___The Official AVATAR____________________________________
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____________________________________February 28, 1999______
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`~-._|
` ~ )Telnet to Avatar at: avatar.walrus.com 3000
- // Visit the Avatar web page at:
,,.--(_ ("""'^. http://www.walrus.com/~avatar
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Table of Contents
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Articles
1. Editorial by Darii
2. Milestones
3. On Being an Angel......................by Confetti
4. In Praise of the Work of the Immortals by SergeantZim
5. REPEATED BY REQUEST: a guide to the Mail Lists of Avatar
6. Recipes from Darii's Kitchen: Enchilada Pie
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1. Editorial by Darii
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In this issue of the Gazette SergeantZim writes a piece in praise
and appreciation of the work Immortals do, and have done. to make
Avatar a stable, fun, safe, interesting, and constantly changing place
to spend a few hours.
Immortals DO work very hard, and, as in all parts of rl, people are
always more prompt and vigorous about registering complaints than
they are in delivering compliments and praise.
Fortunately, we DO know that our work is appreciated by many players,
and some players DO say thank you, write occasional notes to imm or to
Snikt or the Execs, and let us know in other ways that they acknowledge
and appreciate what we do.
Fortunately, also, we have some excellent players here. To be sure,
we have our share of immature players, who beg for equipment, spew foul
language, and behave like boors in nearly every situation. But their
presence is far outweighed by our "excellent" players, who far outnumber
the selfish and immature ones. Regardless of level, these are the true
heroes, the "lords" of this universe, and the "legends" I believe in.
Our "excellent" Avatar players are a rare (but frequently encountered)
commodity: intelligent, curious, honest, perceptive, patient, and
persevering. In addition, I find most Avatar players kind and helpful,
quick to offer help or sympathy to one who has over-reached his/her
limits and ended up dead, dismembered, lost, and wandering naked in
strange lands.
This "excellent" Avatar player is quite self-reliant, doing his/her
own CR as soon and as often as possible, and thanking Angels for their
help. They do NOT expect the "pizza delivery" CR every time they die,
and they appreciate that Angels might be busy.
These players:
who help guide new players, answer questions on
channels, use good language and encourage others to do so...
who play, explore, take risks, and accept the dire
consequences of their own choices, accidents, and the
vagaries of fickle fate with good-humor (most of the time)...
who give help so readily, but are also careful not to
"spoil" the new ones into thinking that they cannot take a
single step unless armored to the teeth (by someone else) and
"spelled up" (by someone else)...
who interact with the characters here in a civilized
and humane manner that respects the person behind that
distant keyboard and appreciates the personal and cultural
differences we all have...
These are the players who make it all worth while.
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2. Milestones........documenting Avatar changes and events
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ANGEL PROMOTIONS: none this week
IMMORTAL PROMOTIONS: none this week
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3. On Being an Angel by Confetti
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Sitting upon Nimbus, gazing down upon all those who inhabit the
realm of Avatar, one is struck by the amazing variety of individuals
who inhabit the land, the personalities encountered and the goals
which each holds close to his/her heart.
Having experienced all the various levels of play offered to
mortals, my aspirations lay in taking wing to Nimbus and discovering
all the mysteries which lay before me as an angel of Avatar.
I discovered quite early that simply having a desire to become
an angel was not enough. One also had to fulfill the requirements of
the position and earn divine appointment through demonstrating a
knowledge of the game, willingness to assist others and a motivation
which lay not in curiosity or a desire to gain popularity but in a
sincere desire to help others and give one's time freely and without
regard for personal reward other than that of the satisfaction derived
from being an Angel and performing all the duties of the position.
Taking flight to Nimbus for the first time is an adventure which
is unequaled in all the experiences of mortal existence. I found
myself in a position of respect and trusted with a daunting
responsibility. It was now upon my shoulders to help guide the new
generation of Avatarians. To guide those who are lost, help those who
have questions, heal the mortally wounded and help smooth the occasional
ruffled feather.
Being an angel also requires the use of diplomacy. Whether it be
someone spamming the channels, feeling abandoned by one's peers, or an
issue which raises anger and frustration to an unequaled level, an angel
must be prepared to help deal with any problems that may arise.
The most important tool an angel has at his/her disposal is an
eternal reservoir of understanding, gentility, and respect. Through the
use of these skills the angels of Avatar bring the very best of
themselves to the realm. Guidance, assistance, instruction,
encouragement and love are all part of the job description of an Angel.
My journey, thus far, has been an exciting adventure. Learning
new skills, helping all levels of chars and meeting new friends are all
part of my daily existence on Nimbus. Whether I am playing on the
channels, helping with a corpse eater CR or walking a newbie through
the meadow, I am a member of unique and exciting class of individuals.
I am proud to be an Angel of Avatar!
If you are interested in joining the angel team or learning more about
the angels of Avatar, please read the following help files.
help angel
help angel petition
help pray
Confetti
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4. In Praise of the Work of the Immortals by SergeantZim
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Often, after a hard day at the office, or at school, we rely on our
minds and hearts to provide an escape from reality. However, when
these vital organs fail us, we turn to Avatar. Everything in Avatar
is alien (for some of us anyway) and the thrill of the struggle
gives a sense of wonder and suspense to us. However, everything that
we take for granted has taken hours and hours of writing code, testing
for bugs, and tolerating the troubles that a select few cause for
everything the Imm's do and the time they have dedicated to the game
for others. The Imm's get very little open recognition. It's time to
show how much we appreciate their work and time.
One example is from the HOG on Valentine's Day. Be free to correct
me if I'm wrong, but HOG's rock! Seriously, my adrenaline starts to
flow when my hands flare with power. Not only are HOGS there to get
your character levels, but to have fun. Some just don't believe so,
or so they showed. Angels, Lord, and some Heroes were in full swing
with CR's, but some just weren't satisfied. There were some
characters that accidentally stepped into the path of an aggie corpse
eater (don't you hate those? ;>). Needless to say, their equipment
did not exist anymore. I feel for them. I truly feel for them,
especially the higher level people. However, there was no reason for
some of them (again, only a select few) to get mad at the Imm's. I'm
sure it didn't faze the Imm's, but that's not the point. Avatar,
like life, is a learning experience. Learn.
Anyway, I think it is about time the Imm's finally got the respect
and gratitude they rightly deserve, because they are Avatar. Thank
you, Imm's. Without you, I would be stuck on a second rate mud, with
grouchy Imm's.
Imm Note: "They say what you send around, comes around. Perhaps
that is true, even if it takes 1000 years." Thank you.
Mortal Note: "In a world where change is the rule, we rely on the
unyielding constance in life for comfort and security. That the sun
will rise, that the Earth will turn,
[that Avatar will be up and running ;>].
But what if we could no longer be certain of anything? To what then
would we claim?"
-- The Outer Limits
Just think about it.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Avatar rules DO prohibit Immortal reimbursements of
losses sustained during HoGs. I must say, however, that I have rarely
seen a player who has suffered serious losses allowed to stay naked and
ill-equipped. Generally people come out of the woodwork with pieces of
equipment and help in re-equipping. (..and the two instances where help
was really not forthcoming concerned two players who had been rude,
selfish, and abusive to others to the point where no one wanted to
reward that behavior!)
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5. REPEATED BY REQUEST: a guide to the Mail Lists of Avatar
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OPEN POSTING LISTS:
appeals@avatar.walrus.com This is the avenue for mortals to appeal
a decision/ruling made by any NON-EXEC
Immortal. Give full details. Avoid flaming.
exec@avatar.walrus.com Complaints about other players or Immortals
go here. ANYONE can post to this address,
but use it VERY sparingly.
help@avatar.walrus.com General-purpose address for ANYONE to send
mud/ tech-support questions.
quest@avatar.walrus.com Mortals may send quest suggestions, to this
list, but only the Quest team may subscribe.
MORTAL SUBSCRIBABLE LISTS:
forum@avatar.walrus.com Discussion of the MUD, and a place to send
new ideas. Unrestricted.
gazette@avatar.walrus.com Distributes a bi-monthly newsletter of the
goings-on of Avatar. READ-ONLY.
Subscribe - 2+
hero@avatar.walrus.com Discussion of game features, future, etc.
Subscribe - Hero/51+.
lord@avatar.walrus.com Discussion of game features, future, etc. as
relates to the Lord class. Subscribe - Lord+
This next information is from the online help ( help lists_rules )
1) Mud names are REQUIRED. If the email address doesn't match the
mud name pfile address, without a suitable explanation, it will be
removed.
2) Web-based email (Hotmail/Yahoo/Geocities) subscriptions are allowed
only on the Gazette list.
3) Subscription requests MUST come from the address being subscribed,
or email wiccat@avatar.walrus.com as to why you can't.
4) Real names are optional for gazette@, forum@, hero@, and lord@.
5) Real names are REQUIRED for ALL OTHER LISTS.
6) Only try to sub to lists that are your level and below. Gazette is
2nd level, forum is 1st, hero is 51st, immortal is Demigod, and
senior is Senior. Attempting access to a list above your level will
result in pain.
7) Immortals MUST subscribe or mail Exec as to why they can't.
8) Advertising is ONLY APPROPRIATE ON FORUM. Abuse of this will result
in pain, lots of it.
9) Gazette is READ-ONLY for mortals, trying to post to this list is BAD.
* FLAMING (i.e. personal attacks) on ANY list is grounds for immediate
* removal from all lists. Reinstatement is obtained by petitioning to
* exec@avatar.walrus.com.
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6. Recipes from Darii's Kitchen Enchilada Pie
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I grew up in California, in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mission
for my early years, and then in Pasadena, the home of the Rose
Bowl and the Tournament of Roses. The population then, and now,
was culturally and racially mixed with sizable Anglo, African American,
Asian, Indian, and Hispanic populations. Our school cafeteria served
many interesting dishes (and the usual number of awful ones!) and this
was my favorite. I never had the recipe... I had to reinvent it when we
moved away from the west coast and there were no Taco Bells to provide
that "taste of home"!
ENCHILADA PIE
Prep work: dice the white onions, slice the green onions and black
olives, brown and drain the grease from the ground beef, mix salsa with
tomato sauce to thin it a bit, and find your cheese slicer (or use a
grater, but that's a lot more work!)
The next part is EASY!
Tortilla tip: make sure you make the bottom layer tortillas. You should
cover the whole bottom of the pan. In rectangular pans I use scissors to
cut the tortillas in half and put the FLAT sides against the flat sides
of the pan and "patch" the rest from inside out with whole and pieces.
The bottom tortilla layer matters the most. You can be a bit sloppier
with the next ones.
Arrange in bowls within easy reach
ground beef.........about 1 lb. (optional) browned/drained
diced onion.........1.5 cups or one bag frozen diced onion
green onions........4 or 5 stalks, sliced
ripe olives.........2 cans, sliced (about a cup and a half)
salsa...............2 large jars (combined with tomato sauce,
tomato sauce........1 16 oz can about 60/40 ratio)
(save 1/2 to 2/3 jar salsa for topping)
jack cheese.........2 lbs (BIG HUNK!)
corn tortillas......2 packages (about 20 6" tortillas)
layer in a square, oblong or round pan in this order:
(bottom up)
tortilla, ground beef, salsa, onion, green onion, olives, cheese
Do it over and over, ending when you reach desired height, ending with
cheese.
This can be frozen at this stage, and thawed and reheated at 350 degrees
for about 45 minutes or until it is hot all the way through and the
cheese on top is bubbling and slightly browned.
Cool a few minutes before slicing, serve with salsa for the top.
Diagram extraordinaire: cheese <---top
start at bottom, repeat green onions
over and over until pan olives
is full. End with CHEESE onion
salsa
tortillas <---bottom
Even people who don't much like Mexican food seem to like this, it potlucks
very well, and it microwave reheats well. Freeze leftovers, if you have any!
Serve with a tossed salad, with avocado, if you like it.
Final hint: If someone at your house (ahem!) does not like black olives, and
another one does, simply load one half with olives at each layer and put zero
on the other half. It will be obvious from the olives on top which half is
which.
We most often make this without meat, but it's great with ground beef too.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Avatar Gazette is what you've just been reading, and it is the
official newsletter of Avatar. It is published weekly by Avatar,
edited by Darii, and produced in conjunction with the entire Avatar
staff.(Original concept by Asamaro, and revived by Dizzy.)
The Gazette is written in plain vanilla ASCII text to ensure that
everyone can enjoy it regardless of computer type.
To subscribe to the Gazette, send internet e-mail to
gazette-request@avatar.walrus.com. In the body of your
email put:
subscribe username@hostname (MudName - RealName)
eg subscribe snikt@walrus.com (Snikt - Kevin Jagh)
Your real name is optional for the Gazette list.
eg subscribe snikt@walrus.com (Snikt)
You can FTP back issues of the gazette from ftp.walrus.com in
/pub/avatar/gazette.
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, criticisms,
compliments, or (best of all) articles that you've written for the
gazette, please send them to Darii via my e-mail address:
darii@walrus.com. Please use 'Gazette' as your subject.
You can also view the latest issue of the Gazette while playing
Avatar by typing 'help newgaz' anywhere in the game, or by surfing
our web site!
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