New Students & the Grad School RPG

[Michael Oltmans <moltmans@>]

For the uninitiated GSB = Girl Scout Benefit.  Once upon a time in a 
building not so far away there was a Girl Scout Den mother trapped in an 
AI lab.  Her daughter's troop was collecting bottles as a fundraiser and 
well, they need a large steady source of empties, and thus GSB was born.

The Girl Scouts are gone but the tradition continues, every Friday on 
the 9th floor of Gates, from 5:30pm until everyone goes home (usually 
sometime after 6:30), we sit we chat we enjoy tasty foamy beverages for 
$1.50 ($2.00 if you ask...) and only $1 for root beer.  To read more 
history check out: http://projects.csail.mit.edu/gsb/archives.html

As part of the tradition each week's benefit is announced to you, the 
masses, via a "funny" message.  All future messages will go to the 
following 2 lists:
csail-related@
gsb-announce@ -- for those of you that want all the csail 
mail.  Subscribe here: 
https://lists.csail.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/gsb-announce

For examples see:
http://projects.csail.mit.edu/gsb/archives/index.html

For older examples see: 
http://projects.csail.mit.edu/gsb/old-archive/index.html

For a current example... Read on McDuff:

"Oh yeah my level 7 wizard can kick your level 8 thief's butt!"

"Haaaaaaa!  You silly fools!  My level 9 GradStudent has more spells, 
hit points and general whoop-ass than your wizard and thief combined."

And it was true.  The DM barely had to bother rolling the 176 sided die 
to know the outcome.  You see high level GradStudent characters are 
nearly impossible to defeat.  Once in their offices, they are harder to 
find than thieves.  They can eat enough to heal themselves faster than a 
wizard's spell.  They are strong willed and can tune out even the most 
powerful incantation from wizards and faculty advisors alike.  Years of 
patience and careful planning yield a wealth of experience points not 
even imaginable by lesser character types and years of IM training 
exercises have prepared them for all manner of physical challanges.

So beware the wrath of advanced GradStudents, their relaxed demeanor can 
turn suddenly and subtly to cagey cynicism that will make even the young 
students question grand plans of coursework, publications, and theses. 
(Tune in next week to find out if a GradStudent level 9 and his pimped 
out bicycle can kick the butts of Jedi nights in Star Destroyers, 
Captain Kirk in the Enterprise. or Mike Ditka driving the Bears' team bus).

So come gain experience points, hit points, and drink some magic elixers 
at tonights first ever RPG edition(*) of...

           +-                                                  -+
             girl scout benefit -+-  5:30 pm  -+- 32-G9 lounge
           +-                                                  -+

              For those coming from elsewhere: Building 32 is
               <http://whereis.mit.edu/map-jpg?selection=32>
          Once you are in 32, just take the G-elevator to the 9th
      floor and we will be in the lounge that you will be looking at
                    <http://projects.csail.mit.edu/gsb>



(*) No need to fear.  No RPG's will be played at tonights (or any 
nights) GSB.  Also the den mothers would like you to know that no roll 
playing characters were harmed in the writing of this announcement.