HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tnh@sw.stratus.com (Tim Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: ethics
Date: 17 Dec 1992 14:03:53 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbootay.sw.stratus.com

In article <1815@idacrd.UUCP>, desj@ccr-p.ida.org (David desJardins) writes:
> Tim Hill <tnh@sw.stratus.com> writes:
> >> ---
> >> 876xxx
> >> Axxx
> >> xxx
> 
> > Either the opponents misinformed you or West psyched.  In either case, you're
> > supposed to call the director as soon as you finish playing the hand.
> 
> Where did this come from?  They said they had no agreement.  Is this
> hand somehow inconsistent with "no agreement"?

This hand is inconsistent with standard preempting practice.

> On what basis do you conclude misinformation?

I don't.  The first thing I wrote was "the situation makes 3H appear psychic
rather than systemic.  (In particular, it sounds like an action by a player
who's given up hope and has no respect for his partner.)"

> > If the director decides that there was an agreement and you were
> > damaged by the misinformation, then you should get an adjusted score.
> 
> As I pointed out to the poster by email, but perhaps is worth repeating
> here, even if there had been misinformation, there doesn't seem to be
> any damage from that misinformation, so no possibility of an adjustment.

I agree that there was almost certainly no misinformation, and, even if there was,
there apparently wasn't any damage from the misinformation.

I just wanted to make it clear that the director should be called on this one,
whether or not the poster's impression of damage from misinformation was
correct.  If there was no misinformation, then there was a psych, and the
ACBL wants psychs reported.
-- 
Tim Hill
Stratus Computer, Inc.                  tnh@vos.stratus.com
55 Fairbanks Boulevard                  508-460-2232
Marlborough, MA  01752                  fax 508-624-7488


Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: rudy@netcom.com (Rudy)
Subject: Re: How would you rule (was Re: Lead Problem)
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 20:31:43 GMT

In article <1992Dec15.233347.23729@ramon.bgu.ac.il> avir@chen.bgu.ac.il (Avi Roy Shapira) writes:
>Now, What does the Net think the ruling should be?

Well, this one would be easy in the Midwest -- NS didn't know their system,
so give a procedural penalty to them and then you don't have to think about
the bridge of the situation.

BTW, Avi, why are you asking the net for their opinion?  Hasn't this matter
been enough of a farce already?
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: wchen@beirut.berkeley.edu (William Chen)
Subject: Re: problem over preempt
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Math. Department.
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 08:51:46 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.181924.12740@rayssd.ssd.ray.com> sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com (Steven G. Myerson) writes:
>In article <fbl2wbl@rpi.edu> Ron E Sperber writes:
>
>* Playing on okbridge with someone who is a reasonable player,but in a 
>* somewhat unfamiliar partnership you pick up the following hand red vs white
>* at IMPs:
>* 
>* AJ
>* KQJ8
>* A86
>* AJ98
>* 
>* RHO opens 4D. Your call.

This seems to happen a lot on okbridge :-).  Choose One:

a) The opponent is most probably psyching so just double him.

b) If the opps are are pick-up partnership, pass and RHO will think that 
   4D is NAMYATS.  This should be really fun. 

c) Bid something even more insane like 6C--insanity is contagious on the 
   net (and is also a positive feedback loop) The opps will probably 
   end up in 7D then. 

d) Someone on the table has actually played the hand before--it's the one 
   where the only slam that makes is a 6C miracle 4-2 fit where a throw in
   double-squeeze play works.  Checking the high score list you find
   that 10 pairs actually found 6C, making.  

e) ALERT!
   /opp It shows a 6502 hand with 11-14 points and 4 controls including
   the ace of spades. 
   It really doesn't matter what you do now, the opps know what they
   are doing and you don't...

f) Worf must be playing.  No telling what the bid means then :-)  

Disclaimer--Okbridge is an truly excellent program and there are many high 
            quality players and strong partnerships on it.  My comments
            refer to the informal wide-open style of play (any system that 
            the 4 players on the table agree to is fair game) and the 
            fun and uncertainty of playing with a new partner 10,000 
            miles around the world! 

>
>I cross my fingers and double.
>Hopefully partner does the right thing.
>
>Steve Myerson (sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com)

William
From: tnh@sw.stratus.com (Tim Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: Procedural Penalties
Date: 18 Dec 1992 17:00:39 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbootay.sw.stratus.com
Keywords: example hands

Sounds like what we have here is some overzealous application of sensible
guidelines that were articulated in the ACBL Bulletin a couple months ago.

The laws require informing opponents about partnership agreements.  Failure
to do so (via prescribed procedures for alerting, convention cards, and
answering queries) is subject to procedural penalty.  In addition, the
non-offending side is entitled to an adjusted score if (and only if) they
were damaged by the misinformation.

That much is relatively straight forward.  It gets tougher when the side
that is apparently guilty of a Mistaken Explanation offers either of two
excuses:  Mistaken Bid or No Agreement.

Now those are both perfectly acceptable excuses, if they're true.  How should
a director (or committee) objectively decide between Mistaken Explanation
and Mistaken Bid or between Mistaken Explanation and No Agreement?

Sometimes a convention card, system notes, a book, or an article provides clear
evidence.  Often there is no such clear evidence.

The new guidelines seem to be:

     "Presume Mistaken Explanation, rather than Mistaken Bid, in the absence
     of evidence to the contrary."  [footnote to Law 75.]

     Presume Mistaken Explanation, rather than No Agreement, if (and only if)
     the degree of partnership experience indicates that there should have been
     an agreement.

     Whenever Mistaken Explanation is proven or presumed, give a procedural
     penalty (as authorized by Law 90).

Like the Laws and guidelines concerning unauthorized information, these
guidelines permit the director to make a ruling relatively objectively,
without having to judge whether somebody is telling the truth or behaving
unethically, and give the benefit of the doubt to the non-offending side.

That's good, right?

Perhaps consistent application of these guidelines will make some partnerships
more careful that they thoroughly understand a set of agreements before they
adopt them.  That's good too, right?

But if some directors are applying the guidelines a bit too zealously, appeal
and write to the ACBL.  (I think somebody in Memphis should be quite interested
in the examples Rob collected.)
-- 
Tim Hill
Stratus Computer, Inc.                  tnh@vos.stratus.com
55 Fairbanks Boulevard                  508-460-2232
Marlborough, MA  01752                  fax 508-624-7488
From: pynq@quads.uchicago.edu (Jeremy Mathers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: This actually happened to me...
Summary: (Hand from Sharif/Hirsch column - 12/20/92)
Date: 20 Dec 92 15:45:23 GMT
Reply-To: pynq@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: D. J. Dougherty & Associates

None vul - you hold: Kxxxx,x,xx,xxxxx
Partner opens 1H, next hand doubles.  Your call?

Sharif/Hirsch recommend a pass.

However, some time ago, this actually happened to me, and I passed, and
partner went for 300.  Partner said I should have seen it coming, and I
think he's right.  Isn't the most likely heart distribution 5-1-1-6 ?
(As it, in fact, was)  Isn't it clear that a penalty pass is coming?

Partner had 3 spades and 5 (bad) hearts.  How is he to know when to
rescue himself?

************************************************************************
La plus belle fille du monde ne peut
donner que tout ce qu'elle a.

	- pynq@quads.uchicago.edu, who is still costing the net
	  hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, every time he posts -
************************************************************************
From: jose@math.duke.edu (Greg Lawler)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: To 4SF or not to?
Date: 14 Dec 92 15:56:49 GMT

Here are my quick opinions:  Greg Lawler 

> Assumptions:
> ============
> You are playing SA (no Flannery). Your partner opens 1H, you bid 1S and your 
> partner 2D.
> 
> Questions:
> ==========
> What do you do now playing
> a. 4SF?
> b. not 4SF?
> c. Your favourite method?
> 
> (I assume you met your partner 10 minutes before playing time in a. and b.)
> 
1. (I bet you recognize this one)
AQxxx/AQ/xxx/xxx
a.  3C 
b.  3C  (even not playing 4SF I would fake it with this hand)
c.  3C

2. 
 AQxxx/AQx/xx/xxx
 a. 3C
 b. 4H
 c. 3C
 
 3.
 AQxxx/AQxx/xx/xx
 a. 3C
 b. 4H  (But I might have made a strong bid in hearts at first opportunity)
 c. 3C
 
 4.
 AQxxx/AQxx/Kx/xx
 a. 3C
 b. 3C
 c. 3C
 
 5.
 QJxxxx/x/xxx/Kxx
 a. 2S
 b. 2S
 c. 2S
 
 6.
 KQJTxx/x/Kxx/xxx
 a. 2S  (I would like to bid 2.6 spades)
 b. 2S
 c. 2S
 
 7.
 AQJTxx/x/KJx/xxx
 a. 3S
 b. 3S  
 c. 3S
 
 8.
 AQxxxx/x/KJx/Axx
 a. 3C
 b. 3C  (again, I want to find out more about partner)
 c. 3C
 
 9.
 Qxxx/x/xxxx/AQxx
 a. 3D
 b. 3D
 c. 3D
 
 10.
 Axxx/x/Kxxx/Axxx
 a. 3C 
 b. 3C
 c. 3C
 
 11.
 Qxxx/x/AKxx/AJxx
 a. 
 b.  Would not respond 1S with this hand  (2D first choice, 2C second)
 c.
 
 12.
 KJxx/Qx/Qxx/Kxxx
 a. 2NT
 b. 2NT
 c. 2NT
 
 13.
 KJxx/Qx/AQx/Kxxx
 a.
 b.   Would not respond 1S with this hand (2C instead)
 c.
 
 14.
 AJxxx/xx/xx/AQxx
 a. 2NT
 b. 2NT
 c. 2NT
 
 15.
 AQxxx/Qx/xx/AKxx
 a. 3C
 b. 3NT
 c. 3C
 
 16.
 KJxxx/xx/xx/Qxxx
 a. 2H
 b. 2H
 c. 2H
 
 17.
 Axxxx/Kxx/Qxx/xx
 a. 3H
 b. 3H
 c. 3H
 
 18.
 AQxxx/Kxx/Qxx/xx
 a. 3H
 b. 3H  (This and the previous hand are about maximum/minimum for bid)
 c. 3H
 
 19.
 AQxxx/KQx/Kxx/xx
 a. 3C
 b. 4H
 c. 3C
 
 20. 
 AQxxx/xx/AKxxx/x
 a. 4C (splinter)
 b. Given no conventions, I would blackwood and risk slam (if not off 2 aces)!
 c. 4C
 
 21. 
 AKxxx/KQxx/Axx/x
 a.  
 b. My first bid would have bid 2S
 c.
From: d91-mbu@nada.kth.se (Marcus Burckhardt)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Re: multi-player Re: crossfire
Date: 14 Dec 92 13:51:53 GMT
Reply-To: d91-mbu@nada.kth.se (Marcus Burckhardt)
Organization: Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
Originator: d91-mbu@zorin.nada.kth.se



>>We have here a graphical game called _crossfire_ wich is a fantasy setting game
>>with multiple players and monsters everywhere and a map editor. 
>>So it is not exact moria like but it gives you a nice view of a world. 
>>And ofcourse it is very nice to see your great fireball kill your adversaries :)
>>It is for Xwindows so that could be a problem for some.
>>
>>I dont now where to find it but Xarchi or archie can help there

> -T

>>Niels

You can get it by anonymous ftp from ftp.ifi.uio.no in the file
/pub/crossfire/maps-0.87.7.tar.Z and 
/pub/crossfire/crossfire-[latest.vers.]-tar.Z

Don't remember what latest version is think it is 0.87.7 eller .88
something like that.
 I have just loaded it down and installed it ..looks pretty neat
Havn`t quite yet figured out yet how to play it well. I die all 
the time ..It have some features as a mud and the game gauntlets.


Marcus. B.

****************************************************************
             |  Name:   Marcus Burckhardt    | OBS!
"WHY ME??"   |  E-mail: d91-mbu@nada.kth.se  | Space for rent!
             |  Adress: Valloertsgraend 7    | 10$  Cheap!
             |          S-162 45 Vaellingby  |
             |          SWEDEN               |
****************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: petitc@nuge113.its.rpi.edu (Christopher Jon Petit)
Subject: Re: To die or not to die?
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 04:31:48 GMT

jatg5423@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (John A. Ternent) writes:

>Well, I must admit that I use file backups.  I simply get sick of having 
>to be cautious all the time, sneaking around and hoping there are no
>AMHDs or Evil Iggys or any kind of undead or anything nasty around the 
>corner.  However, the most annoying thing is for the stupid Balrog to
>show up out of nowhere and welcome you to level 50 by toasting you before
>you know what's going on.  So, I merrily go full speed down the dungeon,
>and when the Balrog greets me, I just restore the save file!  To those
>of you who think this is despicable and "cheating" ... I DON'T CARE!!!
>I'll stay out of your game, and you stay out of mine. To me, NOT using
>a save file takes a lot more enjoyment out of the game than using it.
>Sheesh, doesn't anybody have anything better to do than try to analyze
>the ethical implications of restoring save files in a game? You'd 
>think people don't have anything better to do (like play the game :-) ).

  Yes!  I agree totally.  Moria is all about having fun first, and winning
second.  If you have more fun by using save files (and gaining the extra
thing of 'protection' from it), more power to you.  And, if you want the
bragging rights of not using the backup save files, you have every right to
gloat.  That's why I propose possible Ressurection (for a hefty fee), with the
penalties I listed before.  In case you didn't remember, I said that, if you
die:

(1) You lost ALL items and gold (Hey, you're dead---HOW did your ghost carry
that?)

(2) You lost maybe 20% of your Experience (Dying kinda makes you forget things)

(3) You lose 1 point of Con (This is tracked---when you lose all your original
points of Con, you are permanently dead---regardless of Gain Con)

(4) Each stat has a 20% chance of being drained by 1 (The new body just isn't
as good as the old one)

  So, if you have a great character, you can still keep playing him, but at
a stiff penalty.  Dying is still something to avoid at all costs, but it no
longer is _the end_ for your character---after all, Moria is a heavily magical
realm, so Resurrection should be no exception.  Side note:  Maybe Mages or
Priests should get, as their highest level spell, a spell that conveys auto-
matic Resurrection if they die.



-- 
Now on sale, in Aisle 5 of the Divine Supermarket---Lives, and Clues.  Buy
yours now and avoid the rush!  They make great Christmas gifts!
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right
to say it."  - Voltaire.
From: kal0992@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: high score list
Date: 14 Dec 92 15:47:21 GMT
Reply-To: kal0992@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology

Thank you to everyone who answered my earlier post.  I have another question
Is there any way to delete the high score list and start over.  I have soooo
many level 1 or 2 characters on there. It is several pages long after I finish a game and I would like to clean it up.  E-mail me with the directions if you
could.  Thanks for the help.
			
		Tasman

p.s. I still want the scores to show but I want to delete all of them for now.
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: j_herlih@oz.plymouth.edu (Axl)
Subject: Re: It's not a bug, it's a feature!
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, NH.
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 21:36:16 GMT

In article <5834@krafla.rhi.hi.is> sigurhel@rhi.hi.is (Sigurdur Runar Helgason) writes:
>same here about that staff of summoning ..
>
>
>And now I have another ranger on 22-th level and recently found staff of
>summoning ... I am seriously thinking about to bring it up to townlevel and
>sell it or just drop the damn thing ...
>
>SRH
>sigurhel@rhi.hi.is

	Aww, what's the fun of that? :)  I got a pretty good 25th lv
half-orc priest (social class = 1...ugly mutha), and when I find a
new, wand, staff, etc...i 'play' with it a bit, and the ones I enjoy
the most are the summoning ones.  The worst I've done so far is summon
a fire elemental when I was low on mana.  Got outta that one when my
wand of wonder (`nother fun item), shot a frost bolt at him. *Phew* :)
	One thing I don't advise is quaffing un-identified potions.
After I drank a potion of 'lose memories', never again..seeya...
--
-Axl @)-->--- 
 j_herlih@oz.plymouth.edu - "There can be only one"
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: dsj@juniper12.cray.com (Douglas Jackson)
Subject: backup/restore
Originator: dsj@juniper12
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 17 Dec 92 12:49:07 CST


> That is correct.  Under Robert's original VMS version, it was not possible
> to restore a dead character unless you had system privileges.  If your
> character was lost due to something like a power outage, you could send
> email to Robert and he could and would restore your character.  He basically
> maintained a database of all characters, dead or alive.

Being somewhat of a VMS hacker in those days, I found
that I could save my character using the VMS BACKUP
command which kept the original time stamps.  Even
if the game tries to prevent people from saving
characters dedicated hackers can find ways around it.
Yes, I did win using the save files, but it wasn't as
satisfying as doing it without.  You can't fool yourself
about whether you win honestly or by cheating(my opinion).
I would say that save files definitely are useful when
learning the game, but to really win you can't use them
when you die.

-Doug.
-- 


	-Doug
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: "michael kitts" <michael.kitts@canrem.com>
Subject: ethics of backup/save
Reply-To: "michael kitts" <michael.kitts@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 12 Dec 92 13:02:51 EST

DEE> I'm sure this will start a heated discussion, but here goes....

DEE> In many other computer role-playing games, particularly personal
DEE> computer
DEE> versions, it is considered standard procedure to save the game to
DEE> preserve
DEE> one's progress.  Everything from Leisure Suit Larry to Railroad Tycoon
DEE> to
DEE> Sim City to Ultima I-?? to Wolfenstein 3D to Sid Meier's Civilization
DEE> includes this feature.  In the case of grievous player error or system
DEE> malfunction, one simply runs "Load a saved game" and continues on.

Hey Dale,

     What about using some ideas from other types of games, for example
     in Larn there is a "Scroll of Life Protection" or in Hack theres the
     "Amulet of Life Saving". Each of these offer that one more chance
     at it. Make them fairly uncommon, so that a player cannot
     accumulate too many of them.

Michael Kitts
-=-=-=-=-=-=-

--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 19:40:46 -0500 
From: "Joseph E. Beck" <jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Mage vs Priest
	<sf9HwJ200Vp3Q4bstz@andrew.cmu.edu>
	<SWOTA.92Dec9131301@karp.albany.edu>



>Actually, the shops almost never have enough Identify scrolls,
I've never had a problem with this.  But then again, I bounce from 0'
to 50' a lot...

>Still, it gets to be a drag deciding down in the dungeons which
>non-cursed items to lug back and which to leave when you have no other
>way of knowing which {might} be HA or DF...
Please stop saying this.  I'll repeat it again:  YOU AUTOMATICALLY
KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE FOUND A HA.  Your STR increases even if you haven't
identified.  So you "only" risk missing DF.

>But I really DO like having ID and Recharge AND the ability to CHOOSE
>which spell I get next rather than rely on the gods.
But...once you get OOD it doesn't really matter (much) what you get.

	joe
From: kchchang@remus.rutgers.edu (kai chang)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Re: As long as we're taking suggestions...
Date: 17 Dec 92 02:15:34 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

10563563@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au (ARTHUR GIANNAKIS) writes:

>I'd have to agree with this........Instead of everyone putting forward 
>suggestions as to how to make mages or priests more powerful which I'd have 
>to say they already are without some of the so called 'improvements' 
>floating about, we'd be better off making the warrior and rogue classes much 
>more competitive and giving these classes more appeal to the player..........


	I agree.  Here's my suggestion:  Having "quality" of the item embedded into items.  So if an item has poor quality (being spashed by acid, or whatever), it has low chance of enchanted.
	Allowing ONLY warrior to identify the quality of an item.  (only warrior because they're most capable at weapons/shields.. whatever).
	Rogues have some chance of noticing good/bad quality of an item.  (if they happen to to using it, the chance goes up).  
	Anyone like my suggestion?  Disagree with it?
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: wag5@quads.uchicago.edu (john peter wagner)
Subject: Merging rooms, Rotting Q's
Reply-To: wag5@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 06:28:52 GMT

This is a copy of a level on which I have liquified(spell) away the walls
between the rooms in the upper left-hand segment of the dungeon to create one
giant play room.  I had a number of Rotting Q's but most disappeared on me.
The Balrog was liek on the other side of the level. You will notice the
Earthworks designed to protect one from missile attacks and facilitate
the use of the 'pillar technique.' Also, all darkened areas were lit by spell
so that the Balrog would not be able to sneak up on me.  The various
treasures are the remains of swarms of L's, V's, M's, W's, and G's summoned
by the Rotting Q's.
-here tis-
                  #.[.._....,|..=!..........#'#...#.#.#  ##.#..#
Elf               #.=]|[._....&[......(....#...#.#.#.#######.#.#
Mage              #........[?}}.............#'#...#.#.#.#.###..#######
Wizard (9th)      #..=~...._.,&............#####.#.#.#.#.#.###.##.#..###
                  #.....=...?..=._............]..............#.#.#.##..#####
STR : 18/100      #...[.|\=..?.[.....?........#...##########...............####
INT : 18/100      #......sQ........-......###.....#        #.#.###########.....
WIS : 18/100 #####................".=.#.##  #.....#                       #####
DEX : 18/100 #..#.#...}&\]=.=.....(....##   #.....#
CON : 18/100 #...#.#.._.|...[.?.=......#    ####..############
CHR : 18/100 #..#.#.#.#.&@....=!.\#..[.#       ##.......     #
             #####.#.#~...=]....-.=...##        ##.######### #
LEV :     39     #..#.#...=.-./)..#.#..##        ##.#      # #
EXP : 5495516    #..........|.....#..##.##        #.##     # #
MANA:    129     #...._.....-,.._...#..#.##       ##.##    # #
MHP :    332     #..........-.....#..####.##       ##.##   # #
CHP :    332     #.........../.?....#.####.###      ##.##  #.##
                 #.........._........#.#.##..##      ##.## #..##
AC  :    108     #.......&.............##.....#       ##.####..#
GOLD: 478335     #.......[................##..##       ##.####.#
                 #............{........#######.##       ##.###.#
                 #.....................#     ##.##       ##.##.#\
	This is part of the big room which took me a while to dig out. I
cloned the Q's after most of it was built.

				John

Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
From: ljones@cithe501.cithep.caltech.edu (Lawrence Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.games.moria
Subject: Most dangerous monsters
Date: 19 Dec 1992 00:31:15 GMT
Organization: HEP, California Institute of Technology
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: cithe502.cithep.caltech.edu

Could someone with a lot of experience post a "rogues gallery" of the 
most dangerous monster (i.e. worth most exp + any you think are interesting)
under each letter e.g D - AMHD, p - Evil Iggie etc. ? You might want to
put a spoiler at the beginning too.

Cheers,
     Lawrence.
-- 
   Lawrence A. Jones                    |  "Smile", they said, "things       
   California Institute of  Technology  |  could be worse."                  
   (818) 356-8379                       |  So I smiled, and verily things    
   ljones@cithe502.caltech.edu          |  were a darn sight worse.          

P.S. How far down do you have to go to find Free Action ? I'm a level 33
Ranger at 1900 ft with 2 Rings of Speed, HA and SD but no DF or 
other Free Action.