Pacific Press (2004-06)

Pacific Press was a publication launched by Sir Paul in the New Pacific Order shortly before its rebranding as the People's Republic of the Pacific in NationStates. Reproduced below is a complete archive (minus images) of the Pacific Press taken from the archives of the People's Republic of the Pacific forums.^[1]

2004

Francos Spain Deleted (Sept. 14, 2004)^[2]^{[note 1]}

By Sir Paul

State Funeral of Francos Spain, laid to rest under Franco Square in Capital City

Francos Spain, The Rejected Realms: With friends and foes standing by his side, The Stabilizing Force of Francos Spain slipped into oblivion. Some have called him a saint, and some have called him Beelzebub, but regardless of stance, all agree that he has been the most influential person in Nationstates. Because of Francos Spain, defender groups (ADN) formed, armies were raised, game rules shifted, and the balance of power was thrown completely off-kilter. It is amazing what one man can accomplish in such a short period of time.

On August 28, 2003, an unknown nation took the delegacy of the Pacific, and on September 1st, he founded a government so influential, that every politician in Nationstates had to take some position on it, The New Pacific Order. The NPO was a change from the old Pacific regime of TheDoc, which was marked with frequent bouts of inactivity from the delegate. Franco was an active delegate, as his mass bannings caused the Moderators to put a cap on the banishment list. Even this reporter had the honor of being sent to the rejected realms by El Claudio.

The government appeared to be totalitarian, with its civil code and frequent banishments, but in general, the code was only selectively enforced against dissidents and spies, which appeared frequently in the government. After the 3rd invasion, spies were so common that it is estimated that ½ of all governors had ties to belligerent organizations. They were never ejected because they tended to work harder for the regime to keep their cover than the natives did.

Franco left the game at the height of NPO influence. The Union of Sovereigns had been signed, the ALSO government of The North Pacific had deposed of their main enemy, and he himself was leading the Pacific Militia into the North to support the embattled ALSO government and delegate Great Blight. Unfortunately, a real life tragedy occurred and Franco’s ability to log on was permanently lost. His last known words in NationsStates was to RedCommunist:“All right. Talk with you later.”

As such, the ALSO government fell, and Franco was ejected to the Rejected Realms. Many players pleaded with moderators to move him back to the Pacific for a proper farewell, but they refused to grant such a request for such an exceptional player. The NPO is renowned for having moderators rule against them, and it seems fitting to be ruled against one last time.

Several people have their own thoughts on his passing, from belligerent to respectful. Here are some quotes from various members of the Nationstates Community:

Thel D’ran:If just 1% of what was said about Francos was true, then here's what I know about him:

Francos Spain was a remarkably intelligent and dedicated man. He possessed the courage and strength of character to define an approach to our common activity and, further, to serve as a leader with few equals. His talents for organization and communication were worthy of note — as was the genuine spirit of compassion he demonstrated to those who bothered to take time to know and communicate with him. Lastly, though somewhat private, he was certainly a man who felt and thought deeply. In short, he kicked ass — thoroughly and often.

Ceasar: As a Delegate he was mediocre at best

Twoslits Experiment: I bear him ill will in real life.

His behavior toward human beings is cruel.

I may be many things to cruel selfish people, but tolerant is not one of them.

Winnipeg: Fairwell Francos Spain, while many of us Disagreed with your RP Character, and your Policies, we can all Agree that you helped make the game more enjoyable and gave many something to work towards. Tonight I hold a Cold one High in your Honour and Hope that no matter where you are, on this Earth or the Next, that you're happy and remember the fun that you've had.

VALERE IUBERE

All Flags of the People's Republics will be lowered to Half Mast for the day with the Passing of one of the most influential nations on the face of NationStates.

LadyRebels: The Flags of LadyRebels will fly at half mast for a week of mourning, to show the respect that Francos Spain held, as a player of a game.

Those that got to know him, I salute you. Know that there are those of us out there that wished to have gotten to know him better.

places three roses on the memorial of Francos Spain, one a full bloom White Rose, to express the purity of thoughts to him and his family. One a full bloom Red Rose to show the love that many held for him and will so until their memories are taken from them. One a Deep Royal Purple, the respect of one National Leader to another.*

May you have a strong wind at your back and following seas on your Journey, know that you will be missed. Take care friend, and go with peace.

Seven Cannons fire off three shots into the night sky over LR*

KingmanReef: ...Nothing less than legendary.

Unfree People: No hailing here either, but I will join you in saluting his memory. Words can't really express my feelings... I miss the guy.

Mammothstan: The light of our world has gone out. We have lost the Great Pacifican.

BlackAdder: His colours are home. God rest you Francos.

Sir Paul: May the road rise with you! May the wind be at your back! May the sun be on your face! May the rain fall soft upon your fields! And, until we meet again, May the good Lord hold you in the palm of His hand. (Old Irish Farewell)

Francos Spain Memorial

ADN Reorganizes, Pope Hope Declares Martial Law (Sept. 19, 2024)^[3]

By Sir Paul

An ADN Soldier takes a reprieve from enforcing Article 2, Section 5

Pope Hope, Alliance Defense Network: Beleaguered by spies and inactivity, the ADN will be leaving it’s old forums and getting a fresh, new look. Currently, the constitution is suspended, and the stagnant and inactive legislature has been swept away. In its place, Pope Hope will be given executive authority over all ADN dealings and each region will be given one representative. It appears that the much hated constitution is being revamped in a convention headed by these representatives. Despite being able to invade and defend at a moments notice, the bureaucracy of the old constitution proved so ineffective that holding an election to replace the Vice President took more than one month.

The following is the Press Release issued by Pope Hope:

Martial Law has been institituted as a temporary measure to help us get back on our feet after the transtition to the new forum. This is all am excellent chance to demonstrate that we can and will change the structure of our organization if needs be. And it is very needed at this point in time.Ladies and Gentleman of the Alliance Defense Network, this announcement does not come easily to me. It does, however, mark the beginning of a new hope for the ADN.

For the last couple of months, my PM inbox has been barraged with complaints. Threats to leave if certain conditions are not met have been made by more than one region. The House and the Senate stagnate through inactivity and/or bickering. Political concerns and ambitions have taken priority rather than our mission of Defender Unity and Defending.

We have lost a President, Vice President, and Co-Director of Intelligence, all in one month. We have lost regions over our differences.

I have heard and heeded the call of many to change the way things are run around here. Representatives from nearly every region have approached me either privately or through posts in the Government Halls of this organization to take control and re-organize the Alliance Defense Network.

I hereby invoke the power given to me by our Founding Members and Article 2, Section 5 of the Constitution we adopted with good intention many months ago. From this point forward, the ADN is in a state of Martial Law.

The following is going to happen:

--Members of the Alliance Defense Network will move to a new forum which has been constructed for the purpose of a new start. --Once registered, each member will read the whole of the Introductions forum, and follow the validation instructions within. No exceptions. You must read and follow the directions specifically in order to get validated.

--If your name is on the following list, you are to be appointed temporary Council Rep from your region. These Council Reps must report to The Government Hall for final discussions and revision on the new Charter.

ZyzoxII - Willdawg Nasicournia - Unistrut A New Begining - NewJavaScotia The Province - Shiff Freedom Fighters - Penngrove Middle Earth - Cirdan The Roman Raven Empire - rotcjagman Shadowland - Sugar Bear The West Pacific - Berhampore The North Pacific - Ananke The Rejected Realms - Kandarin Rejected Realms Army - Siggi New Aldaria - Keldjora Allied States of EuroIslanders - Danitoria Aurora - Gothicville The Creature Isles - Creaturity Gygaxia - Jelrikia Equilism - Equility Greece - Nikolaos The Great Ganchelkean States - Ganchelkas Mercia The Next Generation - playachk Commonwealth of Solaris - Danimalia England - His Majesty The United Peoples of Abraham - The Peoples of Abraham Juxtaposition X - GabrielsFountain Metal Bass - NeoMetal The Proletariat Coalition - Blackbird The Few The many - Christopher IV Antarctica - Joop

This is it, folks. Our chance to turn things around and make it right again. We made our run at constitutional beauracracy, now it's time to shift our focus back to our original intent. We need to bring the ADN back to the roots of defending. We need to protect our regional sovereignty. We need to avoid fighting and debating over things that are inconsequential and tie our hands from our real focus here.

Though our politics remain active, our military activities have declined. If you watch the RAS, you'll see the same people moving on defense missions every night while politics distract many from defending. This is not a desirable balance of attention.

The ADN is not about fancy titles, or selling yourself during an election time. That has really started to bother me about this organization. I never came here expecting to be praised for my position in the ADN, as some people now seem to. I came here and worked hard, and ended up doing a lot for the ADN in the process. I can say the same about many of you. Some, however, talk much and do little. We are all here to DEFEND, a very honorable cause. It is not about ourselves, it is about protecting our regions, and about protecting the would-be victims of invasions. Many people here seem to have forgotten that.

This is also a chance to air your grievances. If you are not a Council Rep, feel free to start discussions about your own concerns in the CoffeeHouse. I know you have concerns about one another, I hear it all the time. We are all friends here, please demonstrate this. If you have an issue with your ally, raise it now. There is no better time. Remain respectful, but air out your concerns now.

This is a day which holds much hope for us, the brothers and sisters of the Alliance Defense Network. For over a year we have grown to know one another as more than colleagues, but as friends. We must save ourselves from imploding by taking action while we still can.

Martial Law begins now.

Your Loyal and Hopeful Director,

High Queen Pope Hope IV

Please keep this quiet and the new URL to yourself for now. It will of course be public, but we want only members to register during the transition, to keep up with masking.

Still have questions? Ask Westwind and Blackbird here:

As requested by the ADN Government, the new website will not be released.

Sir Paul

UN Filing Error Afflicts Nationstates (Sept. 27, 2004)^[4]

By Sir Paul

Turmoil in the streets as governments fall into anarchy

UN Office, Nationstates: Due to a clerical error, democracy over the world has been thwarted. One-half of all UN nations had their voting status revoked, and many stable governments and longstanding delegates had their delegacies removed from them. Moderator Salusa Secondus had this to say

   Yes, we know that nations are losing delegacies all across the world.
   Yes, we know the cause of the problem and have a solution in place.
   Yes, the nation's that have lost the delegacy REALLY HAVE lost the delegacy, and all game play may proceed as if they had lost it normally.
   Yes, the secretary who seems to have forgotten that we have 2 filing cabinets of UN nations, not 1 will be fired. Unfortunately, due to her contract, we must allow her to finish her current job of updating all UN records. As soon as she finishes, she'll be fired and we'll have a more senior official go through both filing cabinets and (hopefully) fix everything. This will result in doubled issues and other effects, though I doubt that anyone will mind.

Due to the glitch, the following feeder regions lost their delegacy:

The South Pacific: The Shaft The West Pacific: Berhampore The North Pacific: Sydia The Rejected Realms: Kandarin

As such, the YoungWorld’s attack on the Rejected Realm was successful for one day, but without the power to eject, Kandarin was able to reclaim his throne as Lord of the Underworld. In the West Pacific, an agent of TWP was able to take the throne, and returned it to Berhampore. In the East Pacific and South Pacifics, the ‘successors’ did not eject the former delegates, and as such, all were reinstated. Unfortunately, the usurped delegates will now have a counter next to their names.

Even delegates who kept their thrones had trouble. Sydia and Unlimited, delegates of the North Pacific and The Pacific, respectively, both lost significant amounts of endorsements (about 200 each). As such, the North Pacific Army was recalled to endorse Sydia and The Pacific exercised the Union of Sovereigns Alliance and SECO and Red Army forces moved into the Pacific to endorse Unlimited.

Things are now starting to get back to normal, but things have occured which can not be undone in the great glitch of 9/26/04.

Sarda & Ministry of Culture begin Casting! (Oct. 2, 2004)^[5]

By Sarda

Salusa Primus, Sarda - Here in rainy central Sarda, casting has just begun on "The Pacific Revolution," the epic history of Francos and the new People's Republic.

The role of Sarda is already filled by universally adored Scottish actor Rufus Sewell, and numberous others have come forward.

Warrior Thorin was heard to say of the new film project that it is: "A great project in a great time. As the Pacific marches towards future greatness, our own fellows must remember the dedication and courage of those that bore the yolk of responsibility for the first Pacific Revolution."

Steven "Plot-Stealer" Spielberg has also specially requested that others come forward with any extrenuous historical details, and their desire to join the new production.

New Governors Take Office (Oct. 1, 2004)^[6]

By Warrior Thorin

(From Left to Right) Sarda, Senator Warrior Thorin, Desetland and Galasia on election day.

The Ministry of the Interior, Franco City, The Pacific. The first governors of the Pacific assumed office today after several weeks of arduous transition. Taking the helms of the two provinces are Governor Sarda (Province T-Z, named Tantus Pacificus) and Governor Desetland (Province D-G). Both governors have had experience running provinces before in the NPO, but what is unique is that they are the first elected officials of the Pacific under the PRP. Desetland commented that "I will do my best to serve my province well." The sentiments were also echoed by Sarda, who immediately decided to enact a competition to see which province could create the wildest dance in honor of Comrade Poskrebyshev. Those results shall be quite interesting!

Province D-G not only has its first Governor, but it is filling other offices rapidly. Galaisa has been appointed the Vice-Governor of the region, and has certainly taken the PRP by storm with some dazzling work with posters (for example, look at the picture of the forum page!). To learn more about Province D-G, you can go to this thread.

Province T-Z is now officially known as Tantus Pacificus. It is the largest province of the Pacific. Governor Sarda has appointed Chosen Men to be the Deputy Governor of the Province. CM is well-known for his undying support to Francos Spain and the other elders of the Revolution, as well as his PSAs which are broadcast in the Pacific Civil HQ. To learn more about this great province, you can visit them here.

MistStlkr recently won the election for Province M-P and we await great things as he transitions the province under his governorship. MistStlkr's current vision of the direction of the province is seen with this statement how how he plans to name it: "I would like to suggest Magnus until after the first "membership drive" at which point I plan to take suggestions from province residents and put it to a vote." To watch and see how this province shapes itself, you visit the province at this thread.

These are exciting times in the Pacific! And the interest continues to mount as yet another gubernatorial race is on for Province H-L, the candidates being HL Dafidius and The New Duce. You can watch the action at the polls by visiting this thread.

After the elections are over in Province H-L, it appears that two provinces will be left. Who will step up and take charge of those provinces? Who thinks they can convince the citizens of the Pacific that they can lead them? If it is you, then visit the Ministry of the Interior and apply today.

Ukraine/USSR Calls For Help^[7]

By Sir Paul

Crazy Girl attempting to control the world again

Ukraine, USSR territories: Today, in joint session, the USSR premier Redcommunist asked the US Alliance to send troops into “Ukraine” and to endorse “Dah Homestarmy.” The Region was attacked by operatives of GLA and TITO. Having greifed the region, the moderators promptly deleted the invaders, and now, Union troops have been called in to restore order to the region.

Currently, Crazy Girl, (under the name “Zandra”) has been vying for the delegacy. All able bodied UN nations are called upon to move into “Ukraine” and endorse “Dah Homestarmy” to protect it from falling into the hands of the evil doers. Unlimited noted that “the USSR has been at our side during many invasions, it is time to return the favor.”

Protect the Ukraine! Protect the Union! Endorse “Dah Homestarmy” in “Ukraine.”

ADN Gets New Charter (Oct. 18, 2004)

By Sir Paul

The new charter of the Alliance Defense Network

ADN inner sanctum: The people of the world rejoice as the ADN shows off their newly adopted charter. The ADN has long been suffering from bureaucracy, intelligence failures, ridiculously long terms of office, and democracy in general. The new charter addresses all of these concerns and looks to put the ADN back on the map as the premiere defender organization.

One of the most notable changes in the charter is eliminating many of the executive offices. Now, there is but one executive who will be held accountable for the direction of the organization. Many people complained bitterly about the one year terms of office and how this led to a lack of accountability, so the new office is elected for life. This way, the ADN won’t be bogged down by a constant election cycle and can focus not on politics but on defending. The director will have veto power over the ADN representatives, select a cabinet, any advisors, and essentially run the ADN however she sees fit. The director also has the power and duty to investigate any wrongdoings or complaints. If, for instance, there is a complaint that the director-for-life is becoming abusive, the director would launch an investigation on herself, hand select the tribunal, and have a trial regarding her wrongdoings.

The ADN also does not have the power to dictate what its sovereign regions may or may not do, so if a region, say, Alcatraz, uses the ADN boards to organize an invasion using a top ADN official, then it is clearly NOT an ADN action. Clearly, this organization is highly evolved in political structure and diplomatic acumen.

The ADN also does not declare war. However, it does have the power to have declared enemies. Examples of some enemies of the ADN are the PRP and the USSR. You are also made an enemy if you get out of the Alliance or refuse of give aid to your fellow ADNer when called upon to do so.

There are also crimes in this new government that applies to members of the ADN. These are…

Treason against the ADN or its members. Treason is defined as attempting to overthrow the government of an alliance member region to which the offender owes allegiance, or of betraying the region into the hands of a foreign power ||or attempting to overthrow the government to which one owes allegiance, either by making war or by materially supporting its enemies.

Espionage against the ADN or its member regions. Espionage is defined as the practice of using spies, or other means, to collect information about what the ADN or its members are doing or plan to do.

Aggression against fellow ADN members or allies. Aggression is defined as the act of initiating invasion or hostilities, which may include propaganda and fifth column activities.

Invading regions for the purposes of conquest. Conquest is defined as the occupation of a region with the intention of extending its sovereignty over that region.

Conduct detrimental to the proper functioning of the ADN.

Allying or supporting Enemies of the ADN.

Posting any sensitive information from the ADN forum elsewhere, excepting orders for the movement of troops via methods of communication secure and safe on regional forums, necessary for defensive missions.

Therefore, giving the ADN bad press is enough to make you an enemy, as well as invading regions where the natives are currently happy in their situation. Thus, actions like invading Ukraine and putting an ADN puppet in the delegates chair would be considered illegal by this new charter.

All of Nationstates is excited and ready to experience a new style of defenderism under Pope Hopes lifelong reign.

Pope Hope Sues Sir Paul for Defamation (Oct. 21, 2004)^[8]

By Sir Paul

Sir Paul taking flak from viewers regarding the Pope Hope Scandal

World Court, The Hague: With much fanfare, Pope Hope filed suit against Sir Paul in the world court today in response to Sir Paul’s actions with her IRL image. Pope Hope stated that “…I'm sure members from both sides make their in-game comparisons and jabs as is expected I suppose. The difference between us and what you did with my RL picture is that you crossed the OOC line into personal insult on many occasions, and we do not allow that.” Pope Hope noted that she now has zero-tolerance for any more IRL character slams and will report any more line-crossing to the authorities.

Sir Paul came out of the courtroom today apologetic, yet determined, to beat this rap. “The ADN doesn’t really have any symbols except Pope Hope’s IRL image, which is posted quite frequently around the forums she’s visited. I never meant to hurt her feelings, and I hope that she knows that I felt that everything was kept in character. If it’s any consolation, I’m sorry for my lack of professionalism, and I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

Sir Paul has used Pope Hope’s image twice in the past. Once for the infamous “Who’s a bigger Nazi” article, and once for the “Alcatraz” article. In the first, Sir Paul placed Pope Hope, Hitler, and Unlimited’s Avatar next to each other, and then proceeded down a check list to see which government was most Nazi. Despite the disclaimer at the bottom, some felt it crossed the line. The second instance of using Pope Hope IRL image involved photoshoping Borg parts onto her and Vasquez’s IRL image in an ADN=Borg piece. Both images have since been removed and PNN’s new policy dictates that no IRL names, information, or images can be used.

Pope Hope, filing the suit in the world court

Most people agree that Sir Paul is guilty, and PNN will have hard decisions to make regarding its most famous reporter, who brings in a majority of viewers to both the Pacific Press and the Tabloid Tribune. Insiders say that Sir Paul has already attempted to resign, but that the senate rejected this, instead placing him under suspension. Pierconium stated “Sir Paul has crossed the boundaries of decency, and will be under administrative leave until further notice.”

Thel D'Ran interview (Nov. 2, 2004)^[9]

By Krulltopia

(Originally posted in The North Pacific News Central on 4/10/2004)

Firstly, how did you get involved with NationStates? A very dear friend of mine is surviving with cancer. She invited me to join the game and I cannot refuse her any request. Her nation — Nandemo — was wandering through the smaller, founder-based regions and I invited her to join me in the North Pacific. She's been there ever since, even surviving the mass-ejections by UPS Rail and Great Bight.

How did you get involved with The North Pacific? Did you start off here, or come from somewhere else? Thel DRan, my first nation, actually generated in the North Pacific. In truth, I just hadn't noticed there were other regions until about four days after starting NationStates™.

How did you get involved in the TNP forums? On the very day I noticed that I could change regions, I got my first telegram — from Magicality. She invited me to join the forum of TNP and I decided I'd investigate the community before wandering off to join another one.

Where did you get the idea for the map of The North Pacific, and how, roughly, do you do it? My first week in TNP's forum was an investigation of what the community needed (along with a few embarrassingly n00b questions). I was truly surprised that not only was there no map there seemed never to have been any discussion of one.

There's a FAQ about the map here.

Did you enjoy The North Pacific Award Ceremony, and how are your awards? Also, where did you get the idea for the design of the awards? I think the Award Ceremony is in my Top Ten of the Best Topics in TNP. I didn't post anything during the planning and development stages because I was in the middle of my delegacy and thought participation might represent inappropriate influence. I was happy to be nominated for Best Topic (as I've a certain amount of pride associated with the map) and very surprised to be nominated for three other awards. The design of the awards themselves started with a Chinese medallion and was elaborated on, in stages, until it looked "cool." There are elements of Photoshop and Excel drawing functions in it. The dragon came from someone's Family Tree website, and I guess I should have bookmarked that.

I seem to remember that you were/are a member/founder of The Avengers. How did that come about? From time to time, I found a region for no reason at all. Avengers Assemble initially started as an homage to my days as a comic book geek. When I was first banned by UPS Rail, Avengers seemed to be the ideal place to move. Within a week, nearly 100 nations had followed me there and it became one of the hubs of exile activity. I suppose that rate of growth, in conjunction with the truly respected names that turned up there, was the inspiration for the formation of the Government-in-Exile.

Are there any other Non-TNP nations that you particularly admire? Dilber, Galdago, Cortath, Minineenee, all of the folks with whom I regularly AIM chat, and everyone in Lemuria and Avengers Assemble.

During the UPS rail/Great Bight debacle, how did you find out about it, and what were your first thoughts? UPS Rail and I were actually chatting in AIM somewhat regularly before all the matter impacted the fan. I believe he was sincere in his belief that the North Pacific was under the control of a clique. I argued that I was still too new to the game to have been accepted by any such exclusive group. I was quiet surprised to find myself in the Rejected Realms as I thought we'd developed a rapport and he did seem earnest in his desire to help the region. Great Bight's motivation was and remains harder to figure out. In combination, their actions made it remarkably easy to advertise my desire to become delegate of the North Pacific.

For those of us too lazy to find the relevant forum, what made you step down as delegate? I'm not certain I've ever outlined this before, except in AIM chat. When I was exiled I began to form a plan for what needed to happen in the North Pacific when order was restored. I am not a military-minded individual by any stretch of the imagination so I was more than happy to leave the Liberation to those who planned the strategies in that capacity. Once I'd achieved the elements of the "Restoration" that I'd planned while in exile, I didn't see any reason to continue as the delegate. In fact, allowing Sydia to take the position did more to indicate that democracy had been at least partially returned to the North Pacific than any further initiative I might have embarked on.

How did the peace treaty with the PRP start? Did you, another TNP member, or the PRP suggest it? What was you’re initial reaction to this? This is a direct outgrowth of my regular AIM chats with all the NS players I can find who use that program. I was chatting with Unlimited almost immediately after he became the delegate of the Pacific. He seems to be a quite reasonable person and we decided the peace treaty was worth investigating further. If this pans out to mean a lasting and operative agreement, I'll be thrilled. If it does not, I may retire completely from diplomatic affairs. :) You seem to have taken a lesser role in TNP issues as of late. Is this because you are simply busy with RL issues? While RL is always a factor it is not preventing me from participating in the game of NS. You may notice I am one of the authors of the Critical Response Provisions Act. I'm quite eager to see this eventually ratified as the Constitution's second amendment. I maintain an almost daily conversation with the leaders of each Pacific region. And when everyone is online, I host Pacific Delegate meetings. I have not resigned from the UN nor moved out of TNP (except during the endorsement vigil of Magicality) and plan to stay (at the least) for the resolution of the PRP treaty. In short, I'm not out. I'm just less noisy.

How do you feel The North Pacific will evolve with the changes within Nation States? Will we adapt and deal with the changes, or simply fall behind? If we are to change, what aspects of the TNP do you think will change? Unfortunately, I am not the arbiter of the evolution of the region and I probably should not seek to become so. I do see us and the entire game on the cusp of a new and broader identity. It will be interesting to see if and how this can be achieved.

Ok, now for the not so serious stuff: What type of music do you listen to? World-Influenced Dark Eclectic (WIDE), being my own approach to the gothic scene.

What other hobbies do you have? Art, maps, alternative history and science fiction, writing, comics (yes, still), and a broad spectrum of sociological research.

Done anything interesting recently that you would care to share? I'm planning a huge event in November (this year) that I'm quite proud of and hope goes well. It will be a large gothic party in Philadelphia.

I’m strangely drawn to shiny objects and weaponry. What are you drawn to? Oddness. Heresy. Conversation with the Intelligencia.

How’s the weather in Philadelphia? Today: Bright and clear. Tomorrow: Chance of rain.

Have you got a favourite food stuff? Sushi. Bloody Mary marinated steak and shrimp. Pizza.

Anchovies! What’s your opinion? Very cool (though still a bit like running your tongue along a pier).

Poe or Ananke? I have to choose? I chat much more frequently with Poe.

Thel D'Ran, thank you very much.

Poe Interview (Nov. 2, 2004)^[10]

By Krulltopia

Originally posted in The North Pacific News Central on 19/10/2004)

Who first introduced you to NationStates? Hrmmm…honestly, I have no idea who it was. I had been posting at a poetry forum for a couple months earlier this year (like, way earlier, we’re talking January) and one day it was really boring and no one was posting. So I went looking around, reading old threads and stumbled upon this post in the “recommended sites” section, about making your own country, and I thought I’d go check it out. I had done model UN in high school and stuff, and have always been fascinated with geography, so I made up some random nation title, and hung around the HQ and read stuff for the first few days. I wasn’t ever really interested in moving to another region. The lucky thing is, that I read that poetry site thread when I did, because only a couple weeks after I startes NS-ing, the poetry site shut down. I could still be floundering in cyberspace with nothing to do! The dire consequences of that idea scare me to death. :D

How did you get involved with The North Pacific forums? Well, you know how it is…three days with nothing to do but hang around the HQ is bound to make any bored person decide to check out the forum link! I had gone to the NS forums, and they were just far too big and messy and full of obnoxious people. So I figured I’d start out a bit smaller and went to just TNP forum instead. Originally under the member name “Psychotic Head of Creepugnasia” until Sydia (whom I thought was a girl at the time) posted something in the Pet Peeves thread about people with really long member names, so I changed it to Poe. Because Poe was the fugitive ex-heiress of Creepugnasia. Her dad was the communist dictator, until it was over thrown. Her full name was actually Poem, but I shortened it to Poe because Poem is just far too cheesy and pansy to garner any respect. Poe will beat you up if you piss her off. Poem, she’ll whimper and bat her eyelashes, hoping someone will be nice to her. Somewhere early along the way, though, Poe stopped being an RP character, and now she’s just me. Someone who bats her eyelashes while beating you up. :D

What made you leave The North Pacific for a while? Which time? :lol:

What do you think about the recent discussions with the PRP? I think that discussions with the PRP are great. Those old NPO guys are actually really fun, and I rather enjoyed the time that I spent as a “spy” over there. It’s nice to have them around the NP forum. And I think that things will work out. However, if we do end up signing treaties with them, I’m wondering how we’ll work things out with the ADN, since that would be treason. Will we be kicked out of the ADN? Who knows? All I know is that Sir Paul’s tabloids are wildly entertaining.

How’s Lemuria going? Lemuria is going swimmingly! Honestly the detail and work and background and effort that Thel has put into it amazes me. It’s going to go so far! I can feel it in my guts. If you haven’t gone to look around the forum, you really ought to. It’s awesome.

Any thoughts on who would make a good next delegate? Personally, I would love to see Flemingovia as delegate of TNP. Or DD or Virtual Boy. There was a time when I wanted to be delegate…if only for a day, just because I thought it would be cool, but having been the delegate in Lemuria, I’m content in a lowly spammer role, where I can wield influence and subtle power with my wit and charm. Or as some would say, my “feminine wiles.” :lol:

What is your favourite development in NationStates at the moment? Ya know, I really couldn’t tell you! *leans in and whispers* Can you keep a secret? I’m not really in it for the game these days…I’m here for all you awesome people, who I consider to be my friends. The OOC is the coolest place on the web. And the people in it are “da baermb,” as Coach Z would say.

And now for the less serious stuff: Wait. There was serious stuff?!

Could you tell the newbie’s a bit about yourself? I talk more than anyone should. But I try to be entertaining about it, and when it’s not entertaining, it’s at least quirky. And I hope they’re not scared of me…I try not to be scary, but sometimes my insanity just makes me come across that way. And I really REALLY hope they’re not intimidated, because I love getting to know people. They should probably know that I tend to be very sarcastic at times, and if I ever say anything that comes across as offensive, I really don’t mean it that way. Um, other than that, I’m a twenty-something who’s not sure what to do with herself. But I like to have fun and goof off, and I’d know what I want to be when I grow up if I were ever sure that I was going to grow up.

Is there anything interesting that you've done recently? I recently quit school and work to “find myself” and to recover from some health problems that I’ve been having. Other then that, um…I recently re-opened a non-NS forum that my online friends (most of whom are NSers… actually, all of them are, I think…) and I hang out at. It’s a cool little place. I like it. You can come visit anytime you’d like! It’s found at: Dead link omitted (sorry for that blantant plug there… :lol: actually, no I’m not! ;) )

What’s your favourite food stuff? Hummmm…that’s a hard one. I would have to say Chinese, ice cream, or DD. Oh wait. Food? Chinese food. More specifically lo mein, mongolian barbecue, jaudze (potstickers), and oh, anything. Mmm Chinese food! Dessert? Ice cream. All kinds. The best thing in the world is eating strawberry ice cream (with real strawberry chunks in it, of course) on a swing at three in the afternoon on a summer day. DD is for snacking between meals…Heh.

How’s the weather with you? It’s raining and I am positively giddy! I adore rain. I go out and lie on my trampoline when it rains. I love the smell of rain, the sound of rain, the color of rain, the feel of rain…it’s delicious. Rain is my favorite kind of weather, so I’m in an awesome mood today. Music! What are your favourite band/artists at the moment? Currently, I am on a Jeff Buckley kick. I splurged at the recod store and bought a 5-cd compilation called “The Grace Eps.” It’s an obscure collection of some hard to find EPs of his that were released in Europe and stuff, very, very cool. I have a huge crush on Jeff Buckley, which is odd, I know, because he’s dead and all…but then, I have a huge crush on Bernini’s David statue…so it’s not like I’m weird. ;) Besides Jeff Buckley, I’ve been listening to lots of stuff from Casiotone For The Painfully Alone. A one-guy band type deal, he mixes all of his songs on keyboards, including a little casio one. And the lyrics are just great. They’re sad songs, mostly, but I love it, because I think everyone can relate to them. If you haven’t ever heard of him, check them out. I’m sure there’s a link in my “Song of The Day” thread in the OOC.

What's your favourite film? My favorite film? Hrmmm…that’s so hard. I have so many favorite movies, although I haven’t seen many of the classics. I love the Lord of The Rings movies. I still cry watching Return of The King…and I’ve seen it about 20 times. The minute Sam starts carrying Frodo up the mountain, I pretty much bawl to the end credits. Other awesome movies,that I love are Waking Ned Devine, What About Bob?, The Spanish Prisoner, Shadowlands (a film about CS Lewis, starring Anthony Hopkins), and Muppet Treasure Island. There are so many, but those are the ones that I watch over and over. Oh, and a kind of obscure documentary/art type film called “Baraka.” Gorgeous cinematography.

Alligators or Crocodiles? Nile Crocodiles. Those are the coolest nature documentaries. The National Geographic ones of the Nile Crocodiles, where you’ve got the stupid wildebeest who go up to the water, and they’re like “Oh! He’s not looking, hurry get a drink! I think he’s asleep!” And the gullible one sticks his head in the water, and then in the next three seconds, his head is gone and the crocodile’s there grinning with a leg hanging out of his mouth going, “Wha? Wasn’t me, I swear! Heh heh heh. I’ll get you my pretties…” They’re so badass. I’m scared to death of them.

Do you know what laver bread is? I don’t…but if I were to venture a guess, I’m thinking it’s the kind of cakes that girls with speech impediments bake for the guys they have crushes on to impress them with their mad cooking skillz.

Last question, the one that everyone is afraid to ask, but knows the answer to:

VB or DD?

laughs* Awww…it’s so hard! I haven’t had the privelege of getting to know Veebs as well as I know DD, so it’s a rather biased opinion. I have to say DD. If I didn’t I’d be lying. I’m madly in love with the guy. He’s got animal magnetism oozing from every pore or something. He’s the only person that can regularly leaves me speechless. If he were a nile crocodile, the other wildebeast wouldn’t have to tell me to sneak a drink, I’d walk straight in without even flinching. Plus, he’s an Invader Zim fan, and puts up with my dorkiness. That’s a keeper, that is. I would try to impress him with my mad baking skillz, but it’s a hard thing to do virtually, you know. Not that I haven’t tried.

Thanks Poe, Its been great talking to you!

Pixiedance/Cathyy interview (Nov. 3, 2004)^[11]

By Krulltopia

(Originally posted in the North Pacific News Central on 20/10/2004, before Pixiedance became delegate.) My next interview is with Cathyy, also known as Pixiedance.

It seems that few people know much about you, despite beginning around here for a while, and I'll like to take this opportunity to shed some light on you, particularly as you have declared that you are running for delegate. Oooh that makes me sound rather mysterious :) Can I have some over-sized sun-glasses, maybe I could get used to that image.

Firstly, how did you get introduced to NationStates? Another forum that I chat on/post on, someone mentioned something about going off to sort their nation out. I thought it sounded interesting so I went and had a look at their nation and it went from there really. The slightly annoying thing is that this wasn't a person I knew particularly well and for the life of me now I can't remember who they were/who their nation is!

How did you get involved with the TNP forums? Well, when I first 'landed' in NS I was pretty clueless about how it worked. (Guess we all had to be sometime!) So, for a while I didn't do very much other than look at my issues and watch how they affected my nation. Then I began to get telegrams - from people like Thel, welcoming me to the region. And then I began to read the forum as I'd been given the link.

Which TNP member/s do you most respect? Well, I think it's hard to single out one or even a group. Thel was the first person who I spoke to via chat and we got to know each other pretty well. Thel's energy astounds me - look at all the stuff he produces for the region. I think he made a great Delegate and acted as a hugely important focal point during the GB affair. Wilks I sort of think of as a wise elder statesman (he'll kill me for that I bet!!) And I think the same of quite a lot of others. The ones I’m thinking of definitely include also Ananke...the names and legends we all know. Poe, Virtual Boy - also legends :) Magicality is probably the person I have most regrets that I didn't get a chance to speak with as she was already ill by the time I got here.

What made you decide to run for delegate, and in what ways will you change the North Pacific? Well, I’ve thought about it off and on for a while and I’ve been collecting endorsements for a long time. i suppose you get to a point where you think. OK, well all these people are endorsing me....so maybe I'd like to take it that one step further. I also believe that I could do a good job at it, because I'm the sort of person who would rather not do something at all if I can't do it well. I would like to improve the way information works and flows through the region. I'd like to see better links between here and the Regional HQ. I'd also like to see better co-ordination and accountability between the ministries. And I'd like to see wider participation in the forum, which I see as crucial.

What is your opinion on the talks between the PPR/TNP? How do you think the Ukraine incident will effect this, and what is your overall view of the incident? This would be a very complicated answer and one which I would need to research more so I'm going to skip it for here but if anyone wants to pose it in my candidacy thread I'll deal with it there, when I have a little more time than right now.

You were very active during the UPS Rail/Great Bight incident. What is your opinion on this, and how do you think it has effected the whole of the North Pacific? I think it was a horrible time for the whole region. However, positive things often can come out of bad things. I think allies and friendships were strengthened during that time. Not only that, we showed that we could work together and eventually triumph over the wrong-doing of GB. I think it has made people a lot more wary. That's a double-edged sword really. I think democracy is worth protecting and so a certain wariness is right. But we do need to find a balance between that and ostracising people. But i think it's human nature that when you've been attacked you become more vigilant. Again, I don't see that as a bad thing.

What do you think the future holds for NationStates and the North Pacific? Well, I'm sure a pay-to-play version will have a huge impact on NationStates. But NationStates and the region are the sum of all of their parts, i.e. members/players. So, in that sense it's almost impossible to predict. I'd like to think that the future would involve co-operation between nations and regions and that, in particular, we continue to develop as a community for the region. But that relies firstly on the information flows that i referred to earlier. I see those as key. People need to see the links between what are essentially two separate parts of the whole - NS and the wider community of both this region and the whole game.

Less serious stuff coming up: What do you do in RL? I work in the health service in communication and management.

Done anything interesting recently? Doing soon. I'm going to Paris for the first time. So i'm really looking forward to that. :)

What are you having for breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack of choice? In an ideal world....calorie-free chocolate for all of them!

Any particular type of music, or band/artist you've listened to recently? I love anything from the 80s really. And I'm old enough to remember that stuff first time round - so I expect partly it's nostalgia or wishing I was 10 years younger!

Name a random movie! A Fish Called Wanda

What’s best for a fondue: chocolate or cheese? Chocolate!!!

Right, I've run out of things to say.Thank you for the interview! Many thanks for asking me :)

Sir Paul Interview (Nov. 3, 2004)^[12]

By Krulltopia

My next is interview is with Sir Paul, PRP senator. How were you introduced to NationStates? I was reading an article of Newsweek and noticed that they mentioned a free online political simulation game. Yes, I’m that much of a nerd. I started in July of last year, was born in the Pacific, and the rest is history.

How did you get involved in the Pacific forums (NPO and PRP), and subsequently, how did you get involved with the North Pacific forums? I didn’t pay much attention to goings on outside of my nation until the Francos Spain situation, where I found myself in the Rejected Realms. I decided that I wanted to live in the Pacific, and decided that I would work inside the system to affect change. Thus, I swore my allegiance to Franco if he would let me return. I did some work for the republic, was elevated to Senator, and have been enacting reforms from the inside ever since.

What is your opinion of Francos Spain? Franco was a visionary in that he created a stable government with the ideals of Peace, Strength, and Prosperity. He and the senate created a system of government with delegation of authority, responsiveness to the people, and a good amount of security. His leaving the game has left a shadow and an emptiness in the Pacific that can never truly be filled.

How did you start the Tabloid Tribune? I didn’t start the Tabloid Tribune, Bertram Strantous did. He started the tabloid thread, and I took over as he became less active. I’ve since created the Pacific News Network, with the Pacific Press (legitimate, somewhat funny, news) and the Tabloid Tribune (funny, nonsensical, fake news).

Could you explain a bit about the organization of the Pacific into provinces? As the Pacific became more active, we created the governorships to ensure a responsive government, such as telegramming people about upcoming events, getting people active, and rallying the populace during invasion. Since, we’ve re-organized into 6 provinces of about the same size, and the elected governors create whatever kind of micro-government they so choose. The main duties of the provinces are to keep the government close to the people and ensure activity. Each province is run differently, so I’ll defer your readers to the ministry of interior for more information regarding each province.

What do you think about the current PRP/TNP talks?

I think that this is a real chance for a lasting peace in the Pacific. Unfortunately, certain multi-regional organizations who wish to demonize the PRP will try and throw a monkey-wrench in the process, but hopefully, cooler heads can prevail.

Could you sum up your own personal views on the Ukraine incident?

Warning: Propagandist rhetoric to follow*

From what I understand, the founder of Ukraine (Francos Spain) quite a while ago, declared that the Ukraine was part of the USSR, much like North and South Korea. After the Soviet revolution, RedCommunist began a policy of region-building. Upon moving into the Ukraine, GLA and TITO moved in and greifed the region, ejecting 20% of the natives. In order to ensure that invaders or the ADN did not take the delegacy, the USSR invoked the Union of Sovereigns Alliance, and thus, the PRP was obligated to protect and defend USSR territory. I asked RedCommunist if bringing in the PRP into the Ukraine was a good idea, as I was sure certain propaganda ministers would use the situation to take the Ukraine from the USSR. He assured me that the ADN had no designs for it, and his chief concern was from invaders. Unfortunately, my fears proved true, and the alphabet soup organizations moved on Ukraine, invading Union of Sovereign soil. So, this thing then got turned into a “PRP expansionist operation” when it was us coming to the aid of a beleaguered ally who helped defend us against so many attacks in the past. So, I now call upon the ADN/GLA/TITO/NPA or whoever the heck is occupying Ukraine to ask the natives WHAT THEY WANT. That’s my biggest beef with “defenders.” Defenders no longer wait for a native call for help, and they no longer endorse native delegates. That’s not defending the native delegacy, that’s invading and occupying. Once all this is sorted out, hopefully they will leave and the natives can once again begin the process of region building with the help of the USSR.

End propagandist rhetoric*

Could you sum up your own personal views on the UPS Rail/Great Bight incident? Well, I got to meet UPS Rail (Rich) and he seems like a nice enough guy. A guy with an interesting plan of action. He felt that TNP was suffering from an “old boys club” mentality and he felt that Nationstates was dying from inactivity. He called us up, asking for senator-status if he allied with us. He was then planning on using the international outrage as a rallying point to eventually invade the Pacific, using our secrets and intel from our boards against us. We never took him up on the offer, and he resigned in shame. He told me he wanted an outsider, Collostium, to take over, but make one critical mistake… The Great Blight thing. God, I hated that annoying pirate banter, but he provided the NPO an interesting opportunity. In exchange for support from the evil empire, we could squelch the NPA threat. At that time, we felt that TNP was the biggest obstacle to peace in the Pacific, and thus, if we supported the pirate government, we knew the ADN would first liberate you guys before they would attack us. In essence, ALSO would become a buffer for the NPO. Confidentially, (this is just between me and TNP readers), I was appalled by the actions of the government, and secretly I was glad that the government fell. The people of TNP deserved much better. Not even Poskrebychev was that bad.

What, in your opinion, is in store for NationStates, and the Pacific, in the future? Nationstates will slowly die out and lose nations, but the ones that remain will stay active. I see new alliances forming, and I see the possibility of peace in the Pacific. Whether it’s through armed occupation or diplomacy is up to you ;-).

Now, as is my custom, now into the less serious stuff: Could you tell us a bit about yourself? Sure. I’m a graduate student at UCLA in urban planning. I’m from Bakersfield, and am adjusting to LA slowly but sharply. See, I don’t much like Bush, on account that he’s too liberal, but by the time I leave I’m sure I’ll be a pot-toking communist hippie.

Have you got any hobbies in that fabled land of 'Real Life'? I’m a nikyu (brown belt) in judo, and I enjoy writing, hiking, cooking, and eating.

What are you reading at the moment? Cadillac Desert.

Which bands/artists are you listening to? I’ve got eclectic taste in music, listening to Pachabell, 5 for fighting, Papa Roach, R. Kelley, etc.

Whereabouts are you, and how’s the weather? I’m in beautiful Westwood (west LA) and it is raining.

What do you think killed the dinosaurs: a complex series of events that they were ill-equipped to adapt to, and therefore died out according to the theory of natural selection; or a big lump of rock from outer space? Ah, I’m glad you asked, because I have an extensive background in Geology. The dinosaurs died out at the end of Cretaceous epoch about 65 million years ago at the K/T boundary. To creationist, the dinos either bit the dust because the great flood killed them, or their bones were put there by Satan to confuse us into not accepting Christ and the Old Testament. I personally believe that God wouldn’t confuse us in this manner, so I accept that a climate change caused by the Yucatan meteor caused the mass extinction, as ordained by God.

Which films are you planning on seeing? I’m planning on seeing Shrek II, I hear that’s great.

Any particular foods you like? Everything except Korean. I just can’t wrap my head around Kim Chi, but if I had to pick one genre, I’d go with Basque. There’s just something about pickled cow-tongue and ox-tail stew.

Done anything interesting recently? I hosted my first kegger at my new flat (apartment). Kids, don’t drink unless you are 21, in the military, or have a fully developed liver.

Poe or LadyRebels? Sorry Poe, but it’s LadyRebels. She’s in the Superfriends AND Legion of Doom.

Sir Paul, Thank you.

Governors Officially Take Office on 1 November (Nov. 6, 2004)^[13]

By Warrior Thorin

Governor The New Duce of Province H-L argues before the AoG about the size of the new militia

The People's Palace, Franco City, The Pacific. On 1 November 2004, four governors officially took office: Andropov of Province non-letters-C; The New Duce of Province H-L; MistStlkr of Province M-P; and Sedarva of Province Q-S. All four are said to be in great spirits and have been working diligently to create their governments.

With the full complement of governors now in office, the governors have officially created the Assembly of Governors (AoG) which is a lower house of the PRP government. This AoG has the ability to vote on legislation passed down from the Senate, and it can create its own legislation to hand to the Senate. This is a great victory for democracy since this lower house will be able to participate in the policy making process for the People of the Pacific region. "It's a momentous time in the Pacific," stated Senator of Internal Affairs Warrior Thorin. "The people can now go to their provincial governors and as for legislation to be passed up to the Senate. Why is this important? Because the people are now given a voice to dictate policy for this region. This is the manifestation of democracy, and you can look forward to more changes to come as the AoG takes on more issues."

The AoG has already been involved in the development of policy. The AoG was presented with a suggestion from the Senate to create a militia for the purpose of defense for the region. "What ensued was a very creative process," stated Delegate Unlimited. "They took control right away of the militia to make sure that there would be no unauthorized use of it. I was very impressed with their policy making capability. The People should know that they worked very hard to protect the People's interests!"

Democracy is being formed, despite what some of the naysayers posit. The people now have the direct capability to create legislation, something that was not provided for in the days of the NPO. "I am greatly honored to work with the People," stated Governor Andropov, "and it is equally a pleasure to work with the other governors. We might have disagreements occasionally, but we are protecting the best interests of our provinces."

Meritocratic Elections: Democracy in Action (Nov. 12, 2004)^[14]

Alan Keyes saying that Jesus would not vote for Eli

Senate Chambers, The New Meritocracy: It’s that timepart again when the Meritocracy elects a new Consul. The consul’s position entails selecting a cabinet, enforcing the laws, and is the embodiment of the senate. The current election is a pivotal one for the region, with the heart and soul up for grabs. The candidates are the fine, upstanding senators Eli and Cortath.

Eli comes from the mean streets of North America and is running on a platform of outreach and recruitment. The Meritocracy has been declining in membership, and is becoming more withdrawn from the world, especially with the termination of the ADMA treaty. He is advocating for an active diplomatic corps, and hopes that the senate will not stick to neutrality, but enter into the world stage.

   Eli wrote:
   I supported the ADMA treaty during its time. It has now been rejected by the Senate, if I am elected Consul I will not attempt to change the Senate's will in this matter. The ALL is a treaty joined by this organization over a year ago and I support its continuance. I will be friendly to the ADN as I will to the rest of the NS world. My goal is to be very active diplomatically and to spread the good name of the Meritocracy.

Cortath, on the other hand, hails from the ADN (as a representative), and as a complete 180 from Eli, believes that the Met hangs on to neutrality way to much. He gave a stirring speech on the senate floor.

   Cortath wrote:
   The word on everyone's lips is "neutrality". But what is neutrality? Is neutrality when one is given two choices, you must choose neither? Go down the middle road? To paraphrase Yogi, when you come to a fork in the road, do you take it (that's a joke, for those of you not familiar with the famous Yankees catcher)? I do not believe neutrality is always forcing yourself to take a middle road, or to not take a road at all. That's not neutrality in my eyes. Neutrality is keeping your options open, so that you have as many roads open as possible. Granted, sometimes we will go down that middle road, or go down no road at all, but the Meritocracy, in order to keep those roads open, in order for our light to always be a welcoming beacon, must take positions on those issues that are right and just. As the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., said, "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict. " I believe that the crisis in The North Pacific was a great low point in the history of the Meritocracy. Regardless of one's position, hestitating for even a moment to fulfill one's mandatory treaty obligations, is frankly, a shame. And why did we hestitate? Neutrality.

Cortath, confused on the meaning of the words Neutrality and is

To help the senator out, we would like to present him with what neutrality really is…

\Neu*tral"i*ty\, n. [Cf. F. neutralit['e].] – The state or quality of being neutral; the condition of being unengaged in contests between others; state of taking no part on either side, especially nonparticipation in war ; indifference.

So, with one senator advocating the end of neutrality, and another advocating a new interpretation of it, the citizens of the Meritocracy have a difficult choice this election.

UPDATE: Eli beats Cortath - wins 28 (70%) to 12 (30%).

Sarda Elected as the First President of The Assembly of Governors (Nov. 16, 2004)^[15]

By Warrior Thorin

The People's Palace, The Pacific. Sarda, Governor of Tantus Pacificus, was elected as the first President of the Assembly of Governors (AoG). "I'm relieved this election is over. It was pretty close," sighed Sarda who awaited for the final votes to be tallied early this morning.

For those who don't know, the President of the AoG, "...has the responsibility to mediate the discussion of any new legislation. The president also shall declare when the discussion has come to a close and the matter is ready for a vote. In the event that the result of the AoG vote is a tie, the President will cast the deciding vote." [taken from the Legislation Procedures of the AoG posted in the People's Palace]. Sarda begins a 30 day term essentially leading legislation discussions and votes.

In this first election, the Senator of Internal Affairs did not have to cast a vote. Sarda issued the following statement: "...it's truly an honor to be elected as the first President of the first democratically elected legislature in the Pacific. I hope to serve up to the standards of excellence Francos set for us all when he built up our first Senate."

The Status of the Pacific: The Rise of the Republic (Nov. 21, 2004)^[16]

By Warrior Thorin

This article was originally submitted to the NSN on 21 November 2004

Thorinopolis, Warrior Thorin. The recent events of the rise of an underground movement has led me to consider that the time is appropriate for the readers of this great news service to hear our side of the what is happening in The Pacific. I am not writing this to dispatch the good people of the Underground Movement; instead I wish to simply explain what it is that we are working very hard at in The Pacific.

On 1 September 2004, the Republic was announced, supplanting the New Pacific Order (NPO) as the formal government of The Pacific. There were some immediate changes to this new government, of which I have been surprised that few people have noticed. Unlimited replaced Poskrebyshev as the delegate of the Pacific, and two new Senators were added (Pierconium and myself; BlackAdder was added in the final days of the NPO). This changed the old "hardline" stance that was prevalent in the old Senate. Gone are now the great revolutionaries Francos Spain, InfernoIce, Bertram Strantrous, and Poskrebyshev. Now the Senate is comprised of Mammothistan (the last of the original NPO Senators), and a crew of Senators and a Delegate who at one time were in opposition to the NPO.

The dynamic of this group is important for the growth of the Revolution, but you cannot understand this group's beliefs without first examining the history of the Revolution. In August of 2003, Francos Spain removed Theodoc as the delegate of The Pacific, thereby eliminating what we perceived was a very corrupt government. From that moment on, forces emerged to try and force Francos Spain from power, many of whom were not of Pacific origin (including Myrdinn, my original nation who descended from the South Pacific and joined the RRA). The North Pacific declared war on The Pacific, as did the organization that became The ADN. The West Pacific and the South Pacific also made attacks on The Pacific. We lived in a time in which martial law had to be installed to protect the region from foreign aggression, thereby preserving its sovereignty.

People have asked me if they were once in opposition to the NPO could they ever be permitted back? The answer is definitely yes. I was once fervently against the NPO, creating countless number of puppets to try and infiltrate it. Sir Paul was banned speaking out against Francos Spain. And yet, when you really examine the history of the war, it becomes clear why we all joined the Revolution. The Pacific's sovereignty was in jeopardy. What I see happened in the Revolution was that the people spoke and chose Francos Spain over Theodoc, but Theodoc and his crew were unhappy about losing their grasp on the Pacific and were willing to sacrifice the region's sovereignty for the sole purpose to regain power of the region. The NPO was committed to preserving the sovereignty of the region. It was unfortunate that it had to declare martial law to do it.

Yet, Pax Pacifica did eventually happen. There was a brief time early this year in which the attacks seemed to level off. Yet, the threats were always there. Several operations would be launched against the Pacific by foreign aggressors and The Pacific would respond to protect the region. When a delegate arose in The North Pacific, the Pacific decided to support him and his initial successor for the protection of our sovereignty. However, my opinion is that we erred in this endeavor as we forgot that we were challenging the sovereignty of another region; however I shall point out that this is my own opinion on the matter.

When Francos Spain left the game due to a real life tragedy, Poskrebyshev would also leave and thus came the rise of the Republic. It was amorphous in many ways when we first launched the newer government, but it is now taking form. When the forum was created, we had developed The People's Palace with the intent that this would be the place that the creation of the Republic would take place. It would be here that the people would develop the schema by which the Republic will take form. It is happening now.

The first obvious change was in regard to the governorship of the six provinces. In Francos Spain's original template, each lettered provinced was to have its own unique governor (I was once the Governor of Province Y). However, we realized that we could collapse the provinces and make six very unique provinces; each could be basically a region within the region. The People elect the governors in free elections. I can't say that there weren't any problems in the initial elections, but we are new at this, and it was apparent that the people made their choices. The closest election concerned Andropov's whose election had to be re-run over a lack of clarity in the election process. I firmly believe that we did the right thing, and we learned valuable lessons about the election process.

We now have an important high house, the Assembly of Governors. The AoG is charged with voting on all domestic legislation that is passed down from the Senate, and the AoG can develop its own legislation as well. It is currently discussing the parameters and the possibility of creating a People's Congress for the inclusion of all interested citizens of The Pacific to create and discuss domestic legislation.

The AoG is an important step in the reformation of the old government to the Republic. The people chose their representatives to create rules and legislation that impact the region. In the old NPO, the government was actually more paternalistic in that they made their decisions the way they saw fit without much consultation with the populace. Today, the people are given their voice. However, when the Congress has taken shape, each individual voice will be furthered empowered to address all concerns.

The Republic, then, is quite a bit different than the other so-called democratic institutions that exist throughout NS. In a democracy, leaders have been chosen by popular vote; the person who is liked the most for whatever reason is elected. That leader also has a dilemma: if he/she upsets any group of people, he/she could have his/her leadership challenged and may not be able to stay in power. In fact, you can see where instability has often occurred in these kinds of regions if you look carefully. The Republic ensures stability by chosing the right person for the job. It will carefully cultivate the citizens so that they any may rise with the right ideals to ascend to leadership positions, not based on popularity but based on worthiness. Does this mean that elections for the delegate position will never happen? Absolutely not. It means that the citizens will be more responsible in how they choose their leaders. Each person, we hope, will understand that the preservation of The Pacific sovereignty lies in the strength of the Republic. It is our opinion that the Republic will have better citizens in the future because each person will be involved in the decision of the region, and that participation will ensure a great deal of investment to the Republic.

A lot has been made concerning whether Senators should be elected. I have thought about this a great deal having a mixed, if not ambivalent, opinion on the matter. However, it is clear that the Senate is comprised of some special individuals who are there for the same ideals of the People. Yet, what is different is that they ascended to their position based on the principle of merit. The Senate has always chosen their own, and I submit that they will continue to do so for some time. Is this nefarious? Is this some conspiracy scheme? No. After all, how is it that one becomes a Senator in the Meritocracy? Many apply, few are chosen, and all based on the assumption that you cannot attain a Senate position without proving merit. In a true Republic in which all of the citizens will become vested in the growth of The Pacific, I assume that our Senate will expand due to the merits of many of our citizens. Yet, the Senate should remain a special place; a place to aspire if one is truly interested in the civics of the region. Currently, the Senate handles all foreign policies and also maintains the security of the region. We run into many complications if we merely open it up for an elected person; eventually those who would oppose us (be it the ADN or invading organizations) would infiltrate the Senate and we would have the task of fighting them with our flanks exposed.

Much has also been made of our development of the People's Militia, of which I have been surprised. There is a distinct difference between a militia and an army, and I wish to point this out because many people seem to confuse the two. An army is a formal organization; a militia is not. Our militia is being developed by the governors of the provinces, thereby they will be trained and maintained by the People. All citizens can participate as much as they like. The militia is created for the purpose of defense for our region, not for the purpose of becoming an invading or "defending" organization. We are indeed a part of the Union of Soveriegns, and we need to be able to help protect our allies if they are attacked, just as they are willing to assist us if we are attacked. Yet, we have no formal army and The Pacific will never have a standing army. The militia is a defensive organization setup to be governed by the People.

If you look carefully, you should note some vast improvements on the Republic in the short time that it has existed. There is discussion about further improvements, all of which we hope will create better citizens for the region and perhaps for all of NationStates. If one looks carefully at each of the feeder regions, you will noticed that each one has developed a different form of government. We do not criticize those other formations or ideologies, but we do criticize the attacks that people make upon us for creating our Republic. In the end, we argue that regional soverignty has played a vital part of our developing ideology, and that we have come to the conclusion that the development of a republic is a fair and equitable way for all citizens to participate in their civic duties should be seen as a great thing rather than being continually attacked. For those who are not a part of The Pacific, I ask that you remain distant from our soveriegn region unless you intend to extend either a sign of friendship or at least an observant curiousity. For those who are a part of the Pacific, I say come help us build your government. There are many people who tire of the concerns of subversion and terrorism; we extend a warm greeting to those who would rather build than to destroy.

As I have stated before, The Republic is not the Senate; it is The People of The Pacific. It is the average citizen who is looking for his or her niche. If you reside in the Pacific, then The Republic is you.

Three Governor Provinces are Opening for Upcoming Elections (Nov. 26, 2004)^[17]

By Warrior Thorin

Governor Sarda of Tantus Pacificus During his Acceptance Speech in September

The People's Palace, The Pacific. The Senator of Internal Affairs has released the following press statement concerning the expiration of terms for two of the governors, and a third office opening due to the inactivity of Andropov.

Province Francos Spain Memorial (D-G) and Province Tantus Pacificus (T-Z) are due to have elections in the coming weeks as these two provinces' governors' terms are expiring on 1 January. Candidates, to include the current governors, are to fill out their applications and post them in the Ministry of the Interior by Sunday, December 12th, 2004. Elections will run 13 December - 19 December.

Province Croyance (Non-Letters-C) will also be on the ballot due to Andropov's abandonment. Again, all candidates who wish to run for this province are encouraged to apply by December 12th, 2004.

The following criteria must be met by any potential candidates for the position of governor:

   First, check to make sure you meet the minimum requirements:

   1) Your Nation must be in the UN (Note: In some circumstances, this requirement may be waived by approval of the Delegate of the Republic. If it is waived, the Governor must ensure that the Vice-Governor is a UN Nation)

   2) Your Nation must reside in The Pacific

   3) Your Nation must have a population of at least 100 million

   4) You must have made at least 10 posts in the forum

   5) You must complete the application process and answer questions in satisfactory matter. Questions may be posed by anyone, but especially by the Senators

   6) You must be elected by the People on a poll that will be set up once the questioning period is completed. Polls will run for one week.

   7) Upon being selected as a Governor, you must swear an oath:
   "I, [state your name], as a servant of the People's Republic of The Pacific and resident of the Pacific, do swear by my faith, honor, and blood to fulfill the capacity of Provincial Governor to the best of my ability, to defend the Judicial Code of the Pacific, and to carry out those actions in the best interest of the Region, as set forth by our benevolent UN Delegate, Unlimited and the PRP Senate."

A successful election will grant the governor access to the Assembly of Governors upon assuming office on 1 January 2005.

Any questions concerning the election process or whether one is eligible to be a candidate may be directed to Warrior Thorin either by PM or t-gram.

Elections Begin Monday, December 13th! (Dec. 12, 2004)^[18]

By Warrior Thorin

'A Pacific citizen exercises his right to vote

Thorinopolis, Warrior Thorin. Elections for three of the Republic's provinces will begin on Monday, December 12th and run until Sunday, December 19th. Province Francos Spain Memorial Province (D-G) has Governor Desetland pitted against Doppleganger, while Province Croyance (Non-letters-C) has Daedalus running opposed, as is the same with Province Tantus Pacificus with Governor Sarda running for re-election.

The polls will open early Monday morning, and voters will notice that the procedures are going to be radically different from the previous elections. After conferring with the AoG, The Senate, and other foreign dignitaries, the Republic has reformed the election process for the purpose of insuring that the People's voices are heard in the election process. Voters will be asked to PM their responses and their responses will be cross-checked by a committee comprised of two citizens, one Senator, and one foreign dignitary (The Wachovia Coalition of The East Pacific). All votes that are suspicious will be scrutinized to maintain veracity. The committee will be responsible for certifying the election results.

For this election, early results will not be posted. It is the belief that early results could sway fence-sitters, thus the results will be made public once the final tallies are made and the results have been verified by the committee.

The polls will once again be found in the Ministry of the Interior and we hope all citizens will participate in this, the most important of all civic duties: the act of choosing your leaders!

2005

Nak Nak Deleted! (Jan. 2, 2005)^[19]

By Sir Paul

Nak Nak kissing the rope he was hanged with moments later

Hall of Injustice, Mod Centre: A few days ago, Nak Nak, the “Tom Bombadil” of the Pacific was dragged from his home and hung five minutes after wishing everyone a happy new years. The charge brought against Nak Nak was for sending a hurtful telegram to foreign recruiter Franken. The message that resulted in the death penalty is printed below, and may offend readers with thin skin. Reader discretion advised:

   Nak Nak wrote:
   Nak nak
   Received: Five Days Ago
   Piss off

Obviously, Nak Nak crossed the line and the punishment was just and swift. Franken, former head of the successful Nationstates Broadcasting Corporation, was using the alias Palmer's Dominion and justified reporting the incident to the mods.

   Franken wrote:
   I was trying to recruit and his spam messages kept bumping them off. It was frustrating to say the least not to mention against the rules. I asked him about it and he said "piss off". I did indeed report that to the mods.

The message that Franken sent was respectful in tone and not deceitful at all:

   Palmer's Dominion wrote:
   I thought only founders could clear regional boards. You seem to be spamming quite a bit, I think thats against the rules. Im a new nation and even I knew that- for such a big nation I would think you would know that

Obviously, the creator of NBC is a new nation and an older nation such as Nak Nak should be familiar with a new rule. While some consider Nak Nak a de-facto founder (consistently being #1 in the Pacific UN reports), this should not exclude Nak Nak from posting messages in the most heavily spammed region in the game. Since the deletion, Franken has promised not to recruit in the Pacific, and testified on Nak Nak’s behalf that the punishment was too harsh.

Fortunately for the forces of good, the mod who was looking to poach a high profile PRP member was overturned by Cogitation, and Nak Nak is once again allowed to roam the Pacific free. All hail Nak Nak!

New Year Heralds New Laws and New Governors (Jan. 3, 2005)^[20]

By Warrior Thorin

Unlimited, on the left, shares a joke with Governor Sarda after swearing in the new governors

The People's Palace, The Pacific. The Pacific has rung in a new year and with that comes two new governors and two new administrative laws.

After a very successful campaign in December, Sarda was re-elected as governor for the Tantus Pacificus Province, unopposed once again. Having also recently completing the first term as President of the AoG, Sarda was much more relaxed after the election. "It's always nice to know that the citizens of Tantus Pacificus have faith in my leadership. I hope to continue to serve them well during this next term."

Doppelganger supplanted Desetland in a surprise victory in The Francos Memorial Province. "I really won?" Doppelganger stated on the night of the election results. Desetland was very excited at the prospect of new blood in the AoG, even if he cannot participate. Still, Desetland was the architecht of an important piece of legislation that will be explained shortly.

Daedalus was also elected as a governor, taking over the controversial Croyance Province. In his first official act, he has called for the province to be renamed The Abysserian Guard Province as a tribute to one of the earlier Centurions of the old NPO, Abysseria.

Two pieces of legislation were also brought into law as the new year began. The first regards the election procedures of the President of the AoG, since there was some confusion as to when the elections are made. The second piece of legislation concerns the activity of the governors, mandating procedures to remove inactive governors from their office before elections. Both pieces of legislature were designed to streamline procedures to make the Pacific a more active region.

Governor Elections and New Public Office: High Judge Now a Public Office (Jan. 28, 2005)^[21]

By Warrior Thorin

Kalikratis Prepares for His Appointed Duties as Interim High Judge of the Pacific

The People's Palace, Francos Spain Hall, The Pacific. Elections for the three provinces have been conducted this month, and The New Duce (Honorem et Libertas Province), Quy (Quotidie Maiestas Province) and Desetland (Pax Pacifica Province) were voted in as governors. This shall be The New Duce's second term. Desetland shall have the distinction of being the first governor to serve in two different provinces. Desetland, a late comer in announcing his candidacy, stated, "It will be interesting to get to know the great people of Pax Pacifica. It will also be interesting to move into a new office and I hope some of the good citizens will help me because I hurt my back when I moved out the last time!"

In other governmental news, the Senate and the Assemby of Governors (AoG) announced a major reform in the judicial system of The Republic. The High Judge, once a position held by a senator, is now to be a public office. Commenting on the new legislation, BlackAdder noted, "We view it as a further Reform, we're handing the responsibility of Justice to the People. A rather Powerful responsibility given the history we've endured here."

Kalikratis has been appointed by Unlimited as the interim High Judge. He is expected to be the first citizen to undergo the process to become the actual High Judge. This process entails a Senate confirmation hearing, followed by an AoG confirmation hearing. Finally, the candidate must be voted by the people in a public referendum. The process is demanding, and the qualities expected of the High Judge of the Pacific are expected to be high. The High Judge cannot hold any other office nor participate in the militia. The High Judge is also expected to hold a non-voting seat in the AoG.

Military Build-Up in The Meritocracy (Feb. 18, 2005)^[22]

By Sir Paul

Kitimat, The Meritocracy: This year’s annual Kitimat Pact military exercises may be more than just a show of unity between these ten nations. There are scattered reports across the region with regards to large military maneuvers not in the deployment zones. We also have several unconfirmed, and let me stress that, unconfirmed reports that massive mobilization of the civilian populations are underway.

On this is a day of tragedy, as we have witnessed the massacre in Eureka and the silencing of our Kitimat bureau in Edmonton. War is possibly at the doorstep of the Meritocracy and with these attempts to silence the media, getting information out of this region of the world has been difficult…

holds hand to ear*

This just in… The Pacific News Network is receiving exclusive footage of the Kitimat Pact maneuvers from a research vessel just outside the official deployment zone. We now go live to David Holmby aboard the New Deal. David?

“I’m here in Kitimat sea, renowned for its humpback whales, and now, renowned for creatures much more deadly. Here off the port deck is a cruiser from the Empire of Eureka. As you can see, this

Loudspeakers from the Cruiser come on*

<<Attention Derelict Vessel. You are broadcasting in violation of the Kitimat Pact Media Gag. You will cease your broadcast and prepared to be boarded.>>

The joke is on them. According to our GPS, we are in international waters, meaning that all activities we do are perfectly legal.

Oh shit… We’ve drifted.

<<This is your final warning. Terminate your broadcast or we will terminate it for you>>

Ok, I’ll turn around and get us back into international waters.

John speaks up David, they’re pointing their guns at us. I’m cutting the feed.

Just a little bit furth…

static*

John? John? We seem to have lost the feed. Chilling images from within the Kitimat deployment zone. PNN will stay with this story until its resolution.

The People's Militia Capture Warzone Africa! (Feb. 20, 2005)^[23]

By Sir Paul

Above: Troops from the Ducean Empire march through the African Savannah once more

Warzone Africa, NationStates: In a massive demonstration of force, the People’s Militia has taken Warzone Africa from the hands of the Rejected Realms army. The group was headed by Governor The New Duce, from Honorem et Libertas Militia. Volunteers from this province formed the main contingent, which was strengthened by some Abysserian Guardsmen and Hellenic Liberators.

Above: Allied forces approaching the target

Yet much must be said about the diplomatic skills of our Pacifican soldiers. They are gentlemen as well as fighters. They managed to strike a deal with The Young World, which allowed them to secure the delegacy. More will come from this mighty union.

The People’s Militia had no intention of holding the Warzone. This was sanctioned as a training exercise and so it shall remain. An orderly transition to forces from the Young World will occur today and our comrades at arms may return home in peace.

Indeed, a glorious day for the newly formed militia. The first victory of many to come.

Nuclear War in Meritocracy (Feb. 20, 2005)^[24]

A Bumpivanian martyr ensuring that Eureka pays for its actions

Meritocracy Administrative District, PNN Regional Headquarters: February 19th, 2005. A day which will be seared into our collective memories. For four billion residents of Eureka, this day will be their epitaph. For billions more in Bumpivania, this day may also be their end. Senator Bumpy made it clear that he and his populace would rather see the Meritocracy destroyed by fire than by the Kitimat Pact.

Thus far, all around us, tanks and troops march through the streets. The senate and ministries are surrounded by Kitimat Pact troops. It appears that the section of the city that we are in is currently being occupied by forces from Praise Bob. Thus far, they have been arresting any one headed toward the senate, which are few people. All of us are in our homes and offices, waiting for this to pass.

It also appears from this vantage point that all embassies are being respected. We are next to the Afslavistakistanian embassy, where troops have poured out and made their way to the senate. The embassy itself is not being attacked. However, on the street, the Eurekan troops are firing at Afslav troop. Troops from Praise Bob are largely being ignored by both sides, and they appear happy to be ignored.

The MAD is in chaos as news of the nuclear holocaust spreads. In the sea, we can see that the Puppet States Fleet has moves its flags to half-staff. A possible acknowledgement of the nuclear attack. North of our headquarters and quite far from the senate, it appears that a fire has broken out in the city. We are unsure of the state of the FDMAD, but from the size of the plume and the gun-fire that peppers the air, it does not appear this will be put out any time soon.

While those in Eureka may be dead, millions of their countrymen live on as conscripts of King Justin. How long until they take revenge is anyone’s guess. I only hope that they don’t take their anger out on more PNN personnel. Billions of innocents have died today, and if I see the dawn tomorrow, I will consider it to be a miracle. Jen, I want to say that I love you, and that God will watch over and protect you and our children.

sobbing*

This is Ben Richman, reporting for the Pacific News Network.

The Pacific Government Celebrates Six Month Anniversary (Mar. 2, 2005)^[25]

By Warrior Thorin

Fireworks mark the celebration of the Pacific's government Six Month Anniversary

The People's Palace, Francos Spain Square, The Pacific. With a shot from Francos Spain's old shotgun in the People's Square, Unlimited announced the celebration of the People's Republic's six month anniversary as the sovereign government of The Pacific. Millions of citizens filled the square as parades of the People's militias walked through the street, followed by the Space Agency as well as the many displays of agricultural success. It was truly a pageant of the success that the Pacific has had since the inception of its most noble government.

The People's Republic ascended as the second part of the Great Revolution led by the great Emperor, Francos Spain. As the Great Leader left the Region, the Revolution transitioned into the Republic, a government that is evolving to allow for all members of the region to participate in a true inspired form of civics and duty. The Republic has already seen great success in its infancy as being a world power throughout NationStates.

In September of 2004, the Republic transitioned from the NPO while staving off attempts of infiltration and subversion of outside attacks. The Vanguard, Unlimited, ascended to the top of the government and mandated a new government should emerge, one which allows provincial governments to maintain control of their own jurisdictions.

Today, we have seen not only stronger provincial governments, but the governors themselves also contribute to the laws of the Pacific within their own legislative body. Soon, the People will also choose their High Judge who shall maintain the Department of Justice and hear trials.

The success does not stop there.

The AELITA team conquered that which was thought could not be conqured. On February 6, 2005, Tar A stepped from the People's spacecraft and planted the Flag of the Pacific upon the surface of the Planet of Mars. Plans are in the works to develop Mars into a mining community and possibly a penal colony.

The People's Republic also has six different militias that have been created. The New Duce's militia, Honorem et Libertas Militia, made up a large contingent that took over the Warzone Africa from the Rejected Realms Army. Not only was this a marked success for the People's militia, but it also secured excellent ties with The Youngworld Army and the Hellenic Guard.

The People's Republic has also been involved in peace negotiations between the NPD and the NPU in the North Pacific. This marks an important recognition in the leadership of the Pacific government.

Most importantly, all of the People have been blessed with a government that is always listening to serve its People. Truly, there is a real reason to celebrate in this Six Month Anniversary. We welcome all to help us recognize our past accomplishments and we look forward to marking further progress in our development!

The Pacific Olympiad Host Search Begins (Mar. 9, 2005)^[26]

By Sarda

The Ministry of Culture Begins the Search for Which Province and Nation will Host the First Annual Pacific Olympiad!

Today, in a highly anticipated announcement from the Ministry of Culture, the press was informed that Ministry officials would begin the official search for the host of the First Annual Pacific Olympiad.

"We're very excited to have the selection process beginning," says Minister Sarda, "With the increased recent cultural activites in the Provinces themselves, we're hoping that we can galvanize the population which as much excitement as we feel here in the Ministry."

East Pacifican cultural consultants have been employed by several independent commissions in the Pacific to offer their opinions on likely candidates. Initial reports suggest the winner of the Pacific Idol contest, and Mussolandia for it's recent sports victory, as potential nations.

These first Olympic events, honoring the great Francos Spain's glorious rise to power as the founder of the NPO, are expected to draw enormous crowds to the host nation. Early estimates predict a crowd of more then three million people from around the region will make heavy attempts to observe the event. If nothing else, selection means an incredible economic boon for the host nation and province.

The Ministry of Culture has issued a request that nations begin considering their pros, and begin the preparation of formal applications. The Ministry will also begin a questioning process of all the Governors, to determine which Province's nations will be considered for the final honor.

John Ashcroft Land Confirmed as High Judge! (Mar. 15, 2005)^[27]

The Vanguard congratulates the new High Judge

Today, after a four day confirmation period, days of Senate and Assembly consideration, and the near month of rigorous testing in the Pacific Idol Contest... John Ashcroft Land was confirmed as the High Judge of the Pacific. The final vote was 16 in favor, and 5 opposed, while the Senate and Assembly approved his appointment almost unanimously.

John Ashcroft Land, a devoted and loyal nation of the Pacific, and servant of the Revolution, began his career in the Pacific by answering Governor the New Duce's call to arms within his Province. Serving in the Honorem et Libertas Militia saw John Ashcroft Land rise to the post of the provincial Secretary of Defense. In the Ministry of Culture, Ashcroft also had the distinction of creating the first Pacific map, and receiving an appointment as Chief Cartographer of the Pacific. He has served with distinction in both offices, giving information and prime real-estate to fellow libertarians.

And though Ashcroft leaves these posts behind, in favor of his new seat as the head of the newly reformed Pacific judiciary, his contributions will be remembered.

Ashcroft will ascend to the position today, in front of his favorite statue, with his favorite tune playing in the background: "Let the Eagle Soar."

The 'vs' North 'vs' Pacific (Mar. 20, 2005)^[28]

By Sir Paul

The most contested strip of land in the world (map by Thel D’ran)

The most contested strip of land in the world (map by Thel D’ran)

Capital District, The North Pacific: The North Pacific has been called the France of Nationstates: Once, it fielded a powerful army, but has since been conquered by a parcel delivery company, French pirates, the ADN, Lemurians, internal strife, and now, the North Pacific Directorate. Along the way, new forums have come and gone, players have joined and resigned, but the only thing that has been constant, is change. This article attempts to look at the current government of the North Pacific, the resistance movement that opposes it, and the outside organizations that have turned TNP into a prize to be won.

The Rejected Realms Army

On March 15th, the Rejected Realms Army allegedly sent troops into the North Pacific and endorsed 11 nations. This pushed some nations over the endorsement cap and some closer to Delegate Pixiedance’s (Moldavi’s) count. The North Pacific delegate then ejected several nations, and released a list of Rejected Realms Army members that were ejected. Crazy Girl, RRA general, denies that her army was in the North Pacific, and the only in TNP at the time was Stuey.

High endorsement holders (Blackshear and Stars of the Sky) were asked to leave the region for one update to stop the attack. Both nations obliged, and have lost their endorsements.

Regardless, in a time of decline, the North Pacific has grown by over 1000 nations in under a month. It is generally agreed that these nations can not all be from natural growth, so there are outside interests moving into the North Pacific.

The PRP-NoPac Summit

The People’s Republic of the Pacific sponsored a Pacific-wide summit to try and resolve the issues between the North Pacific Directorate and its detractors in the region. Delegates from each Pacific and from the North Pacific Underground (now North Pacific Confederacy) meet to try and resolved the rift. The main issues of the summit were a return to democracy, and ending of the trials of traitors, deciding which forum would be the official forum, the amendment of the codex/constitution, and an end to censorship.

While the summit had a rocky start, with a chasim between the two parties, and several representative switches from the NPC, common ground was found after NPC moderates PulpPhenom and Huma worked out a compromise that there would be delegate elections if the issue of regional security could be addressed.

Phase Three

The Minister, the head of the North Pacific Directorate, announced on March 18th that there would be an end to censorship on the North Pacific forums and that the user groups “trouble maker” and “opposition ambassador” would be the removed. The minister also announced that there would be delegate elections on September 17th. This would give virtually any nation in the region time to begin the process of meeting the requirements for delegate, which includes four months of service in the Regional Assembly and the gathering of some three-hundred odd endorsements. Voting will be done by the Regional Assembly, so these fifty nations will decide who shall lead the nation. While some moderate opposition leaders applauded the minister, others, such as Free4All and Romanoffia, who discount the election.

   Free4All wrote:
   This proposal only serves to grant the illusion of democracy, but it is much like Saddam Hussein being re-elected as leader over and over with 99% of the votes. It's only a democracy in name, and should not be agreed to by anyone who cares to live in freedom.

Other nations, such as Tresville/CiscO, believe that change and better times can come from living under the Minister and creating change from within.

   Tresville wrote:
   We would not have to pledge Loyalty but we would have to recognize them. Those … months we can use to become active in the R[egional] A[ssembly] and help to make this a truely Democratic region. Lets not ignore the fact that we have larger numbers than the NPD and we should be a strong voice within the RA.

The Spillover Effect

The rest of the world has to worry about this tenuous situation, because North Pacific battles tend to affect her neighbors. Some blame the civil war in the Meritocracy due to the split of older and younger senators on the ideals of duality and neutrality. The events in the North Pacific brought these values to bear in the person of Ivan Moldavi, and may have lead to the Pebble’s incident that caused a rift in the government.

The West Pacific is also at a crossroads. The United Democratic Pacific treaty is signed by the North, West, and South Pacifics. While the South has declared neutrality in the conflict, some entities in the West believe that they have the obligation to help the opposition and have a duty to support regime change in the North Pacific. Prime Minister Dilber has stated that no military action would take place until all diplomatic avenues are exhausted, namely, the PRP-NoPac summit. Whether the September elections are enough to appease the WP warhawks will be seen after grand assembly deliberations are complete.

The Future

While “democracy” has always been the watchword of the North Pacific, the minister is trying to bring forth “stability.” Pacific politics has always been a tough row to hoe, and with foreign troops supporting both sides of the conflict, it seems that the natives may be forgotten in the process. Hopefully, a peaceful, equitable solution can be found, and harmony can once again be found in this turbulent feeder.Capital District, The North Pacific: The North Pacific has been called the France of Nationstates: Once, it fielded a powerful army, but has since been conquered by a parcel delivery company, French pirates, the ADN, Lemurians, internal strife, and now, the North Pacific Directorate. Along the way, new forums have come and gone, players have joined and resigned, but the only thing that has been constant, is change. This article attempts to look at the current government of the North Pacific, the resistance movement that opposes it, and the outside organizations that have turned TNP into a prize to be won.

The Rejected Realms Army

On March 15th, the Rejected Realms Army allegedly sent troops into the North Pacific and endorsed 11 nations. This pushed some nations over the endorsement cap and some closer to Delegate Pixiedance’s (Moldavi’s) count. The North Pacific delegate then ejected several nations, and released a list of Rejected Realms Army members that were ejected. Crazy Girl, RRA general, denies that her army was in the North Pacific, and the only in TNP at the time was Stuey.

High endorsement holders (Blackshear and Stars of the Sky) were asked to leave the region for one update to stop the attack. Both nations obliged, and have lost their endorsements.

Regardless, in a time of decline, the North Pacific has grown by over 1000 nations in under a month. It is generally agreed that these nations can not all be from natural growth, so there are outside interests moving into the North Pacific.

The PRP-NoPac Summit

The People’s Republic of the Pacific sponsored a Pacific-wide summit to try and resolve the issues between the North Pacific Directorate and its detractors in the region. Delegates from each Pacific and from the North Pacific Underground (now North Pacific Confederacy) meet to try and resolved the rift. The main issues of the summit were a return to democracy, and ending of the trials of traitors, deciding which forum would be the official forum, the amendment of the codex/constitution, and an end to censorship.

While the summit had a rocky start, with a chasim between the two parties, and several representative switches from the NPC, common ground was found after NPC moderates PulpPhenom and Huma worked out a compromise that there would be delegate elections if the issue of regional security could be addressed.

Phase Three

The Minister, the head of the North Pacific Directorate, announced on March 18th that there would be an end to censorship on the North Pacific forums and that the user groups “trouble maker” and “opposition ambassador” would be the removed. The minister also announced that there would be delegate elections on September 17th. This would give virtually any nation in the region time to begin the process of meeting the requirements for delegate, which includes four months of service in the Regional Assembly and the gathering of some three-hundred odd endorsements. Voting will be done by the Regional Assembly, so these fifty nations will decide who shall lead the nation. While some moderate opposition leaders applauded the minister, others, such as Free4All and Romanoffia, who discount the election.

   Free4All wrote:
   This proposal only serves to grant the illusion of democracy, but it is much like Saddam Hussein being re-elected as leader over and over with 99% of the votes. It's only a democracy in name, and should not be agreed to by anyone who cares to live in freedom.

Other nations, such as Tresville/CiscO, believe that change and better times can come from living under the Minister and creating change from within.

   Tresville wrote:
   We would not have to pledge Loyalty but we would have to recognize them. Those … months we can use to become active in the R[egional] A[ssembly] and help to make this a truely Democratic region. Lets not ignore the fact that we have larger numbers than the NPD and we should be a strong voice within the RA.

The Spillover Effect

The rest of the world has to worry about this tenuous situation, because North Pacific battles tend to affect her neighbors. Some blame the civil war in the Meritocracy due to the split of older and younger senators on the ideals of duality and neutrality. The events in the North Pacific brought these values to bear in the person of Ivan Moldavi, and may have lead to the Pebble’s incident that caused a rift in the government.

The West Pacific is also at a crossroads. The United Democratic Pacific treaty is signed by the North, West, and South Pacifics. While the South has declared neutrality in the conflict, some entities in the West believe that they have the obligation to help the opposition and have a duty to support regime change in the North Pacific. Prime Minister Dilber has stated that no military action would take place until all diplomatic avenues are exhausted, namely, the PRP-NoPac summit. Whether the September elections are enough to appease the WP warhawks will be seen after grand assembly deliberations are complete.

The Future

While “democracy” has always been the watchword of the North Pacific, the minister is trying to bring forth “stability.” Pacific politics has always been a tough row to hoe, and with foreign troops supporting both sides of the conflict, it seems that the natives may be forgotten in the process. Hopefully, a peaceful, equitable solution can be found, and harmony can once again be found in this turbulent feeder.

Meritocratic Confederacy Selects New Speaker (Mar. 23, 2005)^[29]

By Sir Paul

Lord Thistlebottom becomes speaker of Meritocratic Confederacy

Lord Thistlebottom (far right) takes the oath of office (photo by Sir Paul)

In a joint PNN and ENN exclusive, Lord Thistlebottom has been sworn in as the Meritocratic Confederacy Speaker. In a short ceremony today, Lord Thistlebottom, a long time friend of King Justin the Brave, spoke on the challenges facing the fledgling region.

"We are facing many challenges. We face the challenge of proving we are relevant. We face the challenge of proving we have the guts and determination to stick around, and we have the challenge of growing stronger.

In times such as this, all nations of the Confederacy must pull together, must ensure their actions are of good heart and motive, and put forth all their efforts to ensure this region does not become a graveyard for the luminaries of the meritocratic ideal.

In such a case as this, Eureka will be the first to state: The Noble King's resources and skills are now at the complete disposal of the Assembly. Eureka will be first to state, categorically, that we will not see this region do anything other than prosper!"

Making his statement to both Eurekan and Pacific News Network correspondents, Lord Thistlebottom made the stunning announcement that as of his acceptence of the Speakership, Eureka would cease debating in the chamber.

"As I have initiated several bills now before the Assembly, it would not be proper for me to lead the charge. So, from this point Eureka's voice will fall silent, except in occasional circumstances.

May the Confederacy prosper and grow. Eureka will do all it can to ensure that this happens."

New Senate Appointment (Mar. 30, 2005)^[30]

By Unlimited

Cheering Pacificans line the streets as Senator Doppelganger leads a great parade in hios honour

After a unanimous vote, it has been decided by The Pacific Senate that Doppelganger is to become the first citizen to be promoted to the rank of Senator since the formation if the People's Republic.

Due to his hard work and dedication in advancing and upholding the August Revolution, both under the New Pacific Order and the People's Republic of The Pacific, it is an honour for me to announce Doppelganger as Senator of the People.

Delegate of the Pacific and Vanguard of the Revolution, Unlimited

Elections Loom for the Late Provinces (Apr. 7, 2005)^[31]

Written by Warrior Thorin, Ripped off and edited by Unlimited

Governor Sarda of Tantus Pacificus During his Acceptance Speech in September

The People's Palace, The Pacific. The Senator of Internal Affairs has released the following press statement concerning the expiration of terms for three of the governors.

Aurora Borealis(Non-letters-C), Province Francos Spain Memorial (D-G) and Province Tantus Pacificus (T-Z) are due to have elections in the coming weeks as due to an administrative oversight, the Governor's terms of these three provinces expired on 1st March without successors, or much notice. Candidates are to fill out their applications and post them in the Ministry of the Interior by April 15th, 2004. Elections will run 16 April - 22 April.

The following criteria must be met by any potential candidates for the position of governor:

   First, check to make sure you meet the minimum requirements:

   1) Your Nation must be in the UN (Note: In some circumstances, this requirement may be waived by approval of the Delegate of the Republic. If it is waived, the Governor must ensure that the Vice-Governor is a UN Nation)

   2) Your Nation must reside in The Pacific

   3) Your Nation must have a population of at least 100 million

   4) You must have made at least 10 posts in the forum

   5) You must complete the application process and answer questions in satisfactory matter. Questions may be posed by anyone, but especially by the Senators

   6) You must be elected by the People on a poll that will be set up once the questioning period is completed. Polls will run for one week.

   7) Upon being selected as a Governor, you must swear an oath:
   "I, [state your name], as a servant of the People's Republic of The Pacific and resident of the Pacific, do swear by my faith, honor, and blood to fulfill the capacity of Provincial Governor to the best of my ability, to defend the Judicial Code of the Pacific, and to carry out those actions in the best interest of the Region, as set forth by our benevolent UN Delegate, Unlimited and the PRP Senate."

A successful election will grant the candidate a seat in the Assembly of Governors after assuming the position.

Any questions concerning the election process or whether one is eligible to be a candidate may be directed to Unlimited either by PM or t-gram.

Elections this week! (Apr. 23, 2005)^[32]

By Warrior Thorin

Francos Spain Park, The People's Palace. Under the canopy of Cherry Blossoms and Mango Trees, Senator Warrior Thorin announced that elections for provinces will resume this coming week.

"Fortunately, our governors and candidates have been patient as we have had to deal with my personal issues. Today, I announce the resumption of the promise that the Senate and our Vanguard made that you, the people, will choose the leadership of your beloved provinces," Warrior Thorin noted amidst a round of applause.

Province Aurora Borealis (#-C) will have Sarda running as Daedalus will be vacating his seat. This will be an interesting event as Sarda has been governing Tantus Pacificus since the first elections.

Tantus Pacificus (T-Z) will have Karpathos running. One of his platforms concerns having several fountains of Ouzo flowing in public.

Quotidie Maiestas (Q-S) will also have Sedarva running for governor, a former governor.

The other provinces will have their elections next month. Victors will assume their duties on the 1st of May.

Mutual Agreement Reached with the ADN (Apr. 12, 2005)^[33]

By Unlimited

Comrade Blackbird and Comrade Unlimited concluding the agreement.

The Pacific Senate hereby requests that all Pacific citizens refrain from going to Alliance Defense Network (ADN, or regions thereof) forums, regions or chatrooms with anything but the most benign intentions. If they do go to these places, citizens of the People's Republic shall conduct themselves with civility and decorum at all times; keeping to OOC, RP or civil and relaxed in-game discussion. While opinion is always welcomed, citizens are reminded that foreign policy is the domain of the Senate, and and as such, any threat, attack or slander will be dealt with immediatly by them.

Furthermore, citizens of the Republic should avoid posting anything of an inflammatory nature on the forums of the republic; what is 'inflammatory' will be determined by administration on a case by case basis.

The Alliance Defense Network now requires the same of its citizens, and all sides hope that the unfortunate events of late can be put behind us for a better era of peace and understanding.

Gatesville Leaves the Union (Apr. 29, 2005)^[34]

By Sir Paul

The Gatesville Compound, now abandoned

Offices of Gatesville, Union of Sovereigns Headquarters: In a surprise move, The Conservative Front, a representative of Gatesville, announced the following:

It is with great reluctance that the nations of Gatesville come to you today, to inform the Union of their desire to withdrawal from this venerable body. While this in no way reflects negatively on the reputation and respect that this governing body and alliance commands, it does sadden us to see this day.

Gatesville is becoming more of a empire than initially thought. Gates the God and Rose-Colored Glasses envisioned a grand empire to rival the dastardly UN, but it was envisioned to be an empire in name and grandeur only. About 2 months ago, the nations of Gatesville put into place what would effectively expand it's own horizons and finally reach a practical future for the vision that Gates and RCG had, a true Gatesville Empire. In completing thus, we do not foresee our abilities as effective military aids in the future while maintaining a working franchise system.

In doing this, it is our prime goal not to lose the friends we have made in this organization. We hope to be very close to all of you, as you have been extremely polite and cordial towards us these last months. We greatly appreciate it and hope that this will not ruin anything with any of the regions in the Union.

And it is with this, we, the nations and High Council of Gatesville, do hereby formally secede from the Union of Sovereigns Alliance.

Union members were surprised by the news, as there was no forewarning or grievances listed. Essentially, it appears that Gatesville, the largest player-create region in the world, felt that it could not maintain its Union obligations and complete its mission of destroying the United Nations and repealing its socialist laws.

Despite their leaving, Gatesville has insisted that it would stay close to Union members, and the Pacific is currently in Bi-lateral talks aimed at improving Pacifican-Gatevillian relations.

Comrade Mammothistan said to a leaving Gates “I am sorry to see you go friend. Should you decide to rethink your decision, you can always have your seat back.” While we will miss our allies’ participation in the Union, the bonds of brotherhood created there will never cease.

The North Pacific: Take Three (May 1, 2005)^[35]

The statue of Minister Moldavi being removed from Cathyy Circle

Capital City, The North Pacific: First it was s2, then s4, and now s9. Once again, the North Pacific has regrouped under a new forum. With Insane Power at the helm of Pixiedance, he seems to be moving the NDP in a new direction. Namely, he has declared the NPD dissolved. In an official statement, the new delegate made this announcement:

I hereby announce the end of the NPD.

The NPD was a creation of Moldavi. I hope that you are beginning to realise that I do not wish TNP to continue to be run in the manner that Moldavi wanted.

The Government will be expanded, to include fairly elected officials. The RA will welcome all nations from The North Pacific, that have been active for atleast two weeks on either S2 or S4 (or here) excluding Ministers.

The Government is now simply The North Pacific Government.

Freedom of speech is totally acceptable and I will allow one or more opposition Governments to be created. Although I ask that all members of any Government keep posts civil.

Indeed, there is room for an “opposition government” on the boards, and there seems to be an interest in ending the strife in the North Pacific. NPC members, however, were guarded in their optimism.

   Heft wrote:
   That's great, it really is. Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic here (for once).

   But a warning. If you want this to end, you can't simply install your own new government. That's kind of one of the biggest causes of this feud. Also, you'll have to realize that you are hardly the most acceptable delegate or head of government for many of us in the region, whether you think you deserve your reputation or not, you do have it.

Another snafu in the works is that the forum moderator for the NPC, Flemingovia, has refused the position. At present, there is no other post in the NPC forum section.

Something of interest on both forums is The Flemingovia plan. It is a roadmap toward peace that involves dissolving all governments and starting over. While the new forum is a fresh start, the North Pacific Government (NPG) has not dissolved, and will continue with ministries. However, all nations are now allowed in the Regional assembly.

Whether the new delegacy of Insane Power will lead to a long lasting peace or more strife, you can be sure that PNN will be covering it.

ADN Involved in Covert Invasion of the Pacific (Apr. 28, 2005)^[36]

By Warrior Thorin

Illegal Immigrants and Terrorists moving across the boarder

BPI, The Pacific: The Pacific Security Services first started noticing large quantities of suspicious looking puppets entering the Pacific on Sunday, and they continued moving in for 24 hours until Monday turning it into a full scale puppet invasion; totaling a number of over 400 puppets. Sources within the Alliance Defense Network (ADN) quickly came forward to tell of their organization's part in the attack. When confronted with these claims, however, they were promptly denied by ADN Secretary of State Blackbird and ADN Deputy Director Unistrut, who declared that their organization wasn't even aware that there was an operation taking place in the Pacific. Contrary to this denial, the Bureau of Pacific Intelligence has managed to obtain the following screenshot, which clearly shows ADN Director Pope Hope herself ordering nations into the Pacific:

Nations were asked to start moving as many nations as possible into the Pacific, with other unsuspecting nations being asked to "help the Pacific reach 8000". As well as this damning evidence, it was witnessed that many known ADN collaborators were moving all their puppets into the Pacific simultaneously. When questioned about their actions, they claimed either that they just happened to feel like moving, or that their reasons were classified.

All of this only goes to show one thing: Bismarck was right, "Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied".

Elections for May Announced (Apr. 29, 2005)^[37]

By Warrior Thorin

Francos Spain Plaza, The People's Palace. As the elections for three of the provinces are winding down, Senator Warrior Thorin announces three more provinces opening up for elections in May.

Province D-G (Francos Spain Memorial), Province H-L (Honorem et Libertas), and Province M-P (Pax Pacifica) will all be open for election. Any nation desiring to hold office may go to the Ministry of the Interior and apply if they meet the requirements. Make sure that you read the application process and make sure that you qualify for the office and adhere to the guidelines for applying.

Elections are expected to be held May 16th - 22nd.

Province #-C (Aurora Borealis) will also be available for the May elections.

So far we have one candidate for four positions. If you are interested it is best to lodge your campaign early.

Election Results Announced: Two New Governors Assume Their Offices (May 2, 2005)^[38]

By Warrior Thorin

Warrior Thorin takes questions from the press

Francos Spain Plaza, The People's Palace. Two governors were officially announced today amidst controversy in April's elections. Senator Warrior Thorin addressed several questions concerning the recent campaign run by 1838.

Sedarva assumes the governor office of Province Quotidie Maiestas. This Sedarva's second stint as governor, and he immediately went to work without even setting up his office. At the inaugural, Sedarva noted that, "The people's confidence in me has given me a direct sense that I will work hard this term. I plan to restore the passion of the Revolution in my province and continue in the forward direction of the Republic. Hail Franco!"

Karpathos, the lovable Greek soldier, has assumed the governor office of Province Tantus Pacificus. Karpathos noted to one reporter, "I won? Well, free ouzo for everyone in my province!"

Although reporters were interested in the new governors, most questions concerned the issue concerning 1838. "We have strict guidelines," Warrior Thorin stated. "I think it's very obvious what we ask our candidate to do. If 1838 honestly forgot to complete the application, then I can understand that. But it's absolutely unfair to the voters if you do not disclose all of your identities."

One reporter noted 1838's activity in the Pacific as being seemingly loyal to the people of the Republic. "Yes, 1838 has been a good citizen. Yet, the application process is strict for a reason. I would like to re-iterate the Vanguard's statement in that 1838 is free to re-apply and run again in the next election as long as 1838 makes a full disclosure of all allegiences."

"As disappointing as this event has been, the AoG is currently working on a resolution to ensure governance of Province Aurora Borealis. Comrade Daedalus will be appointed Regent of the province as long as the AoG and Senate approve.

"We should, however, celebrate the continued efforts of the people of the Pacific to choose their leaders without outside interference. The Senate's continual vigilance and the People's voice are what makes the Republic so great. Long live the Republic, Long Live our Sovereignty, Hail Franco! Hail Unlimited, our Vanguard!"

Note: You can see the statement by Unlimited regarding 1838 here

Black Adder to Delete Tonight (May 9, 2005)^[39]

By Sir Paul

The loss of a legend

Black Adder, the Rejected Realms: The Cunningly Franco-ish Nation of Black Adder is expected to expire tonight. His motto says it all “"Byyyyyyeeeeeeeee..........." He leaves this game as a Compulsory Consumerist State, with good civil rights, a frightening economy, and rare political freedoms. As is the custom burial of Pacific Senators, Black Adder will spend his final moments in the Rejected Realms. A UN member, a diplomat, a senator, a Franco fighter (both for and against), a philosopher, and a legend. We say goodbye to the People’s Republic of the Pacific Senator of Diplomacy, Black Adder. He always had a cunning plan…

   Black Adder wrote:
   The Cunningly Franco-ish Nation of Black adder is a massive, economically powerful nation, renowned for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 4.71 billion are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

   The tiny, corrupt, pro-business government concentrates mainly on Defence, although Law & Order and Commerce are on the agenda. Income tax is unheard of. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Automobile Manufacturing and Arms Manufacturing.

   Citizens are enjoying a recent large cut in taxes, the country is preparing for war, citizens are barcoded to keep track of their movements, and Animal Liberationists are regularly jailed. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Black adder's national animal is the baldrick, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the percy.
   Black adder is ranked 184th in the region and 13,893rd in the world for Largest Basket Weaving Sector.

At the time of this writing (6:24 PM Pacific Time), Black Adder was endorsed by twelve nations. PNN asks that any available UN nations please join this vigil.

   Endorsing Nations wrote:
   Faithful Lutherans, Chosen Men, Kandarin, Iasonia, Cakatoa, Nastic, Sir Paul, Goddessness, Neandertron, TAO the Wanderer, Mammothistan, Drunken Conquerors

The Union of Sovereigns Libertates Northern Ireland (May 14, 2005)^[40]

By The New Duce

Above: Union forces face the pirate vessels

Northern Ireland: The Union of Sovereigns showed the NS world what real defending is all about: slipping in quietly at the request of natives to endorse a native nation and oust an invading delegate. Textbook.

At very short notice from Keltic Mystery, forces from Ireland (recently admitted to the alliance), The Pacific and SECO moved into the region to endorse native Griswalds. The region was being controlled by pirates of “the Jolly Roger”. Many pirate puppets were active at the time, yet the delegate failed to make a stand. Northern Ireland had enjoyed friendly relations with the Pacific, before falling into a lapse of inactivity and confusion which was also promoted by ABI dissolution.

UoS forces were helped by a number of RLA nations and USK nations, noticeably XhaDam and The Mighty Pump.

Forces from other parts of the NS world were also present, each under diverse intentions. Pacific Defenders attempted an incursion of their own using a non-native lead, but lacked numbers to achieve their goal. They did not intend to cooperate with Union forces. A similar case was that of Great Britain and Ireland, a former protectorate of the UoS, whose foreign policy stance on invasions is uncertain. They moved in too early and in small numbers.

It is believed newly elected delegate Griswalds will clear the Factbook entry today and release an official statement from Northern Ireland thanking the parties who helped the region out. Now comes the hardest task, rebuilding the region.

EAA May Dissolve Treaty With ADN (May 15, 2005)^[41]

By Sir Paul and Soul Cancer

Giant Cheese Weasels (top left) issuing his demand of an apology

000, EAA: The Emergency Auxiliary Army, a defender organization with members such as 000 and Scroll Islands, have issued the following statement to the ADN:

   Giant Cheese Weasels wrote:
   Due to their breach of alliance with Red Liberty Alliance we have issued a formal statement to the ADN Command asking that they apologize to the RLA for their actions, if they refuse the EAA Central Command and Board of Representatives will consider a termination of alliance with the ADN. This will not be a momentous occasion by all means.

The declaration, made on May 14th, came after the EAA and the RLA finalized an executive treaty between the two alliances. Both defender organizations have worked with each other extensively in the past. The ADN could loose even more allies and defender unity appears to be drying up. Currently, there has not yet been a response by the Alliance Defense Network to the statement. PNN is currently camped outside ADN headquarters, and will give you live coverage of their response.

NEWS BREAK*

The Pacific News Network has been given the following responce from ADN deputy director Unistrut:

   Unistrut wrote:
   Dear Pacific News Network,

   Love,
   Uni :wub:

NEWS BREAK*

Chin-Chillas, EAA ambassador to the ADN, has ended the alliance between EAA and ADN. However, the ADN's articles of alliance forbid the ADN from forming alliances with other region, perhaps making this a mute point. Regardless, the relations between the EAA and ADN have been damaged by this incident.

CIVIL WAR IN WEST PACIFIC (May 16, 2005)^[42]

Soldiers from Stars of the Sky cross the boarder to support Regent Minineenee

Administration Island, The West Pacific: In a shocking turn of events, TWP delegate ZetaOne, having just won re-election, has ejected three long time members of the West Pacific without stating cause. Biteland, Gosstoepia, and Kholdstare, all subscribers of the West Pacific ad service, were ejected from the region today. The West Pacific government has been scrambling, and took action against the delegate.

In a meeting of the Grand Assembly, Prime Minister Dilber initiated impeachment proceedings against the Delegate. In a unanimous vote of 9 – 0, the delegate has been stripped of his rank. The Regent of the West Pacific, Minineenee, has the next most endorsements and members are unendorsing ZetaOne and trying to boost the Regent to the delegacy.

On the forum front, the Prime Minster is also taking action:

   Dilber wrote:
   Until we know what's going on, I have no recourse but to call a very temporary State of Emergency. The government will be operating as usual, especially the Council and GA.

   As current Senior Admin on the boards, I have removed Zeta's Admin Access, and he is at a members mask.

   I must say I must appologize for being at a loss at what is happening. However, I will do my best to help us fix this. I ask that as a region we all stick together, and we will get through this. TWP has been through tough times before, and we know how to fight.

   With that out of the way, I do have a request. The Constitution states that we all have a right to choose who or who not to endo. As such, I can not force anyone not in the military to do something. However, I must request that we all unendorse Zeta, and endorse Neenee. I honestly hope he will not kick her, as he has not done so so far.

   We must stick together. Our government is only as strong as we are. Please, help support us.

   Dilber,

   Prime Minister of the West Pacific

However, while Dilber is an admin on the forums, ZetaOne owns the website, and while Dilber may be the leader of the West Pacific, ZetaOne has control of the eject button. Thus far, the regent has not been touched, and foreign forces are moving into the West Pacific to secure the delegacy for the regent.

The West Pacific has a treaty with the Allied States of EuroIslanders, and Dilber activated the Mutual Defense Clause. Red Liberty Alliance forces have also been mobilized. North Pacific Confederate member were also seen in the West, expressing solidarity with government.

As of 10:38 Pacific time, Delegate ZetaOne stands at 573 endorsements, and Regent Minineenee holds 569. With only a four endorsement difference, if ZetaOne took the night off, he will most certainly loose his 115 day vigil as delegate.

BREAKING NEWS*

The regent has surpassed the delegate. Barring any more outside influence or the ejection button, Minineenee will become the next delegate of the West Pacific.

Breaking News*

ZetaOne has announce that the "rouge delegate bit" was all an act. It was to make sure that the West Pacific could survive a tyrant delegate. How did the West Pacific do?

   ZetaOne wrote:
   You get a C for reaction time, and A for effort and an A+ for keeping it together.

Apparently, the delegate was planning on leaving Nationstates, and wanted to go out with style (and the activation of several mutual defense treaties). With respect to who knew about this crazy scheme, no one was really in the know.

   ZetaOne wrote:
   Minineenee knew in advance that I was leaving NS. Biyah, Dilber, and a few others knew I was pondering over it. Minineenee was told about four days ago to start endorsing nations I was going to be leaving, maybe not permanently, but I was going to be leaving and could not finish my term.

   Biyah knew in advanced that the people were going to be ejected. It was going to be a good test to the region; I opted not to ban people from the forum. It should of made you all wonder why they heck I didn’t.

Once again, the ban list of the West Pacific has been cleared, and the people look forward to being represented by their government and living under their delegate-elect, Minineenee.

The Proletariat Coalition Leaves ADN (May 6, 2005)^[43]

By Sir Paul

Unistrut, before the ADN assembly, condemning TPC

The Red Factions, The Proletariat Coalition: In a move expected by all parties, The Proletariat Coalition, backbone of the Red Liberty Alliance, has left the Alliance Defense Network. The spat between the two organizations was started when Unistrut exposed an RLA/TPC spy (the Red Factions). The Red Factions had risen to the field marshal of the DEN, a notorious raider group. Unistrut felt that Red Faction had not done enough, and exposed him, as some would say, out of spite.

Upon the announcement of the withdrawl, Unistrut had the following to say:

   Unistrut wrote:
   Some might say that the leadership of The Proletariat Coalition were incompetent for having such poorly managed intelligence assets, and that said mismanagement caused incalculable damage to innocent neutral regions. Some might say that. Including me. So fare thee well, TPC. Stick your outrage where the sun doesn't shine.

Unistrut went on to then attack all leftist nations and regions:

   "If there is a failing on ADN's part, and particularly my own, in this situation it is that we haven't explained our reasoning or even tried to counter the outrageous rhetoric that Eurosoviets and his crew of turd slinging monkeys have been propagating. Let them play their BS political games... I swear the next time I have to deal with a another radical leftist political player masquerading as a defender will be too soon and one more time too many. I've really had it. Offense intended to all who would take offense. You know who you are."

The Red Faction stated his reasoning behind his actions in a well-drafted explanation of his actions:

   My prime objective as RLA agent has always been to, in order of priority:

   Protect RLA interests and regions

   Protect EAA regions

   Protect ADN regions

   Undermine DEN Intelligence operations abroad

   Keep a firm control over DEN troopers and drive them away from our allies

   Build myself up a reputation which would allow me to know of every single Invader operation, move and deployement in every corner of NationStates.

   With DEN being fully controlled by RLA Intelligence, we had them contained, under our control and we made sure our interests were left unthreatened. Further to this, I have contributed greatly with Intelligence to the ABI, EAA and to a small extent, the ADN but first and firemost, RLA has been kept safe and invaders kept at bay from our regions.Under my time not a single crash carried out by DEN troopers on the RLA suceeded and every time an ADN target or EAA target was brought up on the table, I diverted attention and forcefully made them abandon it. Not a single raid on such regions has ever been succesful under my time. Ever.

The main qualm between the two is that the Alliance Defense Network wanted to protect the entire world, (ie neutral regions, regions who don’t want ADN troops on their soil, and regions who never asked for ADN support). The RLA and Red Faction had a different philosophy. Red Faction’s job was to primarily protect treaty partners and control the DEN. Since The Red Faction did not put the ADN, and their ideology first, the high command decided that he shouldn’t be there at all. This event shows clearly the ideological split between the RLA and ADN, which led to the break between the two organizations.

“Defender unity” has been the catch-phrase of defender groups, but when defenders have two fundamentally different Modus Operandi, there can only be dissidence. Monte Ozarka, TNP refugee, understands this and had a call for reason:

   Monte Ozarka wrote:
   All of this stems from a difference in defender policy. Could we please leave it at that?

   Also, the RLA is not evil. TPC is not evil. The ADN is not evil. Select people is various organizations do stuff that is controversial. The overarching goals of any of these three orgs are not oriented toward being evil

Unistrut responded "No, Monte Ozarka, sorry. I can't just leave it at that. It isn't anywhere near that easy or simple."

The People's Militia: Goodwill and Good Soldiers (May 23, 2005)^[44]

By Sir Paul and PNN Staff

A small child being rescued from tyranny by soldiers from Nak Nak

Warzone Europe, Karpathos: In another striking victory, the People’s Militia of the Pacific, along with soldiers from the Union of Sovereigns and The YoungWorld, liberated another Warzone. PRP personnel surfed regions and Warzones, waiting for the pristine moment to strike Europe. The New Duce, elected commander of the People’s Militia, has truly done his region a great service. “With 16 nations participating on a days notice for complicated maneuvers and dynamic orders, the People’s Militia will certainly be ready to defend our homeland and treaty partners.”

The People’s Militia grew out of the Union of Sovereigns treaty, where the Pacific would be required to defend other regions from foreign aggressors. The Militia is strictly only used for the purposes of defending our treaty partners and the Republic. A clear example of this was the Pacific’s noticeable absence from the West Pacific during the ZetaOne ejections. The Pacific currently does not have a mutual aid pact with the West Pacific, and thus, the senate could not order the militia into the West to endorse the regent. This strict protocol ensures that the People’s Militia will not turn into invaders, but remain strictly a defense organization.

Sir Paul, Senator of Media Affair, noted in a press conference that “the Union of Sovereigns has provided the Pacific with an invaluable source of security. Our treaty partners have defended the Pacific countless times, and now, it is our turn to defend our allies from aggression and tyranny.”

The Chechyn Trap (May 25, 2005)^[45]

By The New Duce

USSR soldiers stage "invasion" of Chechnya

Moscovy Marines, USSR: Much to the NS world’s amusement (and to the embarrassment of others), the USSR invasion turned to be a fake; a plot devised to fool some of their enemies.

The scenario was designed similarly to that of Ukraine, even if it was also constructed by some miscalculation along the way. Firstly, USSR forces under the command of General Moscovy crossed the Chechnyan border and captured the region, claiming it as a colony. This happened under a carefully controlled medium, since USSR citizens had created puppets in Chechnya to play the role of natives, arguing in favor and against USSR intervention.

Despite the fact that many of the natives welcomed the USSR occupation, on the 17th, an assorted group of defenders attempted to oust Moscovy, yet failed to get organized. It was on the 21st, however, that a large group of nations entered the region. The Soviet High Command was fully aware of this plan and organized it so they would endorse “The Forsaken Village,” a puppet of Moltar from the USSR.

Once update was done, The Forsaken Village surprisingly ejected all the nations who had endorsed him and posted a WFE revealing his USSR affiliation and claiming revenge for the events of Ukraine. The USSR had an account to settle with those whom they refer to as “devaders”.

Ukraine was a region founded by Francos Spain that was captured by the ADN once a process similar to that of Chechnya had been set in motion. After the "liberation," Ukraine was passworded, and now has two inactive nations.

Now as delegate, The Forsaken Village passworded the region, but forgot to send it to the rest of the natives, assuming that an offsite forum availability for it would suffice. The nation was rightly deleted and the password lifted.

It was then when a further approximation was achieved to the Ukraine scenario, where a TITO lead had also been deleted for griefing. The world expected perhaps another UoS-ADN showdown and a race for delegateship, but it was not to be. Moscovy revealed that he had created the founder of region Chechnya, Chechen Grozny. The founding nation was resurrected and the ADN lead, along with all of his endorsements, was ejected.

Despite unexpected turns in the road, Moscovy claims the USSR achieved their objective: "There have been many scandals concerning the inadequacy of devader intel services, this further highlights them."

United Pacific Forum Built! (May 31, 2005)^[46]

By Sir Paul

Loop (left), Caer Rialis (center), and Unlimited (right) celebrate the completion of Pacifics Interactive

Newer York, The South Pacific: One again, the boarder city of Newer York, the triple-junction of the East, Central, and South Pacifics, is home to a magnificent project. Long championed by the East, hosted by the South, and built by the PRP, the Pacific Interactive Forums are a place for all residents of the Pacific to join together, have a tall frosty one, and enjoy each others company.

Mammothistan, chief architect of the forums, explained the reason for such a place. “We have long recognized that there is something inherently special about the Pacifics that separate us from the continentals living in player-created regions. This forum will allow us to come closer together as Pacficans and have a better understanding for our shared heritage.”

East Pacific Delegate Loop, who has long fought for a united forum, hopes that this will fulfill his desire for a more united Pacific. “Over the last few months, we have seen regions fall apart from internal strife, from the Meritocracy to the North Pacific. By better understanding our fellow Pacificans, we should be able to avoid such conflicts in the future.”

Caer Rialis, delegate of the South Pacific and landlord of the forum, noted that he “looked forward to the positive discourse that is sure to occur” and he “welcomes our brothers and sisters from the North and West to take part in our shared community.”

All in all, a glorious day for the Pacifics.

Peace, Order and Good Government (June 21, 2005)^[47]

By I.F. Stone

Peace, Order and Good Government

With these words a dynamic pact was formed between the world's two ancient colossi. The Pacific, the birthplace of the world, and The South Pacific, the first Pacificus to forge a recorded civilization. The South Pacific overwhelmingly passed a resolution praising the People's Republic and highlighting the two regions' continual commitment to peace and friendship. Unlimited, Comrade Vanguard, reciprocated the announcement on behalf of The Pacific this morning.

A Statement of Mutal Respect Between the People's Republic of The Pacific and The South Pacific

The South Pacific and the People's Republic of the Pacific stand together in friendship, and in support and defense of our shared goals and values.

Our values are peace, order, and good government. Our goals are the protection and promotion of these virtues through peaceful means, and the defense of the sovereignty that allows them with all the power at our hands.

This declaration signifies the bond of our two regions in our Greater Pacific home, and our desire to further our common interests. We pledge to stand together against all forces of tyranny and imperialism, to protect and preserve the rights, freedoms, and responsibilities of all the nations of our regions, and the governments that govern both.

May the People's Republic of the Pacific and the South Pacific be forever joined in solidarity, and may all regions of the Nation States world, great and small, join us in strengthening and expanding good government and opportunity for all peoples.

The Statement was primarily authored by Vice President Fudgie. The iconic phrase of "peace, order and good good Government" comes from Canada. The Council of the South Pacific, the region's deliberative body, engaged in a month of discussion over the proposal which met little opposition. It had broad support of the Cabinet. More telling are the numbers: in a high-turnout decision ninety percent of the Council voted in favor.

What it is and what it isn't

It is not an alliance. The People's Republic's adoption of the same statement does not mean that both are bound together in perpetuity. It is also not a formal treaty. To the practical-minded this is a nonevent, but to idealists and believers in 'soft power' touted by thinkers as Sir Paul and Deng Xixian its significance cannot be understated.

It is a formal declaration by both parties of their feelings for each other and their willingness to work together in the future. It is the kind of milk-and-cookies legislation that helps make stronger friends and forge future unions. Southland VP Fudgie explained, "this is not a formal treaty or alliance, rather a statement of friendship and support, and a declaration of friendship."

The South Pacific takes a NAP

The proclamation is rooted in the Pacific Cooperation Organization and during its many 'fireside chats' initiated by PCO chairman 1 Infinite Loop, and saw the idea's development grow during the intense cooperation needed to make the PCO's flagship project, the shared forum (link), work.

But its history goes back farther than that. The South and central Pacifics have been on good terms ever since the Non Aggression Pact (link) was signed last Fall, and re-ratified this Spring. The Statement ratified Monday echoes the NAP's opening:

[The South Pacific and The Pacific] recognizing each other as the legitimate Governments of their respective regions, have entered into the present agreement in accordance with the following five principles: Mutual respect for sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference into each others internal affairs, equality, and peaceful coexistence.

Circumstances have changed since then. The South, West and North were joined together under the United Democratic Pacifics and the NAP was a (gladly made) warm ending to a cold war. It was logicial conclusion of talks between Francos Spain and LadyRebels following a mini-war over a year ago.

Now the North has been effectively neutralized for the time being, without any clear voice as coups are re-occurring and the former Community has been stomped. The West has been quietly sidelined from Pacific politics as its government continues to practice unilateralism, and the UDP has been superseded by the PCO. The once demurred East Pacific and PRP are now the champions of Pacific Unity.

"I think we need to face facts... the PRP is not the NPO. They have been extremely helpful to us ever since the NAP. In fact, they have been helpful to all the Feeder regions since that time." -Caer Rialis

Peace in our time

Today the People's Republic and the South Pacific are very close friends. The majority of the Pacific's Senators have strong ties with the Southlands. Many residents of either side hold dual citizenship in the other. Caer Rialis sends Comrade Mammothistan telegrams on occasion (it is rumored they are appreciated). The Hall of Justice now hosts the South's superheroes, who have been freed from the villainous Dilber's hypno-ray, are valuable members of the SuperFriends (link).

Unlimited was reportedly "satisfied" with the statement's outcome. Rumor has it he almost cracked a smile, although PNN has found no reliable evidence. Comrade Mammothistan was "content". Warrior Thorin was quoted as saying, "I am extremely pleased with the work of both of our regions in friendship in learning that diplomacy and communication are always preferred alternatives to war, and our shared progress in the common cause of Peace."

Final thought

"I think this Statement only makes de jure what has previously only been de facto."

And that's how it all works out for today kids. Enjoy your Tuesday.

Summer Has Arrived in the Pacific! (June 26, 2005)^[48]

By Warrior Thorin

The New Duce's Secret Barbeque Rub!

Poskrebyshev National Park, The Pacific. Now that the month of June has arrived, the great Pacific citizens can rejoice! After a harsh winter in which much of the region had many feet of snow, the sun has melted away and the beaches have once again presented themselves for the hardworking citizens to relax.

Comrade Senator Mammothistan heralded in the summer with the Pacific annual barbeque contest (he finished second in the hottest chili contest, behind The New Duce's Militia Red One recipe).

Along with the summer is the Pacific Major League baseball season. The 30 team league is expected to draw more fans this year than last year.

Many festivals are planned for this summer:

The "Pig-Pickin' Bluegrass and Vodka Festival" will be held from June 27th to June 30th at Poskrebyshev National Park. Come to the festival and sample the best vodka produced this winter throughout the Republic and feast on the pig and bluegrass music.

The Fine Arts Festival shall take place from July 1 through the 7th at Francos Spain Square. Featured this year shall be Unlimited (as maestro) and his Symphony of the Republic. Rumors have it that the East and South Pacific will send some of their finest musicians as well in this year's event, and Dilber from the West Pacific is expected to bring his baritone sax as well.

The First Annual "Pacific River Raft Race and Rock Festival" takes place from July 8th to July 10th. Participants will arrive on July 8th with their handmade rafts and float down InfernoIce River while a carnival takes place along the western bank.

The Great Pacific Fair takes place from August 1 - 14th. Come see the pig races, eat some of the finest foods of the Pacific region, and ride the many rides built right here in the Pacific. A live jousting tournament headed by Senator Warrior Thorin will also take place.

The festive summer is drawn to a close with the People's Festival, which begins September 1st through the 15th. This celebration of the creation of the Republic shall have re-enactments of the great Revolution of Francos Spain and solemn memorial to the Father of the Revolution.

"These festivals are the way we give thanks to the great people of the Republic," noted the Vanguard, Unlimited. All festivals are free to the citizens of the Pacific and their guests. All hostile to the Republic will instead be asked to go to the Rejected Realms and visit Kandarin's Annual Rock Picking Festival (guaranteed to be a hoot, I hear).

Pierconium Apointed Minister of Justice (July 18, 2005)^[49]

The Minister of Justice, fulfilling the promise that “I’ll be back”

Fortress Moldavi, Pierconium: With the confirmation vote of the Assembly of Governors official, Senator of the Delegacy commissioned the first Minister of Justice of the Pacific on the Grand Balcony of Castle Moldavi in front of thousands of applauding Pierconiums. “We knew that this day would come, when the empire would again return to prominence in the Pacific!” a national overcome with joy announced. This comes at the heals of the resignation of the previous High Judge of the Pacific, John Ashcroft Land and the new legislation passed in the scandal’s wake. Unlimited noted that “The Pacific is dynamic, and the Senate and AoG have taken measures to ensure that future indiscretions shall not happen.”

The Pacific Underground, a group committed to the reformation / overthrow of the Republic, is expected to opposed the appointment. Pierconium was a central figure in the North Pacific instability crisis started one year ago by UPS Rail. When delegate Cathyy grew weary from the weight of the North Pacific delegacy, she handed the delegate nation Pixiedance to then Senator Pierconium’s control. This violated the official Pacific stance of neutrality, and the Senator was decommissioned by court-martial in the Superior Court. After forming the North Pacific Directorate, Pixiedance then transferred to Insane Power, a member of the NPD. According to NPD officials, this move was intended to create stability in the region that would not happen as long as Pierconium held the delegacy. Later, Insane Power announced the dissolution of the NPD, thereby setting up the now defunct North Pacific Government. This caused a falling out with Pierconium, leading to the declassification of NPD documents.

All the while, the former senator maintained his citizenship in the Pacific, and after his term as The North Pacific Delegate, dissolved his home region of New Sparrow and devoted his energies to the Republic. Pierconium was repentant of his actions, and became a valuable and unsung member of the Ministry of Security and the BPI, along with advancing the culture and industry of the Pacific.

The Republic has long had a history of forgiveness. More than half the senators at one point opposed the Pacific government, only to realize the folly of their ways, commit themselves to the ideals of the revolution, and progress the Republic forward. Pierconium has proven himself a knowledgeable of the law and a capable judge. He came to the Pacific in a manner not of anger or spite, but of reconciliation, respect, and repentance. Pierconium’s example shows that the spirit of mercy and reconciliation established by Franco lives on, and that the light of the revolution shines bright over the Pacific.

Rejected Realms Rejects Democracy? (May 23, 2005)^[50]

By Sir Paul and PNN Staff

Kandarin, The Rejected Realms: The Underworld is a rough place. It has been called a home for the homeless, and is the last refuge of the political refugees. However, despite this ejection-free zone, delegate Kandarin has managed to hold onto power. He has been in office, at the time of this writing, 237 days. The only reason for this lapse in delegacy was the bug that also affected Loop’s delegacy, and a three day loss of the delegacy to Carinthe. Effectively, only Loop, Unlimited, and Kandarin are the only feeder delegates who have been able to remain in power for any length of time.

However, this lack of changing of the guard in the underworld has created a desire, in some, for an opposition party. Drunken Conquerors has tried to start such a party, and is pushing not for the delegacy, but for change.

   Drunken Conquerors wrote:
   Kandarin is a good person; however he sits perched atop a mountain of political inbreeding that has become totalitarian in nature. There was no alternative to government in the RR- true; one cannot be ejected. But a dissident can be mocked, ignored, shunned, and defamed into silence as well.

Kandarin is also supported by several non-natives. Many armies are friendly with Kandarin, and have standing orders to endorse him in the Rejected Realms, until they are needed on maneuvers. This has created the feeling, according to some, that the Rejected Realms is not controlled by the natives, but by foreign armies. This claim, however, has been refuted by the Deputy Director of the Alliance Defense Network, Unistrut.

   Unistrut wrote:
   Oh and, prop up? We haven't even sent our regional militaries in to support him against your invasion yet. You'll see his endorsements double overnight if need be.

Drunken Conquerors has also accused members of the Rejected Realms and the foreign armies from interfering with his bid for an opposition party.

   Drunken Conquerors wrote:
   However, some of his supporters have been quite terrible towards me in this game, regarding my ideas about politics. I have received TG's, as well as stern lectures when I tried to express my ideas to members of the ADN; rife with ridicule and insult.

Kandarin explains why DC is treated the way he is:

   Kandarin wrote:
   So far, in the course of the region's 2-year history, about 2-3 dozen people have come into the region and began running for Delegate upon their arrival. Quick examinations of their background and their actions afterwards have in fact shown that not one, not two, not a dozen, but almost all of these individuals has been backed by invaders or otherwise been a scheme by some other region to take over. This is not propaganda, it's historical fact. RR endorsement-swappers, when they get enough endorsements, have had a consistent history of then calling in the invading army they have waiting just over the horizon.

   Standard tactics include a jumble of loudly vocal supporters who have suspiciously new nations and ringing condemnations of the existing system as tyranny. So the reason the ADN is so hostile to you is that you look exactly like the invader spies we've seen so many times before.

Indeed, Unistrut provided, at DC's request, IP screenshots from the ADN forums that DC is connected to Twins of Hearts and Chickedeli. While the ADN claims that DC is an invader, he continues to maintain his innocence, citing the numerous invader nations that he has helped delete. He maintains his call for full democracy.

However, the delegate also claims that democracy does not work in a feeder region, but instead it is better to have a trusted person in charge than to have an unknown tyrant.

   Kandarin wrote:
   A pure democracy can exist in Nationstates, but not in a feeder region. It has been tried many times, each time the region was either conquered and pillaged or barely escaped destruction. In a feeder region democracy is always hijacked. It is better to have someone you can trust than the person with the most charming smile and the wittiest endorsement-telegram. Ask the South Pacificans, again, about El Sabah Nur. Ask the North Pacificans about Great Bight. Ask the West Pacificans about the time that they discovered the week before the election that one of the main candidates had other motives.

Despite this, opposition fever may have hit the Rejected Realms. Last Hope, a nation with more than 5 billion, posted his request for support in removing the “tyrant” Kandarin.

   Last Hope wrote:
   5 hours ago The Overpopulated Hemisphere of Last Hope "What has Kandarin done for me lately?" The answer, fellow residents, is likely to be "Nothing," for without any viable political opposition, the nation of Kandarin grows lazy and complacent.

   Many of you will be contacted shortly to ask you to withdraw your endorsement from Kandarin and endorse an alternative, such as myself or Drunken Conquerors. Please give this your serious consideration!

   Even if you wish Kandarin's reign to continue, please consider also endorsing an alternative. So long as Kandarin rules without any hope of challenge, we do not have democracy in The Rejected Realms, but tyranny.

   This push comes not from any "alliance" or group -- my nation has no affiliation and no agenda other than to keep Kandarin honest, and to ensure The Rejected Realms has the representation it deserves--that YOU deserve.

   --Last Hope
   "Restore The Rejected Realms to glory!"

Since, the thread has turned into an IP war, with each side bringing evidence against the other, proving who is the defender and who is the invader, including guest appearances by Unistrut, Pope Hope, and Avenging Angels. While the concept of democracy rattles around the realms, the RR forums are the smallest of all the feeder regions (save TNP take 3). With an apathetic population, the opposition parties may find themselves fighting not only the ADN and the established government, but indifference.

UPDATE*

Gordonel, PRP candidate for governor, has admitted to controlling the nation of Chickadeli, the same nation that Unistrut accused DC of controlling.

   Gordonel wrote:
   When would be a good time to tell PH and Uni that Chickadeli (Chickedeli) is a puppet of mine I moved into TGU a while ago, and abonded after getting bored of the ADN? Or should I keep that one quiet? :idiot:

This revelation might clear the way for others accused of matching IP, such as recent ADN outcast C1ndy.

PNN Launches Third Season (Aug. 15, 2005)^[51]

By Sir Paul

Offices of the Tabloid Rasa

PNN Headquarters: The nations of the world rejoice as the Pacific News Network once again broadcasts the light of knowledge to expunge the dark corners of ignorance. Sir Paul, Director of PNN, promises that season three will be the best ever, with more tabloids, more reporting, and more syndication deals. Already in the works is the PNN radio update. In conjunction with the West Pacific radio station [#westpac_radio (on Esper.net)], PNN hopes to be broadcasting live stories over their radio station.

PNN is also working with the Pacific Assembly of Governors to secure a school of journalism in the soon-to-be-founded University of the Pacific. Classes will soon be forming on ethics, investigative reporting, breaking news, and tabloid journalism. PNN hopes to train the journalists of tomorrow, today!

I Don't Believe in Pixies (May 27, 2005)^[52]

By Sir Paul

(Left) The Statue of Pixiedance and (right) the Statue of Thel D'ran in Cathyy Circle, Capital City, TNP

Stars of Sky, The North Pacific: The North Pacific has a new forum, and a new delegate. Yesterday, Pixiedance, the nation that was controlled by Cathyy, Moldavi, and Insane Power, pulled out of the North Pacific. This created a power vacuum that lead to a mad rush to become delegate. The North was divided into two camps: Thel D’ran, the delegate cartographer, and Lungwallabad. Tresville and CiscO, long-time members of the North Pacific, called for the endorsement of Thel D’ran.

   Tresville wrote:
   I wanted Thel to get the delegacy just in case Stars was booted..and she was...i asked many to come in and support....from his endos u cuould see ADN, RLA, Seco, Westpac, PRP, Alcatraz, etc etc...all working together...something that has not been done ...well...probably ever. I didn't expect Free to get his panties in a bunch and divide us again....which he did and it only caused more problems. He should be booted along with everyone else if u were going to boot people Stars.

At update, (which lasted until 9 am, Pacific Time), Thel D’ran lost 20 of his endorsements, and Lungwallabad became delegate. North Pacific Directorate members were ejected, and Stars of Sky was unbanned. Stars had been update surfing, and thus, had the most endorsements upon returning to the North Pacific.

However, the “Free” reffered to in the Tresville quotes, is none other than ALL member Free4All, pivotal in the Great Blight Liberation and the beginning of the Thel D’ran administration. Free4All chastised Tresville for calling in foreign troops.

   Free4All wrote:
   By my knowledge the Government of the NPC issued no such request. It may be that a Minister did something like that in a rogue fashion without consulting the rest of the Cabinet, and such an individual should be looked upon with suspicion because of such a rogue action.

   As Minister of Defense, in charge of Intelligence, I should have been consulted prior to any request being made that foreign troops were to move into our region.

Free4All then proceeded to blast Tresville and Thel D’ran.

   Free4All wrote:
   Great way to express we should stop fighting, while proposing that I am ejected from the region. Good job in the hypocracy department there.

   The way I see it, I helped prevent a LOT of problems by working to avoid a Thel Dran delegacy. I personally do not believe Thel would've handed over the delegacy to the player with the highest endorsement total. I'm convinced he would've left Stars of Sky on the banlist, giving some lame excuse for it. After all, IP/Cathyy made the deal that Thel should be the delegate and kicked Stars of Sky in the first place to make just that possible. Had Thel been elected Delegate we'd still not be liberated, though I'm convinced some of his carbonari-friends would've been on here trying to make everyone believe that a liberation had happened.

   Rest assured that a future Thel Dran delegacy will be interpreted by me as that same outside group once again taking power for themselves. They plunged us all into the Cathyy / Moldavi / IP disaster in the first place, so I do not expect anything positive from that at all.

Regardless, it is now time for the TNP to settle down and adopt a governing document. A new forum has been set up to discuss this matter here and many factions have presented their opinions. STNP, NPC, NPD, and others are arguing for and against the merits of each system. However, the North Pacific still feels the sting of foreign intervention. As former delegate Cathyy noted “I'm sure all in TNP will be relieved to know that our former Masters the ADN have resumed their duties.” Found in the civil HQ of Nasicouria is the following message:

   The Republic of NIMARCI wrote:
   Troops are stationed in TNP keeping order.

Delegate Stars of Sky is pushing for “The Democratic Articles of The North Pacific,” which is the RA-RV articles by Haor Chall combined with the STNP proposal with some compromises. Others, especially established NPC members, and lobbying for the Constitution, which is already in effect with elected and appointed officers. Ultimately, it is up to the delegate to decide the will of the people will be followed, or stifled.

However, some have been complaining of ejections and banlist maintained by Stars of Sky. Currently, Cathyy, Poltsamaa, and Naspar Cosif remain banished from the region. Though part of the old regime, they are never-the-less natives, and some argue, should be allowed to participate in the reconstruction of the region. Again, I’ll stress my warning to the North. Please, for the love of all that is holy, unite, and build a government with the support of your citizens. If you continue to bicker and fight, you’ll have to fight another war of liberation.

Crazygirl invades The Old Raiding Club (Aug. 19, 2005)^[53]

By The New Duce

Crazy Girl (above and to the right) in a brawl with some raiders

Matey’s Bar, The Old Raiding Club: the haven for relaxation for several invader groups is under new administration. CrazyGirl, under her alias “Silent Wolf”, decided to storm in and capture the region with the help of other 3 ADN troopers.

After being repelled by several defenders from organizations such as RLA and EAA under the lead of Bimisaari on the 15th, Crazygirl took advantage of the dying founder and lack of defender resources to counter her attack to take over the region.

A vigorous debate sprang up in RLA boards yesterday, as several people discussed the possibility of resisting the invasion. Whilst Avenging Angels and Crazy Horses IV were eager to stop Crazygirl’s attempt, RLAF commander EuroSoviets issued a clear order to stay away: “As for TORC, the RLA missed two defender operations because of that tiff with the ADN. The RLA was right to intervene to hold the ADN to a higher standard as Xha'dam said but talking about a liberation is perverse when invaders are active in more important regions. This morning alone there were three operations. Tomorrow morning will be no different. It is a matter of priority and regrettably we have only so many resources. Invader regions are at the bottom of our priority list.”

As for the ADN, we are not expected to receive an official response on the subject, since the organization was not officially involved in the attack and Crazygirl has “retired”. On the occasion of the first invasion effort, Dilber stated that, despite the fact West Pacificans assisted in the attempted take-over, no ADN troopers were officially ordered in.

This is not the first time Crazygirl resorts to invader tactics to assert her intentions; one need not be reminded of the invasion of Ukraine. The following was taken from The Old Raiding Club’s regional message board:

“Don't believe everything you hear and see. Also, stop your whining. Invaders invade innocent regions all the time, but when we take over an invader region (which I wouldn't call innocent) everyone who's a wannabee defender falls over it”

PNN has observed and noted that Crazygirl invaded The Old Raiding Club. Evidence is clear as crystal.

PuppetMaster 3 (Aug. 28, 2005)^[54]

By Risellia

Risellia, right, poses with his creation Scotland's Glory

The Office of the People's Puppet, Ministry of Culture, The Pacific: Today, the second anniversary of the Pacific Revolution, also marks the formal announcement and official re-introduction of the People's Puppet Project.

The People's Puppet Project is a time-honored tradition in the Pacific - one begun by Francos Spain - but due to NationStates site loading issues, it has remained inactive for some time. At their best, the People's Puppets spark enlightened debate, raise interest in the offsite community, and represent our community to the rest of the NS world, and in resuming the Project, these are my main aims.

The Puppets work like this: In creating a NationStates nation, there are many choices involved. With the People's Puppets, these choices are laid before the people of the Pacific. Whatever the people decide in relation to the issues and customizable fields becomes law for the puppet nations.

The project, in accordance with the most recent Puppet project led by Sarda, includes three Puppets, honoring Francos Spain, Unlimited, and the people of the Pacific, and after extensive polling, the names and government types have now been chosen.

The first Puppet, commemorating Unlimited, is named Scotland's Glory, and its nation type was selected as Inoffensive Centrist Democracy. Scotland's Glory has been up and running for a bit now, and its government type has already switched over to New York Times Democracy. Due to character limitations, the nation's actual name is Scotlands Glory, and it can be found here.

The second Puppet, Franco's Pacific, commemorates Francos Spain, author of the revolution. Its nation type is Tyranny by Majority, and Dawn and Sun holds its reins. Just like its big bro Scotlands Glory, Francos Pacific cannot officially include an apostrophe. You can check it out here.

The third and final Puppet, commemorating all of the people of the Pacific Revolution (yes, including you), is named The Pacific Crescendo, and its government type, chosen randomly, is Scandinavian Liberal Paradise. The NS link to this fine nation is here.

All of the issues and special polls for these Puppets are taking place in the People's Puppet Forum. Feel free to stop by and debate, suggest, and vote to your heart's content.

It is my sincere hope that the People's Puppet Project may continue in its rich history and may bring glory to the Pacific and its people! Hail Francos! Hail Unlimited! Hail Mammothistan! Hail the Revolution!

Ukraine Refounded (Aug. 27, 2005)^[55]

By Sir Paul

The Ukrainian flag, planted by Francos Spain, being lowered and replaced by the flag of the Orange Revolution

Kiev, Ukraine: With little fanfare, the last known region founded by Francos Spain was toppled and refounded by the Orange Revolution. Ukraine, which was founded by a Franconian puppet (Ukraine SSR) and given as a gift to Redcommunist of the USSR (Ukraine S.S.R.), was an issue of serious contention between the Union of Sovereigns and the Alliance Defense Network. When the USSR went into Ukraine to do region-building and alleviate “the stagnation that had infected the region” (Red Communist), the Alliance Defense Network counter-invaded, leading to a showdown involving several hundred nations. While the Alliance prevailed, no one expected the Union to rally so many UN nations, making it the first joint military action that set them on nearly equal footing with the ADN.

After the Alliance ejected all Soviets and Union members, the region was locked down with a password. For months, Ukraine existed with two non-UN nations, with no posts in the regional headquarters and no actions in the regional happenings. Soviets and Pacificans pleaded with the remaining two nations to allow immigration into the Ukraine, but it was to no avail. While Union sympathizers decry the Alliance for "Killing Franco's Region," the ADN steadfastly insisted they were repelling Soviet agression and it was up to the natives to decide if they wanted any help "regionbuilding."

Now, the founder of Ukraine has been changed from Ukraine SSR to The Republic of The Orange Revolution. The World Factbook Entry states that the Ukraine was “Refounded in the name of The Orange Revolution. Ukraine is a former soviet republic but it is now on the way to become a western democracy.” It also notes that “Ukraine has oil so we are going to be invaded sooner or later.”

Immediate speculation abounded as to who is behind the Orange Revolution. Black Adder noted that Orange was traditionally associated with the Dutch, while others associated Orange with the Irish Protestants. More likely, the Orange Revolution is linked to the real life situation that happened in the Ukraine in 2005, which saw pro-western candidate Yushchenko win the second run-off election. However, many Soviets and Pacificans feel that it is a personal jab against them, mocking the August Revolution (whose 2nd year anniversary happens in two days). Regardless of the origins of the Orange Revolution, another chapter in the history of Francos Spain has closed, and perhaps a new founder will be the end of the stagnation in this region.

The Stabilizing Force of Francos Spain (July 14, 2005)^[56]

By Myrth

last_login Thu Jul 15 07:39:57 2004

Tomorrow, at 07:39:57 BST it will be one year since Franco's last login. I think it is fair that the Pacific enters a 60 day long period of festival and remembrance of our Great Leader, Francos Spain, Emperor of the Pacific, culminating with a vigil on the day on which Francos Spain ceased to exist.

Franco rose up with the popular support of the citizens of the Pacific to overthrow the corrupt oligarchy of Thedoc's regime, and proceeded to purge the remnants of the previous government under which the Pacific had stagnated for so long. Under his guidance, the NPO was established and provided the first real, stable government of the region. For a glorious year of enlightened government, Great Franco repeatedly protected the revolution, expelling wave after wave of subversives and thwarting many ADN invasions intended to destroy what had been accomplished, sending the invaders back to the Rejected Realms where they belong.

In tribute to Franco's inspired leadership, the spirit of the NPO lives on today in the form of the PRP. Scarce few governments can claim such longevity and stability. The Pacific continues to be, and forever shall be a model for all other regions to aspire to.

State of the Feeders: The West Pacific (Sept. 14, 2005)^[57]

By Sir Paul, originally for The North Pacific Wire

TWP is known for granting suffrage for everyone. Here, the children's caucus is threatening to walk out of Grand Assembly proceedings if corn-dogs are not added to the GA cafeteria menu.

The second of a five-part series, The North Pacific Wire will publish an in-depth look at each feeder region each Monday, focusing on its relations with the Feeder community and The North Pacific. The editors hope that this series will help the nations of TNP make sound foreign policy decisions as it enters a new era.

Administration Island, The West Pacific: In the shadow of the latest tower to be built on this thriving island, 50,000 watts of funk are being sent out over the airwaves and into the homes of billions of West Pacificans. The latest project of the burgeoning democracy, West Pacific Radio reaches out and touches a new generation of players and gives meaning to “sound and fury.” Prosperous, democratic, on the move, and playing for both teams, the West Pacific is an odd gem found in Nationstates.

The West Pacific, Vital Statistics (From the BPI World Factbook):

Government Type: Jamahiriya Parliamentarian Democracy Leadership Type: Executive-run Council Classification: Extroverted Unilateral Defenders

Organizations and Treaties

Charter Member of the Alliance Defense Network Allied Liberation League (A.L.L.) Charter The Black Sheep Alliance (RLA-TWP Alliance) Equilism-TWP Alliance The Jeelik-Daningrad Declaration (ASE-TWP Treaty) PRP-TWP Non-Aggression Pact The West Pacific - Juxtaposition X Alliance The West Pacific - Nasicournia Alliance Treaty of the United Democratic Pacifics (TSP, TNP, TWP)

Government Strengths Diversity (ideas and people) Military Intelligence Media

Government Weaknesses Diversity (occasional squabbles) Image Diplomacy (reach)

Issues and the West Pacific

Media: While the Pacific considers itself the center of media affairs in the feeder regions, the West is giving them a run for their money. With the launching of the successful West Pacific Radio, and talk of launching a news branch, the West is stretching their communication mussels. However, PNN is currently in talks with WPR (West Pacific Radio) to broadcast PNN stories over the airwaves. Also, if a West Pacific paper is founded, Prime Minister Biyah hinted there might be an affiliation deal. This continues the feeder trend of media and news sharing.

ADN, RLA and PRP: Former Prime Minister Dilber should have been in the circus, as he was able to remain a very popular leader, and was able to walk any tight rope. He remained an ADN leader, normalized relations with the Pacific, and signed a Mutual Aid/Intellegence pact (The Black Sheep Alliance) with the RLA. Able to stay on everyone’s good side, the West was a bridge between the Alliance, the Socialists, and the Union. Current Prime Minister Biyah has promised to stay the course, and maintain the status quo of good relations with regions of all types.

Image and Diplomacy: The West Pacific, though, is at the butt end of many jokes in Nationstates. One is their propensity to shut down an embassy at the drop of an endorsement. Another is for their neutral stance. In a highly polarized world, those in the middle of the road tend to be run over. As for their diplomatic corps, Biyah stated that their main problem was reach. He felt that half of the young invaders would be in the WPLF (West Pacific Liberation Force) if they knew the truth. He also believes that the West is slandered most in regions where there are not established embassies. While the diplomats do a good job where they are, where they are not is where they need to be.

General Assembly: Where the people are, the Grand Assembly is currently in a state of Spring Cleaning. Ooomph, Speaker of the Grand Assembly, is currently purging nations who are not meeting the requirements of membership. There is also discussion on the procedures and decorum of the Assembly. With no major issues on the table, the West Pacific appears to be staying active by streamlining and defining the procedural requirements of GA members. As Biyah puts it “It's a peaceful time; we're all testing our shoes and kicking back for a well deserved rest.”

Relations with the North

As with all feeders, now that the NPG and NPD are done, how to deal with the new government. I’ll leave you with a statement from the new Prime Minister: “We have … reopened the embassy. Our official stance is one of support. We're not going to be taking any action or giving official aid until we're specifically asked. Several elements of their population have a real paranoia about external manipulation right now; we're not going to fuel that fire. They have enough issues as it is without dealing with more fallout from our good intentions.”

State of the Feeders: The Pacific (Sept. 15, 2005)^[58]

By Sir Paul (originally published in the North Pacific Wire on August 29, 2005)

Fireworks set up outside of Poskrebychev Park in Preparation for the Day of Pacific Order

The first of a five-part series, The North Pacific Wire will publish an in-depth look at each feeder region each Monday, focusing on its relations with the Feeder community and The North Pacific. The editors hope that this series will help the nations of TNP make sound foreign policy decisions as it enters a new era.

Capital City, The Pacific: Franco Square, as well as the rest of the capital, is brimming with construction. The People's Republic of the Pacific is preparing for the Feast of Pacific Revolution. This five day festival, which lasts from August 28 through September 1, promises to usher in sweeping change in the People's Republic as they prepare to celebrate the August revolution and the founding of the NPO and PRP. Leading up to this feast, several issues are on the table for the Pacific Senate to resolve, with foreign powers pressuring the Republic from all sides. How the Senate and AoG handle the next week will likely determine the fate of the region for the next year.

The Pacific, Vital Statistics (From the BPI World Factbook):

Government Type: Federal Republic Leadership Type: Canadian Bicameral (Appointed Senate, Elected Assembly) Classification: Lawful Self-Determinists

Organizations and Treaties

Pacific Co-operation Organization: With the South and East Pacifics, maintain and operate the Pacific Interactive Forums. The Union of Sovereigns: Mutual Defense Alliance with several non-ADN affiliated regions Non-aggression Pact with the West and South Pacifics Mutual Aid-Treaty with Gatesville and Greece Member of GUSTO Has an application on file to join the Alliance Defense Network

Government Strengths: Intelligence Security Media Diplomacy

Government Weaknesses: Non-Political Role-playing OOC chats Tact

Issues and the Pacific

The Alliance Defense Network: The first and foremost issues is the ADN Application. The vote for or against acceptance of the Pacific has been stalled in the ADN council chambers due to citizen uprising in the Pacific and Alliance considerations. Originally seen as a joke ushered in by the Mammothistanian regime, the application has been taken seriously. If the Pacific does join the Alliance, Loop of The East Pacific has promised to cut off the The Pacific from the Pacific Interactive Forums, and Redcommunist of the USSR promised to destroy the Republic or quit the game in disgusts. ADN members, however, are split on the issue: Some feel that this would lead to democratic reforms in the Republic, while others feel that this would legitimize a dangerous regime. The Pacific senate has promised that their final answer would be given by the August Revolution, and we could see either a new Alliance member, or an old stand-off. Effects on the Pacifics would be easily seen. Traditionally, the east and central Pacifics have been close friends, and the North and West have been close, while the South gets along with both blocks. Since the destabilization of the North, the West has become increasingly isolated from their brother and sister Pacifics, as the South moved closer to the central and east Pacifics by joining the PCO. With the North returning to constitutional rule, an ADN-allied Pacific could shift the balance of power to the North and West.

The Pacific Cooperation Organization: Regardless of ADN affiliation, the new pan-pacific forum has taken off, with over 10,000 posts in a few short months. The West Pacific, however, was not invited to join the forums due to "differences of opinions." The perceived rift, however, appears to be dying down, as WestPac members have been registering to the forums, and have engaged in dialogue with the Pacific. The Pacific News Network has been running a Tabloid magazine in the West for some time now, and currently has an agreement to broadcast on their radio station, (with the 1st PNN update expecting to occur in a few weeks). The West appears interested in joining the PCO, and the North may wish to become involved to increase Feeder Solidarity.

The University of the Pacific: The Pacific is currently writing legislation on founding a University. Sir Paul, Senator of Media Affairs, hopes that this University can join-up with other feeder universities to create a Pan-Pacific system of co-operation and scholarship. "The north has amazing cartography and the East has fantastic role-play. Each Pacific excels at their craft, and a Pacific-wide university system would allow each citizen to tap into a greater pool of knowledge."

Relations with the North

The official PRP policy with respect to the North Pacific is Neutrality. As quoted from their FAQ, the Pacific is neutral with:

The North Pacific (Directorate) The North Pacific (Underground) The North Pacific (Government) The North Pacific (Stars) The North Pacific (Confederacy) The Meritocracy Red Liberty Alliance

As the North emerges from the second summer of strife, she looks to become a gleaming beam of democracy and freedom in the Nationstates Community. However, true greatness can only come when a region venture beyond its boarders, if only to spread its good name. While relations with the Pacific at this time are deemed pre-mature by many, eventually, the North will have to decide its place in Pacific politics.

Imperial Germans return to their homeland! (Sept. 10, 2005)^[59]

By The New Duce

Above: Bundesrepublik leads German Cavalry on the road to Brandeburg gate

Berlin, Germany: The Exodus is over. German natives, assisted by the USSR, the Pacific and Gatesville, attained the delegate position in their home, after more than 2 years of forced exile.

On August 29th, founder Der Reichsprotektor was deleted by MODs, for displaying a prohibited flag (his request for repeal has not produced an answer from MODs as of yet). On that same evening, pirates from the Jolly Roger took over the region.

Yet a glimmer of hope had been kindled by the events of the previous day. The despot, the eternal enemy, was out of the picture. Der Reichsprotektor had frustrated German hopes several times. The Bundesrepublik best decribes his behaviour: “DRP continued to let the region stagnate. Every once in a while, a delegate would gain power, there would be a brief flurry of activity, and then DRP would kick the delegate for whatever sick twisted reason. While Imperial Germany grew in size, Germany continued to be in either turmoil or inactivity until well into Spring 2004” Nazi trolling, stagnation, mockery, all was permitted under Der Reichsprotektor, all but progress.

With the dictator gone, the German Empire endeavored to oust the pirates and reclaim their home. A separate forum was set up to host representatives from regions allied to The German Empire. While a backup liberation plan comprising use of force was already being devised, it was concluded by this cadre that no forceful liberation could be conducted effectively. The Jolly Roger had demonstrated fierce resistance in North Korea and it was only through patience that the USSR was able to recover the region. Indeed, three delegates held Germany for 9 days, frustrating incursions from RLA, The Capitalist Wing and others.

Diplomacy was the logical step in the series of realpolitik alternatives presented in this scenario. The Jolly Roger were approached by Union members and became aware of the plight of German nations and decided to step down, insisting that only a small group of nations escort Kaiserliche Armee (UN nation of The Bundesrepublik) into the region. And so, without unnecessary blood being spilt, the Kaiser and his people finally returned home.

Now we can only hope that the wishes of the delegate are fulfilled: “Let the repatriation and healing begin. Once more shall Germany rise to the forefront of NationStates, taking its true place amongst the powers of the globe and standing for freedom, honor and truth everywhere.” A provisional government will be installed. Union forces will remain stationed in the region at the delegate’s behest, to ensure malicious organizations are prevented from deterring the progress of Germany anymore.

Enough from the journalist. Here’s the voice of the Pacifican:

Hoch der Kaiser!

State of the Feeders: The East Pacific (Sept. 20, 2005)^[60]

By Sir Paul (originally published in the North Pacific Wire on Sept. 20, 2005)

A soldier from Krechzianko "asks" a Govindian to turn over all of the capitalists in this village. They were later purged.

The third of a five-part series, The North Pacific Wire will publish an in-depth look at each feeder region each Monday, focusing on its relations with the Feeder community and The North Pacific. The editors hope that this series will help the nations of TNP make sound foreign policy decisions as it enters a new era.

Rillanon, Christie Island: From the relative safety of the East Pacific Capital, the reports of war crimes in the Indian sub-continent roll in. The Govindian government dissolved, the region was thrown into chaos and several nations offered to send aid. However, this aid usually degraded into imperialism, rape, torture, and death. The whole sub-continent is thrown into a Somalia-like state, with local warlords and the native population throwing themselves like so much ground hamburger at the advancing foreigners. Oh, good God… This just in… The Govindian Capital of New Dehli is no more. Packilvanian troops, assimilating citizens near the boards, used an orbital weapons platform to wipe the city off the map. Debris from the attack is being found as far south as Sri Lanka. 500 Million people are estimated to be dead. Ladies and Gentlemen, the East Pacific is at war.

This, however, is just another typical day in the beautiful East Pacific, where the socialist will shoot you, the hive will assimilate you, the aliens will subjugate you, and death reigns from above. However, you just can’t beat the weather and endless miles of beach sand.

The East Pacific, Vital Statistics (From the BPI World Factbook):

Government Type: Confederational Monarchy Leadership Type: Parliamentary Diet (Voluntary Members on a 6 month term) Classification: Bat-Fark-Insane Non-Imperialist Roleplayers

Organizations and Treaties – (While TEP has no formal written treaties, there are several de facto partnerships)

The Samurai - (Order of the Gryphons) Pacific Cooperation Organization (with The Pacific and The South Pacific – AKA Superfriends) Farkers (Farkistan and Farktopia) International Hippocratic Union - (TEP and The Pacific)

Government Strengths

Role Playing Friendliness Innovation & Design

Government Weaknesses

Activity Military Tranquility

Issues and the East Pacific

Roleplaying (war): The East Pacific is the only feeder that is (nearly) entirely and (almost) completely role-playing. Posting is done in character, as in the political arena, as a representative of the government in the East Pacific Confederacy, a loose binding treaty that keeps the East Pacificans from blowing each other off the map (the latter part is not usually too successful). The East Pacific Regional Map is used frequently in the RP wars, and the results of the wars are dutifully played out. There are nations on this map that have uninhabitable squares. Fish Island, for instance, has to spend the next 30 years in nuclear bunkers from the last tussle between Loop and Pax. Portions of Cupertino are uninhabitable, and all of “India” is, essentially, Somalia. The bombing became so bad that Free Pacific States, the RP moderator, now has to clear the use of all weapons of mass destruction, especially those that leave a trace on the planet. This is to keep the East from becoming a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Roleplaying (not-war): But the East is more than revolutionary socialists with orbital platforms. Another popular RP going on right now is the Shiro Akademi, a naval prep academy located in 1 Infinite Loop. Each player is RPing a single cadet at the school (and not as the leader of their nations). Everything from cultural interactions, social life, and classes are discussed in this RP, allowing the players to slip into a reality that threatens to overtake their own. As is a common saying, banject RL!

Of Inter-regional conclicts: The East Pacific is an inward facing people, and general does not get into inter-regional affairs. That said, the East has, really, only two inter-regional nemeses. One is the West Pacific (who claims that their territory lies in the orient, as does the East Pacific). This tussle was captured in an NPR Roundtable Discussion. Even famed cartographer Thel D’ran is not taking sides on the issue. He admitted that to solve the unified NS map, “It might mean different planets.”

The other rivalry that TEP faces is with the Alliance Defense Network. Since the delegate Loop was a Farker, he has been criticized for his invader roots. Before the August Revolution and Francos Spain, Loop was considered the feeder tyrant. Delegate Loop has been a vocal critic of the Alliance, but in general, the East Pacific is a “live and let live” region, fielding no army and holding no formal treaties.

For defense, however, it does manage to maintain an active intelligence bureau and was able to survive a game glitch that cost Loop the delegacy, making them a resilient people. Indeed, the East is very protective of their home territory, holding the title as the feeder with the least amount of Spam. Residents of the East find it very intrusive and prosecute those who break advertising limits to the fullest extent of the law.

Relations with the North

When asked about the North Pacific, the delegate of the East, 1 Infinite Loop, expressed his joy that the North Pacific is under a native delegate again and not under the “ADN propped-up regime of Stars”. He wished the North Pacific all of the best, and looks forward to a time of peace and prosperity. The delegate also hopes that the North will stay out of the Alliance, and instead become a part of the growing Feeder community.

Exciting Changes Afoot in the MoC (Sept. 30, 2005)^[61]

By Risellia

Ranking among the most notable of the changes instituted by the Ministry of Culture is this truly splendid sign.

Ministry of Culture, the hills of S-Z: Vacant since the days when Sarda once walked its halls and called its shots, the Ministry of Culture has not been at the forefront of the Revolution in recent times. Ideas have become stagnant; venerable, active threads have dwindled, and the cultural industry has slowed to a near-grind.

But today, today there is movement. Today, there is initiative. Today, there will be direction. A new age of fresh thought and renewed passion is on the horizon!

Comrades! I call you to witness what has been set in motion!

Organization has begun to take shape in the Pacific Gallery of Art, as that patriot and Curator Galaisa has unveiled his Grand Initiative. While its effects in the forums have not yet been felt in full force, off-site this initiative will hold true to the expectations of the people of the Pacific. New art will be made and put up for display by the nations of the Pacific, and the Pacific will continue to inspire her citizens to greater artistic heights. Hail the Gallery! Hail the Curator!

A fellow patriot, Afslavistakistania has taken on the role of Cartographer. His maps shall visually display the power and unity of our region to all who may inquire as to its strength. The main map will be merged with other maps from our fellow Pacifics, through which process we may gain further awareness and understanding of our fellow feederites. It is with great excitement that the people of the Pacific look forward to his progress. Hail The Pacific and its nations! Hail the Cartographer!

The Pacific Historical Society is preparing to embark on a grand initiative of its own in attempting to update the Pacific Chronicles and the Pacific Encyclopedia, and it has also provided a good place for Pacific nations to record the details of their history in NS. Our storied history should be a focus of the Ministry of Culture, and it is the Ministry's intention to give it its proper due. Hail the glorious history of The Pacific!

The People's Puppets have continued to run strong. Of late, they have begun to spark more enlightened debate about the NS issues they present, as was the intention of the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry hopes to provide one issue per puppet nation per week for the enjoyment, discernment, and enlightenment of the people of The Pacific. Hail the People's Puppets!

The Poetry section of the Ministry of Culture has been admittedly narrow thus far, focusing only upon the traditional form of Haiku. It is the Ministry's intention to expand this focus to include as many other forms as the people of the Pacific can provide, with the first attempt to work towards an anthology coming in the form of a competition, now underway in the Ministry of Culture. Hail the written word! Hail the powers of persuasion and amusement!

The University of The Pacific is still awaiting legislation as to the duties of its overseer, but it is the Ministry's intention to aid its growth in any ways possible and to collaborate and contribute in all instances where it is deemed helpful. Hail higher knowledge!

In all of these departments, there exists this one common thread: the opportunity for service to the revolution. In any of these areas that may catch your interest and more, it is more than possible to lend a hand and further the causes of Pacifican culture.

And finally, the invitation from all of us at the Ministry of Culture: Come taste of our culture, and see that it is good.

Elections Announced for New Offices of the Republic (Sept. 26, 2005)^[62]

By Warrior Thorin

In one of his final acts as Delegate, Vanguard Unlimited checks signatures on the Republic Reform Act of 2005

Capital City, Francograd, The Pacific. On September 21st, 2005, the Senate of the Pacific government announced the passing of The Republic Reform Act of 2005 which has led to vast changes in the government structure of the Pacific. The act was approved by the Senate and the Assembly of Governors, and it called for an immediate dissolving of the AoG structure.

The government now has four provinces instead of the previous iteration of six. Also, the government now has four ministries, each headed by elected officials. The eight elected officials will become a new assembly which will guide the legislative process and internal structure of the government. "The former structure worked quite well," stated former Delegate and Vanguard, Unlimited. "The Senate believed that we needed to find a way to collectively bring more minds into the civic structure of the domestic sphere of the government. Thus, we meted out this legislature and Sir Paul worked tirelessly with the AoG to create these reforms."

The new structure more clearly seperates the duties of the Foreign Cadre and the Domestic Cadre, and it specifically entails that the Judicial component is seperate altogether. The Senate, which comprise the Foreign Cadre, have clearly defined roles in their duties to protect the Republic. What is even more clearly defined is how the Domestic Cadre will perform its role.

The provinces will be charged with accepting citizenship applications, a new component in the Republic. Previously, citizenship was an amorphous concept, but it is now clearly defined in the recent legislation. Citizens cannot vote or hold office unless they are citizens. Nations are permitted to hold dual-citizenship as long as they complete their application.

On September 26th, 2005, the Senator of Administration announced elections for all offices as listed in the Reform Act. All offices are expected to be filled by 15 October 2005. The elections will run between October 5 to 15th. Applications can be filed in The Department of Administration for both the office of Governor and Minister. All inquiries regarding the elections and the procedures may be directed to Warrior Thorin.

State of the Feeders: The South Pacific (Oct. 3, 2005)^[63]

By Sir Paul (originally for North Pacific Wire)

The Lodge: Home of the Premier of Fudgietopia and Vice President of The South Pacific.

The fourth of a five-part series, The North Pacific Wire will publish an in-depth look at each feeder region each Monday, focusing on its relations with the Feeder community and The North Pacific. The editors hope that this series will help the nations of TNP make sound foreign policy decisions as it enters a new era.

Chupa, Fudgetopia: The Pacific is the dawn of life. Being the first region, it is Ethiopia. It follows, then, that the South Pacific is Mesopotamia. The South is a pioneer in the feeders, being the first Pacific with a civilization and a history. The South has a rich and vibrant tradition, and their current government has lasted for two and one-half years. They have been the foremost opponents of the NPO, yet supporters of the PRP. Allies to the North and West, yet that alliance is suspended. Bound by marriage to the East, but the blushing bride seems to have retired. The South’s involvement in inter-regional affairs have also waxed and waned, much like the civilizations in the Fertile Crescent. The South, with its joining of the Pacific Co-operation Organization, has been waxing for the last 8 months. It is only a matter of time to see if it will wax all the way to the southern boarder of The North Pacific.

The South Pacific, Vital Statistics (From the BPI World Factbook):

Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy with Pure Democracy Leadership Type: Executive-run Council with High Incumbency Rate Classification: Bleeding Heart Partying Isolationists (with lampshades)

Organizations and Treaties

~~Treaty of the United Democratic Pacifics (TSP, TNP, TWP)~~ Suspended Pacific Cooperation Organization (with The Pacific and The East Pacific – AKA Superfriends) Mutual Appreciation Pact with The Pacific Mutual Aid Pact with Gatesville

Government Strengths Unity Intelligence Humor

Government Weaknesses Red Tape Forum Layout Cliquey

Issues and the South Pacific

TSP Cliques: The South Pacific has been called, by some, an “old boys club.” Vice President and head of the government, Fudgie, spoke with me at the Lodge, located in the Fudgtopian capital. Sipping a glass of Australian Chardonnay, the Vice President informed this reporter that, in reality, she is the only “old boy” left, making it, if anything, an “old girls club.” She also told me that some outsiders confuse the South with being a clique because of the isolationism. In general, they prefer the company of friends. Indeed, an aura of friendship can be felt on the forums. The friendship here seems paramount, as the industry of the region is exerted on OOC pursuits, such as RL discussions and posting games. Since the creation of the Pacific Interactive Forums, the Southerners have been exposed to East Pacific and Pacific cultures and people, leading to an understanding that the “Cliquey” TSPers were simply isolationists, who are good friends, which is a hallmark of their unity and region.

Red Tape: I then inquired about the council and the government of the South Pacific. The VP the kicked off her shoes and placed them on an ottoman, while a servant exchanged her drink with a more assertive California White Wine, a glass of Viognier, along with a Mature Blue Stilton, a sharp cheese. She then explained the complexities and intricacies of the government. In general, the region functions as a pure democracy, with every bill and law being debated and passed by the council, which is made up of every citizen. The timetable from getting a bill proposed to passed is about one month. Considering the two-month terms of office, (compared with the three months in the West and the four months in the Pacific), it can be daunting for secretaries to finish their agendas before being bounced from office. However, the system has compensated by, in general, re-electing officers. VP Fudgie has held her job for 8 months, and has been involved in TSP politics for many a long time. However, there is not much in the system at the moment. No grand reforms, no pressing business, no shocking legislation. The South seems set on cruise control, and seems to enjoy the laid back lifestyle and chipper view from the beach.

Humor: After such a heavy subject, I moved on to ask about the lighter side of the South Pacific. Notably, that Hawaiian Print Aloha Shirts and Lampshades were the official dress code for a while. Fudgie chuckled, and shook her head as she smiled. "We’ve been trying to shake the party image for a while, but this certainly takes me back." She snapped her fingers once, and a servant brought out two Mai Tais and grilled shrimp cocktail. “Actually, I finally got rid of all of my Hawaiian print shirts and my pair of Hawaiian print underpants.” She sips her drink through the loopy straw, while maintaining her prestige of office. I am baffled how she pulls it off. “The South is still a kickback place of friends, but we have grown up a bit over the years. We have a good defense force, and a strong intelligence organization which works very well with our allies and our secretary of defense. We have to maintain a balance between fun and responsibility."

Foreign Affairs: “Speaking of the DSP, when was the last time they were deployed, Madam Vice President?” Fudgie looked at her empty Mai Tai and shrimp shells. “You bring up a meaty subject, Sir Paul. Why don’t we chew the fat?” The servant comes out, this time with Porterhouse Steaks and an Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. I asked the servant how he knew that I enjoyed my steak medium rare. He informed me that the South Pacific’s Intelligence is very good. Fudgie, cutting into her filet section, told me that “the last deployment of our forces was during the Zeta One affair.” She then bit into her steak to get the bad taste out of her mouth. The Zeta One affair was when the delegate of the West ejected some members and declared himself king of the West Pacific. Virtually all Nationstates armies mobilized, only to find out that it was a “test” of the region’s preparedness. Many in the South were not pleased with the false alarm. The Vice President also doubted that the United Democratic Pacific Treaty (UDP) would be renewed, not necessarily because of the Zeta One affair, but for a “variety of happenings in Nationstates and the Feeders.”

Newcomers: As we were finishing up dinner, I inquired about the forum registration. The South is the only feeder that requires verification during registration. In response, the plates were cleared, coffee was poured, and cake served. “I hope you are not implying that the South is not a good host to guests and friends,” the Vice President stated. I told her that I didn’t, and found them a quite hospitable people. “The verification process is in place because of certain ‘problems’ that we have had in the past. A certain person who is banned, but makes new accounts and posts. Again, we must maintain a balance between our responsibilities and our pursuits.”

Relations with the North

Asking a South Pacifican what they think about North Pacificans is much like asking Americans what they think of Canadians. Answer: We don’t. The South has no official policy on the North one way or the other. While there is a North Pacific embassy, it has been inactive for some time, and the South has not sent an ambassador in quite a while. If any political discourse is to happen between the two regions, it will probably have to come from the North first.

Culture in NationStates: The FreeMasons (Oct. 17, 2005)^[64]

Originally written by EuroSoviets for Socialist Democracy, part of Alliance Media Services

OBSTUPUI STETERUNTOUR / COMAE, ET VOX PAUCIBUS MAESIT: The hair of the dumbstruck is stood on end; And a voice mourned to the few.

In real life it would be glaringly obvious to state that people have opinions. Some opinions so complete as to be a virtual grand unified theory of social relations, e.g. Marxism or Libertarianism, some are just vague ideas about things as undefined as human nature or whether or not governments really are keeping details on alien spaceships secret from the public. For those of us that play Nationstates, we may run into real life holders of certain opinions only rarely if at all. Over the course of the 'Culture in NationStates' series, I intend to examine some world-views, give our readers some grounding in them, present the opinions of some holders of those views, some opponents of those views and then pass off the problem of assessing which is right and wrong to the reader.

Freemasonry is something I've never come across in real life. Having checked the United Grand Lodge of England website, I find there are no registered lodges on the island of Ireland. I'm told this isn't necessarily a bad thing by Danitoria, the Delegate of the ASE. I've interviewed several Freemasons who play NationStates - each of them came forward voluntarily; Blackadder of The Pacific, Thel Dran of Lemuria, 1 Infinite Loop of The East Pacific, Romanoffia or The North Pacific.

Contrary to how I introduced this article however, Blackadder commented, "Being a Mason is supposed to be 24/7. Game or not it is part of what we are so it translates out into how we react. Masonry isn't an ideology so much like Socialism or Libertarianism, its a moral credo. Take your rites and you'll know what I mean." In this I would argue that socialism does translate out into how we socialists react 24/7 (generally irreverent buggers that we are!) but one thing struck me; all of those who answered my short questions were convinced of one thing. The benefit of the fraternal feelings engendered by common membership in a Masonic Lodge.

Loop, talking about how the bond between Masonic Lodge members translated into gameplay in Nationstates, said it "has brought about new friendships in the game, and more patience with those associated with the Brothers." With beautiful rhetorical flourish, Romanoffia elaborated on the responsibilities of Masons inside NationStates as with every aspect of their lives, "It means that one should apply one's morals and ethics to the game as much as the game permits. By doing so, it means that one must be ready to be assailed by some for sticking to your immovable position. It means that you must do nothing to wrong, cheat or defraud anyone. I means that you must let nothing compromise your moral and ethical stance and to resspect and promote the truth regardless of the consequences." Thel Dran on the other hand believed application of Masonic morality was for each Brother to decide for himself.

The legends that surround the Freemasons are somewhat obscure to many people - at least to anyone who hasn't read the buffoonery of Dan Brown's 'Da Vinci Code' but one of the most enduring myths is that the Freemasons, themselves descended from the Knights Templar, are in possession of the Holy Grail - rumoured to be a goblet from which Jesus b. Joseph drank from at the Last Supper.

When asked who had the Holy Grail, Romanoffia and Loop claimed it for themselves whilst Blackadder point out, "I believe its Mervin Bigglesworth, Fishmonger. Lately of Aberdeen but I could be mistaken. Let me see that handshake again... ." Thel Dran enigmatically commented, "about conspiracies in general, both of Masons and in NationStates, I try to keep this in mind: If only 1% of what's said of us is true, would we actually have time to play this game?"

Of the whole matter, Romanoffia lent me his own insights. "The Holy Grail is an ideal and not a physical item. In fact, the "Holy Grail" in historical terms is essentially a literary fabrication of medieval troubadors to represent the one single truth or desire that is to be obtained. For the medieval troubador, it was illicit love in the sense of Lohengrin. That is, Lohengrin sought the forbidden love of a woman with the idea that he would suffer eternal damnation and seperation from God for all eternity for the sake of earthly love of a particular woman in the hear an now. That's a pretty bold statement for anyone at any time who believes in a literal Hell.

This brings up the thematic point that the real Holy Grail in Arthurian legend wasn't a drinking vessel - it was the 'eternal feminine' for which each Knight of the Round Table sought, suffered for, and eventually met their demise for not realizing that the Grail was not the literal cup that Christ allegedly drank from at the last supper, but it was something that was right in front of all of them, yet they didn't realize that they didn't have to go looking for at all. They already had it!

The other literary reference is that the 'Holy Grail' or rather the 'San Greal' or 'Sangue Raal' is really the "Holy Blood" of the alleged descendants of Christ (who, according to the Marovingian legends) were Christ's literal blood decendants. San Greal = Sang (blood) Real (royal). The Marovingian House claimed to be the direct literal decendents of Christ's offspring by Mary Magdelen according to that legend. Largely speaking, it historically appears to just be a means for some Medieval royal family to lend legitimacy to the 'Divine Right of Kings' theory."

Fascinated as I was, and any historian would be, by the lore of Freemasonry I also felt duty bound to investigate various websites and ask certain people about their opinions on Freemasonry. Blackbird, a noted NS Trotskyist and Director of Red Liberty Alliance Intelligence, asked with characteristic dry wit, "Do they have a Central Committee?"

Danitoria went a little more in depth. "I'll give you the reason I don't like them in one sentence: something that is secret, elitist and influential at the same time can never be allowed to exist." Investigating a Masonic information site, I discovered some literature on those who do not like Masons and Freemasonry for one reason or another. These types were categorized thusly: Religious Intolerants, Hate Groups, Conspiracy Theorists and Self-Servers. Reading a little further, the author of the site commented (in a discouragingly patronising fashion) on how the vast majority of these people were college drop outs, of little education in theology or philosophy or any branch of the liberal arts which would lend their gripes credence.

In response Danitoria retorted "Do you know anything about freemasons? In the UK? They are scum...Freemasons are cops, judges, businessmen, toffs, local politicians - the collective [Conservative] elite. Across England they are the influential, the wealthy, the reactionary and the privileged. And that is all that they are and all they will ever be. I've never heard of a lodge in the UK, or anywhere, even letting women join. They have "wives' nights" and are a disgusting mixture of pathetic, antiquated and dangerous."

I did find evidence of some so-called Masonic Lodges which were more liberal about women and so on - but these were quite openly denied association with the UGLE which I linked to above. The one notable thing was that the only properly theological requirement for membership was belief in a supreme being; God, Yahweh, Allah and so on were all acceptable to the Masons. Danitoria's complaint was not without substance however as an investigation into famous Masons soon revealed (Famous Masons A-L, M-Z). With people like Mikhail Kutuzov and Frederick II of Prussia cited, in the latter case as "Effective military commander, music composer, patron of literature and the arts and institutor of many social reforms," Freemasonry is certainly something that elites of both Property and Capital are noted for being interested in. More recently, American political elites - of distinct seniority in Congress and the White House are also extant in the rolls of good and great Masons.

Of course many will disagree that this is a bad thing, believing the world today to be meritocratic, where good men can rise - and who better than Masons, duty bound to Brotherly Love, Relief (i.e. charity and voluntary works), and Truth to fulfill that role. This article is open ended and the choice between two viewpoints herein presented must be made by the reader. What is ever fascinating is watching the reality of the viewpoints which define us as people filter into the mini-world we've created for ourselves.

The People's Militia captures Warzone Australia! (Oct. 16, 2005)^[65]

By The New Duce

Above: troops stealthily disembarking in the Australian coast

Darwin, Warzone Australia: the People’s Militia, after a spell of prolonged inactivity in the warzones, has once again proved it’s a force to be reckoned with.

Aided by both Moscovy from the USSR and Gateborg from The Young World, the militia produced 12 troopers within 30 minutes to overtake Galts Gulch delegate Sirthis. The Pacific’s last incursion into a Warzone had taken place in June and our soldiers were looking to shake dust off their boots.

Since the Pacific does not place value on the possession of warzones save for training purposes, commander Nea Petropolis does not plan to hold Warzone Australia for too long.

Unexpected arrivals from Tresville and the infamous People’s Revolutionary Party, coupled with a late update, threatened our trooper’s momentum for a while. But they were too few and too late. Tyranny was deposed once again. The Blue and Black prevailed over all foes.

Alas, a NationStates server crash did not allow for much celebration. Pacificans hope a system reboot that could erase changes in the past day will not be necessary. In any case, the objective was accomplished.

It was certainly refreshing to see some new faces participating actively within our ranks. Discipline was to be commended. The following is a list of troopers involved.

Aleisyr General Andrew Johnson Nea-Petropolis Global a go go Goddessness Marric Risellia The New Duce Sedarva

Our gratitude goes to them. Onwards Pacifica!

State of the Feeders: The Rejected Realms (Oct. 18, 2005)^[66]

Written by Sir Paul (originally for North Pacific Wire)

Kandarin, Lord of the Underworld, celebrating another ejection and addition to his realm

The fifth of a five-part series, The North Pacific Wire will publish an in-depth look at each feeder region each Monday, focusing on its relations with the Feeder community and The North Pacific. The editors hope that this series will help the nations of TNP make sound foreign policy decisions as it enters a new era.

Malev, Kandarin: After paying a jolly ferryman to cross the river Styx, a nice puppy with three heads licked my hand as I was escorted to a glass elevator. Proceeding from B1 to B7, I reached an opulent place made of gold. It seemed too small for the residents of the Rejected Realms to use, but as we approached, it appeared as if we shrunk, until the golden palace, called Pandemonium, was soaring over my zenith. As I approached the throne, I noticed a similarity to Republican Headquarters, but I dismissed the resemblance to such evil. I’m sure my host was a charming fellow.

The Rejected Realms, Vital Statistics (From the BPI World Factbook):

Government Type: Militarist Libertarians Leadership Type: Stoic Underworld Overlord Classification: Pure Defenders

Treaties and Organizations

Alliance Defense Network Allied Liberation League Good Friends with The West Pacific Will defend with any Defender Organization

Government Strengths

Hotspot indication Military Inter-regional support

Government Weaknesses

Inactivity Reputation

Issues and the Rejected Realms

Yvan Eht Nioj: “When the pilgrims landed in the New World, the first civic structure (after the church) was the jail. Even them, in all their holy goodness, needed a place to put the outcasts and refuse of society. After they filled up the jails, they filled up Rhode Island, but that’s another story. The Rejected Realms, then, is, first and foremost, a prison; a place where those who are on the wrong side of the law (or politics) are placed. However, when a bunch of outcasts are put together, they realize that they can create an army to retake their old homes. This was the founding of the Rejected Realms Army, which continues to this day.”

Indeed, the RRA is still a major player in the defender community. A prime location, the RR’s regional happenings board informs players of political hotspots where ejections are happening. This allows the RR to remain at the forefront of the defender community. The Army also plays well with others. As a signatory to both the Alliance Defense Network and the Allied Liberation League, they, of course, help out in those defense missions, but they have been known to defend with TITO, RLA, GLA, and independently. The RRA is a beacon of activity in this region.

Inactivity / DEAT: Like all feeders, the Rejected Realms has a large portion of the population that chooses to stagnate. Unfortunately, the RR does not have the sheer numbers a Pacific does to support a large off-site forum. Of all the feeders, the RR is the smallest and the least active forum and government. In a sense, there really isn’t a government. “There is an off-site forum, but, in general, without an eject/ban button, there is no way to have a government. Governments are created by people who agree to surrender sovereignty in exchange for security. Without the means of enforcement, there would be no way to force a surrender of sovereignty to the government. Thus, we have a libertarian rule. All may do as they wish, and they will not be banned for it.”

The People's Democratic Party: The lack of activity, according to some, has spawned the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). It’s leader, Darius, claims that he is trying to bring choice and activity to a dying region, while detractors claim that he is an imperialists who is trying to take over an ejection-less region. There was a point where an invader group endorsed Darius, trying to unseat Kandarin, while then lead to a defender counter-response, buoying Kandarin far above Darius. This leads, of course, to the question: Does Kandarin have native support, or are outside forces keeping him in power. The answer: It doesn’t matter. As a feeder, all nations are natives of the Rejected Realms, and regardless on how Kandarin holds onto power, should there ever be a showdown in this ejectionless region, we’d simply have another NS WWI: Trench Warefare. While Darius left the UN to prove that he would not take endorsements from outside interests, opinion is still divided on the PDP.

Relations with The North: As a libertarian region, there really are not relations with the North. In general, the official policy is laissez faire. “We will defend with them, if they choose to defend again, and while we root for their recovery, their affairs are not our own. If it all goes to RR in a handbasket, we have plenty of room for the displaced residents.”

Pierconium Appointed to The Pacific Senate (Oct. 17, 2005)^[67]

Pierconium at his campaign headquarters after hearing the news

Capital City, The Pacific: From disgrace to triumph, Senator Pierconium, Grand Inquisitor of The Pacific, takes his seat on The Pantheon of Great Pacificans. On the Feast of St. Wenceslas Day, Pierconium has completed his trial by fire. Purified by the refiner’s flame, Senator Pierconium can resume the life-long journey of servitude that is a Senatorial Commission of The Pacific.

The world can look at Comrade Pierconium's example and see the quality of men and women that The Pacific takes to its heart. After losing his commission for involving a puppet nation in the Pixiedance affair, Pierconium never left the Pacific. As the months passed, and the judicial system of the Pacific fell into disrepair and crisis, Comrade Pierconium continued to serve The Pacific with a humble countenance. His dedication lead to his appointment to Chief Justice once more.

But this was not enough for a Comrade who cleansed the dirt that was left in his office by his predecessors. Pierconium re-established the Praetorian Guard, he cleansed The Pacific, and brought life to his region and his department. It is with great humility that Pierconium did his duties, and for many months, served his region loyally. Those are the foremost qualities that a Senator of The Pacific must possess… Loyalty and Servitude.

On this day, the day that The Pacific withstood the glitch attack, showing that neither man nor machine can cause the downfall of The Pacific, the Senate selects a citizen to service. Invoking the Authority of Francos Spain, those he anointed, the Full Senate Assembled, by unanimous vote, grants a Senatorial Commission to Pierconium. He is now anointed as a steward and guardian of The Pacific. May he remember to place The Pacific before himself, and always carry the Spirit of the August Revolution forward, guided by the ideals of Peace, Strength, and Prosperity.

Hail Pierconium, Senator of Justice of The Pacific!

Banner Evening for the People's Militia (Nov. 4, 2005)^[68]

By Sir Paul

Formossa, Atlantic The mighty Atlantic, conqueror of Pacifics, Nationstates oldest military organization, has been liberated by the People’s Republic of The Pacific. This region was previously conquered by the Bloodmoon Empire, an invader organization that prides itself on the mistreatment of the natives. After receiving requests from the natives to help liberate them and secure the region, The Pacific, endorsing native Formossa, was able to help transfer power back to the residents of Atlantic. The new delegate’s first act was to unban all of the nations that were ejected by the raiders. Lt. Gordonel mustered the citizen soldiers and marched to Atlantic to end the tyranny.

But then crisis erupted on the other side of the world. The West Pacific’s government had fallen, and martial law had occurred. The troops continued the fight in Atlantic, while waiting for the Senate to decide what would be done. Then, the call went out. Ranking Member of the Legitimate Government, Dilber, requested that foreign troops move in and support the Regent. While Lt. Gordonel would stay in Atlantic to oversee the battle, Lt. Risellia, master of tactics, ordered troops to disengage the enemy in the dead of winter, marched them around the world, and took up arms in the West.

Fortunately for Atlantic, The Pacific left just enough troops to ensure victory, and Atlantic is now an independent region once more, with no nations on the ban list. Meanwhile, Pacific troops are endorsing West Pacific Regent Wickedly Evil People, and their numbers are growing by the hour.

Today, we salute the brave men and women of the People’s Militia, and their ability to fight a two-front war.

TWP Take 2 (Nov. 3, 2005)^[69]

By Sir Paul

A Pro-Constitution Demonstrator, protesting the Dominion

Administration Island, The West Pacific: With shock and awe, the old West Pacific was torn down in a blaze of napalm. The old s8 forums have been struck down and rendered useless. The libraries of history are consumed in flames before the populace. Ashes and char are the only remnants of the former government.

In its place is a new black monolith, home to The West Pacific Dominion. Here, new forums were created to replicate the old. The constitution, dissolved. The Assembly, disbanded. The democracy, destroyed.

The West, according to Biyah, is now to be run by an ADN-based core, made of the following nations:

Biyah, Chainik Hocker, ~~Dilber~~, Gaspo, Halmont, Looming Doom, Minineenee, Shasoria, TAO, ZetaOne, Zorn-Uzkul

The most odd member of the Core is Gaspo, who held no office before the switch-over and was only a member of the Grand Assembly (every TWP nation with population over 100 million). He is, however, a member of the ADN.

Dilber, however, has rejected being part of the Core, and has already formed a Rebellion to take back the forums and the region. The regent of the West, Wickedly Evil People (Puppet of Eli), has not been ejected, and is currently attempting to overtake Delegate Minineenee. Berphamore put out this statement today

   Berphamore @ Regional HQ wrote:
   We've been betrayed.

   Minineenee has dissolved the Constitution, closed the old forum and restricted access on this 'new' forum.

   If you want a voice in your own Region, The West Pacific, endorse Wickedly Evil People. He is the legal ruler now that Minineenee has turned from democracy to fascism.

   Fight tyranny

   Punish treachery

   Endorse Wickedly Evil People - the Regent and true ruler of the West Pacific

   Democracy is a STRENGTH

In an interview with Rebel Leader Dilber, he informed PNN that the coup was a result of a think-tank to increase activity. He stated that the West was too stable, and stability leads to boredom. Thus, many decided that an overthrow of the government would be fun and lead to more activity.

Biyah, leader of the West Pacific Dominion (the new regime), posted this announcement for his reasoning.

   Biyah wrote:
   Announcement:

   It has been noted by many that The West Pacific has stagnated; interest has waned and the government is simply not drawing the interest that it could. We government officials of The West Pacific have noted this problem time and time again.

   No easy answer has presented itself and thus, we feel that we must take drastic measures.

   Therefore we the Chosen declare that the West Pacific constitutional government is dissolved, the constitution dismissed, and the region placed in a state of Martial Law. From the ashes of the Constitutional Government, The West Pacific Dominion is hereby born.

   The new legislative body of the WPD, the Core of the Dominion, has agreed to this change in government and fully endorses it. We Chosen assume full responsibility for the fair and impartial running of the region until such time as a new government may be installed.

   [snip]...[/snip]

   Former Administrators, Global Moderators and persons of government import not listed in the Core are hereby stripped of their positions. Those that wish to continue their service to The West Pacific may do so after this initial action, but be aware that each department head will have his or her own standards to which you must adhere. We are in a state of martial law and our attitude will reflect this state.

   Those of you with positions not covered by the current Core members will deal directly with me, The Consul, for your positions. It should also be noted that legislative bodies such as the former Grand Assembly and Council do not exist within the Dominion, so basic Council and GA members will not be able to resume their duties at this time. It is entirely possible that the Core of the Dominion will expand, and/or that an assembly of Citizens will be formed, at a later time.

   The West Pacific Dominion has contacted a number of regions that hold alliances we consider essential to our regional well being, a list shall be provided at a later date with their relative status. Those that have not been deemed essential to The West Pacific’s regional safety shall be re-examined at the first available opportunity and our final decision will be delivered promptly. Those regions wishing to know the status of our deliberations need only contact Minister ZetaOne, the head of our Foreign Diplomatic Corps.

   Finally, there is now a 25% endorsement total cap in place for The West Pacific. Everyone over this total has 24 hours to drop UN status or leave for an update before they are banned for one update to clear the endorsements. Please note that any bid for the delegacy will be met with the strongest possible consequences. This cap will remain in place until further notice.

   Welcome to the brave new world!

   ~Biyah, Consul of the Dominion - With the voice of the entire Core of the Dominion

Considering the new endorsement cap, and also considering the Regent is above it, Dilbert stated that he expects the purges to happen tonight. If they do occur, the first nation ejected would probably be Regent Eli, who had this to say:

Eli (right), asking for aid at the ASE, with EuroSoviets looking on

   Eli @ The Allied States of EuroIslanders wrote:
   Greetings Friends,

   I come today with a heavy heart as a blanket of oppression has descended over The West Pacific today. A self serving minority recruited from far and wide within the NS world and domestically within TWP has declared martial law and has in fact assumed power in a lawless, unprecedented act aimed at achieving power for the few over the many. Heed not their protestations of good intent observe the method of the tyrant. Closes the assembly place of the legally selected legislators and Councillors. Ask for the permission or the deference of the ADN alliance that the power grab will go uncontested. Fire all government officials deemed untrustworthy.

   I as the former Regent of that government, my nation is Wickedly Evil People in TWP, demand that the Junta cede power to reform the government to the legally selected Grand Assembly and to the Council. That the Dictator Biyah resign and that a caretaker Prime Minister be selected. I would advocate that Shasoria accept that role as one trusted by all.

Interestingly enough, the only embassies remaining are Nasicouria’s, the Alliance Defense Network’s, and the Allied States of EuroIslander’s. While many were expecting the ADN and RLA to fight to overthrow the government, Pope Hope has thrown their arms open to the new regime, while EuroSoviets hoping for "a continued allied relationship." Despite the fact that both regions claim that they “love democracy” and would “fight to defend the constitution and legitimate government of the West Pacific,” it is clear that both of these Alliances view the West Pacific as a tool to be used for its resources. As long as the Dominion swears allegiance to the ADN (as they have), these Userite organizations will continue to prop-up the Dominion. Senator Unlimited stated that “this is further proof that the Userites do not care about democracy or the well-being of the Pacifics. They see us as human charcoal for their war machines and imperialist rule.”

The Pacific, as always, has opened its boarders to political refugees and those wishing to flee the events unfolding in the West.

*Nov 3, 2005 UPDATE*

The Original West Pacific Forums are back up and running. The r00t is retired nation Lanier. Resistance leader Dilber suspects that someone was able to contact him, and he has restored the forums. PNN will keep you posted as this story unfolds.

*Nov 3, 2005 UPDATE*

It appears as if Eli's, Dilber's and Berphamore's pleas have been answered by the ASE and the RLA. Statements taken by ranking officals indicated that they will stand by the constitutionalists and the regent, and they will fight the Core and the Dominion.

   Xha'dam @ ASE wrote:
   Comrade Dilber, you have my full support. The ASE has stood by the West Pacific too long to abandon her in her darkest hour. We will fight as long as the WPD draws breath and we will not cease until freedom is restored. You have my word on this.

   Xha'dam,
   Strategos Nemonos, ASE
   Deputy Commander, RLAF
   General Secretary, RLA

Pierconium speaks! (Nov. 12, 2005)^[70]

By Gordonel

Pierconium, Senator of Justice, speaks openly in his interview with PNN reporter Gordonel

PNN Interview office, The Pacific. This is the first of a two-part interview - It should also be noted that the majority of answers for this interview are OOC and from the perspective of the player behind the nations and not from the nations themselves.

Part 1 -------------------------------

I guess the easiest place to start is at the beginning, how did you come across Nationstates, and where did you go when you got here?

Well, I found NationStates.net as a link on a gaming forum. I don’t recall the game right now. My first nation was created in The Pacific, it was the only feeder then, in the very early part of 2003 (possibly the last part of 2002), about 2 months after the game was launched. I stuck to the internal aspects of the game only. I did some swapping, answered some issues and observed a few events and then got a RL job promotion so I gave up the game in late spring. After about 3-4 months I found the game again linked on the Rise of Nations gameplay forum. I created Borogravia Moldavi and moved to Sparrow in September 2003. Involvement in Sparrow led to much more interaction than my previous experience did and I stuck with the game.

Which would you consider - at the time - was your 'main' region?

Borogravia Moldavi was my main nation and remains one of my most prominent and recognizable nations in the game. Other nations have taken precedent in other arenas, Pierconium in The Pacific, Greater Moldavi in The Meritocracy and Gracius Maximus in The North Pacific have all had distinctly different “careers” in the game.

New Sparrow was an ADN region at first, right? What was your position in the ADN back then?

Sparrow applied to join the ADN in October 2003. I was the Regional UN Delegate at the time and represented Sparrow to the Alliance Defense Network. After Sparrow was griefed in December and we (the remnant nations) formed New Sparrow we maintained our position in the ADN. “Moldavi” rose relatively quickly through the rank structure to eventually become Attorney General, Secretary of State and an advisor and admin on the ADN forums.

And how did these positions fit in with your Senator status in The Meritocracy?

Well, to be honest, I learned of the Meritocracy via interaction on the ADN forum. I applied and the ADN influence that was already prevalent in the Senate bolstered my vote and I entered easily. It was a blessing and a curse. It was difficult to see the ADN bias in the Senate at a later date when I was no longer enamored with their policies and to know that I played a small part in its initial establishment.

Since this time, both New Sparrow and the Meritocracy have collapsed (The Meritocracy being re-born), What was your reasoning for shutting down New Sparrow?

New Sparrow suffered from perfection. After nearly two years of constant legislation to create what the citizens viewed as a perfect example of representative democracy in a player created region we achieved it. Then we got lazy. Recruitment dropped because we didn’t want to risk including an unstable element in the region. Forum activity dropped and eventually the population dropped. The core group of players started to dwindle as people moved on with RL, etc. Eventually it was just a handful of nations, some active, some not, all just sitting in a stagnant region. Some of us moved on to other activities. The rest decided to leave the game. It should be noted that some of the older Sparrow nations have started moving back to the original Sparrow region and are currently, slowly, working on rebuilding it. I am not taking a primary role in that endeavor at present however.

And your thoughts on the end of The Meritocracy? And the re-incarnation that exists now?

I believe The Meritocratic Senate could have withstood the mass defections and could have weathered the storm, as it had in the past. Unfortunately the Founder did not give it that chance. The current Senate is slowly starting to resemble the Senate of old but I believe it still has a long way to go. The recent activity is promising though. The first few months of the new Senate have been less than impressive overall, in my opinion, as I have shared with some.

Your loyalty and activity now seem to be entirely focused in The Pacific, This wasn't always the case, what sort of opposition did you receive when you originally announced you had joined the PRP/NPO?

Well, on some fronts it was a mixed bag. Since Pierconium joined The Pacific as a spy for the ADN it was not really a surprise overall to some that I “announced” membership in the NPO. It was quite a test of my gaming resolve in the Meritocracy in particular however. While some maintained the ideals of merit many took my IC support of a dynamic totalitarian regime as a personal attack and felt the need to respond in kind. These Senators displayed the true nature of the Meritocracy for me. That is wasn’t meritocratic unless it fit into their political ideology. The nations in Sparrow, almost always observant of the concepts of duality, had very little reaction overall. Two nations left for other ADN regions but they were suspected of being internal spies. Several nations sent me congratulations. Some sent hate-mail. That is the nature of the game.

You were appointed Senator of Justice just after the founding of the PRP, in later 2004. What positions had you held previously in the Pacific?

I served as Governor of the Victory Province (V) under Francos Spain and was appointed Interim High Judge of the Pacific after Poskrebyshev left the game.

Before we move onto your Pacifican times, I'd like to question you about what you might perhaps think of as a blotch on your Nationstates Career. The story of Pixiedance, the NPD and The North Pacific. How did the situation there begin?

Well, first, it was not a blotch. I consider the successful, for however long, control of a feeder region during a tumultuous time of unrest to be a high mark on any career. Admittedly there were mistakes made, primarily in staffing, but overall it was a success, in my opinion. That being said, Gracius Maximus led a relatively quiet life in the north for most of its existence, with a period of time as a cte nation. After the resignation of the Minister of Justice in December 2004 Gracius Maximus was appointed by the Delegate to serve in this capacity. The methodology and tactics that led up to this particular appointment along with some subsequent actions will be discussed in more detail in some of my Pacific University courses in the future.

And before taking control of Pixiedance, what was your involvement in The North Pacific?

Gracius Maximus served as Deputy Minister of Justice and Minister of Justice, heading up the shortlived constitutional convention that marked the end of that governments era.

And (If any) involvement/thoughts on the Great Bight/UPS rail affair?

Pierconium took part in some of the debate on whether Great Bight constituted a legitimately elected “native” delegate. Borogravia Moldavi ordered SECO (New Sparrow’s military) into the region to bolster Great Bight because it believed that the sitting Delegate, who was elected via the endorsement of “native” north Pacific nations was the legitimate Delegate and that others, namely the ADN and ALL, were invading the region. SECO was acting in a defensive capacity in the face of “devader” aggression.

How would you describe your reign in The North Pacific? What were you hoping to achieve, and did you?

Ordered comes to mind. It was efficient. My initial hopes were to establish an orderly regime that would bring peace to what had become a fractured region. That failed because of continued outside interference and certain rogue elements that refused to accept the Directorates direction. Ultimately it developed more into a desire to create something memorable NS-wise. And while it was not the NPO and may not have reached the legendary status of some groups in NS history I believe it will be remembered, for good or bad, and that was my ultimate goal.

Who were the ones that fought against you more than any others? Do you think they were justified in fighting against you? What do you think of the way they did it?

The north Pacific underground movement was the primary opposition to the Directorate. Several outside organizations voiced condemnation but could accomplish little in the way of real opposition. Puppetmaster II: The Wrath of Ivan was planned by the ADN but the weeks of planning came to naught as ten minutes of ejecting on the part of the Delegate totally dismembered their cause. Equilism, the Meritocracy and the west Pacific all issued proclamations against the NPD but did little to help with the unseating effort. It should be noted that the west did provide the underground with some interesting intel but that was the extent of their effectiveness. As to whether or not they were justified, I say yes and no. No in that Pixiedance was the regional Delegate according to all game admin and moderation and game rules and mechanics, so the outcries of cheating and/or illegitimacy were in error, in my opinion. Yes in that an arrogant bastard had come in from relative regional obscurity, turned their community on end and started telling them how to live within their own region. I would have fought against that too most likely.

Classes for the Pacific University to Begin (Nov. 22, 2005)^[71]

By Sir Paul

Dr. Bill, Professor of Civics at the School of Public Administration, The Pacific University.

Francopolis, The Pacific: With its gleaming new campus set in the cosmopolitan city in beautiful Tantus Pacifica, students from across Nationstates are enrolling in courses in Journalism, Role Playing, Francoism, Antagonism, and others. The campus, gleaming and beautiful with athletic fields, amenities, housing and classrooms, was built upon the former estate of John Ashcroft Land. JAL was compensated for his holdings by being given a lifetime scholarship to The Pacific University Adjunct Campus in Pierconium Penal Colony, which promotes re-education for the masses.

Registration ends December 1, and SAA101, Fundamentals of Gameplay Antagonism, already has a waiting list. The Pacific University is a PhD-granting institution, and masters and doctoral programs have already been outlined for several majors. The Pacific University is open to all students with a desire to learn, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or regional origin.

Registration starts here. The Pacific University: Bringing Light to Dark Places.

Gordonel Pleads Guilty: Guard Honors Stripped (Nov. 29, 2005)^[72]

By Sir Paul

Gordonel (center) being lead to his court martial by Sedarva (right) and Desetland (left).

Superior Court, The Pacific: Standing alone and refusing council, Gordonel pleaded guilty to Title 4, section 402 of The Pacific Penal Code: Falsifying evidence or attempting to subvert the criminal justice system. He stated that he received a screenshot showing Pope Hope ordering 1838 to infiltrate the Pacific Army. However, the screen shot was later proved to be doctored. Gordonel refused to reveal his source, and thus, plead guilty.

High Justice of the Pacific, Senator Pierconium, took recess over the weekend after the plea was issued. It was accepted on Monday, and the judge ruled that Gordonel would be stripped of his status in the Praetorian Guard. While the maximum penalty was life banishment from The Pacific, the high judge noted his service record, and instead removed him from the annuls of the Praetorian.

Gordonel issued an apology to 1838 and the region for using false evidence, and while he feels not completely guilty, accepts that he has done a grave injustice to the region. This brings an end to this chapter in Pacific justice that attracted the attention of many international personalities. The High Queen of Pope Hope, not to be confused with the out of character person of [name withheld] publically commented that the court proceedings in The Pacific were done in a "professional manner." Senator of Administration Warrior Thorin stated that "The Pacific takes its citizen's actions very seriously, and while we respect the rights of the accused, we also respect the rights of those wronged. Today, justice has been served."

TNP Take 4: Twoslit Ruins Everything (Nov. 23, 2005)^[73]

By Sir Paul

Hersfold’s vehicle is prepared to leave his home forum for greener pastures.

Magicality City, The North Pacific: It has been said that nothing is harder to understand than quantum theory. Fortunately for the layman, Richard Feynman created the Two Slits Experiment to help us understand wave/particle duality. One basic premise in quantum theory, is the uncertainty and absurdity of it all, best illustrated by Schrödinger’s Cat. Indeed, the Two Slits Experiment is a window into the madness that is randomness and chance. Pity, then, that the Twoslits Experiment is the root administrator of The North Pacific forums.

That randomness and instability has come to a head (once again) and is at odds with the democratically elected government of The North Pacific. On the floor of the Regional Assembly, Hersfold, now former administrator of The North Pacific forums, filed a grievance against Twoslits unilateral actions, stating that he had put the security of the region in peril and he had subverted the will of the government. (emphasis added by PNN)

You will notice that I no longer carry the five-star Admin badge I have had for the past few days. <snip>Recently, The twoslit experiment changed the way our government was organized. By placing Deputy Ministers in the Cabinet Minister's permission mask, he opened a wide hole in our region's security. Deputies suddenly had access to the secured Cabinet Forum, where issues critical to our region are discussed and voted on. Fedele, a known raider, suddenly had access to the NPA forum, an area to which he was expressly forbidden access by the MoIIA. <snip> I requested that Twoslit stop changing member groups without discussing with the government first. In reply, I received a threatening message telling me to desist administrative activity, or risk demotion.

Hersfold then went on to call for the relocation of the TNP home forum from the s2 to parts unknown.

I have long been a supporter of this forum. This is not the first time Twoslit has angered the masses. But now... when the Head of this forum so boldly goes against our Government's wishes... when he so endangers the security and freedom we have fought for, long and hard... when he throws the operation of this region as a community into chaos... it is time to move on.

The Cabinet Members I have spoken to agree with me on this. This forum can no longer be a home for our region. It is no longer safe, when we have a dictator more powerful than one in the Delegate seat. One who can destroy our community with a series of clicks.

At the time of this writing, the call for moving the home forum has been met with total adulation. Many who voted to stay during last summer now support the move to a new forum. Government officials, citizens, and raiders have declared that a free north can not exist with the Two Slits Experiment as root admin. While many are sad to leave “Old Blue,” the largest forum in NS history, the general populace is accepting of the move and look forward to a fresh beginning in a new and glorious land. The North understands more than any of us the cost of freedom; They suffered under UPS Rail, under Great Blight, under Pixiedance, under Stars, until finally, they could choose their destiny. But now, they have found that their battle is only half over. While The North Pacific is their home, their off-site forum is their soul. It represents their memory, their hopes, their dreams, and desires. In order for The North be free in the future, they may have to abandoned their past.

ADN Spy Attempts Infiltration of TSP? (Dec. 1, 2005)^[74]

Mallancashire, above, attempts to win election as Sec. of Intel of The South Pacific

Chupa, The South Pacific: The South Pacific has finished wrapping up its elections, but it was recently revealed that there was a sinister plot of an outside force to become a member of the Cabinet. The position in question was that of Secretary of Intel, which is the director of TSP Intel Agency. One week before the election, Miss Tessmacher, current Secretary of Intel, told PNN that they had received information that an Alliance operative would try and infiltrate the TSP cabinet for the purpose of withdrawing the South from the Pacific Cooperation Organization.

   TSP Sec. of Intel Miss Tessmacher wrote:
   Our source is of the highest calibre, and has been confirmed by two major NS personalities, who cannot be named.  The ADN is trying to infiltrate our region.

Events then unfolded that pointed the finger at UN nation and recent arrival “Mallancashire.”

Suspicions arouse about Mallancashire after he lost the election and promptly left forum activity. A cursory search for the missing nation showed he turned up at The Grenvali United, an Alliance-member region. This lead to further investigation, which revealed Mallancashire uses a proxy server and has a dead e-mail address. Miss Tessmacher then told PNN that Mallancashire’s election bid came on the same day he registered on the forums, 9 days ago.

PNN then contacted in character persona of the High Queen of Pope Hope, not to be confused with the out of character person of [name withheld] for comment:

   ADN Director Pope Hope wrote:
   … I can immediately offer my assurances that the ADN has no knowledge of any undercover operation in TSP. Furthermore, we have absolutely no interest in "spying" on TSP, a neutral region which in fact has long been friendly to many of our member regions and to the ADN itself.  If a member of an ADN region has been engaging in nefarious activities towards any friendly and/or neutral region, I expect their regional leadership to deal with that individual appropriately."

Regardless of who sent Mallancashire, there is little doubt that he was attempting to gain access to the South Pacific’s cabinet and intelligence records. Senator Unlimited of the Pacific stated that “the userites are crawling over themselves to prove the Francoists right. They use the democratic process to gain control of the feeders.” Indeed, registering and applying for office the same day usually raises red flags. The question, then, is Mallancashire a smart noob (proxy server/dead email) or a bad spy (no emoticons or posts).

Grenval, founder of The Grenvali United (current home of Mallancashire), stated that if ADN operatives were spying on The South Pacific, they would have been much better than Mallancashire. Blackbird, Secretary of State for the Alliance, strongly denied any link between Mallancashire and the Alliance.

   ADN Sec. of State Blackbird wrote:
   I have no idea [why TSP thinks we were infiltrating them].  As Secretary of State, and as a Director on the Board of Directors of the Alliance Intelligence Agency, I can say in no uncertain terms that the ADN has nothing but goodwill towards the South Pacific.  Respectfully, the ADN is entirely unconcerned with the PCO.  We fight invaders.  Anything anyone else does isn't something we concern ourselves with…However, The ADN is investigating this person from our end, to determine whether or not they are a spy, and if so, for whom.

Rumors of this are already spreading across Nationstates. Grenval stated that Gates, founder of Gatesville, asked if his region was invading The South Pacific. Currently, PNN can verify that no ADN troops have overtly moved into the South Pacific. The one person who sparked this controversy, Mallancashire, could not be reached for comment by publication date.

December 7, 2005 UPDATE

PNN has been able to contact the leader of Mallancashire and asked him if he was an Alliance spy. His responce:

   Mallancashire wrote:
   HAHAHA! are you serious?. No i'm not i've just moved from the South pacific region and will be withdrawing from the running for the cabinet position, the parliament for Mallancashire has been on holiday during the celebration of our national day so no changes have been made to our political aspects during this time. Sorry i have no further comments to make.

   President of Mallancashire

RLA Destroys Invader's Board (Dec. 6, 2005)^[75]

By Sir Paul The RLA boasts of its third invader board destroyed.

Boston Creamer, Invaders: On December 2, 2005, operatives of the Red Liberty Alliance were poised to complete the last steps of an infiltration operation: They had already taken copies of important correspondence, recovered the non-official cover list, had the dossier on every Invader agent, and had planted the nuclear bomb. The operatives used their clearance cards to leave the headquarters in a De Soto staff car, and made it past the boarder guard three hours before the explosion.

With Intel in hand and another notch on their belts, the RLA issued a press release written by Ketoprofen and The Red Factions and edited by Blackbird, Director of the RLA. The article boasted that “IP’s had been secured” and that “the boards had been taken over by defenders from the Red Liberty Alliance and the Alliance Defense Network.” Many found it curious that the RLA would conduct a joint operation with the ADN after the Alliance outed an RLA member who had ascended to the position of Field Marshal of a major invader army. Indeed, all Alliance members that PNN has contacted have expressed outrage over the operation and have denied any involvement. ADN Secretary of State Blackbird confirmed that “The ADN was not involved at all. The ADN and RLA have not conducted joint operations since the repeal of the Alliance between them.”

Regardless, the destruction of the boards has not proven popular among the greater defender community. Biyah and Shasoria, who recently locked down the West Pacific’s home forums, are very vocal opponents against the move. Biyah stated that “The tactic is disgusting. As a defender, I am appalled. As a net-lurker who lives and breathes the net, had that been a forum under my control, I would have carted your rear to the FBI by now for hacking and destruction of property.” Shasoria echoed the statements:

   Shasoria wrote:
   I'm sorry, but this is just wrong.
   <snip>
   What, do you want similar tactics to be used against us? This is the equivilent, imo, of using biological or chemical warfare. This is disgusting.

   Despicable. This goes too far. I for one cannot support the use of these tactics.

The Red Factions (whom PNN will cautiously classify as some sort of Proletariat Coalition member without standing to speak for any region, person, or group) has stated that all actions taken were legal and within the bounds of the terms of service for Nationstates and Invisionfree. Here is the outline of the operation:

   The Red Factions @ The West Pacfic wrote:
   Just for the record, Invaders appointed one of our owns ( Ketoprofen ) to the position of Captain of War and board admin approximately 1.5 month ago. He managed to collect several IP's but the other admins were quick enough to halt the destruction. They were lucky. This time, the job was finished.

The “trigger” for the “nuclear bomb” rested in the invasion of an RLA member region. The RLA asked that they stop their “gloating and provocations.” When they did not, the operatives decided to destroy the Invaders’ forums.

As for the outrage in the defender community, The Red Factions and Ketoprofen insisted that their actions were just and “OKed” by leading defenders such as ~~Dilber and~~ Blackbird. Sources inside the RLA, however, tell a different story. Apparently, The Red Factions presented a plan to Blackbird (director of RLA intelligence) and it was approved. However, the plan did not include the destruction of the Invader’s boards. In fact, the RLAI training manual explicitly forbids the destruction of message boards. To understand the scope of what was lost, Domination spoke about the loss:

   Domination wrote:
   We lost nearly 17,000 posts on our forums. Some wern't even considered useful for intel. Many accounts that wern't even active, but had a sense of history to them deleted, and never will be able to return. Many new players that are interested in the game that came to us migh not come back. Though that is all what the RLA wanted.

The Heights went on about the loss of the forums:

   The Heights wrote:
   The military and intelligence information lost was limited and unimportant.

   What was truly lost was our community. The agents deleted our Discussion forum, containing threads of regional importance from the very beginning. The agents deleted our Welcoming and News forums, losing numerous posts of historical and communal value. The agents deleted our General Discussion board - our OOC board - containing thousands upon thousands of posts completely unrelated to this game, NationStates.

Director of RLA Intelligence, Blackbird, has condemned the actions and clearly stated that destroying a home forum is against the RLAI manual. Action has already been taken against The Red Factions. An investigation is being launched by the Executive Committee of the RLA with Lanier of the West Pacific as an outside observer.

However, the Red Factions struck first, resigning every position he held in the game before legal action could be taken against him. He stated that he believes his actions were just, and asked for forgiveness. On the likelihood of being brought back into the fold, Blackbird stated, in an exclusive interview with PNN, that he “would be the last one to welcome him back home. This is one event in a long line of insubordination.”

According to Blackbird, the Red Factions told him that an invader admin defected and was going to torch the forum, and TRF needed permission to harvest the IPs. Blackbird agreed, since he could not keep a rogue admin from destroying the place. However, when it became apparent that it was RLA agents who were pulling the strings, he immediately called for the operation to stop, but the operation continued.

Boston Creamer, however, has a different take on the incident

   Boston Creamer wrote:
   The RLA is trying to save face by blaming TRF for everything. We know it's not all him. They are trying to escape everyone seeing them for who they really are and he's moving his nations to the RR now. No action can be taken without Blackbird's approval. Look at what they did to us in DEN and how they bragged so much. They tried to brag again but no one liked it so instead of getting promoted as he has in the past TRF has been forced out so they have one person to blame to save themselves from going down in flames! Don't let them fool the world! The RLA griefed you like they did us before you! >:-(

Hopefully, there will be a way for the Invaders to recover some of their lost history, and hopefully, the investigation disclose exactly what happened and who is to blame for the destruction of this community.

December 7, 2005 UPDATE. The Red Factions claims that Dilber never approved the opperation.

TWP - The "Chosen" are Charged! (Dec. 9, 2005)^[76]

TWP Attorney General Berhampore at a press conference outside the Court of The West Pacific

'Administration Island, The West Pacific: With the closing of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission due to legal issues (the committee's lack of power of pardon), the attorney general of the West Pacific, Berhampore, has brought charges against various members of “The Core,” a group of individuals who attempted to move the West Pacific forums and declare martial law. Those who have charges against them are as follows

ZetaOne: Abuse of power, gross negligence, violation of the Rights of the People of The West Pacific and Treason. Biyah: Abuse of power, gross negligence, violation of the Rights of the People of The West Pacific and Treason. Chainik Hocker: Abuse of power, gross negligence, violation of the Rights of the People of The West Pacific and Treason. Halmont: Abuse of power, gross negligence, violation of the Rights of the People of The West Pacific and Treason. Looming Doom: Abuse of power, gross negligence, violation of the Rights of the People of The West Pacific and Treason. Gaspo: Violation of the Rights of the People of The West Pacific. Zorn-uzkul: Violation of the Rights of the People of The West Pacific. Minineenee: Violation of the Rights of the People of The West Pacific.

As is the law of The West Pacific, a gag order has been placed on all prosecutors, defendants, lawyers, judges, bailiffs, and anyone connected with the trials, limiting comment that PNN has access to.

However, the charges did spark cries of constitutionality and injustice by ZetaOne and Biyah. ZetaOne, along with Minineenee, Zorn Uzkul, and Gaspo, have fled the West Pacific before charges were filed, and are inquiring how charges can be brought against them when they no longer reside in the West.

There is also the question of the three members of the Core who were not charged, namely, Dilber, Shasoria, and TAO, all cabinet-level members of the West Pacific Government. When asked why the Attorney General was not charging these members, Berhampore stated that

   Berhampore @ Courthouse wrote:
   While Dilber and other nations did participate in the Think Tank that produced the Dominion, that is not a crime. No one will be charged for expressing their thoughts or for their associations (i.e. membership in a particular forum).

   Other nations did indeed express the desire to join the Dominion after the Announcement that dissolved the legal government. While questionable logically and morally, questionable logic and morality is not a crime in and of itself.

   The charges apply to active violations as filed. Ideas are not crimes, actions are.

In retaliation, Biyah has brought forth charges against Berhampore and Dilber

   Biyah @ Courthouse wrote:
   I hereby bring charges against Berhampore and Dilber for abuse of power, harassment and continuing their jobs under an obvious conflict of interest.

   Dilber's job is to direct Berhampore in who to press charges on in the name of TWP, yet he is a member of the Former Core and one of three FC members not indicted.

   That only segments of the Core were indicted suggests harassment, false-immunity on the part of the Cabinet Members. This same action also suggests an abuse of power, using their positions to protect the Cabinet while the rest of the Core is put on trial.

Berhampore has recused himself, and Assistant Attorney General Lanier will be conducting the investigation.

Ringmaster of this event is Hipposhire, Chief Justice of the West Pacific. While it appears that the Justice is being objective, fair, and holding to the letter of the law, even his objectivity has been called into question, as he was, according to Biyah “a member of the resistance against the Core.” If all people who were either for or against the Core had to recuse themselves, it begs the question who would be left to conduct a trial? Indeed, many regions in the game expressed a preference for one type of government or another, so a motion for a change of venue would leave many wondering where a neutral third party with knowledge of the West Pacific’s legal system could be found. In all probablility, the West will keep this in house, and PNN will be there to record the sound and fury of Nationstates trial de jour.

Kaseland expelled from the Order of Gryphons! (Dec. 22, 2005)^[77]

By The New Duce

Biyah (center) the arbiter of justice, moral leader and knight-commander of the Gryphons, just after expelling Kaselande (rear left).

South Pacific Chapter, Order of Gryphons:

   “For actions unbecoming a Gryphon, I hereby strip Kaselande of Title and position.

   Kaselande was discovered as a spy in Nasicournia for the PRP and TSP, and was also accused of unmeritious actions within TWP.

   That is all
   ~B”

And so, it has ended. The former chapter master from the South Pacific, Kaselande, the one member of this chapter that strived to increase membership of that region in the order, has been expelled by Viceroy Biyah. Biyah used his power as acting Knight-Commander to unilaterally expel Kaselande, citing Kaselande’s operation in Nasicournia as a motive for expulsion (PNN is obliged to point out the error in Biyah’s accusation, as The South Pacific was never involved in this assignment). It is also to be noted that Biyah admitted to spying in the past.

Some members of the Order of Gryphons were not so happy with the decision. Freedom and Pride questioned his removal without trial and posted a defense on Kaselande’s behest. The former member disavowed the seemingly weak charges laid before him by the Viceroy, which basically surmounted to “being exceptionally rude” and “making an ass out of himself”. PNN contacted TAO, Prime Minister of the West Pacific, who denied that the region seeks to pursue legal actions against Kaselande.

   The issue between Biyah and Kaselande is between Biyah and Kaselande. As it regards TWP, the issue is an extra-regional affair and has no merit in TWP.

Ivanhoe, another Gryphon, accused Biyah of attempting to hand over the keys of the organization to the ADN. These rumours were denied by the acting Knight-Commander, who proceeded to reassert his authority, having been challenged by a Knight who declared him a “self-appointed leader”. The echoes of the West Pacific Dominion incident have also reached the Order of Gryphons, as knight Thorncraftland reminded Biyah of Kaselande’s support of his actions in the Core.

The Order of Gryphons is a decaying organization, whose shrinking membership has been plunged into inactivity. Viceroy Biyah himself declared the organization in a state of emergency not so long ago. After this occurrence, it is most likely that the South Pacific chapter of this order will be closed.

Expelling active members (on this case a former High Council member) is, perhaps, not the best way to boost activity once again, especially when it seems this action was motivated by allegiances that lie beyond the Order.

Francoism in Action (Nov. 3, 2005)^[78]

By Sir Paul

The West Pacific - November 3, 2005

Many people think that Francoism is a form of government, which it is not. Francoism is a tool of analysis used to explain why things happen the way they do. It is a model that shows the course of NS feeder governments, and it explains the conflict that occurs in the feeder regions. This article will apply the Francoism model to the situation in the West Pacific so that the readers may better understand Francoism, what happened in the West, and how to prevent instability and strife.

Background: On November 3, 2005, a faction of government of the West Pacific declared that the constitution was dissolved, and that martial law would be in effect. The region would be run by “the core” until a democratic constitutional convention could be held. In the interim, the s8 forums, home to the West, were shut down and all government activity was moved to the s14 forums, home of the West Pacific Dominion. Dilber (Former Prime Minister), Berphamore (former Delegate) and Eli aka Wickedly Evil People (Current Regent), asked the world to help out the Dominion from power and called for a return to constitutional rule. The Alliance Defense Network, Nasicouria, and the Allied States of EuroIslanders were the only regions to have established embassies on s14, and all were calling for peace and good relations with the Dominion. After intense debate on the ASE forums, the ASE retracted their support of the Dominion, and stated that they would fight to re-instate the Constitutionalists. The RLA also threw their support behind Dilber, Berphamore, and Eli. ADN director Pope Hope stated that the Alliance would protect the West from any foreign troops, implying she would back the Dominion should RLA or Pacific forces support Eli.

Lanier, retired West Pacific hero and r00t of s8, was contacted and he restored the s8 forums from lockdown. The human outcry and political pressure from outside the region and inside lead the Dominion to dissolve. Biyah, Prime Minister, left for Nasicouria. ZetaOne, Former Delegate, retired. Minineenee, current delegate, resigned from the UN. At the time of this writing, the ranking cabinet member is Dilber (Secretary of Defense) and he will most likely head the government until elections can be called to replace the cabinet.

The Failure of Democracy: When James Madison wrote the Constitution of the United States of America, he did so with the knowledge that every other democracy had failed, and tyranny rose up. He made the executive so weak that General Washington had to get senate approval to use his chamber pot.

My, how times have changed. Now American presidents can conduct wars if they call it a “Police Action,” (or don’t tell anyone they’re doing it). Thomas Jefferson himself noted that the tree of liberty would have to be refreshed with the blood of tyrants and patriots. Democracies are a cycle of boom and bust, freedom and tyranny, chaos and stagnation.

It was stagnation that created the think-tank. Several high ranking members of the West Pacific government congregated to discuss the lack of activity in the region. Some called for a change of government using mechanisms provided by the constitution, while others called for a change from outside of the constitution. However, more people felt that the problem with the West was the constitution itself. In researching the “why,” I found the following quote from the last leader of The Core: (Source)

   Shasoria @ s8 Forum wrote:
   The Constitution was an incredible document, touting years of work by some of the most talented of people. Yet we were becoming trapped in our own constitution, if you would. Much of it had been perfected to the point where we would make enourmous issues out of small things that no one would mention again once an amendment made it to the table. Our evolution had stopped short of what we truly aspired it to be.

As with any feeder region in NS that has a constitution, the leaders could sense that something was wrong. The region could not change to meet the needs of the citizenry because the ruling cadre was bound by a dead document. Democracies focus on the procedures of government rather than the outcomes of governments. To many democrats, democracy is an end. The West had its democracy, but the products of their government were diminishing. As more procedures and protocols were added to the government, many felt burdened by them. It was more important to get the necessary votes and legislation than to actually do something. This is why “the Core” moved to the new forums. They kept calling for a clean slate. Very few new nations could walk into the West and figure out the labyrinth of government and process that had been created. This was the seed of thought that lead to the core and the dissolution of the constitution: The West had become clogged with bureaucracy, and a new government free of the stifling procedure was needed.

Unfortunately, the process to change the government was ALSO choked with bureaucracy. While The Pacific changes yearly to ensure that the Republic is properly serving the residents of The Pacific, The West had not had a spring cleaning since the second constitutional convention. The only way to “save” the West from the bureaucrats was to erase it all in one fell swoop. No vote. No legislation. No debate. No procedure. No protocol. Just action.

The Userite Influence and the Corruption of the Intent

So, in the eyes of the leaders, the West was stagnating due to the constitution and layers of bureaucracy those years of democracy had piled on (which is the eventual fate of all feeder democracies according to Francoism). So, to create a new government, the leaders would consolidate power among a core cadre that would protect the region as it shifted from its current form to its new form: A tabla rasa free from bureaucracy. However, for this step to succeed, the ruling cadre must put the region first. If the ruling cadre acts for the Userites or themselves, the ruling cadre will cease to be Feederites, and become Userites. This will create conflict with the feederite class, and lead to the downfall of the ruling cadre.

The Core, however, did not put the region first. According to Francoism, the Userites only see the feeder regions as a resource. To them, Feederites are human charcoal to fuel the furnaces of their industry. For all of their talk and treaties, the Userites care not of democracy, but of power. Thus, when the Feederites of the West Pacific looked to the Dominion boards, they saw three embassies: The Alliance Defense Network, Nasicouria, and the Allied States of EuroIslanders. These Userite regions had been Allies of the West. They had promised to uphold and defend the West against those who would overthrow the constitution. When the constitution was overthrown and the Feederites looked to their allies to save them, they could not believe their eyes. The Director of the ADN, Pope Hope, a woman who swore to uphold and protect democracy, was siding with the Core. EuroSoviets was hoping for good relations between the ASE and the Dominion. It was then when this truth of Francoism was revealed to the West: The Userites care nothing of the governments of the Feeders, so long as they can continue to exploit the Feeders for their own purposes.

The ADN fought ALSO when the North’s government was overthrown, but did not fight the Dominion when the West’s government was overthrown? The difference: The North left the ADN, while the West’s first act was to state their membership and eternal friendship with the Alliance. At that point, in the eyes of the masses, they quit being Pacificans, and started being Userites. Conflict between the Core and the region was inevitable.

How the Userites Picked Sides: The Francoism model suggests that Userites are in competition with one another over the resources of the feeders. ES’s early attempts at garnering influence in the Dominion quickly failed, and thus, the region realized that if the ADN were to gain complete control of the West, it would place them at a disadvantage for resources. This is why (after a tearful plea from Berphamore and Dilber) the ASE and RLA vowed to take up arms against the Dominion: They would rather have an independent West than an ADN-occupied West.

After the Dominion folded and power returned to the constitutional government, Dilber requested all foreign troops and UN nations to endorse the Regent (which, interestingly enough, the Dominion called for as well just before folding). After the ADN realized they had lost their Userite influence, they imediantely began to backpeddle, sending in troops after the war was over. The Alliance then stated how it was difficult to choose a side (the constitutionalists, or the Dominion offering the region on a platter) and expressed how they came to the aid of the region after this “internal matter” had been settled. The Alliance, though they lost complete control of the region, worked to ensure that the constitutionalist would still export their industry, culture, and resources to the Alliance.

How Userites Took Control of the West’s Democracy: A question, however, is “were the members of the Core always Userites?” For this, we must consider that the second failing of democracy, besides stagnation, is that it rewards Userites, and places them in control of the feeders. Elections inherently are about self: Vote for ME, I can lead you. Thus, the Userites who wish to have the power and the glory of a feeder region under their control are drawn to these elections. It is difficult for a Francoist or a true Feederite to win an election, because instead of marketing themselves and handing out teddy bear hugs, they are working hard for the betterment of the region.

Outside influences are also rampant in democracy. Userites see democracy as the easiest method of control. Powerful interest groups will aid candidates that support their Userite interest, in exchange for exporting the products of the feeder. Userites will apply for citizenship, and stack voter rolls in their favor. Userites will endorse candidates and governments if they promise to continue the exportation of resources (see TWP: The Dominion). In extreme cases, Userites will move UN nations into a region for “security,” “police actions,” or “to level the playing field.” (See TWP: Berphamore v. Norion / ADN). This is why some elected members of the West Pacific Government seized power. They were Userites who rose through the democracy and were exporting the production of the West Pacific to the ADN. Since the democracy was slowing down production, they needed a new form of government to increase productivity and the amount of resources they could export to their Userite masters. The true feederites in the region rebelled against their Userite masters, and through feeder solidarity, were able to retake control of the region.

The Support of our Fellow Feederites: With these events unfolding and the threat of purges to occur, the feederites rallied together to help drive the userites from power. The Pacific News Network was the first to break the story to the world, and was the first to point out that the Core was a Userite coalition. While there is a list of conduct that makes a person a Francoist, the first and foremost definition is one who places their Pacific above themselves and others. Many government officials were invited to the core, but rejected becoming a Userite. Eli, Moo-cows with Guns, Berphamore, and Dilber all inspired the Feederites. They showed the world that they would not bow to the Userites, and would keep the West Pacific in the hands of the Feederites. This helped to create solidarity between the West and the other Pacifics, who, in the spirit of Pacific brotherhood, brought pressure to the Core and the Userites, which eventually lead to its downfall. Currently, the constitution is restored, and the feederite cabinet members and assembly will pick up the pieces of their region.

Lessons for the TWP Government: Francoism teaches us that Feeder regions must be focused on the ends, and Democracy is not an ends. An ends is an active region that produces industry, culture, and thought. What happened is that the government felt that the process of the region was destroying the production of the region. The failings were that the Dominion chose to give the production of the region to the Userites: Namely, themselves (the “chosen”) and the ADN.

Now, contrary to popular belief, Francoism does not call for an end to democracy. Again, it is a model for which to view the world. Francoism, however, wants the Feederites to recognize the failings of democracy. Democracy makes the region’s process more important than the products, which destroys production. The ruling cadre will then try and free the region of the bureaucracy, and replace it with an outcome oriented government. However, if the ruling cadre attempts to sell the products of the region to Userites, or tries to horde the products for themselves, the ruling cadre then, by definition, becomes Userites. Feederites and Userites are in conflict, and the Feederites will rise up and oust the Userites.

To prevent this cycle of exploitation and conflict, I make the following recommendations to the West, that they may end their conflicts.

1) Have an outcome-orientated government: Focus your resources not on the process, but on the product. Create cadres where like-minded citizens of similar skills work to improve the industry, thought, and culture of the region.

2) Place the region above all else: The top priority for every West Pacifican should be the region. Not external alliances, not themselves, but the region. Greatness comes from the collective, not the individual, and when every achievement is shared by all, all will strive for achievement.

3) Keep feeder resources in the feeders: Do not share your resources with the Userites, who view you only as a tool for imperialism. Use your industry to support your own people. Let the West shine brightly as a beacon of industry, thought, and culture. When you realize the surplus you have when you do not export your resources, you will see truly how active your region is.

4) Recognize the failings of democracy, and account for them: Democracies strive to slow the production of your region by focusing on the process. Like a computer surfing the internet, it will become gunked with cookies and spyware until it crawls like a Commodore 64. You need to reformat your hard drive every now and then to keep it up to speed. Have mechanisms that allow for your government to meet the changing needs of your region. The Pacific is not governed by an unchangeable constitution, but by a simple bill and a simple ideal. Have a mandatory constitutional convention every year. Write sunset clauses in your legislation. Do not allow the process get in the way of your progress.

Also, remember that democracy will always leave yourself open to Userite subversion. Do not vote for the candidate who promises to export your labor and resources. Do not vote for the candidate with the best marketing who gives out bear hugs. Support those that put the West Pacific first, and support those who are best at their job. Reward the most productive among you with places where their imbune others with their work ethic. Remember, when you are able to keep the riches that are currently being exported, you will see truely how active and productive the West Pacific is.

2006

Reactionaries Phishing For Trouble (Jan. 3, 2006)^[79]

By Sir Paul

Grenval (center) apologizes for his region’s news service and their methods

Grenval, The Grenvali United: It was revealed today that an article written by the Grenvali Press obtained information by using an illegal tactic known as phishing. The article in question was an expose of a summit involving various neutral and defender regions who are discussing the creation of a security bloc (the United Security Initiative). While there are many factual errors in the article which were set straight by the delegates of the conference, the wild commentary and melodramatic accusations (such as stating that The Young World and Galts Gulch are being pulled into “the Pacific Puppet world”) are not the focus of this article.

Rather, the methods used to gain access to the Initiative boards are what are being scrutinized. This was a secret, closed board created for the purpose of private discussion without having outside interests get involved in the process. Preliminary investigation conducted by The Stronghold has shown that Nasicournian citizen Gordonel phished an account and gained access to the boards, copying various threads for use in Glennon’s article (source). Administrator and founder of the Grenvali United, Grenval, posted the following statement:

   Grenval @ The Grenvali Press wrote:
   It is with deep regret to announce that upon further investigation, it has come to my attention that the information contained in the article “The Union of Sovereigns restructure” was obtained through phishing. Phishing, an illegal activity similar to hacking, involves stealing information, in this case, through coercion. I would like to apologize to all those affected, particularly the regions and nations attending the United Security Initiative summit, the regions and nations affected directly by the phishing, and the news organizations whose names, writers, and regions have been affected by this mistake.

   Not only is phishing illegal, it is immoral and goes against the ethics of both the real world and our community within this game. I am truly sorry.

   Sincerely,
   Grenval

There have been calls by Unistrut for the authorities to get involved, but such actions are difficult at best and impossible at worst. This is, unfortunately, the latest illegal action in a long line of escalation that is threatening the very fabric of the game. An unnamed delegate to the Initiative conference stated that additional security measures have been taken, and that these illegal terrorist activities will not disrupt talks.

Warrior Thorin and Chocolate Covered Babies (Jan. 2, 2006)^[80]

By Goddessness

Peanutbutter filled babies in The Pacific celebrate upon the news that Warrior Thorin much prefers the chocolate covered variety.

High atop a misty mountain, in an undisclosed location, Warrior Thorin grants a rare interview to a new member of PNN. Showing grace, class and a predilection towards chocolate covered babies, Warrior Thorin sits and talks with Goddessness about what it is like to be a member of the elite class of NS.....The Pacific Senate

goddessness: you have had an interesting history in The Pacific, if you would, please give us a rundown on Thorin and your role in Pacific history.

Warrior Thorin: A long time ago, my first nation was named Myrdinn. Myrdinn's initial involvement was with the Rejected Realms Army (RRA) and was first assigned to go to The Pacific and attempt to take the delegacy. That was a lousy thing, to send a n00b into the storm, and Bertram Stantrous caught me when I had 70 endorsements and away I was sent back to the RR. After that, Myrdinn went on several defender missions and went back into the Pacific on occassion. Eventually I created Warrior Thorin who was to be a nation to infiltrate the NPO (around November 2003). During that time I began having t-gram conversations with Franco and Bertram and I realized they had cool, rational discussions. I realized very soon that I was on the wrong side, especially when those I worked with could never provide me any evidence that Franco invaded the Pacific (as I was initially told). I denounced the RRA and swore alliegence to the NPO.

Initially I was met with a great deal of skepticism, but I worked hard to be a good citizen. I have to state emphatically that it was never my intention to move up the ranks. I became a Centurion early when Franco announced the procedure. I did not see my attainment to Centurion as anything more than what I thought all citizens were to seek. Anyway, I became a governor in the NPO (Province Y).

I was also involved with the stabilizing force for the North Pacific during the pirate delegacy there. We were at war with the NP at the time and I viewed the occupation as a means to protect The Pacific. In the end, as I look back, the occupation itself was justified but the delegate was a bit flaky. I supported the creation of the constitutional government since because the people of a region make up the sovereignty of the region. I worked rather hard at trying to ameliorate the differences between TNP and The Pacific.

I became a Senator in September 2004 when the NPO was dissolved and the Republic was created. I've been involved in the development of a lot of legislation and I oversee the elections for the most part. I act as a liason between the Assembly and the Senate.

Currently, I am the Senator of Administration. I also serve as the Consul of The New Meritocracy, a position unattainable a year ago for anyone from The Pacific.

g: Who is your favorite Pacifican, past and Present?

WT: Francos Spain

g:Who is your mentor?

WT: I've had more than one. Franco and Bertram really set my thinking right. Since then, I'd have to say the Senate as a whole.

g: Why do you think that some of the best players in the game are attracted to The Pacific?

WT: It's the intellectual buffet of NS! Where else can you really express yourself on all levels? For the most part, we as a region have a true vision and are guided implicitly by it. Other regions seem to be more social clubs, which is fun for a while but eventually they become unfulfilling. In The Pacific, one has the ability to really expand one's intellectual potential.

g: what RL governmental structure do you feel the Pacific most closely mirrors?

WT: There's another world besides NS?

g: What is your favorite Era of NS history?

WT: I really miss the days when the NPO was expressing itself. I think my favorite time was after my conversation into the NPO and about 8 months thereafter.

g: What are you most proud of in The Pacific?

WT:The government. It has taken a lot of work to develop and I am glad that I have an active role in it. There is no other governmental system like it in NS.

g: Describe Thorin.

WT: The nation of Warrior Thorin idolize their military and are very egalitarian. There are women generals of combat divisions, for example. The nation is very efficient in manufacturing and agriculture and have socialist bent. The government protects its citizens vehemently. Francoism is taught in all schools from kindergarten to graduate school in college. The Nation of Warrior Thorin proudly has an honor guard which protects the governmental offices of The Pacific.

Thorin himself is thoughtful, courageous, and cares about the people of his nation. He is an ardent Francoist and readies to give his life for The Pacific.

g: What is the purpose of The Senate?

WT: The Senate protects The Pacific. We oversee all actions to ensure there is no threat against the sovereignty of our region. We handle all foreign affairs and defer internal affairs to the Assembly. We also protect all of the beer and mead produced in The Pacific, but that is another story altogether.

g: What is the most important mantle of your responsibility?

WT: The unclassified part is to act as the laison between the Assembly and the Senate and to oversee the electoral process here in the region. I have other duties too which I can't talk about.

g: What should your fellow Pacificans know about you?

WT: I'll eat their babies if they are left unattended...and if they are covered in chocolate.

PNN and InterMet News Reach Syndication Deal (Jan. 21, 2006)^[81]

By Sir Paul and Soigacas

Citizen Sir Paul, announcing the agreement.

Meritocratic Administrative District, The New Meritocracy': With the shake of two hands, the two largest news conglomerations in Nationstates sealed a syndication deal that would allow PNN articles to be republished by InterMet news and vice versa. “Really, this is simply an extension of what was already happening,” noted PNN Chairman Sir Paul, who went on to elaborate that PNN and InterMet news were already republishing each other’s articles. Soigacas, Aedile of InterMet News, added “Media is about the exchange of ideas, and this agreement will expose the Pacifics and the Founded regions to each others points of view.”

The syndication deal marks the end of a brief “media war” between the two organizations. Both leaders decided that pooling resources was a better way to bring news to the world rather than fighting for ratings and duplicating efforts. They also hope this will create a fairer and less biased news atmosphere, although there was still room for editorials. Consul Warrior Thorin II, leader of the Meritocracy, said that “this is part of a larger initiative to bring the Meritocracy from isolation and into world politics. The Senate and the residents need to be informed as to the goings on in Nationstates, and as the Meritocracy becomes more vital, the world needs to know about our goings on.” Pacific Viceroy Black Adder echoed the sentiment, and looked forward to a better understanding between the Feeders and the Meritocracy.

TWP Take 3 (Jan. 18, 2006)^[82]

Council Chambers, still damaged from the “Core event,” currently housing the provisional government

Administration Island, The West Pacific: Still smoldering from the last collapse of their government, the West Pacific Capitol currently has three thrones to rule the realm after the failure of Constitutional Committee III. However, the one who once sat to the right of the delegate, Biyah, has vowed to fight the West Pacific Triumvirate with every bit of resolve in his body.

The West Pacific: Again in crisis.

The Triumvirate was formed as a temporary government which would keep the region together when it became clear that the Constitutional Committee would not produce a document that would clear the choking bureaucracy and government inaction that had become synonymous with the West Pacific one year after the grand success of ConCom II. The problem, according to Core member and initial over-thrower of the second constitution, was that the region was in stagnation and needed a clean slate. After intense international pressure, (despite the support of Nasicournia), the Core folded, and every government official, revolutionary or core, was indicted for crimes against the West Pacific. Revolutionary leader Dilber left while others tried to pick up the pieces with ConCom III.

After ConCom III’s failure, the Delegate, using his powers as guardian of the constitution and head of state, created the provisional government, with himself, Biyah, and TAO. Biyah then left the government on grounds that the People’s Republic of The Pacific would be installed in government positions. As a Senator of The Pacific, I can confirm that no UN nations have been ordered into the West, and the only “Pacific” nation with substantial involvement in the West is Moldavi, who has taken the loyalty oath under the provisional government and holds no ministry position. In an exclusive PNN interview, Eli confirmed that “The PRP has had no influence in the selection of or nature of the government.”

There is speculation that the PRP involvement theories stems from an address by Black Adder, Viceroy of The Pacific:

Last night the Delegate began a Revolution of Regional Self determination. The Region had ground into stagnation and chaos over their neverending rewrites of the Constitution, violent bickering over Government and general posturing. The roots of this are directly attributable to Userite Interference in the form of the Acronym Presence striving to enslave our Cousins. <snip> After intense scrutiny and dialogue the Senate has come to the conclusion this is a just Revolution and we hereby voice our Unfaltering Support. We will intervene with all available resources and means to support the new regime in the event they are attacked. We will carry the whirlwind wherever and however we can with all means at our disposal.

The Pacific opposed the Core but supports the provisional government. The reason, according to Doppelganger, is that “Nasicourian outside interests were controlling the Core and the delegate was not at the lead of the government. The Core was a userite grab at a feeder region. Eli is the dully-elected delegate who is promising two Francoist reforms:

1) To rid the region of its bureaucracy 2) To put the region first and rebuild the community

And thus deserves the support of the August Revolution. Currently, former elements of the Core are wandering around Nasicournia, notably ZetaOne and Halmont.”

Obviously, there are those who are disapproving of the provisional government. Biyah, who originally stated his preference for martial law, has stated that he would “continue and finish the concom that was so rudely stopped.” His region “The Refuge,” set up after the fall of the Core, is creating a space for a government-in-exile similar to the one that operated during the North Pacific’s UPS Rail/Great Blight/Pixiedance affair. Current supporters are Biyah, ZetaOne, The Poo Dynasty (John Ashcroft Land), Gaspo, Biteland, and Freedom and Pride.

In an exclusive interview with ZetaOne and Biyah, PNN got a unique perspective inside the Government in Exile (GiE) currently being set up in “The Refuge.” Biyah stated that he left the Triumvirate “when it became obvious that Eli had every intention of using anyone that offered him support, anyone who could keep him in power, regardless of the consequences to the region. It quickly became apparent that this was not just a matter of martial law, this was a power play.” ZetaOne laid the mishandling of the constitutional committee at the feet of Eli and TAO.

   ZetaOne @ PNN Exclusive interview wrote:
   ConComIII was tricky to begin with. I believe it could of been delt with better.  The few [who ruined it] are those in power. What happened was during the vote, the C[onstitutional] M[onarchy] was all that had an example. Then Shas came up with his version of a Presidental Democracy, and people started liking it.

The two went on to state that the goal of the GiE is to support the community of the West Pacific, to finish the third constitutional committee, and to have a re-unification of the region. However, they claimed that this was not possible as long as Eli and TAO were in office. While they did not want to embroil the region in war, they would look at all avenues to return liberty and democracy to the West Pacific.

There are also several neutral parties in the West, including superstar Berhampore. Originally, he was planning on supporting the provisional government, but after ejection of members whose endorsements were over a recently imposed limit (50), he altered his signature to reflect that and refused to take a loyalty oath for the provisional government. Those taking the oath are TAO, Molavi (That Called the Vlagh), Unistrut (Timbour), The Faeyas, Lake Lanier, Fantoccini, Clockwork Isle, Enegro Montoya, and Nea-Petropolis. It should be noted that the banlist has been cleared and only two nations remain (Shasoria and Biteland). Eli noted that they would be un-banned when they took the loyalty oath.

For a look into the Provisional Government, Eli granted PNN an exclusive interview in which he spoke of him motives for creating the Triumvirate and why he took the steps that he did. He insisted that “[Biyah] left the region because I was determined not to allow it to remain as a vassal state of the Nasi/ADN cartel of conquerors. When given the choice between declaring allegiance to the Region and doing the bidding of his Nasicournian masters Nasicournia won. Biyah and ZetaOne are only concerned with retaining another region for their Nasicournian Masters.” He went on to explain that the Provisional Government will be expanding with additional ministers and a governing document shortly. Eli also wished to avoid a war, and noted that “The government of The West Pacific welcomes any of its estranged citizens back providing that their allegiance is to the region and not to outsiders.”

As one looks at the situation, it is difficult not to compare the current Provisional Government to the Chosen, but both sides agree that the WPT is no Core. Biyah insisted that “The Core was 12 (and then some) members of the WestPac interested in change. The triumverate is 3 in command with a few more hangers-on interested in power.” Eli noted that “The Core's objective was to seize the power inherent in a feeder region, namely The West Pacific, for the glory of the ADN and Nasicournia. The Provisional Government holds no allegiance to these outside influences, as it is a movement to return control of The West Pacific to its Citizens.”

Both sides appear to want a peaceful and harmonious West Pacific, but with so little agreement on policy (foreign or domestic), this journalist sees a bumpy road ahead for any chance of re-unification. With the Met and Pacific issuing statements of support for the provisional government, it is probably not long until other major NS regions take sides. One thing is certain, no one wants a war, and if cooler heads and logic prevail, the West Pacific can become a harmonious Pacific once more.

Alpha Omega set to become Met Prefecture (Jan. 29, 2006)^[83]

Discussion underway in the Senate

The capitalist, ACCEL-member region of Alpha Omega looks set to become the first official Meritocratic Prefecture after days of discussions in the halls of the Meritocratic Senate. The talks are expected conclude favourably. “I've only had positive experiences with Scandinavian Duchies,” commented Senator Unistrut, “and Alpha Omega is indeed a first class region.”

If the deal goes ahead as planned, Alpha Omega will be the first region (save for the Isles) to be partnered with the New Meritocracy in this way. Becoming a prefecture means that the region can participate in the government of the Meritocracy, and that its local Senators need not reside within the borders of the Meritocracy. It also brings benefits for both regions in terms of status, respectability, and news.

In the past, the Meritocracy had three “Provinces”: the Meritocratic Isles, the Meritocracy and the Sardaukar Confederacy. However, only the latter, territory of former Aedile Sarda, was the only one of any consequence. The Sardaukar Confederacy officially broke away just before the collapse of the old Senate. At this point, the Meritocratic Isles became home to the shortlived Meritocratic Confederacy. And so, the Meritocracy entered a dark age for prefectures. In late 2005, the Isles were once again made a prefecture, under the stewardship of former Senator Jasque.

The joining between Alpha Omega and the Meritocracy heralds a new era for both regions. We talked to Scandinavian Duchies, Foreign Minister for AO:

InterMet:Where did the idea to become a Meritocratic Prefecture originate from? Where did you first find out about the Met?

Scandinavian Duchies: I first became acquainted with the New Meritocracy through ACCEL. I cannot quite recall when the idea of establishing a Prefecture first came to me, but it was after browsing Meritocratic forums and having a discussion with the current Quaestor, Afslavistakistania.

InterMet:What appeals to Alpha Omega about the idea of becoming a prefecture?

Scandinavian Duchies: I would also like to include that I will most likely find it positively delightful to work with some of the brightest minds in NationStates.

InterMet:So, was it difficult for the region to agree on becoming a prefecture? How long did it take to approve the move?

Scandinavian Duchies: It wasn't really that difficult to convince people of the benefits of becoming a Prefecture. I am quite a trusted person within Alpha omega, so no one would directly oppose my suggestions once I explain them. It took about a week for all the Cabinet members to reply to my thread on the forum, and nobody thought it worthwhile to submit the issue to a referendum as no nations had opposed the measure on Alpha Omega's RMB.

InterMet:Can you think of any problems that might occur when Alpha Omega becomes a prefecture?

Scandinavian Duchies: If the terms and conditions offered by the Meritocratic Senate are proper, which I strongly suspect, then I can foresee no possible problems in the near future.

InterMet:Can you tell us a bit about the region of Alpha Omega and it's members? What do believe in? Why did you form in the first place?

Scandinavian Duchies: Alpha omega believes strongly in capitalism and conservatism. The region originally served as a ground for communication between RL life friends. There is a long OOC story behind our original members, but I doubt that the readers would be interested. We may conclude that some of us had moved, and NationStates somewhat replaced e-mailing.

InterMet: Maybe if you told it in the form of a haiku?

Scandinavian Duchies: I am not a very accomplished poet, although I am aware of haiku forms. Separated friends, by oceans and continents, communicating. There you are, a perfectly good lump of rubbish.

InterMet: Cheers!

InterMet: What do you think of the Meritocracy? If you were Consul, what would you do?

Scandinavian Duchies: I think that the Meritocracy is a very proper and enlightened group of individuals possessing great merit genuinely contributing to NationStates. If I were Consul, which would (at the moment) be very detrimental to the Met, I would pursue a very active foreign policy spreading the New Meritocracy's name throughout NationStates through nearly any non-military means possible. I would encourage many small regions to view our forums etc. I would also make the Met very active in establishing conventions and mediating for various conflicts, no matter how small. Basically, I would try and get across the enlightenment possessed by the Senate to all of NationStates.

InterMet: Interesting. Any thoughts on which candidate you would vote for in the upcoming consular elections?

Scandinavian Duchies: I would most likely vote for Hetairia, as he seems to have candidates for the other positions that I know best in his campaign. In my opinion, Cortath would also do a very good job, although slightly left-wing? Ylling really needs to get his own message across clearer. He needs to take some controversial stand points in order for the electorate to take him more seriously. I think though, that all three make absolutely excellent candidates.

InterMet: What are your views on duality?

Scandinavian Duchies: Personally, duality does not directly apply to me, as I play all of my nations with the same persona and with the same goals and ambitions. All those acquainted with my nations will know that. Duality, in my opinion, is a very difficult aspect of NationStates to play properly, and I tend to be against it. There are certain players, however, who pull it off brilliantly, and deserve due credit, i.e. Patrician Cortath.

InterMet: Well then, thank you for you time. Is there anything else you wish to add?

Scandinavian Duchies: Thank you. I would not wish to add anything, unless you would desire me to do so.

InterMet: Thanks once again.

An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth (Jan. 28, 2006)^[84]

By Soigacas

Soig's note: This article comprises of three seperate articles published by InterMet News. I have combined them here, starting with the oldest, which was first published 1900GMT yesterday. Articles reposted from InterMet News, as per the syndication deal. Thanks for reading!

Berhampore seizes control in TWP

Berhampore seizes control in TWP

News is coming in that Berhampore has seized control of the West Pacific forums from West Pacific Triumvirate leader Eli. He has stripped Eli, Unistrut and Winnipeg of their admin privileges, and put many others, icluding Warrior Thorin, on post moderation. He also, somewhat disturbingly, banned Winnipeg, founder of the Meritocracy. He had this to say: “from a Forum Admin's Perspective that this is paramount to a slap in the face and only proves that Berhampore isn't fit to hold onto an Adminship of any forum. I was there as an OOC observer, and to try and help streamline forum operations. To blatantly just jump out and ban people, especially someone that was brought to the admin status by the Forum's Root Admin, only disrespects the forum and those that use it.” The experienced and respected admin came out strongly against Berhampore’s actions, warning: “He may speak of liberating the West Pacific, but will likely repeat many of the same things that Eli did, in the name of 'regional security' and 'delegate security”

The concern on many people’s minds is that Berhampore is using the same tactics to crush dissent that he accused Eli and the Triumvirate for using just days before. “Why should these barbarians be running rampant over this forum?” Berhampore asked, “Its Eli's attempt to demoralize us and it stops NOW”

Many see this as gross hypocrisy, and bring his integrity into question. “He reveals private conversations that do not involve him” stated Afslavistakistania, Quaestor of the Meritocracy, in reference to the posting on the TWP forums of a private email from Eli to Lanier.

“Today, the true colors of Berhampore have been displayed.” observed Afslav, “His hypocrisy is highlighted by his limits placed on the freedom of speech. All those who disagree with his personal views, and the views of the GiE, otherwise known as the Core, have been put on post moderation. Accounts have been banned for no reason, privileges removed. Council nations have lost their status. I, myself, have been put on post moderation. I have been relatively neutral throughout this whole affair, but if this limiting of free speech is accepted by the Core, then I shall know where I stand.”

InterMet asked Berhampore for comment on this new crisis, but our requests were ignored. Instead we spoke to Core and GiE member Halmont, who said: “I believe Berhampore has his reasons for doing this. I’m pretty sure that by the moment Eli knows about this he will banject him. Eli is doing that to basically everyone who presents as a menace to his power in TWP. I do not support Berhampore’s actions, because it will bring more negativity to the GiE, but I do know why he did it.. and the ideals behind his actions are expected, since all that has happened.”

Consul Warrior Thorin has just released this statement, in which he demands that Berhampore restores forum settings and apologises to everyone he has wronged: http://merit.nosync.org/index.php?showtopic=2689

This is another intriguing twist in the unfolding story of the West Pacific, which has seen little respite from changes of government over the past few months. InterMet wishes them a peaceful and stable future.

Consul's Statement Concerning TWP's New Forum

The administrative team of The Meritocracy has helped established a new forum for The West Pacific. This was done in the spirit of support that I offered the TWP in their transition to the new government headed by Wickedly Evil People (aka Eli).

I suspect that many people who oppose this new government will immediately accuse the Meritocracy of meddling into the affairs of TWP due to the assistance of creating a new forum. However, it should be very clear that this was merely a matter of assistance for the new government. We, as a government, believe in the foundations of good governance, and a part of good governance is leadership. As leaders, we have offered a helping hand and we hope that the new forum, created by our administrative team of Winnipeg and Eli, will help the continued transition of the WPT progress smoothly.

It was also fortuitous that the administrative team began the stages of designing the new forum as the recent umeritorious actions of Berhampore has illustrated a need to move to a safer and more streamlined forum.

The Meritocracy stands ready to continue to assist the WPT if needed. We hope that the new forum will continue to serve the great region of The West Pacific proudly.

Warrior Thorin II Consul The New Meritocracy

A New Beginning for TWP

New forums designed by Winnipeg

Residents of the West Pacific have awoken this morning to a brand new offsite forum, designed by founder and admin of the Meritocracy, Winnipeg. Located at http://www.twp.nosync.org, the forum boasts impressive graphics and layout. West Pacific Leader Wickedly Evil People (Eli) declared “This new home is designed for all West Pacificans to enjoy amidst the tropical splendor of our home region.” Natives of the region seemed to react to this move with a new feeling of optimism towards the Triumvirate, and many said that although they didn’t agree with Eli, they agreed with the new forum. “As I expected, Winni has done a fine job here.” noted Eaglesham, “I hope that these pleasant new surroundings encourage us all to be pleasant to each other, even where we disagree.”

It comes a day after anti-Triumvirate administrator Berhampore banned and seriously restricted the posting rights of many members including Winnipeg, Eli, Warrior Thorin, etc. See here for the full story. It is suspected that the nosync.org forum wa opened early because no-one expcept Lanier or Berhampore himself can undo the damage done yesterday.

In related news, the Meritocratic Senate today passed a Statement of Support for the West Pacific Triumvirate by a large majority, 22 ayes to 8 nays. It declares:

   Whereas control of the governance of the region of the West Pacific has been secured by the group calling itself the West Pacific Triumvirate; and

   Whereas the leader of the West Pacific Triumvirate is a Senator in good standing of the Senate of the Meritocracy representing the nation of Eli; and

   Whereas the Consul of the Meritocracy has seen fit to issue a statement of support of the West Pacific Triumvirate and has offered material, intellectual and military support to the establishment of a new government for the region of the West Pacific under the direction of the West Pacific Triumvirate

   We the Senate of the Meritocracy issue this statement of support for the Senator from Eli, the actions of the West Pacific Triumvirate and the statement of the Consul of the Meritocracy pledging material, intellectual and military support for the West Pacific Triumvirate and their establishment of a new government for the region of the West Pacific.

Once again, InterMet hopes that these new forums bring an end to the conflicts in The West Pacific. With Winnipeg as designer and admin, they’re certainly in good hands.

Thoughts on Poskrebyshv and the Creation of the Republic (Feb. 2, 2006)^[85]

By Galaisa

The Poskrebyshev Memorial in Port Franco. It marks the place where the last invaders were driven from The Pacific during the Great Patriotic War. The “balancing” stones remind us that separately, our stability is tenuous, but bound together with the concrete of patriotism, no wind or wave can make us fall.

Port Franco, The Pacific: As you walk the streets of Francograd you can’t help but notice the various monuments dedicated to Francos Spain, The Father of the revolution. The city is full of symbols all created of the doctrine of Francoism. Today the average Pacifican lives a safe and patriotic life thanks to the senators, governors, and ministries all actively dedicated to the cause of the Pacific. As the curator of the Pacific I am not actively responsible for the preservation of the history of the Pacific but I am glad to assume that role for the purpose of this article. I have been a semi-active resident of the Pacific since shortly after the NPO came to power. I was not an active member of the NPO nor did I know Francos Spain. The only impression I have ever gotten of the greatness of the NPO is through the actions of the venerable Poskrebyshev in the final days of the NPO. I am writing this article to bring light to this pivotal transition period between the NPO and the Republic.

According to the various historical documents on display in the Pacific Historical Society, Poskrebyshev led an illustrious career as a senator within the NPO. The senator was second only to Francos Spain in the hierarchy of the NPO. Along with being a dignified Senator Poskrebyshev was also the first officer of the Office of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, Governor of Province P and Grand viceroy of the Pacific. The senator led a distinguished career and eventually ascended to the position of delegate for a brief period of time. This was not to last though as the mandate for the next government of the Pacific was passed by Francos Spain to Unlimited. Thus began the transition that would eventually lead to the dissolution of the NPO. The struggle of Unlimted’s ascension to the delegate of the Pacific would have been nearly impossible without the intervention of the great Poskrebyshev.

Francos Spain left the game due to a personal tragedy, and Poskrebyshev, a personal friend of Franco, left the game out of respect for him. With the absence of Francos Spain and the inactivity of Poskrebyshev it seemed as though the Pacific would descend into a long period of anarchy with power being in the hands of short lived tyrannical regimes. Unlimited was having an extremely hard time gaining enough endorsements to ascend to the delegacy thanks to various nations with hordes of UN puppets at their service. The opposition to Unlimited was largely based outside of the Pacific while Pacific citizens supported the would-be delegate. The invaders soon realized that they could not get the support of the citizens of the Pacific so they shifted to a different, more sinister tactic. They sought to deny the Pacific a working government by endorsing the then in active Poskrebyshev. They attempted to justify their actions by accusing Unlimited of engaging in a coup against the NPO.

In order to counter this foreign anti-Pacifican propaganda supporters of Unlimited and the NPO (nearly all citizens of the Pacific) were actively reassuring citizens of the Pacific that Unlimited was the right choice for delegate. These times were extremely chaotic as it seemed that for every endorsement Unlimited would gain another invader would enter the Pacific and endorse Poskrebyshev. The divide was less than 10 endorsements between Unlimted and Poskrebyshev and the process had ground to a halt. It had become a war of attrition with either side making gains but neither side was able to do anything decisive. It seemed like Anarchy was inevitable and when all seemed to be lost and it seemed that only divine intervention would save the citizens of the Pacific an old force re-entered the battlefield. Poskrebyshev had returned to save the Pacific from the imperialistic intentions of the invaders. In awe inspiring act of self sacrifice Poskrebyshev ejected the invaders and tyrants attempting the steal the delegacy from the people of the Pacific and in order to allow Unlimited to take the delegacy he ejected himself. Before his sacrifice he took several invaders with him to the debts of the Rejected Realms. This act ensured Unlimited’s accession to the delegacy and quickly silenced those who believed this was a coup.

Francograd may have been built upon the ideals of Francoism but this great society would not exist if it weren’t for the actions of Poskrebyshev in that crucial moment. It should be disappointing to every Pacifican if they were to hear that this act had been forgotten though it is all too easy to overlook it these days. It is time that Pacificans let Poskrebyshev back into the society he helped found by granting him due recognition. The militia would do fine to promote the actions of Poskrebyshev as his actions are the greatest example of loyalty to the Pacific and its people.

The Pacific severs ties with Equilism (Feb. 5, 2006)^[86]

The Pacific Embassy in Equilism, just right of the Greek Embassy, now sits vacant.

The Central Bureaucracy, Equilism: Moo-Cows With Guns, presented a statement of censure against ambassadors from The Pacific and The Meritocracy on behalf of Equilism. In the statement, Equilism claimed that The West Pacific government is “devoid of native support” despite having a delegate with over 300 endorsements. Senator Unlimited responded with the following statement:

The Pacific is saddened to see Equilism shrink back to its ways of the past where unfounded and slanderous propaganda would pass as official foreign policy. We are further saddened that Equilism would feel the need to put a gagging order on our ambassador here in order to prevent any other side of the story from getting out. Information, it would seem, is a dangerous thing to the ruling elite here.

The New Duce, Ambassador to Equilism, noted that The Pacific has been more than accommodating and has worked hard to foster good relations with the region. “Of little import were the months of steady progress made by both regions over the past semester. Unnoticed went the efforts made by the Pacific in outing a rogue in Equilism and the Pacific’s refusal to grant citizenship to tried criminal Belgium Fighters.”

Equilism had also taken steps to insure good relations by refusing to grant an embassy to Pacific Army, thereby recognizing the Pacific’s sovereign government. While this issue prompted a conflict between the Pacific and its enemy Nasicournia a few months ago, Equilism chose to side with the Francoist Government. Indeed, bilateral relations between the Pacific and Equilism had been impeccable.

However, in the end, it was Equilism’s allegiance to the West Pacific’s former Core that set off this conflict. With no prior warning or displeasure expressed in the Pacific’s embassy in Equilism or its counterpart in The Pacific forum, Equilism declared the Pacific’s ambassador not to be in good standing. This decision extended to the ambassador of the Meritocracy as well. At the time of publishing, Quaestor Afslavistakistania had decided not to take retaliatory measures.

After a brief discussion in the Senate Chambers, the following message from Ambassador The New Duce ended relations:

The Senate and the People of the Pacific find this to be simply outrageous.

Let the records show that the Pacific has done nothing but try to be helpful to Equilism. We have tried to interact with your citizens, we have observed all your forum rules and policies and since you granted us this embassy and normalized relations with us, we only strived to improve relations with you.

We are very disappointed that Equilism cares so little about our impeccable record in this brief, yet meaningful term of harmony between our regions.

The Pacific will not be censured and Pacificans will not stay where we are not wanted.

This embassy is closed. All ties between the Pacific and Equilism are now severed.

Westwind, Vice President and Equilism spokesperson in the thread, stated that The Pacific’s “unblemished record” does not cover up its current actions:

The PRP has condemned our allies in Nasicournia as "enemies", and engaged in sabre rattling to that end.

And now the PRP has endorsed and defends the illegitimate Triumvirate regime in The West Pacific, who were also allies of Equilism. Clearly we cannot stand by without comment and action, while the PRP takes actions against our friends and allies.

We will of course respect your wishes and your choice, in closing your embassy.

Black Adder, Viceroy of The Pacific, felt that this was an unfair statement, given that Ambassador The New Duce explicitly explained that Nasicournia was declared an enemy of the state because of hostile actions and that Equilism would not be found “an enemy” by association with Nasicournia.

Senator Unlimited urged Equilism not to “re-enter the dark ages”. By this, he referred to the days when Equilism would make proclamations to oust the sovereign government of The Pacific. The latest and most infamous one was issued by former minister Neo Conservatism, a statement which was to be reversed merely months later by a conciliatory address that ensued the normalization of relations. It is the perception of many, including some of Equilism’s former citizens, that the region is taking steps backwards. Some of its well-respected citizens, Grothistan, Koona and Moo-Cows have resigned from government in the region and the latter two have expressed their disappointment at the turnout of events.

However, the line between Equilism and Nasicournia, well defined during the Pacific Army debate, is becoming blurred. As much of a case Westwind wishes to make against The Pacific for the former involvement of a single member of the region in the West (once suspended), he could be refuted with the fact that several of Equilism's hierarchy are dual citizens of Nasicournia - Chaucerin, Astarial and IllumiNations, to name a mere few. As of yet, not a single Pacifican is a member of the West Pacific Council of Nations. In fact, Pierconium’s puppet has resigned all posts in the West Pacific. Several members of Equilism are members of NasiCorps, while the applications of a few Meritocratic Senators to the Council of Nations were denied by Eli, all of which removes even more accuracy from Equilism's claims and, indeed, casts into doubt their ability to make them.

Westwind should note that The Pacific will face criticism, but it will not tolerate disrespect. We believe that ambassadors are figures worthy of recognition. We will not make distinctions amongst them and certainly, none of them shall be undermined or silenced.

Turmoil in the Met (Feb. 6, 2006)^[87]

By Soigacas

Lord Tom drops out of Consul race

Published 8AM GMT, 5/2, scroll down for update

In a shocking and unexpected move, Hetairia today declared that he was withdrawing from the Consular Election ballot. It was completely out of the blue, and surprised many Senators. “I am stunned,” exclaimed LeVespertine, “yet very much respect your decision.”

It reads: “It has been an honor and a pleasure to have your support and your questions. Unfortunately, circumstances have arisen such that I feel I am incapable of serving the Senate in the capacity it so richly deserves. With the utmost of regret, I am withdrawing my name from candidacy as Consul. Your support and kind words were touching, but it is for that reason, I am obliged to take this act to ensure someone deserving of the job becomes Consul.”

The resignation of the Consul-nominee has left the election in disarray, and wide open. The two remaining candidates, Ylling and Cortath, were far behind Hetairia in the opinion polls a fortnight ago. We asked second-placed Cortath for comment: “I'm not making comments for the press right now.”

In his announcement, however, Lord Tom nominated Puppet States to stand in his place. “To that end, I have nominated Puppet States to serve as Consul. I have not had the chance to consult with him, but I believe he would do an excellent job, supports the same ideals as my own campaign expressed, and has the experience, temperment, and commitment to serve the Meritocracy proud.” He has yet to accept, and it is unknown whether he will do so.

Voting begins on February 6th, and it remains to be seen whether it will be a two-, three- or four-horse race. Stay tuned.

Meritocracy in turmoil

Update: 8AM GMT 6/2

The Consular Election remains hotly contested and utterly confused, mere hours before voting is due to begin. Following the unexpected resignation of Hetairia; Puppet States, Corintur and Novus Homines had were all nominated. However, by early Monday morning (GMT), only Novus Homines remained.

Asked about his nomination and campaign, NH replied “We are a real campaign with an honest agenda, which we will see through to its full completion.” The three nominees are now Cortath, Ylling and Novus Homines.

Regrettably, it appears that the strict legislation of the Meritocracy will once again lash out against a Consul Nominee. Ylling was reminded for only the second time this morning that he had yet to nominate a Praetor. If he fails to do so with in the next few hours, his consular bid will be considered null and void.

This might have been fair game were the Meritocracy still working under a system of appointed Executors*. But we have separate elections for Executors. Whoever Ylling appoints his Praetor-nominee will secure only his name on the ballot. Thus, it appears it will be Novus Homines vs Cortath, for the leadership of the Meritocracy.

On top of these developments, Cortath made a powerful and surprising claim in the Senate Chamber this morning. “I am here to decry a travesty in this Senate” he announced dramatically, “there is a Sulla** among us, [and he] is no other than Lord Tom.” He told the Senate that Hetairia had formed something akin to a political party called the Optimates, and that they had plotted govern the Meritocracy “from the shadows.”

Lords Tom and Justin were swift to return and confirm his claims that there is such a group. However, they denounced his ideas that there was anything sinister. “The facts are very simple. We had a social club.” Hetairia explained. He went on to say that “Cortath attempted to blackmail me with this information.”

As this article is written, what will be remembered as one of the most convoluted and intricate Consular Elections of all time, is drawing to a close.

* The Consul used to appoint his Executors (Cabinet), now they are elected separately. **Ancient Roman shadowy figure, apparently

Pierconium, Justice on Hand (Feb. 6, 2006)^[88]

By Goddessness

Pierconium, Senator of Justice, prepares to wield the mighty hammer of Pacifican Law

Francograd, The Pacific

Pierconium. The enigma, the legend, the man. Who among us has not marveled at the wonder that is Pierconium? Your humble reporter was immediately struck by the structural integrity of the Senator's coiff. No, really, that thing is amazing. Soft cello music played in the Senator's study as he sipped purified water, and had his jackboots shined. Our time was short, I was forewarned, hence the interview convened at a brisk pace.

goddessness -you have had an interesting history in NS, if you would, please give us a rundown on Pierconium and your role in history.

Pierconium -Pierconium has actually led a fairly sheltered life in NationStates. Being formed in The Pacific with the hopes of infiltrating the New Pacific Order on behalf of it’s benefactor nation Borogravia Moldavi, it went on to speak with several notible members of the region and found itself fighting on the wrong side. With the departure of Poskrebyshev it was appointed Interim High Judge of The Pacific during the last weeks of the NPO. After the formation of the People’s Republic it took up the mantle of Senator of Justice and began an extensive reformation of the processes by which Law is served in The Pacific. An associated nation got into a bit of trouble in the north in January 2005 and it was discovered that Pierconium was secretly shipping weapons of mass destruction abroad so it was dismissed from the Pacific Senate. The nation remained in the region, with one brief departure in order to cause a bit of frustration in The Meritocracy over Provincial Senatorship, and maintained it’s loyalty to the Senate and the region. After several months the nation was asked to return to the High Judge position, which in turn led to a return to the Senate.

goddessness - Who is your favorite Pacifican, past and Present?

Pierconium -Sudetenland.

goddessness Who is your mentor?

Pierconium Darth Plagieus the Wise.

goddessness Why do you think that some of the best players in the game are attracted to The Pacific?

Senator Pierconium leans back to contemplate this most challenging question, trying to tolerate this intrusion on his valuable time

Pierconium Success breeds success. The Pacific has remained stable for almost two and a half years. We have been under constant, sometimes overt, bombardment since Day One. Our resolve in the face of turmoil and conflict stands as a testament to all who play the game that we are the elite, we are the best. So, naturally, those that wish to be the best join The Pacific in the hopes of learning from the best.

goddessness what RL governmental structure do you feel the Pacific most closely mirrors?

Pierconium None. No RL government structure is half as efficient as The Pacific.

goddessness What is your favorite Era of NS history?

Pierconium Pre-Founder days were good. The height of the ACC/AA vs. A.D.N. conflict was nice. Imperial Order of Frith under Grazon and Toored had some good times. Overall, I can’t really say I have a favorite. The game, even though the coding is basic, is dynamic. Each “era” tends to have it’s own personality, it’s own culture.

goddessness What are you most proud of in The Pacific?

Pierconium Our resolve.

goddessness Describe Pierconium.

Pierconium Pierconium is an autocratic state. The leader has supreme authority. There is no freedom except that which is deemed appropriate by the leader.

goddessness What is the purpose of The Senate?

Pierconium The Senate is designed to protect the region against outside aggressors while directing the citizenry in furthering our culture and community.

goddessness What is the most important mantle of your responsibility?

Pierconium It is my responsibility to maintain Law and Order within The Pacific. I protect the integrity of the Judicial Code and Judge those accused of violations against it.

goddessness What should your fellow Pacificans know about you?

Pierconium Do not cross me.

With that I was asked to leave. Feeling more informed, yet not any closer to solving the mystery of Pierconium, I was left being grateful to be in the charge of Pierconium's hammer of justice.

FCS Invasion Foiled! (Feb. 6, 2006)^[89]

Written by Posul for InterMet News

The dead from the invasion litter the field

On the morning of 4th Feburary 2006, Great Birtain and Ireland launched its retailiation for the FCS alleged attempted invasion of The Falkland Islands. Rushing into the region and endorsing a nation which they had placed there weeks before.

Great British and Irish forces try and break the lines of the well placed enemy

The invason of the FCS began in the early hours of the morning as units led by the Commander in Chief advanced into the region. Such a brave act however was easily spotted by the members of the region who immediately requested assistance from their friends in the ADN and their Empire. Instantly the battle began to tip in the balance of the defenders who managed to call upon many units.

The reinforcements line up to hold back the invaders

The forces of Alpha Omega and Federalist European Alliance moved into support the GB&I forces. However it was to no avail, in a desperate assualt they charged headlong into the enemy, trying to gain the upper hand. They could do nothing to stop the well defended positions of the defenders who quickly brought more men into counter the Great British and Irish Allies.

The Allies charge into the FCS forces

However by 1:00am the situation looked lose, the invaders simply couldn't bring enough men into break the defender lines and slowly and surely they were pushed back. The invaders lost more and more ground to the enemy. Yet they held on hoping that more forces would come. The Commander in Chief ordered all GB&I units to stay and fight, and they did so, giving the FCS a run for its money.

Refusing to leave their post the GB&I units remained, as more and more of them fell

By 5:00 the count was 135 endorsements to 109, considering the amount of men that the FCS and GB&I could respectively call on, it was a good show from the invaders and certainly gave the defenders a jolt. The FCS defended well and superior organisation from them meant that they could hold the day. The men of both sides should be compliment on a splendid action, and we wait eagerly for the next encounter between them.

ACCEL furore over Sarcodina comments (Feb. 13, 2006)^[90]

Written by Soigacas for InterMet News

Chairman candidate wants the Met out

In a startling announcement to the ACCEL this morning, Sarcodina (who is the Director from Conservative Paradise) simultaneously declared his candidacy for the Chairman position and denounced the New Meritocracy’s position in the organisation.

“I am going to run for chairman.” Stated Sarcodina. “I will run on a stance that the New Meritocracy will be asked to resign from ACCEL in favor of a treaty with our two parties. TNM & ACCEL are not meant to be within one another, but each should stand alone. I will take further action if need be under the guidance of the treaty.”

The comment will come as a shock to many Met Senators, as they feel that ACCEL and the Met are very closely linked. After all, it is the only alliance with which TNM is involved. Fellow ACCEL members also seemed surprised by Sarcodina’s statement, with many expressing confusion.

Newly elected Consul of the Meritocracy, Cortath, told InterMet: “The Meritocracy is a proud member of ACCEL, and we plan to remain so. Regardless of who the Chairman is. The Senate is a valued member of ACCEL, and we intend to remain so. We have many allies in ACCEL, and Sarcodina and squarely placed himself at an extreme. I regret his stance, and indeed wonder as to its purpose, as it seems quite detrimental to force the Senate out, but it would ill behoove me to speculate.”

“Absolutely not.” He replied when asked if the Meritocracy would leave ACCEL if the Chairman or Secretary General asked it to ”It takes a vote of the Directorate to expel a member, and we would win that vote with only Sarcodina voting for it.”

After these fighting words from Cortath, ACCEL members were keen to isolate Sarcodina’s comments.

“The ACCEL has had an interesting set of elections over the past week,” ACCEL member Posul told our reporter, “with two new Secretaries, and the Chairman and the Secretary-General not running for another term. This means that the ACCEL is going to take a new direction, however I do not think that the way to go about this would be by getting rid of members or by a witch hunt. We should be looking to consolidate our position and gain new members and influence on the course set out to us by our previous Chairman and Secretary-General”

Unfortunately Sarcodina was unavailable for comment as we went to press. Hopefully this situation will be rectified with an update as soon as possible. In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether this is the beginning of a split between the Meritocracy and ACCEL, or merely a fringe candidate with fringe views.

Forum Destruction Conference concludes (Feb. 8, 2006)^[91]

By Soigacas for InterMet News

A month and a half after it first convened, the aptly-named Defender-Invader Convention has begun to wrap up its deliberations. A provisional final statement was posted early yesterday, although the delegates are still making some final amendments. Entitled “The NationStates Convention on Espionage and Warfare”, the preamble states: “United in a common belief that the destruction of forums and the use of illegal and otherwise dubious activities blurs the line between game actions and non-game actions to the extreme detriment of the NationStates world, we, the Signatories to this Convention, have resolved that lasting measures should be taken to prevent the use of such tactics from ever becoming an established and normal tactic in NationStates conflict, and to deter anybody who would seek to use them. To that end, and regardless of our various political allegiances and histories, we undertake to abide by and actively enforce the terms of this Convention.”

The summit, hosted by the Meritocracy, was initiated after a series of outrageous acts of forum terrorism late last year. Most notable of these was the destruction of the Invaders’ forum by The Red Factions and Ketoprofen of the RLA. International outcry denounced these actions, and both groups began internal investigations. The widely anticipated RLA investigation has yet to materialise, after Lanier, and then King Justin, both resigned as independent investigators. “The investigation will be completed.” insisted Blackbird, although he couldn’t say when, or whether another observer would be appointed.

Nations from many different regions attented the conference, and the majority see pleased with the outcome. “In my opinion the convention was very successful.“ said Nasicournian representative, Hrmmm, “We accomplished everything we set out to do to make an effective document which should deter future forum destruction. There were difficult times yes, but this is more of a moral issue, not one involving politics of any kind so compromise tended to be fairly easy.”

“The Summit is very quickly coming to its conclusion.” added Domination, Invaders representative, “The delegates from each participating party have voted on the final draft of the convention. Now in its final stage of being presented to Nationstates and the Signing of it. Hopefully it will be a huge success, and rejuvenate the game.”

However, not all regions are content with the conference’s document. The RLA, who boycotted the summit, have been less enthusiastic. Blackbird, RLAI Director, exclusively told InterMet: “ The RLA, to the best of my understanding, isn't opposed to the Convention. We aren't participating because we won't have our laws dictated to by anyone else. The official policy of the RLAI Intelligence Department is one of opposition to forum destruction.”

“What we need now,” explained Hrmmm, “are regions and organizations willing to sign this convention and abide by it to complete the process.”

ACCEL elections conclude (Feb. 20, 2006)^[92]

By Posul and Soigacas for InterMet News

Posul elected as Sec. Gen.

The votes for Secretary General, Iron Judge and Secretary of Commerce in the ACCEL closed today, and the vote for Chairman finishes tomorrow.

Posul, from Great Britain and Ireland, was unanimously elected to the position of Secretary-General. He was the only candidate. “I am very honoured that the Directorate has appointed me.” He told InterMet. “I am going to be a much more hands on Secretary-General. This alliance is at a point where it will either rise to the challenges of the world, or fall by the way side. My job is to make sure the ACCEL is in the best possible shape to meet those challenges. I will therefore be doing my upmost to reform and represent the ACCEL. “

The Secretary-General has a dual role in the ACCEL. He represents the Directors, and implements the policy that they propose. He also acts as the CEO of the Secretariat, and oversees the workings of each Secretary and the departments. Posul was also made a Senator of the Meritocracy this morning, again with a unanimous vote.

Windsor-Bainbridge, from City of London (new Dominion of Great Britain and Ireland) was also confirmed as the Iron Judge. The Iron Judge is the head of the judicial system in the ACCEL, and he has the power to appoint judges along with the Secretary-General, Master of the Rolls (Scandinavian Duchies) and the Directorate. The Iron Judge is soon to become a member of the legal advisor to the Directorate in an amendment, which is being passed through the ACCEL at the moment.

In other news, the Secretary of Commerce was appointed. The CNNP, was confirmed in a close vote, which saw a few Directors question his activity in the ACCEL. The Secretary of Commerce is there to try and keep the economic community of the ACCEL functioning properly. The CNNP has yet to make any statements about his acceptance.

These elections will shape the course of the ACCEL for many months to come, and it will be interesting to see what direction the alliance now takes.

Ex-Invader snatches Lazarus delegacy (Feb. 25, 2006)^[93]

Written by Soigacas for InterMet News

Natives in uproar

The resident nations of feeder region Lazarus have had their fairly elected delegate, The Free Confederates, ousted by United Luckians, a ex-region crasher. He has said he has set out his ‘plans’ on the forum, which include constructing a new forum and signing Lazarus up for a organization without consulting the natives.

United Luckians was first noticed about a month ago, when the then-delegate, The Free Confederates, posted a warning that he was gaining endorsements. When it became clear that he would take the delegacy, military action was suggested, but none was forthcoming. UL posted brief messages on the Lazarus forum. “I can read everything you say.” Read one, “This forum is to depressing. Your flag shojuld have a phoneix in it.”

Spectacor, Lazarus member and ambassador to the Meritocracy, told InterMet about the problem. “Our previous delegate, The Free Confederates, left the game. This emboldened United Luckians, who has been trying to take the delegacy for about a month. Our Foreign Affairs Commissioner, North Harmoneiam, is now trying to rally nations to her. Lazarus' biggest problem, and this is a long-term one, is the activity level of its nations. There are just so few nations that are active.”

United Luckians, in taking the delegacy in this fashion, has failed to adhere to Lazarus’ Mandate. The mandate, now in it’s fourth incarnation, is the region’s founding document, and outlines what happens in elections and such. “There are certain requirements to be Delegate.” Spectacor informed us “Such as revealing his other puppets. Actually being nominated and running for the position. And so on. UL met none of these. And now that he is in the position, he is proposing creating a new form of government, though the details are extremely vague.”

“Lazarus was more or less disowned by the rest of NationStates in our time of need (save Peaceian).” Killer Kitty told us, when asked about the international community’s response. “ We put out a call to arms, more or less, Peaceian responded, so did PRP and TNP, but certain allies just up and left; Nasi just took it all in and did nothing and Q102 suspend it alliance...what good is an alliance if your not going to help your ally?”

United Luckians’ objectives as delegate are unclear, due mainly to the brevity of his posts. “UL has made a vague allusion to trying to seek alliances with The Rejected Realms, the Democratic League, and other regions to band together against the other feeders.” Said Spectacor, “He has not said why."

That is not to say UL has not proposed any changes to Lazarus' system of government. Despite gaining the delegacy illegally, he posted these ideas on Lazarus’ forum: “We will have a parlimentry system in which laws are past there will be politicla parties and each 2 months we will have an election for the pm. North harmonie i would be happy is you would be pm and elric yoour debute. But iwll be del and after tow elections I will appoint a hier to be delegate. People of Lazrus I am listening.”

“What is an illegal delegate?” United Luckians asked when we talked exclusively to him, “anyone si allowed to become great in this nation states world. I went [to Lazarus] because many of my comraddes tried to become the del and failed so i decided to move there and make ns history.”

“No,” UL replied when asked if he would leave at the natives’ request, “I have every right to stay here. I would listen to them but i have every right to stay in a reigon.”

“I would have a parlimentry system. I would reinvent are reigonal identisy. I would stand up against the prp. I would change ns history.”

“That is confidental i might have asked some old friends for help.” UL told InterMet when we asked if he had outside help in securing the delegacy. “I Did ask some non natives but only for like one endorsements. 4 or less. The people of Lazarus endorsed me and wanted me to be delegate only the minority on the forum disapproved of my delegateship so how can it be illilgeyimate?” The people endorsed me so the people wanted me.

“I am trying to hold it for a week and then my plans will be brought into action. I am here to stay and lazrus here to stay. If they want war they will get war. I have good connections.”

In the meantime, Lazarus remains in the grip of illegal delegate. Spectacor made this plea: “We, the native nations of Lazarus, would appreciate the assistance of any nations wishing to help us restore order and democracy to our region once more.”

Eighty-Four Days Later... (Mar. 3, 2006)^[94]

Interview conducted by Soigacas for InterMet News

Three month anniversary of forum attacks

Exactly 3 months ago today, Ketoprofen and The Red Factions carried out the heinous act of forum destruction in the name of the RLA. The Invaders’ offsite forum was targeted, and international condemnation was swift.

From that point onwards, everything slowed down. The RLA began an internal investigation into the incident, under increasing regional and international pressure. Two international observers were appointed, although both resigned. The investigation is still ongoing.

We talked exclusively to EuroSoviets, General Secretary of the RLA’s Executive Committee, about the affair:

InterMet: First off, has the investigation been completed?

EuroSoviets: So far as I am concerned, the investigation is complete. I am but one of three investigators and any one of the other three could begin asking new questions; that is to say the Committee for Intelligence Oversight has not yet been dissolved.

InterMet: Who will take responsibility for dissolving this Committee, and when will it be done?

EuroSoviets: Collectively we three - myself, Dalimbar and Dobbyniania - have the authority to dissolve the Committee. I have assumed the role of chief investigator seemingly, through sheer dint of effort. I have presented several conclusions to the other two and they will vote on it and then those conclusions will go before the Central Soviet of the RLA for decision.

InterMet: So we are still looking at another several weeks before the investigation is made public?

EuroSoviets: I don't know. You're lucky that the investigation is going to be made public at all. The manner in which various parties have handled this internationally - not to mention the conduct of King Justin of Eureka in leaking information gathered from the RLA site whilst he was given privileged access with the specific mandate of overseeing the investigation. *sighs resignedly*

InterMet: And can you guarantee that the entirety of the report will be made available to everyone?

EuroSoviets: I make no such guarantee. It is my opinion that the report should be available - it will be drawn up by me more than likely so my say will carry some weight I expect.

InterMet: It has been three months since the Invaders' forums were destroyed. What do you say to those who say "too little, too late"?

EuroSoviets: I wouldn't be me if I gave it any more than cursory consideration.

InterMet: But you have presided over an investigation into your organisations actions. You must have done so for a reason

EuroSoviets: Yes. I did. I did it because several members - particularly one the investigators, Dalimbar, a member of the ASE - asked for a full scale investigation into how such a thing could happen and moreover how it could happen without the consent of the Director of Intelligence. In this Dalimbar was echoed by members such as Ecopoeia of the ACA. Several commented that their faith in the work against invaders had been shaken just a little. I asked to be appointed to the investigative committee because I am an Administrator of the RLA and I am the General Secretary of the Executive Committee. I am, with Blackbird, the longest serving officer of the RLA. I was peeved that any action like this wasn't discussed with the Executive Committee nor with the Commander of RLA Forces, Xha'dam.

InterMet: So what has the investigation found?

EuroSoviets: The findings of the investigation in totality will be made public in due course. It is not for any officer of the RLA to comment before the Central Soviet has had its chance to acknowledge or dismiss the findings which I have drawn up and which the Committee has yet to support.

InterMet: What has the RLA learned from this episode?

EuroSoviets: That most of the major members of NationStates are total opportunists perhaps? Certainly their endorsement of previous forum destruction has not stood in their way of jumping on the bandwagon that will give them the opportunity to slander the RLA across various tabloid pages. What I will say on that subject is this. The RLA is not a monolith. Within it there are very diverse opinions and that has always been our strength - democracy and freedom. The opinions and views of members have been rigorously tested by this incident within and indeed outside the RLA as the Meritocracy found. The RLA is not a single sentient entity; an acronym cannot learn something. Collectively however the members of the RLA have been brought closer by this testing of our democratic procedures. What has each member learned? Who can say?

InterMet: Can you say to me, today, that the RLA categorically condemns forum destruction and similar abhorrent tactics in any and all circumstances?

EuroSoviets: I don't need to; the RLA can say that itself. In fact it did so several months ago when the Executive Committee released a statement to that effect - one that was ignored or dismissed in the rush to condemn us. Opinions of individual members and the editorialization of your question notwithstanding, the RLA condemns forum destruction.

InterMet: Will you apologise to Invaders, for the trouble you have caused them?

EuroSoviets: I cause trouble for Invaders each morning that I am active at update. That is all the trouble that I have caused them - apart from being a co-founder in the most democratic and one of the most successful defender organizations.

InterMet: If I might rephrase that question, will the RLA apologise to Invader's for destroying their forums?

EuroSoviets: I am not sure I know how to answer that question - at least not to your satisfaction. The RLA was not, in my opinion, responsible. Ketoprofen and The Red Factions - members of the RLA - were responsible along with others outside the RLA. Ketoprofen and TRF have declined to name these people - and some interesting arguments in duality were advanced in an attempt to exclude Ketoprofen from the authority of the Investigative Committee. The RLA membership in general had no knowledge - this much was evidenced by the outpouring of questions and in some cases anger at the events. As I mentioned earlier, the Executive Committee did not know, nor did the Commander of the RLAF nor the Director of RLAI. What is also neglected is that the notice posted claiming this operation for the RLA also claimed it for the ADN. Just because that was claimed, doesn't mean it is true. Members of the RLA were responsible and the RLA does not accept the responsibility for an action taken entirely outside the framework of our intelligence network. Should we perhaps apologize for the fall of the Atlantic Alliance also?

InterMet: But Ketoprofen and The Red Factions have never been punished. Why were they not expelled from the RLA, if you condemn their actions so?

EuroSoviets: The Red Factions punished himself - he has been excluded from the RLA for nearly three months and you've seen yourself the hostility evinced between himself and Blackbird over the refusal of our Director of Intelligence to allow him to return to intelligence duties. My recommendations contain further punishments for The Red Factions and for Ketoprofen. The last member the RLA expelled from its ranks was Karpathos when he sided with invaders against RLA forces during the battle for Palestine - both Ketoprofen and The Red Factions are ardent supporters of the RLA and against us they have committed no crime of that magnitude. I do not know that even the most vigorous opponent of forum destruction within the RLA supports their permanent expulsion. The point of punishment is rehabilitation and both are capable of that. In addition, with a matter so confusing, procedure was to be followed and it has taken its time and I think has arrived at a correct result.

InterMet: Punishment or no punishment, many will call this investigation a "whitewash". How do you respond to this?

EuroSoviets: Many have already called it as much. My retort is simple. This investigation was not called for those people or by them. It has revealed all the facts that are relevant and it will mete out punishment as it sees fit. If by a whitewash, people mean that we're trying to cover over facts, we have allowed two outsiders unprecedented access to our organization to oversee the process. The Committee was public for a long time and during that time every thread in the RLA related to the subject was located in the Committee forum for public review. Invaders have also been shouting from every rooftop about what we did - that anyone could say facts have been concealed is ridiculous. If instead people mean that the Committee was set up to deny RLA responsibility, they also err. The Committee was set up to discover the facts and suggest changes to the RLA and punishments for those involved. It has done these things faithfully and well. The Committee is itself proof that RLA members recognized the burden of dealing with problems and they allocated it to a suitable body as their democracy permitted them to do.

InterMet: Why was the forum hidden? Any why have many diplomats to the RLA forums, including this reporter, had their posting rights in many other forums removed?

EuroSoviets: If there are 'many' can you name me a few apart from yourself? As for your own access, you are a Clearance One member of the RLA and this is the correct setting for diplomats that aren't accorded special status by the RLA. If it was changed - with the exception of removing your access to the Committee forum - I have no knowledge of it or no memory of it. The Oversight Committee forum was hidden because it contained IP information which is sensitive; this matter was brought up by one of those members whose IP was on display and the decision was taken to cloak the forum because that member requested it.

InterMet: Do you have any general comments about the affair?

EuroSoviets: Just a few. First of all, I hope this interview will be published in full.[It has been] Second of all, I would like to underscore the unfortunate attitude of various members of the international community of NationStates. The RLA is a strong organization and a cohesive one also. We're not going to fall apart just because people start muttering in dark corners about retribution if the RLA doesn't sign the international convention on forum destruction or whatever pretentious name the document bears. At some point Ketoprofen and The Red Factions will be allowed to re-apply to the Central Soviet of the RLA. The EC or the C-Sov can deny their application but they may well be members of the RLA again at some point; their right to apply cannot be taken away. We're not going to change our whole method of governing just because it doesn't meet with the approval of a bunch of oligarchic elitists. The sooner people get used to this, the better. The Oversight Committee did its job and there were always going to be nay sayers who don't like the RLA or members thereof or the goals thereof and were going to attack us.

InterMet: Thanks for your time

EuroSoviets: And thank you for the interview.

We attempted to get a comment from Invaders on the situation, but no one was available.

Goddessnewss Returns to TSP Delegacy (Feb. 28, 2006)^[95]

Written by Moo-Cows with Guns for InterMet News

Caer Rialis to step down

Goddessness declares her intent to become Delegate of TSP

As change overtakes much of NationStates, The South Pacific (TSP) is no exception. Caer Rialis, who has served as Delegate of the feeder for over a year, was challenged when Goddessness declared her intentions on the delegacy. This was unexpected, as she had just been elected Prime Minister of the region in January, when Fudgie stepped down.

Goddessness decided to seek the delegacy at this time because of what is happening in the game. "Now is a time of great change in NS as a whole," she stated. "It is my hope that a changing of the guard in TSP can return it to its golden age."

Expanding on that she said, "I helped to form that region, and feeder politics as a whole. It was from my first delegacy that feeder governments sprang. I have definite ideas about improvements and alliances that would best be achieved from the delegate's seat."

While she greatly respects CR and what he did for the region, she has different ideas for TSP. "TSP has been isolationist in policy and visibility for quite some time. I believe it is time to rectify that." She cited alliances, syndicated news services and a militia as ways to accomplish that.

TSP has been an isolationist region for over a year, preferring to focus on internal government and OOC activities on their forum. Many players in NS do not consider TSP a region of consequence in the international arena because of their reluctance to participate. They also view invaders and defenders as the same and do not involve themselves with that part of the game either. They do have a military, Defense of the South Pacific, and are actively recruiting.

Goddessness serves as the Welcome Party in The Pacific, a position she will retain after she takes the delegacy. When asked about her intelligence role in TP, and if she will remain active, she stated only, "Unlimited is the Senator of Intelligence in The Pacific. Any role I play in intel is purely auxillary."

This turn of events was not anticipated by the current Delegate, Caer Rialis. " a little surprised," said CR. "I thought she might want to become Delegate again.[But not now.] I had already gotten the cabinet's approval to name her my second (what we called out Vice Delegate before the law changed)."

After her announcement, Caer Rialis did not immediately step down. "I had to think about it," he said. "I enjoy being the Delegate, but the last few months have been topsy turvy. I felt it was better to step aside and let new ideas take the fore."

In his letter to TSP (http://invisionfree.com/forums/theSPaci ... topic=6083) he stated his decision to step down.

... I have decided that, rather than set this region to a delegate struggle between myself and Goddessness, two people who respect one another greatly, I will step down as Delegate. From this moment, I will stop amassing endorsements and, indeed, encourage each of you who is in the UN to endorse Goddessness. Once she surpasses my total, she will be our next delegate.

Having announced his intent to step down, Caer Rialis looks over the crowd of well-wishers and TSP citizens affectionately.

CR has no plans to leave the region, or even to remain inactive. "I do not want to leave the government but respect the ones in charge now," he said. "That's always been my trouble. I respect the people who serve the region and don't want to get into a political fight with them. However, the PM's slot may be open (heh) and at least one other may open up.

If need be, I can be the elder statesman. Besides, i have some legislative ideas to float by the region."

Goddessness concurred. "As I believe that he is a good, and fair citizen of TSP I would imagine he would have a place," she said.

There is no set time for the change to take place, but at the current rate she is getting endorsements Goddessness expects to become the next Delegate of The South Pacific within a week.

Whenever that happens, it appears there will be changes in TSP; changes in government and changes in foreign policy. How this will be affected from a largely administrative position will be interesting to see. In any event, there will be a definite change in style.

Fudgie, former Prime Minister, said they each bring different strengths to the role. "CR's strengths are many—he is gracious, kind, attentive and a peacemaker. Goddess can bring fire, determination and strength to the role. And she's approachable and fun."

Goddessness is ready to endotart some more.

BlackAdder becomes Pacifican Premier (Mar. 4, 2006)^[96]

Interview conducted by Soigacas for InterMet News

An exclusive interview

Senator BlackAdder of the Pacific has been elected to serve as their premier. You can find out more about the election process in this Pacific Press article

We spoke to the new Premier about the election, and his plans for the future:

InterMet:So, you are the BlackAdder, premier of the Pacific. How did you get to this position, and what does it entail?

BlackAdder:I was acclaimed as the leader of the Revolution by the Senate of the Pacific. I am the ultimate authority for the Pacific Government now. As far as what that entails I give assent to what's brought before the Senate and make my concerns known. I very much rely on the opinions of the Senate and Assembly. Historically the leader of the Revolution uses veto very rarely. I can only point out 2 occasions in 2 years

IM: Who has held the position over the years, and who has executed their role the most effectively, in your opinion?

BA: Franco, Unlimited, Comrade Mammothistan and now I. Who has executed their roles most effectively is a subjective answer. All held tenures in very different world climates, in that sense they all were the correct person for that position at that time ergo the most effective. Its not an answer I'm willing to speculate on nor wish to

IM: How do you see your term as Premier influencing the direction of the PRP, and the world as a whole?

BA: That would be giving the game away.You can expect changes. You can expect that we will continue to be a premier force in the NationStates construct. We will continue to be as we always have been, united and immoveable.

IM: Have you got any concrete plans for changing the People's Republic?

BA: Possibly. We have always proven Organic and flexible as we have adapted to a changing World. I don't see that it will change at all as we forge ahead. That is to say, we stop evolving

IM: So you won't be trying anything new or radical?

BA: If I did it would be announced in the Palace of the People first and not the news services. ;-)

IM: Not even a sneaky peek? A cryptic clue?

BA: The World will tremble at the Thunder of the Pacific once again...

IM: What direction do you see the PRP taking in relation to the Invader/Defender dynamic?

BA: The same we always have. We will watch them mash each other and not get involved. We only get involved with our treaty partners.

IM: Do you recognize the two as seperate entities?

BA: Not really. Takes a thief to catch a thief.

IM: Some say that the Pacific and the Merit are naturally moving closer together. Do you see the two getting any closer, and where do you think it will lead?

BA: We may see a closer movement given several natural similarities. I do not see the Meritocracy ever extending anything over the Pacific past a treaty. In alot of ways the Pacific has been doing many of the things the Meritocracy wanted to do previously. Culturally we are attractive to them, Intellectually definitely. Given those attributes and the Meritocrats naturally slumming around the world we find many spend alot of time in the Pacific.

IM: Do you see a greater cultural exchange between the two, for example a joint University?

BA: That's a possibility, we've already tried it and recognize the pitfalls. Given Meritocratic enthusiasm for the subject it could definitely be a win win for both regions.

IM: How do you personally feel about Forum Destruction, and the RLA in general?

BA: Forum destruction is a criminal act RL and RP. It is despicable. Its genocide on a community and you're wiping out history. I equate it to the burning of the library in Alexandria. An absolute waste. The RLA is what it is. I personally am troubled at the attitude over the investigation but damage control is to be expected. As far as their membership goes I have no comment.

IM: How do your views and ambitions differ from those of the pacific as a whole?

BA: They don't. Ours is a singular vision. Strength, Security and Prosperity. The Pacific has always stood alone and survived because of it.

IM: But there must be some ideas you would like to see executed, but you know the region would never support?

BA: Hmmm, the Pacific does what the Senate and the Assembly dictate because we recognize that only those with the necessary ability rose to those positions. If they do not support our views they leave. To date that has been a small number indeed. Our strength over other regions is the fact we are united. We do not bicker, we make our reluctance known and then we carry on. None of the drawn out sniping we see in other regions.

IM: Should the RLA, or indeed any other region, commit an act of forum destruction, what action will the PRP take?

BA: We would do anything in our power to reduce them to a smouldering crater

IM: Is Nationstates dying?

BA: Possibly. Everytime I've said that since the game started 3 years ago it has evolved into something else. Cybernations definitely has drawn off 90% of the activity. The fact NS2 seems never to appear doesn't leave alot of hope for NS. There's a possibility a new generation will arrive and explore NS as well. I don't know. It is still alive now so I'll see what happens.

IM: Do you believe in duality?

BA: No. It is haphazardly applied and stinks of an attempt to escape any culpability or personal responsibility either as an individual or an organization.

IM: Do you believe it can, in isolated cases, be used effectively and responsibly (ie Blackbird) ?

BA: No. No offence to BlackBird/Cortath but you are asking a person to carry on in a game construct with human interaction leading to friendships while maintaining a bi polar disposition. Not going to happen. The distinctions begin to melt between the personas and little exceptions are made in what is transferred back and forth justified in the head of the person by what ever means necessary. I do not believe it is possible to entirely divorce yourself from two seperate identities. I've not seen it done ever

IM: Do you really believe Francoism, and the labels "Userite" and "Feederite" apply to the worldwide sitiuation at the moment? Is Francoist thought really a viable philosophy?

BA: Is Communism or Keynsian Economics? Not in its entirety no. It addresses a truth and expounds on it. Sometimes it fits neatly and sometimes you have to give it a push, either way its no different than any other political/economic theory. It reflects our view of the NS world. Possibly it is met with such hatred on the outside because they do recognize we've found them out and its a little concerning. In any event we are all fighting over the same resources. We defined Francoism, I don't see another philosphy that would sufficiently counter that view.

IM: What are the key principles of Francoism, and which do you think is the most important?

BA: Important points.. Obviously the dictatorship of the Feederites. Without it the Pacific in question cannot become the Meritocratic Society it needs to be. Above all the interests of the region reigns supreme over the interests of the Individual. Security is always paramount, the divisive elements must be kept out that caused the revolution in the first place. Externally the region must be careful in how it approaches International Relations. It cannot bow to demands placed on it by other regions which are userite based. Those would be the top 3 tenets of Francoism in my estimation

IM: How does the PRP view the Espionage and Warfare Conference that concluded recently?

BA: We feel it is a good step that the International Community is addressing their concerns in a productive fashion

IM: Will you be affixing the PRP's name to the document, then?

BA: That would require perusing it, to date it has not been forwarded and the Senate felt it not in our interests to attend.

IM: Do you not feel this puts you in the same group as the RLA?

BA: Not at all. We don't destroy forums. The Pacific has always taken the point of view such activities are beyond the pale of human decency. We do not need to sign a document to verify that. We did not want to place ourselves in a position were we were being pressured to sign something contrary to our Francoist stance and then being accused of being in the same boat as the RLA. Apparently that will occur regardless.

IM: Any general thoughts on your Premiership, and on anything we haven' covered?

BA: Tuesday was International Pancake day. Aside from that coming up blank

IM: OK then, thank you for you time

BA: No worries

Inequility of Arms (Feb. 14, 2006)^[97]

By Westmorlandia for InterMet News

Ferment in Southeast Asia as NationStates minnows take on giants of the defender establishment

A battle-weary and defeated soldier of the Federal Empire on the retreat home

Equilism is not often the subject of a declaration of war. One of the most renowned and respected of the large defender regions, its E-Army places itself in the front line of the interminable conflict against the raider forces. Away to the side, tucked into its own little corner is the Federal Empire, a young and little-known region with a mission statement to “colonize other nations with the thought of presenting them with a more organized and/or civilized government.” These two regions were never meant to get on.

At the start of the year Southeast Asia was one of a small clutch of regions held by the Federal Empire. Perhaps because it was too unimportant to be constantly monitored, the presence of foreign forces there appears to have slipped underneath the radar of the defender organisations for quite some time - the Federal Empire governed Southeast Asia for some months. They saw themselves as a “reincarnation of a Roman Empire,” claiming that Southeast Asia was far better off with them than without them. Governments were elected there and the region peacefully continued with its life, all under the auspices of the foreign power.

Then the E-Army arrived, and the Federal Empire were levered out of Southeast Asia. Once their presence was noted they could not possibly hope to hold out against an effective and practised defender force.

Equilism presumably saw this as just another day at the office, expecting their foes to retreat to lick their wounds before striking again elsewhere. But at the start of the month the Federal Empire did something rather unexpected: they declared war on Equilism. A small region of 27 nations with little experience of conflict had elected to take on the E-Army head-to-head.

The declaration seemed brave. “We are not worried about their declaration of war as Equilism is safe with an active founder and such so there's not much they can do,” pointed out Tse Moana, Equilism’s Prime Minister. Moreover, the Federal Empire is itself highly vulnerable, governing a small network of founderless regions and with no army that could hope to match that of Equilism. So why the declaration? What could they possibly be hoping to achieve?

President Killion gave a clue when he said that he had been “insulted” at “the lack of respect” shown by Equilism. Great-Biltain expanded further by stating that they hoped to obtain “not only respect from them, but also we wish to get more regions to stand up to Equilism.” This hope seems at best naïve and at worst fantastical. Their claim that “Equilism is considered an invader in the Federal Empire” is also likely to fall on deaf ears in the wider world. But this is a region not only fighting for its pride and for its own place in the NationStates world, but the place of its entire philosophy.

Cute Southeast Asian ladies returning to normal life after the recent conflicts

What is striking from the attitudes of the parties is not simply the contrast between the indignation of the Federal Empire and the quizzical bemusement of Equilism (“the decision of the Federal Empire to make us an enemy and declare war on us has been alternatively amusing and kind of unfortunate” stated President Chaucerin). The deeper issue is the way in which the two sides have come at the situation on completely different terms of reference. Although defenders and established invaders such as the DEN or Lone Wolves United may be bitterly opposed to each other, they still speak the same language. They live in the same world of updates and endorsements, invasions and defences. They each know the unwritten rules, and are familiar with each other.

The Federal Empire, one can say with reasonable certainty, are not a part of that world. “This game is meant to accurately portray the real world,” states Yasimbala. They therefore do not see themselves as “a full invader society” region in the normal sense, because such invaders do not exist in the real world. They are a classical empire, a civilising force. Their gameplay is roleplay. Seeing the world as they do, the actions of Equilism are impossible to justify, equated to the worst kind of neo-conservative global interference in a peaceful region.

But there is one crucial similarity between them and the invaders who update-jump each day. “In my mind if you take over an inactive, founderless region without native consent then there is no difference,” said Moo-cows with Guns. “Just because there is no response from the natives (usually because they don't participate in gameplay or the invader/defender dynamic) or because you call it region building, the net effect is still the same: a region not belonging to you has been taken over without consent. That is, in my mind, an invasion.” This is not a philososphy in which the sort of game that the Federal Empire plays could ever peacefully coexist with. Whether you think that is for the better or for the worse will depend on your own viewpoint.

The E-Army relaxing in Southeast Asia with the native

There is an interesting pair of mirrored paradoxes here – a true collector’s item. On one side of the dispute, the Federal Empire has eagerly and deliberately imported notions of empire and conquest into the NationStates world from the outside, believing that war “provides a dose of realism to a safe and digital world.” And yet for them the game is ultimately only a game, and therefore invasions do not matter in a moral sense. “There are no causalities; there are no victims, no massacred civilians.” By importing role play selectively they can show that empire building is justified, QED.

Flip the coin over and we see precisely the reverse. Defenders are a phenomenon that is unique to the NationStates world, brought into being by the strict mechanics of the game and by the equally artificial phenomenon of raiders. Yet it is the moral values of Equilism rather than those of the Federal Empire that rest on the willing suspension of disbelief over the actual effect of invasions. The Federal Empire is surely correct to say that no person has ever been harmed by an invasion, but defenders claim the torch of morality. If defending is a crusade it can only ever be so within the game.

So where will this war go now? The Federal Empire can console themselves with the happy irony that Equilism’s rock-solid security will itself ensure that the Federal Empire is not crushed outright. “I don't think [the declaration] ever was taken seriously,” said Moo-cows with Guns. “Other than continuing to defend against their invasions I would be hard pressed to see any action taken against them.”

But this small episode, seemingly incosequential for its own sake, has brought into relief the way in which the game is approached on the centre stage of NS politics. What is war and what is raiding? What is international politics and what is, in the words of Chaucerin, a “ruse” to conceal invasion? And is it important that we can learn to tell the difference?

Black Adder Becomes Comrade Premier (Mar. 4, 2006)^[98]

By Sir Paul

Black Adder (left) being informed by Senator of Administration Warrior Thorin of his victory

Capital City, The Pacific: In a tradition as old as the People’s Republic of The Pacific, when the senator of the delegacy steps down, the Senate locks themselves in the chambers and performs the ritual of the Conclave: the election of a new leader for the Republic. For several days, the business of The Pacific slows, federal offices shut down, and all eyes are pointed at InfernoIce’s Chimney, where the ballots of Senators are burned after each vote. If the smoke is black, then a consensus has not been reached, but if there is white smoke, then a new leader has been elected.

Sources inside the Palace have determined that the frontrunners going into the conclave were Senator of Security Doppelganger and Senator of Media Affairs Sir Paul. Doppelganger is largely credited with increasing The Pacific’s hard power via his explosive forays into various world hotspots, while Sir Paul increased Pacifican soft power through his contributions to culture and proper education of the masses. Both Senators offered differing views on the direction of The Pacific, but all agreed that regardless of the outcome, The Pacific would continue to increase in size, power, and influence.

The Conclave holds votes four times per day, and after each vote, the Senator of Administration tallies and burns the ballots. Should a new leader be elected (by two-thirds super-majority), the Senator of Administration asks the elected person if he wishes to become the Senator of the Delegacy. After confirming that he wishes to become Senator of the Delegacy, the Senator of Administration then asks “By which name shall you be called?” It was in this manner that Unlimited became the Vanguard of the Revolution and Mammothistan became the Protector of Pacific Society. The title is an indication of the manner in which the Senator shall rule.

However, there is some controversy with this conclave, because after two black smoke votes, white smoke was found over the Senate Chambers. Indeed, on the first day of the conclave at 4:21 PM local time, PNN Radio told listeners “The smoke is white. . . . There is absolutely no doubt. A Senator has been elected!” PNN also has confirmation that the Thorin Guard, protectors of the Senate, were called into formation to swear allegiance to the new Senator of the Delegacy, but were later sent away. After eleven ballots and four days, the smoke finally turned white, and instead of an Islamic Cleric or Media Mogul, The Pacific finds itself with a mild-mannered diplomat.

While official Senate sources indicate that the smoke was black, was always black, and always will be black during the third vote of the third enclave, PNN was able to discover from sources close to the election that Sir Paul had won on the third ballot and had accepted the office. He even announced that his regnal name would be “the liberator of the masses” or “Comrade Liberator.” However, sources inside the Palace of the People indicated that Sir Paul’s strong views on devaders might leave Francoists open to virulent persecution in the Alliance Block nations. Though a time will come for the fall of the Userites, he acknowledged that other steps must come before the liberation of all Freederite brethren. He turned down the delegacy, and the voting continued.

Sir Paul, (possibly now Comrade Liberator), from a file photo.

Likely, the senate had decided that since Sir Paul felt Feederite infrastructure still needed development before the end times for the Userites, Dopphammend Al Shabazz, who advocates the terrible, terrible things that most people only think, would not be a sufficient choice. After days of voting, Black Adder was chosen by the necessary two-thirds super-majority, and became Comrade Premier of The Pacific, ready to govern The Pacific with the ideals of peace, strength, and prosperity in his heart.

Comrade Premier has indicated that he will work to further the diplomatic reach of The Pacific and will work with our Feederite brothers and sisters to increase solidarity. He will also ensure that the senate and assembly remain nimble and able to react in a changing world. PNN salutes Black Adder, Comrade Premiere of The Pacific and fourth leader of the Revolution!

Met Senate springs a leak (Mar. 7, 2006)^[99]

Interview by Soigacas for InterMet News

Consul orders immediate investigation

"I want a picture which portrays me as a hero." - The 'Saboteur

The Meritocratic Senate was thrown into disorder late last Friday when secret orders found their way into the hands of the FCS Foreign Legion, InterMet News can exclusively disclose. The Lictor, head of the Meritocratic Legions, had planned an invasion of Warzone Australia for the morning of Saturday 4th, to test the Legions’ ability. However, shortly before the troops were due to enter the region, a message was posted on the RMB.

“All invaders from the Medicrotacy[sic]” announced Baron Murat, “I know your coming. Be fun ejecting you. Sooooo tiresome.”

Consul Cortath was furious, ordering an immediate investigation into the incident. “Warzone orders were leaked to someone from FCS. This is wholly unacceptable.” he declared in the Secure Senate Chambers. The Consul also recommended that whoever was responsible confess and give themselves up, for the good of the Senate “or I can get to have fun and have a witch hunt like in the old days.”

This information has only just declassified by the Cabinet, and the situation is moving very rapidly. InterMet managed to contact the leak, albeit anonymously, for an exclusive interview.

A back alley, Meritocratic Administrative District. Our reporter approaches two henchmen, and makes the secret signal. He is blindfolded and bundled into a van. On arrival at the destination, he is ushered into what sounds like a small room, and told to turn on his recording equipment…

Consul orders immediate investigation

"I want a picture which portrays me as a hero." - The 'Saboteur'

The Meritocratic Senate was thrown into disorder late last Friday when secret orders found their way into the hands of the FCS Foreign Legion, InterMet News can exclusively disclose. The Lictor, head of the Meritocratic Legions, had planned an invasion of Warzone Australia for the morning of Saturday 4th, to test the Legions’ ability. However, shortly before the troops were due to enter the region, a message was posted on the RMB.

“All invaders from the Medicrotacy[sic]” announced Baron Murat, “I know your coming. Be fun ejecting you. Sooooo tiresome.”

Consul Cortath was furious, ordering an immediate investigation into the incident. “Warzone orders were leaked to someone from FCS. This is wholly unacceptable.” he declared in the Secure Senate Chambers. The Consul also recommended that whoever was responsible confess and give themselves up, for the good of the Senate “or I can get to have fun and have a witch hunt like in the old days.”

This information has only just declassified by the Cabinet, and the situation is moving very rapidly. InterMet managed to contact the leak, albeit anonymously, for an exclusive interview.

A back alley, Meritocratic Administrative District. Our reporter approaches two henchmen, and makes the secret signal. He is blindfolded and bundled into a van. On arrival at the destination, he is ushered into what sounds like a small room, and told to turn on his recording equipment…

InterMet: Why did you do this?

A deep voice replies from across the room..

The Leak: I’m fully aware that Intermet is probably under orders from either the Quaestor of Consul to use this interview to narrow down the search, I’m attempting to change my writing style, bare in mind I might not have voiced my reasons for doing this publically.

I have a couple of reasons for doing this. I do not want either the Legions to succeed, I do not want the Lictor, nor the Quaestor, nor the Consul to succeed in deploying them. The Legions are totally superfluous. They make the Senate look like brutes rather than the diplomats we should be. If we have to use an army to make our point known than we are fools, we should not have legions but should focus instead on our FDC, and being the peace keepers, not the Warriors. We should not have legions.

Second of all, if we must have legions, we certainly shouldn’t be using them in warzones. Its idiotic and unfair, the Senate has members from all over the world, We can’t attack Pacific warzones, as we have half the Pacific Senate in our ranks. We can’t attack Galts Gultch warzones, as we have leaders from there in our ranks. We can’t attack ADN or RLA warzones, as our Consul is one of them. If we attacked a warzone belonging to Galts Gultch, they would find out about it. I thought it would be only fair that FCS should know if we’re going to attack theirs.

IM: Do you think you'll be found out?

The Leak: Nope. The BBC are pretty useless at the moment, and with the Quaestor PM’ing everyone asking them to put ‘Don’t blame me, I voted for Cortath’ in their Signature, I suspect there isn’t going to be much communication between the Consul and the BBC. Anyone with the talent to catch me either won’t or isn’t around to. I'm not an enemy of the senate, I'm just doing what I think is right and needs to be done.

IM: If not, what next?

The Leak: I’ll continue to sabotage any warzone operations, and probably all Legion operations. The Senate can feel free to repeal the legion legislation at any time.

IM: Do you not feel that by causing an internal crisis, the Meritocracy's reputation will be damaged even more than through use of the Legions?

The Leak: The NS world has never worked like that. I am not a spy or an enemy of the Meritocracy, so once the legions are scrapped the Senate has nothing to fear from me, and the image of having a senator inside that cares enough that they resorts to such measures is a better image than one of invading bullies

IM: Why did you feel you had to resort to 'terrorist' tactics to get your views heard?

The Leak: My views were voiced by some Senators, but the legislation passed and there would never be a majority to reveal it without a little pushing. I would have asked for the help of Lord Tom and Justin, but they’re gone.

IM: Why did you betray the trust of your fellow Senators over such a small thing?

The Leak: In my eyes it is no small thing, and this was the only way to achieve what I wanted. It pained me to ‘betray’ the Senate, it had to be done.

IM: Had InterMet not contacted you, and a massive witchhunt had blown up, do you realise the irreparable damage that might have been, and indeed, still could be done to the Senate?

The Leak: Who says the witchhunt will not go ahead now? And I had to take some risks but this is an important issue to me.

IM: If your methods work and the Legions are scrapped, what then? Will you reveal youself?

The Leak: That depends on whether or not the Senate understands by then why I have done what I have/will do what I will do. I suspect not. The Legions are pretty much my only issue with the Senate so I don’t foresee myself having to take measures like this again.

InterMet felt compelled to pass portions of this interview on to the Consul. The Executors are working to discover the identity of the saboteur, and bring charges against him in the Meritocratic courts. “Cortath, ACC, and I have been working together,” Quaestor Afslavistakistania told us, “and have already narrowed down the list of potential suspects to two or three people.”

This is the first time in the Meritocracy’s history that the Senate has been subverted in such a way, prompting widespread condemnation from many Senators. It remains to be seen whether the saboteur will take the Consul’s advice and give himself up, or cause a damaging witch-hunt within the Senate Halls.

The New Duce, The Man, The Mystery (Mar. 8, 2006)^[100]

Interview by Goddessness

Senator Duce ponders his hard work in The Pacific

Duce is the most enigmatic member of the Senate. His senatorial prowess is undeniable, his contribution to The Pacific..above reproach. He suffers no fools, your humble reporter included.

Goddessness- Senator, thank you for your time.

The New Duce- you're welcome, comrade

Goddessness- Many feel that The Senate of The Pacific is an elite and somewhat impregnable institution. What are your thoughts as to the sense of elitism the title of Senator carries?

The New Duce- Not being elected does not imply becoming elitist. Recruitment for the Senate has always been done on the basis of hard work. I think the record of all Senators prior to appointment shows that.

The New Duce- Sir Paul started a revolution in government funded media, BlackAdder almost single-handedly run diplomacy for the NPO, Warrior Thorin was an exemplary governor and introduced reforms to the judicial code, I could go on.

Goddessness- No need, all of the Senators are greatly respected. Who is your mentor, in The Senate?

The New Duce- That is a tough question, indeed. You will have to let me pick two Senators. The first one is Unlimited. He is probably the most mature, talented player I have encountered. His patience and steadfast manner is in no way reflection of his age. His "timing" is impeccable and he has become a consummate strategist. The second is BlackAdder. He has a way with words. It is almost impossible to win an argument against him and he, despite his job as a diplomat, speaks from his heart.

Goddessness- What is the most important virtue of a Senator?

The New Duce- The Senate would not function without, what I believe is the purest conception of loyalty, in the whole of NationStates. We are loyal to each other, to the region and to its founding principles. We back each other up at every occasion. It may sound an NFL taped speech, but we are truly a team.

Goddessness- What elements of strength does The Senate most exemplify?

The New Duce- The Senate has never been known to cave to outside pressure. The Senate has never conceded one inch if it meant a loss of sovereignty for the Pacific. We are strong in the sense we're constrained in our choices of policy by anything else than the region's well being. We are not afraid of change if it needs to be done. We are not afraid of stopping change if it is detrimental for the success of the Pacific.

Goddessness- What is your heaviest responsibility as a Senator?

The_New_Duce- The job makes you responsible for every word you utter. The Senate speaks for the region. I am convinced that everything a Senator says is policy. Therefore, you cannot be led by your feelings if you think they will betray you. That has been a costly lesson for me, but it is indispensable if you assume this mantle of responsibility. Your personal opinion can be taken for the opinion of the entire region and that's why temperance is essential. Hardliner or moderate alike, you have to be consistent and in control at all times.

Goddessness- You mention learning a hard lesson in temperance, have you tempered your passion for the sake of being a Senator, and if so, is that being disingenuous to those you represent?

The New Duce- Trade-offs exist. You need to think within a time context that spans beyond the next ten posts and within a scope that goes beyond your personal satisfaction. In my opinion, that is a requirement in the job description. Being a Senator demands that I do this, I do not believe I have lost my contact with those I represent. The region as a whole has evolved, in a way it has become more temperate as time went by. Neither have I lost contact with those who have left us. The Senate represents our history and we cannot turn our backs on it.

Goddessness- Senator, for those unfamiliar, will you give a short synopsis of your Pacific history?

The New Duce-I belong to a second wave of revolutionaries. I arrived at the Pacific on November 2003, after the first set of invasions and in the beginning of a boom cycle. Our Emperor was beginning to gain legitimacy and assert his influence over the region. At first I dedicated myself to reporting civil code violations. I did not become a vocal participant until a few months later. I left the game in April mainly because I was too busy with college having just started. Also had a conflict with a former senator, but that had no bearing in the decision. Upon my return on September, I became a provincial governor. I then became Commander of the Militia and literally built the ranks out of nothing. I was promoted to the Senate on September on the occasion of the 2 year anniversary of the Revolution

Goddessness- If we are to understand The Senate and its objectives, what is the most important thing to consider?

The New Duce- The Pacific must become a superpower. The revolution has moved onto another step - that of spreading our culture worldwide. When all the lights in NationStates go out, ours must keep on shining.

Goddessness- Speaking of the dimming shine of NS, what needs to be done to save the game?

The New Duce- We must bring politics back to the game. But politics must have real consequences within the game. NationStates is a game of political simulation, but it seems moderation is willing to exclude everyone from the externalities of political struggle. As an old German fellow used to say, war is a continuation of politics by other means. The real political world is ripe with conflict and constantly faces the threats of war. Nations Founders must be removed

Goddessness- Describe Duce.

The New Duce- Great, this question allows me to speak in the third person. Duce is very much like the person behind Duce, save for the fascism bit. Duce is convinced. He is strong. He is loyal. And alas, he has most my defects: my tendency to view the world in blacks and whites, a certain touch of intolerance, a certain sense of being born after his time.

Goddessness- Senator, any parting words for the people of The Pacific, whose faith is placed in your care?

The New Duce- Never waver, comrades. Never lose faith. We will not let you down.

Goddessness- Thank you again, Senator, for your time, and your service to The Pacific.

The New Duce-You are welcome, comrade.

Doppelganger, Live from Durkadurkastan (Jan. 12, 2006)^[101]

Interview by Goddessness

Dopphamed al Shabbazz, falls to his knees in front of his shrine to himself, deep within Durkadurkastan.

Doppelganger, Senator of Security, is an elusive and imposing figure. In order to conduct this interview, your humble journalist was gagged and bound, dressed in an unseemly burqa and shipped off to a location that can only be referred to as "Durkadurkastan".

Then, being denied food and water until the outcome was acceptable to Dopphamed al Shabbazz, the following interview was birthed.

Goddessness: Are you an asshole?

Through the small opening in the burqa, I can see the steely gaze of Senator Doppelganger. Black glasses cover the obvious disgust he feels, being interviewed by a female. A long, skinny cigarette dangles dangerously from the mouth that is about to speak. Anyone in the room would have been devastated by the voice that emerged...so strong, so befitting the man in charge of securing The Pacific.

Doppelganger: What kind of opening question is that? Who is responsible for bringing this wench before me?? Of course I'm an asshole, woman! Do you really think I became the Senator of Security by kissing babies and helping old ladies cross the street??

Carefully remembering the distinct instructions to not meet the Senator's eyes directly, I looked carefully at a cloud of smoke surrounding his head and spoke quietly.

Goddessness: Who is your favorite Pacifican, past and Present?

Doppelganger : If Dopphamed were to have a favorite player, other than himself, you mean, wench? Emperor Franco, unquestionably. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be the great Pacifican I am today.

Goddessness: And present?

Doppelganger: You. But only because you satisfy my sexual urges. Whore. Second to you would have to be Unlimited. A real class act all the way.Looks good in a kilt, too.

Should I laugh? Do I risk the ire of the mighty Dopphamed? Deciding against it, we continued. A flurry of activity surrounded Doppelganger. Dancing harem girls, an a myriad of tactical weaponry did not seem to distract the Senator, ever the monument of calm and strength. A subtle clearing of his throat snapped me back to attention.

Goddessness: Why do you think that some of the best players in the game are attracted to The Pacific?

Doppelganger: The history. The conflict.

Goddessness: Do you think the elite sense of being among very serious players is a draw?

Doppelganger: I think very early on Emperor Franco established a culture of intellectualism and it's stuck through the years. It's a nice respite from the Userite/Invader/Defender regions I suppose. I don't like venturing outside of The Pacific often myself. I find other regions to be......unsuitable for my tastes. *Looks at me disapprovingly and smacks a passerby infidel in the face.*

Goddessness: If The Pacific were a modern day country in RL, which one do you think it would be?

Doppelganger: North Korea. Kind of feels that way sometimes I suppose, it did in the past, anyway.

Goddessness: How so?

Doppelganger:*clicking tongue at the rudeness of such an impertinent follow up question* When the New Pacific Order first took over as the legitimate government of The Pacific, the forces of evil had managed to trick the world into believing that we were the true enemy. Presently The Pacific is probably more like China. *laughs to himself* Yes, of course there is some starvation and torture, but The Pacific has a rich culture steeped in heritage.

Goddessness: What is your favorite Era of NS history?

Doppelganger:I actually look back fondly at the struggle between the NPO and the old Pacific Army.......which the NPO eventually won, of course.It was simply fun, and NationStates is a game after all. Many players seem to have forgotten this. It was just a good time to be playing the game back then.

Goddessness: You mention the state of NS, what do you think could save the game, or do you think it is in danger of failing?

Doppelganger: I fear that the game is in danger, yes. Perhaps that's because I'm not a roleplayer and have always been interested in just the gameplay aspect of NationStates. The harsh rules they've imposed on invaders has killed gameplay. Random update times really hurt too. Skilled invaders (and defenders) can no longer plan out their attacks (or defense) properly. It becomes a game of luck almost. If I had my way, we would see the end of founders and set update times.

Goddessness: What are you most proud of in The Pacific?

Doppelganger:Where to begin? The thing I'm most proud of would have to be the fact that we've simply survived.The entire NationStates world was against us at one point in our history and we weathered the storm. Not only did we weather it, but we emerged victorious.

Goddessness: And you are among some of the most elite players in the game, how do you account for your success?

Doppelganger: Unwavering loyalty to The Pacific.

Goddessness: As well as?

Doppelganger: I could say hard work but probably not with a straight face.

Goddessness: We'll say hard work, anyway, next!

Senator Doppelganger was most gracious at my lack of formality and only lashed me twenty times with the cat o nine tails for making a joke at his expense. Praise Allah.

Goddessness: Describe Doppelganger.

Doppelganger: I think of myself as the most "hardline" Senator, with that bastard Pierconium taking a close second. I'd probably do a lot of things that some people in NationStates wouldn't like if I had my way.

Goddessness: Which begs the question.....what?

Doppelganger: *tosses an evil and foreboding glance* Such matters will not be discussed.

Goddessness: What should your fellow Pacificans know about you?

Doppelganger: That they can sleep soundly in their beds knowing that I'm always standing watch over the Republic.

Goddessness: What should your fellow Pacificans know about your service?

Doppelganger: My service?

Goddessness: To The Pacific.

Doppelganger:Dopphamed al Shabazz serves no master! Guards, seize the slave girl! I've grown bored of answering her silly little questions! Back to the stables with her!

Re-gagged and tied to the back of a camel, I was unceremoniously shipped back to stables to ponder the wonder that is Dopphamed al Shabbazz.

RLA Report on Forum Attacks Released (Mar. 25, 2006)^[102]

Written by Soigacas for InterMet News

Accusations of whitewash widespread

In a move which many never thought they would see, the RLA today released their report into the destruction of Invaders’ forums almost four months ago. Although supposedly meant only for RLA-member release, a copy found its way onto the Meritocracy’s Forum.

The investigation, which has been seen as ‘too little, too late’ by many in the international community, was commissioned not long after Ketoprofen and The Red Factions, two ‘rogue’ RLA agents, used illegal techniques such as phising to hack into an Invaders admin’s account. They then proceeded to delete many forums and thousands of posts. A report entitled “RLA Surgical Strike”, written by Ketoprofen and “edited by Blackbird”, swiftly made its way around NS.

“I could say any number of things ranging from, ‘We'll still be the RLA when the Meritocracy is in version eight,’ to ‘I don't really care.’” EuroSoviets, who sat on the investigation, told us, when asked about criticism of the report. “In short, we didn't deliberately wait and it is reassuring that people think that since they obviously don't have spies inside the RLA.”

Since that day in December last year, the world has waited for the RLA’s reaction. Today it arrived, in the form of a report by Bamada, RLA General Secretary. It states that Ketoprofen and TRF were found to be guilty of: “1. Destroying a forum without the consent of the Director of the RLA - as laid down in the guidelines for RLA Intelligence. 2. Non-cooperation with a superior officer on the basis of a personal grievance - as evidenced by the descent of one conversation with Blackbird into mutual insults. 3. Conduct unbecoming a member of the Red Liberty Alliance, to the effect of bringing down shame on the RLA and its intelligence apparatus.”

In spite of this, the committee handed down what many perceive to be lenient sentences to both parties. Ketoprofen was kicked out of the Central Soviet (the RLA’s governing body) and barred from reapplying for 45 days. TRF was barred for 30 days.

Asked about the punishments, EuroSoviets said: “Well, for The Red Factions, who was the self declared leader of the little spy ring which organized this, his disqualification hasn't been set at thirty days - it was thirty days plus the ninety he voluntarily excluded himself by resigning on the basis that he had upset members of the RLA through his actions and did not wish to bring further ignominy on the RLA by associating himself with it until his punishment had been resolved upon. As for Ketoprofen, yes I think 45 days is adequate though originally I proposed sixty.”

“The RLA wanted to wait until the outcry blew over, and it did.” The Heights of Invaders told InterMet. “the overall tone of the report is, "We'll do what we want, regardless. Even if they supposedly ban forum destruction, the lenient "punishments" for TRF and Keto show they don't mean what they say. As for Invaders, we have progressed since the action and become even better at what we do. But still, the RLA's words cannot bring back all we lost in the destruction, and even if they could, the RLA made no hint at apologizing for the actions. They condemn future actions in the report, but make no attempt to condemn what happened in the past. And the complete clearance of Xha'dam and Blackbird is startling.”

The investigation seemed to blame to the problems the caused, and arose from, the forum destruction on “dual citizenship”, and the complexities of the chain of command. “The committee found that the key problem regarding the forum destruction was the chain of command.” stated the report. The majority of the report is spent looking at how these problems could be addressed. “If broken, disorganization erupts and problems like this can occur. Thus by preserving our chain of command, we prevent future problems.”

Despite the scale of the act that took place, and the size of the interregional outcry, the investigation’s report seems to take very few punitive measures. It also exonerates Blackbird, who affixed his name to Ketoprofen’s “Surgical Strike” article, supposedly without realising its content. “Blackbird and Xha'dam were questioned,” states the investigation, “and found innocent of all charges”.

“I gave [Keto’s article] a cursory check and did not read over it extensively enough to realize its implications.” Blackbird told InterMet, “I was under the impression, at the time, because according to the story I had been told by TRF and Ketoprofen, that were simply to have been given the IPs by a defecting agent. The defecting agent wanted to cover himself, and the article did that. It was not only until months later did I realize the full breadth and scope of the plan they had actually executed.”

And there are other questions the report does not answer. “Why did it take an international outcry before it became relevant that TRF and Keto had acted against the RLA rulebook?” demanded Westmorlandia on the Met Forums, “What exactly did the rule book say about forum destruction?” It never condemns forum destruction, and the only time it is explicitly mentioned is in the first recommendation to the Central Soviet: “1. Forum destruction be banned by the Red Liberty Alliance.”

“Forum destruction was formally banned by the RLA;” EuroSoviets told us, “no executive member can overrule that without a vote by the Central Soviet. That is tantamount to saying that forum destruction is wrong. I imagine formal codification of that principle was left out because the Central Soviet felt that after the outcry, the opportunists who sought to impugn the reputation of the RLA should not be given the satisfaction of seeing the condemnation written down. Frankly I agree with that sentiment.”

You can read the entire report here.^{[note 2]}

Glorious Power in Met Infiltration Scandal (Mar. 13, 2006)^[103]

Written by Soigacas for InterMet News (graphic by Sir Paul)

Quaestor reveals traitor’s plot to subvert the Senate

In a shocking development to the recent security crisis in the Meritocracy, we can exclusively reveal that the Meritocracy now believes the “leak” was none other than ex-Senator and persona non grata Glorious Power (aka Gordonel). We have learned through Quaestor Afslavistakistania that GP probably used ‘phishing’ to gain the password to a Senators account, and then collected information that passed through the Senate.

It first became apparent that a Senator was not to blame when Afslav used a classified method to link IP evidence from “Seekersville”, the nation which InterMet conducted last week’s interview through, with the traitor GP. Through process of elimination, it was then determined that no Senator was leaking information to Glorious Power, and that he must be getting the information directly.

Unfortunately, from an evidence gathering perspective, this was where the trail ended. Winnipeg announced in the Security Update that all Senators must change their passwords. Fortunately, this eliminated the threat from Glorious Power, as his phished password quickly became ineffective. Afslav, who was earlier said to be annoyed with the update, told InterMet “It is true that the notification did hinder the investigation, but it also put a quick stop to any further attempts by any phishers. Depending upon your outlook, either could be more important.”

PNN prepared this graphic to help our readers understand the complex chain of events.

GP refused to comment. This is the continuing saga of Glorious Power (aka Gordonel), who went from rising member of the NS community to traitor and hacker by his own means. It is unknown what depths he will sink to next.

BlackAdder Appoints New Pacific Order Senate (Apr. 21, 2006)^[104]

By Moo-cows with guns

Emperor BlackAdder animatedly addresses his subjects after announcing his new Senate

FRANCOGRAD—Emperor BlackAdder, after re-establishing the New Pacific Order, announced his new Regent and Senate today. The announcement came after much speculation following the tumultuous events since the dissolution of the PRP and its Senate. Pierconium, upon request, turned the Delegate nation back over to BlackAdder. Prior to announcing his Senate, he laid any rumblings about anarchy to rest.

   BlackAdder wrote:
   I will be dissolving the People's Republic of the Pacific and reverting to the New Pacific Order. I will assume the title Emperor. All banned individuals will swear an oath of Loyalty to the Emperor....This anarchy will end....We can take anarchy and transform it into a stable atmosphere with rules where everyone knows where the boundaries are all under the Aegis of a benevolent Tyrant. I am that Tyrant. I pledge I will be benevolent as long as everyone stays within the rules laid out, when they are transgressed you will be at my mercy.

While many were not happy with the loss of the PRP, most were glad that BlackAdder had retaken the reigns. Even though Pierconium was in the process of creating a government, he did not have the support of several former Senators, most notably Warrior Thorin, The New Duce and Mammothistan. Accusations and recriminations flew between Pierconium and Thorin especially, on the forums of The New Meritocracy and the Provisional Propagated Pacific as well.

Thorin has since sworn loyalty to BlackAdder. "I am and always shall be loyal to The Pacific, and I know that BlackAdder as Emperor will lead The Pacific to its continued excellence. To that end, I shall support BlackAdder in any way that I can," he said.

"One of the major reasons I returned to The Pacific," he said, "was after chatting with several people who are now Senators of the NPO—notably Dopp, Goddessness, and Unlimited, all of whom I respect greatly—and they encouraged my return. I did not want to sever the ties of friends that I had made over the time that I served as a Senator and I returned to continue that comaraderie, at least I hope to."

Duce, on the other hand, has been unable to reconcile the changes. "The Pacific is headed in a direction I do not intend to follow," he said. "Francoism has been all but abandoned and the Republic has been lost to another dictatorship. In Francoist terms, this is a reaction that will not help spread the Revolution."

He has accepted a position on the Gatesville High Council.

BlackAdder named Pierconium Grand Viceroy of the NPO and Regent, and Sir Paul as Laureate of The Pacific and Praetorian. Sir Paul was also given the distinction as a personal Advisor to BlackAdder.

Pierconium Sir Paul

Duce's biggest misgiving concerning the new government is the appointment of Pierconium as Regent. "The man griefed The Pacific; he griefed our home. There is no recognition [of that], nor willingness to reconcile."

The Senators are Unlimited, Doppelganger, Goddessness, Karpathos/Petros, Moo-cows with guns and Six Guns.

   BlackAdder wrote:
   The rank of Senator will be held only because of Merit and work. It is not a title. Every one of you carries a Senator's baton in your rucksack. If it is deserving it will be conferred. If it is neglected it will be removed. This list is not static, you all have the opportunity with work and desire to be added to it.

Unlimited Six

Doppelganger Goddessness

Moo-cows Karpathos

Clearly The Pacific is not dead, far from it. Nor will it be allowed to fall into the hands of those who wish for its destruction. As long as NS survives, those inside the feeder will work for its betterment and for its sovereignty.

References

Notes

↑ Francos Spain departed NationStates under a cloud of controversy. Upon deleting, his RL friend, Poskrebyshev, claimed he had taken his life. This was a false claim, one which Francos Spain did not acknowledge until August 2023.
↑ The link is dead, and there is no Internet Archive record of it

[1] Pacific Press forum

[2] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/francos-spain-deleted-t151.html

[4] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/adn-reorganizes-t184.html

[5] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/un-filing-error-afflicts-nationstates-t259.html

[6] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/sarda-ministry-of-culture-begin-casting-t291.html

[7] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/new-governors-take-office-t284.html

[8] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/ukraine-ussr-calls-for-help-t408.html

[9] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/pope-hope-sues-sir-paul-for-defamation-t425.html

[10] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/thel-d-39-ran-interview-t542.html

[11] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/poe-interview-t543.html

[12] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/pixiedance-cathyy-interview-t553.html

[13] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/sir-paul-interview-t554.html

[14] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/governors-officially-take-office-t576.html

[15] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/meritocratic-elections-t609.html

[16] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/sarda-voted-as-first-president-of-the-aog-t649.html

[17] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-status-of-the-pacific-t715.html

[18] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/offices-open-for-election-t776.html

[19] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/election-time-is-upon-us-t904.html

[20] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/nak-nak-deleted-t1023.html

[21] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/new-governors-new-laws-new-year-t1033.html

[22] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/election-results-and-a-new-office-t1192.html

[23] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/military-build-up-in-the-meritocracy-t1256.html

[24] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-people-s-militia-capture-warzone-africa-t1263.html

[25] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/nuclear-war-in-meritocracy-t1264.html

[26] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-people-39-s-republic-of-the-pacific-celebrates-t1288.html

[27] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-pacific-olympiad-host-search-begins-t1312.html

[28] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/john-ashcroft-land-confirmed-as-high-judge-t1348.html

[29] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/news-the-vs-north-vs-pacific-t1358.html

[30] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/meritocratic-confederacy-selects-new-speaker-t1363.html

[31] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/new-senate-appointment-t1386.html

[32] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/elections-loom-for-the-late-provinces-t1427.html

[33] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/elections-this-week-t1531.html

[34] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/mutual-agreement-reached-with-the-adn-t1469.html

[35] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/gatesville-leaves-the-union-t1577.html

[36] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-north-pacific-take-3-t1600.html

[37] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/adn-involved-in-covert-invasion-of-the-pacific-t1570.html

[38] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/elections-for-may-announced-t1580.html

[39] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/new-governors-of-the-republic-announced-t1613.html

[40] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/black-adder-to-delete-tonight-t1659.html

[41] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-union-of-sovereigns-liberates-northern-ireland-t1681.html

[42] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/eaa-may-dissolve-treaty-with-adn-t1690.html

[43] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/civil-war-in-west-pacific-t1698.html

[44] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-proletariat-coalition-leaves-adn-t1637.html

[45] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-people-s-militia-t1748.html

[46] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-chechyn-trap-t1775.html

[47] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/united-pacific-forum-built-t1813.html

[48] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/peace-order-and-good-government-t1919.html

[49] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/summer-has-arrived-in-the-pacific-t1951.html

[50] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/pierconium-apointed-minister-of-justice-t2116.html

[51] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/rejected-realms-rejects-democracy-t1749.html

[52] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/pnn-launches-third-season-t2279.html

[53] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/i-don-39-t-believe-in-pixies-t1795.html

[54] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/crazygirl-invades-the-old-raiding-club-t2303.html

[55] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/puppetmaster-3-t2359.html

[56] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/ukraine-refounded-t2350.html

[57] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/remembering-our-leader-t2092.html

[58] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/state-of-the-feeders-t2459.html

[59] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/state-of-the-feeders-t2463.html

[60] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/imperial-germans-returns-to-their-homeland-t2418.html

[61] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/state-of-the-feeders-t2491.html

[62] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/exciting-changes-afoot-in-the-moc-t2580.html

[63] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/new-elections-announced-t2547.html

[64] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/state-of-the-feeders-t2597.html

[65] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/culture-in-ns-the-freemasons-t2696.html

[66] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-people-s-militia-captures-warzone-australia-t2691.html

[67] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/state-of-the-feeders-t2708.html

[68] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/pierconium-appointed-to-senate-t2698.html

[69] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/banner-evening-for-the-people-39-s-militia-t2853.html

[70] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/twp-government-falls-t2844.html

[71] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/pierconium-speaks-t2926.html

[72] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/classes-for-the-pacific-university-to-begin-t3018.html

[73] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/gordonel-pleads-guilty-t3063.html

[74] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/tnp-take-4-t3025.html

[75] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/adn-spy-attempts-to-infiltrate-tsp-t3067.html

[76] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/rla-destroys-invader-39-s-board-t3096.html

[77] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/twp-the-chosen-are-charged-t3125.html

[78] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/kaselande-expelled-from-the-order-of-gryphons-t3202.html

[79] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/francoism-in-action-t2857.html

[80] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/reactionaries-phishing-for-trouble-t3261.html

[81] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/warrior-thorin-and-chocolate-covered-babies-t3255.html

[82] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/pnn-and-intermet-news-reach-syndication-deal-t3363.html

[83] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/twp-take-3-t3342.html

[84] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/alpha-omega-set-to-become-met-prefecture-t3417.html

[85] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/an-eye-for-an-eye-t3412.html

[86] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/thoughts-on-poskrebyshev-t3439.html

[87] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-pacific-severs-ties-with-equillism-t3462.html

[88] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/turmoil-in-the-met-t3464.html

[89] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/pierconium-justice-on-hand-t3472.html

[90] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/fcs-invasion-foiled-t3465.html

[91] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/accel-furore-over-sarcodina-comments-t3496.html

[92] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/forum-destruction-conference-concludes-t3474.html

[93] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/accel-elections-conclude-t3518.html

[94] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/ex-invader-snatches-lazarus-delegacy-t3538.html

[95] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/eighty-four-days-later-t3554.html

[96] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/goddessness-returns-to-tsp-delegacy-t3547.html

[97] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/blackadder-becomes-pacifican-premier-t3559.html

[98] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/inequility-of-arms-t3502.html

[99] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/black-adder-becomes-comrade-premier-t3558.html

[100] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/met-senate-springs-a-leak-t3568.html

[101] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/the-new-duce-the-man-the-mystery-t3572.html

[102] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/doppelganger-live-from-durkadurkastan-t3299.html

[103] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/rla-report-on-forum-attacks-released-t3605.html

[105] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/glorious-power-in-met-infiltration-scandal-t3585.html

[106] ttps://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thepacific/blackadder-appoints-new-pacific-order-senate-t3644.html

[3] Francos Spain departed NationStates under a cloud of controversy. Upon deleting, his RL friend, Poskrebyshev, claimed he had taken his life. This was a false claim, one which Francos Spain did not acknowledge until August 2023.

[104] The link is dead, and there is no Internet Archive record of it

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Pacific Press (2004-06)

2004

Francos Spain Deleted (Sept. 14, 2004)[2][note 1]

ADN Reorganizes, Pope Hope Declares Martial Law (Sept. 19, 2024)[3]

UN Filing Error Afflicts Nationstates (Sept. 27, 2004)[4]

Sarda & Ministry of Culture begin Casting! (Oct. 2, 2004)[5]

New Governors Take Office (Oct. 1, 2004)[6]

Ukraine/USSR Calls For Help[7]

ADN Gets New Charter (Oct. 18, 2004)

Pope Hope Sues Sir Paul for Defamation (Oct. 21, 2004)[8]

Thel D'Ran interview (Nov. 2, 2004)[9]

Poe Interview (Nov. 2, 2004)[10]

Pixiedance/Cathyy interview (Nov. 3, 2004)[11]

Sir Paul Interview (Nov. 3, 2004)[12]

Governors Officially Take Office on 1 November (Nov. 6, 2004)[13]

Meritocratic Elections: Democracy in Action (Nov. 12, 2004)[14]

Sarda Elected as the First President of The Assembly of Governors (Nov. 16, 2004)[15]

The Status of the Pacific: The Rise of the Republic (Nov. 21, 2004)[16]

Three Governor Provinces are Opening for Upcoming Elections (Nov. 26, 2004)[17]

Elections Begin Monday, December 13th! (Dec. 12, 2004)[18]

2005

Nak Nak Deleted! (Jan. 2, 2005)[19]

New Year Heralds New Laws and New Governors (Jan. 3, 2005)[20]

Governor Elections and New Public Office: High Judge Now a Public Office (Jan. 28, 2005)[21]

Military Build-Up in The Meritocracy (Feb. 18, 2005)[22]

The People's Militia Capture Warzone Africa! (Feb. 20, 2005)[23]

Nuclear War in Meritocracy (Feb. 20, 2005)[24]

The Pacific Government Celebrates Six Month Anniversary (Mar. 2, 2005)[25]

The Pacific Olympiad Host Search Begins (Mar. 9, 2005)[26]

John Ashcroft Land Confirmed as High Judge! (Mar. 15, 2005)[27]

The 'vs' North 'vs' Pacific (Mar. 20, 2005)[28]

Meritocratic Confederacy Selects New Speaker (Mar. 23, 2005)[29]

New Senate Appointment (Mar. 30, 2005)[30]

Elections Loom for the Late Provinces (Apr. 7, 2005)[31]

Elections this week! (Apr. 23, 2005)[32]

Mutual Agreement Reached with the ADN (Apr. 12, 2005)[33]

Gatesville Leaves the Union (Apr. 29, 2005)[34]

The North Pacific: Take Three (May 1, 2005)[35]

ADN Involved in Covert Invasion of the Pacific (Apr. 28, 2005)[36]

Elections for May Announced (Apr. 29, 2005)[37]

Election Results Announced: Two New Governors Assume Their Offices (May 2, 2005)[38]

Black Adder to Delete Tonight (May 9, 2005)[39]

The Union of Sovereigns Libertates Northern Ireland (May 14, 2005)[40]

EAA May Dissolve Treaty With ADN (May 15, 2005)[41]

CIVIL WAR IN WEST PACIFIC (May 16, 2005)[42]

The Proletariat Coalition Leaves ADN (May 6, 2005)[43]

The People's Militia: Goodwill and Good Soldiers (May 23, 2005)[44]

The Chechyn Trap (May 25, 2005)[45]

United Pacific Forum Built! (May 31, 2005)[46]

Peace, Order and Good Government (June 21, 2005)[47]

Summer Has Arrived in the Pacific! (June 26, 2005)[48]

Pierconium Apointed Minister of Justice (July 18, 2005)[49]

Rejected Realms Rejects Democracy? (May 23, 2005)[50]

PNN Launches Third Season (Aug. 15, 2005)[51]

I Don't Believe in Pixies (May 27, 2005)[52]

Crazygirl invades The Old Raiding Club (Aug. 19, 2005)[53]

PuppetMaster 3 (Aug. 28, 2005)[54]

Ukraine Refounded (Aug. 27, 2005)[55]

The Stabilizing Force of Francos Spain (July 14, 2005)[56]

State of the Feeders: The West Pacific (Sept. 14, 2005)[57]

State of the Feeders: The Pacific (Sept. 15, 2005)[58]

Imperial Germans return to their homeland! (Sept. 10, 2005)[59]

State of the Feeders: The East Pacific (Sept. 20, 2005)[60]

Exciting Changes Afoot in the MoC (Sept. 30, 2005)[61]

Elections Announced for New Offices of the Republic (Sept. 26, 2005)[62]

State of the Feeders: The South Pacific (Oct. 3, 2005)[63]

Culture in NationStates: The FreeMasons (Oct. 17, 2005)[64]

The People's Militia captures Warzone Australia! (Oct. 16, 2005)[65]

State of the Feeders: The Rejected Realms (Oct. 18, 2005)[66]

Pierconium Appointed to The Pacific Senate (Oct. 17, 2005)[67]

Banner Evening for the People's Militia (Nov. 4, 2005)[68]

TWP Take 2 (Nov. 3, 2005)[69]

Pierconium speaks! (Nov. 12, 2005)[70]

Classes for the Pacific University to Begin (Nov. 22, 2005)[71]

Gordonel Pleads Guilty: Guard Honors Stripped (Nov. 29, 2005)[72]

TNP Take 4: Twoslit Ruins Everything (Nov. 23, 2005)[73]

ADN Spy Attempts Infiltration of TSP? (Dec. 1, 2005)[74]

RLA Destroys Invader's Board (Dec. 6, 2005)[75]

TWP - The "Chosen" are Charged! (Dec. 9, 2005)[76]

Kaseland expelled from the Order of Gryphons! (Dec. 22, 2005)[77]

Francos Spain Deleted (Sept. 14, 2004)^[2]^{[note 1]}

ADN Reorganizes, Pope Hope Declares Martial Law (Sept. 19, 2024)^[3]

UN Filing Error Afflicts Nationstates (Sept. 27, 2004)^[4]

Sarda & Ministry of Culture begin Casting! (Oct. 2, 2004)^[5]

New Governors Take Office (Oct. 1, 2004)^[6]

Ukraine/USSR Calls For Help^[7]

Pope Hope Sues Sir Paul for Defamation (Oct. 21, 2004)^[8]

Thel D'Ran interview (Nov. 2, 2004)^[9]

Poe Interview (Nov. 2, 2004)^[10]

Pixiedance/Cathyy interview (Nov. 3, 2004)^[11]

Sir Paul Interview (Nov. 3, 2004)^[12]

Governors Officially Take Office on 1 November (Nov. 6, 2004)^[13]

Meritocratic Elections: Democracy in Action (Nov. 12, 2004)^[14]

Sarda Elected as the First President of The Assembly of Governors (Nov. 16, 2004)^[15]

The Status of the Pacific: The Rise of the Republic (Nov. 21, 2004)^[16]

Three Governor Provinces are Opening for Upcoming Elections (Nov. 26, 2004)^[17]

Elections Begin Monday, December 13th! (Dec. 12, 2004)^[18]

Nak Nak Deleted! (Jan. 2, 2005)^[19]

New Year Heralds New Laws and New Governors (Jan. 3, 2005)^[20]

Governor Elections and New Public Office: High Judge Now a Public Office (Jan. 28, 2005)^[21]

Military Build-Up in The Meritocracy (Feb. 18, 2005)^[22]

The People's Militia Capture Warzone Africa! (Feb. 20, 2005)^[23]

Nuclear War in Meritocracy (Feb. 20, 2005)^[24]

The Pacific Government Celebrates Six Month Anniversary (Mar. 2, 2005)^[25]

The Pacific Olympiad Host Search Begins (Mar. 9, 2005)^[26]

John Ashcroft Land Confirmed as High Judge! (Mar. 15, 2005)^[27]

The 'vs' North 'vs' Pacific (Mar. 20, 2005)^[28]

Meritocratic Confederacy Selects New Speaker (Mar. 23, 2005)^[29]

New Senate Appointment (Mar. 30, 2005)^[30]

Elections Loom for the Late Provinces (Apr. 7, 2005)^[31]

Elections this week! (Apr. 23, 2005)^[32]

Mutual Agreement Reached with the ADN (Apr. 12, 2005)^[33]

Gatesville Leaves the Union (Apr. 29, 2005)^[34]

The North Pacific: Take Three (May 1, 2005)^[35]

ADN Involved in Covert Invasion of the Pacific (Apr. 28, 2005)^[36]

Elections for May Announced (Apr. 29, 2005)^[37]

Election Results Announced: Two New Governors Assume Their Offices (May 2, 2005)^[38]

Black Adder to Delete Tonight (May 9, 2005)^[39]

The Union of Sovereigns Libertates Northern Ireland (May 14, 2005)^[40]

EAA May Dissolve Treaty With ADN (May 15, 2005)^[41]

CIVIL WAR IN WEST PACIFIC (May 16, 2005)^[42]

The Proletariat Coalition Leaves ADN (May 6, 2005)^[43]

The People's Militia: Goodwill and Good Soldiers (May 23, 2005)^[44]

The Chechyn Trap (May 25, 2005)^[45]

United Pacific Forum Built! (May 31, 2005)^[46]

Peace, Order and Good Government (June 21, 2005)^[47]

Summer Has Arrived in the Pacific! (June 26, 2005)^[48]

Pierconium Apointed Minister of Justice (July 18, 2005)^[49]

Rejected Realms Rejects Democracy? (May 23, 2005)^[50]

PNN Launches Third Season (Aug. 15, 2005)^[51]

I Don't Believe in Pixies (May 27, 2005)^[52]

Crazygirl invades The Old Raiding Club (Aug. 19, 2005)^[53]

PuppetMaster 3 (Aug. 28, 2005)^[54]

Ukraine Refounded (Aug. 27, 2005)^[55]

The Stabilizing Force of Francos Spain (July 14, 2005)^[56]

State of the Feeders: The West Pacific (Sept. 14, 2005)^[57]

State of the Feeders: The Pacific (Sept. 15, 2005)^[58]

Imperial Germans return to their homeland! (Sept. 10, 2005)^[59]

State of the Feeders: The East Pacific (Sept. 20, 2005)^[60]

Exciting Changes Afoot in the MoC (Sept. 30, 2005)^[61]

Elections Announced for New Offices of the Republic (Sept. 26, 2005)^[62]

State of the Feeders: The South Pacific (Oct. 3, 2005)^[63]

Culture in NationStates: The FreeMasons (Oct. 17, 2005)^[64]

The People's Militia captures Warzone Australia! (Oct. 16, 2005)^[65]

State of the Feeders: The Rejected Realms (Oct. 18, 2005)^[66]

Pierconium Appointed to The Pacific Senate (Oct. 17, 2005)^[67]

Banner Evening for the People's Militia (Nov. 4, 2005)^[68]

TWP Take 2 (Nov. 3, 2005)^[69]

Pierconium speaks! (Nov. 12, 2005)^[70]

Classes for the Pacific University to Begin (Nov. 22, 2005)^[71]

Gordonel Pleads Guilty: Guard Honors Stripped (Nov. 29, 2005)^[72]

TNP Take 4: Twoslit Ruins Everything (Nov. 23, 2005)^[73]

ADN Spy Attempts Infiltration of TSP? (Dec. 1, 2005)^[74]

RLA Destroys Invader's Board (Dec. 6, 2005)^[75]

TWP - The "Chosen" are Charged! (Dec. 9, 2005)^[76]

Kaseland expelled from the Order of Gryphons! (Dec. 22, 2005)^[77]

Francoism in Action (Nov. 3, 2005)^[78]

Reactionaries Phishing For Trouble (Jan. 3, 2006)^[79]

Warrior Thorin and Chocolate Covered Babies (Jan. 2, 2006)^[80]

PNN and InterMet News Reach Syndication Deal (Jan. 21, 2006)^[81]