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100,000 people call for an end to prison gerrymandering
An overview of the comment letters calling on the Census Bureau to end prison gerrymandering.
by Peter Wagner, September 8, 2016
In June, the Census Bureau announced plans to continue counting incarcerated people as residents of their prison, not home, addresses in the 2020 Census, and invited public comments on their proposal. Almost 100,000 people including civil rights organizations, elected officials at all levels of government, former Directors of the Census Bureau and citizens from across the country weighed in to tell the Census Bureau that a prison is not a residence.
The comment period closed last week on September 1 and a final decision is expected by the end of the year. The Bureau won't publish the comments it received until that time, but a large sample is available now at http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/letters/FRN2016.html
One key theme in these comments is that:
Treating a prison as a "usual residence" reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of incarceration. The critical issue is that while a prison itself seems permanent, the people located there on any given day are not.
The Prison Policy Initiative and our long-time partners at Dēmos submitted an in-depth 18 page comment that corrects the Census Bureau's fundamental misunderstanding of incarceration and explains that while a prison stay is temporary, an incarcerated person's connection to his or her home is enduring.
Many other organizations made very substantial contributions of criminal justice data, demographic data, and legal research as well. For example, the Vera Institute of Justice analyzed never seen before data from Washington, Oregon, and Nebraska to show that the median time at the current facility on April 1st, 2015 was less than nine months.
LatinoJustice PRLDEF questioned why the Census Bureau recognizes the family and community ties of boarding school students and members of Congress to count them at their home addresses, but fails to give incarcerated people the same consideration. Several elected officials made it clear that residents of their jurisdictions remain their constituents — and continue to look to them for representation — even when incarceration forcibly moves these constituents to different counties and states. This same point about residence was also made by a former correctional officer who observed that incarcerated people were not regarded as fellow constituents by nearby residents in her county.
There were also several important petitions. Leaders of 35 foundations, including Ford Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation and Bauman Foundation, explained their need for accurate Census data and urged the Bureau to recognize that incarcerated people should be counted at home. 39 civil rights groups joined with The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights to call for a fair and accurate 2020 Census. Daily Kos organized 29,000 of their members to send individual messages to the Census Bureau and 48,314 of their members to sign a petition. CREDO Action also asked its members to submit public comments calling for an end to prison gerrymandering, with more than 47,600 doing so.
The Prison Policy Initiative would like to thank everyone who submitted a comment calling for a fair and accurate 2020 Census. Stay tuned to http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org for more analysis and updates on next steps.
New York Times editorial: proposed residence rules "a rejection of common sense"
The New York Times editorial board summarizes the problem of prison gerrymandering and explains why the Census Bureau must take action.
by Alison Walsh, July 18, 2016
The Census Bureau's proposal to continue counting incarcerated people as "residents" of prison locations, rather than at their home addresses, has drawn widespread opposition.
We can now add the Editorial Board of The New York Times to the list of those voicing dissent.
In "The Wrong Way to Count Prisoners," the Editorial Board summarizes the problem of prison gerrymandering.
Counting inmates this way allows legislators who draw electoral lines to inflate the power of certain areas with "constituents" who have been stripped of the right to vote and have no interaction with the larger community.
The editorial also cites the recent decision in Cranston, Rhode Island, as evidence that counting people where they are temporarily incarcerated is unconstitutional.
The federal courts have recently begun to see this gerrymandering as a threat to electoral fairness. In May, for example, a United States District Court held that the city of Cranston, R.I., had violated the principle of one person one vote by deeming inmates at a correctional facility "residents" for the drawing of district lines for the City Council and the local school committee.
The court rightly found that the inmates who made up about 25 percent of Cranston's Ward 6 were not true constituents. According to court documents, their median length of stay was only 99 days, which can in no way be seen as permanent residency. Those convicted of felonies were barred from voting. And inmates held for reasons other than a felony conviction, the court pointed out, were able to vote — but only by absentee ballot based on their addresses before incarceration. This meant that every seven voters in Ward 6 had the same political power as 10 voters in the city's other wards.
While a few states have outlawed prison gerrymandering on their own, responsibility for ending the practice permanently and nationally lies with the Census Bureau.
Some states can prevent prison-based gerrymandering by simply counting incarcerated people at their home addresses. But according to an analysis by the Prison Policy Initiative, some states are prohibited by law from adjusting census data when drawing district lines. In other words, the principle of one person one vote will continue to suffer until the Census Bureau changes the way it counts prisoners.
Rural residents of New York State called for ending prison gerrymandering
Two residents of rural upstate New York explain why a prison cell is not a residence.
by Peter Wagner, July 15, 2016
Of the 155 comments submitted to the Census Bureau in 2015 calling for incarcerated people to be counted at home in the next Census, two letters from residents of rural upstate New York are notable because they discuss how the county governments in this prison-heavy region of the state consider the question of whether a prison cell is a residence.
Dan Jenkins wrote about Franklin County's view that a prison cell is not a residence:
I live, since the late 1990's, in Franklin County, New York, a rural county that has a large prison population. Prisoners are not residents of our community as they originate outside of our community, they have no interaction with our community and immediately leave the community when their sentences expire or when the Department of Corrections chooses to transfer them elsewhere. Enumerating these populations as part of our community forces our community to choose between either: (1) rejecting your counts, or (2) using census data that dilutes the votes of most of our community's residents to the benefit of the few who live immediately adjacent to the prison.
I have been concerned about the implications of your "residence rule" for democracy within rural communities since the 1990 Census when I was a resident of another upstate New York county which similarly hosted a large correctional facility. I, and many of my Jefferson County neighbors were concerned and raised public awareness that relying on your counts resulted in county apportionment that diluted the votes of residents who did not leave near the prisons.
In the late 1990's, I moved to Franklin County and was again involved as a citizen activist in redistricting. There, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I would not need to organize a post-2000 lawsuit against Franklin County because my county was already committed to modifying your census data to remove the prison populations and avoid what is now commonly called "prison gerrymandering." […]
What should be obvious from my letter is that I, along with the elected leaders of my county, were concerned that including the prison population where the Census Bureau counted it but where those people — 10% of our county's Census population — do not reside would have a vote dilutive impact on the other parts of our county. We simply did not want to draw a county legislative districts that had a preponderance of incarcerated people. Such districts would have given every county resident living near the prisons much more voting power than the other residents of the county.
Having considered the effects of "prison gerrymandering" on rural counties that host prisons, I and many of my neighbors came to the obvious conclusion that the Census Bureau's counts are inaccurate in so far as the Bureau counted incarcerated people as residents of the prison locations. As a result, we removed the prison populations from the one set of legislative districts that we could control — our county districts.
And here I feel I need to clarify our approach, given current statements from some plaintiffs in the current Texas case about excluding some non-voting populations from redistricting.
For us, in Franklin County, the decision was not whether to count incarcerated people, but where they should rightly be counted, which we think is at their home of record. We had no right to count prisoners as local constituents, they relied on the representative services of their home legislators, and there is nothing that one of our county legislators could do for them.
Removing the prison population was the best we could do because we lacked authority over the redistricting bodies of the New York City Council, the Albany City Council and the other home locations of the incarcerated people. As I, along with two neighbors wrote to you in our July 9, 2004 comment letter: "We know of no complaints from prisoners as a result, as they no doubt look to the New York City Council for the local issues of interest to them."
Thankfully, New York State took things one step further with the passage of Part XX (ending prison gerrymandering at the state and local levels) which made sure that all state prisoners are counted in the appropriate locations. This is legislation that I and many of my neighbors supported. And while I support Part XX, I must note that the law had one shortcoming that only the Census Bureau can fix: Part XX did not reallocate federal prisoners to their homes; it simply removed them from the count.
The Census Bureau is the only entity which can provide a complete solution to the redistricting confusion caused by the current "usual residence rule." I urge you to adjust this policy and count all prisoners at their homes of record in the next federal Census.
Martha Swan, from the neighboring county of Essex, also wrote that her county doesn't consider a prison cell to be a residence. Swan explains that the county concluded that using the Census Bureau's prison counts to draw county legislative districts results in vote dilution for other parts of the county, and went as far as to write that conclusion into local law:
I am writing … to urge you to count incarcerated people in their home districts.
My name is Martha Swan and I live and work in Essex County in northern New York, near the border with Canada. I live in the state's largest and most sparsely populated Senate district. My Senate district has more people incarcerated in state prisons than any other district in the state.
I would like to focus my comment on documenting that my county does not consider incarcerated people to be residents of our county. There are 6 counties in my senate district. Four of those counties contain prisons, and all 4 choose not to count the prison populations when drawing county districts or designing weighted voting systems.
My county, Essex, justified its decision in its local law with a lengthy discussion on the practical and legal grounds of why inmates are not residents of the county. While I understand that more than 200 counties across the United States do this as well, I have read that my county was the one of the few to put its reasoning in writing and then vote it in to law.
For that reason, I would like to share with you part of Essex Local Law No 144 of 2012:
"Persons incarcerated in the state and federal correctional institutions have been convicted of criminal acts constituting felonies and their presence in Essex County is considered involuntary. These incarcerated persons: are not residents of the County since they are here involuntarily and can be relocated by the Commissioner of Corrections at the latter's discretion; are not entitled to vote and thus are not voters in Essex County; and receive no services from the County – except when they commit new criminal acts and are brought before County Court, or when they are entitled to assignment of counsel as indigents in connection with parole hearings under New York Executive Law Article 12-B. Persons incarcerated in state and federal correctional institutions live in a separate environment, do not participate in the life of Essex County, and do not affect the social and economic character of the towns in which they are located.
"The inclusion of these federal and state correctional facility inmates unfairly dilutes the votes or voting weight of persons residing in other towns within Essex County."
Very similar language was also used in Essex County Local Law No. 1 of 2003. Recognizing that you may not have ready access to my small county's local laws, I have attached the 2003 and 2012 laws to this letter.
I urge you to follow the lead of Essex County New York and count incarcerated people as residents of their pre-incarceration addresses and not as residents of my county.
County Commissioner explains how prison gerrymandering created lopsided districts, unequal voting power in his home state
96% of the comments the Census Bureau received regarding residence rules for incarcerated people urged the Bureau to count them at their home addresses not at correctional facilities.
by Harrison Stark, July 7, 2016
On June 1, 2015, Jerry Zorsch submitted a comment letter in response to the Census Bureau's May 20, 2015 Federal Register Notice regarding the 2020 Decennial Census Residence Rule and Residence Situations. Drawing on his experience as County Commissioner of Morgan County, Tennessee, including serving as a chairman of the County's Redistricting Committee, Zorsch contends that because the Census Bureau "count[s] inmates in a prison in the county as if they were residents of that neighborhood," counties like Morgan "end[] up with severe malapportionment." The result is that "[i]t is impossible to count population bloc[s] like that in our county electoral system and still achieve equal representation among the citizens of this county."
Commissioner Zorsch further explains that the Census Bureau's residency designation contradicts Tennessee's residency law. State law defines residence as "where the person's habitation is fixed and is where, during periods of absence, the person definitely intends to return," Mr. Zorsch contends, however, that imprisoned persons are not residents of their prison facilities in any meaningful ways:
These [incarcerated] men all come from outside our county. Upon release they immediately leave our county. They are not buying homes, raising families and putting down roots here. They came here, quite simply because they were forced to at gunpoint and they stay here only because of walls, wire and armed guards.
Moreover, Commissioner Zorsch demonstrates how the inclusion of prison populations by the Census Bureau has resulted in drastically unequal voting power for certain areas in Morgan County. Following the 2010 Census, the County's correctional facility contained 2,400 inmates. Each district was drawn to contain 3,667 people, such that "whichever district [got] the prison block [would] only have 1,267 actual residents in it and 2,400 prisoners." The result was that "the residents of one of our districts hav[e] 3 times the representation of the residents in the rest of the county." Commissioner Zorsch explained how the problem got worse. One of two County prison facilities closed and the remaining facility absorbed the entire prison population, resulting in just one census block containing 10% of Morgan County's population.
Finally, Commissioner Zorsch requests that the Census Bureau "please help us correct this problem and get back to the 'One Man, One Vote' ideal" and "help us to achieve fair and equal representation to all the citizens of our county, and those across this great nation by revising the Residence Rule or Residence Situations to count incarcerated people at home in the Census."
Despite Commissioner Zorsch's request, the Census Bureau has proposed to maintain the status quo and count incarcerated individuals at their prison facility addresses rather than at their pre-incarceration addresses.
Harrison Stark, a 2L at Yale Law School, is a 2016 summer intern at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc.
Federal Court Rules that Prison-based Gerrymandering Violates the Constitution
A U.S. District Judge ruled today that the City of Cranston violated the one person, one vote principle of the U.S. constitution when it counted people incarcerated at the Adult Correctional Institutions as "residents" of one Ward of the City.
City of Cranston, Rhode Island ordered to redraw district lines within 30 days
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Steven Brown (ACLU of RI): 401 831-7171
Providence, RI. — In a precedent-setting ruling, U.S. District Judge Ronald Lagueux issued a decision today holding that the City of Cranston violated the one person, one vote requirements of the U.S. Constitution when it allocated the entire incarcerated population of the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) as "residents" of one ward of the City when it drew district lines for the City Council and School Committee following the 2010 Census. The ruling allows the City 30 days to present the Court with a new redistricting plan meeting constitutional requirements.
Today's ruling, just the second of its kind in the nation, concluded that the City artificially inflated the population count of Ward 6, where the ACI is located, by treating all incarcerated persons as "residents" of the prison for redistricting purposes. Doing so, said the court, violates the rights of persons residing in other wards to equal representation as required by the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
"I'm thrilled that our fight for equal representation has been successful," said Karen Davidson, lead plaintiff. "Fairness in redistricting is a fundamental right and I'm glad that the court has vindicated our claims."
At issue in the case was the City of Cranston's choice to count the more than three thousand inmates at the ACI in a single city ward for the purposes of drawing City Council and School Committee districts. Plaintiffs argued this "prison gerrymandering" was improper because those incarcerated at the ACI are not true constituents of local elected officials, but instead remain residents of their pre-incarceration communities for virtually all legal purposes, including voting.
Judge Lagueux agreed with the plaintiffs' claims, stating that "the ACI's inmates lack a 'representational nexus' with the Cranston City Council and School Committee." He noted that "Cranston's elected officials do not campaign or endeavor to represent their ACI constituents," and pointed out that that the majority of incarcerated persons cannot vote, and those who can are required by law to vote by absentee ballot from their pre-incarceration address.
Due to the questionable counting, persons at the only state-run correctional facility in Rhode Island account for 25% of Ward 6's total "population." According to Census Bureau data, without the incarcerated population, Ward 6 has only 10,209 true constituents. Yet those constituents now wield the same political power as the roughly 13,500 constituents in each of the other wards.
Cranston residents Karen Davidson, Debbie Flitman, Eugene Perry, and Sylvia Weber joined the ACLU of Rhode Island as plaintiffs in the case. They were represented in federal court by Demos, the Prison Policy Initiative, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU of Rhode Island.
"This is a big win for democracy," said Adam Lioz of Demos, counsel for the plaintiffs. "Prison gerrymandering distorts representation and should no longer be tolerated. This decision should pave the way for other courts to address this long-standing problem."
"We applaud the court's decision requiring the City to correct its prison gerrymandering problem without delay," said Steven Brown, executive director of the ACLU of Rhode Island. "It is time for Cranston to stop holding elections under a one-person, three-quarters of a vote regime."
"Counting people at the ACI as constituents of Ward 6 officials made no sense," said Aleks Kajstura of the Prison Policy Initiative. "They can't use the park or library, attend a City Council meeting, or send their kids to public schools. And, even those who can vote must do so from their actual legal residence, not the prison location."
"This ruling means that Cranston can no longer play games with our democracy by artificially inflating the political power of one district over another. People who are incarcerated should be counted as residents of the districts where they lived, not as so-called 'residents' of where they are involuntarily confined," said Sean Young, staff attorney with the ACLU's Voting Rights Project.
ACLU of RI volunteer attorney Lynette Labinger added: "The ACLU first urged the City to redraw its district lines four years ago in order to protect the rights of voters in the City's five other wards. I am gratified that they should soon have their voices heard in equal measure with those in Ward 6."
The case is Davidson et. al. v. City of Cranston. Plaintiffs' complaint can be found here and their motion for summary judgment is here. Judge Lagueux's ruling is here.
Tennessee no longer forcing prison gerrymandering on county governments
Tennessee ends mandatory prison gerrymandering in county governments; should next take up bills on state legislative districts.
by Aleks Kajstura, May 2, 2016
Hot on the heels of a federal court decision holding prison gerrymandering unconstitutional in a Florida County, Tennessee has passed a law last week clarifying that its counties may also opt out of the practice.
The new law provides:
When a reapportionment is made, residents of a correctional institution who cannot by law register in the county as voters may be excluded from any consideration of representation.
Most states are silent on the question of how local governments handle prison populations at redistricting time, and over 200 local governments that have significant prison populations choose to avoid prison gerrymandering. (And the larger the prison population, the more likely the county is to correct the problem.) But Tennessee was one of only 3 states that required its local governments to use Census data that counted incarcerated people as if they were residents of the town the prison was located in. (The two remaining states are Minnesota and Wisconsin.)
This is an important first step for ending prison gerrymandering in Tennessee, which features some of the most dramatic and growing prison gerrymandering in the country. The problem really took off in 1992, when the state's Attorney General interpreted the state constitution to require counties to use federal Census data for redistricting, which counted people incarcerated in the county as if they were county residents. And as the state's prison population more than doubled over the next two decades, and counties continued to dutifully abide by the ever-more-questionable decision, some county residents had their vote diluted by as much as 88%.
Still, the legislature was silent on ending prison gerrymandering until recently, when Representative Weaver, the bill's sponsor tried to solve the problem for Trousdale County, declaring that "we need this desperately": a large new prison was slated to open in Trousdale County, where the projected prison population would have accounted for 3 whole districts on its own.
Tennessee's counties are now unequivocally free to protect their democracy from the Census Bureau's prison miscount. Now what about the state's General Assembly districts? Time is running out for the bills to end prison gerrymandering in the state legislative districts in this session, but I hope to see Tennessee soon finish what it started.
Federal Judge holds prison gerrymandering unconstitutional
Federal Judge strikes down Florida county's prison gerrymander as unconstitutional.
by Aleks Kajstura, March 21, 2016
On Saturday, in a thorough 86 page opinion, Judge Walker of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida struck a blow to prison gerrymandering.
I'll get to the decision in a minute, but first here's some background. Each decade, state and local legislative districts are redrawn across the country to ensure that each district contains the same population as other districts. In this way, all residents are given the same access to representation and government. However, the Census Bureau's practice of counting incarcerated people as residents of the prison location, instead of their home communities, results in significant distortions in achieving fair representation. As Judge Walker put it, "blind reliance on census data can lead to unconstitutional results."
Over 200 local governments across the US avoid prison gerrymandering by refusing to use Census Bureau data that counts out-of-town people incarcerated there as if they were town residents. But Jefferson County in Florida bucked the trend, preferring to give the residents of District 3 the advantage of sharing their representatives with the disenfranchised people incarcerated in the state's Jefferson Correctional Institution (JCI).
While all residents of all the other county board districts were harmed by artificially inflating the population of district 3, the prison gerrymandering resulted in particularly harsh impact on the African-American community in the County. The ACLU of Florida and the Florida Justice Institute brought the suit to correct these inequalities.
The judge struck down the prison-gerrymandered redistricting plan and has ordered the county to redistrict based on population data that doesn't count the people in the state prison as if they were all residents of District 3 (of the 1,157 people incarcerated at JCI, about 9 are Jefferson residents at all). The new plan could allow for a Black influence district in addition to the current Black majority district.
The opinion concludes, summarizing:
Defendants argue vigorously that excluding the JCI inmates from the population base for districting purposes would be "arbitrary." The opposite is true—including them in the population base is arbitrary. The inmates at JCI, unlike aliens, children, etc. living in Jefferson County, are not meaningfully affected by the decisions of the Boards. To say they are "constituents" of the Board representatives from District 3 is to diminish the term constituent. To treat the inmates the same as actual constituents makes no sense under any theory of one person, one vote, and indeed under any theory of representative democracy. Furthermore, such treatment greatly dilutes the voting and representational strength of denizens in other districts. Jefferson County's districting scheme for its Board of County Commissioners and School Board therefore violates the Equal Protection Clause. [Citations omitted.]
The opinion is eminently readable; it includes a systematic overview of redistricting case law, including a reminder that none of us technically have a "right to vote", to a thorough analysis of prisoner-community relations (or lack there of). I promise the 86 pages fly by, you can read it for yourself.
Opinion, Calvin v. Jefferson (March 19, 2016 ). Congratulations to the ACLU and Florida Justice Institute!
And lastly, for anyone wondering about Judge Walker's approach in relation to Evenwel, he "expresses no opinion" on the relative importance of electoral versus representational equality because prison gerrymandering serves neither goal.
Evenwel v. Abbott trips over prison gerrymandering, amicus brief sorts out the issues
Prison Policy Initiative joins Dēmos in amicus brief to SCOTUS, tackling prison gerrymandering issues in Evenwel v. Abbott
by Aleks Kajstura, September 30, 2015
If you've been keeping up on current events in redistricting, chances are you've been hearing a lot about the Evenwel v. Abbott case recently. Here's the rundown from a prison gerrymandering perspective, with our partners at Dēmos:
The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to hear a case in which litigants in Texas are asking the Court to undermine the core constitutional principle of "one person, one vote." In this case, Evenwel v. Abbott, the plaintiffs are asking the Court to require states, when drawing district lines, to ignore anyone not already eligible or registered to vote. Their case will be argued in the Court's current term.
Dēmos opposes this misguided effort to treat non-voters as non-persons under the Fourteenth Amendment. To assist the Court in understanding the full ramifications of the case, Dēmos has authored a friend-of-the-court brief addressing an issue that particularly affects incarcerated persons – the issue of "prison gerrymandering." The problem of prison gerrymandering, where incarcerated people are used to pad out districts that host prisons, is not directly at issue in the Evenwel case, but the plaintiffs in Evenwel have invoked the issue of prison gerrymandering as if it supported their arguments for discounting non-voters. Our "friend of the court" brief explains why they are wrong.
The brief was filed on behalf of four organizations whose members have long fought prison gerrymandering, DARE (Direct Action for Rights and Equality), EPOCA (Ex-Prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement), VOCAL-NY (Voices of Community Activists & Leaders – New York), and VOTE (Voice of the Ex-Offender). Dēmos was joined as counsel on this brief by the Prison Policy Initiative.
Currently, the Census Bureau counts incarcerated people as if they lived at the location of the prison instead of their home addresses. This can indeed result in representational inequality when states and localities use the data for redistricting. But the ultimate goal of reforming prison gerrymandering is not to eliminate incarcerated persons entirely from the population count. Rather, the four organizations that Dēmos is representing as amici curiae want to ensure that incarcerated persons are tabulated at the correct location, as constituents of their own legislators.
Our brief explains why treating incarcerated persons as "residents" of the prison where they are involuntarily detained, instead of their home communities, creates serious inaccuracies and distorts redistricting, whether or not the incarcerated persons are eligible to vote. It further explains how creating a constitutional requirement to exclude non-voting populations from the population base used for redistricting would not end prison gerrymandering, and in fact could make things worse.
Prison gerrymandering finally solved in McAlester, Okla.
McAlester,Okla. finally ends prison gerrymandering (again). It's time for a national solution.
I'm happy to report that McAlester, Oklahoma has finally solved the prison gerrymandering problem it stumbled into last decade. It may have taken the City a while, but it's certainly not for their lack of trying.
The City used to exclude prison populations when redistricting, but a mid-decade charter revision accidentally tied their hands when the 2010 round of redistricting rolled around. The new charter language — based on the model charter published by the National Civic League — pegged McAlester's redistricting data to population data "according to the most recent Census", which of course tabulated people incarcerated at the two state correctional facilities in town as if they were actual residents of McAlester. This resulted in the city feeling forced into drawing a district where people incarcerated by the state accounted for nearly 60% of the population. This means that McAlester residents who live in that city council district get more than twice as much representation on the city council as any other city resident.
Last summer McAlester was poised to fix the charter, and those who voted overwhelmingly approved the charter change in August, but that too didn't last. A legal fault was discovered with the published election notice, and a new vote was needed.
And so we arrive at March of 2015, when the residents of McAlester
voted once again to finally end prison gerrymandering. And that's great news, for McAlester. But there are many cities that lack McAlester's persistent pursuit of equal representation. And quite frankly, America's cities should not be put in a position where they have to question Census data's suitability for redistricting.
The Census Bureau should count incarcerated people at home, rather than as residents of the location of the prison. This national solution would not only end prison gerrymandering for the rest of the cities still struggling with prison gerrymandering but also help the cities (and states) who already take the time and effort to adjust the Census Bureau's redistricting data on their own. And as an interim measure, the The National Civic League should amend its model city charter to encourage cities to avoid prison gerrymandering by making their own data adjustments.
Ending prison gerrymandering leads to new criminal justice data
Redistricting data used to map where incarcerated people come from, providing precise tool for policymakers.
by Aleks Kajstura, February 26, 2015
Yesterday, jointly with the Justice Policy Institute, we released a new report that for the first time mapped where people incarcerated in Maryland state prisons come from and how much Maryland taxpayers spend on their incarceration. The report includes detailed maps and information that can better inform investment decisions in these communities to help solve long-standing challenges and improve public safety.
The research was possible because of the data that was generated when Maryland implemented their No Representation Without Population law, ending prison gerrymandering. In order to count incarcerated people at home for redistricting purposes, the state needed to find out where incarcerated people live. Incarcerated people already had their addresses on file at the Department of Corrections, and the Maryland Planning Department mapped them all out in preparation for redistricting, then adjusted the population data the state received from the Census Bureau accordingly. By comparing the State's list of populations and the Census Bureau's reports we were able to show where the state focused its spending on incarceration.
As Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George's and Anne Arundel-21), one of the law's lead sponsors, put it:
"I introduced the No Representation Without Population Act to provide better data for redistricting purposes, and I'm now looking forward to using all the data and information generated by this law to directly enlighten future criminal justice policy choices in Maryland."
Additional data and links are available on our home communities page.
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Do prisons draw in Census money for their host communities? No.
We explain that prison gerrymandering is bad for democracy but federal & state aid are not impacted.
Prison-based Gerrymandering in Anamosa, Iowa
How a prison helped one man get elected with just two votes.


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The promotion starts from 1 January 2020 and ends on 30 June 2020.
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Selfie Gallery is open from 12nn - 7pm.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Foreign companies receiving money from Indian payers may not need a permanent account number (PAN)
by Majmudar & Partners | Jul 31, 2015
The provisions of section 90(2) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (the "Act") permit a non-resident to avail either the provisions of the Act or the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (the "DTAA"), whichever are more beneficial. There are various judicial precedents propounding the principle that beneficial DTAA provisions override the provisions of the Act.
However, with effect from April 1, 2010, a new section 206AA was introduced in the Act, which mandated that every recipient (including a non-resident) whose receipts were subject to tax withholding in India should provide a Permanent Account Number ("PAN") to the payer responsible in India for withholding taxes, failing which the payer should withhold tax at the rate of 20%. A PAN is a tax identification number allotted to taxpayers by the Indian tax authorities, and it is compulsory to quote the PAN on all tax returns and documents pertaining to financial transactions.
Section 206AA of the Act begins with the verbiage, "Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act…", and has been interpreted to override the entire Act, including the provisions of section 90(2) of the Act. Thus, in cases where a PAN is not made available, Indian tax payers deduct tax at the fixed rate of 20%, notwithstanding that the DTAA provides a reduced rate of say 10% or 15%.
Recently, in the case of Infosys BPO Limited (the "Taxpayer"), the Bangalore Bench of the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal (the "Tribunal") has held that section 206AA of the Act cannot override the provisions of the DTAA, especially if the provisions of the DTAA are more beneficial to the Taxpayer.
Brief Facts
The Taxpayer, engaged in business process outsourcing, made payments to various non-residents on account of interest, royalty and fees for technical services during the financial year and deducted withholding taxes as per the rates prescribed in the relevant DTAAs. The DTAA rates were used even when no PAN was provided by the non- resident recipient. During the course of tax assessment proceedings, the income tax officer (the "ITO") held the Taxpayer to be in default to the extent of short deduction of tax (being the difference between the tax rate applied as per the DTAA and the 20% rate under section 206AA of the Act).
Aggrieved, the Taxpayer filed an appeal before the Commissioner of Income-tax, (Appeals) (the "CIT(A)"). The CIT(A) agreed with the Taxpayer's stand. Aggrieved with the CIT(A)'s decision, the ITO preferred an appeal before the Tribunal.
Issue before the Tribunal
The question before the Tribunal was whether section 206AA of the Act overrides the provisions of a DTAA when a non-resident does not furnish a PAN, necessitating a withholding tax rate of 20% irrespective of the rate provided in the DTAA?
The Tribunal's Ruling
The Tribunal held that the tax liability of a non-resident cannot be more than the rate prescribed under the DTAA if the DTAA rate is lower than that in the Act. The Tribunal relied on the decisions of: (i) the Pune Income-tax Appellate Tribunal in Serum Institute of India Ltd. (TS-158-ITAT-2015(Pune)); and (ii) India's Supreme Court ("SC") in UOI v. Azadi Bachao Andolan and Others (2003) 263 ITR 706 (SC)), wherein it was held that the provisions of DTAAs prevail over the general provisions of the Act to the extent they are more beneficial to the taxpayer.
The Tribunal also observed that DTAAs entered into between India and various countries provide for a scope or rate of taxation that is different from the scope or rate prescribed under the Act. The charging sections of the Act (i.e., sections 4 and 5 of the Act), which deal with the principle of ascertainment of total income under the Act, are also subordinate to the principle enshrined in section 90(2) of the Act, as held by the SC in the Azadi Bachao case.
Reliance was also placed by the Tribunal on: (i) CIT v. Eli Lilly & Co. (2009) 312 ITR 225 (SC), wherein it was held that section 195 of the Act (which deals with withholding tax on payments made by Indian residents to non-residents) applies only to sums which are chargeable to tax under the Act; and (ii) GE India Technology Centre Pvt Ltd v. CIT (2010) 327 ITR 456 (SC)) wherein it was held that the provisions of the DTAAs, along with the sections 4, 5, 9, and 90 of the Act, are relevant while applying the provisions of withholding tax at source.
Based on the foregoing judicial rulings, the Tribunal upheld the CIT(A)'s order and stated that where the tax had been withheld on the strength of the beneficial provisions of the DTAA, the provisions of section 206AA of the Act could not be invoked by the ITO to insist on a tax withholding of 20%. The Tribunal held that section 206AA of the Act was not a charging section, but only a procedural provision dealing with collection and deduction of tax at source. Therefore, it could not override the charging sections, viz. sections 4 and 5 of the Act, let alone section 90(2) of the Act. The Tribunal's ruling went against the Bosch case (IT Appeal Nos. 552 to 558 (Bang.) of 2011), which had upheld the applicability of section 206AA of the Act. In the circumstances, the tax demand relatable to the difference between 20% and the actual tax rate on which tax was withheld by the taxpayer in terms of the relevant DTAA was deleted.
Majmudar's Comments
The implementation of section 206AA has resulted in undue hardship for non- residents, especially those who have had one-off transactions with Indian companies. On the other hand, Indian payers are also wary of the consequences of not withholding tax. For example, if tax is not withheld on payments as per the relevant provisions, including section 206AA, such payments will be treated as a non-tax deductible expense for the payers. In addition, a payer can also be declared as an "assessee in default" and be required to pay tax, interest and penalty thereon. Therefore, all Indian resident payers have taken a conservative view and have withheld tax at the higher rate in the absence of a PAN. This has left the income recipient with no alternative but to claim a refund from the Indian tax authorities.
In our view, this is welcome ruling. Nevertheless, the Tribunal's decision is appealable to the High Court, and until there is a High Court ruling in this matter, tax authorities will continue to insist on a PAN. However, the principle that beneficial DTAA provisions override the Act has been upheld.
An Analysis of India's Mediation Bill, 2021
by Neerav Merchant | Jan 14, 2022
Background In December 2021, the Union Law Minister tabled the draft Mediation Bill (the "Bill") in parliament. Due to significant opposition, the Bill was sent to the Committee on Law and Justice for further scrutiny. This article lists out some salient...
India's Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 – An Update
by Amrit Mehta, Rahul Datta, Swati Agrawal | Jan 7, 2022
Background In December 2019, India's Ministry of Electronics, and Information Technology tabled the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 (the "PDP Bill") in the Lok Sabha. However, the PDP Bill, as drafted, raised several issues and challenges in implementing a...
The Cryptocurrency Bill, 2021 – From Prohibition to Regulation
by N. Raja Sujith | Dec 16, 2021
Following the Indian Supreme Court decision in March 2020, under which the ban on cryptocurrencies was lifted, the Indian government brought out the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021. Although this bill was to be taken up for...
SEBI's proposed changes to preferential issue guidelines
by Rukshad Davar | Dec 10, 2021
The SEBI has released a consultation paper on the preferential issue guidelines prescribed under Chapter V of SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018 (the "ICDR Regulations"), along with the recommendations discussed below. Rukshad Davar,...
Reserve Bank of India announces tighter regulations for NBFCs in India
by Swati Agrawal | Dec 8, 2021
Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) form a major part of the financial system in India. Some large NBFCs like Indiabulls Group and Bajaj Finance have an asset size of more than INR 1 billion. Scheduled commercial banks and fund houses usually lend...
The case for social security benefits to gig workers in India
by Sinjini Majumdar | Oct 28, 2021
Recently, the Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers, a registered trade union federation representing app-based transport and delivery workers, filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in India's Supreme Court seeking social security benefits for delivery...


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Q: Openid redirect not working I tried this example for openid in
 http://weblogs.asp.net/haithamkhedre/archive/2011/03/13/openid-authentication-with-asp-net-mvc3-dotnetopenauth-and-openid-selector.aspx
I applied the same code in my newly created project , I get this error when i click the google icon in the logon page. I din change any code from the sample project I downloaded from this website, still I get this error .

A: This sounds just like an MVC controller problem. your Account controller is expected to have an Authenticate action. And since we're seeing a 404, I suggest you investigate what's wrong with your routes.
Keep in mind that this URL should respond to both GET and POST  requests.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Mission Majnu Full Movie Download Full HD 720p 1080P – Filmyzilla.
January 15, 2023 admin movies
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Mission Majnu is the codename for an Indian Special Forces operation that was conducted in 1970s. The operation targeted a compound believed to be used by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Pakistan-based militant group that has been responsible for several terrorist attacks in India.
The mission was successful, with several Jaish-e-Mohammed militants being killed and a large amount of weapons and explosives being seized. The operation was widely praised by Indian officials and the public.
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The film is expected to be a big hit at the box office and will likely be one of the biggest Bollywood releases of the year. With its intense action sequences, powerful performances, and emotional storyline, "Mission Majnu" is sure to leave audiences riveted and wanting more.
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08 May | Press Release | Central Alliance
Central Alliance exhibit at RAIL LIVE 2017
Rail Live is one of the largest outdoor rail exhibitions in Europe, offering companies the unique opportunity to demonstrate products and services in a real rail setting. The event will showcase everything from traction & rolling stock, rail plant and infrastructure, electrification and signalling demonstrations; to displays of engineering, rail maintenance materials & product development/testing safety, digital products and innovation. As a Rail Alliance member, Central Alliance will be exhibiting in the Rail Alliance marquee situated in the heart of the event space.
With the Rail Alliance regarded as an authority in matters relating to challenges faced by the UK rail supply chain and the challenges faced by SME's supplying into it, the show will very much reflect and demonstrate support for all the Rail Supply Group Workstreams. Throughout the two days there will be a comprehensive timetable of events and demonstrations taking place. Seminars and presentations (as part of the RAIL conference) will be delivered by high profile industry leaders and also experts in their fields.
Come and find out about all the technology-led pre-construction services that Central Alliance offer, enabling clients to achieve their project goals.
Date: Wed 21 to Thurs 22 June 2017
Where: Long Marston Airfield, Campden Road, Long Marston, Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire CV37 8LL.
Stand: A23 (Rail Alliance Marquee)


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Div 1 (Old)
Aberdeen 2 - 1 Kilmarnock
Kick Off: 3:00 PM Armstrong 25, Mills 40. Fraser (o.g.) 41
Venue: Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
WEAK FINISHING BY ABERDEEN
Team Gives Impression of Being Stale
LUCKY TO CARRY OFF POINTS
Aberdeen won as narrowly as the score suggests. All three goals were scored the first half, and only the fact that after the interval Kilmarnock seemed likely to draw level as Aberdeen did to increase their lead kept interest alive.
The Ayrshire men may consider themselves a trifle unfortunate not to get a division of the spoils, for twice they came within a fraction of snatching the equaliser. On the first occasion Williamson sent the ball smashing against the underside of the crossbar, and again in the closing minutes Gavin deflected a hard shot by Thomson against his own 'keeper.
Yet Aberdeen might have won by a convincing margin. They should have led by more than one goal at the interval. That they did not so was entirely due to the weak finishing of the forwards. The old fault of attempting to walk the ball into the net was again in evidence.
Too Close Play
Time and again they worked their way into the goalmouth when a shot would have proved more profitable.
Kilmarnock were no more impressive in the matter of finishing, but with them it was not a case of too close play but just bad finishing.
It was a poor game and the home players gave the impression that they were suffering from the effects of recent strenuous Cup and League games.
Smith kept a good goal for Aberdeen and had no chance with the shot that beat him, while Cooper was the sounder and more polished back. Although he made no vital errors, McGill did not inspire confidence.
Gavin, who came in for Falloon at centre-half, acquitted himself creditably in the role of third back, and gave Robertson, the Kilmarnock leader, few chances. Ritchie, who deputised for Thomson, also emerged from the game with credit. He worked hard in defence and was always ready to back up his forwards when opportunity arose.
Fraser seemed to tire quickly, and neither in defence nor attack did he reveal his best form.
Mills Impresses
Mills was Aberdeen's No. 1 forward, and along with Beattie, the Kilmarnock inside-left, shared the honours of the game. Mills was clever on the ball and distributed play skilfully.
McKenzie, who was injured in the first half went to outside right after the interval, butt although he was crippling badly, he got across several dangerous centres. Beynon was a hardworking forward, and it was unfortunate that he had to move into the inside berth.
Armstrong did not touch his best form and was not as quick as usual to seize a chance, while Lang, after a bright opening, rarely took the eye.
Hard-Working Defence
Kilmarnock had a hard-working defence, in which Leslie was outstanding. Miller had a number of good saves, and McClure did much valuable work when Aberdeen were on the offensive. Ross was a smart and enterprising left-half.
In Beattie Kilmarnock possessed a clever and dangerous inside forward. Williamson on the right was forceful, and Thomson was a fast and dangerous right wing raider.
Aberdeen opened the scoring after twenty minutes' play. A Mills slip saw Lang break away on the left. Miller could only push down the winger's shot and Armstrong was lying in position to place the ball in the net.
Immediately afterwards Lang again gave the centre a fine chance, but he sent wildly past. Mills secured Aberdeen's second goal five minutes from the interval after he and Lang had smartly worked their way through the defence.
From the re-centre Kilmarnock broke away and Fraser accidentally deflected a shot by Robertson past his own 'keeper.
Source: Press & Journal, 16th March 1936
Aberdeen Teamsheet: Smith, Cooper, McGill, Fraser, Gavin, Ritchie, Beynon, McKenzie, Armstrong, Mills, Lang.
Unused Subs:
Kilmarnock Teamsheet: Miller; Leslie, Milloy; Morton, McClure, Ross; Thomson, Williamson, Robertson, Seattle, Roberts
Referee: D. F. Reilly, Port Glasgow


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The series begins in U.C. 0001, at the very beginning of human space colonization, when a space colony called Laplace is destroyed during a ceremony hosted by the Federation's Prime Minister ushering in the Universal Century dating system. The main story takes place in UC 0096, sixteen years after the end of the One Year War, three years after the events of Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack, and 27 years before Mobile Suit Gundam F91.
The story revolves around Banagher Links, a seemingly normal boy living and going to school in the space colonies. His life changes one day when he meets a girl named Audrey Burne, as the encounter brings him into contact with a new Gundam and its connections to an item called "Laplace's Box."
Hajime Yatate
Yoshiyuki Tomino
Harutoshi Fukui
Series Cast
Yuko Kaida
Marida Cruz (voice)
Hiroki Touchi
Daguza Mackle (voice)
Takayuki Sugo
Cardeas Vist (voice)
Ayumi Fujimura
Mineva Lao Zabi / Audrey Burne (voice)
Watts Stepny (voice)
2010 | 7 Episodes
Season 1 of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn premiered on February 20, 2010.
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Original Name 機動戦士ガンダムUC(ユニコーン)
Certification -
Type Video
Original Language Japanese
tmdb983464
space4001
karaa


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Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 Episode 8 Episode 9 Episode 10
The lawyers of an elite Memphis law firm specializing in the most controversial landmark civil rights cases and led by legendary lawyer Elijah Strait and his brilliant daughter, Sydney Keller, take on the toughest David-and-Goliath cases while navigating their complicated relationship.
Director: Dean Georgaris, Michael Aguilar
Actors: Barry Sloane, Caitlin McGee, Jimmy Smits, Maameyaa Boafo, Michael Luwoye, Stony Blyden
Studio: David Janollari Entertainment, Universal Television
Networks: NBC
David Attenborough travels to the end of the earth, taking viewers on an extraordinary journey across the polar regions of our planet.
The State's Attorney's dedicated team of prosecutors and investigators navigates heated city politics and controversy head-on, while fearlessly pursuing justice.
Scott McCall, a high school student living in the town of Beacon Hills has his life drastically changed when he's bitten by a werewolf, becoming one himself. He must henceforth…
Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Letterkenny follows Wayne, a good-ol' country boy in Letterkenny, Ontario trying to protect his homegrown way of life on the farm, against a world that is constantly evolving around him….
A look at the personal and professional lives of the judges, lawyers, clerks, bailiffs and cops who work at an L.A. County courthouse.
Josh Futturman, a janitor by day/world-ranked gamer by night, is tasked with preventing the extinction of humanity after mysterious visitors from the future proclaim him the key to defeating the…
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
A raw and authentic look into the Los Angeles crime scene, going far inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. The show centers on four main characters:…
Stripped of everything, the survivors of a horrific plane crash must work together to stay alive. But the island holds many secrets.
Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a…
Three incoming freshman in a big-time, Midwestern college football program have to juggle football, girls, class and nonstop hazing.
A teenager is charged with lying about her rape allegation, but two determined investigative female detectives discover a far more sinister truth.
The military's brightest minds tackle the country's toughest legal challenges at the Marine Corps Base Quantico, where every attorney is trained as a prosecutor, a defense lawyer, an investigator, and…
The son of a notorious serial killer becomes an acclaimed criminal psychologist who uses his unique insight into how killers think to help the NYPD.
Running Wild with Bear Grylls
The famed survivalist takes A-list celebrities on journeys into the wildest locations around the world, forcing the stars to push their bodies and minds to the limit to successfully complete…
Genre: Action & Adventure, Reality
Follows the lives and families of three adults living and growing up in the United States of America in present and past times. As their paths cross and their life…
Jonathan Ames, a young Brooklyn writer, is feeling lost. He's just gone through a painful break-up, thanks in part to his drinking, can't write his second novel, and carouses too…
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Mick St. John is a captivating, charming and immortal private investigator from Los Angeles, who defies the traditional blood-sucking norms of his vampire tendencies by using his wit and powerful…
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Doll and Em
Doll & Em is a British comedy series starring real-life friends Emily Mortimer (Em) and Dolly Wells (Doll), filmed in the style of a reality TV show. After a breakup,…
A comedy set in the offices of Heaven Inc. When God plans to destroy the Earth, two low-level angels must convince their boss to save humanity. They bet him they…
Kristen Bell is giving one high school musical cast from 20 years ago the chance for a nationally televised Encore!
Meet Savi, a successful career woman working toward the next phase in her life — both professional and personal — simultaneously bucking for partner at her law firm while she…
Undercover Billionaire
Billionaire Glenn Stearns attempts a monumental challenge that most would claim is impossible. Follow this self-made mogul to see if he can build a million-dollar company in just 90 days.
Floyd Mooney is a young African-American comedian whose star is on the rise. But the path to stardom is a minefield that Floyd must navigate to maintain his credibility while…
In the criminal justice system, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known…
Trailer: Bluff City Law
Episodes ----- Incorrect episode Broken link Others
Contents ----- Incorrect details Wrong images Others


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Gaming Block (Game Discussion Thread) (Totally Not Roller's Block)
Author Topic: Gaming Block (Game Discussion Thread) (Totally Not Roller's Block) (Read 315636 times)
Tyrant Leviathan
Re: Gaming Block (Game Discussion Thread) (Totally Not Roller's Block)
Well I cannot find the other Pangaea notes. But on trip to doctor thought I'd something. Super Heroes, my way.
Besides naming and character info, only four things.
1: How useful powers are ( die roll of 20 sides)
2: How many? ( up to 30)
3: How powerful it actually is ( die 100)
4: Weakness: Got to have one. It needs to be serious.
Aside that no dice, just role playing it out and tossing stat numbers aside. ( which is a huge deal for me as I usually stat the hell out of everything.)
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=170442.0
^- Hub to current rpg.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=110287.3330 Can check out my other ideas.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=171514.0 Current Arms race idea.
Pangaea Science Fiction:
Doing Orbiter. Rest
Prophets of the Wastes: Post apocalypse nomad tribes due to great disaster. What holds them together is faith and the need to survive.
Genesis: Humanity is extinct. New Humans, artificial took their place.
Thug: This time gangs managing themselves to survive some mean streets.
Network: Here the setting is a Geo Ark, massive underground structure as life above is just, really bad now. Several groups, trying to maintain life and order. Though the blame of who caused the disaster has made people really bitter and judge mental. Soon, groups are formed.
Cities on Wheels: Due to disaster the last human hubs (they consider anyway) are massive Hub cities that go around, harvesting resources and killing other Hub cities for their resources besides armies of bandits and kaiju mobsters that want to eat said cities of their energy. ( This and Geo Ark are in reality in same world.)
Nu Eden: A ship made it to habitable planet. People are divided into six camps. Humanists, Masters, High Born, Evolutionaries, Cybermancers, And Post Humans. The six contesting which way is the best.
Society: Humanity rules the Solar System with a ruler. It's all Feudal as 4 houses conptete for that damn throne. Game of Thrones, sci fi And in space.
Digital Hellhound
Since it's SPORTS SEASON and there's some kind of ball-kicking contest going around, I'd like to introduce a game idea/system I've been toying with: THE ELEMENTALIST GAMES. Inspired by various sports (I'm a hockey guy, to be honest, but there's football in there too) and the Pro Bending in Legend of Korra, it's an exciting sports management suggestion game of magic and glory! Ahem:
Long ago, the wise and mighty dragons gifted Men, the people of the Earth, power over the three Elements, to be used for balance, harmony and good in the world... but that's enough ancient history - it's time for another season of the most exciting, most entertaining, most exceptional mage sport worldwide... THE ELEMENTALIST GAMES!
That's right - starting today, you get to join us for a long and bountiful season of the Games, live and unfiltered on AstralCast! So get your tickets now and put in your bets... there'll be no stopping the action now! We've got a lot of strong teams this year, but only one will go on to claim the Dragon Cup. Who'll it be? We've got our eye on a few teams, from champions of the past to fresh challengers at their first shot at the prize. Only the team with the best players, the best coaching staff, the best management can triumph!
Let's take a look at one of the most promising teams in the running this year. Their new manager has a lot of expectations on their shoulders, whether from the fans, the players or the owners... only time will tell if they can fulfill those expectations and help bring home the Cup!
Spoiler: What's all this then, eh? (click to show/hide)
Your exciting, thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to manage a team in a season of a magic sport, where players battle with the powers of Air, Fire and Water to honor the Dragons of old, in a world where magitek takes the place of modern technology. Manage players, fans, shadowy sponsors and rival teams, win matches and make your way into the finals for a chance at the Dragon Cup and immortality!
This would be a suggestion game. You wouldn't have direct control over players in their matches, but you'll decide on strategies, manage them, decide on pep talks, so forth, plus manage the team outside their games in various ways. The exact mechanics are explained below.
Spoiler: The Elementalist Games (click to show/hide)
The Elementalist Games, usually just referred to as 'the Games', are the world's biggest sport and the obsession of millions. It's a team sport, where lines of three players face off, attempting to break through to the opponents' end of the field to light one of three lanterns on a rotating pole with elemental magics. Once all three Lanterns are lit, your team wins the game. If time runs out - an hour of playtime divided into two periods – the game goes into overtime, followed by a series of 'shootout' timed attempts on the Lanterns to decide the game.
Each Lantern must be lit with a precise and accurate sigil crafted using a corresponding elemental magic - the Air Lantern with Air, the Water Lantern with Water, the Fire Lantern with Fire. The three elements of the Games correspond to the three Elements given to Man by the Dragons in ages past, though the average man on the street is unlikely to know or care about that. Officially, the Games are held in the Dragons' honor, and those Dragons who still live seem to like them well enough.
Players on the field use their magic against each other as well, though there are some limits on what kind of attacks are acceptable. This has led injuries being common, and the occasional death every year. Physical attacks are strictly forbidden, on the other hand - this is a game of mages and magic skill, not one for commoner ruffians.
Spoiler: Mechanics (click to show/hide)
Matches are split into two halves of ten Rounds. Each Round, the Lines cycle between the teams' 4 different ones, unless a Line is directed to stay on for longer than usual.
The game begins with a Duel: the centers of the two opposing Lines facing off in a contest of elemental magic - Fire, Air, or Water, depending on the turn of the die. The winner's Line takes the offensive.
On the offensive, the players of a Line roll d6s, plus (or minus) their Offensive Play modifier. Various strategies or situations may further modify the result. The total is compared to the defenders' Defensive Play rolls.
With 1 Degree of Success (1-4 over the defenders' total), the offensive continues. The attackers pressure the defenders and maneuver themselves into an advantageous situation, receiving a bonus for their next Round's attack.
With 2 Degrees of Success (5-9 over the defenders' total), the offensive breaks through, and the attackers receive 1 Lighting Opportunity.
With 3 Degrees of Success (10-14 over the defenders' total), the attackers receive 2 Lighting Opportunities.
With the rare 4 Degrees of Success (15-19 over the defenders' total), the attackers receive 3 Lighting Opportunities.
Potentially, I might scrap the 1 DoS 'offensive bonus' result and instead have it give 1 Opportunity, with 2 DoS giving 2, 3 DoS 3, 4 DoS 4, etc...
With 1 Degree of Failure (1-4 under the defenders' total), the defense blocks all attacks, but the offensive continues.
With 2 Degrees of Failure (5-9 under the defenders' total), the defense pushes out of their zone and goes on the offensive in turn.
With 3+ Degrees of Failure (10-14 under the defenders' total), the defense rushes out of their zone in a lightning breakaway, gaining a Breakaway Opportunity and going on the offensive.
When a Line gains an Opportunity, a player is chosen at random to try and score by blasting the opponents' Lantern with appropriate magic. In this, they roll a d6 plus (or minus) their appropriate Control modifier (Fire, Air, or Water). With 6 or more, they score, lighting the Lantern. With 12 or more, they have a chance to do a Double Lighting, simultaneously scoring on two of the enemy Lanterns, or simply a particularly spectacular lighting. A natural 1 is always a miss - even the masters can't always get it right!
Injuries and Penalties
Every player on the field tests to inflict Injuries and to evade Penalties for both halves of the game... or every Round of the game. This is something I'm struggling to make both simple and tied to the stats of the players. Currently, the players roll d6s, adding their Aggression modifiers, with a 6 or more being a hit, 10 or more two hits, and possibly 12 or more three hits. Each of these hit is allocated to one of the opposing players on the field at the time, who then roll d6+Physique against the attacker's d6+Aggression. They may either shrug it off, receive a bruise that weakens them slightly for the rest of the game, a Minor Injury which weakens them even further, a Major Injury, or a Severe Injury. Rarely, they may even die (which stops the game). The worse the injury, the longer it'll take to heal from it, and Major and up will remove the player from the match.
The players also test Discipline to avoid penalties. Here, d6+Discipline is rolled, with a result of less than 6 a penalty, and so forth. Inflicted injuries add a penalty to Discipline rolls, as those kinds of hits are more likely to result in penalties being called. These penalties are not necessarily from attacks, but may also represent other rule-breaking (I have a list, but there's no mechanical difference).
Aggressive players are thus useful in clearing out and weakening skilled opponents, but they also bring the risk of penalties. A penalty usually results in the offending player sitting the next Round out, allowing the victims to play 3 against 2 for a while.
There's quite a bit to keep track of here, which is why I'm not happy with it. In any case...
Every player has stats, as below:
Offensive Play: Skill as an offensive player, used when your line is on the offensive.
Defensive Play: Skill as a defensive player, used when your line is on the defensive.
Fire Control: Skill with the elemental magic of Fire, used in Fire Duels and Fire Lantern Opportunities.
Air Control: Skill with the elemental magic of Air, used in Air Duels and Air Lantern Opportunities.
Water Control: Skill with the elemental magic of Water, used in Water Duels and Water Lantern Opportunities.
Aggression: Chance of attacking another player with magic, and the strength of said attack.
Discipline: Chance of playing clean and avoiding penalties.
Physique: Taking hits, endurance, recovering from injuries.
Growth: Learning, growing as a player, and the height of your potential.
Fame: How famous you are. Famous players may expect better pay and draw in bigger crowds and sponsors.
An average player has +2 or +3 in most stats. +4 or +5 represent great skill, with +6 an exceptional talent. Players with multiple +6 stats are world-class stars.
Star Players are particularly exceptional individuals who may have Special Traits, such as always dealing a harsher injury on their victims, being great at shootouts, or being prone to politically insensitive remarks about non-human races that keep landing you in hot water with the media.
So, basically, you can have all kinds of players: skilled snipers who score practically every time but are small and flimsy enough to be mangled by the slightest hit, all-round solid players with no weaknesses but no outstanding strengths either, good attackers who lack in defense or the other way around, aggressive and brutal enforcers, highly-disciplined players who you might wish would deal out more hits, masters of one element but incompetents in the others, eccentric and media-friendly stars who aren't your best but bring in the crowds, and so forth. Each might have their own issues and flaws, which might make them a risky proposition to take on, however great their skills. Some might look weak, but have great Growth and thus great future potential; others might be strong but old and tired, with negative Growth sapping their skill every year.
The idea is to manage your Lines so that you put the best people in the right places - skilled Controllers up centre to win Duels, defensive Lines to hold off the opponent's star offensive ones, aggressive enforcers when you really want someone on the enemy team dead, and so forth. You could further affect the play and rolls with Strategies and Pep Talks before the game and in the intermission.
Team morale is represented by Confidence and Cohesion. Low Confidence (usually the result of long losing streaks, player injuries or deaths, poor management, and the like) results in Play penalties, while high Confidence (winning, good management, and the like) results in bonuses. However, very high Confidence actually turns right back to penalties, as your players get all too cocky and overconfident! Cohesion represents the chemistry and internal happiness of your team - how well the players play together. Interpersonal conflicts, new players, and the like lower Cohesion, while playing together for long periods and getting along well increases it, with corresponding effects on Play.
I could see some further player involvement elements working here - letting players be Sponsors, or suggest their own players for the team, or somesuch. Rewards for in-character posts of 'live' commentary, analysis, news articles, fan noise, etc, could be rewarded with extra XP for players or bonuses in certain places, that sort of thing. There's also the option of doing this as a multiplayer game with each player claiming a team, but that would be a lot more work.
The mechanical side would be just one part of it, obviously. There'd be exciting intrigues and choices, personal issues to take care of, delving deep into the details of managing a magic sports team. I'd probably also do a World Championships intermission, where you'd get to manage the national team of one of the world's realms in an Olympics/World Cup-style contest.
So, thoughts, comments, ideas? I've been tinkering with these kinds of management systems for a while, and this is one I could see myself enjoying running for a while.
Quote from: Owlbread on August 07, 2015, 04:37:59 pm
Russia is simply taking an anti-Fascist stance against European Nazi products, they should be applauded. ¡No parmesan!
Thinking of a spin off from sci fi Pangaea called the Society. In which one is either Emperor (or empress) A ruling Lord or Lady, orba young upstart noble trying to make it big in stellar empire.
It will be Pangaea style, but single faction/SG affair that players all run course of one character at a time. What is different from Pangaea is Society has no Arms Race research stuff and managing pc and npc relations as key. Organic lore build too. Just working on stats, gear and stuff. Probably in the Fall.
IronyOwl
Nope~
Quote from: Digital Hellhound on July 09, 2018, 06:38:46 pm
System's too complex for me to grasp without chewing on it a while, so I'd recommend including some hearty examples. I don't think I'd be able to comment on the specifics without running a few trials.
I'm curious about the focus and longterm flow of the game. I get from the mechanics that they're centered on play-by-play decisionmaking and consequences (I think?), but I'm curious if that's what the game is mainly about and what happens in between. How do we recruit/train/manage our players? Do they whine at us about not getting enough screentime and demand higher pay, or act as mostly interchangeable pegs? What's the format for arranging matches, and how does that lead into the big leagues but presumably not quickly?
Quote from: Radio Controlled (Discord)
A hand, a hand, my kingdom for a hot hand!
Quote from: Ozarck on January 02, 2021, 01:32:20 pm
The kitchenette mold free, you move on to the pantry. it's nasty in there. The bacon is grazing on the lettuce. The ham is having an illicit affair with the prime rib, The potatoes see all, know all. A rat in boxer shorts smoking a foul smelling cigar is banging on a cabinet shouting about rent money.
Quote from: IronyOwl on July 11, 2018, 03:03:34 pm
I answered a lot of this here, committing filthy cross-forum postings. I'll get a concrete test/example thing up to show it in action here or there soonish.
As for the fall project. It is a SG sort of thing, takes place in far space expanding future and there are multiple tiers for playing. Also, character stats, faction stats, and a actual resource chart I am working on.
Easiest character tier to hardest
Slave: Sounds weird but it's all missions. Either as gladiator, soldier, crew member, builder, or soldier. Also your a post human. Artificial made being. All gear and living conditions are free. But no freedom of employment.
Free: No Imperial ties. A operative of their own design, small fries though unless make big moves.
Banner Folk: Term for those who directly serve a noble house.
Young noble: Noble born, trying to be the best around.
Adult Noble: Have access to a important business in the Empire. Nobles do have it harder as they must deal with the other houses.
Archons: Those who serve Inperium by controlling armies or governing whole worlds.
Eidolon: These people serve the Imperial Throne, directly. Very high budget and luxuries. But got to appeal to the boss and try to stay alive.
Sovereign/Emperor/Empiress/Etc: Oh Hell, the top. Get to decide damn near anything as your word is law and full power of the Inperium is yours. As long you show you do your job well, people are healthy and you can deal with upstarts who seek your position. The top is nice, but so many things that need to be done.
Yeah first three are adventuring sorts of rod. The rest get more tactics/politics and strategy.
Mainly trying to get notes together and resources spreadsheets.
Also in this game there are different stat charts.
Emperor has personal stats (all Ha s this.)
Faction stats ( this case the Empire, Nobles, their House. Eidolons, their resources.)
Exclusive to Top: Public relations: How well your likes by those in Imperium. Military, Church, Commoners, Criminal Element and individual houses. Needless to say, cannot please all.
The others mainly first listed have to worry about their own skin and fear. The list of stuff goes up accordingly.
Also working on a Perk/ Flaw/ Title System based on how the players act and what it does for gameplay.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2018, 11:04:47 pm by Tyrant Leviathan »
New games.
Ruins Series: Finite combat games.
Finite in rounds, and resources.
Ruin Space: Salvaging ships, really dangerous alien ones.
Ruin Scape: Either exploring alien ruins or combat in human cities.
Ruin Tech: Army fighting, includes vehicles.
The City: Fantasy rpg That is very different. Classes are jobs. Stuff like plumbers, electriana, stone workers, carpenters, and etc. a sort of rpg community thing ( three jobs deal with weapons directly.)
Spark of Creation: Sci fi rpg. You get to play Frankenstein and make your own creations ( not Genius though. Something else.)
Haspen
Cthuwu
So when you will make those games? v:
SigFlags!
Fire Emblem on Forums: 8! + 6re!
Quote from: Draignean@Spamkingdom+
Truly, we have the most uniquely talented spy network in all existence.
Quote from: mightymushroom@Spamkingdom#
Please tell me the Royal Physician didn't go to the same college as the Spymaster.
When I get free time and my file card back. Also thinking of warping up the current games I am on. One has promise, the other will get haste's.
Also doing this college thing so not always one hundred percent game making right now. When I have time, I will. Two game slots now.
God Quest is going to get haste's.
Orbiter, can hold out but it can end really quickly depending on what happens.
Also, depends which game everyone wants to play. Thinking a single player/group suggestion thing, but some of course, have multi player.
Edit: The space game with player tiers is Throne of Stars, made a fantasy version called Master of Gaia. The concept down, working on meat and potatoes. In Master there is King Maker, Conqueror and Dynasty modes.
Last one (for real)
Story/ Suggestion game. Plot is a WW situation between three sides. You are to pick which side your on as we narrate the war and it's affects based on character interactions and just trying to stay alive.
And based on everyone's top three favs of what I posted is what will show up in the future.
Notice: Due to activity in Arms Race games going to make God Quest over. In a little. Lack of activity in Orbiter. It can get ending though.
As for games to make.
It will be three. You guys pick the three, I will do them.
_DivideByZero_
Not to be confused with infinity
Here's a concept for a magic system based on radio electronics. As for what the magic spells actually do... well, it's another Magic University game so I suppose players will pick them up as they go.
Magic types are divided into Wave Magic (programming of staves and magic guns and all sorts of equipment), Wind Magic (using your nervous system as a staff), and Ghost Magic (listening to spirits), although there are three other types of magic in the system that aren't directly tied to the mechanics (yet) called Ignition, Harmony, and Artifice. Perhaps I'll end up writing a spoiler for each magic type and just explaining the mechanics independently, to make the system easier for players to learn.
Radio life is basically a silicon-based biology that grows in the setting. It is the dominant lifeform on the planet.
Spoiler: Spoiler'd for neatness (click to show/hide)
Your level in the corresponding category of magic determines the number of sides on your die.
Lv. 0 uses a d4
Lv. 3 uses a d10
At Lv. 5 and up, you get extra dice to roll. You can use these on the same action or you can split your actions.
Lv. 5 gets a d12 and a d6
Lv. 7 gets a d12 and a d10
Lv. 8 gets 2d12
...and so on.
Generally speaking, magic is communication. The difficulty in getting your command through depends on a number of factors, including distance, the number of people competing for bandwidth, and the amount of random magical noise due to spirits and radio life.
The base Noise Threshold is a measly 2. Roll above a 1 and your signal gets through. However the difficulty rises if you are trying to convey your message at any range outside of direct contact; there will also sometimes be noise in the environment, and an omnidirectional signal will scatter all over, deadening the signal compared to a focused one.
This last factor is called Gain,
Quote from: Range Table
Noise threshold increases based on distance:
+0 within touch distance
+1 within a meter
+2 within ~5 meters
+3 within ~25 meters
+4 within ~100 meters
+10 within ~1km
and +1 for every 100m past that.
Quote from: Noise Sources
Objects in the environment can be sources of noise. These include:
-Other people. You must roll higher for your spell to win over. If you tie, then both spells are drowned in noise.
-Radio life. You can determine the level ambient noise through various techniques such as asking a spirit or by testing how far an un-aimed spell will reach.
-Dissipative matter. Conductive particles in the air will scatter and negate your signal. Likewise, metal reflects all magic, so the noise threshold through a metal shield will be high, although not necessarily infinite.
Quote from: The Gain Principle
Gain is a measure of how focused your signal is. A signal with 0 Gain is omnidirectional. Every level of Gain beyond that will be more focused. Spreading your energy out over half the area doubles the strength of your signal. Twice the signal strength adds a +1 to your roll.
Wave magic provides gain through the use of an antenna. Wavegears, staves, and rods all contain structures that are designed to focus magic. Wavegears usually contain pre-programmed spells, but they can be trained to capture your own signals with enough work. Each wavegear provides a fixed gain, so a +1 staff will provide +1 Gain and so on.
Wind magic aims to solve this through the use of Mandalas: A circular structure of ordered mist, which you command to rebroadcast your signal. The size of your mandala increases its gain. Twice the area provides twice the focus. Hence, constructing a larger Mandala grants you an advantage. However, a Mandala functions as a single unit, hence its larger area will receive a stronger signal from whatever it happens to be pointed at.
A Mandala provides a gain equivalent to the noise penalty of a distance one step higher than its diameter, per the Range table. So a ~1m Mandala will provide +2 Gain, and ~a 5m Mandala will provide +3 Gain, and so on.
Ghost magic solves this through the use of helper spirits; a spirit functions in the same way as a Mandala, based on its size. Larger spirits will be more intelligent and more difficult to command due to their size. However, Ghost magic can also solve the problem of distance, by having the spirit cross the distance itself and rebroadcast your signal.
Finally, if multiple are competing to cast a spell on the same area, the one with the highest roll succeeds. Thus, the aim of every battle is to control distance, use fresh matter, and increase your gain through manipulating the magical environment.
Spell Power on the other hand, scales inversely with gain. Focusing your spells is a great way to successfully cast a spell, but the power scales with the volume of mist that you manipulate.
Strictly speaking, every point of Gain you have will halve the power of a spell. Every point of Distance you have will double the power of a spell. Hence, you want to use low gain at short ranges, and high gain at longer ranges. But a high-gain sweep can drown out your signal, making it difficult to cast the spell in the first place. It is all a matter of outsmarting your opponent in battle. For mundane purposes, the amount of energy you can successfully manipulate is mostly based on ambient noise levels and the amount of people competing for that same energy. Once the energy in an area is fully used up, it will take hours if not days to fully regenerate, hence be careful when going wild.
Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? (Gal 4:16)
Woah, that's a pretty original take on magic. May I ask how this idea came to you? Radio waves and magic don't often get mentioned in the same sentence.