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

Each year during the holiday season, the SpinDizzy Christmas tree is placed in the Rose garden. Residents and guests have been urged to decorate the tree, and this year was no exception. The tree itself is just a few small, green branches, nailed on a weak wooden cross. Pine needles spray from it at every motion. A ragged old blue blanket is wrapped around its base. Somehow, it withstands the weight of its decorations.

This year, folks have taken the opportunity to 'trim' the tree with sparkling red tinsel, gold acorns and silver stars, AOL CD-ROMs dipped in glue and then glitter, Multicolored Feathers with tips of silver and gold, polished spheres of purest zinc, little sand-painted wooden ornaments shaped like animals dressed in Christmas colors, 1000 SD connections, several milticolored crystal crosses, Kitsune Chrysanthemum, decoration, A small metal role-play figure of a centaur painted to look like the lovely Mavra, cassowary eggs, a multicolored woven porcupine quill hat, Three hundred verses to "Old Time Religion.", several bursts of St. Elmo's fire, Decotation, several unabridged copies of Ra's Al Ghul's rambling self-serving autobiography, A lifelike Mouser wreath, some chocolate-covered cockroaches (compliments of Mosi), several impossible geomertic constructions hangin from pieces of twine, the customary minature SED handbook, The Red Book of Westmarch, Ten Maids a'Milking, An ornament sized family portrait...Jack, Diamond, and Koshiaro., minature book ornaments you need a microscope to read, Morticontroller 5000, a glowing miniture Crystal Beacon Tower, a smiley face from a real smiley and a list of all the currency for 2003.

Around New Year's, the 2003 tree will be given a place of honor at the Christmas Tree Retirement Home, located at N4 E0. It is a modest grove with the transplanted Christmas Trees from past years decorating it. It appears to be lightly snow-covered, although a careful examination proves it to actually be vanilla milkshake on the ground. There are a few snow-squirrel-angels made in the frosty ground, as well as a couple strawholes.

The Christmas trees from 1998 - 2002 are located in this grove, and the 2003 tree will soon join them.

On Christmas morning, the citizens of SpinDizzy awoke to a wonderous surprise. Santa had come and delivered a bounty of gifts for all concerned. Over at the SED, however, things were different. Its members awoke to find nothing but coal in their stockings. The members were, naturally, not pleased with being labeled as 'bad'.

Mouser, local fursnake, is quoted as saying. "Sure I ate those carebears! But what of it? It keeps the carebear population in check. They'd overrun the place if I wasn't involved. "

SED leader Morticon, local wallaby, is quoted as saying "What Santa doesn't realize is that all the 'bad' things I've done have actually IMPROVED things around here. An example of this is when I destroyed Bartergarter's cart. Thanks to me, Bartergarter is getting a new cart that's even bigger and better than its predecessor!"

Santa Claus, gift giving elf, has retreated to his home at the North Pole to relax after the Christmas gift giving season and could not be reached for comment.

After reading a number of poorly written and badly drawn fan fiction and art works, I was a bit dubious when I heard about this fan produced "parody" of Star Trek. But I took a chance and watched it.

First some background. Starship Exeter is a film made by some Star Trek fans. But wait, it's really done well. The effects are kind of lame, and the acting is atrocious, but it all fits together very well. The sets are good, and the script isn't all that bad.

Based on Star Trek: The Original Series (The one with Kirk and Spock), this film is done with good equipment, and looks good. The rhythm of the action varies from time to time, but these folks put a lot of effort and work into this project.

Whether you're a big Star Trek fan or not, this is a site worth checking out. Be aware, it's a big video file, and you'll have to have the Quick Time player to watch it. If you have broadband, you'll have no trouble.

So check out Starship Exeter and admire the work that went into this classic bit of fan obsession.

Welcome to latest edition of Bearing up, the advice column where Ba'ar (That's me!) has answers to your most challenging questions.

Dear Bearing Up,
My mother got me a set of bunny pajamas for Christmas. They have the ears and the fluffy tail and everything. And they're pink! I like bunnies, and I like pajamas, but these are kind of silly. What should I tell my mother? (By the way, I'm 38 years old, and don't live at home)
- Peter

Dear Peter: Get yourself a bunny to go with the pajamas.

Dear Ba'ar,
What's up with the tomatos in Big O? There are many theories, but no one seems to know for sure. I know bears know everything, so I thought I would ask you.
- Roger

Dear Roger: I think you've got too much time on your hands.

Dear Ba'ar,
As you know, I have a website with pictures and stories and other material concerning centaurs. I received the following e-mail, "are all of your female centaurs totally female using non transgendered female horses? Thank you! Dan" Having no idea what "Dan" is asking, I thought perhaps you could asnswer his question.
- Argon

Dear Dan: This is spam. Ignore it.

To Bearing Up,
How big is the brain of the average lemur? And why are lemurs so obsessed with zinc?
From, Curious

Dear Curious. The brain of the average lemur is the size of a pea. This explains why they're so dumb. In response to your next question, they need Zinc because of a lack of vitamins.

Dear Bearing Up,
I have a large pile of boxes and wrapping paper and ribbons. What should I do with all this stuff?
Signed, Ex-Christmas

Dear Ex-Christmas: Put away the boxes, wrapping paper and ribbons until next year. Christmas is over.

Dear Bearing Up,
Would you loan me $50?
From, Broke

Dear Broke: I will if you'll loan me $1000.00

Dear Ba'ar:
Why do we decorate trees at Christmas?
Signed Wallaby

Dear Wallaby. We decorate trees at Christmas to keep the trees in line with anti-obscenity laws. It's against the law to have a naked tree in Spindizzy, you know.

Remember possums (to steal a term from Dame Edna ;-D), if you have any questions,please page mail me (Ba'ar) online or send mail to big_bear@operamail.com. Thanks.

Ba'ar here. Argon has asked me to run this week's survey so here goes.....As a Spindizzy resident, what gift would you have liked to have received for this Christmas?

• Argon says, "Well, as a centaur, I'd like to have a new set of shoes, a professional grooming, and Mavra back in Florida."
• Borris would to be liking new T72 tank, but is not to be getting this year :)
• Darla giggles. "Oh that one's easy. A nice, snuggly brand new horse blanket. My other one is getting a little old and tattered."
• Tanuki barks, "I got more than I expected... the only thing I don't get for Christmas that I wish I had on an anual basis is money, and I know people don't give me money because I'll pay a bill instead of buying something fun."
• Roland says, "I would like Morticon to be bathed by giant six tailed coatis. Criminals, if possible."
• Terra dances around Argon. "I would have liked to have received a pony. Specifically, a My Little Pony named Firefly."
• Adara says "In answer to your survey, I would have liked to receive something personal from KevMan. Or a Tivo =)"
• Austin says "For Christmas, I would like to find here a month of activities -- each day, something happens that's radically different and novel and involving, so that we go a long stretch without having just another routine day. A long stretch of surprises, then."

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