The Miniluv Messenger: Big Brother is Watching Gameplay

[Meow Zedong]

Cormac, you are allowed to use my name in the "Former Merryman" piece if you want, I don't care .

It's a pretty impressive name, if I'm quite frank.

[Jose Jalapeno of Azgard]

Cormac, you are allowed to use my name in the "Former Merryman" piece if you want, I don't care .

It's a pretty impressive name, if I'm quite frank.

*nods*

[Cormac A Stark]

@ Auralia - It's the name of the newspaper, not an anonymous puppet. I don't do anonymous newspapers, I think it's tacky. If you don't have the cojones to sign your name to it, you probably shouldn't post it, that's my view.

@ Charax - Two things. First, you can't blame the guy, even I have a hard time keeping up with my alignment. Second, holy crap that picture is creepy.

@ Horse - I hadn't asked you first so I didn't want to use your name, though considering that everyone and their third NS wife has seen those logs by now I guess everyone probably knew.

[New Libertarian States]

@ Auralia - It's the name of the newspaper, not an anonymous puppet. I don't do anonymous newspapers, I think it's tacky. If you don't have the cojones to sign your name to it, you probably shouldn't post it, that's my view.

@ Charax - Two things. First, you can't blame the guy, even I have a hard time keeping up with my alignment. Second, holy crap that picture is creepy.

@ Horse - I hadn't asked you first so I didn't want to use your name, though considering that everyone and their third NS wife has seen those logs by now I guess everyone probably knew.

I mean unless it's a private conversation between me and other members (stuff meant to be private), I'm cool with people posting stuff about me.

[Charax]

@ Charax - Two things. First, you can't blame the guy, even I have a hard time keeping up with my alignment.

You are to alignments what I am to citizenships.

Second, holy crap that picture is creepy.

Don't pretend you don't have a deep, passionate love for Rick off of Pawn Stars.

[Ambroscus Koth]

Don't pretend you don't have a deep, passionate love for Rick off of Pawn Stars.

[The Miniluv Messenger]

Big Brother is watching Gameplay

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Spiritus in Crisis: Exodus of Longtime, High Profile Citizens Continues

Charax Stark, Denth Rowan resign citizenship in Spiritus, citing the deterioration of the community due to political manipulation.

By Cormac Stark

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THE GNARLED OAK - Charax Stark, former Vice President of Spiritus, and Denth Rowan, another influential citizen, resigned their citizenship in Spiritus today, citing the deterioration of the community due to political manipulation as their reasons for doing so. This latest round of departures by longtime, high profile citizens follows earlier resignations of citizenship by former President Inric "Wintermoot" Stark in late October 2013 and former Vice President Cormac Stark, the author of this article, in early December 2013. Wintermoot has since gone on to found his own defender region, Wintreath, of which Stark and Rowan are also citizens.

In recent months, Spiritus has been rocked by controversies and scandals that have left its community divided. Some of these controversies involved personal disputes between citizens, but others were related to Spiritus' external policy and decisions made by the region's most senior leadership. President Wuufu Vitus and former Vice President and Founder Tim Stark were caught in a scandal involving vote stacking in British Isles in December 2013. Meanwhile, Spiritus has been debating a push by the President and Founder to enroll Spiritus in the Founderless Regions Alliance (FRA). The FRA Charter was recently ratified by the elected Spiritus Regional Assembly and signed by the President, but was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Spiritus before the President applied for FRA membership on behalf of the region. These issues factored into the recent presidential election, which saw the incumbent President and his new running mate, Toms, achieve a decisive 17-5-2 victory against the opposing tickets of Charax Stark/Butterspring and Milograd/Karputsk.

Charax Stark denied that his loss in the recent presidential election was the reason behind his decision to resign citizenship. "This is not a knee-jerk reaction to the FRA membership debacle, nor my loss of the election to Wuufu," Stark said in his resignation statement. "My issues with this region are far more substantial than post-election butthurt." Stark went on to detail his concerns that the community is deteriorating due to political manipulation by some of its citizens, acknowledging regretfully that the seeds for this deterioration were planted with a focus on external policy during his own term as Vice President under President Wintermoot. During his time in Spiritus, Charax Stark served as Regional Assembly Representative, Vice President, Minister of Defense, and Minister Without Portfolio.

Denth Rowan echoed many of the former Vice President's sentiments. Rowan, while never officially holding office in Spiritus, was nonetheless an influential member of the community, actively involved in Spiritan culture as well as the region's legislative processes and legal affairs. Both he and the former Vice President cited Tim Stark as having a significant role in the community's deterioration and an oversized role in regional politics, and were heavily critical of incumbent President Wuufu Vitus and his decision to seek another term, his first full term, as President of Spiritus.

Spiritus President Wuufu Vitus and Founder Tim Stark declined any comment. The Miniluv Messenger will bring you more when and if this story develops.

[Charax]

Firstly, you got my name wrong. >_>

Secondly, just for everyone else's reference, I didn't give Cormac any permission to write this. Nor did I provide any statements. I'm not associated with this in any way whatsoever.

[Ambroscus Koth]

Firstly, you got my name wrong. >_>

Precisely why I don't subscribe to family names

[Benevolent Thomas]

Do you only plan to write about your enemies with this tabloid or do you plan to uncover some really juicy stories in the future?

[Mad Jack]

Do you only plan to write about your enemies with this tabloid or do you plan to uncover some really juicy stories in the future?

He's presumably constrained by the intel he receives with regards to what he can write about.

[Venico]

I believe we plan on reporting on the juicy stories that come along. If it just happens to advance our interests, well that's just some frosting on the cake eh?

[Mad Jack]

What in particular is made up Mahaj?

It is now five days on and Mahaj hasn't elaborated on which details were made up.

I'd now like to publicly call upon the Chief of the Band to apologise for alleging that details were made up - and to withdraw the accusation.

[Unibot III]

What in particular is made up Mahaj?

It is now five days on and Mahaj hasn't elaborated on which details were made up.

I'd now like to publicly call upon the Chief of the Band to apologise for alleging that details were made up - and to withdraw the accusation.

Why would he withdraw the accusation if they were true?

[Mad Jack]

It is now five days on and Mahaj hasn't elaborated on which details were made up.

I'd now like to publicly call upon the Chief of the Band to apologise for alleging that details were made up - and to withdraw the accusation.

Why would he withdraw the accusation if they were true?

Because the accusation wasn't true?

[SFBA wabbitslayah]

Yeah, Maaj.

[Feux]

I believe we plan on reporting on the juicy stories that come along. If it just happens to advance our interests, well that's just some frosting on the cake eh?

This is what you call advancing your interests? Good to know.

[Cormac A Stark]

Firstly, you got my name wrong. >_>

Yeah, sorry. Someone mentioned you're using your married name now but I didn't know that.

Secondly, just for everyone else's reference, I didn't give Cormac any permission to write this. Nor did I provide any statements. I'm not associated with this in any way whatsoever.

I'll confirm this, while pointing out that I made it clear in the article that the quotes attributed to you came from your resignation statement, and also noting that I don't need permission to write a news story. It's journalism; journalists don't get permission from politicians they're writing about prior to publishing.

Do you only plan to write about your enemies with this tabloid or do you plan to uncover some really juicy stories in the future?

The next article I'm planning is, if they're interested, an interview with whoever wins the ongoing Delegate election in Balder. I can't speak for other contributors, though I am Editor-in-Chief and I can say that I'm trying to maintain a fair newspaper here. Yes, I reported on this news from Spiritus, but I pointed out the statements Charax and Denth made while also pointing out by how much they lost the recent election, and I don't feel that I took a particular side here. I suppose there could be some bias reflected in my choice to write this story at all, but I personally think we're getting too much news from GCRs lately and getting too GCR oriented in Gameplay in general, and I'm trying to change that with more news stories about UCRs.

[New Libertarian States]

It is now five days on and Mahaj hasn't elaborated on which details were made up.

I'd now like to publicly call upon the Chief of the Band to apologise for alleging that details were made up - and to withdraw the accusation.

Why would he withdraw the accusation if they were true?

wat

The posts were entirely factual, Mahaj WAS wrong

[Auralia]

What was the point in using an anonymous puppet if you were going to sign your name anyways?

The puppet is the name of the news, not meant to be annonymous.

Whoops, missed the byline. Sorry.

[Benevolent Thomas]

I suppose there could be some bias reflected in my choice to write this story at all, but I personally think we're getting too much news from GCRs lately and getting too GCR oriented in Gameplay in general, and I'm trying to change that with more news stories about UCRs.

I gladly welcome more stories out of UCR's (other than Capitalist Paradise of course). I imagine you understand how one could draw the conclusion I have after the first story is about Unibot and the second being about Spiritus, casting a negative light on both (not that it was unwarranted either in at least one of the cases). Thanks for answering my question as well, I will be sure to keep reading.

[Mad Jack]

To be fair... are there any positive stories of Unibot around any more?

[Cormac A Stark]

I gladly welcome more stories out of UCR's (other than Capitalist Paradise of course). I imagine you understand how one could draw the conclusion I have after the first story is about Unibot and the second being about Spiritus, casting a negative light on both (not that it was unwarranted either in at least one of the cases). Thanks for answering my question as well, I will be sure to keep reading.

Aye, I'm concerned that the first two stories had a negative tone too -- though the other side of the first story is that defenders except Unibot were quite united in the liberation of Coalition of Leftist Comrades, and Sovreignry and later Mahaj both handled Unibot's outburst appropriately and ensured it didn't damage UDL cooperation with the LLA. Those are both positives, and perhaps I should have highlighted them a bit more.

Glad you'll keep reading, and thanks for the feedback. I appreciate feedback from anyone as my goal here is to provide a decent Gameplay news source, despite the awesomely snarky choice of name.

[Charax]

Secondly, just for everyone else's reference, I didn't give Cormac any permission to write this. Nor did I provide any statements. I'm not associated with this in any way whatsoever.

I'll confirm this, while pointing out that I made it clear in the article that the quotes attributed to you came from your resignation statement, and also noting that I don't need permission to write a news story. It's journalism; journalists don't get permission from politicians they're writing about prior to publishing.

Naturally. I just wanted to put that out there explicitly, lest I am branded someone who seeks to disrupt the region in my absence.

[The Miniluv Messenger]

Big Brother is watching Gameplay

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Milestone: Equilism Celebrates Tenth Anniversary

Westwind: "And now it's been ten years. Equilism continues through good times and bad."

By Cormac Stark

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EQUILITY - Equilism kicked off its tenth anniversary celebration today, a reminder to the broader NationStates community of the longevity and success that user-created regions can enjoy. Equilism has been a pioneer region in NationStates gameplay, once a leading member region of the Alliance Defense Network (ADN) with the E-Army showcased as the third largest military in NationStates in 2004 and a military powerhouse for some time after. During the gamewide activity slump of 2006, Equilism controversially underwent The Schism in an effort to kick-start activity in the region and in NationStates more broadly even as many of their friends and allies were fading from the game. Activity has been a hallmark of the philosophy behind Equilism, its government and culture, with the region playing a leading role in defining independence as a regional philosophy and advocating a shift toward independence in the post-Influence age.

Westwind, one of the longest serving and most prominent citizens of Equilism, offered his thoughts on this milestone for Equilism in a speech to commemorate the region's ten year anniversary. "And now it's been ten years. Equilism continues through good times and bad," he said. "Always with strength in our diversity, and respect for each other. Through activity and inactivity. From Founder to Founder. From Generation to Generation." Westwind has previously served as Founder of Equilism and in many other roles and remains as root administrator of the Equilism forum, respected by regional citizens as a Father of Equilism.

"We're thrilled to have made it this far, and very proud of all of our members throughout the years who have helped us get this far," Astarial, Equilism Director of Marketing (Officer of Foreign Affairs), told The Miniluv Messenger. The region's ten year anniversary celebration features contests, games, recollections by longtime citizens, historical information, and a new regional map unveiled today and designed by Astarial. The festivities are scheduled to run from 11 January to 18 January.