Howdy everyone,

Sorry about all of that. I just want to say now that for now on, regardless of whether I will be gone or what, I am going to need orders in on time. Grace periods will still be awarded for the first "offense", then after that straight NMR's. Let's be on time people! Now on to the game. A lot of trash talking going on, this was a big season for press, so make sure you check all of that out. And just for clarification, if you decide to post anonymously, I will create a title for it myself, unless you provide me with one. The Ottomans seem to be building up for an attack, but keeping quiet as to where that will be. The German and Austrian armies are growing in size, abandoning the sea. Britain, Russia and France are all setting sail for the spring, while the poor Italians sit back and watch the arms race. Here's the builds:

ADJUSTMENTS:
Austria:
Build A Budapest
Build A Vienna

England:
Build F London

France:
Build F Marseilles

Germany:
Build A Kiel
Build A Berlin

Russia:
Build F St Petersburg(nc)

Turkey:
Build A Constantinople
Build A Ankara
Build F Smyrna

DEADLINE:
The deadline for spring 1902 will be ***Saturday, March 6th, 9:00pm EST*** Hopefully you can all get orders in as soon as you get this, and if not, get them in before the deadlines! I may not be able to send out warning e-mails.

PLAYERS:
Ctry : Italy
Name : Alex Maslow
Email : Blueraider0-at-gmail.com ([email]Blueraider0-at-gmail.com[/email])
Ctry : England
Name : Kyle Rudge
Email : krudge-at-goldenwestradio.com ([email]krudge-at-goldenwestradio.com[/email])
Ctry : Russia
Name : Justin Card
Email : justin-at-darkenedpath.com ([email]justin-at-darkenedpath.com[/email])
Ctry : France
Name : Ross Yaggy
Email : ross826-at-gmail.com ([email]ross826-at-gmail.com[/email])
Ctry : Austria
Name : Joe Rizzo
Email : kangaroohp-at-aol.com ([email]kangaroohp-at-aol.com[/email])
Ctry : Germany
Name : Matthew Stevenson
Email : rocketship.rocketship-at-gmail.com ([email]rocketship.rocketship-at-gmail.com[/email])
Ctry : Turkey
Name : Michael Walters
Email : michael.alan.walters-at-gmail.com ([email]michael.alan.walters-at-gmail.com[/email])

PRESS:
Live, from Geneva, it's WHEEL OF EUROPE!

While in Europe, where Jeopardy is all the craze, the American people require something more sensational and luck-driven. President Teddy Roosevelt, to combat increasing apathy among his people, has decided to broadcast international news via a game show. And so the re-education of the American people begins

Bobbarkerfan: And we're back to Wheel of Europe! Justin, you can start, given that you have the most depots. And the category is: phrases. Spin the wheel!

Justin: *Spins wheel, lands on $400* D, as in Don't count your eggs until they're Hatched

Bobbarkerfan: One D, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ _ Spin again!

Justin: I'd like to buy a vowel: E, as in Every bear has his day

Bobbarkerfan: 4 es:

_E_E_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ D _ E _ _ _ E Spin again!

Justin: *Spins wheel, lands on Bankrupt*

Bobbarkerfan: Ohh, I'm sorry! You're back to zero. next let's see: Ross, our newcomer!

Ross: *Spins wheel, lands on $700* P, as in, I thought Piedmont and Picardy are safe!

Bobbarkerfan: One P, PE_E_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ E Go again!

Ross: I'd like to buy a vowel: I, as in, Iberia will be mine!

Bobbarkerfan: And we have an I! PE_E _ _ _ _ _I_ _ _ _ _ D _ E _ I _ _

Ross: I'm on a roll! *Spin wheel, lands on $2000*

Bobbarkerfan: Now's your big chance! Every letter is worth $2000!

Ross: G, as in

Maslow: Gutsy?
Kyle: Gamble?
Joe: Gallant?
Ross: No, go home.

Bobbarkerfan: And G as in.... get outta town! You bust big time, no Gs!

Crowd groans sympathetically:

Bobbarkerfan: Ok, Matt your turn.

Matt: S, as in slow and steady.
Bobbarkerfan: You need to spin the wheel, Matt. But you're wrong anyway. Ok, Joe, go.

Joe: *Spins wheel, lands on $300* B, as in, Black Hand? Hah!

Bobbarkerfan: 3 Bs, and one word is done.

PE_E_ _ _BBI_ _ _ _ _ D BE _ I _ E Spin again!

Joe: *Spins wheel, lands on $250* R, as in, Roaring out of the starting gate!

Bobbarkerfan: 2 Rs! PE_ER R_BBI_ _ _ _ _ D BE _I_E Spin again!

Joe: *Spins wheel, lands on $500* L, as in, laugh out loud stab

Bobbarkerfan: PE_ER R_BBI_ _ _ _LD BE _I_E

Joe: *Spins wheel, lands on $300* J, as in Junta in Greece 66 years early.

Bobbarkerfan: No, I'm sorry, but racking up some good quiet points.

Joe: Shhhhhhh!

Bobbarkerfan: Kyle the King is up next!

Kyle: *Spins wheel, lands on $700* W, as in the Welsh invasion of the continent

Bobbarkerfan: Two Ws!

PE_ER R_BBI_ W_ _LD BE WI_E Spin again!

Kyle: *Spins wheel, lands on $600*: D, as in, Dunkirk in reverse.

Bobbarkerfan: No, I'm sorry. Maslow, go for it!

Maslow: Thanks Bobbarkerfan, I'm so excited to be here. I'd like to say hi to my mother and my family and to the boys back home: Wiggidy Niggidy! Don't worry they'll get it.

Bobbarkfan: Uhh, great. Spin the wheel!

Maslow: I'd like to solve the puzzle?

Bobbarkerfan: Are you sure? You won't get any points...

Maslow: Alright, let's spin this thing! I can get more points that way. Spin round and round! *Spins wheel, lands on lose a turn.

Bobbarkerfan: Oh, I'm sorry you lose this turn. Too bad. Take it away Michael!

Michael: *Spins wheel, lands on "?"*

Bobbarkerfan: Bonus! Name a price, any price!

Michael: INFINITY!!!

Bobbarkerfan: We need a real number, sir.

Michael: Infinity minus 1

Bobbarkerfan: No, that...

Michael: Minus 2!

Bobbarkerfan: You realize if you get it wrong you owe me that money. And I'm not a man to be crossed.

Michael: Oh. Well then, infinity minus 5.

Bobbarkerfan: Wha- how about we say $5000?

Michael: Very well. T, as in Terrible Threesome!

Bobbarkerfan: You got it! $10,000!!!!! PETER R_BBIT W_ _LD BE WI_E Spin again!

Michael: *Spins wheel, lands on $1,200*

Bobbarkerfan: High roller!

Michael: S, as in Southern Slap

Bobbarkerfan: You're on a roll! PETER R_BBIT W_ _LD BE WISE Solve the puzzle?

Michael: I'd like to spin again.

Bobbarkerfan: Are you sure?

Michael: Yes.

Bobbarkerfan: Really?

Michael: As Austin Powers said: I also like to live dangerously. *Spins wheel, $300* X, as in X marks the spot!

Joe: X?

Michael: X

Justin. X....

Ross: X? Really?

Maslow: X? What about, every other letter.

Michael: X it is!

Justin: X....... Wait a min-

Michael: X!!

Justin: WHAT X IS MINE!!!

Michael: Mine now!

Bobbarkerfan: Seems like X isn't up there my friend.

Michael: Doesn't matter - Justin didn't get it! I win! I WIN!

Bobbarkerfan: Tune in next week for:

Michael: Next week? I thought we were just playing this one round.

*Joe and Justin eye Michael hungrily.*

Maslow starts shouting: Peter Rabbit Would Be Wise!! Peter Rabbit Would Be Wise!! Peter Rabbit Would Be Wise!! Peter Rabbit Would Be Wise!! Peter Rabbit Would Be Wise!! Peter Rabbit Would Be Wise!! Peter Rabbit Would Be Wise!! Peter Rabbit Would Be Wise!! Peter Rabbit Would Be Wise!!

Bobbarkerfan: Yeah, doesn't count. Can't just know the answer, gotta play within the game, too.

Maslow: Wiggidy Niggidy Damn!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A letter from a secret source has been intercepted heading for the Archduke of Austria:

"Hey Franz, don't be an idiot. The Sultan's gonna stab you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DATELINE SWITZERLAND, Bitter, Bitter December, 1901
Players, let's get back to the DipJeopardy board...

Bobbarkerfan: "We still have 4 categories... "Bodies of Water," "Liars & Cheats," "Words beginning with 'F'," and "Potpourri." ...and remember players, there is still one Daily Double to help you somewhere on the board."

Bobbarkerfan: "Mike, you've done very well so far, select a new category for us, won't you?"

Mike: "I'll take 'Words beginning with 'F' for $100,"

Bobbarkerfan: "And the answer is...'A medieval verse tale characterized by comic, ribald humor.'"

:::Kyle buzzes in:: "FLEETS -- as in fleets in the English Channel?"

Bobbarkerfan: "A clear violation of a earlier agreement, but not what we were looking for..."

:::Joe buzzes in::: "What is FLATULENCE?"

Bobbarken fan: "Name it and claim it, but no..."

:::Maslow buzzes in::: "I've had just about enough of this FREAKIN' over the top press. Also, Bob, I'd like to request a different podium, somewhere much further away from the Austrian...and do you happen to have an air freshener?"

:::buzz-buzz-buzz::: "Sorry, players, we were looking for 'What is fabliau?"

Bobbarkerfan: "Mike, you're still in control, select..."

Mike: "I'll take 'Words beginning with 'F'' for $200, bobbarkerfan."

Bobbarkerfan: "And the answer is 'Readily crumbled or brittle.'"

:::Kyle buzzes in::: "Bobbarkerfan, I have no idea, but I, too, would like a podium further away from the Austrian."

:::Matthew buzzes in:::: "What is foucault?"

Bobbarkenfan: "You're not entitled to use French words UNTIL you enter Paris..."

:::Justin buzzes in::: "Friable -- best exemplified by my former southern fleet."

Bobbarkerfan: "Remember to phrase your response in the form of a question..."

Justin: "What is friable -- best exemplified by my former southern fleet?"

Bobbarkerfan, "That's it."

Justin: "I'll take 'Words beginning with 'F'' for $300."

Boboarkerfan: "And the answer is...'What this game MOST needs at this moment?"

:::Kyle buzzes in::: "As Miss Universe, 1901, I think we should, like you know, have world piece."

:::all players again stare at Kyle in amazement.:::

:::Maslow buzzes in::: "What is fumigation?"

Bobbarkerfan: "Select..."

Maslow: "I'll take 'Words beginning with 'F'' for $400."

:::ding ding ding ding ding ding ding::::

Bobbarkerfan: ."It's our DAILY DOUBLE. Maslow, you trail at the moment, how much do you want to wager?"

Maslow: "I'll bet all my units in the coming year by not defending VEN and pulling a surprise convoy to ALB."

Bobbarkerfan: "And the answer is "Rocket 'J'"

:::long pause:::

Maslow: "What kind of crappy question is that? Bobbarkerfan, I have no idea, but let me say again that I gonna get that Austrian, if it's the last thing I do."

Bobbarkerfan: "Oh, sorry...and you wagered everything. We were looking for "Flying squirrel."

Maslow: "Let's finish up 'Words beginning with 'F'' for $500..."

Bobbarkerfan: "And the answer is...'Mistress Lash'"

:::Ross buzzes in::: "What is floppy?"

Bobbarkerfan: "True, but not what we were looking at...er, I mean looking for."

:::Michael buzzes in::: "What is flexible?"

Bobbarkerfan: "And how would you know that?"

:::Joe buzzes in::: "What is floozy?"

Bobbarkerfan: "A floozy with a whip...players...let's take a break. We need to get as many commercials in as NBC jammed down our throats in the 1900 winter olympics."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VIENNA, Winter, 1901

It pains Ferdy -- greatly -- to see what happened last turn. Please know that I would sincerely love to work with the Italian...I simply asked that he trade me ROM and VEN for GRE. Unbelievably...he got all upset and refused. Then I asked him to get down on all fours, bark like a dog and send a letter to all players saying that he had been a very bad boy. Apparently, he's is still considering the offer.

Mistress Lash

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's it for press. Great job everybody, keep up the good work with the press, it adds a lot to the game. Have a good week, and get those orders in!



Joey