We're looking for a new contributor who lives in the San Francisco area and can be available to attend (re: travel to) special game preview functions at a variety of game company locations in the Bay Area. These functions are on an intermittent basis and we'll give you plenty of warning so you can juggle your schedule.

If interested, send an email to Gail at GAIL@COMBATSIM.COM . Preference will be given to those individuals with some past game previewing/reviewing experience, but it's not a prerequisite. Enthusiasm and knowledge of combat simulations is, however, a must.

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How come we up here in the Great White North (Southern Division) always get left out of this, huh, huh??

It's geo-ism, that's what it is, GEO-ISM!!!!!!!!!!!

There ought to be a law!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Check six & aim for the cockpit.

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it. ."-- Edward R. Murrow

He who sacrifices freedom for security is neither free nor secure" - Ben Franklin

I feel your pain, bro!

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Or, er, I'm actually a LITTLE closer, and my wife grew up in Cupertino. Close Enough?

And it sounds like it would be more fun than fixing broken printers, configuring non-existing mail servers and handholding twitchy users... Whadayasay, Gene?

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"When you swim in the sea and an eel bites your knee, that's a moray..."

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Ok, Doug, here's the deal:

I get Air Fare, Room & Board, and all work-related expenses and I'll do the coverage for free..........just don't inspect the reimbursment vouchers too closely, ok?

We got a deal?

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Check six & aim for the cockpit.

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it. ."-- Edward R. Murrow

He who sacrifices freedom for security is neither free nor secure" - Ben Franklin

If that arrangement could be made I would be first in line :-)

He makes you pay your way?........THE CAD!!!!!!!!!

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Check six & aim for the cockpit.

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it. ."-- Edward R. Murrow

He who sacrifices freedom for security is neither free nor secure" - Ben Franklin

Reviews are quite often unpaid. However, reviewers generally get to keep a review copy of the media in question -- book, music, software, what have you. Reviewers just as frequently sell their copies back to second-hand stores.

Ever been to the Strand bookstore in NYC? You can find almost any new release you want there for half price, because that's where all the reviewers sell their copies. Back when I was covering the videogame industry, I used to sell review copies of cartridges to a little game store up the street from Strand. Paid for lunch, most days.

(Anthony Burgess once wrote an hysterical essay about his time as a book reviewer, selling review copies to pay for pints while he was writing Clockwork Orange.)

Now, on the upside, you get a chance to develop sources, and you do get a byline, both of which can help you move on to more lucrative assignments. Lucrative being a relative term, of course -- you'll find that the pay isn't much better than working for nothing.

Journalism is a great hobby, but it's a pretty poor way to make a living.

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Donster

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Golf buddy of mine owns the local "newspaper" .
From my days on the Town Council, I know a lot of the "press" folks (Lincoln and Bangor).

Just about every one of them would agree with that last line.

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Check six & aim for the cockpit.

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it. ."-- Edward R. Murrow

He who sacrifices freedom for security is neither free nor secure" - Ben Franklin

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Of course, COMBATSIM.COM isn't Forbes but, we do set ourself apart from most game reviewing websites by actually paying our writers.

As for selling review product, that is a dirty little secret, but, no one is retiring to the Bahamas on their consignment earnings and it is hardly worth writing for free. Although, this doesn't apply to the Hardware review sites, it has a profitable and successful black market business.

Being a professional writer comes in many shapes and sizes. For instance, Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson, has made a successful living writing about combat simulations for the past 6 years.

As I said, selling review copies paid for my lunch most days, and that's about it. It's not what you make selling the review copy that's important. It's more of a moral victory -- a way of getting a little something extra from a poor-paying profession.

Indeed, there are plenty of ways to make a living as a professional writer, "successful" or otherwise. Been doing it for fifteen years, myself.

And I'm still kicking myself for not getting that MBA ...

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quote:

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Origianlly posted by Banger.
And I'm still kicking myself for not getting that MBA ...

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It is never too late!

You know, Gail, you've got a point there!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Donster:
I'd do it but I'm just to damn good looking to live in San Francisco!

Donster

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LOL!!

There's lots of pretty boys living in SF Don, you'd fit right in

This sounds interesting. If I could just figure out how to add a few more hours to the day, I'd jump at this. As it is, I don't think I can fit it in

TQM

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