Date:	2006-02-22 00:10
Subject:	I'm even sorrier this time than last.
Security:	Public
Mood:	determined

Here, at long last, is the update for weeks LIV - LXI. Title in caps, winners in bold. Where the votes on two fites in the same week add up to different totals the greater one has been decided by a tie-breaker.

Week LIV
COLOR vs. TORTURE (8-6)
Fundraising vs. Catchphrase (5-9)
Badass vs. Cool (6-8)
Olives vs. The Concept Of Olives (9-5)

Week LV (best of semester IV)
MASS vs. ACCELERATION (5-9)
THOUGHT vs. THE BLUES (9-5)
ADULTERY vs. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR (5-9)
NAKED vs. LOST (5-9)
WAYS vs. CURVES (9-5)

Week LVI
LAW vs. VIRTUE (7-16)
Karate vs. Tetris (10-13)
Wheels vs. Thighs (8-15)
Prayer vs. Fame (14-9)

Week LVII
CHARISMA vs. CONSTITUTION (6-7)
Prohibition vs. Screen Time (8-4)
Scandal vs. Reserve (4-8)
The God Of War vs. War Hero (4-8)

Week LVIII
TITLE vs. FIGHT (5-14)
Asylum vs. Grizzly Bears (10-4)
Paper vs. Subtlety (7-12)
Architecture vs. Analysis (11-8)

Week LIX
TWIST vs. EDGE (4-8)
Gypsies vs. Tunnels (6-7)
Ruckus vs. Chambers (5-7)
Manipulation vs. Reputation (6-7)

Week LX
HEART vs. LEGITIMACY (6-4)
Whisky vs. Arrows (3-7)
Make Up vs. Knock Up (2-8)
Shame vs. Playfulness (4-6)

Week LXI
BUGS vs. PLANETS (4-8)
Dust vs. Fruit (4-8)
The President vs. The Fool (5-7)
Patience vs. Meddling (7-6)

The Tuesday Nite "Fite"s, Wk. LIII
CURRENT vs. MASS (8-7)
Shelf vs. Stealth (5-10)
Hustle vs. Bustle (9-6)
Ya Win Some, Ya Lose Some vs. Failure Is Not An Option (8-7)

This will be not only a ramble, but a very early morning ramble. Hopefully the great amounts of coffee I have consumed to further my Augustine-reading ability will increase my mental acuity and clarity. The inspiration for this rant came to me through my Sophomore Language class with the incomparable Mr. Nambiar. In our discussions of Oedipus Rex Mr. Nambiar tried to find a non-Freudian and yet non-literal interpretation of the text. In order to further this end he had us attempt a classification of all linguistic phenomena. This eventually led to the formation of many sets of opposites into which such phenomena might fall. This Pythagorean task reminded me of the distinct divisions which make up the bulk of Fite Theory. (I also had reason to bring up the Prior vs. Superior in discussion of the One in Plotinus, which led to a fruitful and though-provoking discussion.) So here we go:
The distinctions which have been set up so far in Fite Theory seem to fall into two categories, those with stated opposites and those without. The prime example of those with Fite-like opposition is Prior/Superior, and the prime example of a simple distinction is Pointless Romanticism. Firstly I would like to suggest that there are natural opposites to even these simple distinctions, the opposite of Pointless Romantic being perhaps Soulless Pragmatic, and the opposite of Candy-Shopper being something like a Third Person Fiter, someone who divorces himself completely from his own preference. As to the negativity of these opposites, and the possible Aristotelian mean I will leave that to further consideration and comment.
Secondly, I would like to look closely at the already opposed distinctions and propose a few more. The obvious place to start is with the Prior and the Superior, since that is the opposition which turns up most often in the ol' Nelson Room. I think that this opposition is also the one which is the most misquoted seeing as it has a built in value judgment in the word "superior." The purpose of the Tuesday Nite Fites is to select the superior concept, so obviously if this is an opposition in a straight literal sense then nobody who believes in it should ever vote for what is prior. In my eyes at least the Prior/Superior conflict is more one of possibility. Certainly it is possible for the Prior concept to be the Superior as well,or not as the case may be. The opposition exists in the possible division rather than in the necessary division. If you espouse the recent statement concerning Friction by Erikk, ("Too subtle to be serious?"), then you would believe that whatever is so subtle could not be the superior concept, but it would also be possible to see subtlety as conceptual power and so vote for that which is the most subtle. The opposition can and does exist, but it is one for personal preference and thought.
Perhaps still within the structure of P/S is the distinction that can be made between Nature and Art. Many Fites come down to something which is naturally occurring and uncontrollable (e.g. friction, gravity, acceleration, etc.), and something created and controllable (e.g. furniture, words, politics, etc.). Again there must be a personal preference in this, but I would propose that the conceptual power is greater in those things which we have a more complete understanding of, and which we have made using the conceptual organs of our brains. This comes down to the Geanikkis Friction Postulate, so it could easily be argued against with an argument for the power of subtlety.
I have just come down off of my caffeine buzz, and this is going on fairly long, so I'll cut it off here and post more of it later. Also, if you have any Fite Theory of your own please post it, so the issue can be addressed more fully with the hope that it will inform the voting process and make the Fites more enjoyable. Please add P/S, N/A, and GFP to your Fite vocab. That is all. I sleep now.

Schuyler

Date:	2005-11-20 15:16
Subject:	Once again, here it is.
Security:	Public
Mood:	working
Music:	The disturbing background noise of werewolves

Schuyler Sturm here.
Alright. I am a slacker and I will be the first person to admit it. I was the last person to say it, but nobody else could really admit that it was true. Therefore I am the first. This will not be a commentary of any sort, but rather just a review of the past couple of weeks and a posting of the results. I should get back into doing commentary in the not too distant future, in concordance with the promised publicity blitz. That will be after Thanksgiving. The Time That I Have has not been aligning with the Work I Want To Do, especially with the girlfirend and various other issues. Regardless, I am now resolved to effect a complete resurrection of TNF.

Wk. XLVIII
XERXES vs. CAESAR (8-7)
On TheTable vs. Wide Open (10-5)
Naked vs. Chains (8-7)
Recollection vs. Conversion (6-9)

Wk. XLIX
RACISM vs. LOST (7-8)
Overkill vs. Underbelly (6-9)
Breast Milk vs. Riot (9-6)
Exile vs Gag Order (11-4)

Wk. L
CHERNOBYL vs. ST. PETER (8-13)
Cell Phone vs. Switchblade (10-11)
The Skinny vs. On The Sly (11-10)
Bread vs. Skeleton (8-13)

Wk. LI
MEDICINE vs. ACCELERATION (12-7)
Balls vs. Words (7-12)
Cadillac vs. Mayhem (4-15)
Risk vs. Diplomacy (12-7)

Wk. LII
WAYS vs. CURVES (12-12)*
The Good Shave vs. A Parking Ticket (19-5)
Fistfight vs. Make-out Party (13-11)
Cages vs. Boots (11-13)
*Due to online voting this fite became unresolved after voting closed. When a tiebreaker takes place it will be posted.

Many thanks to April for keeping online voting online. No Fites this week on account of Thanksgiving, but the Tuesday after Thanksgiving we will be in the Nelson Room in BBC at 9:15. Be there.

I will keep this short and bitter, since last time it was so long and touching.

The same problems cited in the famed Middlemarch-themed goodbye letter this past January have arisen anew. In getting kicked out of the Nelson Room, and in general, with 6/7ths of the War Room Council Contingency being seniors, the impetus to continue the Tuesday Nite "Fites" has waned.

To quote the TNF charter:

Should there be irreconcilable discord in the Council, the archon will impeach all Council members (including himself, if necessary) and appoint a new Council. (II.A.3.)

Having arrived at an impasse in the discussion of TNF's immediate future, tonite's War Room came down to a take it or leave it ultimatum: either stay and script this evening's Fites, or go. Mr. Geannikis, Mr. Steiner, Mr. Kronberg, and Mr. Quinn thereby resigned their archonships, and left the interim War Room Council with Mr. Sturm, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Vecchiolla. Because Mr. Sturm is The Future, he takes Mr. Geannikis's vacated position of Head Archon, and has pledged to begin the process of forming a new War Room Council, conducting a publicity assault, and beginning TNF anew.

Because the club is in his computerless hands, absentee voting is suspended indefinitely. TNF Wk XLVIII is still on, as far as I know, in McDowell 12. I apologize to all enthusiastic absentee voters, don't lose hope, check this journal and the away message of the SN TuesdayNiteFites for any news.

Next time you read this journal it will be news from a newly structured club, with a new War Room, with a new life.


Erikk M. Geannikis

Since we have been banished to the depths of McDowell, many people seem to have forgotten that The "Fites" exist, and demand your attention. Just when I thought voting totals couldn't get any worse, they did. Now, I'm not really complaining, just observing. Would the totals bounce back if we were back in Barr-Buchanan? But how does that account for the lowest absentee total ever (6)? That's okay. These four bouts were heavy as ever, as the War Room Council "slipped it in the 2-Hole" and delivered a "thick card." Without ado, here's take 47, Title in caps, winners in bold, scores in parenthesis.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XLVII

MAGNETS vs. DEATH (11-15)
Medieval Times vs. Shenanigans (8-18)
Arson vs. Adultery (11-15)
History vs. Revolution (10-16)

Notables: J-Cop 2-2; Dalton 2-2; Margot 3-1; Clax 2-2; Abrille 3-1; Small Nick 1-3; Vec 3-1; Max 3-1; G-Hink 3-1; Bea 2-2; Toph 0-4; Throop 2-2; Erikk 2-2; Julia 1-3; Schuy 0-4; Kayla 3-1; D Vidal 1-3; Alanna 3-1; Jeanette 2-2; Jesse Miksic (R) 2-2. Congratulations to Willy Walford, Ben Hoffman, Jones, Sven, O'Keefe, and Christian Mansfield for their trip to 4-0. 26, 20 on-site. (wh--?)

Commentary: The Seminar bout was both inspired and tainted by Karl Marx, whose conception of the true Communist Revolution as the end of history skewed seniors' thinking a bit. Revolutions seemed to be contained within history, and some even claimed that History was simply a collection of revolutions. But we also speak of revolutions as changing or making history. These common phrases, along with "history repeating" were discussed at good length, but this Fite more than any seemed to rely on how you choose to slice history: whether it be the product of historians, or the undeniable collective events of the past. Also, revolution carries extreme significance in astronomy, and really all mechanics. The Brian Jones "Fite" was delightfully supplemented by R. Kelly's music video "In The Closet: Ch.1-5." A true gem of filmmaking, dealing with the prevalence and character of adultery, also included a casual arson reference by the film's beretta-toting protagonist, making it the true Arson vs. Adultery video. Because R.Kelly gave us the hit "I Believe I Can Fly" from the movie Spacejam, Chris Bea was able to use Michael Jordan's character in said cartoon-real people combo as another emblem of this "Fite." It ran something like: Spacejam showed how Michael Jordan's affair with baseball was wrong, and, in his return to his true love of basketball, he burned the house down. The 2-Hole is sort of a battle of theme restaurants, with Shenanigans being the hypothetical restaurant "with all the shit on the walls" from Super Troopers. (TNF: Now with more pop culture!) We had a tough time putting our finger on what actual shenanigans might be, but I postulated that Medieval Times, the restaurant at least, was really just shenanigans anyway. Is this a reflection of how the real age must've been? Some said no, and that the abject poverty and constant violence of the real Medieval Times held some real conceptual power, though nothing really went on.

Ah, the Title. Little Nick Steiner is so cute that it's hard to say no to him, and that's really why we took his idea for bringing in the forever-avoided concept of Death to combat Magnets. But, as "Fites" usually go, it soon became apparent that Magnets were a true match. Because their nature is one of eternal yearning and striving for wholeness, they are really always active. Death, confined to organic material (since everything else seems to be relating a cessation of internal motion by analogy, e.g. my computer is dead), might not be as far-reaching as magnets, though it is certainly inevitable. It is difficult to lock up a prior vote on this, since, as HST had suggested, "everything ebbs and flows in accordance with the great magnet." And, really, aren't the things we look for in life the immortal ones?


Erikk

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XLVI

SAUCE vs. SILENCE (19-22)
City vs. Sky (19-22)
Ping-Pong vs. Neglect (18-23)
Linen vs. Pins (25-16)

Notables: Nick Steiner 1-3; Chad (R) 3-1; Throop 0-4; Max Kronberg 2-2; S-Ball (R) 1-3; Clarke 1-3; Kast 2-2; Rehana 2-2; Ben Hoffman (R) 1-3; Brager 3-1; JP McI 2-2; Chase Mc (R) 1-3; Schuy 1-3; Toph 1-3; Erikk 2-2; Jones 2-2; Julia 3-1; Christine Gregory 3-1; Bridget 3-1; The Apartment 2-2; Jack-o 1-3; Hohman 3-1; Bradis' 3-1; Christian Mansfield 3-1; Kevin 3-1; Angelica 2-2; F.o.O.W. 3-1; Swifty 1-3; DerrickSushi 1-3. Congratulations to G-Hink, Fair Abrille, C Moore, Kayla, and Vec for their trip to 4-0. 41 voters, an unusually meager 29 on-site.

Commentary: Neg'z!

Due to Schuyler Sturm's birthday, Othello's final rehearsal, unresolved room-change conflicts, and the David Lynch lecture in DC...

There will be no Tuesday Nite "Fites" this week.

Sorry for the inconvenience. Stay tuned for Wk XLVI on 10/4.



Erikk

Hello, TNFers. This is Erikk Geannikis, one-half of the top-tier "Fite" leadership of '05-'06, along with one Mr. Schuyler Sturm. It's nice to be back on the commentary again. There was a bit of drama this Tuesday, prior to the traditional 9PM TNF commencement, discussed below in Issues. The War Room Council met sans BJ and Vec, and perhaps this led to the kind of whilly-nilly attitude, and a few TNF precedents. A discussion of the potential "Fite" Cold Turkey vs. Whole Hog led to this amazing 2-Hole. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; without further ado, here's the forty-fifth installment, Title in caps, winners in bold, scores in parenthesis.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XLV

THOUGHT vs. FEELING (20-22)
Peaches vs. Peaches (23-19)
JFK vs. KFC (27-15)
The Girl Next Door vs. The Man Upstairs (27-15)

Notables: Toph 1-3; Neck 1-3; Margot 1-3; J Lowe 3-1; Misha 3-1; BQ 3-1; Dalton 3-1; Matt 2-2; Abrille 3-1; Gusky (R) 3-1; Julia 0-4; Kast 1-3; Schuy 1-3; Planet Stone 1-3; G-Hink 0-4; Gamin 3-1; JP McI 3-1; Brag 2-2; Rehana 2-2; Throop 1-3; Vec 2-2; BJ 2-2; Bea 3-1; Erikk 3-1; Anna Schall 3-1; Williams 2-2; Anna Ahern (R) 1-3; Thorp 3-1; Edel 3-1; Jack-o 1-3; Nicky G 2-2; Hohman 2-2; J-Boogs 1-3; Bridget 3-1; Letz 2-2. Congratulations to Clarke, Max, Weasel Boy, Sven, O'Keefe, and Christine Gregory for their trip to 4-0. And an extra-special, double-orgasmic congratulations go out to co-archon Nicky Steiner, for his first 4-0 in the long and storied 45-week history of TNF. :-* This is truly amazing, as he has been one of the only people to vote each week of TNF existence, not to mention his 35-week (and counting) stint on the War Room Council. 42 voters, 32 on-site. Weak as hell.

Commentary: The Hegel "Fite" continued to be all but entirely disassociated with GWF Hegel. A lot of people thought that the Man Upstairs had some of the negative connotations of "The Man," the nebulous force whom we all strive to fight. This is perhaps correct, but there was also a pretty prevalant argument for The Man Upstairs coming through in the clutch, given by none other than the heartily irreligious Aaron Brager. Now for me, and a few others, the Girl Next Door was the paradigm of the unattainable, constant temptation forever out of reach. While this is what won her my vote, many people voted for TGND precisely because she was not a seductress. Jackson Ferrell surprised us all though, when he discounted The Man Upstairs for soliciting an inaccurate portrayal of God, and went with the breast-endowed Girl Next Door. The Brian Jones "Fite" is the first non-Title bout to be in all caps, by virtue of it being an all-abbreviation "Fite," also a first. Let's face it: regardless of how much the man did, and I wonder if he truly "put a man on the moon," JFK was blown to shit. How much of his concept was preserved? Did he truly embody a charismatic American ideal? and if he did, what kind of weight does that lend his notion? KFC has the luxury of being a style, at least this is what I argued. Chicken, fried in a Kentucky way. What is this Kentucky way? To me it is something beyond a secret recipe, but rather a way of doing things; an order of being. My intrigue was heightened when Schuyler informed me that Colonel Sanders (of whom a postmodern drawing was on the chalkboard in McD12) left the KFC enterprise thinking that the product had gone down the tubes. There really must be something behind the KF in KFC, if that's the case, but nevertheless, the former president cleaned house. The 2-Hole is clearly a precedent, since we've never had an identity bout before. I don't think it's quite safe to say that this boiled down to Left vs. Right, since the Peaches clearly came into play. My rationale for L-Peaches was hard to put my finger on, but I kept thinking: If you're gonna vote for Peaches, which you clearly are, there's no reason not to do it now, on the Left. I also heard talk of a good argument in TNFChat, about the Peaches on the right-hand side being but a copy of the one on the left. This reinforces an idea that I've always had about TNF - that the left-hand side always has the cognitive advantage by virtue of appearing first. More to come on this topic.

Ah, the Title. This match-up was a true heavy-hitter, and that's what we wanted. I'm glad that the score was close, even closer than Peaches vs. Peaches. Considering this is truly the Fite at the heart of all that interests me in the world (maybe second only to Body vs. Mind), and since I wasn't privy to most of the argument on it last nite, I don't want to say too much here. But for me, Thought seems inextricably tied to language, and the whole rational process in general seems tied to it as well. Maybe as humans we are just prone to language (de Saussure has said so, gross summarization), but I don't think Thought can capture the prior vote no matter how you flap it. For me, Feeling seems unadulterated but still cognitive-- you need a working brain to have a feeling. Though sense perception starts at sense receptors, sense-certainty begins in consciousness. This raw quality is at the root of our conscious minds, and might be what so many modern neuroscientists want to simply discard as "phenomenology." But it's not bullshit for Hegel, and not for me.

Issues: Apparently the directress of the Graduate Institute, who has some bullshit bureaucratic reign over the Barr-Buchanan Center, became unhappy with TNF's disruption of a GI Greek Preceptorial that meets in The Nelson Room, our lifelong home. There were words exchanged, and, because I didn't know enough to discount the possibility that perhaps TNF people really did cause such a disturbance, The "Fites" are in McDowell 12 from now until further notice. I hope to talk to Ms Silver, the aforementioned directress, and see if we can compromise. No change on the absentee front. By the way, it is still me who is responsible for tabulating the absentees, so those of my buddies from Long Island and elsewhere needn't reintroduce yourselves.

I hope you enjoyed this rather thrilling TNF45, and the rather lengthy commentary. As Sturmy mentioned toward the end of his last post, it probably will only get shorter from here. Let's up the voting numbers! When the calender says Tuesday, remember that you have a battle to "Fite."


Rikk

In an attempt to stall for time, instead of writing this, I have been reading some of the past updates and responses on the journal. As I looked at all of the posts the word that showed up time and time again was 'devotion.' In a way that newcomers like me cannot fully understand the TNF have been inspiring to many people of many sorts. So, I think, what is it about this 'war of concepts' which drives people to distraction pitting bears against telegram? Sound against jewels? Ninjas against pornography? It's been said before, but I'll say it again: there is something more than just those words. Perhaps it is the cultivation of connection between disparate things which is what the people enjoy, and perhaps it is the lack of that cultivation everywhere else that inspires devotion. Anyway, a few more points from an essay on Fite Theory which I have been writing will be forthcoming in future weeks. Title Fite is in caps, winners in bold, scores in parentheses.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk. XLIV
BREAKFAST vs. SHAME (17-31)
Ever vs. Very (32-16)
Furniture vs. Friction (9-39)
The Song In Your Head vs. The Hiccups (34-14)

Notables: Ms. Hennigan 3-1, Ms. Silverman 3-1, Clax 3-1, Throop 0-4, Nick 2-2, Dalton 3-1, Weasel Boy 3-1, Pat(r) 3-1, Neck 3-1, ? 3-1, Ara(r) 0-4, Jones 3-1, Dennis(r) 1-3, G-Hink 3-1, Erikk 2-2, Sturm 2-2, Dan(r) 2-2, Vech 2-2, Kast 3-1, Toph 3-1, Micah(r) 3-1, Saylor 3-1, Gamin 3-1, Williams 1-3, Anna S. 1-3, Rehana 3-1, Edel 2-2, Jack-O 3-1, Adam(PA) 3-1, Angelica 3-1, Jackie(PA) 3-1, Guitars 3-1, Lou-Cal 1-3, Letz 3-1, Hohman 2-2. Due to comments online no special congratulations go out to Mike Sullivan, Doak, Bea, April, Matt, Max, Brager, Julia, J.P., Nithaca, Calvithaca, Kevin, or Nicky G. for going 4-0.

Commentary: Sorry that this is late. This set of fites went surprisingly well and elicited a great deal of debate, albeit the concepts were primarily talked about individually rather than in relation to each other. The Seminar fite (which extremely clever people will recognize as one of the key arguments from Phenomenology of Spirit) ended up with The Song in Your Head a heavy favorite, with some examples of rationale being: a.) The Song in Your Head is based upon psychology rather than physiology, b.) The Song in Your Head is much more annoying and lasts longer, and c.) The Song in Your Head might rock. Rationale for favoring Hiccups was less forthcoming (usually consisting only of the hatred they inspire), but all those who voted for the concept were adamant in their decision, with not a candy-shopper among them.
The Brian Jones Fite was the really big discussion topic of the evening, focusing mainly on the idea of a world without friction. The conclusion: a world without friction may or may not be possible, but it sure is weird to think about. In response to one postulated scenario involving locomotion in this universe Ms. Bell summarized the entire fite as "...a world of comfort versus a world of infinite peril." Whether of not furniture represent a world of comfort, however, is unknown, due to the scanty amount of time given to the concept. Personally I think that furniture got a bad deal because of this, and did not reach its potential strength as a concept. In addition to the fiting proper, the Brian Jones had the distinction of being the birthplace of a new piece of Fite Theory, in the form of a comment by Mr. Geannikis. "Friction: too subtle to be serious?" This could be a great leap forward for the Superior in its neverending struggle against the Prior.
The Two-Hole. This week it was a veritable universe of abstraction with the battle of Ever against Very. According to different people these concepts were on the same side, were the same thing, or were violently opposed. Ultimately the immediate allure of Ever beat out the even slightly more abstract Very, especially (I believe) in the hearts of hopeless romantics. Pretty much every question having to do with this fite is still wide open and out on the table. Sitting on the table, wide open. What senses can the concepts, being words common in idiom, be taken in? Can these concepts be looked at with negation attached to them (i.e. ever a gentleman, the very man)? Is Ever strictly temporal? Strictly continuous? Simply incomprehensible? Does the star that shines the brightest die the fastest, and was that actually said by Philosophocles, or just by Toph? I think that the action of this fite is still going on...wide open...on the table...
At long last, the Title Fite, Breakfast versus Shame. How, you may ask, could breakfast stand a sandcastle's chance in New Orleans against such a powerful concept as shame? Thanks to Mr. Throop for the answer: pancakes. That is how breakfast stood a chance. Unfortunately that chance was not great enough to win this one for breakfast. Really, the shameless man versus the man who doesn't eat breakfast? The basis, according to Ms. Manners, of our society against an early morning meal? I bet it seems more obvious now that Ms. Manners said it. Some very good points were, however, made for breakfast, including the idea that this is not a meal exclusively for the morning, but is the first meal you eat after waking up, thereby making it necessary to your survival. Also... I'm sorry I can't argue any more for breakfast. I think that it would be an insult to the intellect of Ms. Manners. Once she has spoken, its pretty much over.
Well, that is the commentary. Next week's will be on time. Probably it will also not be nearly as long.

Schuyler

At long last the hopes and dreams of the sophistic segment of the St. John's polity have become reality. The Tuesday Nite "Fites" woke up from its long hibernation, rubbed its eyes, and (failing to see its own shadow) declared that the questioning minds and keen intellects of our community could not have another six months of mental winter. The War Room is stocked, the voters are eager, and the concepts are training hard; preparing for their day on the sands. We've hit the ground running, boys and girls. Title Fite in caps, winners in bold, scores in parentheses.


The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XLIII
THE INTERNET vs. THE BLUES (21-37)
Potato vs. Moon Rocket (39-19)
Swan Song vs. Snooze (30-29) TB
Genius vs. Chance (25-33)


Notables: Mr. Wilford 2-2, Ms. Hennigan 2-2, Mr. Bea 1-3, Mr. Steiner 2-2, Patrick(R) 3-1, Cole(R) 1-3, Dalton(R) 2-2, Matt Butler 1-3, Max 2-2, Utter 2-2, Emma 2-2, Erica Stratton(R) 3-1, Neck(R) 2-2, Kast 1-3, Carter 3-1, Liz 3-1, Dobbyn 2-2, Erikk 3-1, Toph 2-2, Charlie 1-3, Drake 2-2, Throop 2-2, G-Hink 2-2, Rehana(R) 2-2, Rory 2-2, Zweibel 0-4, JP 0-4, Doak 1-3, Vekeeohla 3-1, Moira 3-1, Aaron 2-2, Elizabeth 3-1, Annie 3-1, Gamin 2-2, Sturm 3-1, Julia(R) 3-1, Saylor 3-1, Bradis' 2-2, Tom O'Keefe 3-1, Kevin(roommate) 2-2, Rory(roommate) 2-2, Joey 3-1, Angelica 1-3, Kevin 2-2, Ashley 3-1, J-Cop 3-1, Kevin Reagan 1-3, & Nicky G 2-2. Special congratulations to McIlvain, Shoshanna, Anna Johnson, Laurent, Fair Abrille, Anna Schall, Clax, & Jack-o, who all got 4-0.

Commentary: This is the history of the Tuesday Nite "Fites" as recorded by Schuyler Sturm, secretary and overseer of the Nelson Room Contingency. May the words I write here be passed down into posterity as a lesson for future generations. The Restoration matches have come and gone, and the general mood was one of determination and excitement. There wasn't a noticeable difference between this set of "fites" and those that I recall fondly from the glory days of yesteryear, when concepts fought which no ten concepts could defeat today. There were an appreciable number of new faces (although as it was remarked by a certain freshman in regards to the Internet and face to face conversation: "There are some ugly faces out there.", and as it was remarked by Brian Jones: "You laugh just like that weasel in 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit.'"), which gives me hope for the continuance of the club far into the future. The really contentious issues at the end of the night turned out, it seems, to have been the logistics of a zombie apocalypse and the influx of wine facilitated by Mr. Brager. Earlier in the evening the point was made by Mr. Kronberg that "The Internet is the actualization of the Republic of Letters." This was not a good point at all. It was, however, contentious. The major breakthroughs of the evening came, however, in the discussion of Swan Song vs. Snooze. Swan Song lost some ground due to the apparent obscurity of its meaning, until Mr. Geannikis suddenly remembered that when you snooze, that's right, you lose. As it turned out a tie-breaker was needed to decide the issue, but Hugh admirably refused to give into the allure of snoozing. Also of note: Mr. Brian "Zuckerkandl" Jones, while arguing for the 'spiritual music and soul vibrations' of the Blues, made the point that 'Odysseus himself was a Blues man.' Topher did not believe in that relativistic hippie bullshit. It's good to be back at this. Have a good week, and ready your minds for the next conceptual death match.

Schuyler

I don't even know how to begin to write this document, let alone use it as a necessary forum to convey the grave news that has reached home. Even the uninvolved reader of this journal could deduce that something has been amiss recently among the TNF institution and its archons, so I don't think this announcement can possibly be construed as a total surprise in any case, but it certainly is shocking, most especially to me. But here goes, please try to understand.

George Eliot's Middlemarch, coupled with being home on Long Island for winter break, made me realize something. How are we to deal with lofty dreams? With unabashedly high aspirations? Is practicality a detriment to progress, or is it necessary to accomplish anything real? The social order in Middlemarch tears apart the dreams of its residents. Lydgate wants to begin his plan of overarching medical reform in the world with a set of small changes in Middlemarch. But this society, entrenched in custom and ceremony, removes the possibility of him ever doing so. This is a familiar story, especially at St. John's College. This place breeds us to have great dreams, high goals founded in the virtuous and idealistic concepts we read and think about all the time. But we are here to work, to extract an education from these texts and people, and participate in the process of self-shaping. We are encouraged to dream, but are simultaneously forced to let these dreams subside until.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," as Toph Stuart observed tonite in a completely dismal War Room, were started with Coincidence as a key player. I took a puzzling line from a lecture advertisement, wrote "Etymology vs. Prostitution" on the board, and my friends and I started talking. People started to vote, and three more of these matchups were added. The rest, as they say, is history. But once this thing really started to take shape, we saw what we were doing. We were creating a forum for discussion, above all else. We felt a little like artists, I think, bringing together already existing yet very disparate concepts and demanding reconciliation. More than that, TNF was a case study in logos, the argument. "Do what you do, but think it through" rang true inside the "Fites" and out, and we began to have some sort of understanding of how we should think and talk about these wacky ideas on the board. The entire universe seemed to be a collection of Tuesday Nite "Fites," concepts crashing into each other on display for our deliberation. Theoretically, it only took nine or ten weeks of TNFing to really understand that we had created something vital and necessary to our College's philosophy.

But then people got interested. TNF grew like any cult phenomenon does, rapidly yet secretly. Debate quickly got livelier as more Johnnies showed up to the Nelson Room. As a consequence of posting the results on LiveJournal, it was only eight weeks before Jeremy R. Swift requested a way for all to be involved, via the Internet. Absentee voting didn't take long to catch on, and soon put up numbers equal to (but never exceeding) those posted on-site. While never entirely well-received by Johnny faithfuls, absentee voting undeniably spread the popularity of TNF across America, and because of such public fervor, the campus. Hearing my friends back home and ex-Johnnies talk about the concepts at stake, and talk about TNF in general, really got me thinking that this thing could be huge. The war of concepts had extended beyond St. John's. Incredible dreams blossomed. With the new year came the club charter, room reservations, chat room, and published results, all of which gave TNF the officiality that sort of existed from the start in the founders' minds.

The popularity and publicity of the "Fites," coupled with the increased desire for continuous conceptual debate, led to a great deal of responsibility. The War Rooms became more intense, as we labored longer and harder over the perfect lineup card. Logging the votes of on-site Fiters became quite the task. To go out for a smoke meant pinning the job on someone else. The Absentee voting system, created by me, was entirely in my hands, as was midnite vote tabulation and updating the Journal. But I really felt the burden of obligation and responsibility when suddenly, the archons, who were my close friends who were present at the haphazard founding of TNF, suddenly weren't with me in the Nelson Room anymore. And this was understandable. The Junior year at St. John's is ridiculously difficult, and all of us archons are bogged down by the workload and numerous outside commitments. We all had things to do, work to be done, but I was willing to put it aside from 7:30 (the commencement of the War Room) to 1AM (about the time tabulation is done) every Tuesday. This was fine, because I care about TNF.

On-site voting numbers declined as the archons stopped coming, which also made sense because their friends were studying or hanging out with them somewhere else (sometimes even right next door). As the casual voters saw this lack of attendance from TNF's founders, they stopped coming. This is not to say that the quality of the debate has wholly declined. There are a small group of faithfuls who are always willing to discuss, and I admire their commitment.

Last semester, however, I watched myself turn into a very different student. I'd always had problems with time management and keeping myself awake, but I was so overwraught with commitments that I couldn't even keep a firm grasp on the very basics of my required work for classes. I accumulated a great deal of non-TNF responsibility over my first two years of college also; I was running the Chilla's Grilla on Saturdays, rehearsing and performing in a band, orchestra, and a cappella group, participating in two study groups, having the most arduous job on the Delegate Council, working as a Music Assistant, acting in a play, and trying to still have friends and time to myself, let alone sleep. It took me too long to realize that, at this the most rigorous college in the nation, I couldn't do everything I wanted to.

After much discussion with my friends and tutors, I began the process of scaling down my commitments to focus on being a good student again. Quitting the rock band that I had come to love was the first step, and the feeling was so painful and unfamiliar to me that I still haven't really come to grips with. Another one of the hardest nites was telling the boys in The Manner Corps that I wouldn't be able to sing with them until late next semester, and that the concert we'd been planning would have to be postponed until senior year. The Grilla, if ever re-sanctioned by the Dining Hall, will be given to someone else. All of these commitments are being loosened. And, what it came down to is: I needed the 5 and a half hours that TNF took up to study. Bottom line.

At the War Room tonite the archons and I discussed any and all possible ways to keep the "Fites" going, without me having to spend so much time on them. Eliminate vote-logging and the publishing of individual results, or even eliminate absentee balloting altogether. I still have no Tuesday Nite. Shorten the duration of the "Fites," maybe even to one hour. One hour for four bouts? Okay, maybe just have one "Fite" per week. But this, and really all permutations of TNF reform, led back to the same realization: it just wouldn't work. TNF is four Fites on the blackboard in BBC for three hours. That's the only way it should be done. And, at this point in time, I can't do it.

To quote myself, on the gloss to Wk XXIX, "What amazes me most about The Tuesday Nite "Fites" is the remarkable consistency with which they went on, week in and week out." I realize now, however, that the very consistency which seemed so amazing to me then was truly the driving force behind TNF's success. Anyone can debate bizarre concepts in a room for three hours, but not everyone can make a concrete institution out of said debate, and have a steady upkeep of all that comes with the forum we chose. I realize that without the consistency, the Tuesday Nite "Fites" are not all that amazing. And I need to do well in school. At the start of this school year I truly believed that I could do it all and be successful, but now I have come to see that my lofty dreams and high aspirations have been trampled out by the steel-toed boot of honest St. John's soceity.

While, in Middlemarch, the customs and ceremony which bog ambitious people down seem to be pretentious and silly, at St. John's they are themselves the necessary groundwork for ambition. To me, at least. Class is my number one priority now, and until I can get my life in order, the Tuesday Nite "Fites" are no more. They may not come back, but then again, they might. I extremely apologize to the Fiting public. Believe me, no one will miss this thing more than I will. I am especially sorry to a few people: Schuyler Sturm, who has done nothing but impress me since the day I met him, Jeremy Swift, who was the brainchild behind so much of what I call my own, and Jackson P. Ferrell, whose devotion and faith in all aspects of his life are the strongest of all virtues of human character.

When it was good, it was really good. This was said in the War Room tonite, and it made me feel like I was ending a relationship, which is not entirely true. The "Fites" still have potential to come back in some capacity and any time. The numerous people we've met through TNF will still be around and probably looking to talk about concepts. Naturally, I'd be interested in hearing any suggestions or comments to this very lengthy farewell. Thanks for reading this. Wow. I am really going to miss the "Fites." This is so sad, I am so sad.



Erikk

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XLII: Best of Semester III

NUCLEAR WAR vs. THE WILDERNESS (17-27)
Music vs. Dreams (19-25)
Ninjas vs. Pornography (28-16)
Theatre vs. The Stars (20-24)
Number vs. Ascension unto Heaven (20-24)

Notables: Allyse 4-1; Steph 2-3; Dylan Ross 2-3; Rook 3-2; A-Hen 4-1; Dan Schwartz 2-3; Jeff McI 4-1; Kast 4-1; BJ 3-2; Brager 2-3; Eric the Prospie (R) 2-3; Toph Stuart 0-5; Erikk 0-5; Nick Steiner 0-5; Max Kronberg 2-3; C Moore 1-4; Kate 3-2; Schuyler 2-3; Sarah Navarre 4-1; Ashley Tyler (R) 4-1; Vec 1-4; Throop 1-4; Adam Samuels 4-1; Swifty 2-3; Angelica 3-1; Kevin 4-1; April 4-1; Bradis' 4-1; Romeo (R) 2-3; Margot 4-1; Jack-o 4-1; Edel 3-2; SoldierofGod 4-1; S4J 3-2; Stonetongue 4-1; Nicky G 0-5; Marc 4-1; ChopSushi 4-1. Congratulations to G-Hink, Dob, Ashley, and Jordan Gannon for their trip to 5-0.

Another bleak war room, less interesting due to intense fatigue. Also, the internet was broken over here, so I apologize to the absentees who had to miss a week. Without ado, Title "Fite" in caps, winners in bold, scores in parenthesis.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XLI

TRANSPORTATION vs. MEDICINE (17-8)
Bears vs. Telegram (12-13)
Machines vs. Dreams (6-19)
Solitude vs. Society (12-13)

***In The Nelson Room, the 2-Hole and Sem "Fites" were locked at 12 come midnite. Because of the lack of Internet voting, we reluctantly did the "best-of-the-archons" method of tie-break. However, upon my return to the room, I found an e-mail sent from Jackson Ferrell at 10:50 PM with his votes; somehow he must have got wind of the lineup card. For his effort, and for legitimacy, his votes were added and the need for tie-break was absolved.

Notables: Rook Singer 1-3; BJ 1-3; Kayla 2-2; Nick Steiner 0-4; Febbie Laura 2-2; BQ 1-3; Vec 1-3; Carter 2-2; Toph 2-2; Hannah Stone 1-3; Sebastian 3-1; Erika 3-1; Mar Spanish 2-2; G-Hink 3-1; Kast 3-1; Erikk Geannikis 3-1; Romiti 2-2; Kate Sullivan 3-1; Jack-o Ferrell 3-1. Congratulations to Paul Markes (R), Schuyler, Brager, and Clarke Saylor for their trip to 4-0. Special Double Congrats to Max Kronberg and A-Hen for their second consecutive 4-0.

Issues: THIS TUESDAY 12/7: TNF Wk XLII: Best of Semester III Five "Fites," Familar Faces, Family Fun. DO NOT MISS IT.


Rikk

We all had melancholy junior-year moods in the War Room tonite, and it did not look pretty. But alas, these turned out to be incredible Fites, and just when I was losing faith in the TNF dialectic. Xtra Large indeed they were, and without ado here they are, Title in caps, winners in bold, scores in parenthesis.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XL

ADDICTION vs. GUILT (26-24)
Jack Frost vs. Johnny Appleseed (29-21)
Promises vs. Secrets (33-17)
Betrayal vs. Prison (31-19)

Notables: Hannah Stone 3-1; BJ 0-4; Lizard Silverman 2-2; Eric Closs 3-1; Dob 3-1; Clax 3-1; Schwartz 2-2; C O'B 1-3; Nick Steiner 2-2; BQ 2-2; Wilf 1-3; Kayla 1-3; C Moore 1-3; Cammie D 2-2; Megh 2-2; Vec 2-2; Erikk3-1; Allyse 1-3; Steph the Roommate 3-1; Brager 3-1; Clarke 0-4; Toph 2-2; Schuyler 3-1; Bridget 3-1; Betsithaca 3-1; A Stone Tongue (R) 4-0; Ashley 3-1; E Smith 2-2; Jack-o 2-2; Bradis' 2-2; Rubin 3-1; Su the cousin 1-3; Nithaca 2-2; Calvithaca 2-2; Katithaca 3-1; Huguel Hugs 3-1; Fe Abril 2-2; Ellie SF 2-2; Nicky G 2-2; C. Sushi 2-2. Congratulations to A-Hen, G Hink, Max Kronberg, Alec Kast, Swifty, Sara (for Jesus) Hall (R), and Marc the Roommate for their trip to 4-0. Double Congrats to Christine Gregory for her second consecutive 4-0. 50 voters, 29 on-site. Weak.

Commentary: While I am not presently writing old-style commentary, I would like to point out how fruitful the discussion at TNF40 was. The discussion of the BJ Fite was wonderful and extensive, and all arguments had the characteristic mark of the painstaking and the important. We worked pretty much straight through from 9-12 on these extremely difficult Fites, and made more interFite connections than I remember, ever really.

Issues: FOOLS! If you are in the chat room, YOU STILL NEED TO IM ME YOUR VOTES! FOOLS ALL!


Rikk

This is our last week of TNFing without the Roman Numeral L in it. Let's cherish this last L-free week. Without ado, here they are, title "Fite" in caps, winners in bold, scores in parenthesis.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XXXIX

COLOR vs. NUMBER (26-20)
Salt in the Wound vs. Tip of the Iceberg (23-24; tie-break)
Gallivant vs. Debauch (28-18)
Theatre vs. Ghosts (30-16)

Notables: Hannah Stone 3-1; BJ 1-3; Cammie D 1-3; Ali Schwab (R) 2-2; Will Knight (R) 3-1; G Hink 2-2; Dob 1-3; Clarke 3-1; Jeff McI 2-2; Kayla Gamin (R) 2-2; Erikk 2-2; Febbie Laura 2-2; Max Kronberg 2-2; Dyl 2-2; Eve Callahan 1-3; Kitch 2-2; Alec Kast 2-2; Schuyler 2-2; Margot Behrend 1-3; JP McI 3-1; Kate Sulivan 1-3; Vec 2-2; Tiny Steiny 3-1; Toph Stuart 2-2; Evan Smith 3-1; Nithica 2-2; Katithaca 3-1; Calvithaca 0-4; Marc the Roommate 3-1; Ashley 3-1; Missy Scannell 3-1; Bradis' 2-2; Kevin 2-2; C. Sushi 2-2; O'Keefe 2-2; Fe Abril 3-1; Throop!! 2-2; Letz 3-1; Nick Tocci 2-2; Nicky G 3-1. Congratulations to BQ, Christine Gregory, Bridget, Angelica, and Jack-o for their trip to 4-0! 46 voters, I'm flipping the fuck.

In a sense, this is the week I've been waiting for since we started labelling these things with Roman Numerals. 38 is my lucky number, and this proved to be a very successful nite of Fiting, it seems both on-site and off (I read some of the chat transcript). The War Room Council included a misguided and hilarious story told by Max Kronberg in which we further discussed the possibility of the "Fite:" Lighting Max on Fire vs. Let's Fucking Do It. There was also a ridiculous comedy of errors involving the window blinds in The Nelson Room, where we almost lost Brian Jones to the depths of insanity. But, just like 38, we prevailed through difficult and trying times, just in time to take our first mid-semester break in TNF history (Read more in Issues). So without further ado, here's 38, Title "Fite" in caps, winners in bold, scores in parenthesis.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XXXVIII

SARCASM vs. SURPRISE (29-25)
Sound vs. Jewels (42-12)
Balls to the Wall vs. Flying Leap (27-28, tie-break)
Identity vs. Expression (32-22)

Commentary: Coming before 8PM today.

Notables: A-Han 3-1; Nick Steiner 1-3; BQ 2-2; Clarke Saylor 2-2; Gerard Toenjes 2-2; Allyse 3-1; Steph the Roommate 3-1; Megh 2-2; Erikk 2-2; Max Kronberg 2-2; Genna 2-2; Clax 2-2; Aaron Brager 3-1; Shellito 1-3; BJ 1-3; Toph 1-3; Schuyler 1-3; Laura Feb 2-2; Neal Feb 2-2; Vec 2-2; Wilf 3-1; Romiti 3-1; Kitch 2-2; C Moore 2-2; C O'B 3-1; Swifty 3-1; Rubin 3-1; Bridget 2-2; Lauren Kurinskas 2-2; Lily Scannell 1-3; Greggo 2-2; Jack-o 2-2; Nithaca 2-2; Katithaca 3-1; Kevin 3-1; Angelica 3-1; Lauren (R) 3-1; Will Hays 1-3; Nick T 1-3; Ashley 1-3; Adam Samuels 2-2; Abril 3-1; Bradis' 2-2; Robinson 3-1; SoldierofGod49 3-1. Congratulations to Hannah Stone, Lauren Robertson, Dan Schwartz, Kara, Josh Suich, Evan Smith, and Huguel Huggabees for their trip to 4-0. 54 voters, 32 on-site, I wish people would remember.

Issues: Coming before 8PM today.


Chilly

On Take #37, the War Room continued our recent retro tendency to include easily laughable "Fites" with very penetrating conceptual significance. While the selection of these particular bouts may have also been shaped by Leibniz, I am glad to see TNF reminding me of the days of old; the days before the War Room Council. It was another rainy nite in Annapolis, and we always do poorly on rainy nites. But on this particular Tuesday, The Nelson Room maintained a passionate yet casual atmosphere, as TNF Chat was left to the absentees' sole discretion (Read more in Issues). But, without ado, here they are, Title in caps, winners in bold, scores in parenthesis.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XXXVII

FORESIGHT vs. SWIFTNESS (33-14)
Toys vs. Tornadoes (28-19)
Erikk Geannikis Covered In Buffalo Sauce vs. Jesus On a Truck (21-26)
The Stars vs. The Score (31-16)

Commentary: The Seminar "Fite" was actually one that we had come up with before Leibniz (we sought to match The Stars up for a while), but applies to Leibniz's theory that every created thing expresses in its own way the entirety of the universe. In my mind, the Score represents the order behind the ordered whole, the cosmos, or the Stars. I think that ancients used The Stars to represent The Score, but now we can distinguish between the order in the universe and the universe itself. Schwartz gave some prior argument about The Stars being man's natural light, which was countered by Toph: "You've got to know the score." The P.R. Vote mainly went to Stars. I only agreed to the Brian Jones "Fite" because I had just woken up before the War Room Council Meeting, and I think Jesus on a Truck is hysterical. We conjectured about what sort of powers a man entirely covered in Buffalo Sauce would have. It is an incredibly spicy sauce. My argument for EG in BS was that it is already predicated of Jesus that he can do anything; walk on water, feed the five thousand, so what's the big deal if he's on a Truck? As far as Erikk Geannikis, I thought it would be a wondrous phenomenon would he be covered in Buffalo Sauce, but some disagreed. From Naphy's response I was able to understand that Jesus on a Truck implied the very earthly presence of Jesus, which I can see being conceptually weighty. Rookie Evan Sgherzi's reasoning was priceless however: "If I saw Jesus on a truck, I'd be like, 'Oh Cool, it's religion on wheels.' But if I saw Erikk Geannikis covered in [Buffalo], I'd say, 'Whoa. Now there is a man who means business. Anyone who would willingly cover themselves in [Buffalo] Sauch is not to messed with.'" As far as the 2-Hole, we spent a lot of time deciding if an object need be designed specifically for idle pleasure in order for it to be a toy, or if a thing's toy-status depended on our use of it. We still never really came to a consensus, and the case is especially murky with educational toys, which aim to disguise the fact that they are actually serving a greater purpose. But for me, ultimately, tornadoes are just a specific, althought devastating phenomenon of Nature. Toys shape the development of childhood and have shaped them for who knows how long, and it won my vote and the masses'.

Ah, the Title. This "Fite" is a more marketable version of the original Celerity vs. Prescience (flipped, of course), which was so long impressed upon me by Monsieurs Steiner and Jones. We talked a bit about how neither concept infers that the action at hand is completed well, or completed at all. One can both be prescient and be swift and still fuck things up. There was a contingent of people who insisted on Swiftness' superiority since it involved the mind and the body. I thought that the power of foresight, indicating the presence of some kind of prophetic faculty. Even if the events you foresee do not come to pass, Spinoza would say that, if you're experiencing divine foresight, at the very least you have a superior imagninative capability, which, while excluding the body, seems to me like a more powerful thing to have than swiftness. Also, taking Swiftness as the essence of Jeremy R. Swift, we see that it, too, is easily defeated by a little foresight. Good "Fites."

Notables: A-Han 2-2; BJ 2-2; Caitlin O'Brien 2-2; Schwartz 3-1; The Fuzz 2-2; Kitch 3-1; G Hinkle 2-2; Gerard Toenjes 3-1; Chris Bea 1-3; BQ 0-4; Kast 2-2; Lauren Robertson 2-2; Sebastian 3-1; Erika Bush 0-4; Hannah Stone 2-2; Mira Johnson 1-3; Erikk 2-2; Allyse 2-2; Schuyler 1-3; Nick Steiner 1-3; Toph 3-1; Aaron Brager 3-1; Vec 2-2; Edel 2-2; EternalOverdrive 3-1; Robinson 2-2; Robert Montoya (R) 3-1; Letz 3-1; Betsy 1-3; Fe Abril 3-1; Ashley 3-1; Bridget 3-1; Naphy 3-1; Bradis' 3-1; Evan Sgherzi (R) 3-1; Connie Carbone (R); Nicky G 3-1; Marc 3-1; Hammer 3-1; Brianne Muscente 2-2. Congratulations to Margot Behrend, Christine Gregory, Derrick, Angelica, and Kevin for their trip to 4-0. Double Congrats goes to Jack-o for his second consecutive 4-0. 47; only 25 on-site. What a disappointment.

Issues: Okay, a bunch of things going on.

Firstly, TNF Chat debuted three weeks ago. The first session had limited success until the last forty-five minutes or so, the second session was pretty much jumpin' all nite long, which I loved. However, having a laptop running a chat room and a person or persons maintaining the chat room over here on-site has become a hassle, and prevents us from arguing with each other and removes all possibility of anyone getting any work done. So, while the screen name TuesdayNiteFites may appear to be a member of the chat, it will be running on my dorm room computer, the chat room will now be solely for absentee voters. This includes off-site Johnnies as well. The whole point of the chat room is to get you guys arguing for yourselves, so I assume that if you care enough about the TNF concepts to vote, and if you have the time (even 10-15 minutes might be enough to get some opinions!) I strongly urge all off-siters to spend some time in the chat room prior to voting. No need to apologize to me if you can't, and of course I don't want to monitor anything like this, but you owe it to yourselves.

Secondly, stickers are in the later stages of design. I believe we will be giving them out free based on strong arguments, and possibly to the 4-0 victors, maybe some to rookies. But, TNFers, let this initially be added insentive to clarify your votes with cogent accounts! More on this system as it arises, and when the stickers are off the presses.

Lastly, I am beginning to realize what a monstrous time commitment TNF is for me. There are four other archons, and two non-archons who help out just as much, but the fact that I am faced with the most responsibility is no one's fault but mine. The system was designed that way, and it was designed by me. The framework for TNF sprung from my fancy and desire to properly accomodate the Internet voters, and it was designed really without me knowing that I was designing a system at all until this thing got too big to be contained. I am letting you all know this because, while things probably won't change a lot for the absentee voter, The "Fites" as a whole may begin to scale back some. Commentary, for instance, may be the first thing to go. Because I am bogged down, I will not be posting commentary on Wks XXXV and XXXVI. This strain was also a factor in the SJC contingent's decision to leave the TNF Chat entirely to Internet devices. I'd love to be there, but it's too much. I know that you guys can step it up and make the chat room a proper philosophical forum.

And that's the story. Now that I'm up to date, and 9PM-12AM Tuesdays will be better delegated amongst the archons, hopefully commentary and results will be a Wednesday afternoon staple every week. I appreciate your cooperation and understanding during this difficult time. KEEP ON FITING! The voting numbers this week were atrocious. But, c'est la vie. Rein ? faire. Great Fites.


Chilly

The 36th stab at this whole thing was a very enthusiastic nite of Fiting that had most engaged for the entire three hours, and consequently fucked in tersm of schoolwork. But, this is what the Fites are all about. I think that a very empassioned War Room Council debate just naturally slid its way into the Nelson Room, as it should. The War Room debate, which concerned the Seminar "Fite," touched on all concepts of TNF: its growing popularity and marketability, the very philosophical and historical aims of TNF as a whole, and the use of dictionaries as Fite-construct aids. Regardless, this blazin' hot Nite of Fiting was full of full of vigor, and yelling. Without ado, here we are, Title "Fite" in caps, winners in bold, scores in parenthesis.

The Tuesday Nite "Fites," Wk XXXVI

MAPS vs. SIMILES (36-34)
Coffee vs. Cartoons (32-38)
Calypso vs. Penelope (25-45)
Parable vs. Doctrine (48-22)

Notables: The votes for Wk XXXVI were recorded by Mike Vecchiolla, at times yielding some unfamiliar handles, which I have placed in quotes. If you don't know me, always identify yourselves when you vote. Mike Sullivan 2-2; Hannah Stone 2-2; Lauren Robertson 3-1; Ben Crane 3-1; Neal 3-1; Kevin 2-2; Angelica 2-2; Huguels 2-2; Anna Rubin 3-1; Maribeth 1-3; Hinkle 3-1; Susan the Cousin 3-1; BJ 2-2; Schwartz 3-1; "Metallica" 2-2; Charlie Pashayan 3-1; Rook 3-1; Allyse 0-4; Steph the Roommate 2-2; BQ 2-2; Eric Torg 2-2; Brianne Muscente 2-2; Nick Steiner 1-3; Emma Plaut 3-1; Clax 2-2; DylRoss 1-3; Erikk 1-3; A-Han 3-1; Sweet Carry 1-3; JP McI 2-2; J Lowe 2-2; Kitch 1-3; Schuyler 3-1; Toby 3-1; Ashley 3-1; Fe Abril 3-1; Emily Gray 3-1; Vec 1-3; Caitlin O'B 2-2; Anna Johnson 3-1; John Peterson 1-3; Margot 0-4; Moyerman 2-2; Brad Jasper 0-4; Kate 1-3; Brager 3-1; Caitrin Hill 2-2; C Moore 3-1; Edel 0-4; Aidan 3-1; Evan Smith 1-3; Nicky G 2-2; Swifty 3-1; Nithaca 2-2; Wilf 3-1; Romiti 2-2; Christine Greg 2-2; Bridget 3-1. Congrats to Tommy Dyer (R), Chesty, Mira Johnson, Naphy Faris, "krsty," "kermicrazy," Jack-o, Will Hays, Adam Samuels, Matt McLean, and Missy Scannell on their trip to 4-0. Seventy, let's not drop.

Commentary: (See Wk XXXVII for explanation.)

Issues: Read about the continuation of the battle against Pointless Romanticism and the continued success of TNF Chat in Wk XXXVII.