Embassy of The North Pacific

member · by **Eluvatar** » Wed Jan 09, 2019 3:56 pm

One suggestion: given there's a dispatch version (sans spoiler tags), you could link to it from the forum post?

by **Escade** » Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:16 pm

Great aesthetics relying on clean and professional design and like the use of images to balance text

by **Imperium Anglorum** » Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:29 pm

Lovely design.

by **El Fiji Grande** » Wed Jan 09, 2019 7:23 pm

Eluvatar wrote:One suggestion: given there's a dispatch version (sans spoiler tags), you could link to it from the forum post?

Will do. That's a good suggestion.

Lord Dominator wrote:Nice stuff, rather amused by the impromptu interview

Unibot III wrote:Lovely work, El Fiji Grande.

Eluvatar wrote:This is pretty great

Aenglaland wrote:Always a great read. Nice work, Fiji!

Cormactopia Prime wrote:I really enjoyed reading this, and I appreciate TNP being so responsive to people's accessibility concerns. Well done all around.

Malphe wrote:...Should be, he's been doing awesome work as Comms Minister...

Escade wrote:Great aesthetics relying on clean and professional design and like the use of images to balance text

Imperium Anglorum wrote:Lovely design.

Thanks for the comments! I'm glad our hard work has paid off. The Ministry couldn't have done anything like this without its writers and editors, so I'd like to thank MadJack, Malphe, Marcus Antonius, and Pallaith (who helped edit my article) in particular for their astounding work.

by **Xagill** » Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:40 am

January 2019 General Elections

by Marcus Antonius, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Communications

The January 2019 elections were a spectacular event with a large turnout of candidates. Eluvatar and Owenstacey served as Election Commissioners.

Delegate Results

The candidates for Delegate were St. George, Bluie Gamer, abc, Bobberino, BMWSurfer, Pallaith and Praeth]

St. George (Mad Jack) once served as Delegate previously in Osiris in 2012, but had a DOS status that prevented him from accessing NS for the last several years. When, a few months ago, he successfully appealed that decision with the NS mods, there was significant hype around the potential for a campaign of his for the delegacy. His platform was impressive and certainly gave Pallaith a run for his money in gaining 36.36% of the region's voters.

Bluie Gamer was going to run in the last election but was struck by the 'forum apocalypse'. He ran a joke campaign in which he advised the region not to vote for him, but still succeeded in securing a solitary vote.

abc has been a member of TNP for two years and has held the positions of Speaker and Minister of Home Affairs. He received some criticism from his term as Speaker when he 'vanished,' leaving Wonderess to essentially take over the office. This may reflect why voters only gave him the one vote.

Bobberino ran a joke campaign in which he declared himself 'Spammer in Chief!'. He still managed to attract four votes.

BMWSurfer, our hard working Minister of Home Affairs, Deputy Minister of World Assembly Affairs and relative 'newcomer' to TNP, managed to sway six votes. His campaign made light of his plan to have “Some people will be on my cabinet, some animals,” referencing some peoples' choice of forum avatar and NS flag.

Praetor's campaign was well thought-out, and provided a deep level of suggestions for future delegates. It was intended to be a model campaign. Praetor withdrew his bid for Delegate on the first day of voting as he never intended to actually run, not having the time to dedicate to the role.

Pallaith - serving as Vice Delegate and Security Councillor - was always going to be a very strong contender for the delegacy. His commitment, work ethic and the fact he has been Delegate on two previous occasions, proved a popular choice for the voters. He claimed victory with 52.73% of the vote.

The new Delegate of TNP is Pallaith, having secured 58 of the 110 total votes cast.
St. George came second with 40 votes. BMWSurfer, third with 6 votes. Fourth place went to Bobberino with 4 votes. The last place positions were shared by abc and Bluie Gamer with 1 vote apiece. There were 7 Abstains.

Vice Delegate Results

The candidates for Vice Delegate were Brendog, Sil Dorsett, SiberianFedRep, Bobberino and Bootsie.

Brendog - a former Minister of Home Affairs - has previously pursued the Vice Delegacy. He provided a sound but intriguing campaign in relation to the running of the Security Council. This achieved him 14.16% of the vote.

SiberianFedRep received no votes, having abandoned the region prior to the start of voting. While his campaign was clearly beneath the standard of a serious candidate in the election, it is important to emphasize that TNP makes an effort to seriously consider the campaigns of experienced newcomers, even if they're not familiar faces.

Bobberino not only threw his hat into the Delegate race, but also the Vice Delegate race. He did not submit a campaign thread for the VD race, but still managed to achieve 9.73% of the vote. His joke delegate bid has already been discussed above.

bootsie has been on the Security Council for three years and has served as Vice Delegate. As Sil Dorsett, a fellow Security Councillor,
was running for the Vice Delegacy as well, bootsie tactically withdrew from the contest so as not to split the votes between them.

Sil Dorsett is a current member of the Security Council. He has been involved in TNP for over two years and has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of World Assembly Affairs. Voters agreed that he was indeed 'The Right Person in the Right Job.' With the withdrawal of bootsie, the race for Vice Delegate was left open for Sil Dorsett to bring home 76.11% of the vote.

At the end of voting, Sil Dorsett is the new Vice Delegate with 86 of the 113 votes cast. Brendog came second with sixteen votes, and Bobberino gained third place with eleven votes. There were four abstains.

Attorney General Results
Yuno is relatively new to TNP but she didn’t want COE running against himself. To prove herself knowledgeable and understanding of TNP's Legal Code, Yuno summarized the aforementioned document in her campaign. This impressed some voters as she achieved 27.96% of the votes.

Crushing Our Enemies was the sitting Attorney General and was seeking re-election to the office. Four months ago, he promised to center his work as Attorney General around the values of Compassion, Objectivity, and Efficiency. The voters of TNP acknowledged his appeal and he won, accumulating 67 of the 93 cast votes of which there were 23 abstains.

So, Crushing Our Enemies has been re-elected as the Attorney General.

Regional Speaker Results

Wonderess (the former Speaker) as well as Artemis and Dinoium entered the fray for election for Speaker. This particular race became quite controversial.

Wonderess completed one term as Speaker after succeeding ABC for the role in the last election. He was very keen to be re-elected as he wanted to publish a successor to the Regional Assembly Digest, a comprehensive summary of RA activity that had fallen by the wayside in his last term.

Artemis (also known as Oracle and as Sundred) served as a member of the Security Council, Election Commission, and Deputy Speaker at the time of the election, and is a former Minister of Culture. His campaign cited his plan - if elected - to surround himself with active Deputy Speakers, and hopes to blend the make-up of the Deputy Speakers with experienced members as well as newer individuals to help train future speakers.

Dinoium has had experience as a Deputy Minister of Communications, Deputy Attorney General, Ambassador and has served on the Speaker's Staff. When the voting started, it became obvious that it was going to be a very close race indeed. At the cease of voting, there were only four votes separating the first and last places.

Wonderess - the incumbent - was defeated, taking 34 of 108 total votes. There were nine abstains. Artemis and Dinoium could not achieve a clear majority with 36 and 38 votes achieved respectively at the cease of the voting period. This then led to a runoff vote, which is further described in the section below.

Speaker Runoff Results
Dinoium takes on Artemis

The runoff vote between Artemis and Dinoium got off to a good start and it very quickly appeared as though Dinoium was going to secure the victory. However, a few days into the campaign, Dinoium had a change of heart having been dropped as a Deputy Minister of Communications. Preferring to once again pursue that role, he wished to concede the Speaker race. There was some speculation as to his intent, given that such an action is illegal. A candidate cannot concede once the voting has started. Dinoium would have had to drop his citizenship or not take his oath if elected. If he dropped his citizenship, the voting process would have to be re-started. If he was victorious in the voting and was awarded the Speaker position and then not taken his oath, this would have triggered a Special Election a week after the Oath Taking period had lapsed. All that said, Dinoium later stated that he had merely attempted to admit defeat and encourage his supporters to shift their votes to Artemis. Whatever the case, this situation did not result in a legal dilemma, as at the close of voting, the votes were as follows: Artemis: 44 and Dinoium: 30, with one abstain.

Artemis is the new Speaker.

Minister and Deputy Appointments

Regional Assembly Highlights

by Marcus Antonius, Deputy Minister of Communications

Regional Assembly January 2019

Speaker of The Regional Assembly: Artemis
Deputy Speakers of The Regional Assembly: Ark, Bobberino and Bootsie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At Vote
None

Passed
Nessuno's Security Council Application, put forward by Pallaith.
Status: Passed
Summary: The Security Council, having previously nominated Nessuno's back in 2015, discussed his application. Siwale provided a detailed statement in support of Nessuno and the Security Council passed the nomination and it went to vote. The vote passed in Nessuno's favour with only one opposed.

COE's Security Council Application, put forward by Pallaith.
Status: Passed
Summary: The Security Council had nominated Crushing Our Enemies for a seat on the Security Council. The vote for his admission was a majority, with 9 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. The application then went to the Regional Assembly for discussion and voting to take place. During the discussion a very interesting and reasoned answer was given by COE in relation to 'Reckless Endorsement Gathering". The RA vote was 28 ayes and 1 abstain.

In Discussion
Delegate and Vice Delegate Article Amendment, put forward by Dinoium.
Status: In Discussion
Summary: Dinoium proposes changes of Article 3: Delegate and Vice Delegate of the Constitution of The North Pacific.

Amendment to the Rules of the Regional Assembly, put forward by Artemis.
Status: In Discussion
Summary: During the past several months, Artemis had seen some comments about amending the rules of the Regional Assembly. Therefore, he would like to present a draft for consideration of some changes. None are too drastic and would be beneficial.

Making sense of who are government officials, put forward by Haor Chall.
Status: In Discussion
Summary: It seems very odd that Deputy Ministers are not currently seen as government officials, which is causing some confusion. Haor Chall proposes changes to the Legal Code, Chapter 6 and Constitutional Amendment, Article 7.[/align]

North Pacific Army Bulletin January 2019

by Malphe, War Correspondent

Minister of Defense: Darcania
Deputy Ministers of Defense: Malphe, Bobberino

Entering into 2019, newly elected delegate Pallaith appointed long-time NPA member and former MoD Darcania as Minister of Defense, who then appointed Bobberino and Malphe as his deputies.

Darcania is one of the oldest NPAers still active and has the experience of over three years and a short time already as MoD in 2017 under his belt. He has also served as Chief of Staff under Eluvatar and Deputy Minister of Defense under both Zazumo and Lozinak. Deputy Bobberino has been a member of the NPA since early 2018, entering during now deputy Malphe's term who has been a member (with bouts of inactivity) since early 2016.

Whilst no large operations have yet been undertaken as of 27/01/2019 excepting a small tag of a fascist region, the Minister has been busy reorganizing the roster of the NPA to automatically update any soldier's number of operations undertaken. This term has also seen the return of Gladio to activity within NPA, although still WA locked he has triggered for a simple tag operation where he hit 3 out of the 3 targets, despite not having triggered for almost a year.

We're optimistic this will be a very good term for the NPA!

World Assembly Digest

by El Fiji Grande, Minister of Communications

General Assembly
Improving the world one resolution at a time.

Preventing Groundwater Contamination
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: For
Final Vote (World): For: 13,534 Against: 2,184
Final Vote (TNP): For: 511 Against: 62 Percentage of WA nations voting: 39.2

Recommendation: This proposal is a bit convoluted and not very clear in its intent. It fails to cite any parameters for the proposed project and gives only vague indications of the project's eventual benefits to member nations. Without these things, the project has the potential to become a vast and costly white elephant in space, indefinitely hemorrhaging funds into the nearest singularity. Most problematic is the requirement to a mandatory, open-ended spend for all WA nations, many of whom have no interest in space exploration at all. This lack of clarity in authorship, and perhaps an ambition that has outpaced practical realities, renders the project difficult to envision, and the proposal difficult to support.

For this reason, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against this proposal.

Debtor Voting Rights
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: For
Final Vote (World): For: 9,613 Against: 6,991
Final Vote (TNP): For: 457 Against: 157 Percentage of WA nations voting: 42.1

Recommendation: The proposal very simply and elegantly protects the voting rights of debtors. This is important as democratic member nations should not constrict the rights of citizens to elect representatives and/or the ability to vote upon other democratic processes based on their financial status or grievances.

In accordance with the brief reasoning stated above, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For this proposal.

Repeal "Debtor Voting Rights"
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: Against
Final Vote (World): For: 10,937 Against: 5,078
Final Vote (TNP): For: 316 Against: 218 Percentage of WA nations voting: 40.0

Recommendation: Foundationally, the target proposal remains sound. That it does not address every conceivable scenario where it may be skirted by nefarious governments does not preclude the possibility of future, enhancing proposals to address those vulnerabilities. The recent passage of GAR#450 (Don't Kill the Poor Act) addressing an oversight in GAR#38 (Convention Against Genocide) shows how scenarios not considered at the time of passage of a law can be later addressed, without a wholesale repeal and replace. Although the ideas outlined in this repeal and the ideas outlined in DVR are linked, they remain separate issues: One relating to debt and imprisonment. One relating to debt and voting rights. As a result, and provided any supplementary legislation enhancing DVR does not tread on precisely the same ground, the concerns raised in this proposal can be addressed without the repeal. While some may see DVR as incomplete, incomplete is not the same as defective. In what it sets out to do, DVR still makes it very clear that no nation shall bar member nations from invoking a person's debts as reason to deprive that person of the right to vote. Legislation relating to debt and incarceration can, and likely will, come later.

For this reason, The Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against this proposal.

Freedom to Seek Medical Care II
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: Against
Final Vote (World): For: 8,069 Against: 7,770
Final Vote (TNP): For: 196 Against: 410 Percentage of WA nations voting: 41.4

Recommendation: This is the second incarnation of this proposal. The first was submitted for vote roughly one year ago, and little has changed between that version and this. The Ministry cited a significant problem with version one (FTSMC), in that it created potential conflicts with standing legislation GAR#389, relating to the closure of national borders, and the prohibition of temporary emigration at times of quarantine during epidemics. Should the need arise to repeal and replace GAR#389 with a more comprehensive version, the passage of FTSMC would have rendered that legally impossible. The loss of that ability to declare quarantines, and close national borders, would present an unacceptable risk to the greater public health of the WA, writ large. While the Ministry, then, supported the premise of FTMSC, it could not support the proposal without a suggested, minor edit to language, alleviating that problem. In the current version, those recommendations have gone ignored, the troublesome language remains, as does the potential conflict. It appears the author simply sat on the proposal for a year, made minor amendments that did not address previous concerns, then added a "II" to the title in hopes that voters would forget. This shows a certain complacency, which is further highlighted by the garbled text that appeared in the previous version and remains uncorrected a year later. For these reasons, The Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against this proposal.

Repeal "Safeguarding Nuclear Materials"
Status: Failed
Delegate's Vote: Against
Final Vote (World): For: 4,846 Against: 10,862
Final Vote (TNP): For: 65 Against: 496 Percentage of WA nations voting: 39.3

Recommendation: In citing our previous support of the target of this repeal, it should be noted that the target allows all WA nations to procure and trade nuclear weapons without WA interference. This is important as very real and powerful nuclear threats do exist outside of the WA sphere of influence and it is paramount that WA member nuclear programs are not subject to limitations that may prevent a response or act of aggression by a foreign power. Furthermore, the target resolution provides denuclearization services free of charge to nations who cannot defend or no longer wish to maintain their own nuclear program.

In accordance with the items stated above, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against this repeal.

Right to Self-defense
Status: At Vote
Delegate's Vote: Against

Security Council
Spreading interregional peace and goodwill, via force if necessary.

Repeal "Commend Solorni"
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: Against
Final Vote (World): For: 10,943 Against: 2,806
Final Vote (TNP): For: 169 Against: 327 Percentage of WA nations voting: 33.8%

Recommendation: There is strong historical precedent within the NationStates community, that commendations of players discovered to have engaged in out-of-character (OOC) misconduct ought to be repealed, as a means of isolating these players and protecting the community. Such repeals have occurred a few times in the past, and The North Pacific has consistently voted in support of them. The need for these repeals arises, largely, due to the unwillingness of NationStates' administration to adequately address OOC actions occurring outside of the main NationStates website. It is also an unfortunate consequence of NationStates' harmful rules for handling OOC misconduct issues, that these repeals must be written from an entirely in-character (IC) perspective. As a result, repeals of this kind are difficult to write, with the authors having to waltz around the rules in order to disguise what the resolution really is about: condemnation of OOC misconduct.

Unfortunately, in the case of the repeal in question, the attempts for rule compliance have resulted in a resolution containing assertions that are at best exaggerations, and at worst outright falsehoods. The problematic claims are found in two clauses, "Disgusted..." and "Disturbed...": In these clauses, the resolution takes allegations of misconduct by the commended nation, previously published in Europeia's investigation, and elevates them into statements of fact. This is despite the fact that Europeia themselves acknowledge that there is not sufficient evidence to prove these allegations. To make matters worse, by asserting the entire career of the commended nation to be the result of OOC misconduct, the resolution grossly misrepresents even the number of these allegations. The implication of the clauses is that the commended nation routinely and consistently resorted to OOC misconduct, possibly in a majority of their interactions throughout their years-long NationStates career. There is simply no evidence to support that there has been misconduct at this scale.

It is worth taking a moment to contrast this resolution with previous repeals of commendations for OOC reasons: All of them had to cite IC arguments, in order to overcome the unfortunate confines of the NationStates' rules. However, none of them had to resort to unproven assertions of OOC misconduct. This is the first resolution to do so. Supporting this resolution sets a dangerous precedent for future resolutions attempting to address OOC misconduct. Not only is this resolution not conducive to establishing an effective protocol for how the community should deal with cases of OOC misconduct by commended players, but it damages what progress the community has already made in that regard.

Because of all of the above, The North Pacific must oppose this resolution. The North Pacific would vote in favor of an alternative repeal resolution that addressed the above shortcomings. But as it stands, The North Pacific recommends a vote against the current resolution.

Commend Lyras
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: For
Final Vote (World): For: 12,948 Against: 2,038
Final Vote (TNP): For: 439 Against: 60 Percentage of WA nations voting: 34.3

Recommendation: Lyras is a well-known figure in the RP community, commanding great respect, and possessing a highly influential style that has drawn the loyalty and alignment of numerous nations. Lyras' military power is undeniable and has proven to be a stabilizing force in times of conflict and turmoil. As a superpower, this military might has been used overwhelmingly as an ultimate force towards good, and always with a beneficial, strategic endgame in mind. Lyras is expert in military armament, custom manufacture, and is always open to educating fellow RPers, and to bringing an unprecedented technical expertise to the realm of play. With a presence dating back nearly to antiquity, Lyras' place in the stratocracy is undeniable, and their leadership in shaping the post-Jolt landscape has contributed to the thriving RP community enjoyed today.

For this reason, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For this proposal.

Commend Jutsa
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: For
Final Vote (World): For: 12,930 Against: 1,634
Final Vote (TNP): For: 474 Against: 44 Percentage of WA nations voting: 35.2

Recommendation: In addition to being regionally active in the East Pacific, Jutsa has been an ongoing contributor to the greater NS community. Jutsa has authored several of the daily issues that appear in regular gameplay and has also collaborated in the authorship of legislation for the WA. Additionally, Jutsa is a regular contributor to legislation development for other nations, providing leadership and expertise through consistent forum activity, along with post-factum documentation and archiving. This is often thankless work that benefits every member of the WA by providing a clear and well-organized window into the past. Jutsa is a deserving member of the community and an important contributor to that which keeps the WA functioning day-to-day.

For this reason, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For this resolution.

Commend Paffnia
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: For
Final Vote (World): For: 11,963 Against: 2,600
Final Vote (TNP): For: 541 Against: 43 Percentage of WA nations voting: 39.9

Recommendation: At first blush, the nomination seems to place greatest emphasis on Paffnia's regional accomplishments within 10,000 Islands, but more careful review reveals extensive international work as well, both diplomatically and militarily. A former WA Delegate and Foreign Affairs Minster for 10KI, Paffnia has forged numerous international relationships and has been recognized for ongoing good conduct abroad. Militarily, Paffnia has participated in some of the most significant defender campaigns in recent history, assisting some of the largest GCRs in the realm, and contributing to hundreds of smaller campaigns that have brought relief and stability to thousands of WA nations. Rounding out their contributions to the greater community is Paffnia's authorship of SC Resolution #93. Paffnia has received numerous accolades, awards, and military decorations domestically, and this worthy nominee is an ideal candidate for SC Commendation.

For the reasoning displayed above, The Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For this proposal.

Repeal "Commend Imperium Anglorum"
Status: Failed
Delegate's Vote: Against
Final Vote (World): For: 3,514 Against: 11,845
Final Vote (TNP): For: 75 Against: 502 Percentage of WA nations voting: 39.5

Recommendation: Like all SC proposals, this one should be given a fair assessment, and decisions should be made based on content rather than any assumption as to the author's motive. Similarly, that benefit of the doubt should be extended to the target as well. If we can't jump to the conclusion that the author has submitted this proposal with anything but reasonable intention, then we equally can't jump to the conclusion that IA has submitted past proposals with any less reasonable motives. We must assume that both are acting with what they feel is in the best interest of the Assembly, even though those ideas may be in opposition. Much of the author's case for repeal is in trying to convince us of the target's ill motive, and it is in the absence of benefit of doubt where the author's argument falls apart under the weight of unsubstantiated speculation. Accusations of ill motive are quite simply a matter of opinion, and don't carry the sort of weight necessary to justify repealing a commendation for a player who has made significant and laudable contributions to both their region and the World Assembly.

For this reason, The Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against this proposal.

Liberate Politics Amino
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: For
Final Vote (World): For: 10,357 Against: 4,574
Final Vote (TNP): For: 523 Against: 51 Percentage of WA nations voting: 39.5

Recommendation: Politics Amino is a small, active region who became the unfortunate target of an aggressive raid and refound orchestrated by a joint force led by Osiris. A liberation becomes necessary as those known to the situation believe it is a trophy hunt without specific reasoning and Osiris has stated that there is no explicit justification for the operation taking place. It is the stance of The North Pacific to oppose the total destruction of innocent communities and the support of legislation aiming to fulfill that goal. In accordance with the reasoning displayed above, The Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For this proposal.

by **Xagill** » Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:42 am

Note: Alot of the images were removed because they were too large. Please see the dispatch here for the entire issue including pictures

by **Onder Kelkia** » Wed Feb 20, 2019 8:52 am

A comprehensive issue. Congratulations to the winners of the elections as well as the duly appointed ministers and deputy speakers.

by **Your Imaginary Friend** » Wed Feb 20, 2019 9:55 am

That's an amazing and informative report. One of the things I love about TNP is the impeccable standard to which the region holds itself to; everything is always so well put together.

Congratulations to the new government!

by **Kyorgia** » Wed Feb 20, 2019 9:57 am

Onder Kelkia wrote:A comprehensive issue. Congratulations to the winners of the elections as well as the duly appointed ministers and deputy speakers.

OMG I MISSED YOU SO MUCH tackle hugs

by **Vulturret II** » Wed Feb 20, 2019 10:15 am

This issue was a very good read.

The Realm of Balder congratulations TNP on these successful elections and its new officials.

by **The Holy Principality of Saint Mark** » Wed Feb 20, 2019 2:09 pm

Congratulations to TNP's new office holders!

by **Escade** » Wed Feb 20, 2019 6:49 pm

Concise and very informative! Congratulations on another healthy election cycle!

Praetor was super classy (hope he runs for real some time) and hoping to see Yuns more active

by **Queen Yuno** » Wed Feb 20, 2019 8:41 pm

Escade wrote:Concise and very informative! Congratulations on another healthy election cycle!

Praetor was super classy (hope he runs for real some time) and hoping to see Yuns more active

Thanks Escade! Sometimes I pile for them and sometimes I write news articles for them ^^ it’s relaxing.

by **Azaelai** » Thu Feb 21, 2019 1:38 am

Awesome update TNP ^-^

by **El Fiji Grande** » Mon Mar 04, 2019 1:42 am

We are aware that not everyone is equally appreciative of image-based NS newspapers. As such, we've included the standard format mostly plain-text version of the newspaper in the spoiler below. We hope you enjoy reading this month's issue! If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions, feel free to telegram the current TNP Minister of Communications El Fiji Grande.

Link to TNL Issue XXVII Dispatch

Editor's Note
.
by El Fiji Grande, Minister of Communications

Issue XXVII of The Northern Lights builds on the progress made in the last Issue to become a world-class NS newspaper. Featured within this Issue are several articles that discuss TNP's expanding horizons on the world stage. Notably, this will be the first paper with an article written by a foreign author - Sopo. We hope to encourage more authors from abroad to feature as guest authors in future issues of TNL. As always, no views expressed in this or future Issues of TNL represent the official TNP government stance unless otherwise stated.

~El Fiji Grande
TNP Minister of Communications

An Outsider’s Perspective on TNP Gameplay Neutrality
.
by Sopo, Former President of Europeia

The NationStates Gameplay forum and its offshoot Discord server are in many ways the nucleus of the gameplay world; they are the places where players of diverse backgrounds come together, build relationships both personal and professional, and trade gossip about our small world’s goings-on. Players and regions are able to generate publicity for themselves, both good and bad, through regular updates in a standing NSGP Embassy. Young regions use these threads as a recruitment tool, but they also receive feedback from the community on how to improve. The easiest way for an up-and-coming region to make a name for itself in the world is through a well-crafted NSGP post to generate buzz.

Despite the occasional good that comes from our communal watering hole, NS Gameplay is known for its divisiveness. While each region can choose who can and cannot be a member, NSGP is wide open to all players in good standing in-game. Malcontents can conceal the source of their criticism with anonymous puppets which, while frowned upon, remain an effective method to lob bombs while protecting one’s reputation. Even the most mundane of regional announcements on the forum can become subject to nit-picking. Certain regions even become the perpetual targets of specific players, disincentivizing their participation on any level.

For established regions, including large User-Created Regions and the Game-Created Regions, free publicity is less important than it is for younger regions. Nonetheless, in a political simulator like NationStates, the power players still like to throw their weight around occasionally to accomplish something specific or simply to demonstrate relevance. This is an easier feat for regions that are ideologically cohesive where internal constituencies are likely to stand behind any public statement. And it is easier still for regions in which governing power is highly concentrated in one player and thus such statements do not need to be screened by many others for approval. Leaders of such regions have much more leeway to engage in NSGP without fearing backlash from other regional stakeholders, and can generally do so freely. Yet, for those large regions with ideologically diverse constituencies, the benefits of NSGP engagement are nebulous at best.

The North Pacific - the largest region in NationStates and one of the game’s most robust political systems - has maintained a policy of limited engagement with NSGP for quite some time. During Siwale’s most recent two-term stint as Delegate of The North Pacific, the TNP NSGP Embassy remained relatively quiet, with a few editions of The Northern Lights and a statement on St Abbaddon being the only prominent government releases. Siwale had this to say on his NSGP posting philosophy:

"My philosophy was centered around speaking up when my region had something meaningful to say. There is always a lot of noise in NSGP, which is easy to get consumed by. A strong leader on the foreign affairs front is one who is able to sort through the plethora of NSGP chatter and only involve themselves in issues which impact their region or allied regions directly, threaten their region's ideologies, or inflict harm on the greater NS community. Before engaging, leaders should ask themselves: "How does my involvement benefit my region, my allies, and/or the greater NS community?" If they are unable to properly address this question, it is often best not to engage."

Siwale’s philosophy is encompassed in his statement on the pile-off in St Abbaddon. Measured and limited in scope, the statement outlines clear reasons for The North Pacific’s involvement without committing it to any long-term engagement with the New Pacific Order, which occupied St Abbaddon at that time. This statement stands alone as the only official release from Siwale as delegate, demonstrating his commitment to Teddy Roosevelt’s “speak softly and carry a big stick”-style philosophy. The North Pacific arguably wields more foreign affairs clout than any other region in the game today, so there’s something to be said for using it wisely rather than squandering it on the wrong opportunity.

But is TNP missing opportunities by remaining tight-lipped? As the world’s largest region, no one can compete with TNP in stature or prestige. Shouldn’t TNP use its power to shape world events and promote its own ideology and vision for NationStates? One could certainly argue that TNP could have been more proactive on many occasions but instead chose to stay silent. Recently elected TNP Delegate, Pallaith (aka Ghost), explained his own philosophy on utilizing NSGP, and seems to prefer a more proactive approach:

"I ran for Delegate again with an eye toward greater engagement with gameplay. Last time I was Delegate I was more deliberate and tended to stay neutral on the big events of the day since they didn’t touch on TNP directly. But even then I wanted TNP to be a leader and innovate and that just isn’t possible when you keep to yourself and don’t interact with the rest of the game. We have a large footprint in this game but we walk around on tiptoes. Like any other region we have causes and convictions we believe in, and an opinion.

Gameplay can be rough. But it’s something that cannot be ignored. We can have meaningful discussions and participation in gameplay without being dragged into black holes of negativity or getting lost in the weeds of dramatics. That’s the kind of involvement I want to have. If we have something constructive or useful to say, if we can lend our support to worthy causes, if we can speak to our values and vision of a better game and community, then we ought to speak. And we shouldn’t shy away from just socializing and being part of the community that we’re in as NS players."

Though Pallaith’s new government has yet to make a splash in the NSGP forum, he is a familiar figure for most Gameplayers and participates in the NSGP server regularly. A more robust TNP presence would certainly be welcomed by admirers such as myself, but it would not be without its drawbacks. TNP remaining above the fray also means it has generally been free from ridicule. Though the admin team took some heat for the 2017 NS World Fair debacle, the in-character government has generally remained above reproach in the minds of most players, even those who otherwise disagree with TNP’s ideological position in-game. Actively meddling in events not directly related to TNP could bring about significant public backlash beyond that which TNP has known in recent years. NSGP is a famed double-edged sword: reap its benefits, but be mindful of the pitfalls.

The North Pacific continues to thrive without speaking out in NationStates Gameplay, but an ambitious leader could find new opportunities to shape world events beyond TNP’s backyard by taking some risks. With influence unparalleled in the game today, TNP has a powerful voice when wielded wisely. Speak too softly and no one hears, but speak too often and no one listens. Delegates current and future must work hard to find the right balance between restraint and oversaturation. The world is watching.
On The NPA's Recruitment Efforts
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by BMWSurfer, Minister of Home Affairs

Disclaimer: All data used for this article is based on past proposals found in the WA Archives section of the forum, meaning they all went to vote at some point. It does not include any proposals that failed to reach quorum. A link to a google sheet has been provided at the end of this article, which contains all the data I used for this article. I invite you to read through my data and look for other sources of data to create an informed opinion.

Offensive Liberations have been hotly debated from the moment they were introduced. The first of these proposals to make it to quorum, “Liberate Nazi Europe,” by Cormac Stark, would shake the WA SC to its core, and while it ultimately failed, set a precedent that continues to be relevant more than six years later.
“I don't think the Security Council is likely to liberate regions for the purpose of opening them for invasion arbitrarily or lightly -- in fact, I'm not sure it will even do so in this case. But I do think in rare circumstances in which a region is a menace to the interregional community, as NAZI EUROPE and its allies certainly have been, the Security Council should take action to allow other regions to respond with the use of force. It would be difficult for NAZI EUROPE and allies to invade and grief other regions if they're having to constantly worry about defending NAZI EUROPE.”
~Cormac Stark, 2012
While offensive liberations are seen as a major issue in the WA, very few of them are actually put into effect. Only about 30% of all liberations that make it to quorum are offensive in nature, and of those, only 40% pass. Overall, that means that just over 10% of offensive liberations pass, compared to 68% of all liberations.

In looking at offensive liberations over time, we discover that this was even more true in the years before 2018, during which only two offensive liberations passed out of the ten that made it to vote. In 2018 alone, there were five offensive liberations that reached the voting floor and four of those passed. This fact is shown in the graph below.

The cause of this trend becomes clear once we look at which liberations were passed before and after 2018. All five offensive liberations proposed in 2018 targeted fascist or authoritarian regions. Arguments against fascism are much harder to challenge than arguments about gameplay styles. Any argument against an offensive liberation that targets a fascist region must conclude that the offensive liberation will make things worse, not better. Three of the most prevalent arguments are:

(i) Liberations were never intended to be used in this way
(ii) Founders will be more careful to stay active
(iii) These Liberations increase activity in the target regions, defeating the original purpose
of offensive liberations.

Opponents of this variety of liberation will argue that liberations were never intended to be used in this way. This may be true, but when first introduced, liberations were described as being proposals that “...allow the World Assembly to further its aims of bringing freedom and justice to the world.” An open interpretation of this clause could easily include offensive liberations, even if this style of liberation only arose later as an unforeseen consequence.

There is simply not enough data to confirm the first argument, as only one target region has had their founder cease to exist (CTE) so far. This founder CTE’d approximately 500 days after the liberation was passed and if that becomes the trend, we can’t expect to see another CTE until late this year. For this reason, this argument is best left alone until we can collect more data.

For the third argument, that offensive liberations increase activity in target regions, there is data to be analyzed. Three examples from successfully passed offensive liberations have been selected: Nazi Europe, Kaiserreich, and Nazi Europa.

Nazi Europe
Nazi Europe was condemned in July 2009, though this was repealed in December 2010. Nazi Europe also had three main liberation attempts that made quorum: one in October 2012, one in November 2012, and one in March 2013, the last of which passed. We see that the condemnation in 2009 caused the regional population to surge, more than doubling. Following the repeal of the condemnation, the Nazi Europe’s population settled back to about the same level it had had prior to the start of this process. Later, the regional population plummeted during the first two liberations attempts, but resurged during the final effort, which succeeded. In the days following the liberation, a joint military liberation was held, and nations flooded the region. This effort led to the ultimate decline of the region, with a refounding conducted to preserve this piece of NS history.

Kaiserreich
Kaiserreich was liberated in March of 2018 and we see that at that time there is a little population bump before sinking down again in approximately August. Clearly there is a population jump, but looking at the raw data it is only by 5-10 people. For a region like Kaiserreich, this is background noise and could be attributed to a number of other factors. In the year following the liberation, the regional population has slowly declined, but only time will tell if this will have a lasting effect on the region.

Nazi Europa
Nazi Europa was liberated in late March of 2018 and while there is a decent bump in the population at that time, that gain was quickly erased and the population has been in decline ever since.
It seems that condemnations have a much more magnified effect on increasing a region’s visibility by vastly increasing the regional population. However, while this is evidenced by the results in Nazi Europe, further evidence does not exist to match this profile. This brings validity to arguments that condemnations only serve to reward regions for their poor behavior. Not only do they become a badge of honor such regions, the notoriety the publicity brings can actually provide a large boost to a region’s population. Offensive liberations, on the other hand, have a far less-significant impact on regional populations, and after a small short-term increase tend over the long term to result in the decline of a region’s population. As such, offensive liberations are more effective when combating other regions on NS.
Data found at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WAhS23wPS_0truC-cCVY95GEbU07SCoV3avrwwFCrXQ/edit?usp=sharing
Realism and Virtualism: A Dichotomy
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by Wonderess, Former Speaker of the Regional Assembly

What is it that makes any region great? Is it the history of dedicated delegates or the respectable endorsement count? Is it the various governments that provide activity and services to the region? Or is it the activity and orderliness of the people? The answer is undoubtedly all of these things, but they all share a common thread that unites them and furthermore the region as a whole. This is the vibrant communal nature of NationStates regions which act as fertile soil for all these things to become a reality. With the community acting as such an integral part of the success of the region, it becomes necessary to evaluate the state of that foundation and explore how it functions. This article will discuss the state of regional communities through the examination of two central perspectives taken in communal interactions.

To begin, let us examine two distinct styles of gameplay and how they intermingle to produce community. These will be titled NS Realism and NS Virtualism. NS Realism is a style of playing the game as if its events and conflicts were occurring in real life. Players that adhere to NS Realism act and play the game in a way that reflects their actual character and understandings of the world. NS Virtualism - being the natural contrary - is approaching the game as a fictional space by which a certain personality or playing style can be developed independent of one’s own person. Players usually have a preference for one or the other, but it is also possible that one be an NS Realist at one point in the day and then behave like an NS Virtualist later on. The real interest comes into play when these two types of players interact with one another. It is rather a subconscious reality rather than an explicit understanding between residents and citizens of the region. This means that differences between the two are not at first evident so much as they employ indirect viewpoints of the game and others one interacts with. This is to say that the perspectives are never brought up in discussion but rather are demonstrated by the speaking style and demeanor of each player.

This “chemistry” between the NS Realist and the NS Virtualist takes on an interesting form in regional gameplay, in that the difference is not immediately apparent. In venues such as TNP's Regional Assembly or World Assembly threads on the forum, a unified understanding of the game is developed, because no one questions or considers the out of character reality when players of nations take actions in-game. This is because the ability to freely discuss and casually deliberate is absent in gameplay except for the Regional Message Board (RMB) and forums where there are a mix of in-character and out-of-character interactions. There does not seem to be a solid dividing line between the in-character play and the out-of-character discussion in some places. This is not something that should necessarily be frowned upon, but it makes it more difficult for the player to discern where that line is.

The World Assembly threads of the NationStates forums is an example in which technical suggestions and critiques of proposal policy mix together. There seems to be an innate ability of the player to discern where IC and OOC interaction is acceptable. In a way it is an intuitive skill because it is not well defined. The Realist-Virtualist tension occurs in OOC spaces as this is where value judgments of the game can be made.

How does this distinction reflect the health and state of a region’s communal nature? This foundation requires a certain level of understanding others regardless of how one perceives their region or the game. How can community be strong without the consideration of others’ motives, talents, aspirations, and above all, value? The regional community is as strong as its individuals’ ability to discern others’ value, comprehend their place in the region, and understand how they as individuals perceive their own actions. The mixture of fantastical narrative with real world skills and subject matter can be confusing. To understand who is who and why they matter takes time and effort on each of our parts, but it is worth the effort. Any great region has not gotten to where it is because someone decided on their own what that region is. It is a history of collaboration and mutual understanding that has lead to the regions of today. The Realist-Virtualist distinction is not a divide but rather a talking point to better understand others as people and as players of NationStates. Talking about these things and working through them can only help the region, if only we are patient and caring.

How is it then that the relationships between the Realists and Virtualists can be improved to make a region better? The short answer is time and patience which are absolutely necessary to bring about mutual understanding. This is further accomplished by interpersonal evaluation. The term that has been used to describe those who interact and socialize on NationStates is “the player.” However, never can we forget that these are in fact people. This is to say that we then have to treat others as people with their own thoughts, opinions, dreams, and ideas. The Virtualist has the task of engaging others and seeing that it may not be all about the game to the Realist, because the Realist sees themselves as a person while on NationStates and not just a player. The Realist has to understand in return that the Virtualist is not always around to talk about real life issues and is often nonchalant or casual. The pinnacle of this mutual compromise is talking about it directly instead of allowing the two viewpoints to remain centers of conflict. Talking about how one sees the game itself is beneficial because it builds a sense of understanding even where there is disagreement. A worthy analogy is the Chinese Finger Trap. As long as the two pull away from each other, the trap tightens around the finger making it more difficult to escape, but as soon as the two move towards each other, the trap loosens enough to allow the fingers to escape. Giving an inch can go a long way.

There are effects that come from this building of understanding on the regional level. Building a dialogue and understanding of others in a region can help build the big picture from its small components. A minister of defense can do their job well even if raiding and defending is all they know about in their region. However, meeting and talking with the minister of foreign affairs can build an appreciation for the diplomatic wing of the region and help the minister of defense to see his or her job in the context of the ministry of foreign affairs and diplomacy. There is a better understanding of the whole and one’s place in that whole. It is easy to get into the habit of seeing one’s action as the primary experience of regional dynamics, but by considering the actions and efforts of others there is less chance of misunderstanding, interpersonal tension, and even corruption as the effort is put forth. The North Pacific can always improve in this regard and be the better for it, just as every region in NationStates big and small can. It is simply a matter of championing a communal atmosphere of authenticity, care, and an appreciation of everyone regardless of their position and point of view so long as they wish their region to succeed and to do so by their efforts as well as others.
The Northern Lights: Beauty in Truth
Publisher: Pallaith (Ghost) :: Executive Editor: El Fiji Grande

The Northern Lights is produced by the Ministry of Communications on behalf of the Government of The North Pacific and distributed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Except where otherwise indicated, all content represents the views of the Government of The North Pacific.
Index of issues

by **El Fiji Grande** » Sat Mar 09, 2019 11:23 am

TNP's Roleplay Renaissance Faire

Hosted by The North Pacific Ministry of Culture
Dates: March 15, 2019 - March 17, 2019

NS Forum Post
Event Discord

This medieval and renaissance-themed festival is open to all players in good standing within the NS Community!

Activities

College of Heraldry
A booth for the heraldry and vexillology enthusiast! Have you ever wondered what your NS nation’s flags or coats of arms looked like during the medieval or renaissance eras? This is the booth for you! The booth will also serve as a roundtable discussion on the themes present in medieval and renaissance heraldry.
The Armoury
Are you interested in military history? Are you a fan of swords, armour, or early-modern firearms? Are you someone who extols the virtues of the military revolution or someone who wants to reminisce about gallant knights on horseback? This is the booth for you!
Universitas Scholarium
Who doesn’t like trivia? This will be a booth where your knowledge of the post-Classical and Early Modern world are tested!
The Tournament Ground
Train, fight, and level-up in this multiplayer bot-driven combat tournament!
The Adventurer's Guild
Go on a classic D&D-style adventure with your friends and new acquaintances! Gain skills, classes, and loot as you maraud through the world! It’s a Discord-style mini-RPG!
The Grand Banquet
Join this illustrious RP to show off your skills and imagination! RP as someone from your nation! Maybe it’s someone from the present day attending a renaissance faire, or maybe someone from your nation’s past has awoken once again to join in the revelry!
Game of Thrones Discussion
Do you wanna nerd out about HBO and George RR Martin’s Game of Thrones series? Then come one and come all! Be it the books, show, or your totally going to happen fan theory? This is your place to discuss it!
Game of Thrones Roleplay
You can create a character, or even a House, in the world of Westeros and live or die as you befriend or challenge other Game of Thrones RPers!
The Theatre Balcony
Visit the theatre to get in the mood! Listen to your favorite medieval chants here, and participate on The Stage.
Join the Order of the Gryphons
One of the NS world's longest standing and most eclectic interregional groups, the Order of the Gryphons invites you to join them in their quest to bring morality, justice, and wisdom to NS.

by **Pallaith** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 11:41 pm

Magicality City, March 14th, 2019

Statement Regarding Invasion of Stargate

During major update on March 10, forces led by The Democratic Republic invaded Stargate. The NPA mustered a force to retake the region the following update and the rightful delegate Casl was returned to the delegacy. Twenty of our finest, led by Minister of Defense Darcania, came to Stargate's aid during the operation, which has just concluded.

The North Pacific has a long and cherished relationship with our friend and ally Stargate, and we will always come to its aid when needed. As is evidenced by the participation of McMasterdonia, who returned to active duty after many years, we will always go the extra mile to ensure our friends are safe, and will act immediately regardless of who tests them or what their motivation may be. We extend our best wishes to the people of Stargate and their continued security, and congratulate the NPA for a swift and successful mission.

Pallaith
Delegate of The North Pacific

by **Roavin** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 12:39 am

Well done! That kind of deployment within one update, particularly while European timezones are shifted away from the server time zones, is always impressive, and NPA consistently delivers.

by **Armaros** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:24 am

Now that's an impressive deployment on short notice. Good job to the NPA.

by **Cormactopia Prime** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:49 am

Great job by the NPA, and glad to see no irreversible damage was done to Stargate.

by **Bhang Bhang Duc** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:30 am

Nice update and well done on helping Stargate.

by **Pallaith** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:03 pm

Magicality City, April 1st, 2019

Declaration of War on The Rejected Realms

For far too long The Rejected Realms has failed to hold itself the same standard almost every other region has since the earliest days of NS. When troublemakers, criminals, and bad actors plague our communities, we remove them. Some regions have higher standards for this than others, but they all share the desire to protect their community from undesirables. Not The Rejected Realms. Every single nation, no matter how heinous, is welcomed with open arms and is never removed. You would think a region that includes the concept of rejection in its name would see fit to reject some bad apples now and then, and yet they persist in being different from literally every other region, they commit to it so much that they prevent themselves from even having ejection and ban buttons. We are outraged that no other region has held them to account for this terrible practice. It does not end there however.

TRR claims it is a Defender region, and yet time and again it collects armies of raiders, raiders who always come fresh from an attempted invasion. It does not distinguish between them or defenders who are also involved in operations. TRR claims it is a friendly neighbor, but it uses its newspaper to say mean things about other regions, including our friends and including us. It invites us to play its Discord games, but it incessantly pings unsuspecting players who are just minding their own business. And when our players do participate, like our beloved McMasterdonia, how are we repaid? By prominent members of their community like Guy accusing him of throwing a game (as if McM would ever allow himself to lose a game on purpose) or dismissing Bobberino and Bluie as idiots. They may be idiots but they are our idiots.

Some time ago TNP and TRR signed a non-aggression pact. It is our view that the preceding list of grievances constitute ample examples of aggression. Perhaps it all boils down to the fact that TRR’s delegate cavorts with gangs and turns a blind eye to the rampant gang crime in their midst. We will not stand for it any longer. TNP will demonstrate the flaw of TRR’s claim to fame and be repaid for these slights against us. As of this moment a state of war exists between the regions of The North Pacific and The Rejected Realms.

Pallaith
Delegate of The North Pacific

by **Harenhime** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:13 pm

House Harenhime, sigil of the Hawk, stands with The Rejected Realms, and not the North. The King in the North, Pallaith, is no true king, and your WALL just serves to keep all the riffraff here, beyond the WALL. Winter is coming, though, and the Reject shall ride - with hawk-wargs by their side.

by **Nintendo Switch Parental Controls** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:15 pm

Isn't winter over? Or are you in Australia?

by **The Church of Satan** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:15 pm

It is time then to let loose the unicorns...of war! :twisted:

Embassy of The North Pacific

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