Front Sheet

Minnesota is hardly our backyard. Heck, most of Europe fits inside of
the state of Texas. You Brits really have no concept of size and
travel. You seem to think that driving from any state to any other
state is like crossing the Chunnel. Sorry to dissapoint you, but most
of us would have to fly. And don't say anything about "navigat[ing] the
Atlantic" as the Harlequin folks aren't paying for their own airfare,
the players are having to pick up that cost. So now, they have to fly
themselves and share in the cost of flying several Harly people over,
just so they can take a "vacation" in Minnesota? How would you like to
take a vacation in Siberia? Seriously, it's a pretty fair comparison.
Minnesota is hardly a "sunshine" state (in fact it ISN'T even close to
being one). They have very harsh winters, and have nothing of interest
there compared to other much more central locations like St. Louis or
Chicago. If I'm going to get on a plane and fly a 1000 (yes thousand)
miles or more, I want ti to be somewhere that, when the weekend is done,
I can continue my vacation and my wife will have something to do while
I'm gaming. Minnesota isn't it. It's a big, northern, cold state.
Winter weather there lasts well into Spring.

Had they decided on St. Louis, well there is plenty to see and do in the
"Gateway to the West". Had they decided on Chicago, there is great
shopping for the weekend for the wife and then some fine arts and
museums around as well as some great eateries. Had they decided on
Florida, babes and bars abound (especially in the Keys) and Orlando has
like a dozen major parks (the Magic Kingdom and Epcot both in Disney
World as well as a couple of others they run, MGM, Universal, Sea World)
and is a short drive to Kennedy Space Center and either the Gulf or the
Atlantic shores (just head east or west). Had they decided on Vegas,
there are plenty of amusements and not all of them have to do with
gambling, naked women, and booze. About the only place with less to do
than Minnesota, is Cincinnati Ohio. I can say that, I live there
(here).

-Rob

···

-----Original Message-----
From: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com [mailto:mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 6:59 PM
To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Front Sheet

<SNIP>

To you Yanks and Yankees, if the Harlequin team and I can manage to
navigate the Atlantic and half of North America how come only four
(last stats I heard) of you seem able to make it to your own back
yard for a US F2F? I know avoiding supercilious Englishmen may be a
valid reason but I am pleasanter in the flesh. Having been bought up
on a diet of 'US Gun Culture Savage Slaying' shockumentaries I will
expect to be shot if I don't call you sir :). Seriously though,
playing F2F is worth it but at this rate it won't happen unless you
start putting your money where your mouth is.

Cheers
Chris Courtiour

A note about Face to Face in the USA:

As far as I know, Minneapolis was not mentioned, nor
was any other city mentioned, for ANY other reason
than the number of players living in or near there.

Minneapolis supposedly had many players (68) in that
category. Since I live here, it wouldn't be a problem
for me to pay my share and have Harlequin come and run
the game. 20 Turns of MEPBM in about two days sounds
like a hell of a good time to me-- kind of like the
old board game Axis and Allies, which usually takes
about 7 hours and isn't half as fun at Middle Earth.

But I say "supposedly" because those players somehow
disappeared, or are no longer interested. If any
other city has 50-some players willing to "host" the
games, then let's talk about another location.

If there are Minneapolis-St. Paul players still
interested, speak up. I'd love to have a two-day DS
ass-whooping fest. (interpetable depending on which
allegiance I am playing on).

Nick Cody

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