Subject: ackanomic digest V3 #98
From: [email-masked] (ackanomic digest)
To: [email-masked]

ackanomic digest       Saturday, April 11 1998       Volume 03 : Number 098

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 03:59:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: Duncan Richer <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Score loss

On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Tom Walmsley wrote:

> > Hey!!!! What's this negative point stuff?  I didn't see anything
> > in the rules about losing points or gaining negative points!!
> > You're all just picking on me cause I'm new.  I bet none of YOU
> > lost points when *YOU* were new!! Gimmee it back :)
> 
> New players these days, don't know they've lived ; back when I was a new
> player it took 12 proposals before you got one accepted (okay, maybe I just
> submitted useless proposals, but still...)

Aye, they don't.  I had to go down t' mailing list, read three hundred
emails, type out one message using one hand because the other was lashed
behind my back, pay 20 pounds per message for access, and still had to
keep up the Chess web page.
- -- 
Duncan C. "still looking for 3 more Yorkshireman for the sketch" Richer
aka
Slakko (Lost) Warner - http://dcr24.quns.cam.ac.uk/ - Queens' College
Cambridge, 1st Year PhD(Pure Maths), CUDipSoc, CUSFS, CUSTS, CURS etc
Acka - ex-President/still Web-Harfer RuneMaker ChessUmpire Map-Harfer

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 07:38:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Wanted: Cult Members

On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Thierry Joffrain wrote:

> >I recently have read of the plight of the once great Church that has 
> >fallen the classification of a cult.  If it would have me, I wish to 
> >also join the Cult of Markovian Dream
> 
> Thank the Prophet and the Golden Frog!
> 
> As the most senior Priest of the cult, I welcome Joe Java.
> 
> As an organizational action, the Cult becomes a Church as per R1301, Section
> 8, part g.

A senior Priest, or even a Founder can't unilaterally do that in a Cult.
While a Church Founder, or Senior Priest can pretty much take any
Organizational Action e desires, this is not the case in a Cult. Since
there are no special provision for Cult Organizational Actions under
R1301, they're Organization action follow the rules in the 1000s and the
Action occurs after all members who did not proxy their support approved
of the suggestion.

Niccolo Flychuck

 > 
> As soon as a new proposal in the queue passes (_if_) then I will name all
> members of the church, who have joined before that proposal is decided,
> priests. Join!
> 
> You may be interested to learn that the Church of the Markovian Dream has
> its own language, called Eldurian (High and Low dialects exist). It was
> created by the original members and is not yet 100% complete. However, it
> does have a significant amount of grammar and discussions in Low Eldurian
> have taken place between snowgod and myself about two years ago. (It is not
> required to use or learn it)
> 
> CnH
> 
> ------------------------------
> 

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 07:39:25 -0400 (EDT)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Wanted: Cult Members - 2

This is also true for accepting new members into the Cult.

Niccolo Flychuck

On Sat, 11 Apr 1998, Uri Bruck wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Thierry Joffrain wrote:
> 
> > >I recently have read of the plight of the once great Church that has 
> > >fallen the classification of a cult.  If it would have me, I wish to 
> > >also join the Cult of Markovian Dream
> > 
> > Thankthe Prophet and the Golden Frog!
> > 
> > As the most senior Priest of the cult, I welcome Joe Java.
> > 
> > As an organizational action, the Cult becomes a Church as per R1301, Section
> > 8, part g.
> 
> A senior Priest, or even a Founder can't unilaterally do that in a Cult.
> While a Church Founder, or Senior Priest can pretty much take any
> Organizational Action e desires, this is not the case in a Cult. Since
> there are no special provision for Cult Organizational Actions under
> R1301, they're Organization action follow the rules in the 1000s and the
> Action occurs after all members who did not proxy their support approved
> of the suggestion.
> 
> Niccolo Flychuck
> 
> 
> > 
> > As soon as a new proposal in the queue passes (_if_) then I will name all
> > members of the church, who have joined before that proposal is decided,
> > priests. Join!
> > 
> > You may be interested to learn that the Church of the Markovian Dream has
> > its own language, called Eldurian (High and Low dialects exist). It was
> > created by the original members and is not yet 100% complete. However, it
> > does have a significant amount of grammar and discussions in Low Eldurian
> > have taken place between snowgod and myself about two years ago. (It is not
> > required to use or learn it)
> > 
> > CnH
> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> 
> 

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 07:42:26 -0400 (EDT)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: acka : Cult of Odo on the Wormhole promotion

Since we're promotoing Cults/ Churches now I might mention the Cult of Odo
on the Worm Hole is the only acka Organization to have joined Internomic
as a member, has been judged by Internomic to be a nomic, and will be
happy to extend its teaching of development and change to new members.

Niccolo Flychcuk

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 07:44:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Proposal 2864

Yet another attempt to give the Senate more power. This proposal will
efectively repeal all rule suites on January next, meaning all Gadgets,
Otzma Cards, Party Chess. and will allow the Senate to unilaterally repeal
entire rules from the ruleset.

I strongly object to this.

Niccolo Flychuck

On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Brian Raiter wrote:

> Proposal 2864
> The Blood Of A Revolution
> Calvin N Hobbes (Thierry Joffrain)
> 
> Between the 10th and 20th of January of each year, the Senate must put
> forward an abridged version of the rules of Ackanomic, excluding suites,
> such that this version contains only, each in whole, existing rules. It will
> be called the Manifesto. However, the total number of characters in the
> Manifesto may not exceed 100'000.
> 
> If no Manifesto exists on the 21st of January, the original rule set of
> Ackanomic will be considered the Manifesto.
> 
> On the 22nd of January, at 23:59 EST, the Manifesto will become the new rule
> set of Ackanomic, while the previous one will repeal itself at the exact
> same moment in time.
> 
> {{[ When you build a sand castle on the beach, it is sad to see it destroyed
> by the waves later in the day. However, there is comfort in the knowledge
> that from the experience, the next sandcastle will be even better. What I am
> proposing is drastic. It's aweful. It's crazy. It's... worth considering. I
> would be as frantic as anyone else when the rules get slashed. ]}}
> 
> {{[ For those who do not know, the 22nd-23rd of January is Ackanomic's
> birthday ]}}
> 
> ------------------------------
> 

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 07:49:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Uri Bruck <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Proposal 2864

On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Duncan Richer wrote:
> 
> I would also like to say that some attempts should be made to repeal rules
> now if people are that concerned about the size of the ruleset.  After
> all, Acka still has a long way to go before its next birthday.

 Perhaps it would be just better to make repeals easier.

Anyway, I don't think the ruleset is too large.  Does anyone have any
information on the ruleset's rate of growth, both in terms of the number
of rules and number of characters?
Niccolo Flychuck

 > 
> Yours,
> Slakko
> - -- 
> Duncan C. "" Richer aka
> Slakko (Lost) Warner - http://dcr24.quns.cam.ac.uk/ - Queens' College
> Cambridge, 1st Year PhD(Pure Maths), CUDipSoc, CUSFS, CUSTS, CURS etc
> Acka - ex-President/still Web-Harfer RuneMaker ChessUmpire Map-Harfer
> 
> ------------------------------
> 

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 07:59:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: Hubert <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Score loss

On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Duncan Richer wrote:

> On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Tom Walmsley wrote:
> 
> > > Hey!!!! What's this negative point stuff?  I didn't see anything
> > > in the rules about losing points or gaining negative points!!
> > > You're all just picking on me cause I'm new.  I bet none of YOU
> > > lost points when *YOU* were new!! Gimmee it back :)
> > 
> > New players these days, don't know they've lived ; back when I was a new
> > player it took 12 proposals before you got one accepted (okay, maybe I just
> > submitted useless proposals, but still...)
> 
> Aye, they don't.  I had to go down t' mailing list, read three hundred
> emails, type out one message using one hand because the other was lashed
> behind my back, pay 20 pounds per message for access, and still had to
> keep up the Chess web page.

90 miles naked through the blinding sleet and snow, uphill both ways,
just to get to the keyboard, nonetheless.

- -Hubert, who would be a Crazy French-Scotsman and be closer to winning
Cycle 18 now if Slakko had only won Cycle 17 a couple days earlier.

If guns are outlawed, what will we shoot liberals with? 

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 08:30:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Tom Walmsley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Wanted: Cult Members

> Join the Cult of the Markovian Dream. We can rise once more.

I petition to join the cult of Markovian Drea, as well.

TGW.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 10:22:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Duncan Richer <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: The Infrequent Ackan Volume 1 Issue 18

Volume 1, Issue 18
April 11, 1998
This issue's slogan:
"The Ex-Official Newspaper of the Presidency of Ackanomic"
In this issue:
1. Editorial
2. Apologies and Retractions.
3. Poll Question #5 Results
4. More Ackanomic News
5. Meaningless Statistic of the Week #3
6. Party Chess Report
7. Sub-Game Summary
8. Advertisement		
 		
Editorial

A week after the queue tweaking, and Ackanomic is as high volume as could
be expected.  Fortunately, the citizenry have been calm about this new
found freedom, and none have yet seen fit to abuse the privilege of
submitting proposals.

The injection of new players into the game has provided some interesting
proposal spread as well.  Attila the Pun, IdiotBoy and JT have all been
infusing the Proposal Queue with their own new brand of Ackan changes.
Hopefully enough will be accepted to lighten the hearts and improve the
spirits of these new arrivals and recent returns, without too many
acceptances which could create chaos and paradoxes.

The Infrequent Ackan is also glad to see the recent trend towards
increased competition in the Newspaper publishing business within
Ackanomic.  When the paper was founded, its goal was to act as a
comprehensive summary news source for Ackanomic.  Since then, it has
branched out into Subgame coverage, and interviews, in an attempt to
provide a broad-based service to the people of Acka.

Now that we have seen the introduction of papers run by /dev/joe,
else...if and The Gingham Wearer in the last few weeks, I would expect
competition to increase, and the quality of journalism to increase along
with it.  Unfortunately there is as yet no mechanism for judging this
journalistic quality, but it is hoped that in the not too distant future
the press will be encouraged by some form of Treasury subsidy, to give the
best and brightest in the business the time needed to develop their craft.
In other editorial news, Slakko's term as President ended on Thursday,
rendering the office vacant and leading to The Gingham Wearer, the newly
appointed Count Tabula, calling for nominations.  There will no doubt be a
number of well-qualified candidates for this post, all of which will claim
to be able to represent Acka in the best way possible.

When you consider your votes, you should ask yourself who has the best
vision for the future for Acka.  Questions to consider would include: "Who
has done the most recently to shape the way Acka is growing and
developing?"  "Who is most committed to change as the basic principle on
which Acka was founded and must continue to develop from?", and, of course
"Who gives the best Stripe ceremonies as President?"
Here at the Ackan we would like to think that these questions will make
you think of the most recent President, Slakko.  The job was done,
Functional Officers appointed without fear or favour, lavish Stripe
Ceremonies provided, and all at no cost to the taxpayer - Slakko even drew
no salary for being President!  So, when voting comes up next week
VOTE EARLY - VOTE OFTEN - VOTE SLAKKO.

Now, the usual reminder from the Editor: Letters to the Ackan are always
welcome. We will publish contributors within reason, because our aim is to
provide Ackans with a comprehensive news and opinions service. This
includes opinions contradicting the paper, so feel free to criticise
editorial comments. 
If you want your opinions heard, or letters published, please send them to
[email-masked]. 	 

Send a stamped self-addressed email to the address listed above,
marked "Acka: Ackan" and we'll do our best to get back to you.
Have another good Ackan week - banna willing we'll be back next week.
Slakko
Editor, The Infrequent Ackan 
 
Apologies and Retractions

The Ackan apologises for omitting K 2's name from the list of those with a
Harfy proposal accepted.  The sub-editor involved has been sold to the
Newspaper run by else...ifian Enterprises for a hefty fee.  And then shot
in the foot, just for good measure.  The last fact checker has also been
sold to the same newspaper as that sub-editor, but, because of eir
previous good behaviour, e was not shot.  Just slightly mauled by Eddie,
the paper's pet Goose, who is not at all Chartreuse.

If you know where a newspaper can get hold of some decent ammunition, at
rock bottom prices, please let us know.  It will save us a lot of trouble
in the long term.

The Ackan heartily apologises for any damage or difficulties caused by
these errors and/or omissions.
 
Poll Question Results

The results are in for Poll Question 5, issued in last week's paper, which
was:

5. The queue was tweaked this week. Did the queue frobbing affect your
proposal plans, and if so how?
(a) - No, my plans stayed the same.
(b) - Yes, I submitted less controversial proposals.
(c) - Yes, I submitted fewer modest proposals.
(d) - Yes, I just submitted fewer proposals in general.

The results of this poll were a surprise: Despite the queue's tweaking
nearly doubling the number of proposals in the voting queue at one time,
the vast majority of respondents claimed that the frobbing had no effect
on the result.

80% of all responses were (a), with 20% split between (b) and (d), leaning
towards (d).  One therefore wonders whether or not the sudden increase in
the rate of proposals can be ascribed purely to the new arrivals, or
whether, in fact, proposals are so heavily submitted by a minority that
only 20% of the populace is a sufficient proportion to cause the huge
proposal wave we now see. 

The random guaranteed A$5 value Trinket this week goes to JT for
responding.  The actual presentation will be made in a separate message.
Next week we will bring you another Poll Question designed to keep Acka
interested, and also with the traditional minimal guaranteed reward.  It
only costs a moment of your time to enter, and you could win something -
three people already have in The Infrequent Ackan Poll Competition!
 		
More Ackanomic News

Another Gold Stripe Holder

This week, Tamson House played host to the one Stripe Ceremony to occur.
Alfvaen, as Speaker and hence ProConsul, awarded Slakko eir first Gold
Stripe, for achieving a Blue Cross Rank of at least 60.  In fact, as this
was only shortly after the expiration of Slakko's term of office as
President, eir Blue Cross Rank was bolstered by the recent acquisition of
a Blue Cross Bonus. 

It may not be long before another Gold Stripe is awarded.  Calvin N Hobbes
is quickly accumulating Blue Cross Rank, and is within 10 of achieving a
Gold Stripe.  A Blue Cross Bonus would immediately provide the required
gain - perhaps some incentive for Calvin N Hobbes to move into politics?
New Player Crazy, but neither French nor Scots Right Now
New player JT was caught by the glare of the spotlights this week in
response to having one of eir proposals rejected.  A visibly shaken JT was
seen criticising the rules for costing him points, and was hoping that
such a criticism would have the bizarre effect of actually making it all
better.

Acka Science Researchers have investigated this strange claim, and
pronounced it genuine.  According to Prof. Moe Nonlineardynamics, new
players are surrounded for their first three weeks by an apparently
impenetrable "anti-point shielding".  When activated, this shielding can
counteract point, trinket, even A$ loss, but it can only be activated at
most three times.

Prof. Nonlineardynamics warned that excessive use of the field could have
long-term side effects.  "Repeated usage of the anti-point shielding over
a period of a couple of days can produce extreme levels of anger,
irritability, and, in extreme cases, a combination of insanity and
nationality conversion.  The long and the short of it is that this field
has the disturbing capability to turn ordinary people into Crazy
French-Scotsmen."  It has been suggested that these anti-point shields
should come with a product warning, but, as yet, no acceptable wording has
been agreed upon.

Suggested wordings include "Warning: If Highlands accent develops,
discontinue use immediately and seek medical advice", and "Warning:
Complaining about the rules has been linked to Gerard Depardieu
impersonations."	 

Booming Land after Land Boom

Despite a long period of experimentation with Republican-style government,
including a Senate and Presidency, local government has long been
overlooked in Acka.  All that was fixed this week when the Town Hall was
finally erected.  However, this creation was not without a cost.  The
extreme pressure caused by the addition of a lavish building in the
previously seismically active Downtown Library area of Ackanomic led to
another Earthquake.

Fortunately, this Earthquake was significantly less damaging than the
previous case, resulting only in the moving of one player's House
(Hubert), and plots of land belonging to one player and one undead (Hubert
again, and Antimatter).  The ghost of Antimatter has not been contacted
regarding the problem, but may regard it as trampling on its ancestral
rights of haunt.  The Ackanomic Building Inspector declined to comment.

Financial Follies

The Activity Index has been generally in decline through the week, with
only one day of significant gains.  However, the Positivity Index
continues to rise as a large proportion of proposals left to the vote are
accepted, and by increasingly large margins. 

Plans are up to curb short-term speculation in the market, with the
planned establishment of a forced commission for dealings through the
Treasury.  While a fixed system has yet to be decided upon, the general
consensus is that inter-player trading must be encouraged to produce a
more useful Stock Market.

First Trinkets, Now Gadgets 

After last week's ludicrous prices for Trinkets, this week saw some
Gadgets up for Auction the subject of serious bidding on the part of a
number of "financially endowed" Ackans.  Joe Java was seen walking away
from an Auction with a Good Ballot Stuffer, the first of its kind.  With
its noted ability to cancel out all Evil Ballot Stuffers in a single
election or hearing, it was always going to be a popular purchase.
However, the final auction price of A$341 stunned almost everyone.
The Chief Cheese, Alfvaen, was quite happy with the result.  With a 10%
commission due to em as Auctioneer, e will no doubt be considering the
introduction of a lot more Good Ballot Stuffers while the demand is still
there.  
 		
Meaningless Statistic of the Week

Another Issue - Another Meaningless Statistic. This week: Retracted
Proposals. Are those who change their minds likely to be those with lots
of acceptances, or are they the kind of people who will never know quite
what they want to say?

This week we are looking at the players who have done the most to say "No,
I didn't quite mean that, let me try it again."  If there was a Retracted
Cross available for 20 Proposals, then many players would be eligible.
Let's have a look at some of the top contenders for such honours.
Niccolo Flychuck is far and away the most retracting player, having
decided to withdraw an astounding 46 proposals from voting consideration.
An achievement worthy of not only a Retracted Cross, but also two
Non-Silver Stripes.  To be fair, though, these 46 are a small fraction of
Niccolo's overall proposal count, which includes 107 acceptances and 83
rejections at tmie of writing.

The next most retracting player in all-time terms is not currently a
player.  Malenkai changed eir mind on 33 occasions for second place in our
retracted league table.  However, Malenkai's retractions were from an even
larger array of proposals than Niccolo - with Malenkai having 298
acceptances and 97 rejections.	 

Two other players, both still current, are the only others who
would qualify for a Retracted Cross if it exists.  They are Slakko, with
27 retractions, and Alfvaen, with 21.  Again, both have been heavy
proposers, with Slakko's retraction rate running at a significant but not
overwhelming 24%, and Alfvaen's even lower.

The rest of the Top 10 retractees are rounded out by pTang1001001sos with
19, Chaos and Guy Fawkes on 16 each, snowgod on 14, Bascule on 11 and
/dev/joe on 10.  The smallest proposer amongst this group is Bascule, who
only submitted 15 non-retracted proposals for an astounding retraction
rate of over 42%.

So, does retracting make your proposal success better?  It would be hard
to say.  Some long-standing players have done exceptionally well to
maintain both a high acceptance rate and a very low retraction rate.
ThinMan is the case that comes most to mind, with an acceptance rate in
excess of 80%, and only 6 retracted proposals out of over 55 submitted.
Meanwhile, others have used retractions to most likely bump up their
acceptance rate.  Alfvaen's 21 retractions have no doubt reduced eir
rejection count, leaving em with a healthy 71% acceptance rate.
This has been Number 3 in an occasional series of Meaningless Statistics
of the Week. We hope you enjoyed it - feel free to send feedback to
[email-masked].

Party Chess Report

WEIGHTS GO HAYWIRE

This week saw even more craziness in weights. After the Chess-Umpire
admitted that "some mistakes" had been made, itself after some prodding
from the Gingham Wearer, steps were taken to prevent a future occurrence.
These steps revealed that what originally looked to be a 3-way tie for
Swinger weight supremacy actually had Niccolo leading by 5 and 6, on 103
to Slakko's 98 and The Gingham Wearer's 97. The new system should be
completely up and running, properly tested, in time to ensure that the
Swinger Weights for the next Swingpoint Calculation are verifiably
correct.

Meanwhile, in actual play there was just as much turmoil. The Gingham
Wearer finally used the promotion capacities of Demons to their full
devastating effect, converting two of them into Rooks in the one Play, and
thereby checking both Alfvaen and Slakko.

Fortunately for Slakko, this check was not fatal, as there was a single
escape route for his King. If Alfvaen had not been checked, then a
two-Atomic Play play would have seen Slakko out of trouble a little more
easily. However, the escape from check cost Slakko more Swinger Weight,
dropping em just below Alfvaen. It will be interesting to see the Weight
effect of Alfvaen's response, if indeed e somehow finds a successful
response to the trap that The Gingham Wearer has sprung.

Meanwhile, the trap had the beneficial effect for The Gingham Wearer of
boosting eir weight to 133.5, clearly a record under the current Weight
calculation system, and one that looks as if it will stand for some time.
It is unlikely that anyone will be able to prevent The Gingham Wearer
taking maximum Swingpoints on Monday, reducing the battle to the minor
placings.

But even these minor placings are now of more interest. With the passing
of "Swinger Swingpoint Simplification", all non-zero-Weighted Swingers are
eligible for Swingpoints. Further, with a new Swinger appearing this week
(Koxvolio taking over the HARF party Swingership), the top prize has
increased to a record 8 Swingpoints per fortnight.

So keep watching - with a Free For All due to start on Tuesday (further
objections not being in evidence) things are likely to stay crowded for
some time to come.

STOP PRESS: Alfvaen has surrendered eir Board Position as MetaMorph
swinger, while failing to see that a piece purchase was capable of
preventing the Check from continuing.  The Gingham Wearer has now earned a
second Stabber's Knife, tying em with Slakko for the lead in the Game of
Party Chess.  Keep watching for more breaking Party Chess news!

Sub Game Summary

Every week - every subgame going.

Abstract Crescent

The game of Abstract Crescent may be moving swiftly towards a conclusion
now.  With 10 rounds completed, two players are within striking distance
of a one-round win.  Both Hubert and /dev/joe are capable of unleashing a
single sufficiently high points round to bring things to a close.
However, this assumes of course that one of them actually wins the next
round, a result far from certain.

Average scores appear to be gradually trending lower again, so we may
expect a sudden jump up soon as a long-term pattern of play emerges.
Alfvaen is currently the most consistently high player, while /dev/joe's
low plays in the last couple of rounds have seen em streak into the
leading position.

If you're not currently playing Abstract Crescent, and you want to be,
then as Umpire I'm still accepting submissions from people who want to
play. I'll be inserting them into the rolling congruences as soon as
possible after I receive them, provided the game is not over first. So
come and play Abstract Crescent! You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Fictionary

Game 3 of Fictionary started this week on a disappointing note.  Slakko's
first word, "gangrel" was correctly defined by two players, and almost
correctly defined by a third.  As a result, the round was declared over
early, so everyone could go home and read through their dictionaries
again.	 

However, Fictionary experts are wondering whether the turn was as
bad for Slakko as common belief currently suggests.  It is not that common
for a Brainiac to receive points during a Fictionary round, and therefore
one main objective is to limit the points that the other players earn.
Five points net between eight players is an exceptionally low ratio, one
which, under other circumstances, would have a Brainiac delighted.

Viruses

Onward come the Virus chasers, and the game plods on.  Game 2 of Viruses
was started in December, and each round has been conducted in a spirit of
speedy play.  Yet here we are in April, and the game is far from over.
Most recent results have seen two-star stretch eir Viruscount lead to 6
cells, acquiring a fourth Viruspoint.  But this low Viruspoint score gives
other players plenty of time to plan strategies to ensure that two-star's
current success is merely transitory.

From a strategic point of view, it appears that /dev/joe is still the best
placed of the current Virus players.  E is still second in the Viruspoint
standings, and remains just off the pace in the Viruscount battle.  This
combination of two high counts makes em the most dangerous player in the
game.  The Gingham Wearer's higher Viruspoint score may be slightly
unnerving, but eir current run of low Viruscounts suggests eir challenge
has faltered badly.

Those with low Points totals, meanwhile, are still trying to set up a
decent stable growth pattern, something very difficult to achieve in
Viruses.  This has led to some interesting count changes over the past few
rounds, a topic which may find its way into a future Meaningless
Statistics column.  So keep watching for more fun and antics on the Virus
Board.

Word Un-Association 

Game 2's interesting start continues.  No unique links were found for
gilding to page, leaf being a common theme amongst successful Linkers.
This has left Slakko in the lead on 3 points, with Attila the Pun the
current Linker.  Early days yet, with no significant pattern yet emerged.

YORL

Our bard appears to have gone to sleep again!  rufus interrupted The
Gingham Wearer's long tale with an explosion on the asteroid, but then
promptly shut up himself and has refused to say a word.   Many suspect e
is asleep by now, with others waiting on the Barkeep's say-so to continue
the tale.  Sam is getting bored while waiting to continue the quest for
the Sceptre of banna.  The least we could do as conscientious bards is to
let him get on with it.
 
Advertisements

The Ackan is still looking for more interviews. If you've already
responded to our earlier queries but have not yet received your
preliminary questions sheet, don't worry, we'll be getting in contact
shortly to know how you're getting on.

On the other hand, if you have yet to respond to the Ackan call for
interviews, and have held a public office in Acka for at least one month
continuously at any stage in Acka's history, then the staff of the
Infrequent Ackan would like to hear from you. Just email us at
[email-masked] with the keywords "Acka: Ackan" and say you would like to
do an interview. That's all. If you are accepted (which, let's face it, is
still pretty likely at this stage) then someone from the Ackan will be
around to contact you shortly. 

An additional advertisement, from the Campaign to Re-Elect Slakko:
EIGHT MORE WEEKS! 
EIGHT MORE WEEKS!

Vote Slakko in the next Presidental Election. E didn't screw things up
this term - and he won't do it next term either.
Voting will probably last for 3 days starting next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Please remember - Vote Early, Vote Often, and most important of all, Vote
for Slakko.

The Infrequent Ackan, first to you with Ackan news.
Copyright  Duncan Richer writing under the pseudonym of "Slakko", 11th
April 1998.
Check us out on the web, at
http://dcr24.quns.cam.ac.uk/Nomic/Acka/infrequent.html 

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 10:33:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Ian K." <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Gadget Trade

On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Duncan Richer wrote:

> I offer to trade my Plunky Monkey Wrench to Koxvolio for A$60. 
> 
> Yours,
> Slakko

I want it! I happily give Slakko A$60 for his Plunky Monkey Wrench

Koxvolio

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 12:12:06 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Tom Walmsley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Swingpoint/Bonus Vote conversion

I am converting four of my swingpoints into a bonus vote.

TGW.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 12:38:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Tom Walmsley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: CSR

I am using my powers as CSRR to make the following CSR numbered 135 as
delimited by THIS TEXT:

THIS TEXT
Modify rule 594.21 by deleting the text "I am using one of my scientist for a
day otzma cards and paying the required fee to make the following discovery
for a Good Ballot Stuffer: " and by changing all occurrences of the string
"an GBS" with the string "a GBS".

Modify rule 594.14 to read in full:
"The Cheez-Whiz is a small pyramid. 3 of its sides are white, whilst the 4th
is black. A Cheez-Whiz will transfer all of its owner's Ackadollars to the
Treasury if its owner legally chews the Gumball. If all the Cheez-Whiz's
owner's Ackadollars are transferred to the treasury in this way then the
owner of the Cheez-Whiz may specify any individual cheese to be destroyed.
The cheese in question will then be destroyed. This power of the Cheez-Whiz
may only be utilised once per day. It is said that the Cheez-Whiz can also be
used to help find long lost Treasure. 

All sentences that follow this one are, or describe, attributes of
grapefruit, and they conflict with this one. "

Swap around the order of the last two paragraphs of rule 594.4.

Add to the end of section c in rule 530 the text "At the end of
each Acka day, one second after the loss of an eighth of a point, the
activity value will be rounded to the nearest tenth."

Replace "Every three hours the activity value will decrease by 1/8
of a point" in rule 530 with "At twelve, three, six, nine (a.m. and p.m.)
the activity value will decrease by 1/8 of a point"

Modify rule 421.1 by replacing all occurrences of the string "CSSR" with the
string "CSRR"
THIS TEXT

TGW, CSRR.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 13:34:45 -0400 (EDT)
From: Duncan Richer <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Proposal 2864

On Sat, 11 Apr 1998, Uri Bruck wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Duncan Richer wrote:
> > 
> > I would also like to say that some attempts should be made to repeal rules
> > now if people are that concerned about the size of the ruleset.  After
> > all, Acka still has a long way to go before its next birthday.
> 
>  Perhaps it would be just better to make repeals easier.
> 
> Anyway, I don't think the ruleset is too large.  Does anyone have any
> information on the ruleset's rate of growth, both in terms of the number
> of rules and number of characters?
> Niccolo Flychuck

Here's a comparison with the situation last July (the state in which
/dev/joe's Acka pages remain):

Then:
3 rule suites.
Total HTML code: 701Kb
Main rules: 540 Kb
Rule suites: 161 Kb

Now:
6 rule suites.
Total HTML code: 818Kb
Main rules: 585 Kb
Rule Suites: 233 Kb

So in the last nine months, the main ruleset has increased by less than
9%, but the total size of the rule suites has increased by almost 45%.
The overall increase in the rules is 16.7%, basically one-sixth over nine
months.

However, the increase in the rules may partially be due to increased
numbers of attributions.

Compare this with the initial ruleset: 12.2Kb in HTML.  We grew quickly,
but have certainly levelled off.
If the ruleset continued increasing over the last nine months at the same
rate that it did so for the first eighteen months (Jan 22 96 - Jul 22 97)
then it would currently total 1045 Kb, more than 200 Kb above its current
weight.

Yours,
Slakko
- -- 
Duncan C. "" Richer aka
Slakko (Lost) Warner - http://dcr24.quns.cam.ac.uk/ - Queens' College
Cambridge, 1st Year PhD(Pure Maths), CUDipSoc, CUSFS, CUSTS, CURS etc
Acka - ex-President/still Web-Harfer RuneMaker ChessUmpire Map-Harfer

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 13:41:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Tom Walmsley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: IRC (again)

I'm bored again. I know I probably ought to go off and do some revision for
my exams this Summer but I can't be bothered. So once again I'm in Acka IRC.
If anyone wants to join me then come along. I don't know how long I'll be
around, but again give it a go. Yesterdays talk was most productive; a
rafting trip, a Frobnotzer and a new member of the Church of Banna. Who knows
what we could accomplish today?!

TGW.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:10:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: [email-masked] (Aaron V. Humphrey)
Subject: Acka: New Player (Vynd)

We have another new player in Ackanomic.  Eir real name is Raquel Peres
da Silva, eir email address is <[email-masked]>, and the
Ackanomic name e has chosen is Ayla.

In response to the Market Research question, e says:

> I was searching for another PBM game (I'm also playing Food Chain) with
> Yahoo, when I found this option Nomic. I liked the game: it reminded me of
> Calvin-ball. So, I decided to try some Nomic. Ackanomic is not the first
> Nomic I try to join, but all the others (I guess I've tried 5 or 6) took me
> to "host not found" and "unknown link" messages.

Vynd has been chosen as eir mentor.  Let's welcome em to Ackanomic!
(And I think this adds another continent to our tally, so with Niccolo
Flychuck and K 2 this brings it up to five...)

- --
- --Alfvaen(Web page: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/alfvaen/ )
Current Album--The Kinks:25 Years--The Ultimate Collection
Current Book--Sean Stewart:The Night Watch
And silence hung in the air like fruitcake.  --Steven Vann

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:16:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: Guy Fawkes <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Markovian Dream

I am simultaneously approving of the following players' enry into the Cult
of the Markovian Dream.

Joe Java
JT
The Gingham Wearer
Hubert

Guy Fawkes

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:16:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: [email-masked] (Aaron V. Humphrey)
Subject: Acka: Randomness

else...if has found the Great Raft of Ackanomic.

breadbox has received the Chocolate Frog, and is thus The First Citizen
for the next thirty days.

Oh, and Hubert and I are safe from the B-Ack for today, but it's on
the trail of The Gingham Wearer for tomorrow...

- --
- --Alfvaen(Web page: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/alfvaen/ )
Current Album--The Kinks:25 Years--The Ultimate Collection
Current Book--Sean Stewart:The Night Watch
Tiger, tiger, burning bright, how you save electric light

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:17:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: Guy Fawkes <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: TMBSG

I am requesting membership in They Might Be Slumbering Giants.

GF

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:30:18 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Tom Walmsley" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Markovian Dream

> I am simultaneously approving of the following players' enry into the Cult
> of the Markovian Dream.
> 
> Joe Java
> JT
> The Gingham Wearer
> Hubert

I suggest that Markovian Dream become a church again.

TGW.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:41:01 -0400 (EDT)
From: JT Traub <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Wanted: Cult Members

>> >I recently have read of the plight of the once great Church that has 
>> >fallen the classification of a cult.  If it would have me, I wish to 
>> >also join the Cult of Markovian Dream
>> 
>> Thank the Prophet and the Golden Frog!
>> 
>> As the most senior Priest of the cult, I welcome Joe Java.
>> 
>> As an organizational action, the Cult becomes a Church as per R1301, Section
>> 8, part g.
>
>A senior Priest, or even a Founder can't unilaterally do that in a Cult.
>While a Church Founder, or Senior Priest can pretty much take any
>Organizational Action e desires, this is not the case in a Cult. Since
>there are no special provision for Cult Organizational Actions under
>R1301, they're Organization action follow the rules in the 1000s and the
>Action occurs after all members who did not proxy their support approved
>of the suggestion.

I certainly approve of the suggestion (to become a full Church).

- --JT

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

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:48:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: Thierry Joffrain <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Markovian Dream

I appove The Gingham Wearer, and now all 4 new players are inducted
simultaneously into the Cult.

CnH

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

End of ackanomic digest V3 #98
******************************