Rules of Engagement: New and Improved for 2007!

Ground Rules (let me know when the puns get too bad)

Players ("coroner") submits a blind list of 15 celebrities to me ("Caretaker") by 5:00pm on Friday, January 5, 2007. This game will cease to exist at 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2007. The celebrites are listed in descending order of confidence, with the top spot being the 2.0 confidence kicker ("CK"), then 1.9, et al to your tenth selection having a 1.1 CK. The last five on your list receive no CK, the points you earn from age and bonus are all that you receive.

Celebrity is defined as a human performer who appears in at least one feature film, authors at least one best seller, stars in at least one popular TV or radio show, performed at an elite level in a major professional sport, served a sovereign nation as its chief executive, social celebrities, heroes of science, luminaries and notables of the arts, or persons in the field of business.

Coroners may appeal the inclusion of any celebrity on other rosters before February 1, 2006. The Caretaker of this pool will resolve final decisions on who qualifies as a celebrity. Any coroner may submit a veto to the other Coroners to have a celebrity reinstated, and a majority vote wins.

Death is defined when determined clinically by a public agency or private hospital, and considered confirmed when reported in the USA TODAY. In the absence of a report on USA Today, the commissioner has the ability to use other sources. Caretaker may assign penalties to any Coroner for any fraud.

SCORING SYSTEM

Points are determined by (125 minus age) multiplied by the confidence kicker, rounded up to nearest whole number.

E.g., if John Doe dies at age 87, your points are (125-87) * 1.8 = 64.8 = 65.

Obviously, regardless of kicker, there is a premium of selecting youth. Also, there certainly will be overlap on the lists; one can gain a competitive advantage by using the confidence kicker.

BONUS SYSTEM (more points for originality!)

• First Blood = 10 pts and $5 (First score of the year)
  
• Solo Hit = 40 pts (only one list has the celebrity)
• Duo Hit = 20 pts (two lists share celebrity)
• Trio Hit = 10 pts (three lists share celebrity)
• Massacre Hit = 50 pts (multiple hits due to same event on one list)
• Two hits in one week = 40 pts (known as the Acadian Bonus)
• Three hits in a month = 60 pts (yet to be awarded)
• Longest filmography on IMDB.com at end of year = 20 pts
• Last terrorist score = 20 pts

DISCLAIMER

You may not in any way, either directly or indirectly, influence or cause the demise of any personality named in, or associated with, this pool. This will result in your immediate disqualification. Also, you may be opening yourself up to certain legal repercussions, the severity of which is dependent on the jurisdiction, and the diligence of the relevant constabulary in bringing you to justice.

You may place your own name on your list - we call it "Taking One for the Team". However, the above rule still holds true, so if you commit suicide, you will be disqualified