Subject: Ackanomic Digest V2 #104
From: [email-masked] (Ackanomic Digest)
To: ackanomic-digest

Ackanomic Digest         Sunday, June 1 1997         Volume 02 : Number 104

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

Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 23:15:56 -0700
From: **Alexandre Muniz <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Evil Twins

Alfvaen is my evil twin, by R259. He has agreed to this in private correspondence. So let it 
be done.

        **
two-sta**
        *

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 01:26:56 -0500
From: [email-masked] (John Bollinger)
Subject: Acka: President 

The rule relevant to the present Presidential situation is R402.
Here are the parts that apply:

(i) A Nomination is conducted as follows:
      c) During the Nomination Period, volunteers shall
         notify the appropriate Officer of their intent to be
         considered.
      d) At the end of the Nomination Period, the appropriate
         Officer shall publicly report the list of eligible
         volunteers (Nominees).
      e) If there are no eligible volunteers, the Nomination
         Period shall continue until there is an eligible
         volunteer, except in the case of optional offices
         [qv Rule 401, section (ix)].

(ii) An Election for Office is conducted as follows:
      a) A Nomination is conducted. Any Player who is eligible
         to hold the Office is eligible to volunteer.
      b) If the number of Nominees is the same as the number of vacant 
         Seats for the Office in question, the appropriate Officer shall
         announce this fact, and the Seats shall be filled by the Nominees.
         This shall conclude the Election process; no actual Election shall
         be held in this case.

If anyone thinks that they volunteered during the first three days of
the Nomination period, then please let me know before this goes too far.  If
anyone did so then I shall have to try to find a record of it.  Otherwise,
Niccolo Flychuck becomes President without an Election.  I will assume that
this in fact occurs until and unless anyone claims otherwise.

This was Ackanomic's first uncontested Presidential election.

ThinMan
Acting Speaker 

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

Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 23:34:56 -0700
From: **Alexandre Muniz <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Mad

I have already announced my nomination for Mad Scientist to the 
esteemed Acting Speaker, but the time has come for me to stand on a 
mountaintop in the midst of thunder, lightning, driving rain, and 
melodramatic minor key organ music, and to proclaim my campaign to the 
world:

   They warned me when I restored Beldin's Parka from broken fragments 
of an ancient artifact. "It's too dangerous," they said. "You'll never 
be able to control its power." They laughed at me me when I ran for 
AckaPhysicist, and installed my evil twin to the post. They called me 
silly and conspired to shorten my deadlines by a few crucial hours. But 
soon, I will be the one who laughs. They will plead for mercy as my 
Frankenstein's Monsters run amok and terrorize the countryside. But all 
their pleas will be in vain as my creations exact my revenge, for I 
will be. . . the Mad Scientist!

2*

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

Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 21:40:22 -0900
From: Phil Ackley <[email-masked]>
Subject: nomic game (fwd) (CnH) 

>From: "Michael James" <[email-masked]>
>To: <[email-masked]>
>Subject: nomic game
>Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 23:23:09 -0400
>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
>X-Priority: 3
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>
>je veut des informations sur nomic
>merci
>
Would someone (CnH Maybe?) write up spme information on Ackanomic (I think
I got that right) in French?

Thanks, a million.

Mr. Nacho

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 02:09:06 -0500 (CDT)
From: Mitchell Harding <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: CFJ 388 (Robert Sevin) 

>Call For Judgment
>Subject: The Continuing Paradox
>Initiator: mr cwm
>Judge: Robert Sevin
>Judegement:

I decline judgement.

Robert Sevin

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

Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 23:47:44 -0900
From: Phil Ackley <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: CFJ 384 Verdict 

Call For Judgment
Subject: Possible Polythiesm
Initiator: Alfvaen
Judge: fnord (Failed to respond)
Second Judge: You can call me Al (declined judgement)
Third Judge: AntiMatter (declined judgement)
Fourth Judge: Mohammed
Judegement: TRUE

Statement:

A player can be a member of more than one Church at a time.

Alfvaen's Reasoning:

According to Rule 102, "Resolving Conflicts", if two sections of the same
rule conflict, and there is no other section of the rule that resolves the
conflict, then the statement occurring later in the rule takes precedence.
I quote the revelant sections of Rule 1301, "Churches":

(Rule 1301)
      6. A player may not be a member of more than one Church at the same
time.

7. a. Any player may petition the Founder of a Church for membership
in that Church.
b. If Church Policy has nothing to say on accepting new members, then
Church membership will be up to the Founder. However, a Player cannot
become a member of a Church until the Founder of the Church sends a
public announcement to that effect.

So, in essence, clause 6 applies only so long as it does not contradict the
Church Founder's own whims regarding membership of eir Church, whose effect
on Church membership takes precedence by occurring later in the rule.  No
player can belong to more than once Church at a time, unless the founders of
the latterly-joined Churches decide that they are willing to accept the
player.  (Subject to Church Policy, of course, but there is nothing to say
that Church Policy has to reject players who are already members of
Churches, either.)  Clause 6 is thus entirely nullified by Clause 7, since
it can be ignored by Church Founders and makers of Church Policy with
impunity.

Mohammed's Reasoning:

By the time this was submitted, a proposal had passed to make the
statement TRUE.  But, due to a mistake on my part, no one knew the
proposal had passed until later.  So it's trivially true.  I agree
with Alfvaen's reasoning that polytheism was permissible even
beforehand, as well.  In fact, although the rules now appear on the
surface to restrict players to membership in three churches at most,
by this reasoning it is possible to join as many as the Church
Founders will allow.

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 11:41:28 +0300 (EET DST)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: CFJ 384 Verdict

> 
> Mohammed's Reasoning:
> 
> Bythe time this was submitted, a proposal had passed to make the
> statement TRUE.  But, due to a mistake on my part, no one knew the
> proposal had passed until later.  So it's trivially true.  I agree
> with Alfvaen's reasoning that polytheism was permissible even
> beforehand, as well.  In fact, although the rules now appear on the
> surface to restrict players to membership in three churches at most,
> by this reasoning it is possible to join as many as the Church
> Founders will allow.

Both the CFJ and Mohammed's reasoning refer to the the original clause 6
and state  that even with the original clause 6 it is legal for a player
to be a member of more than one Church at the same time. However, none of
the ammendments Mohammed refers to passed. While this has no effect on
either the reasoning or the verdict of the CFJ, I felt that I should point
it out.

Niccolo Flychuck

 > 
> 
> 
> 

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 11:43:10 +0300 (EET DST)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka : Church of Odo on the Wormhole

Following that Church CFJ, I am anouncing that I am accepting Mr.Nacho as
a member of the Church of Odo on the Wormhole.

Niccolo Flychuck
Founder

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 04:54:11 -0500 (CDT)
From: Thierry Joffrain <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: nomic game (fwd) (CnH) 

>>je veut des informations sur nomic
>>merci
>>
>Would someone (CnH Maybe?) write up spme information on Ackanomic (I think
>I got that right) in French?

Here is a slightly modified translation of /dev/joe's excellent Ackanomic
info page (the first two paragraphs). This is in the "vous" form, not the
"tu", just because when in doubt about your audience that's the way to go. I
can change it if needed.

I have also added a few notes regarding the fact that the rule set is in
English and the whole game is played in the same. Also included are a few
words from yours truly at the end. Took me a while to (i) set up a french
keyboard (ii) add all the accents I could remember (using a US keyboard for
so long really fades memory). Despite the time, I hope I didn't do too many
stupid mistakes.

Please feel free to tell him to ask me questions if he wants:

Voici l'adresse d'un de nos joueurs qui parle fran=E7ais:
[email-masked]
N'h=E9sitez pas =E0 lui envoyer des questions.

[here is the address of one of our players who speaks french: ...
Feel free to send him questions]

Calvin N Hobbes

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

Qu'est-ce donc que ce jeu d'Ackanomic?

Ca c'est une bonne question! Il n'y a pas vraiment de reponse parfaite.
Ackanomic est un jeu parmi de nombreux jeux "Nomic". Simplifi=E9 au maximum,
le principe fondamental est que l'on commence par un ensemble de r=E8gles=
 qui
peuvent =EAtre chang=E9es. Ces r=E8gles sont les r=E8gles initiales du jeu.=
 Elles
definissent certaines choses banales: comment gagner des points, combien de
points pour gagner le jeu, comment interpreter les r=E8gles, etc, etc. Par
contre, ce qui rend Nomic special c'est l'id=E9e que les joueurs peuvent
modifier les r=E8gles au fur et a mesure du jeu et en cr=E9er de nouvelles.
L'analogie a =E9t=E9 faite avec la cr=E9ation de loi dans la vie courante;=
 dans un
Nomic les joueurs soumettent des projets de "loi", les joueurs votent et si
un de ces projets est accept=E9, la nouvelle r=E8gle est incorpor=E9e dans
l'ensemble des r=E8gles. Bien sur, pour comprendre les details if faut lire
les r=E8gles d'Ackanomic en vigueur en ce moment. Ackanomic existe depuis
janvier 1996. Il est possible que peu apr=E8s s'=EAtre inscris comme joueur,
tout cela n'aura pas l'air tr=E8s marrant: cela n'est pas le cas. Il y a
beaucoup de r=E8gles et bien que le debut puisse paraitre difficile, les
joueurs sont sympas et aidants.

Rentrer dans plus de details prendrait beaucoup de temps et de place. Je
dois admettre que ma premi=E8re impression quand on m'a decrit ce jeu etait
une d'ennui. Pour je ne sais plus qu'elle raison, j'ai decid=E9 d'essayer et
maintenant j'adore ce jeu. Tout le monde ne partage pas ma passion. La
beaut=E9 d'un jeu Nomic c'est que l'on peut joindre et quitter quand on=
 veut,
et que cela ne pose pas de probl=E8me pour le jeu. Ainsi, si vous =EAtes
curieux, essayer donc!

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

Tout le jeu ce passe en anglais -- bien que ce ne soit que par convention --
et une vague connaisssance de l'anglais est donc n=E9cessaire. En revanche,
cela ne veut pas dire qu'Ackanomic est un jeu =E0 charact=E8re purement
anglo-saxon, au contraire. Bien qu'il incorpore un certain nombre de
facettes de la soci=E9t=E9 Americaine et de ses traditions (sociales par
example), la diversit=E9 des joueurs -- venant de trois continents et encore
plus de pays -- enrichit le jeu =E9norm=E9ment. Au-del=E0 du simple=
 st=E9r=E9otype
certainement.

Ansi, des fragment de chansons de "They Might Be Giants" cotoient des r=E8gl=
es
au sujet de senateurs et autres animaux politique, d'organisations =E0
charact=E8re m=E9di=E9val ou tout simplement farfelu - le concept du "harf"=
 comme
on dit ici =E0 Acka. Ou encore des descriptions d'une plan=E8te plate et=
 sans
gravit=E9, mais avec pluie et tornade! Acka est un aussi un jeu o=F9 des
extra-terrestres essaient r=E9gulierement de kidnapper des r=E8gles. Enfin
bref... c'est un jeu tr=E8s amusant.

Cela ne veut pas dire qu'il n'y a rien de serieux! Les discussions qui on
r=E9gulierement lieu traitent de sujets autant divers que complexes.=
 Theories
de calculs et d'algorithmes, debats sur les relations president-senat que
nous devrions avoir, sur les problemes issue de nouvelles r=E8gles, mais=
 aussi
de nouveaux jeux entre nous, etc... la liste continue sans fin. Ce n'est pas
sans raison qu'Ackanomic a =E9t=E9 le premier Nomic =E0 gagner le jeu
d'InterNomic, un Nomic regroupant plusieurs Nomics, et la r=E9putation=
 d'avoir
une imagination creatrice d=E9bordante.

La philosophie des joueurs d'Ackanomic, c'est que nous formons ce jeu pour
nous amuser. Ils y a plusieurs leg=E8res tendences et nuances parmi les
joueurs sur ce sujet, et sur d'autre sujets plus encore. Mais les joueurs
seront tous d'accord pour dire qu'Ackanomic c'est le resultat de tous les
joueurs qui y sont pass=E9s. Chacun developpe le jeu et cr=E9e une niche,=
 une
nouvelle facette au jeu... avec l'espoir, peut-=EAtre, de tracer ainsi son
chemin vers une victoire.

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 15:23:24 +0300 (EET DST)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: acka : chess

Now that I'm off Vacation for a short while, I'm sending this message to
notify everyone that the dire situation of the Party Board has not gone
unnoticed and will be rectified before I leave again, that is, within the
next 12 hours, whereupon I shall also become the Vacationing President.
During my absence an acting President would be appointed, while I have no
say in this matter, I'd recommend appointing Mohammed for the job, and
letting start on his plans. When I get back I'll join them, and make
contributions in the areas of my Expertise.

Niccolo Flychuck

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 10:49:16 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Re: Acka: Seleya - request for membership

NF wrote:
> Now that it appears to be legal, I would like to become a member of the
> the Church of Seleya once again.

I accept Niccolo Flychuck into Seleya.

/dev/joe
Founder of Seleya

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

Date: 31 May 1997 11:10:40 CST/CDT
From: [email-masked]
Subject: Acka: trinket creations 

I am creating a Trinket, value A$10, called the Large Wooden Block.  It
is a large wooden block with numberless possible uses.

#trinket Guy Fawkes: Large Wooden Block: 10

Is that the right syntax?

I am offering to trade the Large Wooden Block for a Vending Machine.

Now, if is legal for me to do so (I have no idea what my account balance
is) I am creating a Trinket, value A$650, called the Chartreuse
Elephant.  It is a life size wooden carving of an elephant clad is
chartreuse-stained ivory.  I am placing it by the fountain in the
Monument to Futility.  Bearers of the Chartreuse Goose are welcome to
sit astride it and contemplate their plight.

#trinket Guy Fawkes: Chartreuse Elephant: 650

Guy Fawkes

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 02:19:26 -0900
From: Phil Ackley <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: nomic game (fwd) (CnH) 

Theirry,

I really really appreciate this.  Thanks a million.

I owe you.

snowgod

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 14:42:05 -0500 (CDT)
From: Jason Orendorff <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka:  Hept

I'm not sure what to do here but my best shot is

#transfer mohammed, breadbox : Amber Heptahedron : cgi prize

There.  Round 3: whichever winner first announces the complete list of
players who successfully solved the original cgi puzzle will get 1
PFMohammed (worth significantly more than the PCs...) Only one guess
per player, please.

- -- 
Mohammed
Trying to milk the most fun out of the tiniest prizes.

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 16:25:31 EDT 
From: [email-masked]
Subject: Acka:  Name Change

I hereby change my Ackanomic Name from Habeus Corpus to Voting Gnome.

My real name is Ed Graham,  my email address is [email-masked]

The reason for this name change is two-fold.  For I while, I wished to
resurect our beloved Gnome,  but knew as long as Players like Malemnkai
were around,  I wouldn't stand a chance.  So I felt the next best thing
was to have a Player named Voting Gnome in the game;  that way the
traditions of Acka's early days might be kept alive,   at least in
spirit.  

Secondly,  I thought it might be Harfy to have a Non-Voting Player with a
name that dealt with votes.  Of course,  if I ever go back to being a
Voting Player,  this will not have the same effect.  But I don't see that
happening for a while.  

Voting Gnome

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 11:31:54 -0900
From: Phil Ackley <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Steel Flea Gazette 

Steal Flea Gazette
Special Month End Saving our Butts Issue

SFG has othing to report this onth.  In fact, the only thing we wish to
print in these pages a congratulations to mr cwm, publisher of is for his
decisive stand on the matter of paradoxical truth.

Oh yeah, we lied.  ne more thing.  Mr. Nacho, publisher of SFG, will soon
have an article published in ApparentDepth, and webish type of zine.  Oh,
and one more thing, They Might Be Giants give an interview in this months
Internet Underground Magazine

That is all.

Oh yeah, and....

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 15:56:44 -0500 (CDT)
From: Jason Orendorff <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: trinket creations

On 31 May 1997 [email-masked] wrote:
> #trinket Guy Fawkes: Large Wooden Block: 10
> 
> Is that the right syntax?
	Perfect.  Thanks!

- -- 
Mohammed
Running backs will meet a kid from Zaire in a game of football a few days
ago.

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 16:00:40 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Re: Acka:  Hept

> There.  Round 3: whichever winner first announces the complete list of
> players who successfully solved the original cgi puzzle will get 1
> PFMohammed (worth significantly more than the PCs...) Only one guess
> per player, please.

Hmm, are we going in circles here?
My guess:

Antimatter (or whatever he's called these days)
Bascule
breadbox
/dev/joe
Guy Fawkes
Habeous Corpus
Mohammed
Robert Sevin
snowgod (or whatever he's called these days)
Vynd

- --
/dev/joe

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

Date: Sun, 1 Jun 1997 02:51:24 +0300 (EET DST)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: acka: Vacation

I am going on Vacation. My expected date of return is June 18th.

Niccolo Flychuck

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 23:48:27 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Where's my SVH? :)

I am returning from vacation.  My luggage, however, liked Africa
so much that it decided not to return with me, and it is still on
vacation.

I have read the 970 acka related e-mails that were waiting for
me.  It will still take me some time to sift through it all though,
absprb the current game state, etc, so bear with me where my duties
are concerned.  In any case, all CotC stuff should be sent to me now
<[email-masked]>.

Speaking of which, on the surface there appears to me to be somewhat of
a sticky tangle in the justice system at the moment.  Mr. Nacho appeared
to resign as President (and acting CotC) at time X.  Niccolo Flychuck
became President (and acting CotC) at time Y.  At times A1 thru An,
several CFJs were distributed by Mr. Nacho.  Depending on the relationships
between X, Y, and A1..n, some of those CFJs may have been distributed
illegally.  Moreover, I saw at least 1 CFJ that I believe was assigned to
someone on the CFJ ineligibility list.  I will attempt to sort through
this over the next couple of days.  This may have scoring implications
as some of the CFJs were retracted, it appears.  There may be a way 
around this without too much unwinding in the "end of term" language of
the president rule.

My e-mail is all gizzed out, because the pop3 server will not delete
the 970 e-mails; in fact it has doubled them and now says I have about
1700 or so out there, and it will not delete them either, and I have no
shell account, so until I sort that out, I will not be able to research
the above.  (Of course, if someone else wants to, feel free -- I've
just been flying for about 20 straight hours :)).

Forgetting about this tangle, I really appreciate the work that was
done in my absence in terms of my offices.

BTW, if someone can tell me the state of the Mad Scientist selection
process, I would be most grateful. 

Malenkai
Speaker
Clerk of the Courts
Count Tabula

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 23:49:35 -0400
From: Malenkai <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: 'Round the Earth

This is the may issue of 'Round the Earth.  How is that for being
blatent?

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 21:14:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: Brian Raiter <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka:  Hept

> I'm not sure what to do here but my best shot is
> 
> #transfer mohammed, breadbox : Amber Heptahedron : cgi prize

Though /dev/joe could probably make a good case that he succeeded
where I failed, I nonetheless selfishly ack this, take the Amber
Heptahedron and run.

breadbox

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 21:38:20 -0700 (PDT)
From: Brian Raiter <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: CotC resignation?

> Speaking of which, on the surface there appears to me to be somewhat
> of a sticky tangle in the justice system at the moment.  Mr. Nacho
> appeared to resign as President (and acting CotC) at time X.
> Niccolo Flychuck became President (and acting CotC) at time Y.  At
> times A1 thru An, several CFJs were distributed by Mr. Nacho.
> Depending on the relationships between X, Y, and A1..n, some of
> those CFJs may have been distributed illegally.

One possible escape from this situation might be worthy of
consideration. I quote from Rule 403:

(iv)   Whenever a Functional Office has a vacant Seat, and there
       is no Acting Officer for that Seat, the President is
       to be the Acting Officer for that Seat.

An acceptable interpretation might be that at the time that Mr. Nacho
resigned as President, there was in fact an Acting Officer for that
seat, i.e., Mr. Nacho. The rule does not state that resigning from the
Presidency implies resignation from Acting-Officer-hood, merely
because the presidency was the reason for the original appointment.

Naturally, I will leave it up to the affected players whether this is
satisfactory and/or in need of a CFJ.

breadbox

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

Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 23:50:08 +1900 (CDT)
From: "Joseph W. DeVincentis" <devjoe>
Subject: Acka: Prayer for Deliverance

The rule that requires these prayers is currently abducted, but it
will return before the end of the three-day period for these prayers.
I believe that the prayer I am making now will satisfy the rule when
it returns.

Grump, the deformed troll, he
Had arms where his legs should be.
He had legs in place of his fingers.
Each hand had five legs.  Zingers!
Each leg's feet numbered three, 
one at the ankle and two at the knee.
Each foot, however, had just three toes.
Each arm had just one hand, which glows!
And Grump's only other deformity, it's said
Was an extra leg in the back of his head.

Some people blamed Grump's sad condition
On Acid Rain, or hypermalnutrition
Or on some old banana tree
Or on the floods that came monthly.
An old priest says that he
Can't fly astronautically
And this shape, most hypnotic
Is not at all astrobiologic.
A scrap of paper bears the protest
"Uijt jt opu uif ijeefo dpouftu."

- --
/dev/joe
Founder of the Church of Seleya

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

End of Ackanomic Digest V2 #104
*******************************