Diplomacy Zine -- EP #247 Chapter Eight

From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com

Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1991 00:07:27 +0000

Issue #247 of ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL:

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              "We feel like a dot in the heart of hell."
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Chapter One contains:

BAGHDAD, AUSTERLITZ, BLITZKRIEG II, KING'S GAMBIT, PASSCHENDAELE,
DRAGONS, BLACK OCTOBER, OPERATION DESERT STORM, THE SOMME

And is published by uunet!cti1!rlister or rlister@cti.com/Russ Lister

Chapter Two contains:

BEREZINA, PORTNOY, JUTLAND, TIBERIUS, MARENGO, PARIS, SPARROW, SNORRI
AJAX, DIEN, FONTENOY, AGINCOURT

And is published by loeb@geocub.greco-prog.fr/Daniel E. Loeb

Chapter Three contains:

SQUALANE, BRUSILOV OFFENSIVE II, CULLODEN, GANDALF'S REVENGE,
GOODBYE BLUE SKY, MASTERS OF DECEIT, PANDORA, NOW AND ZEN

And is published by mad-2@kub.nl/Constantijn Wekx

Chapter Four contains:

DEADLY DAGGERS, MONTREUIL-SUR-MER, FIRE WHEN READY, THUNDERDOME,
BEREZINA, FONTENOY

And needs a publisher.

Chapter Five contains:

YALTA, AJAX

And is published by ddetlef@csd4.csd.uwm.edu/David Aaron Detlef

Chapter Six contains:

BERLIN WALL, HIROSHIMA, GENGHIS KHAN, SEA LION, VIOLENT PEACE, GIBRALTAR

And is published by barry@brahms.udel.edu/Barry Fausnaugh.

Chapter Seven contains:

TIBERIUS, BETELGEUSE, IRON CROSS, TEUNISGEK, RIYADH'S RECKONING

And needs a publisher.

Chapter Eight contains:

HELM'S DEEP, GROUND ZERO, TIBERIUS, BETELGEUSE, IRON CROSS
GUERNICA, TEUNISGEK, WOLF BLITZER

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Chapter Eight
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Table of Contents:

Playing Diplomacy like Poker
Playing Italy Cavalierly
GIMME THREE STEPS ISSUE EIGHT  (21-9-91)
----

The following was scribed by cmmjr@flight-sim.gatech.edu/Cliff McKeithan

From Diplomacy World #62:

Playing Diplomacy like Poker
by Joel Klein
	I've come to enjoy poker playing over the past few years.
I played Dippy long before I ever started with poker, and my
experience in one has helped me in the other.  I'll describe
how some lessons from poker can be applied to Diplomacy.
	The first lesson:  You cannot evaluate anyone's skill
from their play in any one sesion of poker or Diplomacy.  The
best indicator is "the long run," which means looking at each
session as part of a single, long session.  This allows you to
put your play in perspective, roll with poor games and
unworkable players, and deflate any delusions of grandeur
that follow a winning session.
	While this now seems obvious to me, it wasn't when I
started playing Dippy as a teenager.  I thought each game was
to be won, period.  Happens in poker games where everybody
plays like "rocks" (i.e. only bet when they have the best hand,
only play the games they know best).  Happens in face-to-face
Dippy games.  I know.  The FTF group I played in in New
York City in the 1970s was frstrating - no one could win a
game!  I don't remember any 2-way draws - we would
invariably have 3-5 way draws because no one could bear to
let the reader win.  The game started dying when the younger
players moved into Dungeons and Dragons.
	Another poker concept that applies is: "don't fall in love
with your hand."  This refers to a poker player who has drawn
a hand that he thinks is just great, and bets and plays without
regard to what is happening around him.  One of the most
common errors is in not considering how your position at the
table affects your play.  For example, the first palyer to bet in
a draw poker game really needs to play more carefully than
the dealer, since the dealer will have seen how other players
have acted before he commits an money.  If you don't make
some allowance for your position, you will win less than if
you adjust for it.  And if you tend to do the same thing all the
time, your opponents will certainly get the better of you.
	How about you?  Do you "fall in love" with the country
you've drawn and the position you've built?  For example,
you're Germany, you'be been attacking France for years, and
now Austria is up to nine centers and looks like he's going to
go after you.  How willing are you to reconsider the French
attack?  If you play Turkey, do you come out as aggressively
as you do when you play Germany?  Do you need to?  Suppose
you're Italy.  Would you play a safe opening and plan
normally, but perhaps consider using a Lepanto opening
against a Turkish opponent you know to be tough?
	These ideas are not new; the best players use them and
will continue to use them.  I was delighted to find how the
same skills that we learn at Diplomacy, and at poker, can be
modified for use in all endeavors of human game-playing (for
fun and for real.)  I hope you can use some of these ideas the
next time yo play (although preferably not against me.)

>Joel Klein (326 N Cuyler, Oak Park IL, 60302) is one of the
newest contributors to DW.

The following was scribed by cmmjr@flight-sim.gatech.edu/Cliff McKeithan
From Diplomacy World #62:

Playing Italy Cavalierly
by Genral John McCausland
	Although much maligned by commentators and players,
Italy is an exciting Pover to play.  They can make a
cooperative alliance with every Power in Spring 1901.  They
can also attack every other Power in 1901, except Russia and
England.  (And these two can be attacked in 1902 quite
effectively with a little allied help.)
	Italy's greatest threat is clearly France.  The French can
swing into the Mediteranean quickly with an overpowering
force, and can susequently build evil fleets in Marseilles.  I
have seen a vibrant, powerful Italy deciamted in only three
seasons by a well-timed, well executed French stab.
	Austria and Turkey are also real threats, but the fronts
they cover are small compared to the western approaches into
Italy.  Austria can easily take Venice, but anything further can
be very difficult to come by.  Taking Tunis is almost
impossible, for example.  The Turk is farther away, so their
builds frequently telegraph their intentions.  In addition, the
Ionian Sea can generally be held by the Italians for a long
time, slowing significantly any real Turkish expansion into
the Italian homeland.
	While all games are obviously different, there are still
some generalizations which can be drawn.  I will spell out
what I believe to be Italy's best alliance options, based upon
their goals.
	For a win, Russia is your best ally.  A combined attack on
Austria and Turkey can pick up quite a few centers because
the targets will have trouble in a two-front war.  This is true
even though the forces involved may be the same on both
sides.  Once Austria and Turkey are gone a quick move on
France, followed by a stab of Russia 2-3 seasons later if
necessary, should give you the victory.
	For a draw, Italy cannot ask for a better ally than Austria.
You both will have a common enemy in Turkey.  In addition,
the units involved will be easy to figure out since Austria will
want armies to ward off Russia while you will want fleet
control of the Med.  The only better alliance on the whole
board is England/France.
	Does Italy need Tunis?  No!  I GMed a Diplomacy game
in which Italy was up to 8 centers without owning Tunis.
They hit a rough year, fell back to collect Tunis while
remaining constant, and never looked back again.  If you can
convince Austra to give you another center, guaranteed, by
all means pass up on Tunis in the beginning.  Trying to get a
unit into Greece, moving to interesting places like Aegean or
Eastern Med, or going agter the Western Med/ Gulf of Lyon
area would be more likely to lead to long term rewards.  Tunis
is an easy center to pick up later.
	In conclusion, you should try to play Italy with a cavalier
attitude.  Be open to new and kinky alliance prospects and
remember that you will face little invasion threats in the
opening stages of the game.  If you play too cautiosly, you
will end up as some other Power's second course.

> General John McCausLand is the pseudonym for one of the
most experienced tournament and postal Diplomacy players
in the Hobby.

The following was submitted directly by Mark Nelson;
he also publishes a Bridge zine which is available directly from him
at amt5man@cms1.ucs.leeds.ac.uk.

GIMME THREE STEPS ISSUE EIGHT  (21-9-91)

GIMME THREE STEPS is a British email fanzine (perhapes the first one!)
produced by Mark Nelson (amt5man@uk.ac.leeds.cms1) and distributed
by himself and through Eric Klien's ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL.  It exists
to run games (mainly diplomacy variants and orphans) and to discuss
hobby/games related matters.  It first appeared in June 1991.

It currently runs one game of diplomacy and one game of Gunboat.

WAITING LISTS   WAITING LISTS   WAITING LISTS   WAITING LISTS

(1) DOWNFALL.  This is a variant based upon J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of The
               Rings and traditional is associated with reams of
               Press.  There are seven players, each playing one of
               the major powers described in the books.  First designed
               in 1974 the game has undergone countless revisions and
               has established itself as a classic variant design.

However, I do not intend spedning time retyping 7 pages
               of rules.  If you want to play mail me your snail mail
               address and I'll post you the rules.

PLAYERS: Michael Norrish (New Zealand)  SIX MORE WANTED

(2) ANOTHER VARIANT...I will be running the rules for a variant next
    issue, but in order to keep suspense high I will keep it a secret!
    Maybe by next issue I will have found time to type up the rules..

STANDBY PLAYERS are always wanted.  Please sign up on the Standby list!
                Paul Norris (UK).  More wanted.

DA! DA! DA!   THE EDITORIAL   THE EDITORIAL   DA! DA! DA!
     DA! DA! DA!   THE EDITORIAL   THE EDITORIAL   DA! DA! DA!

OK.  I will be out of town from Wednesday to Monday (playing in two
important Bridge tournys Wednesday and Sunday evenings) so the next issue
will be late.  Hopefully y'all be able to cope with shorter deadlines
next week so we don't miss an issue on 5/10/91.  When I get back I am
making it a priority to produce a special issue with the rules for some
dip variants that can be played on the regular board...maybe I'll
actually do it this time!
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LET THE PEOPLE BE HEARD (A LETTER COLUMN)

JEFF McKEE (August 1991)

I certainly agree with the premise that a win is better than a tie, which is
better than a survival, etc.  The point of controversy in my viewpoint is
that I don't believe supply centers should count for anything at all.
With all of the stalemate lines on the map, I don't believe that having a
large number of supply centers makes a player "closer to a win."  Rather, it
indicates to me that the player was not dominant enough to win.  A player
might completely dominate one side of the board, but if he can't manipulate
the other side of the board into letting some of his units come over there,
he hasn't "gained control of Europe" by any stretch of the imagination, or
even come close.  It is inherent in a win, that a country must have gained
control of territory that is difficult to get to.

In fact, I have higher regard for the 2-4 center countries that have
succeeded in making themselves indispensible, thus earning a piece of a tie.
If it weren't for all of the possibilities of fraud, I would even go so far
to suggest that tie-breaking points for draws be given to the *smallest*
participants.

I have had extreme difficulty in getting people to agree with my philosophy
on scoring in public, although many of those (who do not operate the
Dip presses) have agreed with me privately.

((MARK: True but tournament games are rarely played to completition.
  There is often a timne-limit to the game.  So the scs at the
  'end-of-the-game' are not the scs that would have existed if the game
  had been played to completion.  As this is the case sc count does
  indicate nearness to victory as if the game continues to an ending
  you are more likely to win if you have more scs...))

JEFF cotinues...
The simplest tournament scoring system I have heard is, "If one player has
more wins than any other, that player wins the tournament.  If there's a
tie, the one in the tie with the most draws wins, etc. etc."  Some people
complain that it's hard to break ties.  I say "who cares?" to that.
Another "weakness" is that it fails to distinguish between players in the
middle of the pack.  Again, I say "who cares," I think it's better to make
no distinction than to distinguish between them arbitrarily.

Democracy has never been involved in the choice of a tournament scoring
system.  Maybe that's what this country needs!

--Jeff

((MARK: I like the above system.))

From: Michele Morris <M.E.Morris@uk.co.bnr>  (16-9-91)

Hi Mark,
The asthma attacks sound nasty. My eldest son gets a similar problem. We're
not 100% sure what causes it, but it helps if he's raised up on an extra
pillow, and we launder ALL his bedding as often as possible, which also helps.
Costs me a fortune to get his duvet dry in the winter! You could try hoovering
your mattress too. In case you haven't twigged, dust mites seem to be the
main cause of many people's nightime asthma!

Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite! :-)

Michele

((MARK:  Now that I am on medication I can get to sleep at night, and I
         don't seem to be suffering from any ill effects EXCEPT I
         continually feel apathatic.  Not tired, just don't seem to have
         the energy to...do...anything......or concentrate............))

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BLACK OCTOBER  1990???   AUTUMN 1906 (FALL 1906)
                   GM-Mark Nelson (amt5man@uk.ac.leeds.cms1)
  Players:
  ITALY--> bereolos@cb.ecn.purdue.edu  (Peter J Bereolos)
  FRANCE-> PM3_NORRIS@BRISTOL-POLY.PRIME2 (Paul Norris)
  TURKEY-> slensk@asc.upenn.edu         (Joe Lenski)
  ENGLAND->gw@sickkids.toronto.edu      (Graham Wilson)
  AUSTRIA->jacquesc@ca.umontreal.mathcn
  GERMANY->avery@com.netcom              (Avery Ray Colter)

GM-ALL: I use the ROHAN system of reporting dip games.  I put the FINAL
        position of a piece in CAPITALS and any other position of a piece
        in lower case letters.  Since this is an email game and there are
        no problems about how much space a report takes up I'm also
        explaining why moves fail.

GM-RUSSIA Thanks to the Russian player for telling me his name (Scott
          Greenman).

WINTER 1906   WINTER 1906   WEINTER 1906   WINTER 1906   WINTER 1906

AUSTRIA:  disbands all remaining units.
ENGLAND:  A(LPL)
FRANCE :  A(Mar)
GERMANY: No Change.
ITALY  : No Change.
TURKEY : F(Con), F(Smy), A(Ank).

PRE-SPRING 1907   PRE-SPRING 1907   PRE-SPRING 1907   PRE-SPRING 1907

TURKEY                          ENGLAND
A sev                           A(stp)
A ukr                           F(den)
A bud                           F(lon)
A ser                           F(nths)
A bul                           F(swe)
F tri                           F(bal)
F alb                           A(lpl)
F aeg
F rum
F con
F smy
A ank

ITALY                GERMANY
A(vie)               F(hel)
                     A(kie)
                     A(ber)
                     A(mun)

FRANCE
A(tyr)
A(ven)
A(rom)
F(apu)
F(ion)
F(tun)
F(tys)
A(bel)
F(wal)
A(mar)

GM NOTES   GM NOTES   GM NOTES   GM NOTES   GM NOTES   GM NOTES

Please list your units in the same order as they are given above in
your orders as it makes checking your orders a lot easier!
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

number in parenthesis under #Centers stands for: the number of centers
   	the nation owned last year.

Nation:|#Centers|      Centers          |        Positions              |
-------|--------|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
England| 7  (6) | Den,Edi,Lon,Lvp,Nwy   | A StP, Lpl                    |
       |        | StP, Ser              | F BalS,Den,Lon,NthS,Swe       |
-------|--------|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
France | 10 (9) | Bel,Bre,Mar,Nap,Par   | A Bel,Tyr,Rom,Ven, Mar        |
       |        | Por,Rom,Spa,Tun,Ven   | F Apu,Wal,TYS,Tun,ION         |
       |        |                       |                               |
-------|--------|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
Germany|  4 (4) | Hol,Kie,Mun,Ber       | A Ber,Kie,Mun                 |
       |        |                       | F Hel
-------|--------|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
Italy  |  1 (1) | Vie                   | A VIE                         |
-------|--------|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
Turkey | 12 (9) | Ank,Bul,Con,Gre,Mos   | A Sev,Ser,Bul,BUD, Ukr,Ank    |
       |        | Rum,Sev,Smy,War,Ser   | F AegS,Tri,Alb,Rum,Con,Smy    |
       |        | Bud, Tri              |                               |
-------+--------+-----------------------+-------------------------------+

GM-ALL: For next time you need to mail me SPRING 1907  ORDERS.
DEADLINE: SATURDAY 28th SEPTEMBER. (9.00am GMT)
GM-ALL: I still can't believe it, this game is actually moving!!

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=========================================================================
     MOTHER OF ALL BATTLES (Gunboat 1991??rb32)

GM-ALL: The German fleet listed in SWE was in fact in DEN.  Players were
        informed.
DEADLINE: SATURDAY 28th SEPTEMBER. (9.00AM GMT) (BUT see the EDITORIAL)

SPRING 1902   SPRING 1902   SPRING 1902   SPRING 1902   SPRING 1902

AUSTRIA                          ITALY
A VIE --> TYR STOOD OUT!         F(tun)-ION
A ser --> TRI                    A(tyr)-tri    STOOD OUT!
A tri --> VEN                    A(ven) SA(TYR)-tri  DISLODGED (1)
F ADR S A tri --> VEN            F(nap)-APU

ENGLAND
A(BEL) S [Ger] A(RUH)-BUR  NO SUCH ORDER
F(enc) - MID ATLANTIC OCEAN
F(nwy) - NORWEGIAN SEA
F(lpl) - IRISH SEA
F(lon) - NORTH SEA

FRANCE                    GERMANY
a por - SPA               A ber -> PRU
f spa(sc) - WMS           A HOL SA(Ruh)
a bur s ruh-bel NSO!      F (kie) -> BAL
f mar - GOL               A (RUH) SA(HOL) H
f bre - ENC               F (DEN -> swe

RUSSIA                      TURKEY
F GOB - swe                 A GRE SA(bul)-SER
F RUM S A SEV               A bul-SER
A war - MOS                 F(BLA)-H
A UKR S A SEV               F(con)-BUK(sc)
A SEV S F RUM               F(smy)-AEG

RETREATS   RETREATS   RETREATS   RETREATS   RETREATS   RETREATS

(1) IA(VEN) may retreat to Pie/Rom/Tus/OTB.

(2) I will NOT be seperating seasons.  Please send Autumn 1902 orders,
    which may be conditional on where the IA retreats to, by 9.00am (GMT)
    28/9/91 (but see the editorial).

PRESS   PRESS   PRESS   PRESS   PRESS   RESS   PRESS   PRESS   PRESS
                                                 --- Dan ---
ANON-GM
Hey, are we allowing black press in the Mother of All Battles
now?  I was under the impression that it was a white and grey press
only game.

GM-ANON: When the game started I did not intend allowing BLACK PRESS
         but a player told me that the original GM was going to allow it
so I decided to allow it.  Then another player tells me that............

ANON-GM(2)
It had previously been
made quite clear that this game was to have white and grey press
only.  If the majority (i.e. all but Austria) of the players were
to *again* vote for a game without black press, could we return
to that policy?  Would you be willing to take such a poll?

GM-ANON(2)/ALL PLAYERS OK We will have a Poll.  The motion is: Do you
                       want to ban black press?  Abstentions count
                       against the motion.

Ankara (Presse Suisse) -- Naval strategists observing Turkish fleet
exercises in the Black Sea and the ports along its southern coast
report that Turkish forces appear to be preparing for immenant departure
from the region.  Spokesmen for the first fleet deployed in the Black
Sea told reporters that, while that assessment was essentially correct,
Turkish forces would not withdraw from the strategically important
waters until word was recieved from Moscow assuring the Sultan that
the Tzar would not contest Turkish ownership of Armenia or deploy forces
to the Black Sea that might be used to threaten the Turkish coastline.

Austria --> France:  Come on down and join the party!  Bring your fleets into
                     the med and riches shall be yours...

Austria -> Germany  Please don't attack me while I fend off Italy,

Austria --> Italy:  Remember - you started this!

Constantinople (UPI) -- Turkish diplomats at a specially called press
conference in their Constantinople headquarters voiced their outrage
at transparent Austrian attempts to sow dissent between Turkey and its
northern neighbor, Russia, in their forged press releases in the
previous Spring season.  "Austria has committed a serious error in
embarking upon efforts to dictate Turkish foreign policy.  Hopefully
their miscalculation will not result in any weakening of the growing
ties between Moscow and Constantinople," observed one high ranking
diplomat.

Ironically, it has been rumorred that military advisors close to
Sultan Ataturk are strongly advocating a limitted engagement with Austrian
troops occupying Serbia as the most viable option for demonstrating
Turkey's intention of maintaining the status quo in the volatile Balkans
to Russia after the Austrian ploy.

the EMPRESS OF FRANCE wishes to inform the germans and the british
that she has no quarrels with their nations.  the move into the
channel was in expectation of a bounce, and the support given the
german was to show that france simply wants to defend her borders.

England-> Austria/Italy: Make love, not war.

England -> France:  We are worried to see the increase in French naval
power and unless the French government promiss to send the fleets to
South East Asia, we will be forced to stop the newly started
franchising of Fish & Chips in Le Havre.

England -> Germany: We appricate your concern regarding the North Sea,
and send our Royal Navy to ensure that no fishing takes place.  We
might also send it to Norway in case of unrest among the local
fishermen.

England -> Germany:  As a way of producing more fine German wine we
support the export of German technology for production of wine to
those luddities in the Burgundy district.  We also hope that we will
be able to start making crackers that can be used as food together
with the said wine.

England -> Germany:  King Georg of Hannover who rules the United
Kingdom and the British Empire send his best wishes to Prince Sigmund.

England -> Russia:  I hope we will have a peacefull coexistence, and
that the revolutionary tendencies of certain elements in your society
(maybe influenced by French intellectualls in exile) will be deported
to Ultima Siberia.

Germany --> France
        I'm sure the soldiers in Burgundy have better things to do
than drink the hills dry, and my boys in the Ruhr could be better used
elsewhere. I will pull back next turn....

OVERHEARD ON AMERICAN WIRELESS...
"...Yes, Bob, its shaping up for another great season in the World Series, as
the teams square off for the initial bouts. It seems we have a menage-a-trois
in the Eastern Corner, with Russia muscling in on Austria-Hungary, and Turkey
baiting the Bear, while the Austrians lash out at the Italians..it seems
the Turkish Team have the fancy footwork required to evade any possibility
of foreign teams encroaching on their turf....
        ....Good Afternoon listeners...in the Western Corner there has been
little action so far, but all the elements exist for a great series of
games, as the Kaiser appears set to concentrate on the track-and-field events
while both England and France are traning hard and concentrating on the
water sports, having both expanded the fleet of support craft they are
entering in the Big Game we call.... Sport."

Sophia (Reuters) -- Troops stationed in this newly annexed Turkish
province have been given permission to cross the mountainess border
that separates Bulgaria from Austrian controlled Serbia on their
routine patrols of the region.  The Turkish army's new orders come
in response to Austrian efforts to hobble on-going negotiations
between Russian and Turkish diplomats in Rumania and are intended
to demonstrate the depth of the Sultan's resolve to establish stability
in the Balkan states.

Sources in Athens report that Turkish forces stationed near the
Grecian boder with Serbia will also partake in the action designed
to defuse future attempts at duplicity by Austria.

WINTER 1901    WINTER 1901    WINTER 1901  WINTER 1901

AUSTRIA: HOME, SER         =4
ENGLAND: HOME, NWY, BEL    =5
FRANCE : HOME, POR, SPA    =5
GERMANY: HOME, DEN, HOL    =5
ITALY  : HOME, TUN         =4
RUSSIA : HOME, RUM         =5
TURKEY : HOME,GRE, BUL     =5
NEUTRAL: SWE               =1
************************************************************************
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EMAIL: AMT5MAN@UK.AC.LEEDS.CMS1
HOME :  21 Cecil Mount, Armely, Leeds, WEST RIDING. LS12 2AP ENGLAND
        (0532)-637878
WORK : Department of Mathematics, The Univeristy, Leeds, WEST RIDING,
      ENGLAND. LS2 9JY
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Publisher comments:

Quote is from Mayor Zelko Sikic, whose Yugoslovian town of Dubrovnik was
besiged.

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References

How?
jnw7482@venus.tamu.edu (WARNER, JAYSEN NEAL)
Sat, 05 Oct 1991 21:38:14 +0000