Game On!

Thanks to the overwhelming enthusiasm yours truly received yesterday, I now present to you the official rules of the Economic Stimulus Game...

The game starts when you get your check. If you don't have it yet, too bad, but you'll have plenty of time to catch up.

The game ends August 15th. This allows for summer travel/tourism uses for the money.

The date for the Economic Stimulus Party is still being worked out. Be prepared to make your case to your fellow players at the party. Points are awarded and a winner is declared by consensus of the players. Yours truly will see about creating a trophy or title belt for the winner.

As mentioned earlier, the objective of the game is to stimulate our economy. Points will be awarded based on how well your purchases/use of the money met that objective. You have to spend the entire check. Keep track of your receipts.

Here are some examples of you might maximize your points.

Purchasing a product that is made in the USA will get you more points than will purchasing a product made in another country. Purchasing a product that was made/grown locally will get you the most points.

Purchasing a product sold in a locally-owned shop will get you more points than will purchasing the same product at Wal-Mart. (Who's gonna fold first in a bad economy?)

Goods, services, and tourism dollars are all equally valid ways to spend the money. However, points are awarded based on how well you justify your decisions about how you spent the money.

Points can also be awarded for secondary factors...

Complexity points - The economy is a complex machine, so you will get more points if you spread the money around, as opposed to spending it all in one place.

Spread the meme/Multiply the effect points - Ex: You will get more points if you eat at a local restaurant while wearing a button that says 'I'm playing the Economic Stimulus Game.'

Cool points - Anything we collectively deem to be a 'cool' purchase or use of the money is eligible to receive bonus cool points.

There is no maximum or minimum number of points. Your ability to acquire the winning number of points depends on your ability to convince your fellow players that your use of the money best met the objective.

Good luck!