Eternal Sunshine #116

September 2016

By Douglas Kent 911 Irene Drive, Mesquite, TX 75149

Email: diplomacyworld@yahoo.com or dougray30@yahoo.com

On the web 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.

All Eternal Sunshine readers are encouraged to join the free Eternal Sunshine Yahoo group at https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/eternal_sunshine_diplomacy/info

to stay up-to-date on any subzine news or errata. If you don’t like the sign-up process just send me an email and I will send you an invite which cuts through the red tape. You should also join the Eternal Sunshine Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/270968112943024/

Check out my eBay store at http://stores.ebay.com/dougsrarebooksandmore

My book “It’s Their House; I’m Just a Guest” is available in softcover and Kindle from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501090968/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Welcome to the latest issue of Eternal Sunshine, where I announce that this time I am REALLY running down to a fold.

Yup, that’s it. The current games (Kendo, BAPD, Gunboat, and Diplomacy) will be completed in full. And then I’m done, unless I change my mind in the process. I think the day and age of zines like this has come and gone. There aren’t enough people who want to play at this speed, and I don’t think that many players are interested in reading non-game material.

Obviously this unexpected divorce has a lot to do with it too. My enthusiasm is down, and I’m going to be going through the process of finding myself all over again. I’m not in some horrific depressed state or anything like that; I get up and go to work and take care of the animals and live my life. And I’m trying to reintroduce myself to social activities.

You’ll be able to find my by email and Facebook after this folds, or follow me on Twitter at @EternalSunshDip where I post just about every day.

I’m hoping to get some writing dome on my Mara book one of these days…who knows.

Thanks to all of you for spending time here, and I hope you’ll finish out your games instead of just disappearing.

Hypothetical of the Month

Last month we gave you two questions:

#1 – A neighbor’s kid finds $30 in your drive way and gives it to you. No one claims it, although you aren’t certain if you dropped it or not. You might have. Do you give it to the kid?

Mark Nelson - Yes. If I'm not sure if I dropped it, then I'd rather reward the honesty of the kid.

Melinda Holley - I'm positive it's not mine since my cash is always zipped up in my purse. Could it have been a visitor's? Most likely not. I give it to the kid & let his parents know they have an honest kid. If a visitor asks about lost money later, I'll make it good.

Don Del Grande - I'll split it with him.

Andy York - Yep, why not. He was honest in trying to return it but if I don't know it's mine and no one else tries to claims it, he might as well have it.

John David Galt - No, but I'd give him something. Maybe $5.

Jack McHugh - I'd split it with him 50/50 any chance I dropped it...otherwise I’d give it all to the kid...

Steve Cooley - Well, duh! Of course! In fact, I appreciate honesty so much I might even give him more than the $30 he found.

Andy Lischett - If I had lost $30 I would probably know it, so it's not my money. I would ask Carol if she lost it and, if so, would give her $20 and give the kid $10. If not mine and not Carol's, and the kid is high-school age I would give him the money. If he were younger I would give the money to his parents, or to him if I didn't know the parents.

#2 – You attend a wedding distinguished by poor food, boring speeches and bad music. A few weeks later the bride asks if you enjoyed yourself. Do you tell the truth?

Mark Nelson - Did you know that I married in September 2014 (at the grand age of 46)? In the year after we married two of our bridesmaids were married (not to each other!). We thought that the food at their reception was not a patch on what we had, and so do other people!

To answer your question. Firstly, I don't think that this question is correctly phrased! Just because the food was poor, the speeches was boring and the music was bad... that doesn't mean that you didn't enjoy yourself. So, you might not need to lie.

Secondly, you might be able to avoid answering the question by saying "you looked so beautiful and happy at the wedding". The bride might forget all about her question!

Finally, to answer the question. Yes, even if I hadn't enjoyed myself I would lie.

Melinda Holley - I tell her I always enjoy weddings and appreciate being included in hers. If the reception was that bad, I'm sure she's already heard about it from someone else.

Don Del Grande - Yes, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she felt the same way about the wedding, or at least got some other comments about how bad it was.

Andy York - Somewhat, I'd hedge the response along the lines of "I really don't like big gatherings" (true), basically a neutral response, then ask how they felt about it.

John David Galt - I'd just say it was OK and change the subject.

Jack McHugh - I'd ask her if she enjoyed her day and concentrate on her feelings about it because that's who weddings are for--the couple getting married not the guests...

Steve Cooley - Firstly, I avoid her like the plague so I don’t have to answer such a question. If I can’t escape, then I’ll say something like, “Pshh! Who cares what I think? It was your day and I’m sure you had a grand time!”

If she persists, I would say something like, “Hey, not everything was as I would prefer, but then again—it wasn’t my wedding.”

Simply put, there is no way I would tell the bride that I loathed her wedding. Not gonna happen.

Andy Lischett - No, of course I lie.

The Greatest Albums of All Time

The 1960’s or 1970’s or 1980’s or 1990’s – Any Leftovers

Robert Rodday, Jr – The 2000’s - Neko Case 2009 Middle Cyclone

Neko Case 2006 Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

The Shins 2007 Wincing the Night Away

Neko Case 2000 Furnace Room Lullaby

The Shins 2001 Oh, Inverted World

Neko Case 2002 Blacklisted

The Shins 2003 Chutes Too Narrow

Norah Jones 2002 Come Away With Me

U2 2004 How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

Enya 2000 A Day Without Rain

The 2010’s – Only Set of Five

Doug Kent – Joe Jackson - The Duke

Joe Jackson - Fast Forward

SHEL - SHEL

Grace Pettis - Two Birds

SHEL - Just Crazy Enough

Robert Rodday Jr. - Tame Impala 2012 Lonerism

St. Vincent 2014 St. Vincent

Lorde 2013 Pure Heroine

Adele 2011 21

Lana Del Rey 2014 Ultraviolence

Joshua Danker-Dake - I was going to go for some kind of representative balance here, but screw it. I’ll own it. I love ’em. Sabaton is the best.

Sabaton, “Heroes” – The greatest album by the most fun, most educational band alive. The best album of the decade. One of my top five all time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZNeastYxEc

Sabaton, “Coat of Arms” – Another phenomenal Sabaton album full of monster hits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmerZbDPXns

Sabaton, “The Last Stand” – This brand-new album (8/19/16) doesn’t quite reach the impossibly high bar set by “Heroes,” but I’m not too proud to say I shed a manly tear the first time I heard the title track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxiQLrkpRuA

Dragony, “Shadowplay” – Yeah, I’m a sucker for cheeseball metal anthems about overcoming adversity, and I’m not ashamed to play this loud with the windows down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KCLX7m0fVs

Nightwish, “Imaginaerum” – This one takes style variety to infinity and beyond, but it all works pretty well except maybe for the slow jazz piece and the pretentious talking number.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV2C9_MAJ0E

Martin Burgdorf - 2015 Edmund Küpper: Lost Cities

2015 Buzzcocks: The Way

2012 Mark Stewart: The Politics of Envy

2011 TVSMITH: COMING INTO LAND

2010 John Foxx: D.N.A.

Next Issue – Final Decade Breakdowns

Where in the World is Kendo Nagasaki?

Round 1

Clue to Person with Closest Guess:

Wrong chromosome. You died more than 30 years before I did. I have a notable connection to one of your personal demons.

Deadline for Round 4 is September 27th at 7am My Time

BEFORE THERE WAS ADELE THERE WAS PETULA:
PETULA CLARK REPRISED AT 84
By Larry Peery

Watch out Adele, Petula is catching up with you! With 70 million records sold, 30 movies made, countless concerts performed, and enough awards to fill Royal Albert Hall; Petula Clark, at 84, is busier than ever.
Long before there was Adele there was Pet, but comparing the two is a bit like comparing the Royal Navy’s original Astute with the current submarine of the same name. ‘nuff said.

At 84 she’s still a trooper, a work horse and a show stopper. No fancy arrivals, rehearsals, or costumes: she just shows up, walks on stage and after a two number warm-up she owns it. The force is still in her vocal cords and the magic still works on her fans. It’s sort of like playing Dip with Toby, don’t you think?
Speaking of Toby, Dipdom’s favorite international gad-about, any traveling Dipper will appreciate this tabloid photo story from The Mirror.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/petula-clark-stuck-downtown-waits-8530135

I don’t know if Pet’s ever played Diplomacy, but if she has it wouldn’t surprise me a bit! There are hints of it throughout her career: 1)A policy of never giving up London; 2) Her determination to capture France and occupy Paris; 3) Or, preferably, her belief in a strong English-French alliance; 4) Her long-time occupation of Switzerland; 5) Her affection for Belgian bier and chocolate!

Does she have any tips for Dippers? Of course she does.
1. Never listen to your critics.
2. Always listen to yourself.
Pet’s love for Diplomacy shines in her new album, “From Now On”; which debuts 13 September. Included in the eleven tracks are some new songs like: Sacrifice My Dots; Endgames; While You See a Chance, Grab It!; Sincerely; Never Let Go of Belgium; and Happiness Is Winning.

After the album comes the hard part: prepping and promoting the album promotional tour in the press:
Here’s a sample of what that’s like. Now imagine doing it a half-dozen times a day for a couple of weeks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLs7Z8yZroQ Pet Clark Interview

The concert tour in the UK begins in early October and includes 15 concerts in 20 days, culminating on 23 October at London’s Theater Royal Drury Lane. Most venues offer tickets for from 25 to 150 pounds with

regular tickets, VIP and Meet & Greet package options. Prime venues are already sold out.

This extensive UK tour accompanies her new album From Now On, a refreshing an inspiring collection of songs that draws upon various influences from Petula's astonishing career.

The show will feature her greatest hits as well as a selection of new songs from the album.

Pet has a large and active worldwide fan club which practically guarantees that every concert will be a sellout.

http://www.petulaclark.net/home.php (fan club site)

Here’s an update on the new stage show based on Petula’s music.

http://us.blastingnews.com/showbiz-tv/2016/07/musical-based-around-petula-clark-songs-opens-up-in-connecticut-001041797.html

The show opened on 29 July and runs until 4 September at the Terris Theater in Chester, CT. Sold out crowds responded with toe-tapping, swaying, sing-a-longs, and finally dancing in the aisles as the curtain came down. Rave reviews all ended with the same question: “Is it going to Broadway?”

Game Openings

No openings at present.

Eternal Sunshine Game Section

Diplomacy, “Milk and Trash”, 2015A, W 07/S 08

Austria (Jack McHugh – jwmchughjr “of” gmail.com): A Ankara Supports F Constantinople – Smyrna,

A Bohemia - Munich (*Fails*), F Constantinople – Smyrna, A Galicia – Ukraine, A Serbia – Bulgaria,

A Silesia Supports A Bohemia - Munich (*Cut*), A Trieste Supports A Tyrolia,

A Tyrolia Supports A Bohemia - Munich.

England (Mark Firth – mogcate “of” me.com): F English Channel - Mid-Atlantic Ocean,

F Gulf of Lyon Supports F Mid-Atlantic Ocean - Western Mediterranean, F Holland - Belgium (*Bounce*),

F Mid-Atlantic Ocean - Western Mediterranean, F North Africa Supports F Tyrrhenian Sea – Tunis,

F North Sea - Belgium (*Bounce*), A Norway Supports F St Petersburg(sc), A Smyrna – Armenia,

F Tyrrhenian Sea - Tunis.

Germany (Jim Burgess – jfburgess “of” gmail.com): Build A Kiel.. F Baltic Sea Supports A Prussia,

A Berlin - Silesia (*Fails*), A Burgundy Supports A Munich, A Kiel Supports A Munich,

A Munich Supports A Berlin - Silesia (*Cut*), A Piedmont - Venice (*Bounce*), A Portugal – Spain,

A Prussia Supports A Berlin - Silesia (*Cut*), F St Petersburg(sc) Hold.

Italy (John Biehl – jerbil “of” shaw.ca): Retreat F Tyrrhenian Sea - Rome.. F Aegean Sea - Ionian Sea,

F Ionian Sea – Naples, F Rome Supports F Ionian Sea – Naples, ~~F Tunis - Western Mediterranean~~ (*Disbanded*),

A Tuscany - Venice (*Bounce*), F Venice - Apulia.

Russia (Kevin Wilson – ckevinw “of” comcast.net): Build A Moscow.. A Moscow - St Petersburg (*Fails*),

A Warsaw - Prussia (*Fails*).

Thanks to Andy York for the unused standby orders

Deadline for F 08 is September 27th at 7am my time

PRESS

(JIM-BOB to THOSE INTERESTED): Yeah, my back surgery went great on Friday, I literally hit send on TAP and then went off to get ready. I am headed into Rehab, you all have no excuses, get your orders in and write Diplomacy World articles, you get no sympathy from me for being too busy!!!

Black Press Gunboat, “Noah’s Titanic”, 2015Arb32, F 08

Austria: A Galicia Supports A Vienna – Bohemia, A Rumania - Sevastopol (*Bounce*),

A Sevastopol - Moscow (*Bounce*), A Trieste Supports A Tyrolia, A Tyrolia Supports A Vienna – Bohemia,

A Vienna – Bohemia, A Warsaw - Moscow (*Bounce*).

England: ~~F London Supports A Brest - English Channel~~ (*Dislodged*, retreat to Yorkshire or OTB),

F Wales - Liverpool (*Bounce*).

France: Retreat F English Channel - Irish Sea.. A Brest – Gascony, A Burgundy Supports A Marseilles,

F Irish Sea Supports F Spain(sc) - Mid-Atlantic Ocean, A Marseilles Supports A Burgundy,

F Spain(sc) - Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Bounce*).

Germany: F Baltic Sea Convoys A Berlin – Livonia, A Belgium Supports A Ruhr, A Berlin – Livonia,

~~A Bohemia - Tyrolia~~ (*Dislodged*, retreat to Silesia or OTB), F Clyde - Liverpool (*Bounce*),

F English Channel – London, A Munich Supports A Bohemia – Tyrolia,

F North Sea Supports F English Channel – London, A Ruhr Supports A Belgium, F St Petersburg(nc) - Norway.

Italy: F Aegean Sea Supports A Bulgaria, F Apulia Supports A Venice, A Armenia Hold, A Bulgaria Hold,

F Gulf of Lyon - Spain(sc) (*Fails*), F North Africa - Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Bounce*),

A Piedmont Supports A Trieste - Tyrolia (*Void*), A Venice Supports A Trieste - Tyrolia (*Void*),

F Western Mediterranean Supports F North Africa - Mid-Atlantic Ocean.

Turkey: A Ukraine - Sevastopol (*Bounce*).

Deadline for W 08/S 09 will be September 27th at 7am My Time

Supply Center Chart

Austria: Budapest, Moscow, Rumania, Serbia, Sevastopol, Trieste, Vienna, Warsaw=8, Build 1

England: Liverpool=1, Even or Remove 1

France: Brest, Marseilles, Paris, Portugal, Spain=5, Even

Germany: Belgium, Berlin, Denmark, Edinburgh, Holland, Kiel, London, Munich, Norway,

St Petersburg, Sweden=11, Build 1 or 2

Italy: Ankara, Bulgaria, Constantinople, Greece, Naples, Rome, Smyrna, Tunis, Venice=9, Even

PRESS

Germany to Austria: Be ready for Italy to attack you in the Balkans. He keeps talking about it, so you can expect it to occur sooner rather than later!

Germany to Italy: If my moves succeed, I will be on your border and ready to support my ally France to crush your imperial ambitions.

Germany to England: With luck, the royal marines will occupy either Liverpool or London, or both, and bring peace to that tortured island.

Germany to France: I hope you move to the Mid-Atlantic. As soon as England is crushed, I will move to support your fleet and seal off the possible incursion of Italy into the Atlantic Ocean. With luck, I can help you move into the Italian peninsula and bring about the downfall of Pope Pompous I!

Germany to France: If you want to protect Spain, you had better move into Gascony!

Germany to Turkey: It was a long run, and you played it well, but I think that your luck has finally run out.

Semi-interested Bystander – Italy: You are quite clever. Do you really suppose you can crush the French before anything happens to your Balkan and Asian holdings?

Austria - Italy: You silly sod! Bul - Rum, really?! Don't pretend that's helpful, BACK OFF. Move both armies to Turkey's SC's so that I CAN send troops to the front line. Otherwise I'll have to waste my troops (and yours) defending my southern flank. (one of your armies could join the front line by convoying to Tunis and beyond)

Vatican - Europe: Spain remains under the protection of France. Let the beneficence of the Holy Hand likewise reach out across all the West; let the heathen be resisted in all quarters.

Pope Pluvius - France: I could have snatched a center from you but how would that stop Germany? With England teetering, the three of us - F/A/I - must work together if we are to successfully hold on. Please start supporting my fleets into the Atlantic folds and stand firm in your trenches.

Italy - Austria: Not as complicated as I made out. Push on north as soon as you can. I'll keep offering the support to Tyl just in case it is any use.

By Almost Popular Demand

The goal is to pick something that fits the category and will be the "second 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. However, the most popular answer in each category scores zero points! 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, with the 10^th round being worth double points. A prize will be awarded to the winner. Research is permitted, but cooperation or collusion between players is not!

Round 4 Categories

1. A deli meat.

2. A brand of automobile tire.

3. Something you wear two of at once.

4. A character on the TV show The Simpsons.

5. A Western/Cowboy television show, past or present.

Dane Maslen scores a big 22 out of a possible 24, while Rick Desper and Hank Alme both snag a measly single point…which also smacks the NMRing players in the face.

Comments By Category

Deli Meat – Jim Burgess “I am going to try to outsmart the field by choosing Ham where Ham is very popular, but maybe other choices will be made.” Mark Firth “Was properly stumped here! I thought delis sold meats and the like to take away. I also wasn't sure if they focused primarily on Jewish cuisine. Anyway, researched a bit and chose the first item I recognised.” [[I think you should have gone with your initial instinct]]

Tire – Jim Burgess “Michelin, trying to go with a quality choices, seeing if maybe Goodyear is most popular.” Mark Firth “Here, was surprised how many I immediately knew. Went for the patriotic answer, though sadly they foundered as materials changed.”

Wear Two – Rick Desper “Shoes, socks, gloves, mittens, earrings...epaulets(???) Knee pads? I'll go with mittens.” Jim Burgess “Socks or shoes, shoes or socks, seems you have to choose one.” Mark Firth “Continuing the theme of failed rubber companies, I was tempted by the safety-first answer: condoms.”

Simpsons – Jim Burgess “Bart Simpson, with the idea that many people will shy away from him as their choice. Marge will be the most popular.” Mark Firth “The solution to picking between Homer and Bart.”

Western – Jim Burgess “The Rifleman, I've actually watched this a few times lately in passing. They're on some level lame but good.” Mark Firth “Again, a huge list from which to select without pondering (ponderosa-ing?). I went for the second that came to mind, as I didn't think "Barbary Coast" would feature highly.”

Round 5 Categories

1. A type of chip.

2. A railroad in the American version of Monopoly.

3. A magazine.

4. An Audrey Hepburn film.

5. A holiday associated with candy.

Deadline for Round 5 of By Almost Popular Demand is September 27^th, 2016 at 7am my time.

General Deadline for the Next Issue of Eternal Sunshine: September 27th, 2016 at 7:00am my time. Hope to See You Then!