South Pacific Independent News Network

[Glen-Rhodes]

The issue I have is that you've just mindlessly printed a very negative statement, without explaining it or exploring what's underneath. Accusations that I've been "political" as the Chair are very serious to me, because I've said from the beginning of my first term that I view the position as administrative. I believe I've lived up to that, so when SPINN twice publishes pieces referring to me using the position politically, it is upsetting.

While obviously SPINN shouldn't editorialize its news reporting, due diligence must be made to address the veracity of claims. It wouldn't have been difficult to ask people to elaborate. It wouldn't have been difficult to ask me for a comment, either. By publishing an unqualified accusation, SPINN lends credence to it and it takes on a life of its own. I dismissed the first article, but I felt compelled to push back against this second one for failing to explain things. This isn't about the election, either. (I didn't even plan on running for a second term.) It's about the developing pattern and how it would permanently alter the history of my tenure as Chair and as a member of TSP.

[Hileville]

The issue I have is that you've just mindlessly printed a very negative statement, without explaining it or exploring what's underneath. Accusations that I've been "political" as the Chair are very serious to me, because I've said from the beginning of my first term that I view the position as administrative. I believe I've lived up to that, so when SPINN twice publishes pieces referring to me using the position politically, it is upsetting.

While obviously SPINN shouldn't editorialize its news reporting, due diligence must be made to address the veracity of claims. It wouldn't have been difficult to ask people to elaborate. It wouldn't have been difficult to ask me for a comment, either. By publishing an unqualified accusation, SPINN lends credence to it and it takes on a life of its own. I dismissed the first article, but I felt compelled to push back against this second one for failing to explain things. This isn't about the election, either. (I didn't even plan on running for a second term.) It's about the developing pattern and how it would permanently alter the history of my tenure as Chair and as a member of TSP.

SPINN has not mindlessly printed anything. I received explanations from all but person I spoke with about the matter. I am sorry I did not feel as EiC that dedicating what would be a large chunk of an article to explaining a claim that was made by everyone I spoke with when writing the article was worth the press. I will repeat what I said from the last post worded a bit different. The majority of those who shared that view didn't believe this to be a bad thing. It just goes against what they were used to out of a Chair. If you have any further issue with it direct it towards my tg or pm box on the forums.

[Unibot III]

I think Glen has been a more political chair than say, Eluvatar -- it's who Glen is.. he's not going to stand by if he thinks something is wrong and the Chair isn't necessarily supposed to be totally impartial; that's not how the chair is defined (there's just an assumption by some that the Westminster notion of a Chair would translate to TSP automatically).

I also thought Glen was a really good chair -- TSP's legislature was inactive for months, G-R poked us with a stick and helped to generate discussion and keep papers circulating until we were distraught over having too much activity! That's what TSP needed.

[Glen-Rhodes]

I am sorry I did not feel as EiC that dedicating what would be a large chunk of an article to explaining a claim that was made by everyone I spoke with when writing the article was worth the press. I will repeat what I said from the last post worded a bit different. The majority of those who shared that view didn't believe this to be a bad thing. It just goes against what they were used to out of a Chair. If you have any further issue with it direct it towards my tg or pm box on the forums.

Hile, you printed a very charged accusation against me. That's not something you can just do and then not explain, especially if what you've written has a very different meaning than what people were saying. (You can't deny that the charge reads very negatively, which is the opposite of what your interviewees had intended.) It reads very much as wanton propaganda. I'm not going to keep this private, because I believe it's necessary for there to be a public discussion about journalistic integrity. If you guys want to set up these newspapers and not have them be propaganda tools, then you guys have to maintain standards. I spoke out because I want this to be a lesson learned, not just something SPINN barely apologizes for and does again mid-way through the next term.

At the very least, I should have been given the opportunity to defend myself against the claims. That's what I'm really upset about. This isn't just an internal TSP matter, because it's being posted on these forums, where several other players have an interest in using such accusations against me. We all know that people in this game will use anything to erode the legitimacy and trustworthiness of other players.

When I said that I would do everything within my power to prevent TSP from going raider, I made it very explicit that I don't believe the Chair is an all-powerful position. Belschaft proceeded with a string of attacks, largely in part because he and I had a falling out previously. Anybody paying attention to TSP politics can see that he and I have not been getting along. My statements should have been in the story. If as Editor in Chief you felt the story would have been too long, then the right thing to do would have been to write an additional story, or to simply leave the claim out altogether.

I still think SPINN is one of the best NS news services. But to stay the best, it needs to actually be the best by having higher standards than all the others. I've said what I needed to say, so I just hope there's a positive outcome to this in the future.

[South Pacific Independent News Network]

NSA Supports Raid of St Abbaddon - Topid Launches Unendo Campaign

NSA Headquarters - Downtown South Pacific...
 
The New Southern Army has deployed in support of a raid of St Abbaddon, a region with ties to the UDL and former Delegate Topid.  Earlier this month Topid released private NSA mission details about a planned raid of Nazi Europe.  Until this action he was still well respected among the TSP Citizenry.  Topid served a brief stint as Delegate of TSP from June to August 2011 when he resigned for not having fun as Delegate.  Upon his return to the region in 2013 he was elected Minister of Regional Affairs and was a prominent opponent to the Milogard coup.  It is believed that the NSA deployment was ordered in retaliation to his leaking of the Nazi Europe mission.
 
TSP Citizens were further shocked as they received the below message, obtained by SPINN, in their telegram boxes.  So far the campaign has seen zero success.  It was met with a quick response by Delegate Escade advising the region of the current situation.  While these events are indeed shocking it also very saddening the a one time Delegate of the region would turn their back without hesitation. 

Hello, my name is Topid, I'm the second oldest member of St Abbaddon.
 
I'm contacting you because your government has targeted my region, taking the delegate (Who has been in the region since 2002 and just wants to play the game quietly) out of power and putting in their own nation. They've since been ejecting nations who did nothing to them, all of this, because they are mad at me for something I said. And that delegate who has been in the region since 2002, answering issues regularly, told me he now wants to leave the game because of the harassment.
 
I won't pretend that the region has no reason to be mad at me, they sent me an email on accident that they were planning to raid Nazi Europe, and I went public with the email. But unfortunately, literally no one in St Abbaddon had any clue I even got the email. It didn't have anything to do with them.
 
I'm asking you to send a message to the bullies in charge of The South Pacific, if they have a problem with ME target ME. Don't go after everyone I know.
 
Please join me in my call that any player who wants to be left alone, and has done absolutely nothing to anyone, should not be targeted by bullies. Send a message to your that what is going on is not okay. Unendorse Brutland and Norden, Fudgetopia, South Pacific Belschaft, Kringalia and most importantly: Escade and refuse to endorse them until they promise not to participate in this bullying again.

Prior to the release Topid also threatened to release private Cabinet discussions he obtained while serving the region.  These conversations are however set to be declassified by the Cabinet in the coming days in compliance with the regions Sunshine Laws.  It is unclear how these events will affect the ongoing Treaty negotiations between The East Pacific and TSP. Treaty talks were already strained and suspended in The East Pacific's Magisterium after the banning of Unibot from the South Pacific Forums.  Both Unibot and Topid serve as Magisters in The East Pacific.
 
Stay tuned for more on this story as it continues to develop.

---

SPINN is an independent, non-governmental entity. Any views or opinions presented in articles are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views or the endorsement of the Government of the South Pacific. Any concerns or clarifications are to be addressed to the author(s) of the article or the Editor-in-Chief.

[Anumia]

Pretty poor show from Topid to do this to a region he supposedly once cared about. Good that his campaign to undermine TSP security is earning no currency there.

[Unibot III]

The South Pacific is picking on a region that has very little to do with Topid to score a fight with him - Topid did what was right and told them to pick on someone their own size.

To see people considering leaving the game over this invasion would be very upsetting to me if I were in Topid's shoes and I can I understand why he launched into such a passionate campaign.

[Hileville]

The South Pacific is picking on a region that has very little to do with Topid to score a fight with him - Topid did what was right and told them to pick on someone their own size.

To see people considering leaving the game over this invasion would be very upsetting to me if I were in Topid's shoes and I can I understand why he launched into such a passionate campaign.

Why am I not surprised to see you support an unedo campaign against Escade?

[Venico]

Disgusting how some people turn on their region so quickly. Oh also to speak on the prospect that this was planned to get back at Topid, it wasn't. BoM had been planning since Topid removed the password. There may have been prior planning with the Sekhmet and the Jomsvikings, but to the best of my knowledge not the NSA. While we do appreciate the NSA's support, The Brotherhood of Malice planned and executed this because St. Abbawhoozers was a prime target, not for political motivations.

[Topid]

Disgusting how some people turn on their region so quickly. Oh also to speak on the prospect that this was planned to get back at Topid, it wasn't. BoM had been planning since Topid removed the password. There may have been prior planning with the Sekhmet and the Jomsvikings, but to the best of my knowledge not the NSA. While we do appreciate the NSA's support, The Brotherhood of Malice planned and executed this because St. Abbawhoozers was a prime target, not for political motivations.

For what it may be worth to anyone (probably just Unibot) I have been given ample reason to believe this is true. My region was going to be targeted before anything with TSP, so it is no fair to ever make a claim that BoM or anyone did this because of TSP. I did in fact say that, because the appearance certainly supports that claim, but I was corrected and it was backed up, so I just wanted to make that clear.

Secondly, my beliefs and attitude is and always has been fixed since first becoming a defender in 2009, well I'm willing to admit I flip flopped on stances on the GA, and RP in general, but otherwise I have believed the same things are good, and the same things bad, and acted thus. So yes, I 'disgustingly' turned on a region as one would turn on a friend you find out is a gay-basher. It is called having principles rather than blind loyalty. Anyone who would remain in a region regardless of how big of a jerk they were, or what they started believing or doing is lying to themselves. It's a game, you aren't tied to a region like you are a child, if the region evolves and takes on new beliefs and attitudes (which they are fully entitled to do) then people should adjust their loyalty based on that.

It isn't that complicated.

[Unibot III]

Nevermind, thanks for clearing that up, Topid.

[Venico]

I see regions as a community of people that choose to be with one another. It's a chosen family and one that you invest yourself into. You do your best to push the family in the right direction, you have your fights with your siblings, disputes with the parents. At the end of the day though, it's still your community, your home. While this is a voluntary family, you can voluntarily pull out which is what you should have done. Running a campaign to put the delegacy of TSP into danger is a back stab, nothing less.

*EDIT* My brain was positive it put in a line but my fingers didn't. 4 am debating is so fun. =P

[Unibot III]

Running a campaign to put the delegacy of TSP into danger is a back stab, nothing less.

I understand this isn't the case, but it was perceived this way: invading an innocent region to anger you, isn't a back stab? With what Topid knew, contacting The South Pacific and informing citizens of what its government is up to under the South Pacific banner was a responsible thing to do.

[Venico]

The NSA raids regions, that's its bloody job. Because it supports a raid on a region you associate with means that you should raise objections and get angry, aye. Tell the region they're steering it in an evil direction and that you take personal offense to their actions, fine. But actively trying to put the delegacy in danger...that's a step too far and I grief regions for Christ's sake.

[Topid]

The NSA raids regions, that's its bloody job. Because it supports a raid on a region you associate with means that you should raise objections and get angry, aye. Tell the region they're steering it in an evil direction and that you take personal offense to their actions, fine. But actively trying to put the delegacy in danger...that's a step too far and I grief regions for Christ's sake.

My region is an equally old region with no founder either, our delegacy is just as important. I agree with you, putting the delegacy in danger is a remarkably extreme step. But this does not even come close to the level of an eye for an eye. My region's delegacy was taken from us without any input from our members. What I did (at worst) could be described as asking WAs in TSP to depose their own delegate, or even more accurately, for a handful of them to pull their endorsement so that Escade doesn't get as much influence, because obviously only five or so nations are going to read and care. Either way, it doesn't amount to the level of what TSP does to every other delegate out there. Compared to what was done to my region, my response was pretty mild.

[Common-Sense Politics]

Running a campaign to put the delegacy of TSP into danger is a back stab, nothing less.

I understand this isn't the case, but it was perceived this way: invading an innocent region to anger you, isn't a back stab? With what Topid knew, contacting The South Pacific and informing citizens of what its government is up to under the South Pacific banner was a responsible thing to do.

But he didn't simply "inform" them, did he? He actively sought to undermine their legitimate government.

[Venico]

So you renounce TSP for St. Abawhabbit? My point was that you turned on your region quickly and viciously. Which it seems you have. I won't comment on the morality of what TSP is doing because I'm a bit biased there. Very recently you were a member of TSP and now you are running unendorsement campaigns against their government without taking first step measures like formally lodging complaints and talking with the government. You turned, and quickly.

[South Pacific Belschaft]

I don't actually have a major issue with what Topid did in principle, unlike some people. TSP, supporting the BoM and other friends and allies, attacked his region. He wanted to respond. He has every right to.

Except, and this is the key part... he hasn't targeted TNP, or TWP, or Osiris, or anyone else involved. Because this isn't about St Abbaddon. It's about TSP. Why? Simple. Topid, along with fellow defenders Unibot and Prussia, is attempting to destroy TEP/TSP relations. The two regions are currently in treaty negotiations that they oppose. But TEP's executive government is in favor of relations, and the majority of the Magisterium are open to the idea, and as such they are trying every trick in the book to derail the process.

[Topid]

I don't actually have a major issue with what Topid did in principle, unlike some people. TSP, supporting the BoM and other friends and allies, attacked his region. He wanted to respond. He has every right to.

Except, and this is the key part... he hasn't targeted TNP, or TWP, or Osiris, or anyone else involved. Because this isn't about St Abbaddon. It's about TSP. Why? Simple. Topid, along with fellow defenders Unibot and Prussia, is attempting to destroy TEP/TSP relations. The two regions are currently in treaty negotiations that they oppose. But TEP's executive government is in favor of relations, and the majority of the Magisterium are open to the idea, and as such they are trying every trick in the book to derail the process.

Actually Osiris was going to get a round tonight too, I never even made it much past halfway with TSP, though. And I hadn't totally ruled out continuing to the other parties, but may not have. But beyond that of course I believed that what happened here was connected to NE last week, and your news report here confirms it. TSP's involvement here is motivated by me being in the region. TNP, Osi, et all were not motivated by that, which is still not okay but no where near as bad as holding everyone in some random region I belong to accountable for what I say. So that is why you got to sit in the front of the class.

Believe it or not this has nothing to do with TEP. I didn't know you were going to accidentally send me that email when the treaty talks started, and it isn't like I held it to use it at the right time. It was bad timing, and the raid was worse timing. I realize you have your agenda and theories to push here, so I won't waste much more breathe than that.

[Goddess Relief Office]

I can see where Topid is coming from but I think he adopted the wrong approach. I've been in 10KI for a long time and have seen a parade of delegates come and go. I also have my own region which picks its delegate every 6 months. Do I agree with all of them? No. There are some delegates I like and some I don't. But I don't go about starting an unendorsement campaign whenever I'm upset. I wait out their term and ask my peers to chose a better candidate next election. That's what democracy is all about.

And turning to the region in question, Topid should know what feeder politics is all about when he selected TSP as his home. Feeders change. Their policies are not immutable (perhaps with the sole exception of TP). Their gameplay affiliations are not permanent. Both invaders and defenders who live in feeders should accept that at some point in time, feeders would do things they disagree with. (Next time, pick a UCR as your home. )

That said, I have a lot of sympathy for Topid's situation. St Abbaddon's current WFE "The Brotherhood of Malice would like to thank Topid for making this raid possible." clearly says it was raided because of Topid. If I were him I would suspect it's a revenge raid due to earlier events too. His reaction is understandable.

To see people considering leaving the game over this invasion would be very upsetting to me if I were in Topid's shoes and I can I understand why he launched into such a passionate campaign.

Agreed. Players like Hawkswind who has been around since 2002 and genuinely founderless regions like St Abbaddon are pretty rare. Let's hope they don't disappear any time soon.


~GRO~

[Venico]

It was made possible because of Topid. He removed the password to the region. BoM felt that we should highlight defender mistakes and misjudgements. It's good for morale. =P

[Topid]

It was made possible because of Topid. He removed the password to the region. BoM felt that we should highlight defender mistakes and misjudgements. It's good for morale. =P

Not a mis-judgement. Passwords = death. A very stable and secure death.

[Evil Wolf]

So let me get this right, The South Pacific invades St Abbaddon with Balder, Osiris, TNP, and others and SPINN here comes out against it because raiding is bad or something.

How can SPINN even claim to represent The South Pacific, in any way, even tentatively, when they are so clearly a mouthpiece of the UDL? This publication does not deserve to be associated with TSP, even in name alone.

[McMasterdonia]

What article are you reading EW?

[The Grim Reaper]

What article are you reading EW?

It's almost as if he came here to prove a point rather than to, you know, make sure a point exists.