Eternal Sunshine #53

June 2011

By Douglas Kent 911 Irene Drive, Mesquite, TX 75149

Email: doug of whiningkentpigs.com or diplomacyworld of yahoo.com

On the web at http://www.whiningkentpigs.com – or go directly to the Diplomacy section 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. Also remember to check out http://www.helpfulkitty.com for official Toby the Helpful Kitty news, advice column, blog, and links to all his available merchandise! Links to many of the books and DVDs reviewed can be found by clicking on the Amazon Store button in the main menu of the Whining Kent Pigs website. Or go to http://www.guysexplained.com where women can learn all the secrets of how a man’s mind works, and why they act the way they do.

All Eternal Sunshine readers are encouraged to join the free Eternal Sunshine Yahoo group at http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/eternal_sunshine_diplomacy/ to stay up-to-date on any subzine news or errata. We also have our own Eternal Sunshine Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/EternalSunshDip, and a Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/group.php?gid=112223650909

Quote Of The Month – “She decided to erase you almost as a lark.” (Carrie in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”)

Welcome to Eternal Sunshine, the only Diplomacy zine in the state of Texas that survived the Rapture of May 21^st. Still, as near as I can tell, EVERYBODY was left behind. Either that or somebody got their dates mixed up…probably the result of one of those company-wide shared calendars. I hate those things.

Aside from celebrating the non-end of the world, Heather and I were actually pretty busy this month outside of the house, which has been rather rare for us lately. Somehow we found time to do a number of things that we’ve been unable to fit into our schedule before.

First on the agenda was a concert at Uncle Calvin’s, a small local venue which supports independent singer-songwriters (generally folk, country, or Americana). Raina Rose, who I’d seen live at a house concert in Denton (and was interviewed a few issues back in the “You Don’t Know Me” section) was performing, along with two other artists I didn’t have any familiarity with: Rebecca Loebe and Jenn Grinels. Heather had never been to Uncle Calvin’s, but since she’d become familiar with a lot of Raina’s music here at home she decided to join me.

Without question, that was the correct choice; I had a terrific time and Heather may have enjoyed herself even more. The program was described just before showtime as sort of a gathering of friends (apparently all three are terrific pals, with Rebecca sort of the glue in the relationship since she became friends with Raina and then with Jenn on her own, later bringing them together). Each artist would perform some songs on her own, and then be joined on stage for one sing by the artist following them (bringing the sets). After all three had done their short sets, there would be a short intermission, and then all three would perform together for another set. As it was explained, this show (and its format) had been scheduled over a year ago, and Raine, Becca, and Jenn had been anxiously awaiting their brief mini-tour together (Raina and Becca have performed with each other many times before; on YouTube often you can find one within a performance by the other).

Raina Rose opened the show, and as you’d expect she had the room enjoying themselves from the first chord. She performed a lot of my favorites, among them “Sun Comes Back” and “Let Me Down Easy” from her CD “When May Come,” and “I Like You Better” (which Heather considers sort of a Doug theme song) from “The Prophet, the Panhandler, and the Moon.” I highly recommend either CD, as well as the earlier “End of Endless False Starts.” Raina has a strong and pretty voice, and the songs she writes don’t always follow the traditional path your mind might expect during your first listen. A lot of her songs are based on true experiences, and that’s one of the best things about hearing independent artists in intimate venues: they don’t mind sticking on a chord or two for a bit while they explain when or why the wrote the song, or what it means to them personally.

After what seemed a far-too-short time, Raina finished up her set by calling Becca Loebe to the stage to join her. Up jumped this super cute (yes, Heather gets jealous when I say that) bubby ball of energy with a smile from ear to ear. It looked like Becca was having the time of her life, and honestly that impression didn’t fade as the evening passed. If I remember correctly, they performed Raina’s “Blind Cyrus” together (a song which has a much greater meaning for me now that Raina explained the story behind it), and then Raina left the stage to let Rebecca do her thing.

Text Box:
Left to Right: Raina Rose, Rebecca Loebe, and Jenn Grinels

Rebecca’s new CD is called “Mystery Prize,” and that’s really what she was to me when it came to this concert. As I’ve mentioned, I was already very familiar and fond of Raina and her music, and I’d read some about Jenn Grinels and what a powerful, wide-ranging voice she had. But I knew nothing about the gorgeous smiling woman who ran up on stage. That wouldn’t last long…Becca has this magical presence, which makes you feel like you’ve known her for years. Part of that may be her boundless enthusiasm, but it is also the open and honest way she writes and performs. I’d never seen the television show (and as Becca said “I didn’t take this audience for reality TV fans”) but if you’ve watched the new singing competition “The Voice” you’ve seen Rebecca Loebe…and if you saw her, you remember her. She’s the one who gave a stirring rendition of Nirvana’s “Come as You Are” as her initial song. Fortunately, she performed that within her set, because as I mentioned I had never seen the show. As of today Heather has gone back and watched it from the beginning, but that’s another story…

Becca opened her set with the fun and semi-sultry “Her in That Dress” from her new CD, and from that moment on she never lost the audience. It’s hard for me to remember exactly what songs she performed during her solo portion, but I recall “Darlin What Did You Do,” “Married Man,” “Land and Sea,” and her father’s “Lay Me Down Lonely,” as well as the Nirvana cover. Heather described her as both “super-hot” and “awe-inspiring” and I agree on both counts. As a matter of fact, during inter mission I grabbed both her CD’s so we could start enjoying them at home (the aforementioned “Mystery Prize” and “Hey, it’s a Lonely World.”) The next thing I knew Jenn Grinels was called up on the stage, where she and Becca told the story of how they met, and then (I think) they performed Becca’s “California” together.

This left Jenn on stage alone for her solo set. This woman has one amazing voice; she can belt out a tune like a combination of Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin, and the next minute be crooning like a young Linda Ronstadt. As a matter of fact, I think she closed her set with an explosive cover of Aretha’s “I Never Loved a Man.” (I should have brought a pad and kept notes). Jenn’s set also featured songs from her new CD “Broken Heart Breaker,” such as “Don’t Wanna Be Happy.” Most of her songs have at least a touch of humor or sarcasm in them, but that seems to be because so many are about relationships which did not work out. That’s a favorite source of material for all three of these women, which makes me wonder what Raina is going to do now that she’s engaged?

At intermission they were running a “3 for $30” sale which let you buy “Broken Heart Breaker,” “Mystery Prize,” and “When May Come” as a set. I already own “When May Come” but I bought another copy anyway…whoever we give it to as a gift will certainly love it. And I grabbed Rebecca’s “Hey, It’s a Lonely World” too…Heather wanted as much of Becca’s music as she could get, and I wasn’t arguing the point either. Jenn didn’t seem to have any copies of her first CD, “Little Words,” so I’ll have to look on-line for that.

It occurs to me that Raina has enough material now to consider some kind of compilation CD too, but since she sells her CD’s for such reasonable prices at her shows I guess he’d prefer you get to hear all the songs and not a select few. As a matter of fact, when it comes to independent artists like these three, you don’t get a CD with two or three tracks of “single” material and a bunch of secondary songs that you could take or leave. Every song stands on its own, and while you have your favorites, you pretty much love every track from start to finish. Too bad the rest of the industry isn’t built that way!

The second set was a performance to remember (not to suggest the first half wasn’t terrific). The three Musical Goddesses took the stage together, and in turn each would perform a song, with the other two accompanying on vocals and guitar. On Facebook I’ve already described the weaving of their harmonies like a female Crosby, Stills, and Nash (but without the drugs)…I’m a sucker for great vocal harmony. I suppose I could have used Wilson Phillips as a comparison too, but somehow the voices from their CD’s seem to merge together into one multi-faceted voice. Instead, Raina and Becca and Jenn (like CSN) have three very distinct vocal styles which fit together magically, but still maintain their own identity; it’s more like an instrumental trio. Anyway, as wonderful as they are individually, the energy and broadness their harmonies give can fill the room instantly.

One after another we were treated to lively, memorable renditions of some of the best each had to offer. Jenn’s turns included “Good as New” and “Right From the Start (The Wedding Song)” from her CD (the latter song causing Heather to wave for my handkerchief to keep the tears from messing up her makeup), and a terrific cover of “No Woman No Cry” which turned into a multi-segue-game of “what songs have the same chords?” that jumped from genre to genre, ending with a bit of Green Day’s “Basket Case.” Becca turns gave us two of my new favorites – both from her “Mystery Prize” CD: “Margarita” (looking at the world from the view of a migrant worker) and “Trenches, Dear” which lent itself so perfectly to the three-part harmony. Raina led on songs such as her ode to Texas “Bluebonnets” and closed the set with “King’s Flashlight,” an upbeat and catchy song which has become a favorite of most of her musical friends as well as her fans. Through it all Raina took any breaks in the songs with guitar solos; she’s quite an adept musician. I thought the show would end without getting to hear my favorite Raina Rose song, but the trio came back for a single encore, “Desdemona” from “When May Come.” We happened to be sitting right next to Rain’s part of the stage, so she paid notice whenever I would shout out a whoop of approval...and Heather and I spent the night singing along to songs we knew, and trying our best to catch on quickly to the ones we didn’t.

I don’t even need to tell you that if you see any of these women are going to perform in your area, you won’t do yourself wrong to buy some tickets and enjoy the show. Raina is based in Austin, Becca in Atlanta, and Jenn in San Diego, but all three travel cross-country quite a bit, performing anywhere they can find audiences willing to listen. And you can find their CD’s online (each has their own website, and places like ITunes or CDBaby carry their work) in both downloadable and physical format. If you’re not sure, just check out their websites or search for them on YouTube to get an earful. If they fit at all within your musical demographic, I think you’ll be quite happy with what you find.

Another event in our busy May was my first attempt at running a Diplomacy event. I had agreed to GM Diplomacy at the second annual TexiCon Gaming Convention in Ft. Worth, a simply 45 minute drive down I-30 from our house. I was supposed to run it last year, but a combination of factors (including moving into this house) prevented that from happening. But this time it was a done deal. I was running a round on Saturday the 21^st starting at 10am, with room for up to two full boards. Then, if there was sufficient demand (meaning at least 6 players who wanted to stay) I would run a second round too.

This story is rather short. I’d gotten confirmation from a few players on the Dallas Diplomacy Meetup group that they’d be attending. TexiCon also informed me that they’d had some players pre-register for Diplomacy as well. It was just a mystery how many players there would actually be. I even had a few players from Austin and Houston express interest in driving up, but they only wanted to make the trip if I could guarantee two rounds, and I couldn’t do that since I had no firm information on how many players would be there.

Saturday morning I woke up early, did my usual morning routine, collected my things, and off I went. I had two bags full of stuff that I brought with me…printed issues of Diplomacy World to give away, two sets of Diplomacy in case we had two boards, some prizes (an opened set, an Amazon gift card, and a Diplomacy shirt from my Cafepress store), pencils, pens, pads; everything you’d need.

Well, I didn’t bring one thing…players.

That’s right…30 minutes past the start of the round, I had ZERO players. Either they’d never showed up, or they had played two long the night before, or they found other things to do. Granted, TexiCon is still in its infancy, and hasn’t developed a strong following in the area yet. So I’ll go ahead and volunteer next year too…but I think next time I’ll run a single round later in the day. Plus, by then I hope to have hosted at least one game here at the house. We’ve got about 20 members in the Dallas Diplomacy Group on meetup.com, so getting seven of us together should only require planning and firm commitments.

I was disappointed, without question, but not despondent. Like I said, it was an easy drive, and I spent some time talking to the new Boardgame Director Tiffany Franzoni of roll2play.com. So it wasn’t a waste…it just wasn’t what I hoped it would be. I got home before noon, and went on with my day. Of course I left the DW issues behind for interested parties…maybe somebody got some use out of them?

This month also marked the 22^nd anniversary of my wedding to Mara, my first wife. I’ve written about this before, or at least I think I have. I wish I could find the old issue of Maniac’s Paradise where I chronicled the disaster our honeymoon turned out to be…Mara had just been in the hospital with a major attack of Crohn’s Disease and the only way she made it to the wedding at all was to be pumped full of IV corticosteroids. Any of you old MP readers happen to have that issue? It was an early one, back in May or June of 1989. If not, I’ll retell it (or rewrite it) someday.

Who the heck ARE these people?

The approach of Memorial Day weekend used to depress me because of this bittersweet anniversary, but these days it doesn’t hold that sort of hold over me. I still have photos of the wedding, and aside from a small group I have no idea who the people that attended were. They were almost exclusively friends of Mara’s parents. I think we had about 20 guests ourselves, including my family. The guests I was familiar with, either directly or in passing, I have only seen a handful of times since. And I haven’t spoken to anybody in Mara’s family whatsoever since 1999 or perhaps 2000. Heather spoke to Mara’s sister one time after Mara died, but that was it. Right now it’s like a long chapter in my life which has been removed from me…nobody who experienced the things I did, or at least the few that weren’t kept private, is a part of my life today. I’ve still got plenty of memories to work through, which is why my long-term plans include writing a book about those years. Some of the things I want to put in there are to get them out of myself, and others are because I feel I owe it to Mara to reveal some of those secrets and stories that were ignored, dismissed, or kept hidden for far too many years.

One of these days, I suppose…..

I wanted to make it a point to mention a few of my early celebrity crushes, as a response to Richard Walkerdine’s column last month (a topic he continues with this month). I never had that “girls are gross” period; I always loved girls. So I remember celebrity crushes going as far back as maybe age 10.

Two that come to mind immediately would be Olivia Newton-John after seeing her in the film version of Grease, and Randi Oakes (who played Officer Bonnie Clark on C.H.I.P.S). Charlie’s Angels sort of missed me by a year or two maybe…I watched the show but never had a crush on any of them.

Oddly, at this early age I was most fond of blondes, even though in later years those were exactly the women I was least naturally attracted to. This may have simply been because every TV show and movie seemed to have their resident “blonde

bombshell.” For whatever reason, that’s where I found my first attractions directed.

Once I discovered music outside of faceless radio performers and my early musical obsessions like The Beatles, my next three crushes developed from the musical world of entertainment. The advent of MTV would make this a lot more common, but I am fairly certain who my first three musical crushes were: Chrissy Hynde of The Pretenders, Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Go’s, and Karla DeVito (who is best known for her time working with Meat Loaf and appearing the video for Paradise By the Dashboard Light – despite not singing on the album itself).

Chrissy had a tremendous tough-girl but sexy look that I really liked, and I was a real fan of the early Pretenders music anyway. While all of the Go-Go’s were sexy, especially Kathy Valentine and Jane Wiedlin, it was Belinda that captured my heart. She had REAL curves, a sexy and voluptuous woman who could belt out a song and keep the audience bouncing. All three of these rockers had some great photos in the then-popular rock magazine Creem…that’s where I first saw Karla DeVito, before I’d heard a few tunes off of her “Is This a Cool World or What” album. I think she opened the first MTV New Year’s Eve live concert too. Anyway, I was smitten by all three, and pretty much still am. Ohm by the way, the photo of Karla below is the same as the one I saw in Creem.

So how about some of you other guys, AND girls, join in and tell us about some of your first crushes? Otherwise it’ll just be Richard and me, and eventually one of us will run out of names! (Andy Lischett did provide three crushes in the letter column).

In zine news, we’ve got more from Richard Walkerdine, Paul Milewski, and Jackie-poo. I’ve dropped the Cline and Narnian openings, due to the usual lack of interest. But with By Popular Demand ending, I’m opening a game of By ALMOST Popular Demand. It’s basically the same game, except if you get the most popular answer you get ZERO points. I think that twist will make it more challenging.

Then there’s the simple game of Lifeboat. Everyone plays this, whether you participate or not. Each turn everyone still in the lifeboat may vote to throw someone off the lifeboat, or vote to remove one vote for yourself. The high vote getter is thrown overboard. In a tie, everyone with that score is thrown over. Last one in the boat wins. I’ll probably give a prize, as usual.

You should also check the new Eternal Sunshine Index, a stock-market-like index of the zine. Every person remotely involved in ES has a stock, and they all begin priced at 50 this issue. You don’t do anything in this game, except write press or commentary on price movements (or why you think your stock should have gone up or down). I move the prices beginning with next issue based on my own private formula of quantity and quality zine participation (NMR’s, press, columns, etc.). Any new zine participants become new issues valued at at 50, but the stock for anyone who disappears remains listed. I don’t remember who used to do their own Zine Health Index…was it Don Del Grande in Lemon Curry? Anyway, this is my version. The average of all listed stocks will result in the ESI value, which will be charted issue to issue. If you don’t like the stock symbol I have assigned you, you may petition the exchange to change it. So, again, there’s nothing for you to do in this game but read it and comment on it. The rest is simply based on what else you do (or don’t do) in Eternal Sunshine. Blame Phil Murphy for suggesting to me.

That’s about it…see you next month!

Playlist: When May Come – Raina Rose; Mystery Prize – Rebecca Loebe; Hey, it’s a Lonely World – Rebecca Loebe; Broken Heart Breaker – Jenn Grinels.

Hypothetical of the Month

Last month, we gave you these two hypotheticals: #1 – There are two envelopes in front of you. In one envelope is a piece of paper telling you exactly when you will die. In the other a piece of paper telling you how you will die. You must open one and read the paper inside; but only one, you cannot open both. Which do you open, and why? #2 – A pound of flesh, no more no less…you must cut off one pound of your body. You may use local anesthetic in this case. Where do you cut, and why?

Melinda Holley - #1 - Yes I'd open #2. I wouldn't want to know when I'm to die. Not much else to say.

#2 - *spewing liquid on the keyboard*...to quote a radio character "My big ole butt!" As for the 'why'...surely you jest.

Amber Smith - #1 - When. I'd rather be able to live my life to that time w/o fear of what is there to cause death. Plus, I am sure it would become more obvious the closer that time came around...and if not all the better!

#2 –Shylock definitely wouldn't be allowed to help me hehe. I would pick my Buttocks, though I did consider breast just for convenience sakes! But with some local anesthetic it wouldn't be hard at all to shave a pound from there! And who cares if it scars?...god recovery would suck.

Richard Walkerdine - #1 - I open the envelope that tells me when I will die, that way I can arrange insurance, wills etc. How is really a bit irrelevant.

#2 - A tricky one. My first thought was to say my penis (not all that much use at my age but probably doesn't weigh a pound). So I will go for a slice off my left calf, that way I can still dig the garden (I am right footed as well as right handed).

Tom Howell - Here we have the hypothetical fallacious binary choice. Twice.

#1 - Firstly, I ask for a cigarette and book of matches. Then, I deliberately burn both unopened envelopes. Why? Either the date and cause of death are accurate, or they are not. In the first case, I don't want to live the rest of
my life futily trying to evade what's going to happen anyway. In the second, I don't want to live the rest of my life skewed by trying to evade something that isn't going to happen - at least, not when or how I've been led to believe.

#2 - The "why" is the key to this one. If it's something like having to remove a gangrenous toe or finger, then this one is easy and obvious. If it's just because you say so, it depends on the circumstances. What happens if I don't? If I were severely depressed, the possibility exists I could remove a pound of my own heart. Given that I'm not, I might opt for some of the flesh of whoever is insisting.

[[Cheats, both answers…the point of a hypothetical is that the situation exists where a choice MUST be made. Loopholes do not apply.]]

Jack McHugh - #1. I’d choose when--I'd just worry about the it the why and assuming i can't effect it--I'd rather be in control of what else is going on around me...like I'm not dying while answering questions for this dumb game, no way!

#2 - That's easy--take a few pounds off my spare tire--its as useless as trying to get Doug to not be anal-retentive....

Andy York - #1 - I'd take the third, unstated, option - destroy them both sight unseen. (I knew, you state I must open one; but, there is no given penalty for not doing so. I suppose if someone had a gun to my head saying they'd shoot in the head, killing me, if I didn't open one I'd know what was written in both envelopes).

#2 - Again, would not do so even under duress. I suppose I could lose a bit around the middle, but a local wouldn't cut it (pun intended) and likely lead to death anyway....so a moot point.

[[I think some of you just don’t get the hypotheticals. You HAVE to choose one. Oh well….]]

Phil Murphy - #1 - I would rather know how I would die, not when. There has to be some mystery about how long you have. The uncertainty would at least spur the person to make the most of the time available.

#2 –My stomach. I need to lose about thirty pounds anyhow. Seems a good place to start.

Hank Alme - #1 - I would choose to know when I will die. Neither sounds particularly appealing, but knowing when might provide comfort in a scary situation or two.

#2 - I guess I'd take it from my ass: less likely to interfere with rock climbing.

Don Williams - #1 - Your questions are draconian, stark, dark … and thought provoking. I pick the envelope containing when I’ll die … I don’t want to know how. Based on the timing, I might be able to ascertain how I’ll die … old age, disease, accident, etc., but knowing how would not offer as much info. Knowing when would also be more helpful in preparing mentally and spiritually as well, and would allow me to better make final arrangement regarding paperwork and finances, saying goodbye to friends and family, and meeting my God.

#2 - This one’s gross but easy. I’m about 65 pounds overweight. I carry most of it on my gut. I cut the pound there … I can cover the scar and it wouldn’t be that big anyway in that area.

Kevin Tighe - #1 - I'd like to know how - "choking on a walnut in the living room with Mr. Green". When really isn't important. We should all be ready to go at anytime. I think people like End of Days prophecies because it gives them a feeling of comfort that they won't die alone.

#2 - Sorry, I saw the play, so I know it can't be done. "A pound of flesh, no more or less." Blood will always be spilled and that is not flesh. The contract is void and Shylock must become a Christian. But in keeping with the spirit of the question I would cut . . . um . . . no, still can't do it. There will be blood everywhere. So much blood . . .

Heather Taylor - #1 – I would choose “When.” First, I would be curious to know the answer, and so I could prepare. But also because I do NOT want to know “how” in case the “how” is some ordinary thing I do every day…I’d be forced to wonder every time I did it “is this the day?”

#2 – I think I’d cut off a pound of my stomach. I choose that over my butt because it is easier to see when I’m doing the cutting.

For Next Month (For the time being, I am selecting questions from the game “A Question of Scruples” which was published in 1984 by High Games Enterprises. The word Scruples is also being used as a secret this issue). Remember you can make your answers as detailed as you wish.: #1 – You see someone shoplifting in the neighborhood grocery. Do you tell the owner? #2 – You are exhausted and planning to relax at a movie. Friends need a babysitter so they can attend a meeting. Do you babysit?

The Dining Dead -
The Eternal Sunshine Movie Reviews

We’re likely to go see a movie today, but that will be post-deadline, so no movie reviews until next time!

Seen on DVD – Blazing Saddles (B, still some very funny lines after all these years, in a film which would NEVER get made today). The Crazies (C+, remake of the old George Romero film, with a decent story but no real scares. And the thing is so dark we could barely see what was going on some of the time). The Fourth Kind (C+, a UFO tale with pseudo-Blair Witch “reality.” But it wasn’t a bad movie on its own, just not an especially good one.) Heathers (C+, the movie itself is still fun, but it seems the older I get the less I care for Christian Slater and his mock-Jack Nicholson voice). Cyrus (B, an entertaining and well-acted independent film, by the same folks who brought you Baghead…another entertaining well-acted independent film. You probably Spohaven’t seen either of them, but you should see both).

100 Movies to See Before You Die

An Eternal Sunshine List Challenge

Yahoo Films (part of the Yahoo online pages) has posted two lists of movies “to see before you die.” The first list was composed of mostly classic film choices, while the “modern” list was 100 films from 1990 onward. You can find their lists at: http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/100-movies-to-see-before-you-die.html and at http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/100-movies-to-see-before-you-die-modern-classics.html. Some of these choices I agree with, and some I think are completely off the mark. So I issued a challenge to each of you: Submit to me the 100 Movies to See Before You Die that would make your list. The lists could be submitted all at once, or 10 films at a time. Any comments on your choices (or future comments on the choices of other people) are encouraged. After 10 issues I plan on publishing a complete list of all films included on any list, as well as a count of how many lists each appeared on. I am offering prizes: two of the respondents who submit a full complement of 100 movies (whether all at once or 10 per issue) will be selected at random for prizes. So to win, all you have to do is play.

Next issue: The second 10 movies from each of you, and from me (20 movies if you missed the first round). Please note: These films are not meant to be placed in order by you, from top to bottom, unless you want to do that for some reason.

Dane Maslen:

Well, I can live my life the way I want to too. Don’t come following me around. A quote from The Meaning of Life?

I suppose I might as well give you 10 films. Given , however, that I don't watch many films and don't go for 'classics', I suspect that my list will be rather unusual.

Prompted by the above, let's start with The Meaning of Life - I saw it again recently on TV and discovered that I had forgotten just how funny it is. I suspect that at least one more Python films will find their way into my 100 (actually I doubt that my list will run to 100 films).

Next up is Where Eagles Dare. It's quite some time since I last saw this, but I have very fond memories of it, ludicrous though it is.

12 Angry Men - oops, that probably counts as a classic.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home - by far the best of the Star Trek films.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

OK, only five films named so far and I'm starting to struggle! I confidently predict that no one else will mention the next one, but it's very funny: Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel

Alien - I think the sci-fi bias is getting pretty obvious, isn't it? The sequels were nowhere near as good.

Kentucky Fried Movie - stupendously bad taste!

The Italian Job (1969) - I've not seen the remake, but I doubt that it's anywhere near as good as the original

The Pink Panther (1963)

Jim Burgess:

Andy York:

For the 100 movies, I'll participate without need to be put into the prize pool. However, there are no criteria for determining the 100 - merit, examples of the craft, theme/message, acting, directing, etc. So, this is a mish-mash, more of what I find most enjoyable and worth repeated viewing rather than anything else (since I haven't seen many of the "classics") - and heavily sci-fi/fantasy this time.

01) Fahrenheit 451

02) Blade Runner

03) Planet of the Apes (original)

04) Wizard of Oz

05) Star Trek: Wrath of Khan

06) Lord of the Rings trilogy

07) Star Wars IV: A New Hope

08) 2001: A Space Odyssey

09) Raiders of the Lost Ark

10) Heavy Metal

Andy Lischett:

I'll probably fade away in future issues, because I'm having a hard time coming up with the first 10. I enjoy movies, but don't actually think that there are any "important" movies, and there are very few that I would want to see again.

1. The only movie I want to see before I die that I haven't seen is Hell's Angels, by Howard Hughes.
2. Zulu, with Michael Caine, is not a great movie but it is my favorite, and one I can watch every few years.
3. Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry - I like cars and Susan George.
4. Psycho - Even if Hitchcock's assistants actually directed it, this is a scary movie.
5. Fantasia can be watched every once in a while.
6. I should probably rent Lawrence of Arabia, if only for the Brough Superior he crashes.
7. A recent (within 10 years) movie that I really liked was Zodiac.
8. Another was Mystic River.
9. I'm getting desperate now... Bonnie & Clyde.
10. Oh, yeah. Independence Day is rewatchable.

Phil Murphy:

1. The Shawshank Redemption - For many years my favorite. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman make this film great.
2. The Princess Bride - A guilty pleasure, best enjoyed with geeky mates and a few beers. Cheesy double entendres seem even funnier when mildly drunk.
3. The King's Speech - One of the very best films I have seen. Epic
4. Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan - The best Star Trek film. They avoid over-acting and Spock's death is suitably touching. Also, KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
5. The Third Man - Orson Welles looms large in this film as the enigmatic racketeer Harry Lime. Great suspense, a proper thriller.
6. Blade Runner - Who da man? That's sort of the point. Atmospheric, almost cyberpunk in style and verve. Very tense, utterly brilliant. Harrison Ford's best film, in my view.
7. Psycho - Alfred Hitchcock was the master of horror and suspense. The suggestion of the murder of Janet Leigh's character by Norman Bates, with the use of silhouette and the iconic bath drain slowly turning red is more shocking, more horrifying than anything in modern horror movies.
8. The Godfather - A bit clichéd perhaps but a great film. Marlon Brando iconic as Don Vito Corleone.
9. Brazil. Terry Gillam's 1985 film is unmissable - hard to define except perhaps as a mad mix of 1984 and Monty Python. Truly excellent.
10. Dogma. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon showcase their talents as fallen angels in this black comedy satire by Kevin Smith. Great supporting cast, including Alan Rickman as a sarcastic high ranking angel trying to find out why God has disappeared. Chris Rock as Rufus, the 13th apostle is also really funny.

Deadline for Your Second Set of 10 Films: June 28^th at 7am My Time

You Don't Know Me

The Eternal Sunshine Interview

What is your name: Antje Duvekot

What is your astrological sign: Scorpio

How old are you (exact or approximate): 37

What is your earliest childhood memory? Being four and getting a candy bar from a construction worker working on our house.

Describe your immediate family (present day): My dad and brother live in Germany and that's basically it for my immediate family so our Christmas present opening goes pretty fast since we’re a very small family. It’s been a bit depressing because we used to have bigger Christmases when my uncle and grandmother were alive but my brother just had a son so we're actually expanding again. I only met my infant nephew once (as my brother lives in Germany) but i loved him right away.

What do you do for a living: I write songs about my life and play them for people around the country…weird job if you think about it.

Where were you born: Born and raised in Heidelberg, Germany, and then transplanted at age 13 to Delaware, USA

What did you want to be when you were growing up: A belly dancer. Then an Olympic skier. Then a marine biologist. Then a singer-songwriter. The last dream came true.

Douglas Kent: Your new CD, Live from All Over the Place, is a real treat. I was surprised to find that you'd included new songs like Sweet Spot on there. Do you think that the live atmosphere provides a different sort of energy for your new songs, or is it simply a question of finances and studio time (and available time, period) which caused you to put them out in live version before a new studio project?

Antje Duvekot: Well, it's a mixture. It definitely has to do with finances. a live record costs a tiny fraction of what a studio album costs to release so that was part of my consideration in putting out something new for my listeners but also I’ve been sitting on recordings of live shows that I’ve played with or without friends of mine and i thought to myself why not give fans the opportunity to hear this side of things... namely the more raw, scaled down version of my songs. Since that's what people come to live shows for all the time and it's what i ACTUALLY do when i play solo or with minimal back-up. A studio record makes the songs sound sonically beautiful but it also obscures the way the song was written at first, the exact guitar part and voice without anything else. It’s like archeology sometimes to get to hear a song live acoustically after knowing only the studio version. So i always find that interesting so i figured others might too.

Douglas Kent: Are there any songs of yours which you rarely - or never - perform live because you can't recreate it in a way which pleases you given the limits of live performance (especially as you often perform solo)?

Antje Duvekot: Well no, I’ve always written and performed my own songs from scratch using only my guitar as back-up. I never really had the luxury or capital to have access to a band or a studio when writing. The advantage of that is that i can play all my songs, as they were all written in a way where the guitar part fills in for all the needs of the song. When i then go in the studio that gets fleshed out but I’ve never had to rely on production to make a song work, given this way of writing. It’s been out of necessity but in turn i can perform all my songs solo.

Douglas Kent: You commented on this both on the new CD and when I saw you live in Tulsa...how does building a successful personal relationship, and the happiness you're finding in your life right now, change your writing style?

Antje Duvekot: I don’t think it changes my style per se. it just changes the subject matter a bit. i mean when you've not found the right person to be in love with your songs tend to be about the difficulties with love. now that i have found the right person my songs are more about the fulfillment of being in love. and the same holds true for other kinds of challenges that a person figures out as they grow up. my writing perspective has changed i think from someone who was more lost to someone who is less lost. I’m looking back more now and writing about the way i was, rather than the way i am. but it's still the same writer processing her life in one way or another. sometimes i feel guilty about how the process is so self-absorbed but if i wasn’t writing about myself i wouldn’t know how or what to write about....... it wouldn’t feel honest.

Douglas Kent: I really enjoyed the cover songs on this new CD, and some of the choices were a bit surprising (Queen's Fat Bottom Girls, and the underappreciated The Wind by Cat Stevens). Could you provide a few songs you'd like to cover someday bit haven't gotten around to yet?

Antje Duvekot: Oh there are unlimited songs I’d like to cover. One day I’d like to make a cover record. I might include Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen on my next album. My favorite song of all time is "Beeswing" by Richard Thomson. I actually love covering sad songs but during my live shows I try to cover upbeat material because my own stuff is already on the deep/heavy side and so in the name of balance, material such as Fat Bottom Girls works itself in to provide some levity.

Douglas Kent: Dallas, where I live, has a rather mediocre local music scene, and downright depressing when it comes to artists like you. What is it about Boston which lends itself so strongly to a better atmosphere, and a more nurturing locale? Is it simply the large college influence, or is there more to it?

Antje Duvekot: That’s a great question and I’ve wondered that myself. It really is unique and nowhere in the country have I encountered a similar enthusiasm for smart lyric driven music the way I have in Boston. It’s possible that it's to do with the many colleges and the intellectual climate of the city. There also are many great radio stations that support indie and folk music such as WERS, WUMB, the river, etc. With those it’s hard to say which came first the chicken or the egg. do we have great station because we have a great music culture or do we have a great music culture because we have great stations. I mean, it's been this way for quite some time. Boston has had this acoustic folk music culture since the 60's, but where it started I honestly don’t know. And once a culture like that is underway it's of course contagious and self-perpetuates.

Douglas Kent: You collaborate with other area artists on this new CD, and have on other projects. Are there any artists you wish you could collaborate with someday, even those you have never met yet?

Antje Duvekot: I feel so lucky to have gotten to collaborate with some of the artists I admire most in the world. They are not famous but they have been my personal musical inspirations. These include Ellis Paul, Richard Shindell, John Gorka, Lucy Kaplansky, Meg Hutchinson, Anais Mitchell, etc. so to be honest my dreams have already come true in that department. If I had to list others I’d like to work with I guess it would be Dar Williams and Patti Griffin.

Douglas Kent: I've wanted to ask you since I first heard Big Dream Boulevard, was there something going on in your life which added a bit of biblical or religious dialogue on that CD? I'm speaking obviously about Judas and Jerusalem (one of my favorite songs).

Antje Duvekot: I don’t know why I have this theme going on. I was mostly raised without religion and don't really know that much about it. I think the answer to that is that I like to write about big existential topics. Art to me is one big dialogue about the human quest to pin down the meaning of life... and so that automatically brings me to the topic of God in my work in one way or another. usually in a critical or confused way.

Douglas Kent: You contributed two songs to the independent film American Wake, which was set in Boston. Are you interested in doing a full soundtrack to a film? It wouldn't have to be orchestral obviously...because of your cover of The Wind I think immediately of the late Colin Higgins; the story has always been that he wrote Harold and Maude while constantly listening to Cat Stevens for inspiration, with his music in mind for the film the entire time (of course Cat Stevens eventually provided two new songs for the film, including Don't Be Shy which I continue to find simplistically beautiful to this day).

Antje Duvekot: I sure love that film and Cat's soundtrack to it. Sure, I’d love to do something like that. No one's approached me yet. J

Thanks to Antje for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer these questions. I can’t wait until August when she’ll be performing in Dallas, almost a year since I last saw her in Tulsa. Anybody want to attend with us? Let me know, I’ll be buying tickets soon.

In the meantime, I really need some suggestions for future interviews. They need to be people not involved in the Diplomacy hobby. That is the only requirement. They can have any kind of job, or be retired, unemployed…none of that matters. Just someone you know who you think might make an interesting subject for other readers. I don’t think I’ve gotten more than a single suggestion from anyone since I started this section. So get with it!

23 Tunes Game

Here are the rules for 23 TUNES. You send me three tunes for the first turn, and then two tunes in each of the last ten turns for a total of 23. If you missed the first turn, you can still catch up by sending five tunes next issue, and guess on submitters to this issue. Actually, you can send all 23 tunes at once if you want to, but then you’ll need to remember to guess everyone else’s each month. I am also submitting my tunes. After we're done, I'd like to exchange CD's/Tapes for as many of the tunes players as possible, but this is not required. I'll be sending the winner my 23 Tune list. The winner is determined by having you guess each issue who submitted what list (I will tell you who the submitters are). For each song you get right (except those you submitted yourself), you get a point, you also can win bonus points from me for really cool tune selections. That's it, not complicated. I hope by starting this up, we'll get more to join. So, put simply…you send in the name and artist of songs you really like or have special meaning to you. I print 3 of them the first turn, and 2 year turn after that (you can submit that way, or send in all 23 at once, or anything in between). Each issue I list the songs for that turn, without revealing who submitted which song. I also print a list of who submitted songs (again, without telling you which songs they sent in). Your mission is to match the people with the songs (but no points for your own). Simple. And I’ll offer other prizes as well, to be determined later. If you miss a turn, make it up my sending enough songs to catch up with the other players (and the overdue songs will simply be revealed immediately).

23 Tunes - Round Three

1. A Case of You - Nancy Wilson: Heather Taylor. Correct: JB.

2. Black Sheep – Metric: Hank Alme.

3. Cruel Summer – Bananarama: Andy Lischett - I love girl groups, going back to the Shirells, Martha & the Vandellas, etc. etc. I also love the name Bananarama. Correct – PR.

4. Dance Tonight - Paul McCartney: Andy York. Correct – GK.

5. Funky Gibbon - The Goodies: Brendan Whyte.

6. Glam Racket - The Fall: Martin Burgdorf.

7. Goodbye Earl - Dixie Chicks: David McCrumb. Correct: PM.

Hallelujah Chorus – Handel: Jim Burgess - You left a word off one of my song titles last time, you're useless!! Anyway, I was pairing "Sacred Head Sore WOUNDED" by Johann Sebastian Bach as the best death of Jesus song of all-time with Handel's Hallelujah Chorus which is the best Easter risen song of all-time. Anyway, I thought it was cool. You should give anyone double points who guesses me for both. This year, I got to sing both at the appropriate times, it was a good year.
Hide and Seek - Howard Jones: Mark Firth. Correct: JB.
Hot Potato, Hot Potato - The Wiggles: Brendan Whyte. Andy Lischett “I've no idea what this is, but Mark Firth seems to like silly group names.”
I Ended Up With You - Robert Cray: Melinda Holley. Correct: KT.
I Got You Babe - Sonny and Cher: Richard Walkerdine. Correct: PM.
I Know What Boys Like - The Waitresses: Andy Lischett - Ditto #3 even though The Waitresses were half & half. Being a white male, should I love a song that sneers at white males? I can't help it, this song is so much fun. I love White Rabbit and dislike drugs. Correct – PR.
Life on Mars - David Bowie: Phil Murphy. Andy Lischett “I like David Bowie so I'm giving both to Jim Burgess. Probably wrong.”
Love Shack - B-52's: Rick Desper. Andy Lischett “I'm mad that someone picked this before I got to it. It would have been in my Round 4. BANG, BANG, BANG ......” Correct – RW.
Sacred Head Sore Wounded - Johann Sebastian Bach: Jim Burgess.
Post Break-up Sex - The Vaccines: Amber Smith. Correct: PM.
Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac: Melinda Holley. Correct – PR, JB.
Rust – Telekenesis: Andy York.
S&M – Rihanna: Amber Smith. Correct – AL.
Scarborough Fair – Traditional: Heather Taylor.
Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel: Rick Desper. Correct – RW.
Somebody Told Me - The Killers: Hank Alme. Correct: MB.
Something About You - Level 42: Douglas Kent. Correct: MB.
Space Oddity - David Bowie: Martin Burgdorf. Richard Walkerdine “Used by the BBC as music for the Apollo 11 mission - perhaps not the best choice?.”
Stay - Shakespeare's Sister: Geoff Kemp. Correct: KT.
Still Alive - Jonathan Coulton: Paraic Reddington.
Teenage Kicks - The Undertones: Phil Murphy.
The Grass is Blue - Dolly Parton: David McCrumb. Correct: PM.
The Rocky Road to Dublin – Dubliners: Paraic Reddington. Correct – AL, JB, PM, GK, MB.
This Land is Your Land - Woody Guthrie: Richard Walkerdine.
Up the Pool - Jethro Tull: Mark Firth. Andy Lischett “I don’t much like Jethro Tull.” Correct – PR.
Veronica - Elvis Costello: Douglas Kent.
Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush: Geoff Kemp. Richard Walkerdine “She was such a good dancer and this single is now quite valuable - yes, I do have a copy.” Correct – KT.

Scores This Round – Phil Murphy [PM] – 5; Paraic Reddington [PR] – 4; Jim Burgess [JB] – 4; Martin Burgdorf [MB] – 3; Kevin Tighe [KT] – 3; Richard Walkerdine [RW] – 2; Geoff Kemp [GK] – 2; Andy Lischett [AL] – 2; Amber Smith [AS] – 0.

Total Scores (of those who submitted at least some guesses in any round): Martin Burgdorf [MB] – 15; Paraic Reddington [PR] – 14; Jim Burgess [JB] – 13; Andy Lischett [AL] – 12; Geoff Kemp [GK] – 9; Richard Walkerdine [RW] – 8; Brendan Whyte [BW] – 7; Melinda Holley [MH] – 6; Hank Alme [HA] – 6; Chris Babcock [CB] – 5; Phil Murphy [PM] – 5; Mark Firth [MF] – 5; Marc Ellinger [ME] – 4; Kevin Tighe [KT] - 3Amber Smith [AS] – 1.

23 Tunes - Round Four

First, two songs from Kevin Tighe who missed last round: Sing Sing Sing - Benny Goodman (Live at Carnegie Hall), and Stompin' at the Savoy - Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong.

Submitting songs this issue are: Andy Lischett, Andy York, David McCrumb, Douglas Kent, Geoff Kemp, Hank Alme, Heather Taylor, Jim Burgess, Martin Burgdorf, Melinda Holley, Paraic Reddington, Amber Smith, Phil Murphy, Richard Walkerdine, and Kevin Tighe.

1. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - Monty Python

2. Amazing Grace - Blind Boys of Alabama

3. Ancient Voices - Russ Landau

4. And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda - The Pogues

5. Born This Way - Lady Gaga

6. Come and Get Your Love - Redbone

7. Don't Dream it's Over - Crowded House

8. ESP - The Buzzcocks

9. Gold Fever - Clint Eastwood

10. Goodbye Toulouse - The Stranglers

11. Have a Nice Day - Stereophonics

12. Hide in Your Shell - Supertramp

13. Honey - Bobby Goldsboro

14. I Am the Walrus - The Beatles

15. I Like You Better - Raina Rose

16. If I Had a Rocket Launcher - Bruce Cockburn

17. I'm Not Strong Enough - Apocalyptia

18. Island in the Sun - Weezer

19. Jug Band Music - The Lovin' Spoonful

20. Let Us Cross Over the River - Stonewall Country cast

21. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Conner

22. Ouverture Solenelle (1812 Overture) - Tchaikovsky

23. Paint it Black - Vanessa Carlton

24. Same Day Soon - Ian and Sylvia

25. Sleepwalk - Santo and Johnnie

26. Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees

27. Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2 (with the Harlem Boys Choir)

28. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2

29. Take Me Out to the Ballgame - Traditional

30. The Cocoanut Song - Harry Nilsson

For Round Five: Send in 2 more songs of your own (4 songs if you missed submitting in Round Four, 6 if you missed Round Three, 8 if you missed Round Two, and 11 if you missed Round One). Then try to match each song listed here with the person who submitted it (except your own; remember there are now 2 songs for each player). You can add commentary on your own songs, or any of the other songs; commentary is encouraged!

Deadline for the next round of 23 Tunes is June 27th at 7pm my time.

That’s the day BEFORE the regular zine deadline.

Meet Me In Montauk
The Eternal Sunshine Letter Column

Cal White: I gotta ask - How can you take seriously a list of 100 Movies to See Before you Die that doesn't have Gone With The Wind on it?

[[My contention is the list was a piece of crap.]]

Dane Maslen: Regarding a “cracker”, Marc Ellinger wrote “I wonder what the English players will come up with...since a cracker is a cookie over there.” Er, no it isn't! Not unless I misunderstand the American English meanings of 'cracker' and 'cookie' (I believe the British English and American English meanings of the latter differ). Judging by the answers I'm pretty sure that you mean exactly the same thing as us when you refer to a cracker, at least in the edible sense. I won't speculate on whether you also use it to refer to a type of firework or an attractive woman (or more generally anything very good). And I'd be crackers to assume that you also use the plural to describe insanity.

[[Well we DO use it to describe insanity, although that’s probably not a scientific usage.]]

Andy Lischett: Three heartthrobs (from back in the '60's like Richard Walkerdine's): actress Tisha Sterling, Zora Lambert (or Lampert, not sure) [[actually Zorha Lampert]] another minor actress who I best remember as Eve in the Garden of Eden in a commercial for Ocean Spray cranapple juice, Twiggy.

…the following are selected comments from a “Where is everybody?” email I posted to the ES Yahoo group.

Chris Babcock: There are more things competing for our attention these days, but Diplomacy is adapting to new media - the same as other games and subcultures. We don't have the millions of players of MMORPGs, but there's pent-up demand for "euro-games" like Diplomacy and other PBM favorites to be adapted to web 2.0. Currently most social games are vacuous cow clickers that reward players for 1) donating, 2) recruiting, or 3) mindless clicks that serve no purpose other than serving ads. These games make money, but the public tires of them quickly, which feeds an endless cycle of games with diminishing value while players search for a game worth playing. I think Diplomacy is one of those games.

I also think that Doug and ES have unique strengths that complement my own and those of the USAK judge community, so I hope we could have a discussion about that before anyone goes into hypolithia.

I'm interested in human interfaces, but I am running into political and other limitations with the judge software that very much mirror Doug's frustrations. Doug, I suspect, could use technical direction for his social efforts while I find that I need social direction for my technical efforts.

I value ES on its own merits and I'd rather see Doug succeed on the strength of his own vision, but we'd make a powerful team. Just saying...

Of course it could just be seasonal. I've noticed that game starts are slow in May in anticipation of Memorial Day and summer vacations. ;)

[[Obviously I need to talk to you about you vision. I don’t have one that matches, probably because I don’t know what yours looks like yet.]]

Tom Swider: I've got other things going on and I'm not really into Diplomacy anymore. I know that publishing takes a lot of work and that a big reward is getting an active community going and supporting it. In its
heyday, Dipdom was a great way of finding splinter cultures, which the Internet now does (not as high quality but in greater quantity and variety).

Maybe "crawling under a rock" could be phrased more positively ... moving on to other things, or maybe downsizing?

[[Actually I am always looking to get bigger in these post-snail mail days. I’d just rather do it with some additional contributions and columnists.]]

Phil Murphy: Exam season at the moment for me. Job hunting for a teaching post too so been up to my ears. As for other folks, guess people just have a lot on this time of year.

I know people are looking forward to the next issue: I certainly am! Part of the problem I think is that people tend to interact less these days, and maybe use their twitter/Facebook/ LinkedIn rather than email or letters.

Plenty of people continue to play dip and read both DW and ES. I think the number is about the same. I guess people just aren't as easy to get to engage. So many things to focus attention on now - Internet, games, tv and film... Easy to get distracted.

I'm just glad people still play the game, even if they rarely send me any press.

People seem to be less willing to take a chance and reach out to communicate with new people. It's a shame, as it's harder to know if people are responding.

Doug, the lack of response doesn't mean your work's not valued; just means that the ingrates are too lazy to say so. (Get off the fence, you bums!)

And the same goes for the subzine authors too. It's an epidemic, I tells ya... Don't let it dissuade you!

Anyhow, got to get back to my books. Dewey, Socrates & co. are unreasonably stealing my free time. But hey, in 24 hours I finish college forever!

[[Nobody finishes forever. Be the perpetual student…there’s always another degree! Phil had another idea for a little fun project I could do. It might appear next issue…or even this one, since it is Memorial Day weekend and I may have a few extra hours.]]

Andy York: As for your comment about whether you should publish or not, I don't see why you shouldn't. Overall you have a decent readership base and zine participation, even if the response isn't spread evenly out over the month.

A suggestion if you want to distribute incoming emails, keep the zine deadline "as is" and have the game deadlines set out over the other three weeks. Then, the zine would have the "last" game report (for all the observers) while the players would get their game report when completed between issues. This would also distribute the time needed to adjudicate the non-"everyone plays" games to non-zine publishing weeks. Just a thought.....

And speaking of time and ability to do things, I've been ruminating the past week on what I have to do and the lack of time to do it (off work due to foot surgery, just returned today for an abbreviated workday). I just don't have the time to do a column justice, as much as I want to write.

There a few things that'll drop off my plate later this year and next year. Once that happens, I may try taking up column writing again on an every-other issue basis or just in TAP (due to the more relaxed pubbing schedule).

And, on the "must spend more time" side of things, I've been trying to squeeze in 2-3 sessions a week at the gym on the treadmill (obviously not in the past couple of weeks). That really should be 3-4, plus I also need to add a couple strength sessions (or extend a couple of the treadmill sessions by 20 minutes or so). Also, I've been investigating going back to get my Master's degree (part-time).

Apologies for keeping the hope open for the past year, I just have the tendency to take too big a bite hoping that everything will "fit." This is a case of just not enough hours in a day.

[[The infrequent York contributions are much preferred over none at all, my friend! As for distributing the games throughout…well, that might work better for some, but I like the process of finishing an issue and then moving on to the next one. I think the other way might feel like it was never done.]]

Eternal Sunshine Index – ESI

A Scientific Measure of Zine Health

Current Index: 50.0

The Eternal Sunshine Index is a stock-market-like index of the zine. Every person remotely involved in ES has a stock, and they all begin priced at 50 this issue. You don’t do anything in this game, except write press or commentary on price movements (or why you think your stock should have gone up or down). I move the prices beginning with next issue based on my own private formula of quantity and quality zine participation (NMR’s, press, columns, etc.). Any new zine participants become new issues valued at at 50, but the stock for anyone who disappears will remain listed. I don’t remember who used to do their own Zine Health Index…was it Don Del Grande in Lemon Curry? Anyway, this is my version. The average of all listed stocks will result in the ESI closing value each month, which will be charted issue to issue. If you don’t like the stock symbol I have assigned you, you may petition the exchange to change it. So, again, there’s nothing for you to do in this game but read it and comment on it. The rest is simply based on what else you do (or don’t do) in Eternal Sunshine. Blame Phil Murphy for suggesting this section to me.

LATE ARRIVALS AT THE ORNITHOLOGISTS BALL

by Richard Walkerdine

Well there are already quite a few guests here, even though the ball isn’t due to start for a while. I can see Mr and Mrs ONCROW and their daughter CARRIE, Mr and Mrs ZARD and their son BUZ, Mr and Mrs FINCH and their environmentalist son Brian (his friends just call him GREEN) and Mr and Mrs NET and their daughter LIN. Oh goodness, and there’s my old friend JAY who I haven’t seen since school days – I must have a chat with him later.

And over at the back I can see Mr IN and his son ROB, Mrs SHANK and her son RED, Mr and Mrs LARK and their daughter SKY and Mr and Mrs LING and their actress daughter Katy (she’s a real STAR).

But now a big coach has arrived with dozens of guests. I can seen Mr and Mrs ELTHRUSH and their daughter (I’m afraid I don’t know her name so I’ll just call her MISS), Mr and Mrs FACEDLOVEBIRD and their daughter ROSY, Mr and Mrs EAREDWAXBILL and their daughter VIOLET, Mr MACAW and his daughter SCARLET, Mrs FLAMINGO and her daughter, another ROSY, Mr and Mrs TGOOSE and their daughter Brenda (though her friends just call her BREN), Mr and Mrs BREASTEDMERGANSER and their son RED and Mrs IFORNIAQUAIL and her son Charles (usually just known as CAL). Goodness that was quite a rush.

I think I need a glass of wine, my throat is getting dry. But still the guests are arriving. I can see Mr and Mrs RINGALBATROSS and their daughter WANDA, Mr FOOTEDBOOBY and his daughter BLUE, Mrs IBIS and her daughter SCARLET, Mr and Mrs ATESPOONBILL and their daughter ROSY (we seem to have a lot of Rosys here tonight), Mr and Mrs GRINEFALCON and their son PERRY, Mr SNIPE and his son JACK, Mrs GULL and her daughter IVORY and Mr and Mrs TERNGULL and their son WES. Goodness me, this is a really good turnout.

But still there are more coming in. I can see Mr GERIGAR and his son BUD, Mr and Mrs SERNIGHTHAWK and their son LES, Mr and Mrs CROWNEDHUMMINGBIRD and their daughter VIOLET and their close relatives Mr and Mrs THROATEDHUMMINGBIRD with their daughter RUBY and Mr and Mrs HEADSHRIKE with their lumberjack son Sam (usually just known as LOGGER).

Surely that’s the lot? No, I see a few more arriving. There is Mr and Mrs SWALLOW and their son CLIFF, Mr and Mrs CROWNEDRINGLET and their daughter RUBY and finally, bringing up the rear, there is Mr and Mrs OLINK with their son BOB.

Yes, that really is everyone. The doors have been closed.

Brain Farts: The Only Subsubzine With It’s Own Fragrance

By Jack “Flapjack” McHugh – jack@diplomacyworld.net

(or just email Doug and he’ll send it to me)

Issue #31

No job, no work, no money, no fun. What was that song Turning Japanese? No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women, no fun, no sin; that’s me. You all should be thanking me for even putting this crap together.

An old guy (not in the best of shape) was working out in the gym when he spotted a sweet young thing... He asked the trainer that was nearby "What machine in here should I use to impress that sweet thing over there?"

The trainer looked him up and down and said "I would try the ATM in the lobby".......

A flat-chested young lady went to Dr. Smith about enlarging her breasts. Dr. Smith advised her “Every day, after your shower, rub your chest and say 'Scooby doobie doobies, I want bigger boobies!' “

She did this faithfully for several months. To her utter amazement she grew terrific D-cup boobs!

One morning she was running late, got on the bus, and in a panic realized she had forgotten her morning ritual. Frightened she might lose her lovely boobs if she didn't recite the little rhyme, she stood right there in the middle aisle of the bus, closed her eyes and said, “Scooby
doobie, doobies, I want bigger boobies.”

A guy sitting nearby looked at her and asked “Oh! Are you a patient of Dr. Smith's?”

“Yes I am.. How did you know?”

He winked and replied, " Hickory dickory dock...."

Snow White, Superman and Pinocchio are out for a stroll and come across a sign: "Beauty contest for the world's most beautiful woman." Pinocchio said “You should enter, Snow." So she did. After the contest they asked her, "Well, how'd ya do?" "First Place!" said Snow White.

They continue walking and see a another sign: "World's strongest man contest." Snow White said, "You should enter Superman." So he did. After the strongman contest, they ask him, "How did you do?" "First Place!" answers Superman.

They continue walking and see another sign: "World Class Liars Contest." Superman says to Pinocchio, "Looks like it's your turn, Pinocchio.""I don't know?!?!" exclaimed Pinocchio, but he enters.

After the contest Pinocchio returns with tears in his eyes. Concerned, they asked, "What happened Pinocchio?"

"Who the heck is Obama?" sobbed Pinocchio.

HUMOR FROM THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF SCIENTIFIC QUOTATIONS

by Paul Milewski

These entries from the dictionary speak for themselves.

If the double helix was so important, how come you didn’t work on it?—Mrs. Helen Pauling to her husband when Crick, Watson and Wilkins received the Nobel Prize.—Linus Carl Pauling (1901-94) at a History of Science conference in 1990; quotation supplied by W. H. Brock.

While reading in a textbook of chemistry, I came across the statement, “nitric acid acts upon copper.” I was getting tired of reading such absurd stuff and I determined to see what this meant. Copper was more or less familiar to me, for copper cents were then in use. I had seen a bottle marked “nitric acid” on a table in the doctor’s office where I was then “doing time.” I did not know its peculiarities, but I was getting on and likely to learn. The spirit of adventure was upon me. Having nitric acid and copper, I had only to learn what the words “act upon” meant . . . I put one of them [cent] on the table, opened the bottle marked “nitric acid”; poured some of the liquid on the copper; and prepared to make an observation. But what was this wonderful thing which I beheld? The cent was already changed, and it was no small change either. A greenish blue liquid foamed and fumed over the cent and over the table. The air in the neighborhood of the performance became colored dark red. A great colored cloud arose. This was disagreeable and suffocating—how should I stop this? I tried to get rid of the objectionable mess by picking it up and throwing it out of the window, which I had meanwhile opened. I learned another fact—nitric acid not only acts on copper but it acts upon fingers. The pain led to another unpremeditated experiment. I drew my fingers across my trousers and another fact was discovered. Nitric acid acts upon trousers. Taking everything into consideration, that was the most impressive experiment, and relatively, probably the most costly experiment I have ever performed.—Ira Remsen (1846-1927), from F. H. Getman, The Life of Ira Remsen (1940), 9.

After having a wash I proceeded to the bar where—believe it or not—there was a white-coated barman who was not only serving drinks but also cigarettes! I hastened forward and rather timidly said “Can I have some cigarettes?”

“What’s your rank?” was the slightly unexpected reply.

“I am afraid I haven’t got one,” I answered.

“Nonsense—everyone who comes here has a rank.”

“I’m sorry but I just don’t have one.”

“Now that puts me in a spot,” said the barman, “for orders about cigarettes in this camp are clear—twenty for officers and ten for other ranks. Tell me what exactly are you?”

Now I really wanted those cigarettes so I drew myself up and said “I am the Professor of Chemistry at Manchester University.”

The barman contemplated me for about thirty seconds and then said, “I’ll give you five.”

Since that day I have had few illusions about the importance of professors!

—Alexander Robertus Todd (Lord Todd of Trumpington) (1907-97), following a 1941 visit to the Defense Research Establishment at Porton to watch a demonstration of a new chemical weapon for use against tanks, from A Time to Remember: The Autobiography of a Chemist (1983), 59.

The Twisting Tale

This is a rotating story, with a different author every issue, and a chapter of 500 words. If you’d like to participate, please email me and let me know, and I’ll let you know when your turn comes up. We need more particpants! Email me at dougray30@yahoo.com if you’d like to participate!

Chapter 3 - By Phil Murphy

“Who do you love?”

Right now his head hurt like hell. He was pretty sure love wasn’t something a man in his state was capable of. He wasn’t in the mood for any more music, either. He turned off the radio and headed out of town in the Healey, towards the interstate.

The car had been a gift from Mel’s late husband, Euan - a big shot accountant at a major firm in downtown Chicago. There’d been some unpleasant business. Mel’s husband had been found dead in the swimming
pool…

Mel wouldn’t speak of it. But she kept the car – it was about all there was left. Euan’s bank had foreclosed on the rest – the house in Chicago’s most exclusive district, the penthouse in New York, the customized Bugatti in the drive… even the art collection he was so proud of.

Mel had sued to get the Austin Healey back, and won. The car was a classic – irreplaceable. Mel loved that car more than any man. The sale was in her name and no goddamn bank was going to take her car.

“Go Sis…” he murmured to himself… He felt bad about lying to her.

A car horn shook him from his reverie. Ahead was a sign.

“I-25 North/South – next left.”

New Mexico was safer. He could call Frank maybe… He could say he was in town on business for a few days.

As the miles ticked by, his eyes peeled to the asphalt six meters ahead, he kept watching the endless horizon as he drove south. He stopped only for gas and to grab a snack to keep him going. He couldn’t afford to delay – if he lingered too long in any one place someone might track him down.

As he drove, unwelcome thoughts kept returning to his head, reminding him of the predicament he was in. His car was at the scene of a murder. The Feds were looking for him. Why would they be doing that? Was he was a suspect? Why couldn’t he remember?

He’d been so focused on the horizon that it was some time before he noticed the black Ford Lincoln in his mirrors. He hadn’t thought about being followed. He began to sweat – his hands slipping on the wheel...
Panic was beginning to set in… when the car pulled off at the exit he had just passed.

He passed a sign “Truth or Consequences – 10”. Strange name for a town… He took the exit, headed into the town and stopped outside a Wendy’s restaurant. A mousy haired waitress came over to his table.

“You ready to order? What’ll it be?”

“Coffee, please”

“Sure, hon.”

She disappeared from sight, returning some time later with a steaming cup. As he savored the cup he watched the road outside. Little traffic passed by. He smiled to himself. Soon he would be safe.

He was startled by a deep, resonant voice close by his ear.

“You’re in deep shit, sir. But don’t stop smiling, or so will I.”

Next up – Kevin Tighe

HEARTTHROBS PART 2

by Richard Walkerdine

Some more of those lovely girls that got my hormones flowing as I was growing up (and indeed in some cases after I was already grown up). But for the moment we are still in the sixties and I am still a teenager (though now approaching twenty). It would still be nice if other readers (guys and girls) could add some of their own.

First on this month’s list is Twinkle.

Her real name was Lynn Ripley. Her father was the Conservative leader on what was then the Greater London Council and her mother (who had separated from him) ran a brothel in Kingston on Thames, South London. How Twinkle got her recording contract is of course a matter for speculation. My wife (Claire) actually knew her slightly as they were the same age and she had met her at a couple of parties in the area, though they never actually became friends. But in 1964 Twinkle released her first single, ‘Terry’, about a boyfriend who crashes his motorbike and is killed (tearjerkers were all the rage in those days). She wrote it herself and it reached number four in the charts. The next year she released ‘Golden Lights’, also written by her and arguably an even better song, but it only reached number twenty one. After that her star faded and although there were seven or eight more singles she never made the charts again. Poor Twinkle was never to twinkle again.

But one of her records in my collection has ‘love Twinkle’ written on it (I found it on ebay many years ago). No idea if it’s a genuine signature of course, but it’s nice to think that it might be.

Next on the list has got to be the incomparable Diana Ross.

Probably the first genuine pop diva. When she started out with Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard (later to be replaced by Cindy Birdsong – what a name for a female singer!) as The Supremes in the early sixties they immediately achieved huge success to the extent that they were selling as many records as The Beatles. But when Diana left in 1970 to pursue a solo career the transformation started. The hair got big (oh I do so love big hair), the dresses got more and more spectacular and I am reminded of the Zero Mostel line (playing the character Max Bialystock) in the 1968 film ‘The Producers’, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!”

Diana did and still does to this day – keep going girl, please.

And now we come to the delectable Mary Hopkin.

She started her singing career in a Welsh folk group but then received a surprise phone call from Paul McCartney in 1968 to sign for The Beatles new ‘Apple’ label. Paul had been tipped off by the model Twiggy (we’ll probably come to her later) who had seen the 17 year old perform on a TV show. He wrote his own arrangement of ‘Those Were The Days’ for her (originally an old Lithuanian song) and it went straight to number 1 in the charts and indeed became an international hit (she eventually recorded it in five languages). ‘Goodbye’ followed in 1969 and reached number 2 and then in 1970 she came second as the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Knock knock, who’s there?’

But after that she became disillusioned with the music industry and left the business to raise a family. There were a few more records in the 1980s (yes, I have some) but by then her star had waned.

Why is she here? Mainly because she looked almost exactly like my then girlfriend (later to be my wife) Claire. Did I like Mary because she looked like Claire, or did I like Claire because she looked like Mary? I will never know – it’s probably a bit of both (though Claire has always been the love of my life).

CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS

by Richard Walkerdine

An elderly couple, who had been childhood sweethearts, were approaching their fiftieth wedding anniversary. As they had recently moved back to the district where they first met they decided it would be nice, on their anniversary, to re-visit the school where they first began their relationship. The day arrived and they went to their old school and told their story to the school principal. He was only too pleased to let them walk around and remember distant memories. They even found the old desk where John had carved ‘I love you Sally’ inside the desk lid.

After a very pleasant hour or two they left and, hand in hand, walked back to their house. As they approached their house an armoured security van drove by and a bag of cash fell off the back, almost at their feet. The driver didn’t notice and the van continued its journey. They took the bag indoors and were amazed to find it contained $50,000.

“We must take this to the authorities,” said John.

“No way,” said Sally, and went upstairs to hide it in the attic.

Next day two FBI Agents were walking down the street, asking each resident if they had seen the lost bag of cash. They reached the house of the elderly couple and asked them the same question.

“Oh no,” said Sally, “I’m afraid we saw nothing.”

“No, that’s not true,” said John. “Sally took the bag and hid it in the attic.”

Sally gave him a withering look. “Don’t take any notice of what he says,” she said, “he’s completely senile.”

The two Agents took John into the lounge and began questioning him. “Now Sir,” said one, “why don’t you tell us exactly what happened yesterday?”

“Well,” replied John, “we were walking home from school....”

The Agents exchanged glances and looked at Sally. “I see what you mean ma’am,” said one. “We won’t trouble you any further.”

LIFEBOAT!

A game of survival, bad breath,

and fish odor…

This is the simple game of Lifeboat. Everyone plays this, whether you participate or not. Each turn everyone still alive in the lifeboat may make a single vote to throw someone off the lifeboat, or a single vote to remove one vote from yourself (a defensive measure). The high vote getter is thrown overboard. In a tie, everyone with that score is thrown over. Last one in the boat wins. I’ll probably give a prize, as usual. Press is encouraged. Note that the votes themselves are NOT revealed. I just simply announce who is thrown overboard. If you’re not listed as in the lifeboat right now but want to be, email me and I will add you next issue. If you are listed and don’t’ want to be…well, too bad. There is no suicide in this game; you just can ignore it if you want to. Oh, and I am not in the lifeboat…as Captain of the Ship, I’m the moron who sank the damn thing in the first place, leaving you all stranded in the lifeboat. I didn’t go down with the ship though; you all threw me overboard just a moment ago, and watched happily as sharks ripped me to shreds.

Currently in the lifeboat:

Thrown Into the Shark Infested Waters: Douglas Kent

Deadline for your votes and any press is June 28^th at 7:00am my time

Game Openings

Diplomacy (Black Press – Permanent Opening in ES): Signed up: Don Williams, Melinda Holley, Brad Wilson, Fred Wiedemeyer, Phil Murphy, needs two more to fill. Sign up now!

Balkan Wars VI – To be Guest GM’d by Brad Wilson: Signed up: Doug Kent (that’s me folks), Jack McHugh, needs 5 more. Contact Brad to sign up at bwdolphin146 “of” yahoo.com. Sign up now!!!

Everybody Plays Diplomacy (Black Press): An ongoing everyone-plays variant. Rules are in ES #47. Join in at any time!

By Almost Popular Demand: New game starts this issue! Read the rules!

23 Tunes: Game currently underway, join any time.

Lifeboat: Everybody plays, whether you actually do anything or not. Starts this issue.

Eternal Sunshine Movie Quote Quiz: 10 rounds, join any time. You can find it at the end of the zine.

Standby List: HELP! I need standby players! – Current standby list: Graham Wilson, Jim Burgess (Dip only), Lance Anderson (Dip only), Martin Burgdorf, Paul Milewski (Dip only), Brad Wilson, Kevin Tighe (Dip only), Chris Babcock, Don Williams, and whoever I beg into it in an emergency.

I’m going to continue to go through my files and seeing what other variants I can offer, until I find one that gets enough interest to fill. When I offer a variant I’ll give it an issue or two, but if nobody signs up I’ll drop the opening and replace it. If somebody wants to guest-GM a game of anything, just get in touch. If you have specific game requests please let me know.

Eternal Sunshine Game Section

Diplomacy “Dulcinea” 2008C, Spring 1913

Austria (Lance Anderson – lance_anderson “of” hotmail.com): A Belgium – Burgundy, A Berlin – Kiel,

A Budapest – Galicia, A Kiel – Holland, A Munich S A Berlin – Kiel, A Paris - Gascony (*Bounce*),

A Piedmont Supports F Gulf of Lyon – Marseilles, A Rumania Supports A Serbia, A Serbia Supports A Rumania,

A Silesia – Berlin, A Trieste – Tyrolia, F Tuscany - Gulf of Lyon, A Vienna - Bohemia.

England (Philip Murphy trekkypj “of” gmail.com): F Denmark Hold, A Finland Supports F St Petersburg(nc),

A Gascony – Brest, F Irish Sea - Mid-Atlantic Ocean, A Liverpool – Wales, F London - English Channel,
F Portugal Supports F Irish Sea - Mid-Atlantic Ocean,

F Spain(sc) Supports F Irish Sea - Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Cut*), F St Petersburg(nc) Supports A Finland (*Fails*),

A Wales - London.

Germany (William Wood – wxmanwill “of” hotmail.com): No Moves Received! A Ruhr Unordered,

~~A Marseilles Unordered~~ (*Disbanded*).

Turkey (Jim Burgess – jfburgess “of” gmail.com): F Bulgaria(ec) Supports A Rumania,

F Greece Supports F Bulgaria(ec), F Gulf of Lyon – Marseilles, A Livonia Supports A Moscow - St Petersburg,

~~F Mid-Atlantic Ocean - Gascony~~ (*Dislodged*, retreat to North Atlantic Ocean or OTB),

A Moscow - St Petersburg (*Fails*), F North Africa - Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Fails*),

F Tunis - North Africa (*Fails*), F Western Mediterranean - Spain(sc) (*Fails*).

No standby will be called for Germany.

Summer/Fall 1913 Deadline is June 28th at 7:00am my time

PRESS

A/H to P.M. - Bold talk for a power with exactly one army on the Continent; your German ally? will not be of much help to you.

Prime Minister to Paris "squatters": Damn kids! Get off my lawn!

Prime Minister to Turkey: Do you REALLY think I am going to let you escape? Your fleets are gonna be driven into the Cliffs of Dover!

Prime Minister to Austria: You, sir have committed many acts of war against my people. Another one will meet with our severe displeasure. Desist, I say!

“Dulcinea” Diplomacy Bourse

Billy Ray Valentine: I think he left the country.

Duke of York: Sells 500 Crowns. Buys 646 Piastres.

Smaug the Dragon: Sells 500 Marks. Buys 194 Pounds.

Rothschild: Sells 500 Marks and 500 Piastres. Buys 282 Crowns and 309 Pounds.

Baron Wuffet: Holds.

Wooden Nickel Enterprises: Sells 374 Marks, 500 Crowns, and 1 Pound. Buys 817 Piastres.

VAIONT Enterprises: Sells 500 Pounds. Buys 455 Crowns.

Insider Trading LLC: No action.

Bourse Master: Holds.

Next Bourse Deadline is June 27^th at 7:00pm my time

PRESS

To the Duke: Keep churning, we should have butter pretty soon!

Tin Lizzie to VE: Actually, those Piastre may hold up a bit better than the Mark. You mark my words.

Smaug the Magnificent to VAIONT Enterprises: Actually, I am no longer last. I have overtaken Bourse Master! And I don't know this Tolkien lizard person. Should I?

Besides, the Turk and the Austrian are bound to fall out. All England has to do is seal off the Med. And then the Crowns will begin to turn to lead. *snorts flames*

Duke of York: I still hate churners, but if you guys are going to unbalance the prices, I'll rebalance 'em for you.

Diplomacy “Just a Taste” 2009C, End Game Report

F/G Draw in Summer 1910

Phil Murphy – Germany - It was a lot of fun playing this game. I quickly agreed an alliance with Paraic and Robert - but Paraic and I had a plan to stab England if the opportunity presented itself. Once Russia was boxed in, we did exactly that. We finished England off and then agreed to split the board 17 - 17 if we could manage it.

William's NMR mid-game as Austria was the turning point - a funny quote stands out from my emails with Paraic right afterwards...

"Now I was NOT expecting a NMR on Austria's part! So much for AT kissing and making up, more like the bride was a no-show at the altar!"

In any case, unfortunate for William - I gather he couldn't help it - and it really broke up the defense against our forces. Once Austria fell, that was it, despite great efforts by Turkey and Austria to push us back.

I'm glad we got to finish with an old-style convoy around the map - Paraic was a great ally and good fun to work with. Next time of course I expect he'll go for me!

Looking forward to playing another game with you guys soon.

White Press Diplomacy “Creepshow” 2009D, F 09

England (Chuy Cronin – chuykdc_92 “of” hotmail.com): F Denmark - Baltic Sea,

F Helgoland Bight - Denmark (*Bounce*), F North Atlantic Ocean Convoys A St Petersburg – Syria,

F Norwegian Sea Convoys A St Petersburg - Syria.

France (Michael Cronin – mfmcronin “of” q.com A Belgium cooks a waffle to celebrate the grand convoy,

F Brest salutes the grand convoy, A Burgundy delivers a vintage wine to celebrate the grand convoy,

A Kiel uncorks champagne to celebrate the grand convoy, A Piedmont writes heart wrenching poetry to celebrate

the grand convoy, F Mid-Atlantic Ocean Convoys A St Petersburg – Syria, A Ruhr Supports A Kiel.

Italy (Graham Wilson – grahamaw “of” rogers.com): No units.

Russia (Kevin Wilson - ckevinw “of” comcast.net): F Barents Sea Convoys A St Petersburg – Syria,

A Berlin - Kiel (*Fails*), A Moscow - St Petersburg, A Munich Supports A Berlin – Kiel,

A Norway Supports A Moscow - St Petersburg, F Rumania Hold, A Silesia - Berlin (*Fails*),

F Sweden - Denmark (*Bounce*), A Tyrolia Supports A Munich.

Turkey (Larry Cronin – lcroninmd “of” msn.com): A Smyrna watches longest returning convoy ever come

home, A Bulgaria watches in wonder as the longest ever convoy, F Venice watches in wonder as the longest ever

convoy, A Rome watches in wonder as the longest ever convoy, F Apulia watches in wonder as the longest ever

convoy, F Eastern Mediterranean Convoys A St Petersburg – Syria, F Ionian Sea Convoys A St Petersburg –

Syria, A St Petersburg – Syria, A Trieste Supports F Venice, F Tyrrhenian Sea Convoys A St Petersburg – Syria,

F Western Mediterranean Convoys A St Petersburg - Syria.

W 09/S 10 Deadline is June 28^th at 7:00am my time

Supply Center Chart:

England: Denmark, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London=4, Even

France: Belgium, Brest, Holland, Kiel, Marseilles, Paris, Portugal, Spain=8, Build 1

Italy: Tunis=1, Plays 1 Short

Russia: Berlin, Budapest, Moscow, Munich, Norway, Rumania, Sevastopol, St Petersburg,

Sweden, Vienna, Warsaw=11, Build 2

Turkey: Ankara, Bulgaria, Constantinople, Greece, Naples, Rome, Serbia, Smyrna,

Trieste, Venice=10, Remove 1

PRESS

None. You guys suck…

Black Press Gunboat, “Maple Sugar,” 2009Crb32, Fall 1911

Austria: A Budapest Supports A Trieste – Serbia, A Trieste – Serbia, A Venice – Trieste,

A Vienna Supports A Budapest.

France: F North Africa Unordered.

Germany: A Berlin – Silesia, F Clyde – Liverpool, F Holland - North Sea, A Livonia Supports A Warsaw – Moscow,

A Marseilles Supports A Piedmont, F Mid-Atlantic Ocean - Spain(sc) (*Bounce*), A Munich – Bohemia,

F Norwegian Sea - North Atlantic Ocean, A Piedmont Supports A Tyrolia – Venice,

A Prussia Supports A Silesia – Warsaw, A Silesia – Warsaw, A St Petersburg Supports A Warsaw – Moscow,

F Sweden – Norway, A Tuscany Supports A Tyrolia – Venice, A Tyrolia – Venice, A Warsaw - Moscow.

Italy: F Naples Supports A Rome, A Rome Supports F Naples.

Russia: F Barents Sea Hold, ~~A Moscow Hold~~ (*Disbanded*).

Turkey: F Adriatic Sea Supports A Venice (*Ordered to Move*), F Apulia Supports A Venice (*Ordered to

Move*), F Black Sea Hold, A Galicia - Warsaw (*Fails*), F Gulf of Lyon - Spain(sc) (*Bounce*),
A Rumania - Galicia (*Fails*), F Sevastopol Hold, A Ukraine Supports A Moscow.

Supply Center Chart:

Austria: Budapest, Serbia, Trieste, Vienna=4, Even

France: Tunis=1, Even

Germany: Belgium, Berlin, Brest, Denmark, Edinburgh, Holland, Kiel, Liverpool, London, Marseilles,

Moscow, Munich, Norway, Paris, Portugal, Spain, St Petersburg, Sweden, Venice,

Warsaw=20, WINS!!

Italy: Naples, Rome=2, Even

Russia: None=0. OUT!!

Turkey: Ankara, Bulgaria, Constantinople, Greece, Rumania, Sevastopol, Smyrna=7, Remove 1

Concession to Germany Fails, but Germany WINS!!!

End Game Statement Deadline is June 28^th at 7:00am my time

PRESS:

A-T: Don't get it, you could have taken out Nap with my help if you had Ion/Nap. Your message to I/F is setting off self-preservation mode!

Graustark Game 2002D, F 21

England (Fred Wiedemeyer – wiedem “of” planet.eon.net): NMR! ~~A Edinburgh Hold~~ (*Dislodged*),

F Norwegian Sea Hold.

France (Andy Lischett – andy “of” lischett.com): A Belgium Hold, A Bulgaria Supports A Serbia,

A Clyde Supports F North Sea – Edinburgh, F Constantinople Hold, F English Channel Hold, F Ionian Sea Hold,

F Irish Sea – Liverpool, F Mid-Atlantic Ocean Hold, F North Atlantic Ocean - Norwegian Sea (*Fails*),

A Paris Hold, F Picardy Supports F English Channel, A Piedmont Hold, A Serbia Supports A Bulgaria,

F Smyrna Hold, A Trieste Supports A Serbia, A Venice Supports A Trieste, A Wales Hold.

Germany (Michael Quirk – michaelpquirk “of” cs.com): A Ankara Hold, A Berlin Hold,

A Bohemia Supports A Vienna, A Budapest Supports A Rumania, F Helgoland Bight - North Sea, A Holland Hold,

A Kiel Supports A Holland, F London Hold, A Munich Hold, F North Sea – Edinburgh, A Norway Hold,

A Rumania Supports A Budapest, F Sweden Hold, A Vienna Supports A Budapest.

Now Proposed – F/G Draw

W 21/S 22 Deadline is June 28^th at 7:00am my time

Supply Center Chart:

England: None=0, OUT!!

France: Belgium, Brest, Bulgaria, Constantinople, Greece, Liverpool, Marseilles, Naples, Paris,

Portugal, Rome, Serbia, Smyrna, Spain, Trieste, Tunis, Venice=17, Even

Germany: Ankara, Berlin, Budapest, Denmark, Edinburgh, Holland, Kiel, London, Moscow, Munich,

Norway, Rumania, Sevastopol, St Petersburg, Sweden, Vienna,

Warsaw=17, Plays 3 Short (no room)

PRESS

PARIS: We suck.

Graustark Diplomacy Game 2006A, W 10

Seasons Separated by Player Request

Austria (Don Williams – dwilliams “of” fontana.org): Remove A Albania..Has F Naples, A Serbia.

England (Fred Wiedemeyer – wiedem “of” planet.eon.net): Has F Brest, F English Channel, F Irish Sea,

F North Atlantic Ocean, F Norway, A Paris, A Picardy, F St Petersburg(nc).

France (Hank Alme – almehj “of” alumni.rice.edu): Has F Portugal.

Germany (Harley Jordan – harleyj “of” alum.mit.edu): Build F Kiel, A Berlin, A Munich..Has F Baltic Sea,

A Berlin, A Gascony, F Kiel, A Marseilles, A Munich, A Rome, A Trieste, A Venice, A Vienna.

Italy (Jim Burgess – jfburgess “of” gmail.com): Remove F Western Mediterranean, F North Africa..

Has F Mid-Atlantic Ocean, F Spain(nc).

Russia (John Biehl – jerbil “of” shaw.ca): Build F Sevastopol..Has F Aegean Sea, A Budapest, A Bulgaria,

F Constantinople, A Galicia, A Greece, A Livonia, A Moscow, A Rumania, F Sevastopol.

Spring 11 Deadline is June 28th at 7:00am my time

PRESS:

None. You guys suck…

Black Press Gunboat, “Scream” 2010Brb32, F 04

England: A London – Yorkshire, F Norway Supports A St Petersburg (*Cut*),

F Norwegian Sea Supports F Norway, ~~A St Petersburg Supports F Norway~~ (*Dislodged*,

retreat to Finland or OTB).

France: Retreat A Burgundy - Paris.. F English Channel Supports A Picardy – Belgium, F Gulf of Lyon - Spain(sc),

A Marseilles Supports A Paris – Burgundy, A Paris – Burgundy, A Picardy - Belgium (*Fails*).

Germany: A Belgium Supports A Burgundy (*Cut*), ~~A Burgundy Supports A Belgium~~ (*Dislodged*,

retreat to Gascony or OTB), F Denmark Supports F Holland - North Sea, F Holland - North Sea,

F North Sea – Edinburgh, A Ruhr Supports A Belgium.

Italy: Retreat A Trieste - Venice.. A Albania - Trieste (*Fails*), ~~F Naples - Tyrrhenian Sea~~ (*Dislodged*, retreat

to Apulia or Rome or OTB), A Tyrolia – Munich, A Venice Supports A Albania - Trieste.

Russia: A Livonia Supports A Moscow - St Petersburg, A Moscow - St Petersburg, F Rumania Hold,

A Serbia Supports A Trieste, F Skagerrak Supports F Sweden – Norway, F Sweden - Norway (*Fails*),

A Trieste Supports A Vienna - Tyrolia (*Cut*), A Vienna - Tyrolia.

Turkey: F Aegean Sea Supports A Bulgaria – Greece, A Bulgaria – Greece, A Greece – Naples,

F Ionian Sea Convoys A Greece – Naples, F Tyrrhenian Sea Supports A Greece - Naples.

Winter 04/Spring 05 deadline is June 28^th at 7:00am my time

Supply Center Chart:

England: Liverpool, London, Norway=3, Even or Remove 1

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

Germany: Belgium, Berlin, Denmark, Edinburgh, Holland, Kiel=6, Even or Build 1

Italy: Munich, Rome, Venice=3, Even or Remove 1

Russia: Budapest, Moscow, Rumania, Serbia, Sevastopol, St Petersburg, Sweden,

Trieste, Vienna, Warsaw=10, Build 2

Turkey: Ankara, Bulgaria, Constantinople, Greece, Naples, Smyrna, Tunis=7, Build 2

PRESS:

Ber-Mos: I suppose I should just get out of your way? No problem as long as you go around.

Rus-Tur: You keep what you have and I keep what I have. We can get along just fine.

Diplomacy “Dublin Boys” 2010D, F 02

Austria (Paul Milewski – paul.milewski “of” hotmail.com): Retreat A Rumania - Bulgaria..

A Bulgaria - Greece (*Bounce*), ~~A Galicia - Rumania~~ (*Dislodged*, retreat to Silesia or Bohemia or Vienna

or OTB), A Serbia - Greece (*Bounce*), F Trieste – Albania, A Vienna - Budapest.

England (Kevin Tighe – tigheman “of” yahoo.com): F North Sea - Holland (*Fails*), F Norway Hold,

F St Petersburg(nc) Hold, A Yorkshire Hold.

France (Jeff O’Donnell – unclestaush “of” yahoo.com): A Burgundy - Belgium (*Bounce*),

F Gulf of Lyon - Tyrrhenian Sea, F Mid-Atlantic Ocean - North Africa, A Spain – Gascony,
F Western Mediterranean Supports F Gulf of Lyon - Tyrrhenian Sea.

Germany (Melinda Holley – genea5613 “of” aol.com): F Denmark Hold,

A Holland Supports A Ruhr - Belgium (*Cut*), A Munich - Burgundy (*Fails*), A Ruhr - Belgium (*Bounce*).

Italy (Hank Alme – almehj “of” alumni.rice.edu): F Aegean Sea – Greece,

F Ionian Sea Supports F Aegean Sea – Greece, A Tunis Hold, A Venice - Tuscany.

Russia (Jack McHugh – jwmchughjr “of” gmail.com): A Rumania Supports A Warsaw – Galicia,

F Sevastopol Hold, F Sweden Hold, A Ukraine Supports A Warsaw – Galicia, A Warsaw - Galicia.

Turkey (Brad Wilson - bwdolphin146 “of”yahoo.com): A Ankara – Smyrna, F Armenia - Black Sea,

F Constantinople - Bulgaria(sc) (*Fails*), ~~A Greece Supports F Constantinople - Bulgaria(sc)~~ (*Disbanded*).

Supply Center Chart:

Austria: Budapest, Bulgaria, Serbia, Trieste, Vienna=5, Even or Build 1

England: Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, Norway, St Petersburg=5, Build 1

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

Germany: Berlin, Denmark, Holland, Kiel, Munich=5, Build 1

Italy: Greece, Naples, Rome, Tunis, Venice=5, Build 1

Russia: Moscow, Rumania, Sevastopol, Sweden, Warsaw=5, Even

Turkey: Ankara, Constantinople, Smyrna=3, Even

Unowned: Belgium.

W 02/S 03 Deadline is June 28th at 7:00am my time

PRESS

None…you guys suck.

Everybody Plays Diplomacy “Dandelion” 2010Cvj08, W 02/S 03

Player Names or Handles will be shown for any power they commanded each season.

Remember, in some seasons if we get enough players you may not wind up commanding any nations. All press submitted will be printed.

Austria (Brad Wilson): Build A Vienna, A Budapest.. A Budapest – Rumania, A Galicia – Silesia,

A Rumania – Serbia, A Trieste – Tyrolia, A Venice – Piedmont, A Vienna - Bohemia.

England (Jack McHugh): F English Channel Supports F North Atlantic Ocean - Mid-Atlantic Ocean,

F Helgoland Bight - Holland (*Fails*), F North Atlantic Ocean - Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Bounce*),

F Norway - North Sea.

France (Rick Desper): Build A Paris, F Marseilles.. A Belgium Supports A Kiel – Holland,

F Brest Supports F Portugal - Mid-Atlantic Ocean, A Kiel – Holland, F Marseilles - Spain(sc) (*Bounce*),

A Paris – Burgundy, F Portugal - Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Bounce*).

Germany (Paraic Reddington): A Berlin – Kiel, A Denmark – Sweden, A Munich Supports A Berlin - Kiel.

Italy (David McCrumb): Remove F Adriatic Sea.. F Aegean Sea – Greece, F Rome Hold,

F Western Mediterranean - Spain(sc) (*Bounce*).

Russia (Tom Howell): A Sevastopol wires Moscow for assistance from Nazgul, A Warsaw chats up

Austrian chaps in Galicia, F Baltic Sea – Berlin, A Moscow Supports A Sevastopol,

F Prussia Supports F Baltic Sea - Berlin.

Turkey (Jack McHugh): F Armenia Supports A Bulgaria – Sevastopol, F Black Sea Convoys A Bulgaria –

Sevastopol, A Bulgaria - Sevastopol (*Fails*), F Constantinople - Bulgaria(sc) (*Fails*), F Smyrna - Aegean Sea.

Fall 03 Deadline is June 28^th at 7:00am my time

PRESS

Declaring war on Italy Must Die. Clearly he's not playing this game with the respect it deserves.

Italy Must Die - other guy: Yes I am!!!

SPECTRE: Let's eat French tonite.

SCHONBRUNN: A united Germany at last!

Ghost I: Yeah. Love those fleets.

Ghost II: White cats? White cats? Is John Wilman playing in this thing?

Black Press Gunboat, “Streets of Soho,” 2011Arb32, Fall 1901

Austria: F Albania – Greece, A Serbia Supports F Albania – Greece, A Trieste Hold.

England: NMR! F London, F North Sea, A Yorkshire all unordered.

France: F Brest – Picardy, A Paris – Burgundy, A Spain - Marseilles (*Bounce*).

Germany: F Denmark - Sweden (*Bounce*), A Kiel - Berlin (*Bounce*), A Munich - Berlin (*Bounce*).

Italy: F Ionian Sea – Tunis, A Piedmont - Marseilles (*Bounce*), A Venice - Tyrolia.

Russia: F Gulf of Bothnia - Sweden (*Bounce*), F Sevastopol – Rumania, A Silesia - Munich (*Fails*),

A Ukraine Supports F Sevastopol - Rumania.

Turkey: F Ankara - Black Sea, A Bulgaria - Rumania (*Fails*), A Constantinople - Bulgaria (*Fails*).

W 01/S 02 Deadline is June 28th at 7:00am my time

Supply Center Chart:

Austria: Budapest, Greece, Serbia, Trieste, Vienna=5, Build 2

England: Edinburgh, Liverpool, London=3, Even

France: Brest, Marseilles, Paris, Spain=4, Build 1

Germany: Berlin, Denmark, Kiel, Munich=4, Build 1

Italy: Naples, Rome, Tunis, Venice=4, Build 1

Russia: Moscow, Rumania, Sevastopol, St Petersburg, Warsaw=5, Build 1

Turkey: Ankara, Bulgaria, Constantinople, Smyrna=4, Build 1

Unowned: Belgium, Holland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden.

PRESS

PARIS: Oops.

F TUN - F SEV: Vabbene. Ci vediamo da amici. (Agreed.)

ROME to VIENNA: Ditto your words – a sound foreign policy. Consider us friends. I encourage you to travel the same road Russia travels. All will be well if you do. Failure is not an option.

By Popular Demand

Credit goes to Ryk Downes, I believe, for inventing this. 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. A prize will be awarded to the winner. Research is permitted!

Round 10 Categories

1. A minor league baseball team.

2. A flavor of ice cream other than vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry.

3. A pizza topping.

4. A famous guitarist.

5. Someone you avoid.

Selected Comments By Category:

Minor League Team – Rick Desper “Counting on Jim-Bob here to match me.” Dane Maslen “I've no idea what a sensible choice for category 1 is, so I'll go for the 2010 winner of one of the AAA leagues.” Andy York “Round Rock Express (the ONLY one, though I plan on going to see the San Angelo Colts in a couple of weeks).”

Ice Cream – Melinda Holley “When made with fresh bananas, banana ice cream is absolutely primo!” Brendan Whyte “the best is Hokey Pokey, but i doubt you yanks have ever heard of it. then there's Neopolitan: a carton with three flavours; chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. Agian, unlikely to be known to insular Americans.” [[Actually Neopolitan is popular here. One scene from The Simpsons is where Homer wants some chocolate ice cream, so he opens 3 containers of Neopolitan where the chocolate has been eaten but not the vanilla or strawberry. Disappointed, he tells Marge “We need more vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream!]] Dane Maslen “According to http://www.makeicecream.com/15mospopicec.html butter pecan is as popular as strawberry. It's not a flavour I've ever encountered over here though. I'd probably have gone for 'toffee' in the absence of this webpage.”

Pizza Topping – Dane Maslen “When I set the category 'A pizza topping, other than tomato or cheese' back in Dane's Games issue 20, pepperoni was the winner, but might people go for tomato or cheese if they're not excluded? They didn't spring to my mind - I evidently take them for granted - so I shall assume that other people do so too.”

Guitarist – Kevin Tighe “Tough one, also leaning toward Les Paul.”

Someone You Avoid – Rick Desper “Fidel Castro? The Pope? Hmmm…Jim Burgess? He he he.” Kevin Tighe “I like the police, I just don't want to see them.” Dane Maslen “Given that I'm not married, my answer to category 5 is clearly a lie, but I doubt that many of your other readers go out of their way to avoid the member of my cycling club that would be my honest answer.”

Kevin Tighe got the best score for the round, a 90 out of a possible 94. However, Hank Alme stays on top with a strong 84 and WINS! Congrats Hank, I’ll be in touch about your prize!

And now…..we begin:

By Almost Popular Demand

The goal is to pick something that fits the category and will be the a popular answer but NOT 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. However, if your answer is the most popular answer, you score ZERO. 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, and the score is doubled for Round 10. A prize will be awarded to the winner. Research is permitted!

Round 1 Categories

1. A gun caliber.

2. A living comedian.

3. A movie which bombed at the box office

4. A song by The Eagles.

5. A flavor or type of soup (not a brand).

Deadline for Round 1 is June 28th at 7:00am my time

Eternal Sunshine Movie Quote Contest

There are ten rounds of movie quotes, and each round consists of ten quotes. Anyone may enter at any point. If you want to submit some commentary with your answers, feel free to. The game will consist of 10 rounds. A prize will be awarded to the winner – and it might be a very good prize! Research is not permitted! That means NO RESEARCH OF ANY KIND, not just no searches for the quotes themselves. The only legal “research” is watching movies to try and locate quotes. Try to avoid the temptation to Google the quotes. I’m doing many of the quotes from memory anyway, so you won’t necessarily be able to find them by direct search…so don’t try! Each round will also contain one bonus question, asking what the ten movies being quoted have in common. The player with the most correct answers each round gets 3 points, 2^nd place gets 2 points, and 3^rd place gets 1 point. In the event of ties, multiple players get the points (if three players tie for first, they EACH get 3 points). High score at the end of ten rounds wins the game, and a prize (unless you cheated). If there’s enough participation I may give a prize for 2^nd and maybe even 3^rd place overall too. Quotes may contain more than one person speaking (in other words, part of a scene with more than one character talking). In those instances, quotes will separate the characters speaking. I also plan on making the 10^th round worth double points.

Round Eight

#1. I AM NOT A FISH! How many times do I have to tell you people that? Splash, Correct – RD, KW, JM, MM. The Meaning of Life – PR. The Incredible Mr. Limpet – AY.

#2. We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline. The Blues Brothers, Correct – KW, PR, JB. This is Spinal Tap – RD, MM. Cool Runnings – JM.

#3. I don't know why they call this stuff hamburger helper. It does just fine by itself. Vacation, Correct – KW, MM, HT. True Romance – RD. Spaceballls – JM.

#4. Stand me up today and tomorrow I'll drive you to school in my robe and pajamas and WALK you to your first class. Uncle Buck, Correct – JM, PR, AY, KT. Back to School – RD. Better Off Dead – MM.

#5. Why didn't somebody tell me my ass was so big? Spaceballs, Correct – MM, PR. Canadian Bacon – JM.

#6. If I wanted a joke, I'd follow you into the john and watch you take a leak. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Correct - JM. The Goonies – MM.

#7. It's Czechoslovakia. It's like going into Wisconsin. Stripes, Correct – RD, KW, JM. Spies Like Us – MM. Cool Runnings – PR.

#8. I don't want to sleep with Fuller. You know about him, he wets the bed. He'll pee all over me, I know it. Home Alone, Correct – KW, PR, JB. Porky’s – RD. Wagons East – JM. Meatballs – HT. Revenge of the Nerds – KT.

#9. Just remember, when you pull the trigger, the bullets come out going very, very fast. Armed and Dangerous, Correct – JM. Die Hard – MM. Stripes – PR. Bottle Rocket – HT.

#10. Of course, when he had realized that something had gone wrong, and that the President had been killed, he knew there was a problem. JFK, Correct – JM, JB.

Bonus: What do all these films have in common? John Candy Films, Correct – JM, PR. All Released in the 1980’s – MM. All have Chevy Chase in them – HT. All comedies – AY. Movies made in the first year of a decade – JB.

Points This Round: Jack McHugh [JM] – 7; Kevin Wilson [KW] – 5; Paraic Reddington [PR] – 5; Michael Moulton [MM] – 3; Jim Burgess [JB] – 3; Rick Desper [RD] – 2; Heather Taylor [HT] – 1; Andy York [AY] – 1; Kevin Tighe [KT] - 1.

Total Game Points: Jim Burgess – 19; Jack McHugh – 11; Paraic Reddington – 10; Kevin Tighe – 7; Rick Desper – 6; Heather Taylor – 2; Kevin Wilson – 2; Michael Moulton – 1; Hank Alme - 1.

Round Nine

#1. The prettiest sight in this fine pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges.

#2. You taught her how to read and write; now give her something to read and write about!

#3. You know what his pet aversion is? The people who commercialize on fear, you know - they scare you to death so they can sell you something you don't need.

#4. And the trombones, right on the left here; over there, right in there. And the four trumpets right behind them.

#5. But if there's just one chance in a thousand that he's got something, boy, I'd rather take it than just sit around here waiting to die.

#6. She'd make a jazzy weekend, but she'd be a bit wearing for a steady diet.

#7. Well, I'm not licked. And I'm going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause. Even if the room gets filled with lies like these, and the Taylors and all their armies come marching into this place.

#8. If you do that one more time, I'll punch you all the way out into the middle of Lake Superior!

#9. We stood there and I kissed her for the last time, and she said, 'If you lose me you'll know that I loved you and wanted to keep on loving you.”

#10. You have two ways of leaving this establishment, my friend: immediately or dead.

Bonus: What do all these films have in common?

Deadline for your answers to Round 9 is June 28^th at 7:00am my time

General Deadline for the Next Issue of Eternal Sunshine: June 28th, 2011 at 7:00am my time.

Stock	Price
AJK - Allison Kent	50
ALM - Hank Alme	50
AMB - Amber Smith	50
AND - Lance Anderson	50
BAB - Chris Babcock	50
BIE - John Biehl	50
BRG - Martin Burgdorf	50
BWD - Brad Wilson	50
CAK - Andy Lischett	50
CAL - Cal White	50
CHC - Chuy Cronin	50
CIA - Tom Swider	50
CKW - Kevin Wilson	50
CKY - Carol Kay	50
DAN - Dane Maslen	50
DBG - David Burgess	50
DTC - Brendan Whyte	50
DUK - Don Williams	50
FRD - Fred Wiedemeyer	50
FRG - Jeremie Lefrancois	50
FRT - Mark Firth	50
GRA - Graham Wilson	50
HDT - Heather Taylor	50
HLJ - Harley Jordan	50
HPL - Hugh Polley	50
JOD - Jeff O'Donnell	50
KMP - Geoff Kemp	50
KVT - Kevin Tighe	50
LAT - David Latimer	50
LCR - Larry Cronin	50
MCC - David McCrumb	50
MCR - Michael Cronin	50
MIM - Michael Moulton	50
MRC - Marc Ellinger	50
OTS - Tom Howell	50
PER - Per Westling	50
PJM - Phil Murphy	50
QUI - Michael Quirk	50
RAC - Robin ap Cynan	50
RDP - Rick Desper	50
REB - Melinda Holley	50
RED - Paraic Reddington	50
SAK - Jack McHugh	50
TAP - Jim Burgess	50
VOG - Pat Vogelsang	50
WAY - W. Andrew York	50
WLK - Richard Walkerdine	50
WWW - William Wood	50
YLP - Paul Milewski	50