-> <table width="453" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;"> <tr> <td width="100%" colspan="2" height="51"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#333333" colspan="2" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#333333" height="46">

_The Seventeenth of December in the Year of the Fox,

Two-Thousand and Four  

**Report Five**_

</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" colspan="2" height="5"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#333333" height="134">

[- See the young Jac sittin' in the old Jac's bar -](#1)  

[- Situational Commentary -](#2)  

[- The two greatest DB Members -](#3)  

[- DC Structure Changes -](#3half)  

[- Rebirth Website Update -](#4)  

[- One month Project update -](#5)  

[- The last GJW News Item -](#6)  

[- CRAPS update -](#7)  

[- Wargame developments -](#8)  

[- Big Props -](#Props)  




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"Too many decisions are measured with a micrometer, marked with chalk, and cut with an ax." </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#333333" align="center" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#333333" colspan="2" height="20"> <>- See the young Jac sittin' in the old Jac's bar -</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="center" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#333333" colspan="2" height="5"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="center" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#333333" colspan="2" height="18">

Aaaaah. My last exam for the semester is tomorrow. It's Property, which is 
actually easy if I just do a lot of memorization tonight. It will be very 
nice to be finished though. Having these exams spread over 18 days is 
terrible. Just for note, I think I did well on 2 of the 3 exams. Who knows 
how I did on contracts.  



So, come tomorrow at about 3:30 PM I'll be hitting the highway for the 2 
hour drive home. I will be there until probably around January fifth. What 
does this mean for the DB? Not much. I won't be on IRC much at all, and when 
I do get on, it won't be for long. As usual, email is the best way to reach 
me, and **URGENT** always does help in a bad situation. If you desperately 
need me on IRC, tell me to come on, but also tell me how long you'll be on 
from the email.  



I'm going to have the normal family stuff to do around Christmas. My family 
is celebrating late again this year, so my busy time will actually be from 
the 25th till the 1st. We're doing a Coutinho Holiday thing by celebrating 
thanksgiving on the 30th, Christmas on the 31st and then New Years that 
night. :) Should be fun.  



I've been working out a lot more lately. I feel good these days. Not playing 
Halo as much, I've been much more efficient with the DB, and still getting 
my studying done. I'm definitely looking forward to the new year.  

</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#333333" align="center" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#333333" colspan="2" height="20"> <>- Situational Commentary -</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="center" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#333333" colspan="2" height="5"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="center" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#333333" colspan="2" height="18">

I mentioned to the DC yesterday that it was my sixtieth day as GM. I told 
them that as I approach 100 days, I'm going to be conducting an evaluation 
of myself to start getting better at some things. I think that's a good 
thing to be doing, and have always welcomed constructive criticism my way. 
It's something that I think on the whole, all leaders should do.  



So this new year, I want for every leader in this club to take a moment to 
evaluate what's going on around them. Look back at the last year and see 
what you got finished. Look at what you wanted to do and didn't, go through 
your old reports and pick out the times you promised more activity, but 
didn't deliver.  



I do that a lot more lately, if only to remind myself that I tend to have 
some ups and downs in activity, and that I need to keep things on the up and 
up. I took some time to read reports from the beginning of the year, and I 
wish that I could have some of the time back. Looking at the standpoint of 
what I think the last sixty days have held versus what I did during the time 
leading up to that, I do consider some of my time as DGM unsuccessful.  



I think it's our responsibility at the end of the year to look back and 
correct our paths so that we can head in the right direction. I mentioned 
last week that I had learned from my mistakes with Kaine. I've learned from 
the GJW, I've learned from FF leaving, hell, I've learned a ton from this 
little document that Kir sent me a while back.  



My point being, I am learning to be a better Grand Master as the days wear 
on. In the new year, I am expecting the same from the leaders of this club. 
I will help you where I can, but the responsibility of making good changes 
in the way you operate largely rests on you.  

</td> </tr>

<tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#333333" align="center" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#333333" colspan="2" height="20"> <>- The Two Greatest DB Members -</td> </tr>
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My title of this spot is as serious as I can get. I feel strongly about this 
statement:  



Cyberguy and Jam3z are the two greatest DB members today.  



I don't think I have to say anything more, but I will. CG and Jam3z have, 
for years now, toiled away during their free time, worked with me through 
thick and thin, pushed on and pushed on for the good of the DB. Now for 
those of you who have built websites as complex as what the DB site is, and 
what the DB site will be, you know that to do what CG and Jam3z are doing is 
not easy. There's a reason why programmers make lots of money. The time is 
valuable and the work is hard.  



I feel like I don't get to praise these two enough, to thank them enough. I 
always send my emails thanking them for their assistance. I always tell them 
that they are awesome when they show me something new, but I have waited too 
long to reward them publicly once again. Their commitment to the DB deserves 
it.  



To CG: I don't know where the Brotherhood would be today without your 
service. For a long, long time you have dealt with the website, helped to 
build a new one, and been gracious in dealing with the crap that comes from 
the members. I know what it's like to have to make adjustments because a 
person requests something and then changes the requirements. I know what 
it's like to have a boss that wants his hands in on a lot. It's not fun 
sometimes and it can be frustrating. The fact that you have stuck with us 
through the thick and the thin, dedicated your time to the betterment of our 
club, and sacrificed so much to make this place great shows that you are 
truly deserving of each praise that I can hand down to you. So, CG, for your 
continued service, above and beyond the call of duty, to the Brotherhood, I 
hereby award you a Silver Sash. Wear it with pride, knowing that you are one 
of the few that do.  



To Jam3z: I can't imagine not having you to consult every time that I need 
something. Your ability to solve problems, to get things done quickly and to 
be understanding of those that request things of you is uncanny. Throughout 
the time that we have worked together you have always been patient and 
helpful. Your innovations are the best, your ideas are superb, and the DB is 
going to benefit greatly from the vision you have for the new website. And 
on top of it all, you have served as Consul through a lot of it, leading 
Arcona through a majority of the GJW and leading it to third place. I am 
truly amazed at your abilities, Jam3z, and I hope that you will always 
continue to use them for the good of this club. You are truly one of the 
greatest. For your continued service, and never-ending loyalty, I hereby 
elevate you to the rank of Dark Adept  



Congratulations to you both....and thanks, so much.  

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<>- DC Structure Changes -</td>

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I am making some subtle, but important changes to the DC that are effective 
immediately.  



The DC will follow the layout as is displayed in
[
this graphic](http://gm.darkjedibrotherhood.com/policies/DarkCouncilLayout.jpg).  



The designation of Advisor is removed. All four positions (OCL, LA, LH, and 
EMS) will have the equivalent stature as the traditional Main Body DC 
members.  



The Order Leaders are no longer outside the Main Body. They are now moved up 
to the equivalent stature of the Main Body DC Members.  



LA will be a position equivalent to other DC members, but under the 
authority of the SCL still.  



EMS is now officially situated over the Consuls as their true leader, 
instead of an advisor.  



The Society Leaders are situated in-between the Consul and Proconsul 
positions, for a decent stature.  



The DGM has authority over all positions but GM and JST.  



JST has an implied authority over all positions.  



LHoJ and RHoJ have authority greater than DC members in dealing with their 
particular areas.  



The Chain of command in the DC is discarded within the Council. The only 
chain is Council Member -> DGM -> GM  



Should both the GM and DGM be gone, the JST is in charge.  



All DC members have authority over the others in regards to their particular 
area of expertise. Where those areas collide, the DGM and GM will step in.  



I will be updating the various documents to reflect these changes soon.  

</td> </tr>

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<>- Rebirth Website Update -</td>

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Another quick update. I have almost finished rebuilding the graphics for the 
page. I have made a few nice changes that I think people will like. I will 
be working next week on putting those into the actually website. From there 
I move onto the CSS.  



CG and Jam3z have been busy with exams. We'll get some more details on 
things out after the new year.  



Oh -- and for your viewing pleasure, a piece of the site:



![](http://gm.darkjedibrotherhood.com/WebsitePiece.jpg)    



aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahaha  

</td> </tr>

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<>- One Month Project Update -</td>

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The DC members and Consuls have been sending me internal reports this week 
that have detailed some great progress in the projects that they choose to 
complete this month. Below is an incomplete list of what some of the 
projects were. I have yet to update it with some of the latest thing, but 
you'll get the idea.


Trev: The First Book of the Compendium, and the Dark 
Covenant.  

Alaric: the successful completion of ACC competition and finishing the 
revamping of the ACC Compendium.  

Mike: DC Rings, Learn WoW stuff  

Spears: Get the basic Exams updated, New Exams, Rework of Envoys, Work  

on a better reward structure for Envoys and EPs  

BF: Continue trying to press gaming with new people; Start trying to more 
formally create and document who and what the Sith are, how they think and 
operate, etc.  

Demos: GMRG organization, combat academy project with Spears and BF, get a 
list of leagues for the DB platforms, get the information Jac wanted about 
the SW Allegiance Mod for the Mod Creator.  

Alanna: Krath War, MML  

Enah: Aranna System Info, Board Game, XWA mission for Clan  

Selket: Establish CSK Newsletter and Weekly Meetings  

Shaithis: Obelisk Elite Project  

Kaiann: Power RPG Definitions  

Jam3z/CG - Rebirth: Finish form class, Basic Backend  

Kir: Taldryan Codex, Taldryan Manual  

Tron: Clan Summit reviews  

Vail/Ara: Multiclan competition  

Mav: Finish OoB with GJW Ships, Get DB Dominion up w/Flech  

Jac: C&OP, Covenant review, Rebirth Graphics, Kill off GJW  



For myself, this is the update I sent the DC yesterday or something.  



Project 1: Archive the GJW site, award judges, delete database. This is 
done. The GJW site is archived, the submissions are up in zips, Trev was the 
last of the GJW people to get rewarded for his writing, and I deleted the 
database today. All in all it took me about 3-4 hours to do the site and 
clean up the folder, and a few hours from Pyralis.  



Project 2: Get the Clan and Order Powers public. Done. The next steps in 
this are being worked on continually. I will soon be releasing our policy on 
clan powers after clan transfers. SO that will give me bonus on this 
project.  



Project 3: Review the Covenant and provide changes and feedback. I've made 
it through page 5 of 27. :)  



Project 4: Redo rebirth graphics and get new screen shots up. <s>I'm about a 
quarter of the way through rebuilding the photoshop file that got saved over 
that had the graphics from before. It's good though, cause I think the newer 
design will come out better. However, I have hit a snag in that my computer 
thinks the photoshop file is corrupt, and I now have to do some weird things 
to get it open. I'm going to try my other comp and see if it's the file or 
the program and figure out what's wrong.</s> I am almost finished with re-doing the gfx, and I think I fixed photoshop. It was my comp, not the file. :) I'll be moving on to doing the cutu and the CSS soon  

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<>- The last GJW News Item -</td>

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Fin! No more! All done!  

</td> </tr>

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<>- CRAPS update -</td>

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I made a mailing list for the CRAPS crew. [
craps@djb.com](mailto:craps@djb.com). Email your crap there. :)  



We are going to be putting the final approval of these races, by my part, on 
hold for a little bit longer. I have told Kaiann that I want to firm up some 
of the RPG race elements before I approve the races, so he's working on 
getting that stuff to me.  



Sorry for the delays.  

</td> </tr>

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<>- Wargame developments -</td>

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I had a very nice talk with Donitz the other day. He and I talked about what we need to do to start the process for developing our wargame. I'm still trying to get an understanding for what needs to be done, and Donitz is helping by providing me in January with a general overview of what he foresees.

He's going to be the man primarily in charge of the development. We'll be 
putting together a team and going at it head on. So -- I'd like to thank Don 
for heading this up. It takes a dormant project and puts some experience 
force behind it.  



More details come Jan.  

</td> </tr>

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<>- Big Props -</td>

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- GIGANTIC Props to CG and Jam3z -   

- Big Props to Alanna for the successful MML -  

- Thanks to Donitz for the wargame help -  

- Props to Vail for dominating in the Sunday tourney -  

-Yaaay! Mav got DJM! -  

- Congrats to Kaek on Warlord!! -  

- Props to Jack Ordo on Priest! -  

- Congrats to Terrian on getting a lightsaber! -  

• Props to Kir for having balls to tell me when I mess up -
  

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![](gm/jac_chronicles_footer.jpg)</td>

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