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This week, Morticon, local wallaby acting in his status as Wizard, had a discussion with the day shift and thought it wise to ask the night shift about the subjects brought up during the day.

Morticon, known for his promotion of Role Play, or RP, wondered what players thought of the idea of doing away with the Page and Teleport commands. Page allows characters and their players to talk to one another privately from room to room, and teleport allows one to move from one place to another instantly. Doing away with these would cause a player / character to be able to speak or whisper to another only if they are both in the same room. Doing away with teleport would mean characters would have to move from room to room to travel from one place to another.

Note that Morticon was only asking for opinions on this idea and no movement was being made by Wizstaff to implement the removal of either or both commands. It was just an idea and Morticon, to his credit, wanted to see what players thought of the idea.

As nearly as this reporter could tell, the idea was to increase "face to face" interaction between characters and more exploration of SpinDizzy by having folks move from room to room rather than just entering, for example "Rose" and moving directly from their homes (Or wherever they are,) to the center of social interaction, the Rose Garden, The general consensus of the folks who attended the night shift discussion, the one I attended, seemed to be a resounding "no" against doing away with these commands. Morti accepted this graciously and the matter was closed. It seems that these commands will remain unchanged and can be used as usual.

The conversation then turned to Role Play and whether there was too much or not enough of it. Some thought RP was being forced upon the populace a bit more than they wanted, feeling SpinDizzy was more a "Social" muck where folks met just to chat and have fun and discuss "Real Life" from their character's point of view. Although sometimes such discussions waver away from being "In Character" (IC) and become "Out Of Character" (OOC) topics. Others were in favor of more IC activities and events and found discussions of gaming, operating systems, model trains and politics not in the spirit of playing someone or something other than their character.

As usual with these discussions, no real concensus was reached concerning the IC / OOC debate, except to try and find a happy medium between the two. With only a few exceptions, no one found the discussion offensive or disagreeable enough to leave in a huff, but that sort of thing has come to be expected in these sorts of meetings. In spite of their disagreements, there were no hard feelings, and no actual policy changes were even hinted at being made.

Support personnel are needed to supervise and run the airport's grand opening. If you're interested, please page #mail Airborn as soon as possible. Thank you.

Suggested by Tanuki, this is a game that does not exist, but could. There are multiple ways to do so: you've seen a version at the SpinDizzy Olympics, hosted by ____. For this event, players 'roleplayed' the event, most taking tumbles before the race was won.

Tanuki, however, had a different and very thoughtful inspiration. While the former still fit the SpinDizzy theme...what if you could actually sit down and 'watch' the races? Or, enter a vehicle you owned? Or a series of greyhounds pounding across the track...pursued by a tortoise in a top hat? As I spoke with him, the possibilities grew rather than shrank. He suggested further that you might take part in raising the creature, which might be a popular option. On Spin, this could be done through roleplay. It's been a while since SpinDizzy had some sort of critter ranch...and since we have the land space, why not set one up?

I sat down with Tanuki again to ask just what it would take, conceptually, to make such a game. The good news? It's possible! Here's what he had to say.

"[To simulate raising the critters,] there'd be simple attributes on the racing critters, nothing too complicated...then you have items and possibly actions to adjust them as the critter goes through its lifecycle." These same attributes would also effect the outcome of simulated races.

In other words, it's possible, and it is possible to do a 'racing' game more than one way. The methods are only limited by your imagination and sense of whimsy...and how big your eyes can get when you ask Austin for that next slice of land! :)

Illustration kindly provided by B.J.!

Although the Internet has been abuzz with blogs, articles and reviews of the movie, Snakes on a Plane a simultaneous release of a lesser know but far better film has been overlooked.

Fursnakes on a Plane, staring Samuel L. Jackrabbit, follows a similar plot. Jackrabbit plays an FBI (Furry Bureau of Investigation) agent who is escorting a witness from Hawaii to California. The witness, an otter who enjoys surfing, saw a rat commit a murder and would rather lay low as the rat, has "henchfurs" out to get him. He is offered the choice of staying in Hawaii and hoping the Rat's bad guys don't kill him, or testifying back in California and putting the rat and the bad guys in jail for life. The otter chooses California.

The bad guys find out what flight the FBI agent and witness are on so they load a crate full of fursnakes in the cargo hold. The crate has a timer so after the plane reaches its "point of no return", it opens and lets the fursnakes out.

Unlike "Snakes on a Plane", which depicts snakes as mean and aggressive and out to bite the passengers, the fursnakes are relatively calm and more curious than out to attack anyone. The bad guys thought that fursnakes, like regular snakes, would react to pheromones to make them aggressive. But as fursnakes are from the future, the writers have no idea what fursnakes would react to.

Once the fursnakes find the wiring, their curiosity causes problems, and of course once they enter the passenger area all heck ensues. There are a couple of funny scenes involving fursnakes and their shock at some of the activities the passengers are doing. In once scene, a male skunk is using the restroom and one of the fursnakes finds himself popping up out of the toilet. Hungry, and thinking he sees a small worm, the fursnake attempts to catch it for a snack. Also, a couple trying to join the "Mile High Club" is startled by a curious fursnake. Hilarity ensues.

The Internet buzz about "Snakes on a Plane" called for an added scene where the human actor uses a line suggested by a blogger. A very similar scene is included in "Fursnakes on a Plane" where Samuel L. Jackrabbit tells the control tower in California, " "Enough is enough! I have had it with these m********king furpents on this m*******king plane!". Interestingly, this line was shot after principle shooting of the film and is the only instance where the proper name of the animals is used.

Like that other movie, the concern of having actors work with real life snakes caused them to use CGI for most of the snakes. The lack of furpents made the use of CGI for the furpent characters mandatory. However reports indicate the CGI furpents are far more realistic.

The author gives "Fursnakes one a Plane" 8 stars out of 10 due to nudity and the bathroom bites. Well worth seeing on the big screen, but not for kits or cubs.

Q: What's a southern sea otter's favorite dinner music?
A: Hard Rock.

Q: What do you often find covering an otter's groin?
A: A cod piece.

Q: What did the critics say about the chicken gymnastics program?
A: It was poultry in motion.

Q: Why did the wolf bite a chunk out of the bull?
A: He had a beef to settle.

Q: How can you tell that politicians are swine?
A: Everything they involve themselves in winds up full of pork.

Q: How do they keep getting reelected?
A: They bring home the bacon for their narrow constituency.

Q: Why wouldn't the birds go anywhere near KFC?
A: They were chicken.

Q1: Why is it that when chickens are free-range...
Q2: Why are they so much more expensive?

Q: What's a Decepticon's favorite dinner?
A: Optimus Prime Rib.

Q: Why didn't the bird try to fight off the fox?
A: She was chicken.

Q: What's the saddest sausage?
A: Bleak pudding.

Q: What do lawyer otters eat?
A: Sue-shi.

Q: How do polar bears store their leftovers?
A: Seal-a-Meal.

Q: Why did the Garter slither across Nebraska?
A: She wanted to be one of the Snakes on the Plains.

Cora has arrived.

Ba'ar growls, "Hi Cora, thanks for coming and thanks for helping me out with the interview."

Cora growls, "No problem dearie. Thanks for asking."

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?"

Cora growls, "Don't remember, actually. I'd say around 6 months."

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

Cora growls, "Needed a nice place to settle down after I retired from the carnival."

Ba'ar raises an eye, "You were in the carnival? Really?"

Cora nods, "Yes dear. Sideshow worker."

Ba'ar cocks his head, "Sideshow?"

Cora nods, "I was a fat lady bear of the sideshow."

Ba'ar growls, "Is that where you get your ballerina costume from?"

Cora nods, "Yes. They wanted me to look dainty despite my size so they hit on having me dress up as a ballerina."

Ba'ar growls, "What's a typical day like for you - or is there one?"

Cora gorwls, "I get up, have some breakfast, and waddle out to the Rose Garden. If Thanny's there, she makes a beeline for me and pounces me. I don't mind though. She's a sweetie."

Ba'ar chuckles, "Thanny's a sweetie, she's always pouncing me too."

Ba'ar growls, "Anything else?"

Cora nods, "Occasionally, I host backyard parties at my home. You should come dear, they're very nice."

Ba'ar growls, "The problem is that I always seem to be busy with the paper. I'll see what I can do though."

Cora nods, "You do that dear."

Ba'ar growls, "If there was one thing you could change about Spindizzy, what would it be?"

Cora sighs, "I'd like there to be more cubs around Spindizzy. I love cubs though I've never had any of my own."

Ba'ar growls, "Oh? Why? You seem to be the perfect mother type."

Cora growls, "The problem, dear, is that I've never had time for a family. Always working in the sideshow.

Ba'ar growls, "Now you've retired from the side show, surely you've got the time now."

Cora giggles, "I think that Thanny's adopted me as her mama."

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

Cora considers, "That's a tough one dear. Never considered it before. Honestly I have no idea."

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

Cora smiles, "Just enjoy my retirement and perhaps open a candy store here."

Ba'ar growls, "Is there a secret fact or desire about you that would surprise our readers?"

Cora giggles, "I'm a plushie fiend. When I see a plushie, especially a large plushie in a store I can't resist taking it home with me."

Ba'ar growls, "I see., so in closing, do you have any words of wisdom for our readers?"

Cora nods, "Sure. Take things easy and slow and enjoy them. You only live once."

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

Cora nods, "It was my pleasure Ba'ar dear."

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:
Where'd Argon Take Mavra out to dinner for her birthday?
- Red Robin

Dear Red Robin:
TAUR-di's of course!

Dear Bearing Up:
What's a hypocrite?
- Twoface

Dear Twoface:
Someone who PRAYS in church on Sunday and on his neighbors the rest of the week.

Dear Bearing Up:
What's better? Shedd's Spread or Blue Bonnet?
- Butter

Dear Butter:
Neither! Parkay!

Dear Bearing Up:
Why does Billy bob, local rabbit, have a strange way of talking?
- Hillbilly

Dear Hillbilly:
That's 'cause he'sa fr'm Ten'ssee!

Dear Bearing Up:
Why is 'Labor Day' a 'Day Of Rest' ?
- Gompers

Dear Gompers:
Because we work the other 364 days!

Greetings all, Ba'ar here with the Spindizzy @Action news survey for this week. If you could change one thing about Spindizzy, what would it be?

• Argon says, "Decommision the Admins that don't do anything, never seem to connect, even when important meetings and events are announced (time zones aside,) and add nothing to the theme, events or tone of the place when they do. Also, do something about the favoritism concerning the awarding of M bits. "
• Whiffert purrbles, "Hmm What to change about Spindizzy... Well, they could change the direction of gravitation to 88 degrees perpendicular to the ground. 90 degrees is so Old School and Newtonian."
• Rawr says, "I'd say the one thing that could be changed here would be... Um... Nothing really... I'm happy the way this place is."
• Terry yips, "If I could change one thing about Spindizzy, um... my hard drive would spit out magical gold coins whenever I logged on, which could be redeemed at the local city hall for cash, prizes, or vacations in exotic lands, as long as I didn't hit a whammy?"
• Scribbles responds to the survey: "This blank intentionally left spaced."
• DTF ponders "What I'd change? Um..... I'd change Morti's influence so he would get confused for awhile."
• Than says cutely, "One thing I could change about SpinDizzy... More comfyroo pouches! :)"

THIS WEEK'S CAPTION

• "Either that wall paper goes, or I do. (Origionally attributed to Oscar Wilde on his death bed.) " - From Argon
• "OMG! He's going to try to breakdance!" - DTF

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

• One Year Ago - / Morticon says Tzolkin can see again
• Three Years Ago - / Austin Dern Has New Look

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