Frequently Asked Questions about the DU FUN RUN (Please Read and Recommend)

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Tue Nov-13-07 02:50 PM
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Frequently Asked Questions about the DU FUN RUN (Please Read and Recommend)

We tried to explain the Fun Run as best we could, but there are still a few questions that people keep asking us. We decided it would probably help everyone out if we posted an announcement addressing the most common questions, just in case there were other people out there who wanted to know...

When does the Fun Run end?

The Fun Run ends when DU receives donation number 1000 in this week's fun drive. (This means that if you are one of the very last donors, then you likely will not have the opportunity to spend your steps.)

I haven't donated yet because I want to wait before I move any of the candidates. Do I have to move the candidates at the same time that I donate?

No. When you donate, you will be given a number of steps that you can use to move any candidate(s) forward or backward. You can use those steps immediately, or you can save them for later. But you need to use them before we receive 1000 donations, or else you will lose your chance to move the candidates.

Should I save my steps until after all the powerups have been used?

That's entirely up to you. But keep in mind that the only way to find a powerup is to use your steps and move the candidates. If you wait until all the powerups are gone, then you are guaranteed not to find one.

How, exactly, do these mysterious powerups work?

There are 11 powerups. All eleven are listed on the Fun Run page, along with a brief description of what they do, whether (and by whom) it has been found, and whether it has been activated. For longer descriptions, click the name of the powerup.

The powerups have been randomly assigned to various times throughout the fund drive. Whenever you move any candidate on the Fun Run page, there is a chance that you will find a powerup. If you find one, you will get a notification telling you which powerup you found, and how to activate it. You don't get to choose which powerup you find, but you do get to choose which candidate(s) the powerup will affect.

If you are the person who finds a particular powerup, then a button will appear on the powerup so you can activate it. You do not have to activate it immediately, but you need to activate it before the DU fund drive takes in 900 donations, or else you miss your chance.

One more thing: We set it up so they cannot be found after the fund drive takes in 900 donations. If you're waiting until after 900 donations to move your candidate without fear of your moves being undone by a powerup, you are going to miss your chance to (maybe) find one. There are still some powerful ones left, and they will all be found.

What happens if people wait till the end and then use their powerups at the same time?

Hmmm. That's a good question. We are relatively certain that simultaneous powerupping will not cause a dangerous rift in the space-time continuum. But other than that we just don't know what will happen. Some powerups will probably work as expected, others will not. Some may effect others, but others may not. In short: If everyone uses their powerups at the very last moment, we can't guarantee that they will do what you want them to do.

Is the Fun Run an accurate reflection of candidate support here on Democratic Underground?

No. Here is what it says on the Fun Run Page: "The candidate FUN RUN is for entertainment purposes only, and is not a reliable indicator of candidate support on this website or elsewhere. Do not be alarmed if your favored candidate sometimes runs in the wrong direction, ends up behind the starting line, or (gasp!) even inexplicably swaps places with some other candidate."

So, is this serious, or is it for fun?

It's for fun.

Will Al Gore be competing in the Fun Run?

So far, Al Gore has declined our repeated invitations to participate in the DU Fun Run, citing a long list of previous engagements related to his climate change activism, his Nobel Prize, his Academy Award, and his Silicon Valley startup. Nonetheless, when pressed by DU operatives working at the Financial Times, he did not entirely close the door on the possibility of a late entry into the race, stating: "I have not made a Sherman statement."