!))
So, since Boston isn't due again until 2090, who are you picking this year?
((And, yes, Boston again to win it for two in a row.))
Goz, wgoesle of comcast.net
((Thanks, Goz, all that is unedited from start of the season, now here are some additional comments two weeks in. The Orioles have no pitching, so they are a classic April team and are playing like one, the Evil Empire #1, as you quaintly put it, are doing just what I expected of them. They won't play this badly all season, but if they want to win the division, those positions I noted are good places to think about replacing people. Tom Gordon, in particular, looks cooked.))
((The Red Sox are playing everything precisely how I expected, I won't use your name for them. Notice how the Steroids issue has faded completely into the background, as they're now like every other sport, there is a system and there are people using things and not using things. And everyone plays by the rules of the game, which include the opportunity to try to enhance one's performance against the check and balance of the league testing policy. And one can attempt to circumvent those rules, frequently succeeding. Of course, the more money you have and the better you are, the better the chances of successfully circumventing the rules. You have to be realistic about the performance enhancement problem and realize that it all is an issue of degrees. You can't just make all performance enhancement illegal and make it stick. You just can't. I do support the idea of putting together a REAL performance drug testing program in MLB, but you have to realize that they didn't have it before because of complicity with the players. You know, I also was a huge Gaylord Perry fan.... and he got into the Hall of Fame, and I say deservedly. To me, the REAL ethical issues come about when you put down the performance of another player, we can wish that things were clearer on the other end, but they aren't.))
((I remain a fan of Barry Bonds through all of that. You have to remember how LONG I've been following Barry and my take on where his personality comes from. My first awareness of BARRY Bonds was in 1970 when Bobby was with the Giants, or somewhere around that time. I first started following Bobby Bonds in the Spring of 1968, when I was ten years old and DIVING into baseball, I started following Triple A games in the Sporting News. I quickly became attached to this phenom Bobby Bonds, who hit close to .400 before being called up to the Giants in the middle of their traditional "June Swoon". And Bobby's career was followed VERY closely by the young Barry, who also got his tiny amount of publicity to those following Bobby closely. And Bobby basically got screwed over in ways that Barry would later do almost ANYTHING to avoid. Bobby Bonds was the nicest guy you could ever imagine, and the way that then Giants owner Horace Stoneham tossed him out of town to.... I can't say it, for.... the useless Bobby Murcer was a crime against baseball. But I still rooted for him in his great 1975 season with the Evil Empire, much as I still hated them, even then. I wasn't a Red Sox fan then, I was a Giants and a Royals fan.))
((I was a Royals fan from THEIR beginning and similarly watched guys like George Brett come from the minors (in I think 1971 he was a TERRIBLE third baseman in the California League) and become a good nemesis for those hated Yankees. I didn't start becoming a Red Sox fan until after Bucky Dent and when I became attached to a guy named Dave Stapleton when HE was in the minors. I always start liking baseball players when they're in the minors, before they make it. And I've rooted for many, many guys over the years who became nothing, more or less. But I've rooted for them just the same. Dave Stapleton is most famous, of course, for NOT being put in the game to close out the 1986 World Series, as he was Buckner's defensive replacement.... but, once these guys become the money machines, you're right, Goz. They lose something. But they still CAME from something else.))
((And I'll always be a baseball fan, and I'll always root for guys that no one else has ever heard of.... 'cause it's fun. But back to Barry. His dad was the ultimate free swinger, and because people told him he had to try to hit home runs, he really TRIED to do it. Even though it ruined his average and gave him absurdly high strikeout totals. I think if you asked Barry deep down, he's more proud of his patience at the plate and PROVING that home runs can still be hit, without free swinging. This is both competition AND an homage to his dad, who lifetime hit only about .270. It's still all the Evil Empire's fault. Really....))
THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE GAMES SECTION
"So I called up George and he called up Jim, I said let's make a deal.
He said he'd talk to him. Gonna start a church where you can save yourself,
You can make some noise, When you've got no choice...
You told me useful things, what people think of me, I guess I should thank you.
It's true, then I agree... I'm all alone, I've got no choice,
I'm all alone, I've got no choice."
From "Got No Choice" by the incomparable Mark Cutler, from the CD Mark Cutler and Useful Things.
If you want to submit orders, press, or letters by E-Mail, you can find me through the Internet system at "burgess of world.std.com". If anyone has an interest in having an E-Mail address listed so people can negotiate with you by computer, just let me know. FAX orders to (401) 277-9904 if you let me know in advance to be sure the fax machine is set up.
I am continuing to note cut or failed support orders with a small "s" instead of a capital "S". This will make it easier on the E-Mailed version of the szine to see what happened, since the italics don't show there. The italics DO show on the web page just fine.
Standby lists:
Mike Barno, Dick Martin, Brad Wilson, Jack McHugh, Glenn Petroski, Steve Emmert, Mark Kinney, Vince Lutterbie, Eric Brosius, Paul Rauterberg, Bob Osuch, Doug Kent, Sean O'Donnell, Vern Parker, Heath Gardner, Paul Kenny, and Dan Gorham stand by for regular Diplomacy.
Let me know if you want on or off these lists, especially OFF. Standbies get the szine for free and receive my personal thanks.


GAME OPENING INFORMATION
We've got lots of openings in the subszines, check them out!!! Especially, contact Rip Gooch for Railway Rivals, see Rip's subszine elsewhere in most issues of TAP. Come on, help me out!!! Contact Rip Gooch directly at xyropedes of canada.com.
We have a new game start below. I am willing to open another new game if there is enough interest!!! Also, is there any interest in another game of Nuclear Yuppie Evil Empire 7x7 Dip? I know it may be getting tired, but I really like it. We have Karl Schmit on the list, let's get seven!!
I also am starting a game of the variant I designed, Spy Diplomacy. Signups for that are now open. I'll publish the rules shortly or you can look at them at www.variantbank.org. Bruce Edwards and Eric Ozog are signed up. I'll try to remember to punch in the rules in the next issue.
John Harrington is offering to guest GM a game of Office Politics. Any interest in that?? Let me or John know! Jody McCullough and Bruce Edwards are interested, anyone else?
Harold Reynolds has been running the game of Colonia (see elsewhere in this issue) and is interested in guest-GMing a game of Aberration. Sean O'Donnell and Brendan Whyte are interested in Aberration. Brendan and Sean BOTH need rules from Harold Reynolds. And since Colonia is over, Harold is looking to start something else.
Also, I am going to design some postal rules for Devil Take the Hindmost, and Chris Lockheardt is pulling out of that opening too, so I need two more players. Bruce Edwards and Eoghan Barry are signed up. Postal rules from me will be forthcoming shortly, on my never ending to-do list. I will get them in SOON! I'm more likely to get these things started if I see some interest..... it takes four and Eoghan is getting tired of waiting....
Right now, the other thing going is the Modern Diplomacy game with Wings. Bob Holt, Rick Desper, Alexander Woo, Dave Partridge, and Eric Ozog are signed up for that. I will start it when I get a full complement of players, the other Modern game is now done!


TAKING OVER ISHKIBIBBLE'S REGULAR DIPLOMACY GAMES
I'll be taking over Phil Reynolds' two regular Diplomacy games somewhere in TAP. One or both games might go to Harold Reynolds' subszine, since Colonia is over. I have Phil's last issue, #44, but that was published way back in December of 2003. I'm not sure if people have moved or whatever in that time, so a little help would be appreciated. And I hope everyone comes back, but I might need some standbys.
Us and Them: Winter 1901 was published and it was early on, but I think I can find all the players. Hank Alme (Austria), Karl Schmit (England), John Power (Germany), Tim Snyder (Italy), and Fred Wiedemeyer (Russia) are all here already and Paul Boymel (Turkey) and Marc Ellinger (France) are locatable. Please let me know if you plan to continue!!!
We are the Champions: This one is even earlier, ONLY Spring 1901 had been published. But again, most of the players are around here, except that again I have to locate Paul Boymel (Italy) and Marc Ellinger (Turkey). Dave Partridge (Austria) is here of course, Graham Wilson (England) is just joining us, Fred Wiedemeyer (France) and Kevin Wilson (Germany) are here. That just leaves Paul Risner to track down and note that I have this letter from him in this issue, so he is tracked.
You can find that last issue of Paul's szine at:
/Postal/Zines/ishkibibble/ishkibibble_44.pdf


SPIRALS OF PARANOIA: 2005A, Regular Diplomacy
THE NEW DUE DATE FOR SPRING 1901 IS APRIL 30, 2005
Winter 1900
AUSTRIA (): PAUL RAUTERBERG IS CALLED AS STANDBY; has a BUD, a VIE, f TRI.
ENGLAND (Wiedemeyer): has a LVP, f LON, f EDI.
FRANCE (Tretick): has a PAR, f BRE, a MAR.
GERMANY (Tallman): has a BER, a MUN, f KIE.
ITALY (Baker): has a VEN, a ROM, f NAP.
RUSSIA (Sundstrom): has f SEV, a WAR, a MOS, f STP(SC).
TURKEY (Biehl): has a CON, f ANK, a SMY.


Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Standby is Paul Rauterberg, 3116 W. American Dr., Greenfield, WI 53221,
(414) 281-2339 (E-Mail) trauterberg of wi.rr.com
ENGLAND: Fred Wiedemeyer, Box 92010-Meadowbrook RPO, Edmonton, ALBERTA CANADA T6T 1N1,
(780) 465-6432, wiedem of planet.eon.net
FRANCE: Buddy Tretick, 9607 Conaty Circle, Spotsylvania, VA 22553-1953, cell (540) 226-5571 (E-Mail)
berniebuddy32 of aol.com
GERMANY: Terry Tallman, PO Box 782, Clinton, WA 98236, (360) 331-5698 ($2)
terryt of whidbey.net
ITALY: Marvin Baker, 822 W. Garner Rd., Garner, NC 27529 (919) 772-7542,
marvinrb1 of bellsouth.net
RUSSIA: Matt Sundstrom, 1760 Robincrest Lane South, Glenview, IL 60025, (847) 729-1882,
Matt.Sundstrom of bbdoch.com or mattandzoe of earthlink.net
TURKEY: John Biehl, #8 - 11530 84th Avenue, Delta, BRITISH COLUMBIA, V4C 2M1 CANADA,
(604) 591-1832 ($7); jrb of dccnet.com


Game Notes:
1) Games in TAP generally are names after songs by the band, the Mekons, and this game will not be an exception. I thought it would be fun to name this one "Spirals of Paranoia", I've meant to use that one as a game name for some time. "Spirals of Paranoia" is a song on the country punk record Retreat from Memphis. This song has a spiraling structure that builds up tension as you might expect. I was going to choose the next song on the record, "Missing You All", which is about the most depressing, lonely, isolated Delta Blues song I've ever heard.... brilliant. But we'll go with "Spirals of Paranoia". Not to say I'm trying to create anything, but this IS Diplomacy.
2) Thanks to Boardman Number Custodian, Tom Howell, we have the first Boardman Number of 2005, 2005A. Thanks for using it in correspondence with each other and with me.
3) Obviously, the big news which you all heard was that Steve Robinson had to resign before submitting the first moves. And note we have a new player. I have orders on file from all the rest of you, let me know if you want to change them and I hope you'll engage the new player.


Press:
(RUSSIA-ITALY): Do you feel like you're between two pitbulls?
(CONSTANTINOPLE (APR 1, 1901)): Sultan Hatas I reposed on his divan, surrounded by his harem, "Tis lamentable, these French `agents provocateurs' who are complaining about us in Syria. We invite them here to drink `kaffa' and to partake of the `hookah', then we may see what manner of character are these infidels."
(MATT-TERRY/BERNIE): Great press. I'm humbled.
(THE FRENCH ACADEMY OF PSYCHIC MIND WASHING AND MENTAL DETERGENT TESTING): Test Result Number 927-Patient is still consumed with Turkey Sandwiches rather than marching east, southeast or due south. Add some Vodka and retest.
(MATT'S MAGICAL MUSHROOM WAFFLE WORKS): I kind of like working for this outfit. Think I'll build a chain. I'm amused by the thought of what might happen if we meet Bernie's House of Jihad.


FLIP FLOP: 2003G, Regular Diplomacy
THE DUE DATE FOR SUMMER 1904 IS APRIL 30TH, 2005
THE DUE DATE FOR FALL 1904 IS MAY 21ST, 2005
Spring 1904
AUSTRIA (Wiedemeyer): a TRI S a alb-ser, a VIE-gal, a BUD S a ser-rum, a ALB-ser,
a mos-sev (d r:war,lvn,otb), a war-UKR, a SER-rum, f gre-bul(sc) (d ann).
ENGLAND (Schmit): f lvp-IRI, a BEL s a ruh-bur (nso), f ENG S f lvp-iri, f nwy-SWE,
f NTH S a bel, a stp-MOS.
FRANCE (Jeff O'Donnell): f SPA(SC) S f mid-wes, a par-BRE, f mid-WES,
a bur-mar (nso), a mar h (unordered; d r:bur,otb), a GAS S f spa(sc).
GERMANY (Sundstrom): a mun-KIE, a BER-mun, a RUH-mun, f hel-DEN.
ITALY (Williams): f ion-GRE, f GOL S a pie-mar, f wes-mid (d r:naf,tyh,tun,otb),
a pie-MAR.
RUSSIA (Sean O'Donnell): a SIL-gal.
TURKEY (Levinson): a CON-bul, f AEG S ITALIAN f ion-gre, f BLA S a bul-rum,
a SEV S ENGLISH a stp-mos, a bul-RUM.


Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Fred Wiedemeyer, Box 92010-Meadowbrook RPO, Edmonton, ALBERTA CANADA T6T 1N1,
(780) 465-6432, wiedem of planet.eon.net
ENGLAND: Karl Schmit, 1452 Seville Dr. #3, Green Bay, WI 54302-5559, (920) 469-5981,
diplomacy of new.rr.com ($5)
FRANCE: Jeff O'Donnell, 402 Middle Ave., Elyria, OH 44035-5728,
(440) 322-2920 or (440) 225-9203 (cell)
GERMANY: Matt Sundstrom, 1760 Robincrest Lane South, Glenview, IL 60025, (847) 729-1882,
Matt.Sundstrom of bbdoch.com or mattandzoe of earthlink.net
ITALY: Don Williams, 27505 Artine Drive, Saugus, CA 91350, (661) 297-3947,
wllmsfmly of earthlink.net or dwilliams of fontana.org
RUSSIA: Sean O'Donnell, 1044 Wellfleet Drive, Grafton, OH 44044, (440) 926-0230,
sean_o_donnell of hotmail.com
TURKEY: Alexandre Levinson, 1, allee des Marniquets, 78430 Louveciennes FRANCE, don't need phone,
levinson7 of hotmail.com ($5)


Game Notes:
1) Back on track, sorry for the delay!


Press:
(DON to BOARD): I'm off to Italy - the REAL Italy - on the trip of a lifetime to see an old flame from 30 years ago. Wish us luck. And be gentle with my dots until I get back!
(JIM-BOB to DON): I hope you had the trip of a lifetime and that they let you star in the movie they make of your life and this trip. In the romantic comedy genre, Will Smith's latest "Hitch" isn't half bad, but nowhere near as good as your story COULD be. We await the outcome....
(ROME to PARIS): That goes double for you.
(SEAN-JEFF): Only when we play them. I must say though having said that: YOU ARE SOOOOO RIGHT!
(WEARY HOFBRAUHAUS PATRONS-KIEL): Far too much fun for any unit to stay in Munich for any length of time. Did anyone else try to get in?
(BOOB to HOFBRAUHAUS): Nah, and you passed up a perfectly unnecessary support to Burgundy. No one could figure out WHO was there, or wanted to be there! Now, here's what the Russian has to say....
(SEAN-ENGLAND, AUSTRIA, AND TURKEY): I am quite disappointed. Couldn't you all have waited till I wiped out France first? Nothing better than stabbing your teacher or beating your teacher of a game.
(JEFF to SEAN): So let me get this straight; you are at war with Japan - Colonial England - Colonial Turkey - England - Germany - Turkey and Austria? Wow! I don't think even I could write a Star Trek episode to cover that one. Enjoy the moment, as always China and Russia suck!
(BOOB to JEFF): Colonial Diplomacy as a whole generally sucks.... and there is about to be dearth of new Star Trek episodes that you're going to need to try to fill, as Enterprise (which also generally sucks) is going off the air. I saw one episode the other night where they did a bunch of things and had a subspace time warping virus cause another bunch of trouble. And of course everyone died, but when the blew up the ship the time warping virus died and they were all back where they started. It really was amazingly lame and predictable.
(MATT-JEFF): There weren't too many countries who didn't attack Germany, so who can blame Don for tagging in? I felt like the French Queen in History of the World Part I.
(PS JEFF to SEAN): What the heck, since you are already fighting Japan, why don't you head a little further east (or would that be west?) and attack Pearl Harbor and bring the US into this???
(RUSSIA-GERMANY): Well, your portion of the Vodka is in Denmark or to those that take it..... Sorry you'll (sic) but Austria and Turkey cut my production and destroyed my roads to ship what all I had around areas they now control =(
(MATT-SEAN): The plan was ok, but it helps if your target falls for it. I will quibble with the subsequent execution...why did I have to become part of the "complete disaster"? I had enough problems.
(CAPTAIN'S LOG "NOT GOOD"): We are heading into our seventh month since we were transformed into Ferengi in the perpendicular universe. We are being attacked by the Federation (this universe), the Romulans, and Intelligent Tribbles. The starship Bad Deal has been destroyed. We thought we could re-fit another starship, but it turned out we did not have the resources. We never should have attacked the Federation (big mistake!). On the other hand, the Breen are in prime shape to attack the Tribbles. They'd be crazy not to. Commander Worf is down to one troop transport and one starbase that he can't defend. The only question is does the rest of the Universe wipe us out, then the Tribbles, or vice versa. Maybe I can petition the Federation for membership. Not likely since we started the war. All I can do it try. Kirk out.
(JEFF to JIM): Who is John Boardman?
(BOOB to JEFFY POO): Who is John Boardman?? He is the inventor of this little postal hobby and his szine is still going as he's produced 763 issues. I'm not even half way to catching up to him and at my current rate I'd need over thirty years to catch up to him!!! That's who he is.


I CAN'T FIND MY MONEY!: 2001F, Regular Diplomacy
THE DUE DATE FOR SPRING 1910 IS APRIL 30TH, 2005
Winter 1909
AUSTRIA (Parker): bld f tri, a vie, a bud; has f TRI, a VIE, a BUD, f ADR,
a VEN, a BUL, a TUS, a ROM, a SEV, a ALB, a SER, a STP, f GRE.
ENGLAND (Kinney): R f nth-NWG; has a LON, a EDI, f NWG.
FRANCE (Kent): has a PIE, a MAR, a WAL, f ENG, f WES.
GERMANY (Wilson): has f NTH, a MUN, f HOL, a BEL, a DEN, a BUR, f NWY, a RUH.
ITALY (Barno): R a rom-NAP; rem a apu; has a NAP, f ION.
TURKEY (Miller): R f bul(sc) otb; has f AEG, a ARM, a SMY.


Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Vern Parker, 337 Winter Hill Place, Powell, OH 43065, (614) 402-5139
VernDip of aol.com is preferred
ENGLAND: Mark Kinney, 4830 Westport Road, Apt D, Louisville KY 40222
alberich of iglou.com
FRANCE: Douglas Kent - Unit F, #30694-177, Federal Correctional Institution McKean,
PO Box 8000, Bradford, PA 16701
GERMANY: Kevin Wilson, 18623 Santa Maria Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809, 225-751-3857,
ckevinw1 of cox.net
ITALY: Heath Gardner, 1510 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro, NC 27403-1207
metaphorman of gmail.com
ITALY: Standby is Mike Barno, 634 Dawson Hill Road, Spencer, NY 14883
mpbarno of lightlink.com
RUSSIA: Rick Desper, 5440 Marinelli Road, #204, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 977-7691, rick_desper of yahoo.com
TURKEY: Tim Miller, 258 New Mark Esplanade, Rockville, MD 20850,
tim of webjudge.net
GM: Jim-Bob Burgess, 664 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908-4327, +1 401-351-0287
burgess of world.std.com


Game Notes:
1) Mike Barno is taking over for Italy and thanks to Paul Rauterberg for the unnecessary Turkish standby orders. Mike is welcome to try to keep enticing Heath Gardner to return, since I'd prefer that as much as Mike would.
2) Also, a concession to Austria and an AFG draw are proposed. Please vote with your spring orders. NMRs or no votes veto the proposals.
3) Note Kevin Wilson's new E-Mail address.


Press:


SOMETHING TO BE SCARED OF: 2001D, Regular Diplomacy
THE GAME IS OVER - EFG DRAW AGREED TO BY ALL PARTIES


Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Doug Kent
ENGLAND: Matt Sundstrom, 1760 Robincrest Lane South, Glenview, IL 60025, (847) 729-1882 ($5)
Matt.Sundstrom of bbdoch.com or mattandzoe of earthlink.net
FRANCE: James Alan (Jim) Tretick, 1383 Canterbury Way Potomac, MD 20854, (301) 279-0803 ($4)
jatretick of comcast.net
GERMANY: Don Williams, 27505 Artine Drive, Saugus, CA 91350, (661) 297-3947 ($3)
wllmsfmly of earthlink.net or dwilliams of fontana.org
ITALY: Mike Barno, 634 Dawson Hill Road, Spencer, NY 14883
mpbarno of lightlink.com
RUSSIA: Paul Rauterberg, 3116 W. American Dr., Greenfield, WI 53221,
(414) 281-2339 (E-Mail) trauterberg of wi.rr.com
TURKEY: Sean O'Donnell, 1044 Wellfleet Drive, Grafton, OH 44044, (440) 926-0230
sean_o_donnell of hotmail.com or seanfodonnell of yahoo.com


Game Notes:
1)




FANTASTIC VOYAGE: 1999K, Regular Diplomacy
THE DUE DATE FOR END GAME STATEMENTS EXTENDED
Five Way AEGRT Draw Declared!


Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Paul Rauterberg, 3116 W. American Dr., Greenfield, WI 53221, (414) 281-2339 (E-Mail)
trauterberg of wi.rr.com
ENGLAND: John Biehl, #8 - 11530 84th Avenue, Delta, BRITISH COLUMBIA, V4C 2M1 CANADA,
(604) 591-1832 ($7); jrb of dccnet.com
FRANCE: Rick Davis, 2420 West Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95407, (707) 544-5201,
redavis914 of aol.com
GERMANY: Bob Osuch, 19137 Midland Avenue, Mokena, IL 60448, (708) 478-3885
ROsuch4082 of aol.com
ITALY: Terry Tallman, PO Box 782, Clinton, WA 98236, (360) 710 9613, cell (360) 710-9613 ($2)
terryt of whidbey.net
RUSSIA: Buddy Tretick, 9607 Conaty Circle, Spotsylvania, VA 22553, (540) 582-2356 (E-Mail)
batretick of earthlink.net
TURKEY: Vince Lutterbie, 1021 Stonehaven, Marshall, MO 65340-2837, (660) 886-7354
melvin4852 of sbcglobal.net


Game Notes:
1)


End Game Statements:


SECRETS: 1999D, Regular Diplomacy
THE DUE DATE FOR WINTER 1918 IS APRIL 30TH, 2005
THE DUE DATE FOR SPRING 1919 IS MAY 21ST, 2005
Fall 1918
ENGLAND (Brosius): f LON h, a GAS S FRENCH f mar, f NAO S f mid, a KIE S FRENCH a mun,
f MID S FRENCH f spa(sc), f ENG S f mid, f HOL S a kie, f POR S FRENCH f spa(sc).
FRANCE (Sasseville): f MAR S f spa(sc), f SPA(SC) S f mar, a MUN S a bur, a BUR S a mun.
GERMANY (Barno): a ank-SMY.
RUSSIA (Reynolds): REPLACEMENT IS VERN PARKER; a MOS h, a LVN S a mos,
a BER S FRENCH a mun, f BAL S a pru, a STP S a mos, a PRU S a ber.
TURKEY (Linsey): a ARM-sev, a UKR S a sev-mos, a WAR S a sev-mos, f WES s ENGLISH f por-spa(sc)
(nso), a SEV-mos, f GOL s ENGLISH a gas-mar (nso), a SIL s ENGLISH a kie-mun (nso),
a GAL S a sil, f NAF S f mid, f AEG h, a TYO s ENGLISH a kie-mun (nso),
f PIE s ENGLISH a gas-mar (nso), a BUL s ITALIAN a mun-ven(sc) (nsu),
a BOH S ENGLISH a kie-mun (nso).


Supply Center Chart
ENGLAND (Brosius): LON,LVP,EDI,bre,por,bel,kie,hol (has 8, even)
FRANCE (Sasseville): PAR,MAR,spa,mun (has 4, even)
GERMANY (Barno): con,ank,smy (has 1, PLAYS TWO SHORT)
RUSSIA (Reynolds): MOS,STP,nwy,swe,den,ber (has 6, even)
TURKEY (Linsey): rum,bul,gre, (has 14, rem 1)
bud,nap,ven,tun,sev,war,rom,tri,vie,ser
Neutral: none (Total=34)


Addresses of the Participants
ENGLAND: Eric Brosius, 53 Bird Street, Needham, MA 02492
eric.brosius of comcast.net
FRANCE: Roland Sasseville, Jr., 38 Bucklin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02861, (401) 481-4280 ($0)
roland6 of cox.net and ICQ: 40565030
GERMANY: Mike Barno, 634 Dawson Hill Road, Spencer, NY 14883
mpbarno of lightlink.com
RUSSIA: Replacement is Vern Parker, 337 Winter Hill Place, Powell, OH 43065, (614) 402-5139
VernDip of aol.com is preferred
TURKEY: Bruce Linsey, PO Box 234, Kinderhook, NY 12106
GonzoHQ of aol.com


Game Notes:
1) The FREGT draw is rejected and then reproposed. We now require everyone to vote every season, no perpetual draw votes. And failure to vote would be a yes. So actually technically you don't HAVE to vote, since this does NOT mean the game will just be ended by the GM, it just means someone must veto the draw every turn. So it is just draw vetoers who must vote.
2) There also is a proposal for a concession to Germany. Please vote on this, if both proposals pass, the concession dominates.
3) Then we have the sad situation of replacing Phil Reynolds. I'm using his last file orders this season, I hope that Vern Parker will be willing to standby as the replacement. If you want extra time to absorb this game, let me know. The game history has been pretty stagnant except for the wandering German army.


Press:
(TO BLARE OF NEARLY SYNCHRONIZED TRUMPETS' FANFARE, MIKE ANNOUNCES): I am [whispered aside: "I hope"] Lord and Master of Constantinople, and of Ankara, and of Smyrna! I rule the Turkish metropoliseses, and Turkey is the mightiest nation in Europe, and therefore it is now your duty to CONCEDE VICTORY TO ME!! [whispered aside: "Hey, where's the badenzimmer here in Smyrna?"]


FINDING THE COMMUNITY: Breaking Away, Designer's Rules
THE DUE DATE FOR TURN 14 IS APRIL 30TH, 2005
Turn 13
101 (replenish with a 2) Hearts (Breaking Away! - not by much)
100 (no replenishment) Empty
99 (replenish with a 3) Lisa, Clubs, Sand
98 (replenish with a 6) Clay
97 (no replenishment) Empty
96 (replenish with a 3) Pebble
95 (no replenishment) Empty
94 (no replenishment) Empty
93 (replenish with a 3) Franklin
92 (no replenishment) Empty
91 (no replenishment) Empty
90 (no replenishment) Empty
89 (replenish with a 3) Wade, Edmond, El Vez
88 (replenish with a 6) Diamonds
87 (replenish with a 7) Carl Sagan, Geri Lee Lewis, Johnny Peso, Spades
86 (replenish with a 11) Paige
85 (replenish with a 12) Frederick
84 (replenish with a 13) James, Homer, Marge
83 (no replenishment) Empty
82 (replenish with a 3) Bart
81 (no replenishment) Empty
-S-P-R-I-N-T- -F-I-N-I-S-H- -L-I-N-E-
80 (no replenishment) Empty
79 (no replenishment) Empty
78 (no replenishment) Empty
77 (no replenishment) Empty
76 (no replenishment) Empty
75 (no replenishment) Empty
74 (no replenishment) Empty
73 (no replenishment) Empty
72 (replenish with a 3) Zedd
71 (no replenishment) Empty
70 (no replenishment) Empty
69 (no replenishment) Empty
68 (no replenishment) Empty
67 (no replenishment) Empty
66 (replenish with a 3) Omega, Silt


Addresses of the Participants - Their Team and Their Cards
TEAM 1 (Rick Desper): rick_desper of yahoo.com (39 points)
Team Name: Team Springfield
A: Homer Simpson (7) 11 7 13 13
B: Marge Simpson (8) 3 14 13
C: Bart Simpson (11) 3 3 3
D: Lisa Simpson (3) 4 3 3
Total Replenishments: 22+63+46+13+15+29+21+17+25+17+18+33+32 = 361
TEAM 2 (Bruce Edwards): kactusjak of ntlworld.com (2 points)
Team Name: Last Again
A: Zedd (3) 3 4 3
B: Omega (3) 4 4 3
C: Paige (3) 5 6 11
D: James (3) 3 6 13
Total Replenishments: 16+37+29+25+12+13+26+24+21+18+16+15+30 = 282
TEAM 3 (Tom Howell): off-the-shelf of olympus.net (1 point)
Team Name: The Soils; Manager: Boulder
A: Clay (15) 7 7 3 6
B: Silt (3) 4 3 3
C: Sand (20) 4 10 3
D: Pebble (21) 9 15 3
Total Replenishments: 17+62+63+25+12+13+12+29+27+21+17+31+15 = 344
TEAM 4 (Dennis Menear): dmenear of wirefire.com (9 points)
Team Name: The Firm
A: Edmond (3) 3 3 3 3
B: Franklin (3) 4 4 3
C: Frederick (5) 4 9 12
D: Wade (11) 4 3 3
Total Replenishments: 12+28+32+35+38+25+24+17+29+21+15+26+21 = 323
TEAM 5 (David Partridge): rebhuhn of rocketmail.com (24 points)
Team Name: It's In The Cards; Manager: The Joker
A: Spades (9) 15 3 11 7
B: Hearts (6) 4 4 2
C: Diamonds (3) 5 5 6
D: Clubs (5) 3 3 3
Total Replenishments: 17+55+51+25+30+24+26+20+34+15+15+25+18 = 355
TEAM 6 (Karl Schmit): diplomacy of new.rr.com (3 points)
Team Name: 25 Dollar Quartet
A: Carl Sagan (5) 3 15 8 7
B: El Vez (3) 15 11 3
C: Geri Lee Lewis (6) 9 8 7
D: Johnny Peso (6) 1 8 7
Total Replenishments: 12+37+22+44+16+27+28+27+32+39+33+20+24 = 361


Game Notes:
1) The rules are on the TAP website in the Tinamou section. Ask if you have any questions. Press is VERY welcome!!!
2) Up above in parentheses is the card you played to get to where you are in the field. The replenishment card is the last card in your list. Be careful to note that the card you played (the one in parentheses) is not available for you, for next turn. Just for fun, I'm going to keep track of total replenishment, by turn, which is a rough measure of how the teams are doing. Of course, it is lining up to get across the sprint and final lines in the right places that really counts. We can calculate an "efficiency score" later, which will be the ratio of scoring points per replenishment. If I'm predicting how the future of this will come out, a 10% score will be really tremendous for this measure (note that Rick still is ahead of this pace).


Press:
(BART - SAND): I hope you held back this turn.
(BOOB to BART): So close, yet so far, now you're dropped from the field. That makes four riders dropped, all of whom will stay on the track. Now, for the moves at the other end of the race....
(HEART to BOOB): Ya gotta have heart! Cartoon girl vs circulatory organ, no challenge. If she doesn't go for it, this breakaway should be worth a 2!!!
(BOOB to HEART): You nailed that one. You wonder if a breakaway 2 is even worth it. Now you've got those big fours to use to lengthen the lead.....


FEAR AND WHISKEY: 1998Ers31, Modern Diplomacy
CONCESSION TO UKRAINE PASSES - CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVE!!!


Addresses of the Participants
BRITAIN: Kurt Ozog, 391 Wilmington Drive, Bartlett, IL 60103, (630) 837-2813
ozricozog of yahoo.com
EGYPT: Jeff O'Donnell, 402 Middle Ave., Elyri, OH 44035-5728, (440) 322-2920
or (440) 225-9203 (cell) ($2)
FRANCE: Harry Andruschak ($5) Tapmdfrance of aol.com
GERMANY: Paul Rauterberg, 3116 W. American Dr., Greenfield, WI 53221, (414) 281-2339 (E-Mail)
trauterberg of wi.rr.com
ITALY: Eric Ozog, PO Box 1138, Granite Falls, WA 98252-1138, (360) 691-4264 ($3)
ElfEric of Juno.com
POLAND: Roland Sasseville, Jr., 38 Bucklin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02861, (401) 481-4280 ($5)
roland6 of home.com and ICQ: 40565030
RUSSIA: Randy Ellis
SPAIN: Sean O'Donnell, 1044 Wellfleet Drive, Grafton, OH 44044, (440) 926-0230 ($3)
sean_o_donnell of hotmail.com or seanfodonnell of yahoo.com
TURKEY: Kent Pollard, 1541 W. San Jose, Fresno, CA 93711, (209) 225-0957 ($10)
UKRAINE: Dave Partridge, 15 Woodland Drive, Brookline, NH 03033 ($8)
rebhuhn of rocketmail.com




Personal Note to You:


File translated from TEX by TTH, version 3.30.
On 19 Apr 2005, 17:24.