If any of you are able to take a second look at your own work, and see ways in which to improve a concept so that it can be more successfully developed, the effort will be worthwhile.
Those of you who vote are allowed to assign a range of “0” to “3” points, per entry. Since challengers may not vote for their own stories, a bonus of 2 points is given to a participant's highest-ranked work, if that participant also takes the time to numerically vote on the other entries.
Official judges receive a 30 point allocation, to assign as they see fit. The only restriction is that at most, only half of those points may be given to any single entry, and there is no requirement for a judge to use the entire 30 point allocation.
M is about to put on the “Editor Hat.” It's sort of like the “Sorting Hat” they use at Hogwarts (“Can you blame me for putting a dark wizard in Hufflepuff every now and then? Bloody well the most boring house in the whole school, isnt it?”), but a little less sarcastic.
Where Have All the Yahoos Gone?
“Cons and Piracy” by Van, the Quish
M: Heavy on the concept. The actual delivery left me a little unsatisfied, though. (In that regard, it's sort of like U2's repertoire: When they are awesome, they are awesome... but when they aren't, they are coasting.)
J.M. Perkins: 2 / miko: +
M: 10
Total: 12+
“Needless Alarmism” by A Public Servant
M: For a brief moment, I was tempted to give you the win, just so you could come up with next week's proposal. Your entry was sort of cute, in a charmingly incompetent bureaucratic manner.
I think the moment has passed now.
J.M. Perkins: 1.5 / miko: -
M: 5
Total: 6.5-
“Mea Culpa” by Triton
M: The only thing this is missing? A detailed description of why The Varsity's chili steaks
J.M. Perkins: 1.5 / miko: ++
M: 15
Total: 16.5++
Wrap-up...
In an unending quest to shed light upon the shady underbelly of the cyber world, one name stands alone:
1st Place: 16.5++ points — “Mea Culpa” by Triton
Congratulations, Triton! As winner, you are hereby invited to propose next week's challenge, scheduled to be announced the morning of Friday, 7 October 2011.
Afterword...
So what was the lesson of this challenge?
M: Don't mess with us, Yahoo. We will peek under the covers. (By the way, I note with mild amusement that the Files section currently bears the following notice: (*) Yahoo! Groups will be unavailable for 4 hours from Monday, October 3rd starting 8:30 p.m. PST to Tuesday,October 4th 00:30 PST, due to planned maintenance. If there is any change to this schedule, we will update the information here. My guess is that Ilka wants another helping of goat.)
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