About The Diplomatic Pouch

Manus Hand, Publisher

Read Me!

If you've read the other issues of The Pouch, you probably know that this little area is mostly just a pointer for the new readers to the all-important information kept on the always-up-to-date About The Pouch page (stuff like when the next Pouch will hit the Web and how you can easily get it to carry your name in lights with it). In fact, you seasoned readers may have learned to just avoid reading this column, thinking you already know everything you need to know. Well, far be it from me to correct you, you know-it-all you, though I do suggest you get that superiority complex looked at before you become a classic case of ELS in your next game.

It looks, though, that there's always at least a little something new which belongs in here. So if you aren't reading this article, don't blame me if the Pouch world moves and you don't know it. So read on.

First off, the obligatory hello to our new readers! Hi! Welcome aboard!

Simon Last Time and Stephen This Time

It says that I, Manus Hand, publish The Pouch. (It does say that, doesn't it?) Well, as you know, I had far less of a hand in it last time around (Fall Movement) due to an real life overload of non-Diplomacy. (Let's just leave it at that, shall we?) In stepped Simon Szykman (well okay, I dragged him in), and he ably filled in for me. I'd heap praise on him for all he did, but he did more than enough of that himself in the last issue (just kidding).

Life got better, but not back to normal. I'm back at the helm, but not alone. This retreat issue was put together owing to a Herculean effort by Stephen Beaulieu. Stephen, who not only edited and formatted many of the articles for this issue of The Pouch, is the current Bourse Master of the "dippouch" game. God knows this is more than enough work for any one man in and of itself. Then, as you probably know, Stephen is the Gardener -- his Eden Enterprises publishes, in these pages, the subzine "The Garden," a discussion of all aspects of the "dippouch" game. To add pinch-editing to his duties is amazing. And, believe it or not, that's not all. Check out the article by Stephen about the new formats in which he is making The Pouch available to our loyal readership. I don't know about the helicopter drops forecast by Simon last issue, but knowing Stephen's dedication to this enterprise, I wouldn't be surprised.

I can't do it without you guys. None of you. And Stephen, this time the bulk of the praise is yours. I'd say, "you are the wind beneath my wings" but I absolutely loathe that song, so if you wanted to hear it said about you, tough.

Okay, That's It

That wasn't so bad, was it?

Manus Hand, Publisher
(manus@manushand.com)