You may all know me as Brian Bankler, compiler of "The Bankler List", a poll
of the most popular board games.

Well, you're wrong.

I'm an imposter, posing as Brian Bankler. With a few simple modifications to
your browser's settings, you can send email or post news articles under any
name you wish.

Have you wondered if a game popularity survey could be manipulated? Did
you realize that half of the "top twenty" games, and the "top three" on
Bankler's list are from two manufacturers (Hint: they're not Milton Bradley,
Parker Brothers or Mattel)? Isn't it sad that these are such desperate times?

Think about it next time you're shopping here for the truth. Caveat Emptor.

       (not) Brian

--
              Brian Bankler (bank...@rtp.ericsson.se)
*SELLERS BEWARE: I will never buy anything from companies associated
*with inappropriate online advertising (unsolicited commercial email,
*excessive multiposting etc), and discourage others from doing so too!

Yes Scot, but unless you can send from his news host, you look silly.
Lets pretend that his host was open and lets anyone post to it (like the
one I'm using now does) and that you weren't clueless. Of course I knew
it was you before I checked and found mcn.org all over the header. The
tone of your writing ran true to your pomposity (not to mention your
fixation on net anonymity and your worship of the big game companies).

You would be happier if the list was dominated by two other companies?
This list is what it is: A poll of r.g.b readers. Have you sent your
picks to Brian and had them not included or know anybody who has? If so,
then you could charge manipulation. If not, why do you keep acting like
a moron?

You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! ... sorry, couldn't
resist

no, really?

Rich
--
Round Table Games - discount on-line game store - http://www.rtgames.com

In article <531dt6$...@s10.mcn.org> rapscallion ineptly claiming to be Brian Bankler <\>bank...@rtp.ericsson.se\>> wrote:

Except some forgers are better at it than others, and you're apparently not
one of them.

The posting originated from mcn.org. Hmmm, where have I heard of the
Mendocino Community Network before? I can't recall reading much useful
originating from there, but the domain name is vaguely familiar.

D.
--
_Doug Jenner_                      Homo sapiens, version 0.30alpha
djen...@sun.com

Scott Peterson in a rather transparent attempt to make people think he was

No, I know you as Scott Peterson the designer of Privateer or Pirateer or
whatever you call it.

And if you want people to actually believe you, you'll have to find a way to
change your Path, NNTP-Posting-Host, and Message ID stats as well.  Sorry,
I have seen good net.forgeries before and they take a little more work than
what you did.

Another hint is to actually try to sound like the person you are claiming to
be.  The first step in this process is to not sound like Scott Peterson.

No, I took enough statistics courses in college to know that any survey
can be manipulated.

I've said it before and, I'll say it again.  Vague innuendoes are something
most of us gave up in high school.  If you have facts to support your above
"assertion" let's see them.  Otherwise, you are wasting bandwidth.

If these are desperate times it's because most people aren't interested enough
in intellectual challenge to buy a real board game.  Instead, they continue to
support the PB/MB juggernaught by buying the same crap systems coated with the
latest "hot" license.  I credit the people in this group for being able to see
through this sort of garbage and support companies that actually make an effort
to publish games that are interesting and fun to play.

You know, I have been reading this group for over 11 years now and, this is
the only fraudulent post I can remember ever seeing here.  This is a
remarkably honest newsgroup and, hopefully, will stay that way even through
this dishonest posting example set by you Scott.  The only person "damaging"
the truth in this group is you with garbage like this post.

Also, do you really think Brian isin't going to show up and comment on the
disingenuity of your post?  At the very least I would expect an "I didn't say
this" post from him.

Scott, I really thought you were improving.  I was really close to being ready
to forgive your past behavior on this group and actually give your game a try.
Congratulate yourself on killing that chance of a near sale.  Your marketting
skills are awe inspiring.  Keep up the good work.

Nick Sauer

In article <531v8s$...@nntpa.cb.lucent.com>,

Posting a forgery like Scot just did is usually grounds enough to lose an
account, BTW.  Not to mention make lots of enemies (though it's not as if
his past antics left him with many friends on this group).

Dave Kohr    Hacker/Researcher    Argonne National Laboratory, MCS Division
Building 203, Room C-246   Phone: (630) 252-4243   E-mail: k...@mcs.anl.gov
See also my WWW Home Page:      http://www.mcs.anl.gov/home/kohr/index.html
                      "Surfing the Silicon Prairie."

I read news through a netscape browser, as such, it is a bit
tedious for me to find out all of the path details, although I suspect
everyone else has picked the culprit out. However, part of my wonders
if it isn't an elaborate frame of Scot Peterson...
        In any case, I've never really made any claims that the survey
is unbiased. I voted in the survey. A lot of people I know have. The
only manipulation of votes I've done is fix spelling errors and other
formatting stuff.

        Since I don't have a financial stake in anything on the
list, I'm not really sure why I would do anything. I would like
to see more European games in the US, but so far Mayfair hasn't
imported a single game that I didn't already own, I doubt it will
ever get to the point where a US importer will get a good game before
I notice it. Of course, almost anyone who reads Sumo, The Game Report,
or Ken Tidwell's page can say the same thing.

        In any case, the poster (whoever they are) is correct: The
survey is biased. It reflects the views of the voters. Kind of like
the President of the US is biased towards doing what the majority
of the US Voters want. Of course, my games list doesn't kiss babies
to reflect those voters, and keeps better track of the polling numbers
than Clinton....

        Brian Bankler...

"Hi! Do you know me? Well, you only think you do! That's why I carry
the Internet Express Card! It's fast, It's easy, and every single card
has the same name and number!"