Group Hysteria

Billium248 wrote: ... I'm actually a member of 90 different groups ...  (http://www.chess.com/forum/view/community/team-matches--gt-teams)

So it appears that Billium248 is both the slowest (http://www.chess.com/forum/view/community/i-am-the-slowest-player-on-chesscom) and the fastest (to join new groups) on chess.com.

A bit like Billium248's "The 2K Club"!  It should be renamed: The Dark Legion.

BTW, some members have the initial NM after their name. Could this denote: Ninja Mercenary? 

This would be particularly useful to accomodate the political affilations and allegiances within the nascent World Chess League.

it could easily be that Artfizz, but more likely it is the mundane   National Master designation for those who aspire to become International Masters but have only achieved that level in the USA - in national competition, rather than in interntional competition.

   and nope, I'm not even close to getting the NM designation appended to my name - whether it stands for Ninja Mercenary or National Master or some other title of distinction in chess.

Surely, by now, the USA could be designated as an multi-nation rather than simply a nation. This would have several advantages. First, the NM title (which you don't possess) would automatically become an IM title (that you also wouldn't have). Secondly, the USA would be made up of 'nation units' that were more comparable in size with the rest of the world. It could be called the United Republic of Democratic Nations of America (or URDNA).

I'm not into renaming countries for chess purposes or any other purpose, Sir.  That task would remain for more astute folks such as yourself.  (It's above my pay grade.  come to think of it, it is above my interests as well - being that I'm retired.)

    from the things I've read in the past, a FIDE Master at 2300 would be about the same playing strength as a USCF Master rated (by the USCF) at 2400 more or less.

I don't have any idea what to attribute that playing strength difference to, other than ratings inflation in the USA - or that folks in the United Kingdom and other countries simply play stronger in the game of chess than folks in the USA...

in reading other blogs, it seems that there may be National Masters in other countries, although that is something inferred and not clearly stated - as I read it.   I hadn't previously encountered that term used for countries other than the USA -   others using only the title of IM.

     regardless,  I know I'll never achieve to either of those levels, and seek merely to find entertainment at my own (somewhat low) level of understanding of chess.

   Maybe some others will share information on the titles awarded....

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Remember this discussion?

I was thinking that apart from the friends  list, to create a list with our biggest enemies (opponents).Some players that beat us with very bad way & we do not want to forget them, just to have a 2nd chance in the future.  http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/big-enemies

There's a nod to chess in Monkey Business. Four and half minutes into this clip ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnr9NFWvs3c&feature=related

If you leave a group several times - and rejoin several times - should you be entitled to the New Member Freebies each time?

What new member freebies?

Billium248, didn't you get the gift certificate?  the T-Shirt, the Cologne, and the expense paid vacation for joining?       ooohhh sorry, they had already given away all the 'freebies' before you joined.   Too bad.  You had to join a day earlier to get any of those.

Did anyone else hear a rumour that The Dark Knights group is offering free tickets to Billium248's latest epic as an inducement?

p.s. don't forget the title of this topic is Group Hysteria.

Yo  Billium248 bro, if you don't know, I don't know who will!

I heard that, artfizzz, but I want to know,  are they only giving the free tickets if you joined the day before yesterday?  or  in other words, is it too late to join and qualify for the free tickets ???

added questions (extra credit or extra ticket for each?)  If I don't have any hysteria in my makeup, before joining this group, will that be a 'show stopper' preventing me from joining?  or will I be required to become hysterical in order to join?  or will I have to become hysterical after joining (if allowed to join) ????   or is this concept of "group Hysteria" only applicable to groups and not to individuals?

   these are, after all, very important questions to resolve...

"Hahahahaha! You can't fool me! There ain't no group Hysteria!" [A Night at the Opera]

but, but, but.....   are you going to answer my questions before Hysteria sets in on me from frustration???

[[ didn't get an invite. ]]

I also heard that The Dark Knights is a group for anyone who likes Batman or the new Batman movie, anyone who likes to use the Alekhine, Indian, Nimzowitsch, Zukertort, Mikenas, Lemming, Australian, Anglo-Lithuanian, Horsefly, or Black Mustang Defences, anyone who completed a game in my Dark Knight Tournament, or anyone else who wants to join. Everyone's welcome!! - so they are pretty selective. That could be why you haven't received an invitation, RetGuvvie98.

If they won't let you in, then Group Hysteria or The Frustration Group will, I feel sure, be waiting to snap you up. Or am I thinking of The Sense of Paranoia group?

lets me out, artfizz.  I'm not into batman at all, he is only found in cartoons.

Riddle me this: why are the membership numbers of some groups going down?