TEETHING PROBLEMS This issue was supposed to be in your hands by December. Unfortunately I found that learning to apply our new Ventura desktop publishing software was more time consuming than I thought. It is frustrating to have a whole issue embedded in a computer only to find that you do not have enough RAM to print it out to file. After a week of 1:30 AM nights I managed to get it all printed and this is the result. This issue looks like those of the past, but I hope that the publishing program will allow us to be more creative with format and illustration. So if any of you out there have used Ventura and have some helpful hints, drop me a line. APOLOGIES It seems that in our tribute to Peter Guilder on his passing (in Vol. IX no.6) that we inadvertently ascribed the design of Elite figures to him. In reality Elite Miniatures is owned by one Mr. P. Morbey who also designs all the figures. He has also designed the Spanish and Baden Napoleonics for the Connoisseur range. The Courier apologizes if this oversight has caused Mr. Morbey or Elite Miniatures any problem. THE LEAD BILL While the lead bill (S-391) has been amended to exclude "adult collectibles and scale models", Congressman Ben Cardin introduced the Lead-Based paintand Hazard Abatement Act (HR-2922). The bill proposes to tax lead( 37/pound on secondary, $75/pound on primary and all imported lead or products containing lead) in order to fund a lead paint abatement program. I don't have to tell you what this is going to do to the price of lead figures ... just weigh a few of your figures the increase by the time it gets passed down to the consumer will increase figure cost by 25% minimum! Time to write your congressman again. Those of you who use plastic figures don't laugh! the EPA is considedng classifying Styrene Plastics as a Class C Carcinogenic. The handling costs of moulding will go up and another price increase will be passed on to using buildings, terrain and plastic figures. Inflation in the US may be only on the order of 3% -- IF you don't count the wargaming hobby! Meanwhile please don't eat any of your buildings or plastic figures. FIGURE REVIEWS I've had several letters asking why we don't have more figure reviews. Besides space limitations, we can only review what we get. Write to the manufacturers and tell them that you want to see our opinion before you buy, I'm sure that more figures will arrive (we need two sets of each -- one for the reviewer, one for the photo) and more will be reviewed. In the same area, I've been asked if we ever review a BAD set of rules. Yes. Usually by not mentioning them. HAPPY HOLIDAYS The Courier Staff's wish is that this Holiday season finds you all in good health, with an understanding wife who lets you game to your hearts content and friendly opponents who let you win once in a while, in spite of the dice. Back to Table of Contents -- Courier #56 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1991 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com