OPERATION ARMAGEDDON

from Fancyclopedia 2

At the height of ill-feeling between the London Circle and the Bloody Provincials, 1954, the Elsie Horde devised a wonderfully complicated scheme to wreck the ManCon, and gave it this ominous title. It included such things as printing up a rather dismal fake program -- and following this with a fake indignant denial with announcement of an even more dismal program; hunting imaginary rats during speeches; getting the con committee drunk; going around measuring odd lengths with string during the program ("not anything in particular -- just lengths "); starting card games on the floor when/if things got boring, and other resourceful diabolisms. But when it came to the sticking point they relented and fraternized with the Uitlanders, producing the first US-style con -- or so say witnesses who may be giving US cons too much credit for amiability.