The Writers' Block

[Trotterdam]

*sigh* Here you go.
#15 More Police Needed
#65 Should Martial Law Be Declared?
#98 Police Want More Than Shiny Badge
#110 Too Low On Laws, Say Citizens

[Mzeusia]

*sigh* Here you go.
#15 More Police Needed
#65 Should Martial Law Be Declared?
#98 Police Want More Than Shiny Badge
#110 Too Low On Laws, Say Citizens

I've already been told that there are issues like the ones you have so kindly presented to me. I did not need you to show me them as the issue idea has been rejected and therefore I will not write an issue about it.

If you're still upset about me going ahead with writing an issue when you said not to, I said that I did not see your post before posting the issue and so I scraped the draft immediately after I saw you post on it.

Let's get back on track.

Has an issue been done about a news network reporting something major that didn't actually happen? Like a tsunami.

Has an issue been done where a terrorist group is operating from outside of you borders and you have to decide what to do?

Has an issue been done where the rent or something like that has gone too high and people have revolted in a town and your govt has to decide what to do?

[Candensia]

Osnap. Im going to pray for you, Mzeusia.


In any case, meteorological me wants to know if any issues have been done on storm chasing.

(Like an amateur gets too close to a tornado and gets very, very dead, then there’s debate on whether the whole practice should be tolerated.)

[Trotterdam]

Has an issue been done about a news network reporting something major that didn't actually happen? Like a tsunami.

#672 All Shook Up

(This is specifically the "warning people in advance of a natural disaster that ended up not happening, so people evacuate needlessly" variation, which I think you meant. For newspapers simply reporting false facts afterwards, we have other issues.)

Has an issue been done where a terrorist group is operating from outside of you borders and you have to decide what to do?

#745 [The Enemy Within] This Bird Has Flown

Has an issue been done where the rent or something like that has gone too high and people have revolted in a town and your govt has to decide what to do?

#623 Maison d’Être?
#725 Sky's the Limit?

Less fitting: #68, #342.

Also an unpublished draft.

In any case, meteorological me wants to know if any issues have been done on storm chasing.

Nope.

Though, what's the political issue? It's dangerous, yes, but the people doing it know the risks. Also, how would you ban it anyway? If someone is driving in the vicinity of a storm, how do you tell if he's deliberately chasing the storm or just happens to be driving there, maybe even to get away? You'd have to watch people's movements pretty closely at a time when your police force would really much rather be taking shelter.

[Drasnia]

In any case, meteorological me wants to know if any issues have been done on storm chasing.

Nope.

Though, what's the political issue? It's dangerous, yes, but the people doing it know the risks. Also, how would you ban it anyway? If someone is driving in the vicinity of a storm, how do you tell if he's deliberately chasing the storm or just happens to be driving there, maybe even to get away? You'd have to watch people's movements pretty closely at a time when your police force would really much rather be taking shelter.

There are plenty of issues that hinge entirely upon the government being concerned about people purposefully endangering themselves but not affecting anyone else. I don't see why storm chasing couldn't be an issue, even if it were a simple "This is dangerous, we need to outlaw it to keep them safe" type of intro.

[Candensia]

Nope.

Though, what's the political issue? It's dangerous, yes, but the people doing it know the risks. Also, how would you ban it anyway? If someone is driving in the vicinity of a storm, how do you tell if he's deliberately chasing the storm or just happens to be driving there, maybe even to get away? You'd have to watch people's movements pretty closely at a time when your police force would really much rather be taking shelter.

There are plenty of issues that hinge entirely upon the government being concerned about people purposefully endangering themselves but not affecting anyone else. I don't see why storm chasing couldn't be an issue, even if it were a simple "This is dangerous, we need to outlaw it to keep them safe" type of intro.

Why do you have to be so logical, Drasnia and Trotterdam.

Much obliged for your assistance, however, I need to point something out.

...endangering themselves but not affecting anyone else.

When chasing a storm, traffic laws kind-of go out the window. Storm Chasers will speed to get closer to a storm, and speed to get out of the way. There is a....possible threat created by storm chasers to other motorists, who might be trying to escape the danger.

Now, I know there must be plenty of issues that mess around with traffic laws, but I thought the possible threat to other motorists was one i could base the debate off of.

[Trotterdam]

Sure, that sounds workable. I'm not saying "don't write an issue about this". I'm just saying that "this is dangerous, maybe we should ban it" is a little weak on its own (plus we already have several issues like that), so it's good to think about how you can add more substance to the dilemma.

[Candensia]

Sure, that sounds workable. I'm not saying "don't write an issue about this". I'm just saying that "this is dangerous, maybe we should ban it" is a little weak on its own (plus we already have several issues like that), so it's good to think about how you can add more substance to the dilemma.

To be sure, the simple “ban something” premise is a bit cliche, and is best avoided. If I do present a draft on this topic, I shall work out something more unique.

Much obliged, Trotterdam.

[Chan Island]

One variation on 'storm chasers' I've been minded to look into was how people would go and shoot their guns at that hurricane in Florida last year. It ended up even having the US government come out and warn people that shooting firearms into hurricanes endangers both the shooter and could potentially harm someone else.

Probably too different a premise, so I'm likely a-OK with doing this draft idea but just putting it out there.

[Trotterdam]

One variation on 'storm chasers' I've been minded to look into was how people would go and shoot their guns at that hurricane in Florida last year.

They what?

This is something I would have expected from some slanderous parody of what the US is like. Not... real news.

Truth is stranger than fiction, I guess.

Granted, I've killed natural disasters by hitting them with swords myself, but that was in video games.

A... not quite at ridiculous... problem is people firing guns into the air as a form celebration, which is found in many parts of the world. This is similarly dangerous, since the bullets come back down. A very small chance of actually landing on someone per bullet, but when lots of people are celebrating this way, statistically a few people do invariably end up getting killed.

[Candensia]

One variation on 'storm chasers' I've been minded to look into was how people would go and shoot their guns at that hurricane in Florida last year. It ended up even having the US government come out and warn people that shooting firearms into hurricanes endangers both the shooter and could potentially harm someone else.

Probably too different a premise, so I'm likely a-OK with doing this draft idea but just putting it out there.

I wouldnt even call that a variation on storm chasing (wherin career meteorologists...and untrained amaeturs get dangerously close to severe weather like tornados in order to collect data, footage, ect.) Shooting at storms is more of just plain crazy.

Regardless, your point stands.

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

Do you think an issue about the sexual harassment cases in academia would be viable? I know we have similar issues, but I thought a specific issue about the academia would be different, since we have a unique problem of power imbalance there. I mean, an employee in a company can be sexually harassed but even when their claims are not taken seriously and they are accused of slandering their molester, it's not the end of the world. They can find a different job. In academia, however, career advancements largely depend on getting recommendations from the right people, and I suppose your career may be derailed if you happen to accuse a well-respected professor of harassment. (See what happened at the University of Rochester, in the Cognitive Science department. Celeste Kidd, a grad student at the time of the harassment, had had to change her area of research to dodge the destructive blows of her vindictive harasser.)

There is also a flip side of the coin, of course : professors who have consensual liaisons with their grad students and even end up marrying them. And then comes the question of ethics. What if the student is getting academic benefits from being the lover of a senior academic, etc. etc.

So I think there are some differences about the harassment cases in academia, but I am wondering if you think these differences are substantial enough to warrant a separate issue.

Thanks.

[Trotterdam]

I mean, an employee in a company can be sexually harassed but even when their claims are not taken seriously and they are accused of slandering their molester, it's not the end of the world. They can find a different job.

Technically you can also leave to go study at a different university. The paperwork might be harder than changing jobs, though.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

One variation on 'storm chasers' I've been minded to look into was how people would go and shoot their guns at that hurricane in Florida last year.

They what?

This is something I would have expected from some slanderous parody of what the US is like. Not... real news.

Truth is stranger than fiction, I guess.

Granted, I've killed natural disasters by hitting them with swords myself, but that was in video games.

A... not quite at ridiculous... problem is people firing guns into the air as a form celebration, which is found in many parts of the world. This is similarly dangerous, since the bullets come back down. A very small chance of actually landing on someone per bullet, but when lots of people are celebrating this way, statistically a few people do invariably end up getting killed.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/0 ... hurricane/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/4 ... icane-irma

To be fair on the guy, it sounds like he knows the idea is crazy, and he's being satirical (or at the very least, just funny). Americans are often actually more self-aware than we give them credit for.

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

I mean, an employee in a company can be sexually harassed but even when their claims are not taken seriously and they are accused of slandering their molester, it's not the end of the world. They can find a different job.

Technically you can also leave to go study at a different university. The paperwork might be harder than changing jobs, though.

Not that easy if you are a grad student currently pursuing a PhD. If you leave your program, you'll still need recommendations from your professors to apply to a different university. And in such a case, it is taken for granted that your advisor should be among the people who write recommendations for you, as they have been your closest collaborators so far. If you do NOT provide a recommendation from them, the admissions committee is almost sure to take up on that and ask you about it. Good luck telling them you broke up with your advisor due to their sexual misconduct, especially if you have no solid proof. (And this is obviously the case, because if you had incontestable proof of the harassment, YOUR ADVISOR would be leaving the uni, not you.)

[Trotterdam]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/08/florida-gun-owners-encouraged-shoot-storm-fire-guns-hurricane/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/41201494/people-like-ryon-are-going-to-shoot-at-hurricane-irma

To be fair on the guy, it sounds like he knows the idea is crazy, and he's being satirical (or at the very least, just funny). Americans are often actually more self-aware than we give them credit for.

If he just joked about doing it without actually doing it, fine.

If he (or the other respondents) actually went ahead and did it, that excuse doesn't hold up. Jokes are not worth killing people over.

I like this quote from the first newspaper you linked:

Graphics suggesting how to shoot at a hurricane have sprung up online, with the suggestion that if you fire correctly the bullet might not come back and kill you.

Regardless, though, my suggestion about firing bullets into the air is a similar but less satirical situation, and something that definitely happens, so it's probably a better subject for an issue along these lines.

Not that easy if you are a grad student currently pursuing a PhD. If you leave your program, you'll still need recommendations from your professors to apply to a different university. And in such a case, it is taken for granted that your advisor should be among the people who write recommendations for you, as they have been your closest collaborators so far. If you do NOT provide a recommendation from them, the admissions committee is almost sure to take up on that and ask you about it.

Again, letters of recommendation from previous employers are also often helpful in finding a new job, though again, not quite as vital.

[He Qixin]

Any issue which talks about preventing tsunami floods, specifically by planting mangrove trees?

[Altmer Dominion]

Any issue which talks about preventing tsunami floods, specifically by planting mangrove trees?

#331 is specifically about Flood Control. Though no Mangroves.

[Shwe Tu Colony]

Any issue which talks about preventing tsunami floods, specifically by planting mangrove trees?

#331 is specifically about Flood Control. Though no Mangroves.

Proof that there is no Forest conspiracy. If Forest really was in control of Got Issues with Ransium & such, then there'd be mention of mangroves in that issues to subtly praise them & implant & leaf behind residual tree-based propaganda.

[USS Monitor]

#331 is specifically about Flood Control. Though no Mangroves.

Proof that there is no Forest conspiracy. If Forest really was in control of Got Issues with Ransium & such, then there'd be mention of mangroves in that issues to subtly praise them & implant & leaf behind residual tree-based propaganda.

It's an old issue, from before Forest's rise to power.

[Drasnia]

Proof that there is no Forest conspiracy. If Forest really was in control of Got Issues with Ransium & such, then there'd be mention of mangroves in that issues to subtly praise them & implant & leaf behind residual tree-based propaganda.

It's an old issue, from before Forest's rise to power.

When the Earth was young and mammoths walked the Earth ...

[He Qixin]

I was talking about tsunami floods, not rain floods...

[Varola]

Is there any issue regarding the event of the death of Leader's son/father?

Or is there any issue regarding the preperation of what would happen if Leader dies?

[Trotterdam]

Is there any issue regarding the event of the death of Leader's son/father?

No, though we try to avoid making too many asumptions about @@LEADER@@'s family, especially offspring.

Or is there any issue regarding the preperation of what would happen if Leader dies?

#461 queries succession laws in a dictatorship. There are currently no issues about leader death in a democracy/sortition, but it would be less of an issue there anyway: just repeat whatever mechanism put the last leader into power.

There are a couple of issues about @@LEADER@@ almost (but not quite) getting assassinated, but those focus more on how to prevent further assassination attempts, not what to do if one succeeds.

[Varola]

Is there any issue regarding the event of the death of Leader's son/father?

No, though we try to avoid making too many asumptions about @@LEADER@@'s family, especially offspring.

Or is there any issue regarding the preperation of what would happen if Leader dies?

#461 queries succession laws in a dictatorship. There are currently no issues about leader death in a democracy/sortition, but it would be less of an issue there anyway: just repeat whatever mechanism put the last leader into power.

There are a couple of issues about @@LEADER@@ almost (but not quite) getting assassinated, but those focus more on how to prevent further assassination attempts, not what to do if one succeeds.

Thanks, now for my second round of questions:

Is there an issue that directly talks about the complete disbanding of the armed forces?

Keeping on the subject of military, are there any issues that can severely decrease or increase the defence stat?