Please don't forget to read the bulletin board. Enter +read from anywhere.

The usual morning and afternoon traffic jams between downtown SpinDizzy and the suburban areas may ease thanks to the hobby of one of the area's best known residents.

Cye, local 50 foot Vixen, has become involved in the hobby of model railroading. Calling itself, The World's Greatest Hobby, model trains are enjoyed by many folks.

Due to Cye being 50 feet tall, she chose to try 'Large Scale' models. The scale of a model train, or other model is the relation of the size of the model to the real thing. Her layout is a 027 Lionel scale layout, that's scaled to her size. She has tracks going from the edge of town with model stations in several neighborhoods, and is a nice model from her point of view, but for those of us who are smaller than Cye, it's just the right size to ride!

Although the schedule of the trains is variable, they run when Cye feels like playing with them, they offer a dependable, FREE ride home, avoiding the hassle and waste of time of being stuck in traffic. Cye is happy to have folks ride on her trains, so next time, park the car and take the train!

While I was in the shop, getting myself repaired, one of the cable channels ran a string of Mel Gibson movies.

One of these was Forever Young. Although technically science fiction, it had never caught my eye before. It almost escaped me this time -- until I saw the name Elijah Wood.

Mister Wood's most recent role of note is Mister Frodo Baggins of the Shire.

Ooh! Let's see if we can spot the hobbit.

Since I didn't remember how old the movie was, I was peering at every young man who spoke. I saw a number of hobbit types (in the older class, George Wendt). None were Frodo.

Until finally the movie reaches the 'present.'

A chunky ten year old, good hobbit material, but not Frodo. (Nor was he the movie Samwise -- I would have recognized Sean Astin's name before Elijah Wood's -- John Astin's kid.)

Then the second kid appeared. Oh, my. A ten year old human. Making him about a fifteen year old hobbit.

The boys befriend Mel Gibson's character, who is a pilot. Frodo and Sam...-- sorry. I never caught the other kid character's name. Frodo and Sam modern versions' eyes light up when Mel says 'airplanes' the way that the originals' did when 'elves' are mentioned. Picture Uncle Bilbo telling stories around the fire to young Frodo and young Sam.

My repair-room roommate thought I was insane, laughing at entirely inappropriate points in the film.

Spoilers

Every other week, I will be calling attention to the new members of our community. (Editor's Note; ...with the permission of each of the new folks featured, of course. Folks who don't want to be featured in this series, will of course, have that wish fufilled.) This is not to embarrass them, but rather I do it in the hopes that it will encourage everyone to give them a special welcome and friendship.

The following members are new to our community as of a week or two ago at most. Please give them a warm welcome and offer assistance if needed. Who knows, you might even make a new friend or two!

• Xine - Character has @named themselves already
• Alderem - male Ringtail - "Hello! Ringy is as ringy does!"

This week, Argon told folks, "I'm doing a survey to be published in @Action News. The question this week is, 'If you were trapped on a deserted island, what three things would you want to have?'

• Alderem says, "Dinner by candlelight, a good book, and a portable hole."
• Cye says, "An anime store, DVD player and a plasma tv ^_^"
• Adara purrs, "A lifetime supply of food and water, a good friend, and a large straw hut manned by super-intelligent monkies."
• Butterfluff says, "A Swiss army knife, a solar still, and a solar powered refrigerator."
• Mavra smiles. "Heckles and my goodness, all I'd ever need is Argon!"
• Tanuki barks, "A helicopter, the keys, and a lot of petrol."
• Fenris growls, "Knife, fresh water, an interesting partner.^u^"
• KevMan says, "flint, a knife, and my bow"
• Terry chirps, "I think I'd want my car. It's big, and has lots of parts that could probably be used for something, maybe. Plus the seats are soft enough to sleep in."
• Gilead -- For my survey answer: "Natasha, Cye, and Wind-Dancer. I'd want Findra too, but it'd be a trick question that way. Findra could just fly us off the island, so we wouldn't really be stuck then."
• Rath charks, "1. my wife 2. enough food for the two of us 3. a cessna 152 with an unlimited supply of fuel"
• Carlos (Today at 6:26:12PM) -- Regarding this week's survey... why, I'd take three centaurs, of course! Someone will have to do all the work around this here island, and like hell it's gonna be me!
• Gina_Doberman says, "A radio, beer, and a very large cheese tray!"
• Shoe says, "If I was trapped on a deserted island. I would have a computer, food and water. Of course that is if there is an eletrical outlet."
• Friskyfox yips, "Ok. If I was stuck on a deserted island, I would have a helicopter, a pilot, and fuel. Obviously."
• Ceralor squeaks, "Hmm....My airtank, another airtank and.....a selfpowering computer with global satelite internet"
• Leslie giggles and laughs and says "Ice cream, $100,000 Grand Bars and Cracker Jacks!
• PatchO'Black chrrs, "The House of The Future (fully stocked), Nikon, and...hmm....Oh! I know! Postal service!"
• Sunni says, "Me, will be 5 yrs of food, a computer and spin dizzy :)"
• Nikon says softly, "Film, Film, Film, Patchy, Film, Film, and more Film"
• Rick says, "A very large bag of Oats, a Futon mattress and a years subscribtion to Centaur Enquirer. :-)"
• Wind-Dancer -- Food, shelter, and internet access.

Submitting a story or artwork for @Action News is easy! Just send it to newspaper@spindizzy.org or qmail or page Argon about it.
@Action News is published weekly on or after 12:01 AM Eastern Time on Sunday. Most any type of story or article will be accepted. Generally, we'd prefer things that aren't out and out lies or flames about other folks, and have a basis in the reality of SpinDizzy. Things that occur in public areas are fair game. The things reported don't have to have actually happened, (any more than anything that happens here does) but make sure you don't overstep the social boundaries and rules of interaction that we have. These are pretty broad guidelines, but we expect good sense to apply.

Thanks! Argon, Editor @Action News