216:10 INVALID +1.25

From: Jeff Weston (Sir Toby) (jjweston_at_kenny.sir-toby.com)
Date: Wed Oct 01 2003 - 09:25:07 PDT


On Wed, 1 Oct 2003, Arnt Gulbrandsen wrote:

> At the time of writing, the judgment of 216:9 was not clear to me. I 
> think it's valid, and it doesn't matter, really. Anyway, I sincerely 
> hope the Judge won't post a judgment in the next few minutes.
> 
> ----begin 216:10----
> Scissors cut paper. Paper wraps stone. Stone beats scissors. Or: 
> Congress has power over the US Army. The US Army has power over 
> Congress.
> 
> A neat circle indeed.
> 
> The Judge will decide whether Congress or the US Army is the Higher 
> Power... so the Judge is Higher yet. But the Judge can only make his 
> Judgment if the list host administrator allows the judgment to go 
> through (see 216:1). But the list host administrator can only (see 
> 216:2), etc.
> 
> One really must hope that the Judge will make a fair-minded, neatly 
> elaborated decision. However, based on evidence of past rounds, the 
> Judge is more likely to be a corrupted by the posters of rules 216:08, 
> 216:09 or *nudge nudge wink wink* 216:10.
> 
> Subsequent rules must obey the scissors-paper-stone circularity 
> principle of power.
> ----end----
> 
> (I'm afraid this was my last rule. I have faith that someone will beat 
> this one, you guys are nothing if not inventive, but will I manage 
> another submission after that? Doubtful.)
> 
> --Arnt

Validity: Let's see here... The Judge has higher power because he can
determine whether the United States Army or Congress is the higher power.  
The Rule goes on to say that the judgment can be passed only if the FRC
list administrator lets it through. Since previous Rules have clearly
indicated that the United States Army is in control of the FRC list
server, they have power over my judgment. Also, since I live in the United
States, they certainly have power over me. Of course, the Judge could also
have his power cut by the power company, or his server melted by the
orbital mirror, or have Verisign take control of his host (the Judge is a
Verisign customer), or be legislated out of existence. Rule is INVALID.

Style: Neat idea for a Rule. I'm not sure yet if the circular power idea
works well with the "Can you top this" style of Round, but it makes for an
interesting restriction. The Judge is feeling a bit vulnerable after being
brought into this power struggle. +1.25

-- 
Jeff Weston (Sir Toby)


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