SNN UPDATE #23

Sunday, 19 May 1996

                    =/\= SNN UPDATE =/\=                    
                 =/\= Stardate 96051.9 =/\=                 
                                                            
And now for a special SNN UPDATE feature... This month Last 
Year!  I know you've all been sitting up in bed late at     
night, wondering so much about STF history... Well, here's  
a summary of the SNN UPDATE for 11 May 1995:                
                                                            
Greg Weir's Zenith-Class ship was being considered by the   
newly rejuvenated ED;  A recruiting drive was being started 
by the not-yet-official RD, and Julie and Grace Larsen had  
come back for another visit.                                
=/\= THIS WEEK'S NEWS                                       
* The OC-AC "Crisis" has now pretty much boiled over;       
 Activity in the OC is down to nil, yet no AC subs have     
 been created yet.  All eyes are on Speaker of the AC Nick  
 "Pantera Boy" Oven to start debate.                        
* Despite the fact that debate has quieted down, A note by  
 Aaron "Respected Cybernetic Organisms" Holland, dated  8   
 May, blasted the state of the AC only one day after our    
 last SNN UPDATE went out.  SNN UPDATE, which supports the  
 Premsident's descision, offers the following points in     
 response to Aaron's public address ("STF - ANNOUNCE")      
 - "His Excellency" the Premsident did IM you after the     
  note, and Mike was on the phone with him at the time;     
 - Trust me, the Constitution *WILL* be modified to fit     
  this new way of doing things... Presidential edicts do    
  that;                                                     
 - The Premsident *HAS* assured us that discussion on the   
  new bills will continue under "AC" prefixes (all bill     
  authors, please repost your bills there when Nick clears  
  it);                                                      
 - The "OC" name-change is to make its position in Command  
  more clear:  It is an *ADVISORY* committee, not a         
  legislative branch;                                       
 - Chairman is not "pointless," it is the same job as       
  Speaker, only with a different name -- again, Speaker     
  reminds us too clearly of the US House, which is          
  legislative (something which the AC is not);              
 - There will be no impeachments, but the AC does have the  
  explicit power to call for elections;                     
 - The Constitution, when written, will *PROBABLY* be set   
  to a full referendum (like the Prez election was).  We    
  don't know;  We haven't talked with the Premz on this     
  as much.                                                  
 - Introducing new Fleets and Colonies (as well as Ships)   
  has always been a Presidential job;  It is now and should 
  remain so.                                                
 - Similarly, all Diplomatic functions -- including making  
  and breaking treaties, as well as opening embassies --    
  have been duties of the Department of State, under the    
  control of the Executive Branch -- the Prez.  The one     
  exception, possibly, is declarations of war, which we     
  hope will also be put to vote in the AC before enacted.   
* In the Engineering Department, plans were unveiled on 12  
 May for a new "Challenger"-Class runabout, designed by     
 Nick "Let's hope THIS one doesn't blow up" Oven.  Other    
 debate topics include new ship classes.                    
* In the GM Department, GMDir Sue Isik has asked for        
 suggestions for RPG and for GM volunteers.  "STF - GM..."  
=/\= SNN UPDATE                                             
is published somewhat biweekly by Mike "Yeah, well, I'm the 
writer and you're not" Ballway and follows the Journalistic 
Motto of "Quick, Informative, Totally Biased Reporting of   
STF Events."  The opinions expressed herein are probably    
someone's opinions, but not necessarily those of the Writer 
or of SNN or of STF.  If you have a complaint, stuff it.    
No, seriously:  If you have any comments, complaints,       
commendations, or Writer's Guild Awards, click your heels   
three times and email reply to this note.                   
                                                            
Cdre. Mike "bwsc65c@prodigy.com" Ballway, Publisher/Writer