Below is a proto-decision on the fingers pointed by Falsifian regarding the Ritual; comments welcome.
* * * The key question seems to be whether a fine for failure to perform the Ritual CAN be imposed on players consistently with Rule 2531. Under Rule 2531, among other things, a fine is INEFFECTIVE if > (2) it attempts to levy a fine on a person for an action or inaction which e > (more likely than not) did not commit; [or] > > (3) it attempts to levy a fine for an action or inaction which is not > prohibited by the rules . . . . In this case, I think a fine MUST be imposed because those requirements (and the other requirements) are satisfied by the players’ failure to perform the Ritual. Under Rule 2596 (the Ritual), “[a]ny player CAN perform the Ritual by paying a fee of 7 coins,” and “[t]he Ritual MUST be performed at least once in every Agoran week.” Under Rule 2152 (Mother, May I?), “MUST” means that “[f]ailing to perform the described action violates the rule in question.” Last week, the “described action” (the Ritual) was not “performed.” That violation came to pass because each player declined to perform the Ritual last week. In my view, because “failing to perform the [Ritual]” at least once last week “violates the rule in question,” that means that any player or entity capable of performing the Ritual violated the Rule through eir “inaction” when it turned out that the Ritual was not performed on time. Falsifian pointed eir finger at players each of whom could have performed the Ritual. As a result, each such player violated the Rule. Ais523 suggests that the Ritual itself may have violated the Rule. I think I disagree. In my view, the Ritual is the action required to be performed; it is not an entity that violates the Rule when it is not performed. Imagine the Rule instead said, “any player CAN hop on one foot” and “a hopping upon one foot MUST be performed at least once in every Agoran week.” We wouldn’t say that the rule is violated by the “hopping upon one foot,” because that’s an action not an entity. Same with the Ritual. >> On Mon, 2019-06-03 at 02:38 +0000, James Cook wrote: >> I Point my Finger at every player, in the following order: >> >> omd, Aris, Gaelan, G., Cuddle Beam, Trigon, Murphy, ATMunn, twg, >> D. Margaux, Jacob Arduino, Falsifian, Bernie, Rance, o, Jason Cobb, >> Walker, PSS, Corona, V.J. Rada, L, Hālian, Tarhalindur, Telnaior, >> Baron von Vaderham >> >> for failing to perform The Ritual in the previous Agoran week. >> >> Explanation for how each player P violated the rules: >> * Rule 2596 required The Ritual to be performed. >> * P had a method available to perform The Ritual. Therefore P is >> responsible if The Ritual was not performed. >> >> (I had honestly intended to perform it at the last minute once again >> this week, but forgot. I intended to do this because I try to follow >> the rules. Though, honestly, I'm happy that we finally missed a week >> so that we get to see what happens.) >
