The Realm of Balder: Announcements and News

[Wymondham]

I for one am delighted to see the merry-go-round that is Balder's ministerial positons continue. Never has there been a clearer illustration of the depths of inactivity that balder has fallen into or the abundance of cronyism throughout the region than the regular drawing of lots in which the cabal that runs balder decide which positions they are to have this term. In many ways I pity the natives of Balder, although in other ways I find the whole situation hilarious

[Devi]

In many ways I pity the natives of Balder

What natives?

[Onder Kelkia]

Anything actually new happen?

Good to see the exact same names rotating through the same positions again in Groundhog City

All regions, to a greater or lesser extent, have long-term members who are often in positions of power or play a large role in regional life. The difference in Balder is a process of democratic accountability combined with relatively short term lengths. We have elections every two months, which is relatively frequently for a major region. With regular elections, you would expect a lot of crossover between terms. Officials are required to renew their mandate.

The new Statsminister, Theoden, is a long-term member but prior to now has not served in that role since December 2015. Indeed, he was out of cabinet for a long time in the second half of last year and early on this year. Before Theoden assumed the role, Zander covered its responsibilities for an interim period as First Secretary of State. The previous permanent Statsminister was Vulturret. He only joined the region a few months prior to that but was ambitious enough to seek the role and capable enough to secure it. The newly elected Lawspeaker for this term, Griffindor13, has never previously held that office.

So if you look at the two main executive and legislative leadership positions, it is far from "the exact same names rotating through the same positions" as you portray it. Some members of the Statsraadet have held the same or similar portfolios for a couple of terms. Experience and competence are valued by Statsministers. We have a fairly consensual political culture whereby the regional government works together as a team and appointments are made on merit. If someone is doing a good job, they are not going to be moved on just to satisfy our enemies. And you clearly are speaking as an enemy of Balder. You recently wasted 5,000 stamps on a markedly unsuccessful attempt to overthrow our regional government. You are merely here to denigrate us.

In many ways I pity the natives of Balder

What natives?

We are the natives of Balder. North East Somerset and Zander Cerebella have been central to the region and its development at every stage from the day it was created. I also joined Balder on the day it was created and my nation in the region has the third longest period of residency (and the longest of any gameplayer). Following the long demise of TNI in 2015/6, Balder became one of my two main regions. Others involved in the region like Fuzzy, Theoden and Bran Triune have been members of Balder continuously for several years. We are the natives of Balder. It is remarkable how many people who have no connection to Balder act as if Balderans serving in Balder government offices is somehow an affront to "the natives of Balder" they have no connection with.

[The Notorious Mad Jack]

What natives?

We are the natives of Balder. North East Somerset and Zander Cerebella have been central to the region and its development at every stage from the day it was created. I also joined Balder on the day it was created and my nation in the region has the third longest period of residency (and the longest of any gameplayer). Following the long demise of TNI in 2015/6, Balder became one of my two main regions. Others involved in the region like Fuzzy, Theoden and Bran Triune have been members of Balder continuously for several years. We are the natives of Balder. It is remarkable how many people who have no connection to Balder act as if Balderans serving in Balder government offices is somehow an affront to "the natives of Balder" they have no connection with.

Hello, also day 1 Balder type here. You're right that yourself, NES and Zander are all natives - that is clear.

But the point behind your response is rather odd. People have never been shy on commenting about regions or organisations that they have no stake - yourself included. It's no more remarkable than any other time that someone has commented on anything else. It is the only currency keeping gameplay going.

[Onder Kelkia]

We are the natives of Balder. North East Somerset and Zander Cerebella have been central to the region and its development at every stage from the day it was created. I also joined Balder on the day it was created and my nation in the region has the third longest period of residency (and the longest of any gameplayer). Following the long demise of TNI in 2015/6, Balder became one of my two main regions. Others involved in the region like Fuzzy, Theoden and Bran Triune have been members of Balder continuously for several years. We are the natives of Balder. It is remarkable how many people who have no connection to Balder act as if Balderans serving in Balder government offices is somehow an affront to "the natives of Balder" they have no connection with.

Hello, also day 1 Balder type here. You're right that yourself, NES and Zander are all natives - that is clear.

But the point behind your response is rather odd. People have never been shy on commenting about regions or organisations that they have no stake - yourself included. It's no more remarkable than any other time that someone has commented on anything else. It is the only currency keeping gameplay going.

Wymondham stated "In many ways I pity the natives of Balder", after referring to what they inaccurately characterise as "the cabal that runs balder [deciding] which positions they are to have this term".

Devi then posted "What natives?" in response to Wymondham.

Replying to those arguments, it is not remotely "odd" to point out:

(a) quite literally, that Balder does indeed have natives and who those natives are;
(b) that the individuals who hold office Balder are, in fact, part of the native community of of Balder, not "a cabal" subverting the region illegitimately against the wishes and interests of Balder's inhabitants - which was the clear implication of the earlier post and other similar criticisms in the past.

As for what keeps "ganeplay going" - if it is going - I happen to think that consists of (a) regional politics and and (b) relations between regions. I don't think the kind of commentary that typically passes for the contents of this forum and the NSGP Discord server really constitutes genuine "gameplay" at all.

[Numero Capitan]

FWIW, my only comment was how boring the update was, how similar it was to the last two, and the humorous relevance of a previous response:

- someone appointed to a position they had before
- bland quote from someone else saying they believe said person could do the job because they'd done it before
- exact same names in vaguely different order as the last two updates
- someone appointed to a new ministry role to do something they have been doing anyway
- relaunch of something without any obvious changes or improvements
- relaunch of something else that presumably not enough people cared about in the first place either
- end of update

Hopefully your civil service initiative will ensure the next Bugle is less of a waste of our time, and maybe some of this hidden new talent will give us a reason to be anything other than disparaging about Balder.

[Jar Wattinree]

Congratulations to the Realm of Balder.

[Altino]

I believe in Balder's democracy! I'm not proscribed, right? Brb, getting citizenship. I expect to be Statsminister in no time. Trust me, I am an ultra hard worker. I'll do the good things.

[Lord Dominator]

yawns

Congrats I guess on elections

[Cormactopia Prime]

As much as I disagree with the leadership of Balder on almost everything, why in the world is everyone seizing upon a completely non-controversial foreign update to roast them? Give it a rest.

[Malphe]

As much as I disagree with the leadership of Balder on almost everything, why in the world is everyone seizing upon a completely non-controversial foreign update to roast them? Give it a rest.

Yeah ^ this. I don't know, might be fair criticisms and all but I'm not sure anything yall are saying hasn't been said before a million times over. Not exactly giving Balder much incentive to interact more with GP/change when you trash them for every innocuous update they post here >.>

[Onder Kelkia]

FWIW, my only comment was how boring the update was, how similar it was to the last two, and the humorous relevance of a previous response:

- someone appointed to a position they had before
- bland quote from someone else saying they believe said person could do the job because they'd done it before
- exact same names in vaguely different order as the last two updates
- someone appointed to a new ministry role to do something they have been doing anyway
- relaunch of something without any obvious changes or improvements
- relaunch of something else that presumably not enough people cared about in the first place either
- end of update

Hopefully your civil service initiative will ensure the next Bugle is less of a waste of our time, and maybe some of this hidden new talent will give us a reason to be anything other than disparaging about Balder.

The idea that Theoden becoming Statsminister isn't news just because he had had a stint in the job previously - back in October to December 2015 - is nonsense. There are plenty of players in GCRs and other major regions in significant roles today who were also playing in 2015. This is entirely normal. Furthermore, it is appropriate and to be expected for his past experience to be recognised as a positive attribute which shows he is qualified for the job. The recent example of Vulturret's quick rise to the office of Statsminister shows that is perfectly possible for someone new to Balder to win that job.

Griffindor13 becoming Lawspeaker featured as part of the same article and he is entirely new to that role, as my previous post stated. So it is simply not true that the top positions are going to the same people again and again. More generally, I have already explained that we have relatively frequent elections - requiring officials to be re-appointed/re-elected every two months - meaning that turnover between terms will not be as high.

Initiatives such integrating new members into Civil Service roles and re-founding the University are part of the day-to-day lifeblood of a NationStates region. This is where internal cultural and political activity comes from. It may not be interesting to you, but that is how a regional government functions. As far as I am concerned, it is far more legitimate and far more interesting than the overwhelming majority of what goes on here and the NSGP server.

Perhaps you would prefer if we did not report on our regional politics and kept it all secret. Perhaps you think such minor trivialities as parliamentary elections and a new Prime Minister are too unimportant to bother the elites of the Gameplay forum - unless we give them the outcome they want. If we don't do what you want, then I am sure you don't like to be reminded of Balder's existence. Unfortunately for our enemies in this game, Balder goes on.

Perhaps you would have found the update more interesting if we had majored instead on your recent unsuccessful ventures and Balder's success in comprehensively defeating them. It would have been just like the old days with TNI and the FRA. Now that would actually have been going over old ground.

[Wymondham]

As much as I disagree with the leadership of Balder on almost everything, why in the world is everyone seizing upon a completely non-controversial foreign update to roast them? Give it a rest.

Yeah ^ this. I don't know, might be fair criticisms and all but I'm not sure anything yall are saying hasn't been said before a million times over. Not exactly giving Balder much incentive to interact more with GP/change when you trash them for every innocuous update they post here >.>

Malphe you know full well why I am trashing them

[Numero Capitan]

I'm not saying none of it qualifies as news, just the delivery is incredibly uninteresting generally and especially for anyone who has checked this topic in the last few months. If you want to attract more positive and engaged responses to your updates that should be something you should take on board, rather than just assuming that because you find it interesting and "more legitimate" than other conversations on here, doesn't mean anyone else does. I'm not saying "GIVE GP DRAMA", why not do a feature on an active contributor who hasn't appeared in the last three updates, or provide a bit more insight into the specifics of some of the platforms of those who ran?

Appreciate its not your responsibility but you're there one who responded.

Perhaps you would have found the update more interesting if we had majored instead on your recent unsuccessful ventures and Balder's success in comprehensively defeating them. It would have been just like the old days with TNI and the FRA. Now that would actually have been going over old ground.

I'd have assumed you'd give that the disdain it deserved, but if you're going to keep bringing it up in every topic I post in despite no-one caring then maybe that might have been vaguely more interesting content. I personally found one of your own nations terrible attempts at condemning you vaguely entertaining for a slow Saturday afternoon (esp because it was only possible because you and NES were endorsing them).

For what its worth, I told the actual nations in your region who jumped at the chance to try and form a 'government in exile' to simmer down. You might want to try and draw those individuals out yourself.

[Onder Kelkia]

I'm not saying none of it qualifies as news, just the delivery is incredibly uninteresting generally and especially for anyone who has checked this topic in the last few months. If you want to attract more positive and engaged responses to your updates that should be something you should take on board, rather than just assuming that because you find it interesting and "more legitimate" than other conversations on here, doesn't mean anyone else does. I'm not saying "GIVE GP DRAMA", why not do a feature on an active contributor who hasn't appeared in the last three updates, or provide a bit more insight into the specifics of some of the platforms of those who ran?

Appreciate its not your responsibility but you're there one who responded.

The idea that we would "attract more positive and engaged responses" with a different style of foreign update is nonsense. If our update was more "interesting", the various malcontents who have posted here would simply look to criticise whatever they thought they could make controversy out of. Failing that, the default option of posters here is to complain that the update is too "boring". Your behaviour is very predictable. The reality is that the critics of Balder's update both this time and on previous occasions have long-standing grudges against us and will criticise anything we do. Your own presence as someone who has engaged in a conspiracy to overthrow the Government of Balder is only one example of that in this latest discussion.

Entertaining you is not the aim. The primary audience for the foreign update is not even this forum. It is Balder's off-site forum embassies around the world. Most regions like to know basic factual information when their embassy partners have conducted elections and who the new government members are.

There is nothing good faith or constructive about any of your comments. As your recent aggression shows, you are not seeking to help Balder, but to hinder us. Nor frankly is it normal to react to ordinary if slightly mundane foreign updates with a stream of negativity. You are just here to denigrate us.

You are right that I was not responsible for authoring the update, but I posted here regarding the wider implications in your first remarks and those of Wymondham. In your case, I replied to the point that "the exact same names rotating through the same positions again", a substantive argument (not about update style), which is factually incorrect insofar as the main executive and legislative leadership roles are concerned, and more generally misleading.

I'd have assumed you'd give that the disdain it deserved, but if you're going to keep bringing it up in every topic I post in despite no-one caring then maybe that might have been vaguely more interesting content.

You wrongly say that I have been "bringing it up in every topic I post in". In fact, I have only referred to it in this topic, Balder's embassy, after you came here in to renew your attacks on Balder. I believe that the King referred to it once in the topic regarding your WA resolution, in the context of your motivations and poor judgement. Again, that is not the same thing as following you round the forum constantly mentioning it in the manner that you imply.

Furthermore, it is entirely relevant to understanding why you are posting as you are, illustrating both your desire to undermine Balder and your apparent disappointment over not earning a mention in our update. If you commit such acts, you can hardly complain if it affects our perception of your posts.

I personally found one of your own nations terrible attempts at condemning you vaguely entertaining for a slow Saturday afternoon (esp because it was only possible because you and NES were endorsing them).

For what its worth, I told the actual nations in your region who jumped at the chance to try and form a 'government in exile' to simmer down. You might want to try and draw those individuals out yourself.

Inexperienced or less-informed players act act as one would expect them to. You will get that from a small number of members in any big region. Such behaviour is quickly rectified, as was the case with the resolution you mention when the circumstances were properly explained to the nation concerned.

The idea that you have any genuine concern for Balder's welfare is obvious nonsense. Much like in your FRA days, you are simply here to cause trouble.

[Yokiria]

As much as I disagree with the leadership of Balder on almost everything, why in the world is everyone seizing upon a completely non-controversial foreign update to roast them? Give it a rest.

The foreign update had election results that helped to validate certain criticisms of Balder. That is why it was "seized upon".

You would likely be participating in this "roast" as well, if you were not more sympathetic than usual to those on the receiving end of criticism.

[Onder Kelkia]

As much as I disagree with the leadership of Balder on almost everything, why in the world is everyone seizing upon a completely non-controversial foreign update to roast them? Give it a rest.

The foreign update had election results that helped to validate certain criticisms of Balder. That is why it was "seized upon".

You would likely be participating in this "roast" as well, if you were not more sympathetic than usual to those on the receiving end of criticism.

Assuming you are referring to the criticisms they made initially, I would refer you to my first responses to Numero and Wymondham above if you think our election results validate them. If other GCRs used a parliamentary system of government with relatively short term lengths, I would expect that we would also see a degree of continuity among their elected representatives as well. In this instance, we have a new Statsminister who has not held that office since 2015 and a new Lawspeaker who is new to that office altogether. Moreover, the members winning the elections and holding office in Balder more generally are the region's long-standing natives. For the most part, the prevailing narratives about Balder in certain quarters are complete and unadulterated drivel.

[Drop Your Pants]

Purely out of interest, assuming i'm still banned, is it for my current time in TP or the old times in FRA/TGW?

[Onder Kelkia]

Purely out of interest, assuming i'm still banned, is it for my current time in TP or the old times in FRA/TGW?

As far as I am aware, you are not and have never been banned in Balder.

[Drop Your Pants]

As far as I am aware, you are not and have never been banned in Balder.

Really? Wooo I'll call in for a visit sometime then

[United Federated States of Omega]

I would like to give my congratulations to Griffindor. I had the pleasure of working closely with him in TSP for a number of years, and I have no doubt he will continue to be a diligent and exceptional public servant as he now chairs the Storting.

[Cormactopia Prime]

As far as I am aware, you are not and have never been banned in Balder.

Really? Wooo I'll call in for a visit sometime then

You may be asking the wrong question. Ask if you're persona non grata there.

[Onder Kelkia]

Really? Wooo I'll call in for a visit sometime then

You may be asking the wrong question. Ask if you're persona non grata there.

To confirm, I took the original question as intending to cover that, so the answer is the same.

[Numero Capitan]

snip

I have nothing against Balder at all, this whole conversation is better directed towards the Minister of Foreign Affairs but you've presumed to involve yourself. There was nothing factually incorrect about my comment, you just jumped at another chance to hammer your poor innocent keyboard.

If you would stop conflating opinions of Balder and opinions of Onderkelkia you might understand what a disservice you do your region by treating them as one and the same. I happen to have a great deal of respect for other members of your region and absolutely nothing against it as an entity. Maybe if you'd have left this topic to the appointed and responsible official you may have had a chance to observe that.

[Onder Kelkia]

snip

I have nothing against Balder at all, this whole conversation is better directed towards the Minister of Foreign Affairs but you've presumed to involve yourself. There was nothing factually incorrect about my comment, you just jumped at another chance to hammer your poor innocent keyboard.

If you would stop conflating opinions of Balder and opinions of Onderkelkia you might understand what a disservice you do your region by treating them as one and the same. I happen to have a great deal of respect for other members of your region and absolutely nothing against it as an entity. Maybe if you'd have left this topic to the appointed and responsible official you may have had a chance to observe that.

On the contrary, if you "have nothing against Balder at all", you would not have wasted 5000 stamps on a failed unendorsement campaign against our region. Doubtless you will claim that was all because you disliked me, but you don't get to choose who represents Balder and your telegram requested that WA nations unendorse the Delegate. It was an unprovoked act of aggression against our region that illustrates your malicious intentions and sheer pettiness.

It is silly in the extreme to suggest that no one else from Balder can take part in subsequent discussions just because the Foreign Minister wrote the update.

Plenty of regions have members other than their Foreign Minister who post in the GP forum and may speak out if their region is criticised. Nowhere in speaking here have I "conflat[ed] opinions of Balder and opinions of Onderkelkia". If you believe that I have done so, please indicate where this is. Your initial post was factually incorrect (and were derogatory about Balder's political system), and you've made no effort to refute my points in that regard.

Frankly, in complaining that I am posting here - in the embassy of the region where I am Vice Delegate - it is pretty obvious that you would just prefer not to debate with me. Unfortunately for you, if you are going to post derogatory comments in our embassy, you don't get to decide who replies or not.