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Argon, local centaur, happened to run into Beltrami, local balloon and SpinDizzy's Mayor.

The centaur, who looks over Centaur Square (N 0 - E 8) and Meadow Manors, a small group of homes, asked Her Honor is she might ask the SpinDizzy road crew to fix a pothole in the road between the two areas. Argon, expecting Beltrami to nod and forward his request to the proper authorities, was suprised when the Mayor herself offered to fix the problem herself!

Argon led Beltrami to Centaur Square and pointed out the area where the road surface had worn away exposing the subsurface which weather and traffic had eroded away. Using "Dolly", another balloon who Beltrami wears and using her control panel gadget, the Mayor herself quickly repaired the pothole.

The road is now smooth and easily travelled and Argon is grateful to her honor for the repairs. Unlike many politicians, Beltrami took matters into her own hands and made the repairs. Although @Action News has not nor does endorse political candidates or officials, Argon is personally happy with the Mayor's quick and efficient work on a problem made known to her.

Morticon, local Wallaby, was recently subjected to a bit of a beautification project. He had hopped into the Rose Garden for a look around when some of the SDers started saying how much nicer Morticon would look with a paint job.

Ba'ar, local bear, produced a bucket of pink dye and a paintbrush and started painting Morticon pink, being very careful so as to coat the wallaby thoroughly. This done, Ba'ar continued beautifying Morticon by tying a pretty red bow around his neck and using nail polish on each of his fore and hind toe claws.

Unfortunately Morticon did NOT find this funny, hopping off in disgust and screaming "Portia will kill me!" Neither Portia or Morticon could be reached for comment on this.

Although not everyone makes HTML pages, I thought this little trick might be of use to those who do. - Argon

You may have noticed a slight change in the images in @Action News. Rather than using this little bit of HTML code,

<A href="image.jpg"><IMG ALT="Image." SRC="imagesm.jpg" align="left"></A> which results in an image such as this:

Royce, local raccoon and expert in finding methods of doing things the easy way, noted that using that bit of code caused the image to butt right up next to the text.

Although no complaints about this method have been heard, Royce noted that readers using laptops or with smaller monitors might find it hard to tell where the image ended and the text started So Royce suggested the following HTML code for the images,

<A href="image.jpg"><IMG ALT="Image." SRC="imagesm.jpg" align="left" vspace="13" hspace="13"></A>

which results in a small border around the image making the text clearer and easier to read like this,

Hopefully, this will make @Action News easier to read and more raccoony, and raccoonyness is a good thing in every endeavor. It also makes less work for the editor helping to make me more raccoony as well. I always thought that cosing web pages in HTML was a sort of "work", which of course is a dirty word around raccoons. Still, it is a handy trick, passes W3C compatability, and does look more professional. So hopefully @Action News and its editor will now be more raccoony, although my tail still doesn't have rings, I always seem to be hungry!

Good evening everyone! Here is your lil gamercoon, hiding in a tree for the first time in ages. I'm scared to death to leave my hotel room here at "Anthrocon". Luckily I brought my old PS with me and luckily had this little title with me...

Since I don't have a computer to take screen shots, I'll leave you with some links to the youtube site so you get a better idea of what's going on. (Click on the images for the links to the YouTube movies. - Editor)

The game starts out at the Highland Unicorn Youth brigade's camp at the border of the Highland Kingdom and the City-States of Jowston. On the night before the youth are allowed home, they are attacked! The two characters are introduced, Jowy Atreidies and Riou, the adopted son of Genkaku (and the hero of this story). At this point, they try to escape and find out who were slaughtering everyone.... it was their own army, led by Prince Luca Bright and their own commander, solely for the purpose of starting a war with the City-States of Jowston. The two boys were barely able to escape the INSANELY strong prince with their lives my jumping from a cliff and into a river.

Riou was captured by Viktor (one of the many heroes in the previous game) of a mercenary group attached to the City-States while Jowy continued to float downriver till he was rescued by a little girl, Pilika, and her father. Jowy fails to rescue Riou and is captured along with him. Viktor eventually puts enough trust into them that they are allowed to "recruit" others with "supervision". They eventually escape so that they can tell Riou's sister, Nanami about the frightful events. However, the reunion was very short lived as they were recaptured by their former Captain, let alone telling everyone that they were traitors eagerly ate up because Genkaku, Riou's adopted grandfather and once the General of the Jowston, refused to fight at the end of the last war in a duel and their hometown became the property of the Highland Kingdom (though you will find out why later on). As they head to the gallows, Princess Jillia asks why they are being hung, Jowy blurts out to her that they were betrayed by their own kingdom, with Jowy getting hit to shut up. With Sadness, Jillia ordered them to stop hitting him.. because he would soon be dead anyways. Viktor eventually rescues them as they are hanging at the gallows with his friend, Flik of the Blue Lightning.

Eventually, the two boys once again witness Luca's brutality, which cause them to boil over with anger...

...and it takes the swift spear of Tsai to knock the boys out before they can do anything too rash. Eventually, Apple, the strategist comes and offers her assistance, but unfortunately it wasn't enough. They withstood the first wave but the second, they did not because Luca Blight lead that one, smashing his way through all with his unreal strength.

They escaped to a small town to the northwest where Pilika's family once lived (which was also attacked by Luca) and the two boys eventually discover the "Rune of Beginning" together, which was broke into two halves... the Black Sword and the Bright Shield. Jowy chose the sword because he wanted the strength to overcome those who wished to cause pain while Riou chose the shield to defend his loved ones. At this point, their paths began to seperate. Even to the point of betrayal, however Riou on the other hand didn't believe in the original path and wanted to help everyone.. eventually to the point they needed a better strategist, Shu, Apple's father's best student. Through a bit of trickery by a private investigator, they were able to beat Shu's trick and he joined them. At this point, they needed a place to call "home castle" and eventually found one.... abeit they had to fight the Vampire Neclord who inhabited it and made the decision after the battle.

It was after this point, Shu made the response that Riou should lead the new army of Jowston because no one would follow the other mayors of Jowston, let alone he wore the Bright Shield Rune, much like Genkaku and they are eventually told what happened with Genkaku. One of the mayor's father and leader of the City-States of Jowston made an agreement to stop the fighting and the last town that was disputed was to be fought in a duel by the two Generals. Because the father was scared of Genkaku's popularity and the thought of losing power to him, he secretly coated Genkaku's blade with poison. If he found it and refused to fight, he could call him a coward and cast him out. If he used the blade, he would accuse him of trying to use a poisoned blade and cast him out again. Though it was eventually discovered and the mayor lost all credibility for poisoning Genkaku's blade, it was too late and Riou and Jowy's hometown was Highland.

I won't go any further than this because it will ruin the story more. There are many twists to this game and it was extremely fun. The respect this game has as a story and gameplay makes it one of THE most popular RPGs ever. If you don't believe me, check for an unwrapped version of Suikoden 2 and you will discover that it will go for $150-$300 EASY (when Chrono Trigger will go for $50).

This game has the "traditional" RPG battle sequence as well as the "army" battle sequence. The army battle sequence goes by the rock-paper-scissors technique. Calvary/infantry beats archers, archers beat mages, mages beat Calvary/infantry. There are also "duels" you participate in

Anyways, its time I cut this short because a coon cannot survive on water alone. I will see all of you next time and with a proper article

Zoie.. hidden in the West Corner of the Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the newspaper this week!

Special thanks go to:

Argon for the report on the Mayor's repair project,
The "Various Sources" for the report on painting Morticon,
Argon, for the HTML notes in spite of his raccoonyness making him lazy,
Zoie, for her Classic Gaming article,
Royce, for the caption picture,
Patch O'Black, for his "Four Kolor Kitty" article,
Gilead, for his Carlin honorary puns,
Ba'ar, for his survey and
Gilead, for this week's cartoon.

Welcome, readers, to another edition of Four-Kolor Kitty.

It's been another quiet week here, and since the page #mail bag was empty regarding suggestions of topics or questions, I thought I would do something a little different this week. I decided I would reach into one of my boxes of comics, pull one out at random, and do a review of it. This first time out, a little something from February 2000, JLA Showcase 80-Page Giant #1! This is collection of stories about the various members of the JLA at that time.

The first story stars the Green Lantern, Batman, and Superman in a tale called "Progress".

It opens with a group of scouts being given a tour of a nuclear power plant in Connecticut. However, the field trip gets an unexpected twist when a group of aliens show up, calling themselves the Hand of Krona. These folks set about "upgrading" the power plant, then the flora, then the fauna! When the heroes show up, Green Lantern is concerned as he knows who Krona is or was.

You see, the folks behind the Green Lantern Corps, The Guardians of the Universe, were once known simply as the Oans. Among them was a scientist named Krona who decided to ignore a warning that one should never try to view the formation of the Universe. When he did so, apparently it unleashed evil to all life kind. Anyway, the Hand of Krona ignored the obvious lesson of "There are things that mortals are not meant to tamper with", instead believing that Krona had shown that even mortals can reshape reality! This includes changing the aforementioned scouts into cyborgs, who are sent to stop the Justice League. The resolution of the matter is interesting.

The next story is much more lighthearted as the JLA is forced to do something they really wish they could avoid: Leave their base, the Watchtower, in the pliable hands of Plastic Man!

If that wasn't bad enough, as the rest of the JLA is busy elsewhere, a group of canine alien warriors decide to issue a challenge: Fight them, or the world would be destroyed! Plastic Man has to battle the "Dogs of War"...or does he?

Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern return in the third story, this one with a rather spooky twist called "Space Wolf". A twist on the old werewolf tale, Batman has to find the solution to the mystery of a wolf found on the moon.

Aquaman, King of the Seven Seas; and Steel, armored tech genius, spend some time together in the Watchtower in "Communication Error".

Steel finds it hard to talk to Aquaman, as they don't seem to have much in common. However, when Steel's upgrade of the communication's system brings in a really killer computer virus, they learn to appreciate their differences and see where they have common ground. Aquaman also leans about fried pork rinds.

An unlikely match-up of the Black Canary and The Flash has them dealing with the even more unlikely evil male fairy called "Liverstains".

In true fairy tale style, they are challenged to compete against the dastardly magical villain, and if they fail, he will make them his dinner! Will our heroes beat this murderous fae, or will the be "Left For Pixie Dust"?

The next story takes place when there was a branch of the Justice League in Europe.

Led by Captain Atom, this tale tells of the good captain taken his then girlfriend on a date in Paris and, unwittingly, reviving a group of gargoyles from their stoney sleep.

Due to a misunderstanding, and Captain Atom not speaking french, the gargoyles are forced to defend themselves against the JLE! This story is actually a parody of the Disney cartoon series, Gargoyles, and shouldn't be taken very seriously.

The last tale is "Toy Story", where a young boy's action figures inspire him to figure out how to deal with some bullies. It also shows how, at least in a child's mind, the super-villians can change sides and become super-heroes when they need to be. All it takes is a little imagination.

That's all for this week's Four-Kolor Kitty. We would really appreciate it if folks would drop us with a page #mail to PatchO'Black with a suggested topic or a question to be used for future columns, or even feedback on our past articles. Until next time, see you in the funny pages!

Dedicated to George Carlin May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008 and the Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television (NOTE: Be aware this link ought not to be followed if you're at work or under-age. You have been warned!)

Q: What's the difference between a naked mole rat and a nekkid mole rat?
A: A naked mole rat is a small burrowing rodent with no fur. A nekkid mole rat is a small burrowing rodent with no fur, and something's going on.

Q: What's the world's sexiest fish?
A1: The makeout shark.
A2: The manko shark.

Q: What's the world's dirtiest fish?
A: The great dingy off-white shark.

Q: What's the world's most voyeuristic dog?
A: The point and leer-er.

Q: What digs holes very fast and makes lots of rude comments at all the females who go by while he's working?
A: A very badger.

Q: What hunts deer and makes lots of rude gestures at all the females who go by?
A: A whistle wolf.

Q: Why should you never show half a tiny deer on TV?
A: The FCC frowns on displaying your dik on the air.

Q: How do you describe a German with a major fetish for Lady Amalthea?
A: Das Letzte Einhorny.

Q: What's the most obscene marine mammal?
A: The humpfront whale.

Q: What's the Galaxy Far Far Away's dirtiest Wookie?
A: Swallowbaca.

Q: Who controls the Galaxy Far Far Away's prophylactic market?
A: Jimmy the Hatt.

Q: What do dogs use to get in the mood?
A: Spanish Flea.

Q: Did you know you can tell when you've landed on the Island of Lesbos by looking at their cattle herds?
A: Yeah, no bull.

Q: How did the weasel playfully abuse his mate the morning after?
A: Gently pulled the covers up over her head, and ferreted.

Hi all, Ba'ar here with your Spindizzy @Action news survey for this week. Do you play video games, if so which ones?

• PatchO'Black mews, "I like both the Sly Cooper and Ratchet & Clank series."
• DTF says, " About the only videogame I've played in the past few years was Solitaire and Minesweeper."
• BunnyHugger says, "I play video games, Ba'ar. My favorites are the Rollercoaster Tycoon series and the Zoo Tycoon series."
• Kefan says, "Video games? PS2 'taur, m'self. Mainly Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005, at which I profoundly excel. Also the Katamari, Destroy All Humans! and the God of War series, and Return to Arms and Burnout 3: Takedown. Sometimes GTA3 with cheat modes on so I can go fly a tank."
• Argon says, "Not really. I poked around with Myst, then Castle Wolfenstein and Doom, but I wasn't very good at any of them. Never played any console games like Zoie talks about in her newspaper articles."
• Ba'ar says, "A current favorite of mine is Serious Sam: The Second Encounter for the PS2."
• Leowulf says, "Half Life, Cube, and VegaStrike."
• Nikon says softly, "Sly Cooper."

Click on the image to see the origional uncropped 800 pixel wide image.

Got something that You'd like to contribute to @Action News, but aren't sure if you should, or how to do it? Here are some basic guidelines.

Contributing a story or artwork for @Action News is easy! Just send it to newspaper@spindizzy.org!

• @Action News is published weekly sometime between Sunday and Wednesday each week, although the date of publication may vary.
• Articles received after midnight Pacific time on Saturday may be held and published in the next edition of @Action News.
• Most any type of story or article of interest to SpinDizzy's newspaper readers 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