Subject: Ackanomic Digest V1 #156
From: [email-masked] (Ackanomic Digest)
To: ackanomic-digest

Ackanomic Digest        Monday, August 5 1996        Volume 01 : Number 156

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 21:34:15 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Acka: Official: Mad Hatters

As of August 1, 23:50 EDT, these players had been on vacation for
14 days:

Calvin N Hobbes
Mellon
Niccolo Flychuck
Pascal
Techno

(NF has returned, but he still met the requirements of the SVH rule.)

These Mad Hatters are now chosen, who each have 3 days to post SVH designs:

for Calvin N Hobbes: Malenkai
for Mellon: this is not a name
for Niccolo Flychuck: De'ghew
for Pascal: snowgod
for Techno: /dev/joe

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 22:01:39 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Acka: Silly Vacation Hat for Techno

Here is my design of a Silly Vacation Hat for Techno:

This hat's brim is a full-size replica of the surface of the earth,
which of course is flat.  In the center of the hat, balanced over
its wearer's head, is a full-size replica of the tallest building
in Acka Land.  On top of that is a full-size replica of the Amber
Banana Tree.

On top of the building, under the shade of the replica tree, a replica
player with the proposal number 1999 dances continuously to the tune of
Prince's "1999" which is played from speakers within the building.

In the replica tree is a full-size replica of the Brass Monkey, which
holds a full-size replica of the Bronze Umbrella so that it protects
the replica tree; however, this is a Stainless Steel Umbrella which can
withstand Acid Rain indefinitely.  The monkey is saying something but
it cannot be heard over the music.

A replica acid rain cloud is suspended above all this by three posts,
and it continuously drops acid rain onto the umbrella; the acid rain
is collected at the top of the building and recycled into the cloud by
a pipe that runs inside one of the posts.  The posts, building, and
cloud are also made of stainless steel and are not damaged by the
acid rain.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:16:16 -0400
From: this is not a name <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Official: SVH for Mellon

I have just finished designing Mellon's silly vacation hat.

It is a single molecule of water, tactfully hovering three inches over 
the top of his head.

- --      Mike Epstein            "I was provided with additional input
      [email-masked]           that was radically different from the 
  *                      *       truth. I assisted in furthering that 
http://www.nyiq.net/~epstein/    version." --Oliver North on Iran-Contra

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 04 Aug 1996 23:32:32 EDT 
From: [email-masked]
Subject: Re:  Acka: CFJ 250 Verdict 

On Sunday 4 Aug 96,  ThinMan Wrote:

HC has apparently rejected my argument that R 514 _defines_ "Enforceable"
with respect
to contracts, as this argument surely renders his argument and verdict
invalid.

I did take eir argument as to the "definition" of "Enforcable" into
account when I made my judgement.  However,  I also did disregard _any_
definition of the word because in Rule 514,  "Enforcable" is used as a
Title or label for certain types of contracts,  not as a definition of
contracts.  Rule 551 then goes on to describe specific penalties related
to those and only those contracts so labeled. Again,  no explicit or
implicit _definition_ of the term "Enforcable" applies.

As to eir contention:

HC's
statement, however, also implicitly allows that the player's behavior
might not be made
to comply (if no-one calls for Enforcement).  How, then, do the Rules
_require_ that a
player abide by the provisions of the contract?

A contract is,  explicitly,  an agreement between two or more Players. 
If all parties to the contract are satisfied in the outcome of the
contract,  regardless of the actual compliance with specific provisions
of the contract,  then the contract _can_ be said to have been complied
with by all parties.  This may seem to agree with your statement and
reasoning ("The rules do not require players to abide by the provisions
of contracts.");   but since the Rules do allow the provisions to be
adhered to even when one or more Players attempts to deviate from those
provisions,  I couldn't agree totally with your argument.

Habeous Corpus
<definition of elephant:  a mouse built to government
specifications--R.A.Heinlein>

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:43:23 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1067

Proposal 1067 - Sun Aug 04 23:43:23 EDT 1996
Cow Town Hotel
snowgod  (Phil Ackley)

This rule establishes a Hotel named Cow Town. It is a classy building.

Cow Town is located near the Library, at 32 Yellow Roosevelt Avenue in the
bottom of a crater filled with water.

Cow Town is a hideout for Gaolbirds.  Any player who has been found guilty
of violating the rules (per CFCJ)  can enter Cow Town during their "grace
period".  This is accomplished by publically posting a message that reads
"I'm going down to Cow Town, Cow's a friend to me.  Live's beneath the
ocean, that's where I will be. Beneath the waves, the waves, and that's
where I will be. I'm going to see the Cow beneath the sea."  Imediatly
after the posting of such a message, an eligable player will enter Cow
Town.

Any player in Cow Town is a Fugitive and should be reffered to as such in
any public message.

No player may enter Cow Town except as specified in this rule.

 The fee for staying in Cow Town is A$25 a night. Whoever is serving as
Gaoler at the time of the passage of this rule shall be considered the
owner of Cow Town.  Her may do with the hotel as he sees fit, however
selling the hotel to another player is considered to be bad form, and
players are allowed to sneer.  The only exception to the sneering bit is if
a former gaoler wishes to sell the hotel to a newly elected gaoler.

Any Player who is staying in Cow Town may submit proposals, vote on
proposals, call for judgement, deliver judgement, transfer currency in
accordance with the rules, or leave Cow Town of their own consent.  A
player in Cow Town may also go on vacation or return from vacation.

Any Player who is staying in Cow Town may not perform any action that is
not on the above list unless it is allowed by an immutable rule.  Upon
entering Cow Town all privlidges that a player is entitled to are suspended
until the player leaves Cow Town.

No player in Cowtown may beremoved from Cow Town without first giving their
consent.  This rule takes precedence over Rule 1018 and any mutable rules
dealing with heresy, witchhunts, the justice system or the gaol.

The gaoler may visit Cow Town, but shall never stay there.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:43:36 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1068

Proposal 1068 - Sun Aug 04 23:43:36 EDT 1996
Fixing the Senate Loophole
Malenkai  (Randy Hall)

Amend R 609, "Offices, Commonalities", to replace the text of section
(i)  Seats:, with the following:

             The Rule that creates an Office should specify how
             many players can hold that Office at any one time.
             This is referred to as the number of "Seats" an
             Office has.  If the Rules fail to specify the
             number of Seats for any given Office, the Office
             has only one Seat.  A Seat is either held by
             one Player or it is vacant.  No player may hold
             more than one seat for a given Office, including
             any seat held in an acting capacity,

{{ original text:
             The Rule that creates an Office should specify how
             many players can hold that Office at any one time.
             This is referred to as the number of "Seats" an
             Office has.  If the Rules fail to specify the
             number of Seats for any given Office, the Office
             has only one Seat.  A Seat is either held by
             one Player or it is vacant.
}}

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Amend R 457, "Vacation", in the following ways:

1) replace the third paragraph to read in full:

While a player is on vacation, the player shall not not be randomly
selected for anything. The player shall also not be chosen to perform any
task. The duties of any offices held by the player shall be performed by
the Speaker or someone appointed by the Speaker. The person assuming
the duties of these offices is said to be assuming them in an acting
capacity, and as such, these appointments or assumption must be made in
accordance with R 609, section (i). It is permissable for an acting 
officer, appointed by this clause, to assume the duties of another
acting officer.  

2) replace all occurrances in the rule of the word "Register" with the
word "Registrar".

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:43:51 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1069

Proposal 1069 - Sun Aug 04 23:43:51 EDT 1996
Fixing Proposal Retractions
Malenkai  (Randy Hall)

Transmute R 104 to Mutable.

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amend R 104 to read, in full:

      All proposals made in the proper way shall be voted on, unless they
are retracted, nullified, or deemed invalid in accordance with the Rules.
In these cases, they are removed from consideration, and are considered
to be neither accepted or rejected. 
  
      When a proposal's prescribed voting period ends, or all players have
cast a vote on a proposal, then that proposal is accepted if a quorum has
been achieved and the required number of YES votes were cast on the
proposal.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transmute R 104 to Immutable.

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Amend R 414, "The Office of the Tabulator" to add the following after
section (d) under "Duties of the Tabulator"

"The Tabulator need not perform duties (a),(b), or (c) on any proposal
which has been retracted, nullified, or deemed invalid in accordance
with the Rules."

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:49:05 -0400
From: this is not a name <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Ackanomic: Proposal 1067

>Any Player who is staying in Cow Town may submit proposals, vote on
>proposals, call for judgement, deliver judgement, transfer currency in
>accordance with the rules, or leave Cow Town of their own consent.  A
>player in Cow Town may also go on vacation or return from vacation.

You can't deliver judgement without accepting the assignment, can you? 
That isn't specified.

Other than that, I think it's wonderfully creative and I intend to vote 
for it.

- --      Mike Epstein            
      [email-masked]          Not a single byte of Microsoft software
  *                      *      was used to create this message.
http://www.nyiq.net/~epstein/   

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 04 Aug 1996 23:52:25 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Ackanomic: Proposal 1068

[email-masked] wrote:
> 
> Proposal 1068 - Sun Aug 04 23:43:36 EDT 1996
> Fixing the Senate Loophole
> Malenkai  (Randy Hall)
> 

> {{ original text:
>              The Rule that creates an Office should specify how
>              many players can hold that Office at any one time.
>              This is referred to as the number of "Seats" an
>              Office has.  If the Rules fail to specify the
>              number of Seats for any given Office, the Office
>              has only one Seat.  A Seat is either held by
>              one Player or it is vacant.
> }}
> 

I wonder if I have to retract this.  It was not intentional, but the
self-deleting clause is simply stating a fact by rule, which happens to
be true.

I will assume that interpretation, and not retract it, in the interest
of saving work for other officers.

Malenkai

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 23:15:02 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Acka: Registrarness

We have a new player!  This is another returning player from long ago, but
now we have rules that really cover this situation, and he is considered
to be a new player.

Name: David Chapman
e-mail: [email-masked]
Ackanomic Name: Geezer

By rule 1051 I have chosen a Mentor for Geezer, and it is mr cwm (Eric
Murray, [email-masked]).

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 07:17:05 +0300 (EET DST)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Party Chess (Ammendments & CFJs)

On Sun, 4 Aug 1996, Joseph W. DeVincentis wrote:

> 
> Note that R990 has "precedence over all PartyChessPieceDef rules, except
> when this rule specifically states otherwise", and R994 is a case where it
> states otherwise;
Which was exactly the point of this phrasing. Also, the definitions of
terminology that can be used in PartyChessPieceDef rules specifically
defers to such rules - that is, they don't need to use that terminology,
but it provides with a good standard, should they choose to use it.
(an ounce of prevention)

Niccolo Flychuck

 >    were it not for this, then almost all the lower-numbered
> rules would be PCPD rules, by NF's argument.  With that clause, if we
> accept NF's argument, it is undecidable whether most of the rules are PCPD
> rules, since they have precedence over R990 if they are not PCPD rules, but
> then they should be PCPD rules, but then R990 takes precedence over them,
> but then they aren't PCPD rules, so they have precedence over R990, etc.
> 
> --
> /dev/joe

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 05 Aug 1996 00:24:05 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: CFJ 260 (/dev/joe)

/dev/joe has been selected and has 3 days to respond.

Clerk of the Courts

Call For Judgement 260
  Subject: The office of Senate
Initiator: Malenkai
    Judge: /dev/joe (selected Aug 05, 1996, 00:26h New York Time)

Statement:

The ProConsul (Speaker) is not a Senator, and hence the
ProConsul may hold a Senate seat, even if Proposal 1068 is adopted.

Malenkai's Reasoning:

I think a verdict of TRUE is obvious.  I know this was true back in
March, when it was discussed, but there has been some private debate
lately.  From R 478:

>The Senate is an Office with four Seats, filled by Election for Office.
>The Speaker or Acting Speaker has the title of ProConsul and will be the
>head of the Senate. Only when a Senate vote is tied, the ProConsul will
>cast his vote to determine the outcome

Since we have (or at least had), 4 senators filling the 4 senate seats,
*and* a ProConsul, this indicates the ProConsul is not a senator.

I am rendering "senator" here in the common sense, as "one who holds 
the office of senate". Technically, the name of the office is "senate".

As for P 1068, that will simply make so that a player may not hold more
than one senate seat. If the above reasoning is valid, that part follows.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:44:10 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1070

Proposal 1070 - Sun Aug 04 23:44:10 EDT 1996
Neuropreservation
snowgod  (Phil Ackley)

Upon leaving the game, a player may have his head removed and preserved
cryogenically.  He may then donate his head to a player of his choosing, or
announce that his head is currently unowned.

If a player leaving the game announces that his head is unowned the auction
process will occur in the same manner as if the head was a recently
completed gadget.  A preserved head is an asset, and may be traded on the
free market.

If a player does not state what is to be done with his head, it shall be
assumed that it leaves the game with him.

This rules takes precedence over all rules which would deny a player the
right to remove, give away, or sell his head.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:44:59 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1073

Proposal 1073 - Sun Aug 04 23:44:59 EDT 1996
Office stuff
/dev/joe  (Joseph DeVincentis)

1. Amend Rule 457 by changing:
    "The duties of any offices held by the player shall be performed by
     the Speaker or someone appointed by the Speaker."
   to:
    "The duties of any offices held by the player shall be performed by
     the Speaker or someone appointed by the Speaker, unless some other
     rule provides for an Acting Officer or some other assignment of these
     duties."

 {{[ This ensures that the above won't be used to try to fill functional
     offices, since R612 provides for a different way to handle them. ]}}

2. Amend section (iv) of rule 609 by changing:
    "In such a case, the Player is responsible for performing all of the
     Duties without receiving any of the Privileges of the Office."
   to:
    "In such a case, the Player is responsible for performing all of the
     Duties without receiving any of the Privileges of the Office, except
     for Privileges which are also explicitly defined to be Duties by the
     rules, or Privileges required to perform explicitly defined Duties."

3. Amend rule 648 by adding to the end, as a separate section:
    "Voting on confirmations is a duty of the office of Senator."

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:44:57 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1072

Proposal 1072 - Sun Aug 04 23:44:57 EDT 1996
Voting stuff
/dev/joe  (Joseph DeVincentis)

1. Amend Rule 201, to read in full:
   "In a vote on a proposal, the quorum required is that at least 50% of
    the active players cast their one vote allowed by rule 390.  Vacationing
    players who do not vote are not considered active for the purpose of
    determining quorum."

2. Amend Rule 390 to read, in full:
   "Each player may cast one vote on each proposal.
    Other entities may vote only as specified by other rules."

3. Amend Rule 566 to read, in full:
   "A player may pay A$100 to the Treasury to buy an extra vote on a proposal
    of his choice.  When a player does this, the Treasury will cast a vote
    on the proposal in the same way that player voted on that proposal.
    This vote shall be marked with that player's name when the voting
    results are released, but it does not count as having been cast by
    that player.  Each player may buy only one vote per proposal in this
    manner."

{{[ I want to clear up any possibility of "extra votes", gnome votes, etc.
    triggering the rules that have effects based on voting, in addition to
    cleaning up the poor wording addressed by CFJ 220. ]}}

4. Amend Rule 797 by changing "3rd failure" in part 5c to "3rd rejection".
   {{[ leftover terminology-check fix ]}}

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:44:33 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1071

Proposal 1071 - Sun Aug 04 23:44:33 EDT 1996
Chartreuse Goose
Malenkai  (Randy Hall)

Create a new rule entitiled "Chartreuse Goose", reading:

Let the Chartreuese Goose exist, it is a unique entity. Initially
it is Somewhere Else. It may only be possessed by one player at a
time.

A player who possesses the Chartreuse Goose may not win the cycle
or game. This clause takes precedence over R 219, R 422, and any other
mutable rule which establishes winning conditions.

The Chartreuse Goose (hereafter called "Goose") is transferred as specified
below. Other rules may specify other ways for it to be transferred. 

The term "paradox win CFJ", as used in the following, means any CFJ
with a statement in its reasoning similar to the following: "Upon a
verdict of TRUE, the initiator wins the cycle in accordance with R 219".

Conditions upon which the Goose is transferred:

1) Upon a verdict of FALSE on a paradox win CFJ, the initiator of the CFJ 
receives the Goose from wherever it is.

2) Upon a verdict on a paradox win CFJ being overturned to TRUE, the
Goose goes Somewhere Else, if and only if the player possessing it was
the initiator of the CFJ in question. Immediately afterwords, that player
is declared the winner of the cycle.

All of the following actions must be announced publically if they are
performed:

3) A player who has possessed the Goose for at least one week may pay
A$200 to the Treasury and cause it to go Somewhere Else.

4) A player who has possessed the Goose for at least 30 days may pay
A$75 to the Treasury and transfer the Goose to the single player with the
lowest score. The player receiving the Goose receives A$75 from the
Treasury. This option is not available if more than one player has the
lowest score.

5) A player who possesses the Goose may pay A$350 to the Treasury and
transfer it to any other player of their choice.

6) A player possessing a Chartreuse Goose Egg may take the Goose off the
hands of any player who possesses it, provided the Goose owner 
agrees to the transaction, and pays a mutually agreed upon amount
of currency (of at least A$50) to the Treasury. The Egg owner will
receive from the Treasury the same amount that the Goose owner payed in,
as compensation.

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amend R 219 to read in full:

If the rules are changed so that further play is impossible, or if the
legality of some action cannot be determined with finality, or if some
action appears equally legal and illegal, then a player may call for
judgement on a statement to that effect. Such a call for judgement must
contain in its reasoning a statement to the effect that the initiator
is claiming a win in accordance with R 219, on a verdict of true.
 
If the statement is judged true, and the judgement is not overruled, then
the player who called for judgement is declared the winner of the cycle.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 96 23:45:23 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1074

Proposal 1074 - Sun Aug 04 23:45:22 EDT 1996
Slowly Augmenting Presidential Power
Malenkai  (Randy Hall)

Amend R 973 "Presidential Decisions", to append the following text at the
end of the rule:

      II. Festival 

      The President may declare a Festival of Torkola to start on
the day following the declaration, so long as the Festival is in
accordance with R 797.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------

Amend R 797, "Festival of Torkola", in the following ways, numbered
1 thru 4:

1) Replace the string of text which currently reads:

 "5) A Festival is started in one of 3 ways:"

 with: 

 "5) A Festival is started in one of the following ways. Other rules may
specify other ways by which a Festival may be started:"

2) In section 4) replace the sentences which reads:

 "This specifically applies to Proposals. Not Resolutions, not CFJs,
not Recall Petitions, etc. Just Proposals."

 with:

 "This specifically applies to Proposals only."

3) In section 5c) replace the phrase "the public disclosure of the 3rd
failure" with:

"the public distribution of the voting results of the third rejection"

4) Append the following text at the end of the rule:

"6) For the purposes of this rule, and any rule which specifies how a
Festival may be started, "the day following" is defined to start at the
beginning of the calendar day, in the time zone of the Promoter, following
the day the event which started the Festival occurred.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 23:45:48 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Re: Acka: CFJ 260 (/dev/joe)

I accept judgement and judge CFJ 260 true.
My reasoning:

Malenkai's reasoning is flawless.
The original Senate rule (see proposal 478 in the archives) named the
players who held the senate office Senators, and disallowed voting for
the Speaker or another Senator in an election for Senate.  The effect
of removing this language from the rule is being discovered now.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 05 Aug 1996 00:57:55 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: CFJ 260 Verdict

CFJ 260 has been judged TRUE.  

I realise the verdict was already sent to the public forum, but the rules
require me to do this in that case as well.

Clerk of the Courts

Call For Judgement 260
  Subject: The office of Senate
Initiator: Malenkai
    Judge: /dev/joe (selected Aug 05, 1996, 00:26h New York Time)

Statement:

The ProConsul (Speaker) is not a Senator, and hence the
ProConsul may hold a Senate seat, even if Proposal 1068 is adopted.

Malenkai's Reasoning:

I think a verdict of TRUE is obvious.  I know this was true back in
March, when it was discussed, but there has been some private debate
lately.  From R 478:

>The Senate is an Office with four Seats, filled by Election for Office.
>The Speaker or Acting Speaker has the title of ProConsul and will be the
>head of the Senate. Only when a Senate vote is tied, the ProConsul will
>cast his vote to determine the outcome

Since we have (or at least had), 4 senators filling the 4 senate seats,
*and* a ProConsul, this indicates the ProConsul is not a senator.

I am rendering "senator" here in the common sense, as "one who holds
the office of senate". Technically, the name of the office is "senate".

As for P 1068, that will simply make so that a player may not hold more
than one senate seat. If the above reasoning is valid, that part follows.

/dev/joe's Reasoning:

Malenkai's reasoning is flawless.
The original Senate rule (see proposal 478 in the archives) named the
players who held the senate office Senators, and disallowed voting for
the Speaker or another Senator in an election for Senate.  The effect
of removing this language from the rule is being discovered now.

------------------------------

End of Ackanomic Digest V1 #156
*******************************