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In keeping with annual tradition, the 2005 SpinDizzy Christmas tree was taken down this week. Although each years' retirement is different, it is a happy ceremony as folks remember the holidays and take a final look at the tree's decorations.

During the holidays each year, a very woebegone looking tree is placed in the Rose Garden. As folks visit, some take the opportunity to decorate the tree with items reflecting the season, their interests, and themselves. By Christmas the poor tree is barely able to remain standing and it's fun to see all the things folks have decorated it with.

This year, Borris, local polar bear assited by Ba'ar, local bear and Associate Editor of @Action News, were given the responsibilty of retiring the tree. Apparently Borris lost Ba'ar someplace and ended up getting lost with the tree. The polar bear found his way to the Christmas Tree Retirement Home located at N4 E0.

Once there, Than, local lioness kitten, and Christie, local bunny, climbed the tree once it had been properly planted. Than, who is an emerging magic user, used her powers to make the tree look nice and make it comfortable in its new home.

If you would like to see all of SpinDizzy's Christmas trees all the way back to 1998, just go north four from the Rose Garden and see all the ways the holidays have been celebrated through the years.

A conversation with Kri, local cybernetic peacock, resulted in the disclosure that he and his associate Arzela had been working with alchemy. This had resulted in vast amounts of zinc that had resulted frpm attempts to turn lead into gold. Although declining to discuss the process of doing this, it reminded Argon, local centaur, of Suri, who's love of zinc is well known.

Argon mentioned that he thought Suri had once mentioned that for years, lemurs had had to mine through veins of gold to reach the zinc deposits. He understood that there were piles of gold, or plutonium as lemurs confuse the two, stacked all over the "Secret Lemur City".

Kri seemed somewhat interested in the gold, but was not interested in dealing with lemurs. Kri noted that lemurs have sharp claws and teeth and can't be trusted. This reporter detected a hint that Arzela would rather know how to turn lead into glod, rather than just have a lof of the valuble metal. It is unknown if Kri or Arzela has discussed the matter with the Lemur Town Council as of press time

Last Saturday morning a group exchanged inventions to one another in the Mystery Science Theater, at N10 W5. The event, inspired by the Invention Exchanges of Mystery Science Theater 3000, was a chance for local innovaters to show off the things they could make if only they had the materials.

Austin, elastic coati-rabbit, started the event with his thought about Lego blocks: ``If there's one thing that unites every interesting project, it's that you end up running out of the right colour blocks, and you have to finish off with something that breaks your colour scheme. So, what I thought of was, Lego stickers: When you're done with your project and you have the one mis-coloured block, you peel off the right colour and put it over the misfit block. The stickers have further applications, too: They're also good for helping to solve Rubik's Cube problems.''

Soul_Fox, young kitfox, said he was "...up late last night... perfecting... this." He placed on the desk a very small lamb and a plain cardboard box, of which the lamb was afraid. "Sometimes, even the most scrupulous fur can't quite find the time to properly groom a pelt of fur, or, perhaps, lacks the flexibility necessary to reach everywhere. After much research... And testing... I can now present you with the Automated Fur-Grooming Swarm."

Soul_Fox held the lamb in place and lifted the box's lid. A stream of shiny, clicking, metallic objects the size of large beetles flowed out toward the lamb. The hundreds of beetles crawled all over the frantically bleating, struggling lamb whom Soul_Fox held down, and made tiny clicking noises as it swarmed. After a few seconds the lamb, still trembling, settled, and when the Swarm was finished the lamb was shown off, with its woolly pelt shiny and clean in their passing. The Swarm then flowed off the lamb and back into the box.

Soul_Fox explained, "Each unit houses a small waste-receptacle, capable of housing sufficient dander and trimmed fur ends to allow the Swarm to completely groom a good-sized fur. Of course, in some cases, a more thorough trimming may be desirable, such as shearing a sheep." He then showed this capability, leaving the lamb skin-bare and trembling in a mountain of fleece. Soul_Fox insisted to the lamb that it wasn't that traumatic.

Beltrami, balloon kangaroo, came next, with a small speaker plate consisting of a small speaker membrane, a solid blue ring atop that, and a six-inch plastic plate on top of that. She then turned the rim on, and it began playing music. She then took out small bags of dry rice, unpopped popcorn kernels, and plain peas, which she scattered onto the plate. With the speaker playing the plate vibrated, causing the bits of food to rumble around.

The non-balloons didn't quite get this concept, although Soul_Fox's lamb was rather into it, and with permission enjoyed the dinner with music.

Nocte, silver eagle, concluded the exchange, by showing how her silver feathers once plucked could be dropped and fall like stones, or could be brushed a certain way so they would fall as lightly as ordinary bird feathers do. Nocte explained this was due to, "Enchanted silver. It's how I can fly, despite my feathers being metal." The grooming, she explained, was effective because, "It displaces the mass into the air around the feather."

Sunday morning at the same time a different crowd gathered for a movie. This was the preface and first chapter of the Stephen Ratliff story "Endeavour's Beginning, a Star Trek: The Next Generation-inspired fan fiction set in the "Marrissaverse". The start of the movie was delayed due to a cutestorm swirling around Vixie, and to individuals arriving late unfamiliar with either Mystery Science Theater 3000 as a concept or unfamiliar with Stephen Ratliff's fan fiction universe.

In the "Marrissaverse," Captain Picard has adopted Marrissa, a young girl seen in the fifth-season episode "Disaster" as one of three children trapped in a turbolift with him. In this line of stories Marrissa Picard and the other children from that episode have entered Star Fleet and despite their young age risen rapidly through the ranks. In "Endeavour's Beginning the young Commander Picard is reassigned to Captain of the USS Endeavour when its original Captain is killed by the right tetchy leadership of the planet Tuposakyo Sefriese VI.

Future movie nights may continue the story from the point where Marrissa Picard actually takes command and begins maneuvering through the difficult situation.

Christie the little bunny and Than the little lion kitten are going to get "married"! Than gave Christie a little pink plastic engagement ring with tiny plastic 'diamonds' in it back on January 7. Than's mommy and daddy Nesta the lion and DTF the wolf are getting married because they're good friends and Than and Christie figured since they're really good friends they should get "married" too.

They're going to get to dress up all nice and pretty and Findra will perform the "ceremony", and after that they're going to have to kiss but that's part of the responsibility of being married even when you're just kids.

This week, we chat with Marina, local meriad .

Ba'ar growls, "Okay let's start. Our readers know about you and some have even met you 'in the pelt' as it were. For one thing, how long have you been here in Spindizzy?"

Marina says, "I've not been here that long."

Ba'ar growls, "What brought you to Spindizzy?"

Marina says, "Austin's a friend of mine, and said you'd love to have more aquatics here. I qualify." to you.

Ba'ar growls, "I see. Have you had an easy time settling in here?"

Marina says, "I'm living with a friend... He changes the water pretty regularly. :)" to you.

Ba'ar growls, "I understand you're a mermaid. Are mermaids common where you come from?""

Marina says , "They make up approximately half the population. The other half are mermen."

Ba'ar nods, "Speaking of which. Much of Spindizzy is dry land. How are you able to move from place to place and survive out of the water?"

Marina says, "Austin taught me how to use this 'teleport' that you have. I find a pool and stay moist in it."

Ba'ar growls, "So you can't survive out of the water AT ALL?"

Marina says, "I'm about the same as one of you in the water--with special equipement, I can manage relatively comfortably for a while, but I belong whence I came."

Ba'ar growls, "I see. Now then, you're a wonderful singer. Does this come naturally to you mermaids/mermen or do you have to be taught?"

Marina says, "There are some of us--perhaps fewer than among you folk up here--that can't sing well. Most of us can sing, we use sound a lot to find our way about."

Ba'ar growls, "Do you sing as a form of communication as well?"

Marina says, "Oh, yes. And we have what you'd call 'an oral tradition.'"

Ba'ar growls, "So you actually use song to tell stories and teach?"

Marina says, "Don't you have ballads and songs about your alphabet? We do the same."

Ba'ar growls, "We do indeed. I somehow was under the impression that your culture was more musically oriented than ours was. Is this the case?"

Marina says, "I don't know. I can only tell you about my own world. I'm still learning about yours."

Ba'ar growls, "So what's a typical day like for you?"

Marina says, "I rise up, store my bedding, hope I don't have to work hard to get and eat breakfast, find out what I need to do to support myself and get the things I want--then I feed again--then after I've done my afternoon chores, I sometimes come here to listen to you people talk and see if anyone I know's about."

Ba'ar nods, "So who do you admire the most - In Spindizzy or out of Spindizzy?"

Marina says, "Austin's been very sweet and loving, I suppose I like him the best here..."

Ba'ar growls, "So who do you admire the least?"

Marina says, "What a foolish thing that would be to say!"

Ba'ar blushes, "Sorry...So, what plans do you have for the future?"

Marina says, "Oh, it would be nice to meet other water creatures... I hope to get to know the rest of you better."

Ba'ar growls, "What secret fact or desire about you would surprise our readers?""

Marina says, "Ah... I like the taste of coconut?"

Ba'ar nods and growls, "That will do. One more question before we go. Do you have any words of wisdom for our readers?"

Marina says, "Kindness and honesty combined are very, very useful in one's life."

Ba'ar growls, "Good advice that. That concludes our interview. Again Marina thanks!"

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

Dear Bearing Up:
I watch Price is Right all the time. When is Bob Barker going to retire?
- A. Trebek

Dear A. Trebek:
He intends to host the show until he literally drops dead.

Dear Bearing Up:
I've already BROKEN my New Year's Resolutions. What to do?
- New Year

Dear New Year:
With a little glue (and a little luck), you can put them back together!

Dear Bearing Up:
My neighbor's Christmas decorations are still up. What to do?
- S. Claus

Dear S. Claus:
Put up your Halloween decorations then. He'll get the message!

Dear Bearing Up:
I'm a photographer and I keep on getting my fingers pictures. Is there anything I can do about it?
- A. Adams

Dear A. Adams:
Cut them off and they won't be a problem any more.

Dear Bearing Up:
What's better - Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy!?
- B. Barker

Dear B. Barker:
Neither! Cardsharks!

Dear Bearing Up:
What do you think was the best movie of 2005?
- G. Siskel

Dear G. Siskel:
Stealth! It should have won an Oscar for 'Movie of the Year'!

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 baar.bear@gmail.com. Thanks.

Hi gang! Ba'ar here with the Spindizzy @Action News Survey for this week. This week's is..What's your best attribute as a SD character?

• Argon says, "Gee, that's tough. I find it hard to "brag" about any good attributes I might have. I'd like to think that just like everyone else, it's fun to do things, like the paper (With a lot of help of course,) and the occaisional RP, or their promotion just because of the fun of it. I'd like to think SpinDizzy has done more to make me a better player, than my play has made SpinDizzy a better place"
• Jaytee says, "I don't honestly think I could answer that question, espiecially without some bias. Best to ask other folks what my best attribute is-- that'd be more accurate."
• Rawr says, "Being hollow?"
• Lou vuherers at Ba'ar question and is magical.
• Gilead's conflicted. Could it be his incredibly thick, waterproof fur? His bonecrushing jaws and/or needle-sharp teeth? His whiskers that can pick up the turbulence behind a fish out to a hundred yards?
• Europa says, "I think I'm a fuzzy red cherub?"
• Gina_Doberman grins. "Well... I have two best attributes, if you know what I mean! ;)
• Persephone says, "I'm only eight! I don't have attributes yet!"
• Borris says, "Hat of Borris is best!"
• Kefan says, "My puns! Bringing joy, happiness, and gut-searing agony wherever I go! :)"
• Vixie says, "My modesty."
• Valerius's best attribute is that he eats people.

Back issues from a year and more ago. Remember when...?

• One Year Ago / Guest gets overview of SpinDizzy
• Three Years Ago / Fursnake 'Ore The Sea

@Action News, SpinDizzy's weekly paper, apparently has a fairly healthy circulation, so we figured we'd show just how healthy it is.

Each week, as long as there's room. I'll show the 'hit graph' for the @Action News website.

Soft-Serve Care Bear helps the young raccoon serve ice cream that's frozen too hard to scoop!

Submitting a story or artwork for @Action News is easy! Just send it to newspaper@spindizzy.org or qmail or page Argon, or Ba'ar 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

Thanks! Ba'ar, Associate Editor @Action News