Subject: Re: [east] The rules
From: "Mike Sayers"
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 16:30:37 -0400

On 12 Sep 2002, at 15:34, Mark Holbrook wrote:
>> Someone refresh my memory about "the rules," specifically

There are no rules.

>> 1) how the Oompah is selected, and

Traditionally, he/she volunteers at an RCR and is ratified by a chant
of, "Oompah! Oompah!" I'm sure you've seen this firsthand.

>> 2) the geographical boundaries.

No one ever seems able to sufficiently answer this question. The best
answer I've gotten is, "South of Pennsylvania, north of South Carolina,
and east of the Mississippi." Does this include Pennsylvania & South
Carolina or not? The consensus seems to be no. The boundaries of South
Carolina aren't straight, so how do you know if you're north of it when
you're west of it?

Here's my interpretation of the current area:

The entire states of: Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Kentucky,
Tennessee, and North Carolina, PLUS The part of these states south of
39º43'17" (southern PA border): New Jersey (Atlantic City anyone? Nah,
too many skeeters), West Virginia (all but the northern panhandle),
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. This puts the northwest corner of the
region across the river from Hannibal, Missouri.

Of course, since there are no rules, there's nothing to stop us as the
participants from redefining the boundaries. Personally I wouldn't mind
seeing Pennsylvania, the rest of New Jersey and WV and the parts of
Georgia and South Carolina north of 34º (which is just north of
Atlanta) added to the above definition, and eliminating Illinois and
Indiana.

For that matter, there's nothing but a possible lynch mob to stop the
Oompah from going outside the boundaries anyway... How about Glacier
National Park? :D