DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER Date : 06/09/2008 Duedate: 06/21/2008 CALEAM ARENA DM-26 TURN-581 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS IRIS MENAGERIE (228) (26-4228) [15-6-1,103] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader IRIS GUT BUSTER MENAGERIE (228) ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) (26-4228) [15-6-1,103] (26-4750) [6-2-0,58] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite IRIS IRIS MENAGERIE (228) MENAGERIE (228) (26-4228) [15-6-1,103] (26-4228) [15-6-1,103] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM (-1) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. MENAGERIE (228) 45 2. ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) 18 MENAGERIE (228) 3. MEDAL OF HONOR F7 (481) 14 Unchartered Team 4. STEEL CRUSADE (477) 7 5. CHESS PIECES 8 (480) 0 ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1/ 2*ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) 27 12 1 69.2 1/ 2*MEDAL OF HONOR F7 (481) 9 6 0 2/ 0 MENAGERIE (228) 142 83 8 63.1 2/ 4*ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) 9 6 0 3/ 1*MEDAL OF HONOR F7 (481) 9 6 0 60.0 3/ 1 GOLDEN CANYON (290) 7 8 0 4/ 3 GOLDEN CANYON (290) 633 770 22 45.1 4/ 3 STEEL CRUSADE (477) 6 8 1 5/ 4 STEEL CRUSADE (477) 154 193 7 44.4 5/ 0 MENAGERIE (228) 4 0 0 6- 5*CHESS PIECES 8 (480) 0 1 0 0.0 6- 5*CHESS PIECES 8 (480) 0 1 0 '*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn (###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank TEAM SPOTLIGHT + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Andorian Succession #7 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + On the Isle of the Eye: "Four steps and we're lost," Senator Sedalia muttered. "This is worse than politics." "They do say that the Isle is larger than the Lake and touches other waters," Gissanniah answered. "What do we do? Just start walking until we get somewhere-- anywhere?" "It may come to that, but I'm not ready to give up yet." The senator looked around again. "Hmm. How about if I stand still, right here, and we hold hands--no, that might not give us enough distance." He undid his necktie and handed one end to his companion. "I'll stand here and hold my end, you go out to the farthest end of the tie and your arm--no fear of it breaking, silk is very strong--and walk around me in a wide circle. We haven't come so far as all that. You should be able to reach the edge of the woods at some point on that circle. Then you stand still and tug on the tie until I join you." Of course, it was possible that the edge of the woods was no longer four steps away, or that any edge they found would be the one they'd come from. You could never tell, with magic. But since neither he nor Gissanniah could do anything about those possibilities, the senator saw no point in mentioning them. Convincia: "That's a big fire," Lenpro said. Fandil squinted ahead. It was certainly a lot of smoke. "Maybe... they're burning brush in the fields before planting?" he suggested. "Late in the season to plant." "It's been a wet spring, planting has been delayed in a lot of places." "Maybe," Lenpro said, "but that smoke is rising over the city of Tarrgir. It might be buildings burning, instead of brush." "If that's so, perhaps we can help them put the fire out," Fandil said. He urged his horse to a faster pace. "If they want the fires put out," Lenpro muttered. "I have a feeling about this." Andor: Herlas backed up two steps before he even thought about it. "You can't parade that golem through the streets and claim it's the king!" Hesselbod raised his eyebrows. "Of course we can." He gestured at the golem who stood obediently, dressed in royal garments and awaiting a command. "The artist who modeled the face and figure has caught the appearance of the last king quite well, the artificer who constructed the golem was the best Lord Korneth could hire, and with your magic to cast a glamor over the whole, no one will doubt that this truly is the king." Herlas gaped in silence for a moment, stunned by the magnitude of Lord Korneth's ambition and of the royal scribe's misunderstanding. "The best illusions will not fool everyone," he said, "and without illusion, that is obviously a golem. You'll have a firestorm of outraged citizens--" "That is not your concern," Lord Korneth said coldly, entering the room. He dismissed the scribe with a flick of his eyes. Herlas turned to face him squarely. He was not afraid of Korneth of Sengir, who had come from nowehre and styled himself Chief Minister of Andoria, but he was deeply wary. There was too much unknown about this man for anyone to feel relaxed around him, starting with where Sengir might be found and what Korneth wanted with the Andorian states. Herlas had thought, originally, that Korneth was driven by a simple ambition to rule. Ambition, he could understand, and as the man was no magician, their goals should not conflict. Now, though... he wasn't sure. Ambition, yes, but not simple. "Why not produce the real king?" he asked. "Even drugged or enspelled to be your puppet, he would be more convincing than that golem." Korneth's lip curled in a sneer. "The 'real king' no longer exists, and he was pathetic to begin with." He dismissed the point with a wave of his hand. "And it is not your concern. Do not think to usurp authority to question or command. Your only business is to do as you are told. In this case, to cast the glamor." On the Isle of the Eye: Sedalia waited, holding one end of his tie and turning slowly in place. He was fairly sure he was still in the same place. And beginning to suspect that he had made more than one complete turn. Blast these trees! They all looked alike. Somewhere out of sight, Gissanniah hesitated. Not the first time. What was she seeing? The young woman was observant and intelligent, but he wanted to be seeing for himself. Still, he shifted his grip to accomodate another turn, she was the more nimble of the two of them and better suited to dodging around trees. Two definite tugs. The signal. Senator Sedalia began to follow his silk tie through the trees. Tarrgir: Half the city was in flames. The two managers sat their horses on the rise at the edge of the river valley, looking down at smoke and ruin. "At this point, there isn't a thing we could do," Fandil said. He shook his head. "Not even with magic. They seem to have it under control--not spreading further, at least--but I can't imagine how it spread so fast!" "Arson," Lenpro said. "Fires started in several places at once." He squinted down at the city. "Looks like the Military Academy was about in the center of the burned area; it's all gone now." "I don't understand how people can do that," Fandil muttered. "Arson--blind destruction--" Lenpro was silent for a long moment, then started his horse forward and down the slope. "Maybe not so blind," he said over his shoulder. "If someone wanted to destroy the Andorian League, it looks like there's been a good beginning made." Fandil urged his horse to catch up. "Just burning down the Academy won't--" "And driving a wedge between the Aruaki and the normal humans," Lenpro reminded him. "And more things, I have no doubt, that we haven't found yet." "Who would want to destroy the League, and why?" Fandil demanded. "Surely even the Delarquans or the Karnhorns wouldn't--" "Why not?" Lenpro asked. "And there are probably other enemies out there that we don't happen to know about." * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * ---===ANDORIAN REGIONAL NEWS===--- Duelmasters ----------- DM 8 ARKERS (turn 296): UNHOLY TERROR of BLOOD RITES (Wretch, mgr.) DM 11 ARUAK CITY (turn 595): CHIEF SITTING BULL of BULLDOGS (Kennelworth, mgr.) DM 14 TOBIR (turn 594): GINKOR of THE DOGHOUSE (Jorja, mgr.) DM 22 SOLVEN (turn 587): CHUCKER ISTTA of MIDDLE WAY 15 (Jorja, mgr.) DM 24 ZORPUNT (turn 584): MORLIN POOLE of KRILL CAVALRY (Jorja, mgr.) DM 25 LYRATILAN (turn 583): KEG STAND of BARHOPPERS (Apex, mgr.) DM 26 CALEAM (turn 580): CALONYMUS of STEEL CRUSADE (Cassius Calvata, mgr.) DM 30 IAYE (turn 576): PRIVATE PERNA of LENPROS (Lenpro, mgr.) DM 40 ZENSU (turn 546): LON CHANEY JR. of MEN OF 1,000 FACES (Mad Max, mgr.) DM 41 KATI-TEI (turn 537): RAMBLING OX of WANDERERS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 46 ARDIVENT (turn 528): BANNIR PARK of BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 52 FRATSFA (turn 244): PAINFUL PANSY of FLOWER GIRLS (Lady Fern, mgr.) DM 63 AMEN-TEI (turn 430): DIMAGGIO oF 1949 YANKEES (Papa Bear, mgr.) DM 71 KYR'TERR (turn 198): TRYPTOPHAN of SUPERIOR FORCES (Manager, mgr.) ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 480): AXLY HIMSELF of GERFEL'S FRIENDS (Generalissimo Puerco) Top Teams --------- DM 8 ARKERS (turn 296): THE ANIMALS (The Zoo Keeper, mgr.) DM 11 ARUAK CITY (turn 595): BULLDOGS (Kennelworth, mgr.) DM 14 TOBIR (turn 594): ALL THE MUN'S MEN (The Mun, mgr.) DM 22 SOLVEN (turn 587): KELLUMBO'S KIDS (Detective Kellumbo, mgr.) DM 24 ZORPUNT (turn 584): MEDAL OF HONOR F3 (The Anarchist, mgr.) DM 25 LYRATILAN (turn 583): BARHOPPERS (Apex, mgr.) DM 26 CALEAM (turn 580): GOLDEN CANYON (Jorja, mgr.) DM 30 IAYE (turn 576): RED DOG GANG (Jojra, mgr.) DM 40 ZENSU (turn 546): MEDAL OF HONOR G1 (The Anarchist, mgr.) DM 41 KATI-TEI (turn 537): WANDERERS (Jorja, mgr.) DM 46 ARDIVENT (turn 528): FANDILS (Wise Old Fandil, mgr.) DM 52 FRATSFA (turn 244): FLOWER GIRLS (Lady Fern, mgr.) DM 63 AMEN-TEI (turn 430): 1949 YANKEES (Papa Bear, mgr.) DM 71 KYR'TERR (turn 198): THE ZOO (Jorja, mgr.) ADM 105 ANDORAK (turn 480): SUPERIOR FORCES (Manager, mgr.) Recent Graduates ---------------- DM 8 ARKERS (turn 296): HAMMURABI of SMITHSONIAN (Curator, mgr.) DM 11 ARUAK CITY (turn 594): WALK THE LINE of ELFQUEST (Armalias, mgr.) DM 14 TOBIR (turn 594): MOLYNEUX of OTAGO HIGHLANDERS (The Mun, mgr.) DM 22 SOLVEN (turn 587): CHUCKER ISTTA of MIDDLE WAY 15 (Jorja, mgr.) (turn 586): JEROME OF KELLUMBO'S KIDS (Detective Kellumbo, mgr.) DM 24 ZORPUNT (turn 583): MIRESSEA POOLE of KRILL CAVALRY (Jorja, mgr.) DM 30 IAYE (turn 576): PRIVATE PERNA of LENPROS (Lenpro, mgr.) (turn 575): FENCE POST of RED DOG GANG (Jojra, mgr.) DM 52 FRATSFA (turn 243): IGOR MALMORT of BLOOD AND GUTS! (Le Pentarque, mgr.) DUELMASTER'S COLUMN Notes from the arena champ. You know Joe, I'm sure that you had all the best intentions, but after seeing what happened to Caylon with Moldraun's barbeque, I had to pass. I'm sure that you put great time and effort into that grilled tuna melt, but I wasn't taking any chances...had to pass. And now I see Suzette is laboring over her stove to surprise me with a special sauce for her always miraculous pancakes. I will just have to try to resist until the fight is over. But she does make a pretty good pancake. I hope I can manage. Calonymus SPY REPORT It's me, The Unknown Spymaster, back to give you this week's Spy Report. Sit back in your seats and we'll have more fun than a barrel of Zontanis. Hey everybody, watch out for SOLDIER 22, who flew up 12 points in the rankings after mashing KETTELMAN like a melon. Keep your eye on this guy. Ya know, some days it doesn't pay to walk out on the sands. SHORT ORDER JOE lost to BORDERLINE and drops 7 points. It's a proud day for the MENAGERIE stable, as their warrior, IRIS, ascended the Duelmaster's throne. 4 out of 5 gladiators surveyed protect the body, so try and avoid aiming at that location. But enough of that bunch, let's get on to the wimps who like to avoid battle! Well dang howdy, but if challenges were votes, HEART BREAKER would be president. Although it may be a contest she doesn't want to win. Death is kind of like a new puppy: he's always around wanting to play. (Ha Zontani, how's that for a wise saying?). In the 'Oops, What Have I Done?' category, CNUT CNUKLZ was mashed by FLESH FLAYER, who let CNUT CNUKLZ know that killing members of ULTRA-VIOLENT is a no-no. Remember: alliances are great, but try and take your ally in the arena with you and see what happens. Well, that wasn't too bad; Alarond told me that the people in CALEAM have no sense of humor. Or maybe that they were senseless. Well, there goes another Spy Report. Good luck in next week's fights. Hasta la bye-bye. (Loud choruses of 'Beat it, ya bum!')-- The Unknown Spymaster DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME IRIS 4228 15 6 1 103 MENAGERIE (228) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME DRALION 4303 12 3 0 99 MENAGERIE (228) CALONYMUS 4721 14 13 0 91 STEEL CRUSADE (477) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME BORDERLINE 4195 11 10 2 88 MENAGERIE (228) ALEGRIA 4291 13 3 1 85 MENAGERIE (228) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME SUZETTE CREPPAY 4746 14 3 1 64 GOLDEN CANYON (290) GUT BUSTER 4750 6 2 0 58 ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) SHORT ORDER JOE 4745 12 8 0 57 GOLDEN CANYON (290) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME HEART BREAKER 4752 6 2 0 54 ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) DINK GRUNTLING 4748 8 6 0 44 STEEL CRUSADE (477) FLESH FLAYER 4751 5 3 1 43 ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) COROT TORO 4743 8 15 0 39 GOLDEN CANYON (290) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME SOLDIER 22 4768 3 0 0 33 MEDAL OF HONOR F7 (481) CNUT CNUKLZ 4747 6 9 1 31 STEEL CRUSADE (477) HARRY MICHAEL 4766 2 1 0 29 MEDAL OF HONOR F7 (481) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME KETTELMAN 4749 6 5 0 23 GOLDEN CANYON (290) SPITZIN 4772 2 0 0 23 GOLDEN CANYON (290) KNEE BREAKER 4770 2 1 0 22 ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) HERSHEL WILLIAMS 4767 2 1 0 21 MEDAL OF HONOR F7 (481) JUSTIN THYME 4769 1 2 0 7 STEEL CRUSADE (477) -ROOK 4763 0 1 0 7 CHESS PIECES 8 (480) SOLDIER 23 4765 1 2 0 5 MEDAL OF HONOR F7 (481) HOMER WISE 4764 1 2 0 5 MEDAL OF HONOR F7 (481) DEATH RATTLE 4773 0 1 0 1 ULTRA-VIOLENT (479) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? SKRUMPY NOSEGAY 4771 0 1 0 STEEL CRUSADE 477 SPYMASTER 581 NONE BONE CRUSHER 4754 4 3 0 ULTRA-VIOLENT 479 CNUT CNUKLZ 4747 580 JUST REVENGED PERSONAL ADS Kettleman -- Wow, I surprised myself with that fight. I think that may be my favorite weapon. Don't take that loss to heart. *grin* I've seen what you can do when you get the initiative. -- Heart Breaker Short Order Joe -- Mmm...pork cracklins. Rendered out pork fat with skin attached and salt. The best ones still have hair on 'em. -- Flesh Flayer, amateur butcher Cnut Cnuklz -- If you hadn't stood on Bone Crusher saying 'Touche!' he might have made it to the infirmary on time. Enjoy sucking his bones. -- Deep Thought Ultra Violent -- Hey, I only hit him in the leg! He looked okay when they took him out. How was I to know that Bone Crusher had a glass thigh. Just to make up, I'm sending you a case of apples. I hear they keep the doctors away. Yeah. -- Cnut Moldraun, et al -- We was told that the all-basher arena is a regular arena, not a contest. Of course they keep talking about prizes in the forums, so who knows. -- Sven Kettleman -- would that be winter borscht or summer borscht? And don't forget the shashlik! I'll bring the vodka. -- Cnut Soldier 22 -- Another clone! Enough with the clones already! -- Justin Thyme Corot Toro -- I've come to the conclusion that red is not my color, but I did notice that it looked good on you. Not perhaps so much red, though. -- Dink (everyone's an art critic) Gruntling Skrumpy -- Sorry pal. You just had too many strikes against you. But you can always prove me wrong. Good luck. -- Calvata Dink Gruntling -- Ha. I'll give you gruntling, major DIS-gruntling. Perfectly decent stewed chicken. So it would've been better with garlic, onion will do. But now! Rice, peas, carrots. Orange, blah-green. Ordinary color choices, obvious, hackneyed, totally without interest. It should have something like... red peppers, as red as you can get them and perhaps some purple eggplant. Maybe yellow squash, but maybe not, it needs a sharper yellow. Difficult. Lemon peel? It will make the taste, ah, unusual, but too bad. Black beans on the side, perhaps? Pearl onions (no rice, don't want conflict in shades of white); varnish them and prop them up on toothpicks, carefully placed to balance the colors. How can people not understand that the visual component of a dish is critically important? -- Corot Toro Calonymus -- No way I'm going to do grilled kidneys. Liver, maybe, if you get me a fresh one (not MINE, dammit) and some really good onions. -- Short Order Joe P.S. And no, I will NOT do mountain oysters. Gods, the things some people ask for! Flesh Flayer -- Hard to peel a thing pancake, isn't it? But if you're nice, I'll do you a filleted trout. I could've sworn there was only one ell in deboned trout. Oh, well, if you want it with two ells... maybe I will and maybe I won't. Let me think about this. -- Suzette Creppay Heart Breaker -- (reeling back, aghast) Catsup? You would put CATSUP on my roast beef with rosemary and red wine? Gods, woman, you broke my heart! -- Kettelman Homer Wise -- MINCE meat? For PIE? Not a chance, sugar daddy. I'm a pastry cook, not a garbage man. -- Spitzin Calonymus -- I know ginger's tricky, but I had to try something or I would've ended up with my sister--you do NOT want to eat at her house--sneaking in curry powder. For waffles? I don't THINK so! -- Suzette Calonymus -- Actually, though my clientele don't go for it, I favor stir-fry. Just not the Mongolian kind. -- Short Order Joe Caylon -- Zither? What an intriguing notion! Perhaps you should get together with my sister, who does wooden xylophone. -- Moldraun Calvata -- If you want to discuss the early Seam archives with the Saint, Keeper of All Kinds of Stuff, she might be glad to get 'em. -- Temp Ed. 31 May 2008 Any and all who live in the 805 area, I would like for you to call me so we can get together for BBQ's, softball games, and so on. It has been a while since the last get together (several years). It was a blast and I am sure the next one will be also. We just have to do it. All alliances are welcome. Just because my warriors leave your warrior beaten and bloody in defeat does not mean we can't have a beer or five together. I'll even buy the first round. So call 805-588-3419 and ask for Dave a.k.a. Misfit, former member of the Green and Purple Polka Dot Alliance (GAPPDA). LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS SKRUMPY NOSEGAY was butchered by SPYMASTER in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight. CALONYMUS was savagely defeated by IRIS in a popular 3 minute veteran's Title melee. DRALION devastated SUZETTE CREPPAY in a 1 minute one-sided contest. ALEGRIA overpowered KUNG-FU MASTER in a crowd pleasing 1 minute mismatched match. BORDERLINE overpowered SHORT ORDER JOE in a 2 minute one-sided struggle. HEART BREAKER devastated HERSHEL WILLIAMS in a 1 minute one-sided competition. FLESH FLAYER overcame CNUT CNUKLZ in a 1 minute melee. GUT BUSTER won victory over COROT TORO in a 1 minute duel. DINK GRUNTLING won victory over HARRY MICHAEL in a 3 minute expert vs. beginner fight. KETTELMAN was overpowered by SOLDIER 22 in a 1 minute uneven match. HOMER WISE was overpowered by SPITZIN in a 1 minute one-sided fight. SOLDIER 23 was demolished by KNEE BREAKER in a 1 minute mismatched competition. JUSTIN THYME viciously subdued DEATH RATTLE in a 4 minute bloody novice's battle. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |LUNGING ATTACK 8 AIMED BLOW 3 - 1 - 0 75 | |STRIKING ATTACK 4 STRIKING ATTACK 15 - 5 - 0 75 | |WALL OF STEEL 4 WALL OF STEEL 25 - 11 - 1 69 | |PARRY-LUNGE 3 PARRY-STRIKE 5 - 3 - 0 63 | |AIMED BLOW 2 BASHING ATTACK 6 - 4 - 0 60 | |TOTAL PARRY 2 LUNGING ATTACK 23 - 16 - 1 59 | |BASHING ATTACK 1 PARRY-LUNGE 14 - 14 - 0 50 | |PARRY-STRIKE 0 TOTAL PARRY 4 - 6 - 0 40 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 - 0 0 | |SLASHING ATTACK 0 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 - 0 0 | Turn 581 was great if you Not so great if you used The fighting styles of the used the fighting styles: the fighting styles: top eleven warriors are: BASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 2 3 LUNGING ATTACK AIMED BLOW 1 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 3 WALL OF STEEL LUNGING ATTACK 4 - 4 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 2 PARRY-LUNGE STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 2 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 1 STRIKING ATTACK TOTAL PARRY 1 - 1 1 AIMED BLOW WALL OF STEEL 2 - 2 1 TOTAL PARRY TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME LUNGING ATTACK IRIS 4228 15 6 1 103 MENAGERIE (228) STRIKING ATTACK DRALION 4303 12 3 0 99 MENAGERIE (228) PARRY-LUNGE CALONYMUS 4721 14 13 0 91 STEEL CRUSADE (477) AIMED BLOW BORDERLINE 4195 11 10 2 88 MENAGERIE (228) WALL OF STEEL SUZETTE CREPPAY 4746 14 3 1 64 GOLDEN CANYON (290) TOTAL PARRY DINK GRUNTLING 4748 8 6 0 44 STEEL CRUSADE (477) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is IRIS 4228. The most popular warrior this turn was IRIS 4228. The ten other most popular fighters were HARRY MICHAEL 4766, ALEGRIA 4291, SKRUMPY NOSEGAY 4771, CALONYMUS 4721, BORDERLINE 4195, JUSTIN THYME 4769, DRALION 4303, HEART BREAKER 4752, CNUT CNUKLZ 4747, and GUT BUSTER 4750. The least popular fighter this week was DEATH RATTLE 4773. The other ten least popular fighters were SOLDIER 23 4765, HOMER WISE 4764, KETTELMAN 4749, HERSHEL WILLIAMS 4767, SUZETTE CREPPAY 4746, DINK GRUNTLING 4748, COROT TORO 4743, FLESH FLAYER 4751, SHORT ORDER JOE 4745, and KNEE BREAKER 4770. SUMMER FACE-TO-FACE IN MINNEAPOLIS! Our summer FTF will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, July 18-20, 2008. It will be held at the Holiday Inn Select Minneapolis/St. Paul in Blomington, MN, just down the street from the Mall of America, at 3 Appletree Square (952-854-9000). Rooms are only $105.00 per night, 1-2 occupancy. There is a free 24-hour shuttle from the airport and free shuttle service to the mall; free parking, free high-speed wireless internet in all guestrooms. There is a large fitness center, jacuzzi, and indoor pool. The rooms are blocked--ask for the "Reality Simulations" room block. There are tons of restaurants nearby at the Mall, as well as a cafe in the hotel. Hotel info: www.himspairport.com Mall of America: www.mallofamerica.com The tournament information sheet will be out imminently. We hope you're all looking forward to the tournament and that we will see you there!