How the HMO Prize System Works

If you win (come in 1st place) in a contest (exception being "Imagine That" and "TOTW"), you will win 25 Rat's Asses (RA) or points.

Each contest (with the exception of "Imagine That" and "TOTW") you get mentioned in (not the1st place winner) you will receive 10 RA.

The Tweak Of The Week (TOTW) winner will still receive the tacky prize (along with 50 RA); runner-up (if one is chosen that week) will receive 35 RA and an origami creation from the list. Mentions will receive 20 RA.

The Top Stu winner, in addition to receiving 25 RA, will also receive a rendering of their winning cartoon courtesy of Stu Rees. All others mentioned will receive 10 RA.

Imagine That winner receives 50 RA; Imagine That 2nd place winner receives 35 RA; Imagine That runners-up will win 25 RA.

Suggesting a contest topic/photo (exception being TOTW) ...which we use...will get you 25 RA. If you suggest a TOTW topic that we use, you will get 50 RA plus an origami creation off our list. If you suggest a topic (to any contest) which we do not use, you will not receive anything.

If we use your entry in the Top Ten "Almost" section...you will receive 5 RA.

If we use your opening blurby idea you will receive 10 RA as well.

Please note: Our 2008 "use or lose" deadline is 31 December 2008...you must use your points by then or you will lose them.

RA points must be redeemed for prizes by the end of the RA year...which means you must use them by 31 December 2008 or you will lose them all. All totals will be zeroed out come 1 January 2009. Please bear in mind that prizes are limited and they are on a first come, first served basis.

There will be no combining of screen name points at all. This means if you use two or more screen names to enter contests and receive points for each, you cannot combine their totals.

Loss of screen name accessability: I know that many of you switch from one online service to another from time to time - in order for RA points to be carried over I must know in advance that you intend to cancel one service and resume with another. If you do not notify HMO in advance and get an email confirmation from me, your points will not be transferred.

Email confirmation will be required when you ask to redeem your RA points for a prize. This is just to ensure that it was indeed your email address and not someone impersonating you. No prizes will be sent out without an email confirmation from you.

Please be advised that I do mail out all prizes...but usually I wait until I have a few to go out, then I mail them all at the same time...so, prizes might take a little while to get to you (especially if you were on the "just sent a batch out" side of it)...the wait may be as little as a few days or as long as a couple months. I also send an email notification to you when I've sent your prize out, so you can be "on the lookout" for it.

Hopefully I covered everything -- if you have any questions or comments, please send them via the "Feedback" link located on the home page.

RA total discrepancies: I will update all point totals after the posting of each contest...if you believe I have not tallied your points correctly, please let me know as soon as possible. Keep in mind that you will have to show proof that there is an error and will have to cite all contest wins (providing me the URL of each page). I will not go thru each of the archives to find the discrepancy for you.

HMO reserves the right to change/cancel the RA point system at any time. If we decide to cancel the prize portion we will give you enough notice (at least 2 weeks) and the opportunity to redeem your RA you have accrued to that point...unless I die or something horrible like that.