Eternal Sunshine #167

April 2023

By Douglas Kent - 911 Irene Drive, Mesquite, TX  75149

Email: dougray30@yahoo.com

On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/270968112943024/ or on the web at http://www.whiningkentpigs.com/DW/.  Follow on Twitter at @EternalSunshDip.  Also be sure to visit the official Diplomacy World website at http://www.diplomacyworld.net. 

Sign up for the Eternal Sunshine Mailing List at https://mailchi.mp/45376bbd05df/eternalsunshine

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

 

Quote of The Month – “Why, if there is anything in supply and demand, life is the cheapest thing in the world. There is only so much water, so much earth, so much air; but the life that is demanding to be born is limitless.” - (Wolf Larson in “The Sea Wolf”)

 

Welcome to Eternal Sunshine, one month closer to the end of the zine.  More of the usual this month.  Andy York is here, thankfully, and so is Mark Nelson with his second hobby history issue (this time in cooperation with Rom Howell).  Their subzine is much larger than last issue!  As I fade away, their work grows.

 

I will mention in passing that the latest issue of Diplomacy World came out a week ago.  #161, the Spring 2023 issue.  It has a lot of good stuff in it, including a discussion with Renegade Games about their new Diplomacy set.  You can visit the Diplomacy World website at https://diplomacyworld.net/ or download the issue directly at http://www.diplomacyworld.net/pdf/dw161.pdf .  It’s only Eternal Sunshine with is folding; Diplomacy World is still plodding along.  The more support I can get with that zine, the better!

 

I guess that’s it from me for now.  See you in May! 

Game Openings

No game openings, as the zine will fold when the currently-running games are completed.

 

Standby List: Current standby list who are qualified to standby in More Than Ever: Harold Reynolds.

 

Meet Me in Montauk

The Eternal Sunshine Letter Column

 

Mark Nelson: I'm making good progress on my next issue, though of course it's easy to make good progress in a year in which there was only one regular game.

 

A movie I recently saw on TV... The Way. I remember watching it our local cinema during the brief period when I was a member of the Illawarra Film Society (two years).  It's a movie that I enjoy probably more than I should do, but part of the reason I enjoy is that philosophically I find the Way of St James pilgrimage very appealing. Though it's not something that I would ever do myself. But I like the idea of it.

 

[[I vaguely remember the film.  I wasn’t especially impressed, it wasn’t dramatic enough, in that there were way too many scenes that did nothing to move the film forward.  But it seemed an honest attempt.]]

 

I did, once upon a time, watch a few minutes of Idiocracy, but there was nothing in it to make me want to watch any more. I can't believe that this movie was listed in a top~20 list of time travel movies that I recently saw. Also, to my mind, it’s not technically a time travel movie to my mind.

 

[[I suppose it depends on how you define time travel.  Is time travel only when you travel through time as a force?  Is Planet of the Apes time travel?  We all trvel through time, every day, at a constant speed.]]

 

Just to clarify what I wrote in the previous letter-column. All the early diplomacy endgame tables were collected by Walter Buchanan in The Terminus Project (all games that started from 1963 through to 1970). Once you have a copy of The Terminus Project then you also need the back issues of Everything but you don't need the previous BNC fanzines.

 

It's a shame that there has not been an issue of Everything for... well, quite some time. Games that have finished need to be collected and published!  New game numbers need to be published! It's not unheard of for Everything to have a publisher. What we need to find is someone who is interested in this kind of stuff and is about to fold their own zine to step into the breach...

 

[[I’m trying to determine if there have been later issues, and if there have been, to get copies.  But to be clear, it isn’t that Tom Howell – who does his own subzine/zine right now – is against doing an issue of Everything (I think).  It’s that there’s no reason to do them now.  What use does an issue of Everything have when all it holds is a couple of games where old farts bothered to send in for numbers or sent in results?  The BNC stuff is only useful, and interesting, when it contains information about most of the games going on.  Otherwise it’s a very tiny, select sample size.  It isn’t about how much data it has, it’s about how much it is missing.  In modern times, it’s missing 90% of games.]]

 

I really want to watch Everything... all the reviews I've read about it have been very positive.

 

[[I just read a “brutally honest Oscar ballot” where the voter hated the film.  And that’s okay, not everything is for everyone.]]

 

Mark Nelson (again, later): I know that you've set your heart on folding... but have you considered this?

 

The first ever play-by-mail game was 1963A which was started 60 years ago!  It was a five-player game (AEFGI) with Bul/Rum/R/T/ impassable. Sure, it's not the best 5-player variant.. but 60 years after the first ever game... can I twist your arm to open a waiting list and run one more game? I'm sure that you can persuade 5 people to play in it!

 

[[You can twist, pull, break, or cut off my arm….I’m not offering any more games in ES, and I think the odds of that changing are as unlikely as my winning an Academy Award.  But if anyone ELSE out there is interesting in running this variant, get in touch with me or Mark!]]

 

The Dining Dead – Eternal Sunshine Movie Reviews

 

Luther – The Fallen Sun (Netflix) – The return of Idris Elba as DCI Luther, this time in a single two-hour format instead of a miniseries.  It’s always good to see Ebla back in this iconic character.  But while I enjoyed it mostly, I knew going in that the standard set from the first two seasons can never be met again.  Each time they dip back into this well it gets a little more outrageous, a little sillier, and in some ways repetitive.  I won’t go into the plot except to say it’s Luther against a criminal mastermind, and Luther against the world.  Most of the plot twists are kind of obvious, but I suppose they’re meant to be at this stage.  The ups and downs are the goal, not the twists and turns.  If you haven’t seen any Luther, go back and start with the first series.  Best to appreciate it from the beginning.  If you have…well, there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours.  Just don’t expect too much.

 

Smile (Amazon) – I remember discovering this film existed because the studio had a clever marketing gimmick: they had people sit behind home plate at some Major League baseball games with a big, frozen, scary smile on their faces (and sometimes wearing a Smile t-shirt).  It caught my attention both because it was creepy, and also because the big smiles reminded me of the photos I’d seen of the old black and white film The Man Who Laughed.  (I’ve never seen that movie, but one of these days I will get around to it).  Okay, back to Smile.  Written and directed by Parker Finn, the film stars Sosie Bacon (daughter of Kevin Bacon) as Rose, a therapist at a psychiatric emergency hospital with some trauma in her past.  One day a patient is brought in who is having some sort of anxiety attack and delusions, centering around her belief than an evil entity has invaded her life…one who makes people around her smile these huge, terrifying smiles.  During her initial interview with Rose, the patient kills herself with a smile on her own face.  And soon, as you’d guess, Rose is seeing and hearing things of her own.  Smile is very derivative of movies like The Ring.  The creepy smiles really should have led to something better than we’re given, but it’s not a bad movie…just pedestrian.  I wouldn’t make an effort to find it, but if you like modern horror films and don’t require much in the way of new ideas, it’ll be okay for you.

 

Older Movies Watched (that I’ve seen before, sometimes many times) – The Dirty Dozen, Patton, Street Trash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                     Out of the WAY #55

 

by W. Andrew York

(wandrew88 of gmail.com)

 

 

Howdy!

Spring is here, and so is baseball in America. The Express started their season on March 31 and, are of this writing, 2-3 having lost 2 of 3 to Albuquerque and have split the first two games against Sugar Land. Could be a good year for the team, especially as baby brother AA team (Frisco Roughriders) are currently rated the top team in the Minor Leagues per MLB. But, much can happen in a season from injuries, promotions/demotions and such. Regardless, it’ll be a fun time.

I’m currently lanning on a mid-July trip to Arlington for two Rangers games with my step-brother (flying in from Michigan) and a long-time friend who lives in San Angelo. Looking forward to exploring more of the new field up there, and in seeing major league ball with two other baseball fans.

Beyond baseball, my life has been pretty routine and normal. Took in some movies through Austin Film Society (a preview of “Air” was surprisingly good, hadn’t expected to like it). Also, Ethan Hawke hosted a weekend of five Paul Newman westerns (he recently completed a docuseries on Newman and Joanne Woodward for HBO – “The Last Movie Stars”). The insight he gave into Newman’s background, his motivations and outlook certainly changed my view of the actor – and I looked at those screenings with a new perspective of what was on being portrayed.

Another thing I’ve been doing is starting to go through my large collection of books. I’ve way too many for my current (smaller) apartment and need to pare down those I’ll not read again or that won’t be a likely source of research for future writing projects. So likely to go out the door are outdated fact books (anyone interested in a 1988 Texas Motor Vehicle Code?), a large chunk of fiction books that I’ve enjoyed and the like. If there’s anything folks are looking for that I might have, I’m willing to pass them on for the cost of postage – just ask.

But, if you want the Casca or Sharpe series – sorry. A good friend in Beaumont is getting them (he’s never read the Sharpe books and fondly recalls the Casca books when he read them back in the ‘80s). I’ll also be keeping most cookbooks, anything signed and the majority of the history ones for future reference.

Turning toward the future of OOTW, I’m still on the fence. I appreciate the comments I’ve received; some certainly gave me some insight that I hadn’t thought of before. I’ll likely keep most of that close to the vest, though a few bits will come out in the LetterCol I’m sure. Further thoughts and input from the readers, especially those that participate in the games and commentary, are especially requested.

Until next month….

 

 

==================================

 

Letter Column

(always welcome, send them in!)

(if something shouldn’t be included here, clearly mark it as a personal comment)

 

[John David Galt] – Thanks for the feedback request. I like the kind of gab in OOTW, and would probably follow it wherever it

goes. [WAY] – appreciate the comments and glad that I can provide something besides game reports (of which I need to

do more of!).

    [JDG] - As for what options I would like you to choose, I'd keep it in ES as long as possible, unless they forbid you starting

new games.  Then I'd declare independence. [WAY] – well, no new games until I decide whether to fold with ES or

move to the new home. If I do decide to continue, I’ll open new games regardless as they’ll move with me at that time.

And, if I do move, I’ll likely do so once Doug folds down ES as there’s no sense in him continuing to publish just my

nattering and games,
    [JDG] - Your note on daylight time is off (at least here, and I thought the whole country was supposed to switch at once

except those who never do).  We sprang forward March 13 and don't fall back again until November 6. Oddly enough,

Britain still uses the old dates, April 2 and October 30. [WAY] – interesting that California (that’s where you are, right?) didn’t kick over until March 13 (a Monday) while most everywhere else kicked over on the evening of the 11th/12th. There are a few parts of the US that don’t use daylight time, and I’m going solely by memory here, Arizona and some counties in Illinois (or is it Indiana or Ohio). There’s probably a few other places as well. Our fall back this fall is the evening of November 4/5, not sure why you’re are is a day later. Regarding the “old dates” for DST and what US uses, again solely by memory, I think the use of DST was extended to span from early March through November in the 2000’s under Bush. Don’t recall the reason (Gulf War related maybe?).

 

[Mark Nelson] – I will suggest something to you that I suggested to Doug. I tried to persuade Doug that he should offer one

more diplomacy game. You see, in 2023 it is exactly sixty years since the first ever Boardman Number which was (of

course) 1963A. Now, 1963A was a variant game! It was a 5-player game set on the normal board with Russia, Turkey,

Rum, and Bul all closed. I tried to persuade Doug that he should offer this 5-player variant in a vain attempt to continue

publishing ES a little longer. But it wasn't having any of it. [WAY] – That’s certainly a possibility, presuming I

continue publishing – I can understand Doug’s reluctance to do so considering his zine is focused in the folding phase

of existence.

    [MN] - But perhaps I can twist your arm to offer this 5-player variant... [WAY] – Arm twisted, but…

    [MN] - I used to like 5-player variants as they are easier to fill! [WAY] – message received…

    [MN] - I will follow you wherever you may go... [WAY] – Am I inadvertently creating a cult….

    [MN] - I heartily echo your comments regarding Robert's book. If it's falling to pieces that much then that is a great

recommendation for it. My only cooking book that is falling to bits is Nigel Slater's "Real Fast Food: 350 recipes ready-

to-eat in 30 minutes". It looks like I bought it in 1997 - I always write down the date when a cook a recipe from a book

and any comments that I have on it. It was one of two cooking books that I took with me to New Zealand in November

1997 and then it was one of three cooking books that I took with me from England to Australia when I moved here in

May 2000. Unlike most of my cooking books it is the same physical size as a novel and it's a paperback. So it has

proved less robust to regular handling. I don't use it so much now, but there's no reason for that other than that I have

many more cooking books to choose from. I'll probably go back to it for a while given that I've mention it here as I'm

always interested in quickish meals during weekdays: that thirty minutes time includes all preparation and cooking.

[WAY] – Looked it up at my local independent bookstore and it is available for order (though that isn’t always true

when they reach out to their suppliers). Seems to have good recommendations and is certainly something I’d seek out if

I wasn’t in the trimming my books mode. Interestingly, the e-book version costs $2 more than a paperback.

    [MN] - In the past when I used a cooking book I used to rewrite the recipe so the book didn't get stained. Nowdays I'm too

lazy to do that and most times I'll just cook with the book next to me which, as Robert also pointed out, can lead to

stained books. [WAY] – stained books, as long as they don’t make the recipe illegible, just add to the character of it!

Shows it was used and appreciated for the next person to leaf through it (and hints on what might be good recipes to

try).

    [MN] - I took some time off work before Xmas and noticed that one of the channels were showing reruns of ST:TNG. By the

time I noticed this they'd made it almost all the way to the end of season 5. My school only offers one subject over the

summer, so most years I don't have any teaching. In the past that meant that I still went into work, but one of the silver

linings of COVID is the realisation that I can work as well from home. My only graduate student is an international

student who had to return home, so no graduate students to see. This has meant that I was able to watch most of season

6 and random episodes from season 7. [WAY] – here ST:TNG and ST:DS9 are running on BBC America, a few

episodes each weekday as I recall. Haven’t had much time to rewatch them as I’d like.

    [MN] - I even saw some episodes from season 6 that I've never seen before. I have seen the whole of season 7, because I

bought it on VHS-tapes as they were issued in the UK with one tape containing two whole episodes. However, I've not

rewatched those episodes since I saw them almost thirty years ago. It's interesting what I remember and what I don't

remember. [WAY] – oh, yes, there’s lots I’ve noticed that I missed (or forgot) over the years. It just helps give them a

bit of “freshness” rather than just a rehash of something you remember all of.

    [MN] - Watching these episodes reminded me of one of "our" (my friends) criticisms of ST:TNG. The star-dates may increase

from episode to episode, but there is very little character developing and most previous episodes have no effect on the

current episode so there is little reminder of the movement of time's arrow. (Not 100% true of course, there are a few

episodes where time moves forward). [WAY] – as I recall, at the time of ST:TNG most, if not all, television was

producing shows that were pretty much self-contained to allow the reruns to be in any order without much chance of

being “lost” due to missed content. Of course, there were a few two-parters and recurring characters, but for the most

part they were standalone. From memory, Babylon 5 changed that mindset in establishing their five season arc format

with early episodes building towards later events in the series. That, of course, led to changes in other series, such as the

later seasons of ST:TNG to introduce more growth between episodes and seasons, while having multi-episode threads.

    [MN] - Since Christmas I've managed to watch ST:Discovery Seasons 3 & 4. Quick recap. I disliked Season 1 because of its

use of the Mirror University and I disliked Season 2 because of its use of Time Travel. In Season 3 the crew have

moved approx 900 years into the future. Now, you'd think that most of the time anyone moved 900 years into the future

they would no longer be able to provide any assistance to Starfleet. Their ship would be an antique, their

scientific/medical/political knowledge would be out-of-date. The best you could hope for was to be appointed to the

Academy as a history teacher. Obviously, that would not make a good show... [WAY] – have only seen Season 1 when

CBS used it as filler during the pandemic and it really didn’t stick in my mind. Would like to see more, but not into

paying for streaming services (as if I had the time!).

    [MN] - Both seasons 3 and 4 have a story that unfolds over the course of the season. (The same was true of the previous

seasons). This must rank as an improvement over ST:TNG? I'm not sure that it does. My problem with the story in

season 3 is that without the arrival of Discovery from the past 3 then the Federation would have likely collapsed. Or if it

had survived they would still be very little warp travel. My problem with season 4 is the same. Without the arrival of the

Discovery from the past, the Federation would not have survived the crises. I imagine that in season 5 (the final season)

the Federation will be faced with crises that it would have been incapable of solving on its own, and only the presence

of Discovery and its crew will save the day.

                I think it would have much better if the story arc from season 3 had been spread out over the entirety of seasons three

through five. That would have been much more creditable in my eyes and would have left more room for stand-alone

episodes that do not fit into the developing arc, or if they do fit in then this fit does not become clear until much latter on in the story. To me, that's the message in story telling from B5. You can have an arc where everything comes together, but it doesn't have to come together in the first season. [WAY] – very true, but in today’s corporate environment you have to be in a position to clip the greater arc into a coherent conclusion if you don’t end up with a multi-year commitment for completion of the original concept. That’s the issue with setting up long running arcs, how many shows over the past few years ended a season with a cliffhanger or with promises of future episode resolutions only to be cancelled afterwards. That leaves the fans disillusioned and wary of committing to a future show that may meet the same past (though some have had TV movies or a wrap-up episode to tie things up – though rarely in a satisfactory manner).

 

[Andy Lischett] – Regarding you moving to a new host, I will follow Out of the WAY and continue with Hangman and Facts In

Five. For the current Gunboat game I have no preference where you run it. [WAY] – appreciate the support and

thoughts

 

[Dane Maslen] – At long last I've got round to reading the latest Eternal Sunshine.  If you go solo, I'll continue to play in

Hangman By Definition, but I'll be unlikely to play in anything else. [WAY] – everyone’s welcome to join in what

they’re interested in and enjoy playing, so that’s great. Appreciate the support in my continuing things.

 

[Robert Lesco] – I find myself in disagreement with the old saying concerning how one cannot enjoy one's cooking.  I think I

better appreciate it as I know best the thought and efforts that went into it. [WAY] – plus you can tailor it to your tastes

– extra hot, more garlic or veggies, etc.
    [RL] - What started me down this road was your kind response to my letter (the one where I left the "y' out of Mary Ann).  I

cooked both Potatoes a l'Anglais (more likely pommes de terre a l'Anglais to Monsieur Proust) and asparagus in lemon

butter and people were nonplussed.   It could be that the potatoes really were not much to speak of and I think during La

Belle Époque people may have cooked asparagus longer than necessary.  I was intrigued simply because it can be

established that Marcel Proust would have dined on both. [WAY] – A personal kiss of history, and a good story to tell.

    [RL] - The recipe left me with a lot of unused lemon butter but my baking is stronger than my cooking so I made scones,

decidedly modern as instead of cream it called for milk and butter. [WAY] – excellent use of it! I’m not a baker (or

much for sweets) so I might have used it on a baked fish fillet.



===================================

 

Mini-Book Reviews

(finished since last issue)

 

Orbiter by Warren Ellis and Colleen Doran with Dave Stewart (2003; 100p).

 

                Came across this one while going through and sorting books. I like most of Ellis’s comics/graphic novels, and this one didn’t disappoint. Set in a post-Space America where the last launched space shuttle mysteriously disappeared shortly after reaching orbit. Once that happened, human space flight was curtailed and the country fell into a slump (characterized by an overview panel of the Kennedy Space Complex mostly being occupied by a makeshift squatter/refugee camp).

                After a brief opening, orienting the reader to the current state of society, the missing shuttle mysteriously reappears and lands after a ten-year absence. The following story picks up with some former staffers being recalled and the investigation into what happened to the shuttle, where it has been and what happened to the crew. The novel concludes with the resolution of the situation and what it will mean for the future of humanity.

                Interesting take on mankind, the importance of space flight and – ultimately – hope for the future. Recommended if this intrigues you. Otherwise, you may not enjoy the search for the cause or the underlying message. [April 2023]

 

This Never Happened by J. B. Mathewson (2021; 266p).

 

                At the tail end of the last baseball season, Baseball Jan (a fixture at the park who I frequently talk books with) loaned me this volume to read over the winter break. The premise of the book is around a bit of baseball history/lore during America’s involvement in WWI. From what extant facts exist, Mathewson weaves a semi-plausible tale involving some of baseballs’ most colorful characters of the time, the real life experiences of those that enlisted in the military and a perceived coverup that involves them all in the service of America at War.

                Based around the discovered investigative papers from a (fictional) Sporting News writer, and real-life events, the story behind baseball great Christy Mathewson’s exposure to poison games, and early death, is reimagined. The papers are discovered in the near future by a relative of the documents’ owner (he gained under dubious circumstances). That relative, and his friend from New York City, embark on a journey to discover the “true” story behind the papers and “events” of the investigation.

Seen in flashbacks, a number of baseball greats show up including Ty Cobb, Branch Rickey, Mathewson’s widow, etc. – each being involved, directly or indirectly, with a real life gas-disposal training unit housed in Georgia for training that many baseball players were assigned. These are interspersed with the modern-day team trying to make sense of the material, then validate and verify the story that is revealed.

The investigative narrative, twined through actual and imagined history, is enjoyable and keeps the reader engaged. However, some of the jumps between modern day and the writer’s investigation time can be a bit disjointed. Also, the results of the book, and the character’s investigation, leave the reader wanting a bit more – but with the outcome of story, it may have been intended as this is a fictional telling of a possible, though a bit improbable, story behind what facts exist.

This isn’t a mystery, and one shouldn’t read it intending to come to the resolution of the investigation along with the characters. There is little/no foreshadowing, reading more in the style of a documentary telling of the investigation. Due to the subject matter and the narrow focus on the tale itself, it’ll only be of interest to the baseball aficionado who would like to read something a bit to the side of mainstream baseball history. [March 2023]

 

 

===================================

 

Babylon 5 Quote

 

In “Epiphanies” – Sheridan: “Maybe the doc’s right. Embrace the moment. In the end, it’s all we have. Trouble will come in its

own time it always does. But that’s tomorrow. Give me today, and I will be happy”

 

Source: But In Purple...I’m Stunning! by J. Michael Straczynski, edited by Sara “Samm” Barnes, copyright 2008.

 

 

===================================

 

Game Section

 

Everyone Plays Games: Hangman, By Definition; Facts in Five

 

Game Openings: None currently

 

Standbys: Gunboat Diplomacy (x1)

 

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

 “Round Rock Express”

(No-Press Gunboat, Game #1)

MN: 2021Crb32

 

Fall 1907

 

Austria: F GRE s ita f con-ank (imp), A TRI s a bud, A BUD s a rum, A RUM s a bud, A BUL s a rum

England:  F KIE-mun (imp), F mao-BRE, F SPA(SC) s f pie-mar (nsu), F ENG s f mao-bre, F EDI-nth, A bur-par (r-pic/gas/otb)

France: A MAR s ita f pie-spa(sc) (imp), A PAR s a bre, A bre holds (r-gas/pic/otb)

Germany: F NTH c a hol-yor, A BEL s a mun-bur, A TYL s a vie, A MOS s a ukr-sev, F NWY s f nth, A ukr-SEV, A hol-YOR,

A VIE s a tyl, A GAL-rum, A mun-BUR, A RUH s a bel, A BOH s a vie

Italy: F con-ANK, A sev s aus a rum-ukr (nso) (r-arm/otb), A VEN s aus a tri, F AEG holds, F PIE-mar, A TUS-pie, F ION holds

Turkey: F ank-BLA

 

Supply Center Count

 

Austria: Tri, Ser, Gre, Bul, Rum, BUD                                                           =   6 (+1, no place to build)              

England: Edi, Lpl, Lon, Por, Spa, KIE, BRE, bel                                          =   7 (+1 or +2, depending on retreat)

France: Mar, Par, bre                                                                                          =   2 (even or -1, depending on reatreat)

Germany: Ber, Mun, Den, Hol, Swe, War, Mos, Stp, Vie, Nwy,              

                                                BEL, SEV, kie, bud                                            = 12 (even)

Italy: Nap, Rom, Ven, Tun , Smy, Con, ANK, sev                                        =   7 (even or +1, depending on reatreat)

Russia:                                                                                                                   =   0       

Turkey: ank                                                                                                          =   0 (OUT)          

Neutral: none

 

Next Due: Autumn, Winter 1907 and Spring 1908

 

Note – Split seasons are granted when 2 or more requests are received if 4+ players; 3 or less requires only 1.

 

 

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

Hangman, By Definition

 

**See Rule Change in bold below**

 

This is a five-round game, with each round consisting of a variable number of turns. The winner will be the person who wins the most rounds, with a tie breaker being fewest total number of turns in those winning rounds. Second tie breaker will be the greatest number of letters guessed (by total count revealed, not by individual letter).

 

Each round will consist of identifying a word of at least six letters. Along with each word will be the first definition given. All words and definitions will be identified by blank spaces. Words and definitions are verified in a dictionary that was my high school graduation gift (slight hint to those who might want to find the edition).

 

The goal is to guess the word in as few turns as possible. Each turn, all players will submit up to three different letters to be revealed. The letter submitted by the most players will be the letter revealed in the next turn. Ties will be broken by a randomized method. Additionally, each player should submit a guess for the word. Once the word is correctly identified (spelling is important), that round will end and a new round will begin. All players who guess the word in the same turn will share in the win for the round. If the word is not guessed by the end of six turns with no letter being revealed, no one will win the round.

 

Along with revealing letters in the word, letters will be revealed in the definition. There are no bonus points for guessing any part of the definition, it is only there to help players figure out the word. No guesses about parts of the definition will be confirmed or displayed except by the letter revealed in that round. The letters “E” and “S” can never be chosen as the letter to be revealed.

 

Game 2, Round Three Turn 2:

 

                Letter Votes: A – 3; B – 1; C – 1; H – 1; I – 2; L – 2; M – 1; O – 1; P – 1; R – 2; T – 3; W – 1; Z – 1

Revealed: A (dice roll decision with d4)

 

                Words Guessed:   (Firth) Possessive; (Galt) Complicate; (Kent) Lampadrome; (Lischett) Persuasive;

 (Maslen) Watercolor; (Smith) Balderdash; (Wilson) Metabolize

 

    Solution:          

 

                Word:     __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __ (10)      

 

Definition:             A (1)  __  A  __  __  __  N  __ (7)  __  __ (2)  __  __  N  __ (4)  __  __  A  __  __  N  __ (7)

 

                                                                __  N (2)  __  __  __  __ (4)

 

                Never Revealed:  E, S                         Already Revealed: A, N

 

Words Previously Guessed in this Game: Accusation, Adjuration, Anticipate, Contention, Contrition, Laboratory, Yellowlegs

 

Game Words Correctly Guessed: Metamorphosis (Firth, Maslen, Smith, Wilson); Chromatic (Firth, Maslen, Smith)

 

 

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

                                                                        FACTS IN FIVE

 

Rules:     There will be five rounds, the cumulative high score at the end of the fifth round will be the winner. Anyone may join anytime with a starting score matching the lowest total from the previous round. Anyone missing a round will add the lowest score of that round.

                Each round will consist of five categories and five letters.  Each player submit may an entry for each category which has a key word that starts with each of the letters (twenty-five total entries). Key words are generally the first word; however, articles (the, a, etc.) and modifiers (“red” in red bicycle for “R” in “mode of transportation” or “general” in General Lee for “G” in “Military Leaders”) are not key words. A word in the category may not be the key word (“bank” in “Bank of America” for “B” in the category “Banks”). For given names, the last name is the key word, if married it will be their post-marriage last name. However, in the case of commonly used stage names, that name should be used (in a category of female singers, ”Q” could be “Queen Latifa” and “Cher” for “C”). An entry may only be used once per round. Please clearly identify which individual you are using as your answer if there are multiple potential people with a given name. For instance, if the category is American Presidents, answering Washington is fine as there is only one; however, if you decided to use Bush you need to indicate whether you are submitting the father or the son. Unclear answers will be matched to score the least points. Using the Bush example, if one person submitted “Bush” and three people submit “George W. Bush” the latter would score 2 points and the former 1.

                One point will be scored for each entry that unarguably meets the letter and category. An additional point will be added if anyone else also uses the same valid entry for the same category. Maximum possible score in a round is 50 with a lowest possible score of 25, presuming an individual submits a valid entry for each category and letter in that round.

                Research is allowed, collaboration between players is not.

 

Game Seven, Round Two

 

Bolded - Scores 2 points for matching another entry; Crossed Out - scores 0 points; otherwise scores 1 point.

 

REMINDER - Last names are generally the key word, not first names.

 

                                                G                             H                             L                             N                             V

 

Businesswoman  

    Mark Firth                        Josephine Goube  Marilyn Hewson Prue Leith             Indra Nooyi         Corinne Vigreux

    Doug Kent                        SP Griffith             Ariana Huffington    Karen Lynch Phebe Novakovic   Sofia Vergara

    Andy Lischett                  Lori Greiner          Christie Herner    Estee Lauder        Phebe Novakovic   Lisa Vanderpump

    Walt O’Hara                    S Gujrahti             E Harbaugh          J Landgard           M Naficy               A Vechery

    Kevin Wilson                   Melinda Gates      Ariana Huffington   Shannon Lee  Indra Nooyi         Allegra Versace

 

Constellation Name

    Mark Firth                        Gemini                  Hydra                    Lyra                      Norma                   Virgo

    Doug Kent                        Gemini                  Hercules               Leo                         Norma                   Virgo

    Andy Lischett                  Gemini                  Hercules               Leo                         Norma                   Virgo

    Walt O’Hara                    Gemini                  Hercules               Leo                         Norma                   Virgo

    Kevin Wilson                   Gemini                  Hydra                    Lyra                      Norma                   Virgo

 

Chemist

    Mark Firth                        Joseph Gay-Lussac   Dorothy Hodgkin   Lloyds Pharmacy   Alfred Nobel   Louis Vauquelin

    Doug Kent                        Gibbs                     Fritz Haber           Lavoisier              Nobel                     Vauquelin

    Andy Lischett                  Charles Goodyear   Albert Hofmann  Antoine Lavoisier   Alfred Nobel   Louis Nicolas Vauquelin

    Walt O’Hara                    FAV Grignard      W Haworth           W Lipscomb         A Nobel                 V du Vigneaud

    Kevin Wilson                   JW Gibbs             Dorothy Hodgkin   Antoine Lavoisier   Alfred Nobel   Alessandro Volta

 

Musical Movie

    Mark Firth                        G P Blondes         Hairspray            Lagaan: OUaTiI  A Night at the Opera   Victor/Victoria

    Doug Kent                        Guys and Dolls   Hair                       The Lion King      Newsies                 Victor/Victoria

    Andy Lischett                  Guys and Dolls   Hair            Little Shop of Horrors  No, No,  Nanette    Victor/Victoria

    Walt O’Hara                    G P Blondes         Hairspray  Little Shop of Horrors   Newsies              Victor/Victoria  

    Kevin Wilson                   The Greatest Showman  Hairspray La La Land           N before Xmas     Very Annie Mary

 

Australian City

    Mark Firth                        Geelong                 Hobart                  Latrobe City         Newcastle             Victor Harbor

    Doug Kent                        Grafton                  Hawkesbury         Lithgow                Newcastle             Victor Harbor

    Andy Lischett                  Geelong                Hobart                  Launceston          Newcastle             Victor Harbor

    Walt O’Hara                    Gold Coast           Hobart                  Lithgow                Newcastle             <>

    Kevin Wilson                   Goulburn               Hobart                  Launceston          Newcastle             Victor Harbor

 

Note – for allowed and disallowed answers, please feel free to correct me!

 

General Notes –

 

Notes on Mark’s Answers: G P Blondes is Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Lagaan: OUaTiI is Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India;

Notes on Doug’s Answers: SP Griffith is Susan Patricia Griffith;

Notes on Walt’s Answers: [Includes Walt’s notes] - S Gujrahti is Dr. Sheila Gujrahti (Gossamer Bio, cofounder), E Harbaugh is

Edith Harbaugh (Launch Darkly, cofounder), J Landgard is Josefin Landgard (KRY cofounder), M Naficy is Mariam

Naficy (Minted, Founder), A Vechery is Afton Vechery (CEO, Modern Fertility); [Includes Walt’s notes] - FAV

Grignard is Francois Auguste Victor Grignard (Nobel Prize Winner, 1912), W Haworth is Walter Haworth (Nobel Prize

Winner, 1976), W Lipscomb is William Lipscomb (Nobel Prize Winner, 1976), A Nobel is Alfred Nobel (They named

the prize after him), V du Vigneaud is Vincent du Vigneaud (Nobel Prize Winner, 1955); [Includes Walt’s notes] - G P

Blondes is Gentleman Prefer Blondes (1953 film), Hairspray (2007 film), Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film (only)),

Newsies (live show, film, 1992 and film, 2017), Victor/Victoria (Broadway show, 1995 film)

Notes on Kevin’s Answers: N before Xmas is The Nightmare Before Christmas

 

General Player Comments:

 

[Andy Lischett] – [Reference Lisa Vanderpump entry] Terrible TV comes to my rescue. Would you have accepted Diane von

Furstenberg as a V? [WAY] – Without doing any substantive research, I’m not sure. My initial reaction was no as the

“von” isn’t capitalized, usually indicating that it is considered a title (i.e., translation meaning “from”). However, from

one check, Britannica lists her alphabetically under v. So, I’d need to do more extensive research to decide if the

Britannica entry is out of the norm or, at least in her case, considered the rule.

    [AL] – After scouring my brain for an H chemist all I could think of Edward Hyde/Henry Jekyll, but even if you accepted

fictional chemists one could argue that Jekyll was a chemist but Hyde wasn’t…but they were the same person…but….

Anyway, I also thought of Sherlock Homes, but decided to DuckDuckGo a real chemist and found the inventor of LSD,

 

Game Seven, Round Three

 

Letters:                  D             K             P              W            T

Categories:            Actor Currently under 20 years; Role-Playing Game System; Podcaster (include the podcast’s name);

Non-British Prime Minster; Television Variety Show Name

                                               

                                                 

                                Current Standings

 

Scores by Category             1st           2nd         3rd          4th          5th          Now                        Previous                 Total     

   Doug Kent                          7           10             9             9             8           43         +                  38      =                81

   Andy Lischett                    6           10            8            9          10           43         +                   36      =                 79

   Kevin Wilson                     7           10            9            6            9           41         +                  37      =                78

   Walt O’Hara                       5           10            6          10            7           38         +                  36      =                 74

   Mark Firth                            6           10            8             8             9           41         +                   32      =                 73

 

 

===================================

 

Deadline for the Next Issue of Out of the WAY:

 

May 10, 2023 at noon Central US Time Zone

See You Then!

 

Game entries, letters of comment and other material can be sent to:

 

                wandrew88 at gmail.com; or by post to: W. Andrew York; POB 201117; Austin TX 78720-1117

 

 

 

Eternal Sunshine Game Section

 

Diplomacy, “More Than Ever”, 2021A, W 07/S 08

Austria: Andy Lischett – andy@lischett.com – Build A Vienna, A Trieste, plays 1 short..

 F Aegean Sea Supports A Bulgaria, A Bohemia Supports A Tyrolia – Munich,

 F Brest - English Channel (*Bounce*), A Budapest Supports A Rumania, A Bulgaria Hold,

 A Galicia - Silesia (*Dislodged*, retreat to Vienna or OTB), A Rumania Hold, A Serbia Supports A Rumania,

 F Smyrna Hold, A Trieste Hold, A Vienna - Tyrolia.

France: Brad Wilson - fullfathomfive675@gmail.com - Build A Marseilles..

 A Gascony Supports A Marseilles – Burgundy, F Liverpool – Clyde, F London - North Sea (*Bounce*),

 A Marseilles – Burgundy, F North Atlantic Ocean Supports F Liverpool – Clyde, A Tyrolia - Munich.

Germany: Andy York – wandrew88@gmail.com - F Baltic Sea Supports A Finland – Sweden,

 A Berlin Supports A Silesia, A Denmark – Kiel, A Finland - Sweden (*Bounce*),

 A Munich - Bohemia (*Dislodged*, retreat to Ruhr or OTB), F North Sea - English Channel (*Bounce*),

 F Norwegian Sea - North Sea (*Bounce*), A Silesia Supports A Warsaw - Galicia.

Russia: Graham Wilson - grahamaw@rogers.com – Remove A Yorkshire, F Edinburgh, A Prussia..

 F Black Sea Supports A Sevastopol – Rumania, A Constantinople - Bulgaria (*Fails*),

 F Gulf of Bothnia Supports F Norway – Sweden, F Norway - Sweden (*Bounce*),

 A Sevastopol - Rumania (*Fails*), A St Petersburg - Finland (*Fails*),

 A Ukraine Supports A Sevastopol – Rumania, A Warsaw - Galicia.

 

All Draw Proposals Fail

 

PRESS

 

MADRID to MOSCOW:  Yes indeed.

 

Deadline for F 08 is May 13th at 7am My Time

By Popular Demand

 

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.  The score for Round 10 is doubled.

 

Turn 8 Categories:

 

1. Another word for laugh.

2. Something you do in the bathroom.

3. An SCTV cast member.

4. Something you put milk in.

5. A Cary Grant movie.

 

 

Joker category shown in BOLD.  Most popular answer shown in the bottom row.

Kevin Wilson gets the top score of 30 this round (out of a possible 33).  Mark Firth gets the low score of 8. 

 

Comments by Category:

 

Another word for laugh: Kevin Wilson – “Gotta go with “chuckle” for a laugh. It was one of my college nicknames (the “c” in ckevinw is for Charles).”  Walt O’Hara – “There's no obvious best alternative.  I was considering Snicker, Titter, and Guffaw.”

 

Something you do in the bathroom: Kevin Wilson – “Counting on the low humor of this group for #2.”

 

An SCTV cast member: Kevin Wilson – “The one, the only.”  Andy Lischett – “There are so many good choices for SCTV. I liked John Candy and Rick Moranis. Carol never heard of SCTV.”  Walt O’Hara – “"Don't Know" SCTV?  Come on, man, I'm of a certain age.  Ask us favorite SCTV characters next!”  [[Someone gave such an answer this time around.]]

 

Something you put milk in: Kevin Wilson – “I guess cereal would work for milk too since lots of folks take their coffee black.”  Walt O’Hara – “Alternatives were "my mouth" and "smoothies" but I want to actually score some points here.”

 

A Cary Grant movie: Kevin Wilson – “NBNW is, in my opinion, his best and the best of anything he was in. But, always fun to catch a Cary Grant movie on a Sunday afternoon.”  Andy Lischett – “Charade, The Philadelphia Story or North By Northwest? I can do without Bringing Up Baby and Arsenic & Old Lace.”  Brad Wilson – “Not even close.”  Walt O’Hara – “My other contenders were Bringing up Baby and Philadelphia Story, but I think NNW is simply iconic.”

 

General Comments: Andy Lischett – “I will not jinx Carol by telling her that she's in first place. Probably "Mike Myers" and "The Bishop's Wife" will change that.”  John David Galt – “Now really.  Did any player really write Albegra?”  [[Nope, I do the table in Excel, which has no spellcheck.  And then the second player to answer Algebra had autofill complete the misspelling again.]]  David Burgess – “Well...I don't really feel good about this month.”

 

By Popular Demand

Turn 9 Categories – Remember to Specify a Joker Category

 

1. A type of naval ship.

2. A vowel.

3. Something advertised on a billboard.

4. An album by The Who.

5. A terrible movie.

 

Deadline for Turn 9 is May 13th at 7am My Time

Deadline for the next issue of Eternal Sunshine is: May 13, 2023 at 7am My Time (U.S. central time) – some games and subzines earlier