Please don't forget to read the bulletin board. Enter +read from anywhere.
Please also enjoy The spindizzy_muck LiveJournal community, open to one, all, and others.

Unlike the domain problems SpinDizzy experienced a few weeks ago, the ones made this week went without a hitch.

Findra, local bunny / coati and Server Admin. Wizard, found a less expensive Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) provider that offered increased bandwidth. Although SpinDizzy is an island traveling through space, much of its existance depends on a "server" on which programs that make SpinDizzy operate run. Without this server and its connection to our world, SpinDizzy would not be here.

The switch required that the DSL line of one provider be switched with that of another. This operation was a simple unplugging of one wire and plugging in of another. This also required that the domain, the Internet address which is used to connect to it, be changed also. Findra and Skyler, local wizard and rubber bunny toy, worked to make the DSL switch, as Argon, local centaur and web master, arranged for the muck address to point to the right connection.

As stated these changes went smoothly thanks to the tireless efforts of all involved and we are back to normal. As before, SpinDizzy can be connected in one of three ways:

• muck.spindizzy.org port 7072
• spindizzy.vulpes.net port 7072
• and the straight IP address: 66.134.64.211 port 7072

The only change anyone should have to make is if you are using the straight IP address. The old one will no longer work and you'll have to either use the new IP, or one of the sub-domains listed above.

Aushae, local dragon, made a suprize visit to SpinDizzy Saturday night. The dragon has been unseen lately as she has been involved doing dragon things to recover from an illness. Dragons are well known for their magic and tenacity, and Aushae has been using both to recover.

As always it was a pleasure to see her, and she hopes to return to her home and her hoard of treasure soon from which she can easily visit here. Although she has been in the care of other dragons and magical and medical types, her condition kept her from leaving to visit her mate, Austin, local coati / bunny, and the rest of her extended family and friends.

Aushea has been sorely missed and all were glad to hear that she may soon be returning home to exert her calming influence over SpinDizzy and to keep Austin in line.

As noted in Last week's @Action News, Saturday was Queen's Day. Portia, local red panda organised this event which is celebrated annually in her home Gaea. As SpinDizzy doesn't have a king or queen, the positions were filled by a vote last week.

The event was overseen by her Majesty, Queen Findra, and his Majesty, King Austin. There were a number of events lasting all day, ranging from archery contests, to pie eating competitions. It seemed that as soon as one event was over, another was beginning and not only were folks able to observe the skills of the competetors, but as the events were held all over SpinDizzy, folks got a grand tour of our floating island.

It is hoped that soon @Action News will have a list of the winners of the various competitions, but the gold star prize should go to Portia who organised a very complex and intricate event and made it run smoothly. She did a great job and is to be congratulated!

I'm happy to note that with the preparation of things for the Queen's Day festivities, Spindizzy the muck has finally reached 17,000 objects in its database! Object #17,000 was created Thursday, the 30th of March and is owned by Portia.

At the moment, Spindizzy is composed of:

3645 rooms 10164 exits 2172 things
475 programs 553 players 1 garbage
17010 total objects 5027 old & unused
1673 proploaded objects 13 propchanged objects 100 unsaved objects

Congratulations to everyone who keeps finding new things to share with one another.

Austin Dern
Managing Editor

Kamida, local skunk kit, stopped by the Rose Garden this week and, as usual rode in on her pet giant spider. She jumped off and the spider headed off as Kamida settled in to visit.

Morticon, local wallaby and alleged leader of the Society of Evil-Doers, greeted the little skunk with an uncharacteristic display of subserviance. He actually kneeled before her as he had her sit on a throne that had mysteriously appeared. He spoke respectfully, calling Kamida, "My Queen", and asking what possible servive he could perform for her.

After considering asking him to clean out the homes of the centaurs, which strangely, the wallaby agreed to willingly. After some discussion amoung the Rose Garden group about Morticon's fear of spiders, Kamida hopped up and looked toward her forest is. She then made a soft whistling sound followed by a few hisses. Soon the sound of moving branches could be heard as a soft hissing noise gets louder and louder. Soon, Kamida's pet spider, Sonja, made her way into the Rose Garden.

Kamida noted that Sonja was in need of a good washing. In spite of Morticon's alleged fear of even small spiders, he gathered together wash cloths and water buckets and soap and began work cleaning the spider's huge body. Kamida noted that if not for her influence, the spider might very well eat everyone in the Rose Garden, started with the wallaby who was closest. Beads of persperation could be seen on Morticon's forehead and not just from the effort of the work of scrubbing all the gunk off the spider's body.

Morticon worked hard, pulling leaves and limbs and the limbs of assumed previous meals from between the plates of the spider's exoskeleton, and after a half hour or so had finished. Throughout the process, the giant spider kept its unblinking spider eyes on the wallaby, and seemed especially attracted to Morticon's tail after Argon, local centaur, noted that they were considered a delicacy in some places. Morticon found it hard as he washed the underbelly of the spider to avoid the salivia that drooled off the spider's fangs with such a tasty meal so close at hand.

Kamida smiled as held onto the spider, whispering things to her in a singsong language, the spider seemed to be totally focused on the little skunk, and chirped something back to her. Morticon soon finished removing much gunk, and then crawled underneath, like a car, and scrubbed her belly.

Kamida lilted, "Careful! she's ticklish!" Morticon eeped! He became far more careful. As he cleaned under the spider, it clicked and whistled to Kamida.

Kamida ohed! "You have a present for me? Neat? Where is it? Oh! You should not have." Morticon wondered who Kamida was talking to.

Kamida continued, "Now, now! I know you mean well, but I really do not like 'roo, besides he's still washing you and he might be attached to his tail."

Findra, local coati / bunny grinned as Morticon's tail flicked!! After some effort, he finished scrubbing underneath. He then stood up next to Kamida, a little wet and dirty. "All done, my queen," he said

Kamida lilted, "Thank you, you can go now, Sonja.... Who? Oh, Anita? Yes she's welcome, yes I know she's your mom and I know she's bigger then you. She has eaten something right? I remember that incident with the festival and she promised to behave and... she has not eaten? oh dear. Well, go get Anita, Then Marlene, Beatrice, Susie, Little Marlene (and tell her not to drool poison) and tell them its a free lunch.... uhnmmm bath at the Rose Garden."

Sonja then went off towards Kamida's woods and soon, with some thrashing of brush and crunching of limbs (tree limbs,) a line of giant spiders stood in the Rose Garden. They all appeared hungry and eyed the group in the garden, apparently considering the buffet, however Kamida, using her power over the spiders, kept them from eating anyone. The next thing Morticon knew, he was doing his duty for his queen by washing, in some cased scrubbing Anita, Marlene, Beatrice, Susie, and Little Marlene.

Once done, and obviously tired, Kamida told Morticon he had done a nice job. Argon, local centaur, asked Kamida if the spiders' exoskeletons shouldn't be waxed? Kamida thought that a splended idea and Morticon, granting his queen's wish, found some spray on wax and clean buffing cloths. As he climbed to the back of the first spider and began spraying the cheap wax, the spiders hissed and only Kamida's control kept Morticon's use of a low quality product from getting eaten.

Mortion climbed down and returned with a can of Turtle Wax, and while not Pinnacle Souveran Carnauba Wax, it was good enough. Soon, exhausted, Morticon finished waxing and buffing all six giant spiders.

Kamida looked over her spiders and smiled, "Very well done Morticon, you did an excellant job."

Kamida watched her spiders getting closer to Morticon and then one of them grabbed him and started to drag him off followed by the rest of the spiders, "What are you... oh, you want to be fed? okay, Morticon will take care of it."

Morticon exclaimed dismay and was dragged off. Thrashing, crunching and muffled screams could be heard from the direction of Kamida's forest. Kamida noted that she had promised the spiders they could have Morticon over for dinner.

The group in the Rose Garden, perhaps as expected, made no attempt to rescue Morticon. He had been carried off by six giant spiders after all!

As of press time, Morticon's condition is unknown.

Q: Why was a pouched rodent cast for the role of captain in Rodent Trek?
A: He was really going to hamster the part up.

Q: Why don't countries of pouched rodents host sci-fi fan gatherings?
A: Every time they try, they wind up in con 'ster nations.

Q: Why did the female hamster slap the male who was hoarding seeds?
A: He was getting a bit too cheeky for her liking.

Q: Why don't pouched rodents ever go to non-Kosher Chinese restaurants?
A: They fear the possibility of a ham 'ster-fry.

Q: What do you call a stub-tailed mouse with a human torso?
A: A hamstaur.

Q: What do you get when you cross a wallaby with a hamster?
A: A hopping animal that raises its young in its cheeks.

Q: What do you call a burrowing pouched rodent with an axe and a beard?
A: A dwarf hamster.

Q: Why did the hamster give birth by the side of the road?
A: The sign said, "Fine for Littering."

Q: What do you get when you cross a pouched rodent with a jumbo shrimp?
A: A lobster.

Q: What's a hamster's favorite work-out song?
A: Journey, "Wheel in the Sky."

Q: How do hamster boxers work out?
A: THey practice with the pouching bag.

Q: Why didn't the hamsters run around the floor in the house full of cats?
A: They didn't have the balls to do it.

Q: Where do hamsters like to go for lunch?
A: Into the seedier districts.

Q: Why did the tourist hamster go to the red light district to have a good time?
A: He was mis-heard when he asked a local where he could go out and have a good time hoarding.

Q: How can you tell the really greedy hamsters?
A: They wear fanny packs.

Q: Why did the mob hamster get his cheek pouches filled with cement?
A: He ratted on his gang.

Q: Why did that bother them?
A: Silence is Golden Hamster.

Q: Where did the rest of the gang wind up after the trial?
A: In the 'ster.

Q: What's the worst possible thing you can call a C57/Black/6 strain lab mouse?

A: The 'N' word, Nibbler.

This week we chat with Shoe, local fox.

Shoe has arrived.

Ba'ar smiles and puills up a beanbag chair for Shoe to lay on. "Welcome. Have a seat."

Shoe jumps on the chair.

Ba'ar growls, "Welcome Shoe and thank you for helping me out."

Shoe barks, "I like other houses!"

Ba'ar chuckles "Well, I find mine quite cozy."

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?"

Shoe barks, "6 or 7 years."

Ba'ar nods, "Did you come over from TFF?"

Shoe barks, "No. Never been there."

Ba'ar nods, "So what brought you to Spindizzy?"

Shoe barks, "I fought it. ANd it looked like a place to come sometimes."

Ba'ar growls, "You found Spindizzy?"

Shoe barks, "I FOUND it!"

Shoe barks, "I would never fight it!"

Shoe barks, "I was a woodpecker back then."

Ba'ar nods, "You came in as a woodpecker? What caused you to change into a fox?"

Shoe barks, "Then I was a bunch of stuff then I was a pig then something changed me into a robot. I can't remmeber."

Shoe barks, "I'm only a fox very recently."

Shoe barks, "I think I'm sticking like this though."

Ba'ar growls, "What's responsible for the multiple changes?"

Shoe barks, "One time Morticon made me explode. Then recently I was a dragon similar to the exploding."

Ba'ar nods, "So you're currently a cybernetic fox?"

Shoe barks, "Yep!"

Shoe barks, "I was going to explain I wasn't born this malable. Happened after I changed into a pig."

Shoe barks, "WHich was my first change ever."

Ba'ar nods, "And then what were you?"

Shoe barks, "I was once a care bear."

Shoe barks, "And a gremlin and a diffrent dragon."

Ba'ar nods.

Shoe barks, "Can't remmber what I was next. Don't remmeber much of that time."

Shoe barks, "In my home of Spindizzy I was at the beach."

Ba'ar nods, "So anyway. What are the advantages of being a cyborg fox?"

Shoe barks, "I can swim and eat."

Shoe barks, "I have a realistic mouth."

Shoe barks, "My ears light up. It isn't an advantage because it wastes power."

Ba'ar nods.

Ba'ar growls, "So what are some of the disadvantages of being a cyborg fox?"

Shoe barks, "Being too small. Supposely being a fox for (possibly) the next few years."

Shoe barks, "Oh and one of the advantages is finally being my player's gneder. :)"

Shoe barks, "I wanna be my player height too!"

Ba'ar growls, "How about power? How do you go about renewing your power source?"

Shoe barks, "I have a power source in my home outside of Spindizzy."

Ba'ar nods, "So what's a typical day like for you-or is there one?"

Shoe barks, "Listen to people, Do stuff in my home. Be playful. Do whatever. Etc. etc."

Ba'ar nods, "Who do you admire the most?"

Shoe barks, "Morticon and Slug."

Shoe barks, "And Gem and Kri."

Ba'ar growls, "What is it about them that you admire?"

Shoe barks, "Don't need to tell you."

Ba'ar nods, "Do you have any plans for the future?"

Shoe barks, "My future is boring!"

Shoe barks, "To stay as a fox?"

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

Shoe barks, "If it would surprise them. Why would I want to tell them?"

Ba'ar grins, "Makes sense. In closing do you have any words of wisdom for our readers?"

Shoe barks, "Be nice to each other."

Ba'ar growls, "Good advice that. With that in mind, that concludes our interview. Again Shoe, thanks."

Shoe waves.

Shoe is carried away when a runaway sputnik rams into Shoe.

Shoe has left.

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:
What part of the egg is better? The white part or the yellow part?
- C. Little

Dear C. Little:
Both are equally good, especially if served together.

Dear Bearing Up:
How many feathers are on an ostrich?
- W. Coyote

Dear W.Coyote:
There as many feathers in an ostrich as there are licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop.

Dear Bearing Up:
Who is dumber, the politicians or the voters who elect them?
- Argon

Dear Argon:
I'd say the people. They have the power to vote on politicos and vote them out but they don't.

Dear Bearing Up:
What do I have to do to make the bees in the hive outside my cave make more honey?
-Y. Bear

Dear Y. Bear:
Pay them higher wages and give them more benefits. That should make them happier and more productive.

Dear Bearing Up:
What is the best bear movie ever?
- Bear Fan

Dear Bear Fan:
Brother Bear by Walt Disney of course!

Dear Bearing Up:
You've seen the survey. What improvements would you want Vixie to have?
- T. I. Resta

Dear T. I. Resta:
How can you improve on perfection?

Greetings all, Ba'ar here with your Spindizzy @Action News Survey for this week. Rumor has it that Vixie, local vixen, will be undergoing some improvements soon. What improvements would you make on her?

• Ba'ar growls, "Make her into a plushie!"
• Argon says, "Make her into chocolate!"
• Kefan says, "Taurification, of course!"
• Swiftheart says, "Maybe a nice set of bunny ears?"
• Angel_Bear says, "Humility."
• Borris Gruffs, "Da, Humility, extra strong."
• PatchO'Black mews, "An ego reduction!"
• The_Antiraccoon gruffs, "More storage space!"
• Gina_Doberman cant think up an answer to the survey.

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

• One Year Ago - / East Bun Olympics a Hopping Success
• Three Years Ago - / War In Iraq (Ed. note) / Mouser Plays 'Hot Wheels'

@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.

Argon proudly shows Narnia on his new DVD projector ignoring movie suggestions from the crowd

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