Subject: Ackanomic Digest V1 #275
From: [email-masked] (Ackanomic Digest)
To: ackanomic-digest

Ackanomic Digest       Thursday, October 3 1996       Volume 01 : Number 275

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

Date: Wed, 2 Oct 1996 21:38:57 -0900
From: [email-masked] (Phil Ackley)
Subject: Acka: Parade 

On the occasion of his first new rule, I would like to congratulate Habeous
Corpus as he leads us in a parade with the Great Trombone of Ackanomic!!!

Kudos!

snowgod

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

Date: Wed, 2 Oct 1996 21:39:07 -0900
From: [email-masked] (Phil Ackley)
Subject: Acka: Auction Update 

The current high bid for the Scroll Of Crumble stands at A$26, bid by
ThinMan. No new bids have been submitted.

Chief Cheese
the cheesy one

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

Date: Wed, 2 Oct 1996 21:55:18 -0800 (AKDT)
From: "Phillip R. Ackley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Baaa!

In accordance with R1046, I am claiming possesion of the little lamb.  
Would theFinancier and the Tuber Distributor please note?

If Malenkai wishes to once again claim the little lamb, he may do so in 
one week :)

snowgod

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

Date: Wed, 02 Oct 1996 20:15:51 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: CFJ 302 (IdiotBoy)

IdiotBoy has been chosen, and has 3 days to accept/decline.

Clerk of the Courts
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call For Judgement 302
  Subject: Interpreting R 1269
Initiator: Niccolo Flychuck
    Judge: IdiotBoy (selected Oct 02, 1996, 20:19h EDT)
Judgement:

Statement:

Tuesday Oct.1 was the first Tuesday when Swinger received points according
to R1269 "Newton, Apples, and Parties"

Niccolo Flychuck's Reasoning:

This is simply something I'd like to have resolved. I can reason this
either with or without  the self-deleting text.
First, with the self-deleting text in the proposal:
This is what the self-deleting text states.

Now, without:
The rule states that every two weeks on Tuesday, Swingers will be awarded
points. Therefore, whenever Tuesday occurs, and points have not been
given, in accordance with this rule, for two weeks, this must be the
Tuesday on which points are given.
(this has nothing to do with the fact that no points were actually given.
All Swingers had zero Weight, and points are given only for Swingers with
non-zero Weights. This was the boundary condition that R1116 did not take
into consideration, and which caused what was probably the worst bug in
it - real incentive to leave the King off-board.)

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

Date: Wed, 02 Oct 1996 19:52:32 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Grab-a-Donkey (GAD)

In the interest of playtesting Grab-a-Donkey, rather than debating
it, before it is amended, I have attempted to start a game of it
as Wrangler.  I believe I can make a case for this action being legal
under R 115.  If not, I'll call my game Grab-a-Pumpkin, and call myself
the Pumpkinmeister.

In any case, the GAL is at http://www.itw.com/~malenkai/ackagal.htm

Moves will be taken until the end of the round, which looks like 
Oct 5, at 19:17 EDT.

The moves are:

(a) Cover your donkey, 
(b) Grab a specific player's donkey on the GAL,  
(c) Stand Around Admiring your Donkey.

The default is (c).  If you specify (b), but specify an illegal player,
I shall assume (c).

Please put GAL or GAD in your subject line when you send your move.

Malenkai
Wrangler
(in good fun)

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

Date: Wed, 02 Oct 1996 20:50:26 EDT 
From: [email-masked]
Subject: Acka: Re: Scores

>Date: Wed, 2 Oct 1996 11:50:31 -0500 (CDT)
>From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
>Subject: Acka: Score Report
>
>Miscellaneous/Unusual Scoring:
snip
>
>Current Scores:
>Score	Ackanomic Name   Status  Real Name
>- -----	--------------      ---  -------------
>102	Habeous Corpus       A   (Ed Graham)
>60	Guy Fawkes           A   (Robert Shimmin)
>51	Brinjal              V   (Simon Clarke) 
>49	Wayne                A   (Wayne Sheppard) 
>48	/dev/joe             A   (Joseph DeVincentis) 
>48	fnord                A   (Michael Thomas)
>48	Niccolo Flychuck     A   (Uri Bruck) 
>46	Uncle Sam            A   (Sam Peterson)
>43	Malenkai             A   (Randy Hall) 
>42	snowgod              A   (Phil Ackley) 
>34	ThinMan              A   (John Bollinger) 
>32	mr cwm               A   (Eric Murray) 
>28	Techno               A   (Jerome Herrman) 
>25	Bascule              A   (Matt Black) 
>22	breadbox             A   (Brian Raiter)
>21	Robin Hood           A   (R Shaw) 
>7	IdiotBoy             A   (Matt Miller)
>1	Calvin N Hobbes      A   (Thierry Joffrain)
>1	this is not a name   A   (Mike Epstein) 
>1	Mohammed             A   (Jason Orendorff)
>1	Dagny                N   (Wendy Peterson)
>1	"Tim"                N   (Tim Carter)
>1	PapaSmurf            N   (Jacob Kanafoski)
>0	fon                  I   (Adrian Smith) 
>0	Pascal               I   (Jason Reed) 
>0	Robert Sevin         I   (Mitchell Harding) 
>
Yippee,  I pass one little Harfy Proposal and take the lead.  Aint that
little Whamiol wonderful.  

I don't expect this to last,  given my track record with Proposals,  but
I'll revel in it for now.

Habeous Corpus
momentarily giddy

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

Date: Wed, 02 Oct 1996 20:50:26 EDT 
From: [email-masked]
Subject: Acka: Re: Grab-a-Donkey

>Date: Wed, 2 Oct 1996 10:59:45 -0500 (CDT)
>From: Guy Fawkes <[email-masked]>
>Subject: Akca: Grab-a-Donkey
>
>Please refrain from initiating a game of Grab-a-Donkey until a major 
>bug 
>gets worked out of it.  As currently written, a group of fairly wise 
>players will almost always eliminate each other rather than come to a 
>single winner, and so the Title Belt will remain unowned for several 
>games except by fluke.
>
>If you get down to two players, its a classic Prisoner's Dilemma 
>situation.  It's pointless to Stand Around Admiring Your Donkey, so 
>you 
>have four possibilities:
>
>1. A and B both cover -- stand-off, play another round.
>2. A grabs, B covers -- A wins for being the only non-covering player
>3. A covers, B grabs -- B wins for being the only non-covering player
>4. A and B both grab -- they eliminate each other; game over
>
>No matter what B does, it's better for A if he grabs.  So if the game 
>ever goes to two players, A and B both grab and eliminate each other.  
>A 
>three-player situation allows for some chance, but it's not 
>significantly 
>better.
>
>I plan to submit a proposal soon to fix this where if the number of 
>players remaining hits zero, if only two or three players were around 
>before the mass elimination, the winner is randomly determined among 
>them, and if four or more were around at this point, those players are 
>
>restored to playing status.  (And yes, there is one big gaping 
>loophole 
>left in the goal to avoid GAD's being amended by others than the most 
>recent victor.)
>
>If you have any other suggestions on how to make the endgame more 
>playable, tell me and I'll try to integrate them into my forthcoming 
>proposal.
>
>Guy Fawkes
> 
I am well aware of the problems in the endgame.  This game was originally
developed in Micronomic by Brian Tivol and e pointed out the same
strategies and pitfalls as you did.  I'm not sure they really need
fixing.  Another reason I didn't use the G & C process for this is that
there must always be a winner for G & C to work,  and I see nothing wrong
with a game that's unwinnable (at least part of the time).  It's not
impossible to win,  but requires a bit of luck and the right strategy.

As for the loophole in the ammendment clause,  please wroite to me
privately about it.  I didn't see any loophole when I wrote it,  and none
came up in RFC.  A minor bug in wording was taken care of,  I thought. 
If there is a problem with it,  I would like to fix it very much.

BTW,  I have no intention of starting the first game;  I'll leave that to
someone braver and with a bigger donkey than I.

Habeous Corpus

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

Date: Thu, 03 Oct 1996 09:19:23 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Parade

Phil Ackley wrote:
> 
> On the occasion of his first new rule, I would like to congratulate Habeous
> Corpus as he leads us in a parade with the Great Trombone of Ackanomic!!!

In accordance with R 1237, I am ordering 2 cokes, and frinking them.  Also,
I am ordering a Bronze Torch, which is a mixture of coke, vodka, and 
Korte Palinka, a Hungarian Schnopps.  Would the Financier please put
this on the president's tab?

Malenkai
frinking coke

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 08:51:11 -0500
From: "Bollinger, John C." <[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: Acka: Parade

Malenkai wrote:

>In accordance with R 1237, I am ordering 2 cokes, and frinking them.  Also,
>I am ordering a Bronze Torch, which is a mixture of coke, vodka, and 
>Korte Palinka, a Hungarian Schnopps.  Would the Financier please put
>this on the president's tab?

Noted.  And, lest Malenkai should have to drink alone, I am ordering
one extra-dry martini -- shaken, not stirred.

ThinMan
Financier and Frinking Buddy

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 09:16:02 -0500 (CDT)
From: Guy Fawkes <[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: Acka: Parade

Admiring Habeous' Corpus snappy march step as he bears the Great Trombone 
of Ackanomia through the streets, I realize I am thirsty.  I order two 
Cokes.  I frink one, sharing slightly with my Prosthetic Forehead, and am 
keeping the other one in storage, in case a Coke shortage should ever 
strike Acka.

Also, I advise Malenkai not to frink his Bronze Torch but to keep it 
around, since food and drink are explicitly non-Protected, and he's 
always wanted to beat a Justice with a Bronze Torch.

Guy Fawkes

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 10:30:02 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Re: Acka: Parade

In accordance with rule 1237, I'm ordering a coke, a Bass Ale, and
a seven and seven for my alcoholic neighbor Carl.

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 96 12:45:08 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1305

Proposal 1305 - Thu Oct 03 12:45:08 EDT 1996
 snowman Parade
snowgod  (Phil Ackley)

{{[Guy Fawkes has his day, and Techno has an Amber Banana Tree - all i want
is a parade!]}}

If on any day the player named snowgod and the player named ThinMan
publically agree with any public message posted by the other on any matter
that has evoked discussion in ackanomic, and that does not appear to be
unanimously supported or opposed, a state of Awe shall exist among the
people of Ackanomic for the remainder of the day.

Furthermore, a parade shall be held in honor of the event with the player,
either snowgod or ThinMan, who posted the message that the other agrees
with  as the guest of honor.  This rules takes precedence over other
mutable rules, in as much as it allows for an alternate method of
triggering a parade.  It is considered bad form for one player to agree
with the other solely to induce a parade, and players are allowed to sneer.

Limitations: Any number of states of Awe may occur during a two week
period, but no more than one parade can be triggered by this rule during a
two week peiod.

For the purposes of this rule any use of the phrase "the player named
snowgod" shall refer to the player who was named snowgod upon the
acceptance of this rule and "the player named ThinMan" shall refer to the
player who was named ThinMan upon the acceptance of this rule.

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 96 12:46:08 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1306

Proposal 1306 - Thu Oct 03 12:46:08 EDT 1996
If we don't need Gravity, we'd better have Pressure
mr cwm  (Eric Murray)

[The empirical observations outlined in "We don't need Gravity" reveal a
great deal about the nature of the Earth and the Universe.  This
cosmology, while including some speculation, is consistant with and
explains those observations.]

The Universe consists of a semi-infinite block of 2024 aluminium alloy
joined to a semi-infinite block of Type 304 stainless steel.  The sole
defect in these semi-infinite blocks is a spherical hollow centered at the
interface with a diameter two average cat-heights greater than the
greatest distance defined or implied in any other Rule.  The Earth lies
centered within this hollow, oriented parallel to the interface between
the blocks with Ackanomia facing the stainless steel side.  The spherical
hollow is pressurized to 1 atmosphere with life-sustaining gas. 

Note that the asymmetry of the Universe will cause anything that becomes
detached from the underside of the Earth to fall to the the stainless
steel surface of the hollow.

This Rule takes precedence over any Rule that would define or imply any
distance greater than the greatest distance defined or implied by this
Rule.

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 12:11:37 -0500
From: "Bollinger, John C." <[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: Ackanomic: Proposal 1305

>
>Proposal 1305 - Thu Oct 03 12:45:08 EDT 1996
> snowman Parade
>snowgod  (Phil Ackley)

>If on any day the player named snowgod and the player named ThinMan
>publically agree with any public message posted by the other on any matter
>that has evoked discussion in ackanomic, and that does not appear to be
>unanimously supported or opposed, a state of Awe shall exist among the
>people of Ackanomic for the remainder of the day.

[etc.]

ROFL

ThinMan
snowgod's evil twin

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 11:01:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Michael J. Thomas" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Grab-a-Donkey

Guy Fawkes spake thusly
> 
> > > (And yes, there is one big gaping loophole 
> > > left in the goal to avoid GAD's being amended by others than the most 
> > > recent victor.)
> 
> It works like this: a proposal creates a rule that renumbers itself to 
> 1275, claims precedence over 1276, gives itself the authority to amend 
> 1276, amends 1276, then deletes itself.

Well, this is actually a rather gaping loophole in the entire Ruleset,
I would think, not just this specific instance.  hmmm... *evil thoughts*
Nah, the thoughts are fun to think of, but I dread the horrors that 
could ensue if this tactic were used for some of the more basic rules..

fnord

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 13:11:03 -0500 (CDT)
From: Mohammed <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Ackanomic: Proposal 1306

> The Universe consists of a semi-infinite block of 2024 aluminium alloy
> joined to a semi-infinite block of Type 304 stainless steel.  The sole
> defect in these semi-infinite blocks is a spherical hollow centered at the
> interface...
	This would be rather dark.

- --Mohammed

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 14:57:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: mr cwm <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Ackanomic: Proposal 1306

On Thu, 3 Oct 1996, Mohammed wrote:

>> The Universe consists of a semi-infinite block of 2024 aluminium alloy
>> joined to a semi-infinite block of Type 304 stainless steel.  The sole
>> defect in these semi-infinite blocks is a spherical hollow centered at the
>> interface...
>	This would be rather dark.

An internal light source is not precluded.  There has been some discussion
that such a light source might be linear, although I'm thinking a
semi-circular arc might be more appropriate, now.  I guess it shouldn't be
more than an average cat-height thick, if we want it to change sides of
the Earth occasionally. 

- -mr cwm
 grinning slightly

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 14:23:07 -0500 (CDT)
From: Guy Fawkes <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Ackanomic: Proposal 1306

On Thu, 3 Oct 1996, mr cwm wrote:

> An internal light source is not precluded.  There has been some discussion
> that such a light source might be linear, although I'm thinking a
> semi-circular arc might be more appropriate, now.  I guess it shouldn't be
> more than an average cat-height thick, if we want it to change sides of
> the Earth occasionally. 
> 
> -mr cwm
>  grinning slightly

If mr cwm feels a semi-circular arc would be more appropriate, I believe 
it may reveal his thoughts that the the earth may be disc-shaped, and 
therefore round.  Are there any other thoughts on this before the 
witchhunt is formally called?

Guy Fawkes

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 14:31:17 -0500
From: "Bollinger, John C." <[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: Ackanomic: Proposal 1306

Guy Fawkes wrote:

>If mr cwm feels a semi-circular arc would be more appropriate, I believe 
>it may reveal his thoughts that the the earth may be disc-shaped, and 
>therefore round.  Are there any other thoughts on this before the 
>witchhunt is formally called?

Surely mr cwm chose that particular shape because it would fit so nicely
into the cavity described by P 1306.

ThinMan
part-time cosmologist 

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 15:54:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: mr cwm <[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: Ackanomic: Proposal 1306

On Thu, 3 Oct 1996, ThinMan wrote:

>
>Surely mr cwm chose that particular shape because it would fit so nicely
>into the cavity described by P 1306.
>

Surely.

- -mr cwm,
 who is not above taking advantage of Enlightenment,
 despite his personal opposition to its existance

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 13:02:23 -0900
From: [email-masked] (Phil Ackley)
Subject: Acka: Auction Update 

The current High Bid for the Scroll of Crumble is A$40, bid by Malenkai.

Chief Cheese
he's cheesier

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 13:02:20 -0900
From: [email-masked] (Phil Ackley)
Subject: Re: Acka: Parade 

>In accordance with rule 1237, I'm ordering a coke, a Bass Ale, and
>a seven and seven for my alcoholic neighbor Carl.

Since I am the president, and it appears that I shall be paying for all
these drinks (including those of /dev/joes alcoholic neighbor), I am
keeping my order small.

I order one coke, which I am frinking, and an Alaskan Amber beer which I am
saving to enjoy after the next election is over.

snowgod

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 18:02:03 -0400 (EDT)
From: IdiotBoy <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: CFJ 302 (IdiotBoy)

On Wed, 2 Oct 1996, Malenkai wrote:

> IdiotBoy has been chosen, and has 3 days to accept/decline.
> 
> Clerk of the Courts
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Call For Judgement 302
>   Subject: Interpreting R 1269
> Initiator: Niccolo Flychuck
>     Judge: IdiotBoy (selected Oct 02, 1996, 20:19h EDT)
> Judgement:
> 
I accept.

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 17:06:46 -0500 (CDT)
From: Mohammed <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Parade

Hmm.  I order a Blazing Camel and frink it up quickly.

That was good.

I order another Blazing Camel and frink it down even more quickly.

Aaaah.

- --Mohammed

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

Date: Thu, 03 Oct 1996 18:09:46 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Parade

Mohammed wrote:
> 
> Hmm.  I order a Blazing Camel and frink it up quickly.

It cannot be determined with finality whether this is a mixed drink,
therefore it cannot be determined with finality where it is legal to
bill the president for it :).  Good thing I'm not the financier, or
the bartender.

Malenkai
frinking extra-caffinated coke

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 14:14:46 -0800 (AKDT)
From: "Phillip R. Ackley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Auction Update

The current high bid for the Scroll of Crumble if A$43, bid by ThinMan.

Chief Cheese

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 14:16:33 -0800 (AKDT)
From: "Phillip R. Ackley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Parade

On Thu, 3 Oct 1996, Mohammed wrote:

> Hmm.  I order a Blazing Camel and frink it up quickly.
> 
> That was good.
> 
> I order another Blazing Camel and frink it down even more quickly.
> 
> Aaaah.
> 
> --Mohammed
> 

I gotta ask... Is a Blazin Camel a mixed drink or a specialty beer? :)

snowgod
who partakes of chili beer occasionly
and who still can't speel

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 17:30:39 -0500 (CDT)
From: Mohammed <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Parade

> I gotta ask... Is a Blazin Camel a mixed drink or a specialty beer? :)
	A Blazing Camel is a non-homogenized, inflammable Spirit with one 
hump, although if you take enough of them in a brief enough time, it may 
appear to have two.

- --Mohammed

"I'll have a twist of lemon."  "I'll have a twist of lemon."  "I'll have 
a twist of lemon."  "I'll have a twist of lemon."  --various

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 96 18:39:23 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1307

Proposal 1307 - Thu Oct 03 18:39:23 EDT 1996
Rule Suites
Malenkai  (Randy Hall)

{{[the idea here is to organize things like party chess and otzma
cards out of the main rule set and into their own rules document,
but still have the components be rules in every way, with rule numbers,
precedence the way it works normally, etc.

Also, it should be easy to add several new components without needing
to speculate on whether another proposal in the queue ahead of it
passes; the new rule is automatically numbered into the end of the
rule suite, if the rule change is specified something like:

Create a new rule called "Creation of a PartyChessPiece Jabberwocky"
as a member of the Party Chess Rule Suite, which reads: ...

Let me know if ya think it will work :)]}}
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Create a new rule called "Rule Suites", reading:

1) A rule is a Head of Rule Suite if and only if all of the following
lettered items are true of it:
 
   a) Its rule number is a single integer (i.e. without the . (dot))
 
   b) Its title is of the form "<phrase> Rule Suite" where <phrase>
is a string which contains at least one alphabetic character, and
is unique amongst the <phrase> parts of all extant rule titles which
have the form "<phrase> Rule Suite".  [e.g. "Party Chess Rule Suite"].
The quote marks themselves are not part of the title, they are used here
only for delimiting purposes.
 
   c) Its text contains an overview of the content or purpose of the Rule
Suite.  This overview may be in notes brackets.
 
   d) Its text contains a phrase or sentence in notes brackets which can
serve as a link to the Rules in the Rule Suite.

2) A Head of a Rule Suite may contain other material which shall be
interpreted normally.

3) A rule is a member of a Rule Suite if and only if its number is X.Y,
where X is the number of a Head of a Rule Suite, and Y is a positive
integer.

4) It is a privilege of the Web-Harfer to move rules which are members
of Rule Suites out of the main rules document into a seperate document,
and to establish and maintain a link from the link phrase (section 1 d))
to this document.  If any such member rules are moved to a seperate
document, then all such member rules of that Rule Suite must be moved
to that document, and the link must be established and maintained.
This section takes precedence over any other mutable rule which
conflicts with it in any way.
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amend R 642 in the following ways:

1) place the following paragraph before what is currently the last
paragraph:

If a rule change specifies it is creating a new rule to be a member of a
Rule Suite named "<phrase> Rule Suite", and a Head of a Rule Suite rule
exists with same title as "<phrase> Rule Suite", then that new rule is
numbered X.Y, where X is the number of that Head of a Rule Suite, and Y
the lowest available Y such that Y is a positive integer, and X.Y is not
the number of any other rule.  All such new rules in a single proposal
which qualify to be numbered under the method described in this paragraph
are numbered in the order in which they appear in the proposal.

2) Change its title to "Proposal and Rule Numbering"

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

Amend R 491 to remove the first occurrance of the word "is" from the
second paragraph.

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

Create a new rule with title "Party Chess Rule Suite" which reads:

[This is the head of the Party Chess Rule Suite.  Party Chess is a
multi-player chess variant played on a 20x20 board with drop-style
setup, which is open to arbitrary piece creation.]

[The rules for Party Chess, and the definition of the pieces, can be found
bu following this link]

{{renumber this rule to 985}}

{{renumber R 990 to 985.1}}
{{renumber R 991 to 985.2}}
{{renumber R 992 to 985.3}}
{{renumber R 994 to 985.4}}
{{renumber R 1079 to 985.5}}
{{renumber R 1080 to 985.6}}
{{renumber R 1082 to 985.7}}
{{renumber R 1083 to 985.8}}
{{renumber R 1085 to 985.9}}
{{renumber R 1086 to 985.10}}
{{renumber R 1087 to 985.11}}
{{renumber R 1094 to 985.12}}
{{renumber R 1233 to 985.13}}

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 96 18:39:44 EDT 
From: [email-masked] ()
Subject: Ackanomic: Proposal 1308

Proposal 1308 - Thu Oct 03 18:39:44 EDT 1996
Active Players Revisited
Mohammed  (Jason Orendorff)

This is a Modest proposal.  [Its only real effect is to leave Players
inactive when they return from Vacation, until they vote.  Which, I 
think, is how things ought to be done; no point slapping somebody with a 
CFJ judgeship just as they get back from a week in the Bahamas.]

Lines beginning with three hyphens in this proposal are delimiters.  They 
are not part of the text they delimit; they merely mark its beginning or 
end.

1.  Rule 587 ("Definition of Active Player") is amended to read,
in full:

- ---
Each Player is either active or inactive.  A new Player or
returning Player is inactive when he or she first registers.
{{ All Players become active as of now. }}

A Player becomes active when he or she votes.  A Player
becomes inactive when he or she goes on vacation or is
placed on vacation.
- ---

2.  Rule 201 ("Quorum") is amended by removing the sentence
"Vacationing players who do not vote are not considered active
for the purpose of determining quorum."

3.  Rule 207 ("Scoring When A Proposal's Voting Results are
Reported") is amended by replacing
- ---
If a proposal does not meet quorum, each active player who was
not on vacation and abstained on the proposal shall lose 5
points and be placed on vacation.
- ---
with
- ---
If a proposal does not meet quorum, each active Player who
abstained on the proposal shall lose 5 points and be placed
on vacation.
- ---

4.  Rule 457 ("Vacationing") is amended by replacing
- ---
A player on vacation is not considered an "active player"
while they are on vacation.  Nor may they be removed from the
game by any procedure, unless that procedure *explicitly*
states that it applies to vacationing players, or that
procedure is part of this Rule. 
- ---
with
- ---
A Player on vacation may not be removed from the game by
procedure, unless that procedure explicitly states that it
applies to vacationing players, or that procedure is part of
this Rule or an Immutable Rule.
- ---

5.  Rule 797 ("Festival of Torkola") is amended by replacing
- ---
1) This rule defines the Festival of Torkola, a period of much
merriment and mirth in the land of Ackanomia, where players
concentrate on enjoying the existing rules, and relatively
inactive players may participate in ways other than just
voting.
- ---
with
- ---
1) This rule defines the Festival of Torkola, a period of much
merriment and mirth in the land of Ackanomia, where players
concentrate on enjoying the existing rules, and the less
involved players may participate in ways other than just
voting.
- ---

[That use of "inactive" wouldn't necessarily have caused a problem, but I 
think it would have been a little confusing to leave it there.]

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

Date: Thu, 03 Oct 1996 18:37:59 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: CFJ 303 (tinan)

tinan has been chosen, and has 3 days to accept/decline.

Clerk of the Courts
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call For Judgement 303
  Subject: Wrangled up in Donkey Business
Initiator: Malenkai
    Judge: this is not a name (selected Oct 3, 1996, 18:30h EDT)
Judgement:

Statement:

If, in a single round of the game of Grab-a-Donkey, both player A and
player C grab player B's donkey (A, B, and C distinct), and player B
is on the Grab-a-Donkey Active List (GAL), player B will retain their
donkey (and thus remain on the GAL).

Malenkai's Reasoning:

First of all, clause D of R 1276 will not kick in, as its "if clause" is 
false in this situation.

I don't really have a strong case for TRUE here, but I do have *a* case.

R 1276, clause C:

> C. If  one player ("A") chose to Grab another player's donkey ("B"), and
> if B did not Cover eir donkey, then B will lose eir donkey and be removed
> from the GAL at the start of the following Round.

This hinges on the rendering of the word "one", and its scope.  If the word
"one" is scoped for an entire round, TRUE is indicated, otherwise FALSE
is.  In this case, 2 players attempted to grab B's donkey in a given
round, therefore, clause C never fires, thus the grabbing actions have
no effect whatsoever, because nothing else is specified in the rules to
handle this case.  Note that whether or not B covered their donkey
matters not in this reading.

Lets look at the FALSE case, and see if the judge has any comments on
this interpretation, if FALSE is returned:

If B covered their donkey, then A thru Z can grab it and nothing will
happen.  If B did not cover their donkey, then B loses it, and is removed
from the GAL next turn, the only question is, who gets the donkey?

I can see an argument for whoever grabbed it first, or whoever grabbed
it last.  I can also see an argument for *both* getting it, but that
case is weak.  My reading indicates the *last* player to grab it gets
it, in this multiple grab senerio.

This is just one of the areas that must be cleaned up in the rewrite. 
There are others, I'll leave those to other players to discover (in some
cases they've been discovered), and other CFJs

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

Date: Thu, 03 Oct 1996 18:48:39 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Poet Laureate

The nomination for Poet Laureate is over.  The following have
volunteered:

fnord
Guy Fawkes
Niccolo Flychuck

An election amongst these three candidates begins now and ends in
three days.  Send your votes to [email-masked], and please make sure
the word "Poet" is in the subject line.

Elections are regulated by R 611, Poet Laureate is regulated by R 1271,
I am regulated by R 115, but may be regulated as a creature someday.

Malenkai
Speaker

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 14:54:58 -0800 (AKDT)
From: "Phillip R. Ackley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: More Frinking

I have decided to throw caution to the wind and purchase a third beverage 
on the occasion of Habeous's parade!  What's another A$3 anyway?

I am purchasing, and frinking, a Blazing Camel based on Mohammed's recipe.

snowgod
who will be paying for this parade with a hangover

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 14:59:53 -0800 (AKDT)
From: "Phillip R. Ackley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: To the prospective poets

So that we, the collective players of Ackanomic, can best decide who to 
vote in as the new Poete Laureate, I make the following request:

Would each of the three candidate please compose a short poem telling the 
voters why they are best qualified for the position?

snowgod
who is thinking a debate in rhyme might not be a bad idea either

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 15:03:19 -0800 (AKDT)
From: "Phillip R. Ackley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Auction Update

The current high Bid for the Scroll of Crumble is A$44, bid by Malenkai

Chief Cheese
the cheesy one

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 18:29:31 -0500
From: T Joffrain <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Parade 

>Hmm.  I order a Blazing Camel and frink it up quickly.
>
>That was good.

Really?
Mohammed, could you fix me up a dozen drinks? I'll pay you A$50 if you can
come up with the strongest, most orignial drinks yet for me. Of course, I
drink 'em up right down. Do you ack the transaction?

CnH

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 19:55:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: IdiotBoy <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: More Frinking

On Thu, 3 Oct 1996, Phillip R. Ackley wrote:

> 	
> I have decided to throw caution to the wind and purchase a third beverage 
> on the occasion of Habeous's parade!  What's another A$3 anyway?
> 
> I am purchasing, and frinking, a Blazing Camel based on Mohammed's recipe.
> 
> snowgod
> who will be paying for this parade with a hangover
> 
Let me never be accused of not being the consummate follower.  I am ordering
and frinking a pair of those Balzing Camels.

IB
- --
IdiotBoy, as always, dumber than a box of hammers.
[email-masked]

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 17:51:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Michael J. Thomas" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: To the prospective poets

snowgod spake thusly
> 	
> So that we, the collective players of Ackanomic, can best decide who to 
> vote in as the new Poete Laureate, I make the following request:
> 
> Would each of the three candidate please compose a short poem telling the 
> voters why they are best qualified for the position?

Haiku for Votes:

Poet Laureate
Not an easy choice, I fear
fnord desires your vote

A Sonnet in Self-Aggrandizement:

A task I set upon myself today,
To mold and mangle words inside my head.
A sonnet's lines are mine to make and play
With thoughts and things I should have left unsaid.

I seek the chance to prove my Poet's worth
And gain the vote of Ackanomic's crowd.
Let words convey the overwhelming mirth
Of frinking coke and playing Trombone loud.

And now, with stirring word and image clear
I ask you all to think of Poet fnord.
If I may ask to borrow your good ear.
A vote for me is easy to accord.

Don't fear, I'll end this little sonnet yet
By saying "fnord for Poet Laureate!"

fnord

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 19:40:32 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Acka: RFC: Quotes

RFC: Quotes

Lines containing only three dashes are dividers in this proposal, and are
not part of the text to be added to the rule set.  Double quote marks (")
anywhere in this proposal are not delimiters.

Add to the end of rule 703:
- ---
The double quote character (") may not appear in the name of any ackanomic
entity.  The double quote in the previous sentence is not a delimiter.
- ---

Create a new rule reading:
- ---
The double quote character in the following sentence is not a delimiter.
Wherever the double quote character (") appears in a proposal or rule, it
is acting as a delimiter, unless the proposal or rule states otherwise.
Proposals may state that some double quotes it contains are not
delimiters, but must be clear as to which quotes are not delimiters.
Lines of text which contain one or more non-whitespace characters, but
which do not contain any letters, numbers, or double quotes, are
delimiters.  The beginning and end of the body of a proposal or rule are
delimiters.

Whenever a proposal contains a rule change to add, delete, and/or change
text in a rule, the text to be added, deleted, and/or changed which is
quoted in the proposal must be enclosed between two delimiters or blank
lines.  The delimiters or blank lines must be the same, and not match
any delimiters within the enclosed text.

Only the ASCII characters numbered 32 (space) through 126 (tilde) may
be used in proposals and rules.
- ---

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

Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 20:10:09 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Acka: RFC: R793 revision, take II

Even though the Underworld is gone, I'd still like to do this.
It seems like an interesting concept.  The RFC has been massively
revised, so here is the new version.

/dev/joe

RFC: New Bribing World Order

{{[ This is an attempt to rewrite Rule 793 in a way that works better,
while changing the effect when a proposal changes the proposal-triggered
rules to a 1089.2-like form in all cases, including those which do not
involve points.

As an attempt to make Underworld's demands more compatible with the
game structure regarding trades of currency and other assets, which
would cause a massive deluge of messages to the mailing list if people
really were paying Underworld bribes on every proposal they submit, I
have also made bribes made out of the author's own tradeable assets
allowable. ]}}

Amend rule 793 by changing its name to "Proposal Bribery", and changing
its text to read, in full:

A proposal is invalid if it contains one or more rule changes that
discriminate in any way between players based on their voting actions
on that proposal, or any other specific proposal or proposals
identified in the proposal.  Effects that depend on the way players
vote are allowed if they apply to all proposals, or to all proposals
in one or more classes previously defined by the rules. [This would
be modest proposals, harfy proposals, etc.]

Voting actions are:
  Casting a YES, NO, or PRESENT vote by rule 390.
  Buying an extra vote by rule 566.
  Bribing Tammany by rule 554.
  Being part of a political party that gets a YES or NO unity vote.

{{If Rule 566 does not exist, delete the line
"Buying an extra vote by rule 566." in the list above.}}

If a proposal adds, changes, or repeals rules that generate effects
or cause some entity to generate effects (including but not limited
to score changes) based on the way players vote, then those rules
generate no effects based on the way players vote on that particular
proposal.  This section of this rule takes precedence over all other
mutable rules which generate effects based on the way players vote
on proposals, but defers to the following paragraph.

This paragraph takes precedence over all other paragraphs in this rule.
A proposal may include a Bribe section, which must be in a separate
paragraph before any of the rule changes in a proposal, beginning with
the word "Bribe" and a colon [as in "Bribe: A$1"].  Bribes are limited
to transferring tradeable entities from the author of the proposal to
players who voted YES on the proposal; the Bribe need not specify that
the entities come from the author of the proposal, since it is assumed;
if the proposal does not specify the condition for receiving the Bribe,
then every player who votes YES on the proposal shall be eligible to
receive the Bribe.  The Bribe may specify further conditions, and may
offer different amounts to different players, or based on different
conditions [I.e., extra bribes can be given to players who buy extra
votes or whose parties generate unity votes], but any conditions in the
Bribe must be determinable when the voting results are posted, or else
the Bribe is invalid.

When the voting results for a proposal containing a Bribe section are
posted, if the proposal meets the quorum and YES-vote requirements to
be accepted, then the amount(s) specified by the Bribe are transferred
to all eligible players, based on the conditions in the Bribe, if the
proposal's author has the necessary entities; otherwise, the Bribe is
invalid.  A proposal containing an invalid Bribe is considered invalid;
it will not be considered accepted or rejected, nor will any of its
rule changes be applied, nor will there be any scoring based on that
proposal, except that its author will be penalized 10 points for
making the invalid Bribe.

{{[ This last part may need some precedence to work. ]}}

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

End of Ackanomic Digest V1 #275
*******************************