Tyran Regional News Thread (Closed. Tyran Only)

by **Shalum** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:57 pm

Empire of Country

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Lyrics Uncovered: Jack Bentley, 'Drunk Karaoke Nights'
By Tytus Stolarczyk, 12 September 2015, 5:53 PM

Jack Bentley's "Drunk Karaoke Nights" lyrics actually came about from a text message and a little indirect foreign assistance.

"Drunk Karaoke Nights" began while Bentley and co-writers Cole Hunt and Sam Eldridge were on a break from a songwriting session. "Cole got sent this link from his brother, saying 'I think you'll like this'.", co-writer Sam Eldridge tells Empire of Country. "So he opened it on his smartphone, it was a video of an old interview with The Watts. And there came a part where one of the members was saying something like, 'Who knew our drummer could sound so good?', and one of the others went, 'Besides whoever had to endure drunk karaoke nights with her?'."

The exchange sparked inspiration among the group. "Jack went, 'What was that?' When we heard that part again, it sounded like a title.", Eldridge explains. "I still had a guitar handy and began playing around with chord progressions. We were throwing around ideas for lines off of that, and it was just on a roll, really."

They ended up finishing the song in one session. "Most of the time was spent on working out the verses, polishing the words and trying to turn clichés into somewhat different ways of expressing the basic vibe. I think I probably tried the hardest to push the boundaries.", Hunt relates with a laugh. "It had the right groove and energy, but the chorus was a bit slower coming. The phrase has a particular rhythm, so it took some trial and error to make it fit the chorus without sounding ham-fisted."

Hunt also came up with the opening power chords of the song as a further nod to its inspiration. "They're pretty basic, because I can't do Djasei's kind of machine-gun strumming!", he explains. "So I guess they came out more 'Think It's Love' than 'Here for More', but they still work. It's like a bolt from the blue, it jolts you awake."

The final lyrics fully capture the feeling and action of a wild Friday night on the town. "Drunk karaoke nights / They feel so right / Drunk karaoke nights / Dancing under blinding lights / Drunk karaoke nights / Sing your favourite song / Get the words totally wrong / But it doesn't matter when everyone sings along.", Bentley sings during the chorus.

However, there were limits to how far their inspiration went. "Them Watts are from Gylias, they do things differently down there.", Bentley says with a laugh. "I remember the last time I heard a Gylian song, I was in my car and it sounded real nice. It was about, probably a third through, and it'd gone through a verse, a chorus, and the second verse. So, when it was heading into the second chorus, I started singin' along, but I got totally tripped up because the words were all different! I don't know why they do that, always change the words all the way through, but hey, more power to them. Must be a lot to memorise for concerts."

The radio success of “Drunk Karaoke Nights” is one of those rare perfect storms that seems to happen almost by itself. “It happened so quick,” Bentley says. “We turned it in, and literally within days it had been cut. The next thing you know, it’s gonna be the next single. It just happened so quick, and it’s been on the charts and done so well. I'm super excited to be a part of it. I’m proud of it.”

by **Ossoria** » Fri Sep 25, 2015 7:57 pm

Ossorian News Service
The latest news and information from the High Kingdom

Baron of Dunnaval Divested
Lord Lieutenant pledges to root out corruption before handover

The High Queen, acting in her position as Queen of the Kingdom of Kenlis, has formally stripped the former Baron of Dunnaval, Eavan Caddell, of his rank and titles and seized his lands, citing corrupt practices and habits exercised during his tenure as Baron. Immediately following his divestment, the former Baron was remanded to the Lisburn Ducal Bench on charges of and related to corruption and abuse of his office.

Caddell was implicated in an investigation into the permits and construction of a local chemical plant after the facility suffered a catastrophic breech of containment which severely polluted a local watershed. The investigation led to the former Baron's office when it was discovered that Baronial officers had accepted money in exchange for overlooking violations of Sceptral regulations. Caddell was personally implicated when the company surrendered their records which listed several occasions of bribery which totaled over five million crowns given to Caddell around the time the permits were granted as well as dozens of later gifts and payments.

Since then, the Office of the Treasury has seized Caddell's financial files and discovered approximately one hundred million crowns in undeclared accounts held by Caddell from over two dozen individual sources.

The Queen's Bench found Caddell guilty of accepting accepting bribes and kickbacks from businesses granted contracts in the Barony, cronyism and of gross embezzlement of the Scepter's funds provided to the Barony for maintenance of local infrastructure, which was found to have been used, among other things, to accommodate and purchase gifts for the Baron's multiple mistresses.

Following the ruling, the Scepter announced that the Barony of Dunnaval will be brought under direct Royal control until a new Baron is found. Sir Iestyn Aston has been named Lord Lieutenant of Dunnaval in the interim and has pledged to root out the corrupt elements of the barony's administration.

by **Gylias** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 11:13 am

THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL

Government publishes draft budget for 2016

Thursday, 1 October 2015

Finance Minister Sakura Kusatsu announcing the draft budget at a press conference.

Tʜᴇ government has published its draft budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

The budget will be analysed by the parliamentary Equality Committee and further adjusted in consultation with the people of Gylias and other parties in Parliament. It is expected to pass without significant difficulties in March 2016 if the Toni Vallas government is reelected in the coming general election scheduled for January.

Presenting the document to Parliament and the media, Sakura Kusatsu, the Minister of Finance, Economy, and Planning
and Development, declared that its key priorities would be "protecting public services, tackling inequality, and
safeguarding Gylias' prosperity."

The budget assumes a growth rate of 2% for 2016, down from the 2,87% currently projected for 2015 as a whole. It
projects revenues of Ћ909,2 milliard, and expenditures of Ћ905,36 milliard, resulting in a total surplus of Ћ3,84 milliard.

The following revenues are forecast:

Total revenues---------------------------Ћ909,2 miliard
Total tax revenues-----------100%-----Ћ854,5 milliard
-----Income tax---------------24,4%------Ћ209 milliard
-----Sales tax-----------------10,1%------Ћ86,3 milliard
-----Carbon tax---------------12,7%------Ћ108,5 milliard
-----Corporation tax---------17,6%------Ћ150,3 milliard
-----Capital gains tax--------6,6%-------Ћ56,3 milliard
-----Property tax-------------3,8%-------Ћ32,4 milliard
-----Alcohol tax--------------3,2%-------Ћ27,3 milliard
-----Drugs tax----------------3%----------Ћ25,6 milliard
-----Land value tax----------2,6%-------Ћ22,2 milliard
-----Mansion tax-------------2,2%-------Ћ18,7 milliard
-----Inheritance tax---------1,7%-------Ћ14,5 milliard
-----Petrol tax---------------1,1%-------Ћ9,3 milliard
-----Car tax------------------0,6%-------Ћ5,1 milliard
-----Junk food tax-----------0,1%-------Ћ854,5 million
-----Tobacco tax------------0,09%------Ћ769 million
-----Plastic bag tax---------0,08%------Ћ683,6 million
-----Other taxes-------------10%--------Ћ86 milliard
Publically-owned companies---------Ћ43,8 milliard
Other revenues-------------------------Ћ10,9 milliard

The following expenditures are forecast:

Total expenditures---------------------------100%-----------Ћ905,36 milliard
Education---------------------------------------19,8%-----------Ћ17,9 milliard
Welfare-----------------------------------------15,2%-----------Ћ13,7 milliard
Social policy------------------------------------12,1%-----------Ћ10,9 milliard
Industrial support------------------------------9,5%------------Ћ8,6 milliard
Healthcare--------------------------------------8,7%------------Ћ7,8 milliard
Environmental policy---------------------------8,5%-----------Ћ7,6 milliard
Public transport and infrastructure-----------7,8%-----------Ћ7,06 milliard
Administration----------------------------------5,7%-----------Ћ5,1 milliard
Research and development--------------------4,4%-----------Ћ3,9 milliard
Other spending----------------------------------3,8%-----------Ћ3,4 milliard
Defense------------------------------------------2,5%-----------Ћ2,2 milliard
International aid--------------------------------2%-------------Ћ1,8 milliard

The current draft projects a 5% increase in public spending compared to the previous year, accounting for inflation. Additional allocations will be made throughout the year according to consultation and the necessities of both federal and regional departments.

"We need to ensure that growth is balanced and sustainable, and that it reduces inequalities and disparities between different parts of Gylias and allows everyone equal opportunities.", Sakura Kusatsu stated.

The largest increases in spending are provided for welfare payments, childcare, further education, healthcare, housebuilding, and schemes and loans for small- and medium-sized enterprises. A slight expansion in tax credits is proposed to further incentivise foreign investment. No significant changes are planned for the tax code. Housing Minister Stevie Sanderson has indicated that they will ask for an increase in the additional property tax and mansion tax rates to dampen the real estate market and prevent a property bubble.

Defense spending has also increased by 0,2% from 2015. Defense Minister Caixes Nerlek has declared that they will ask for a higher allocation in the final budget to support the continued modernisation of the GSDF, and "in light of the uncertainties affecting Tyran at the current time"; the latter is believed to be a reference to the recent outbreak of conflict in Nalaya.

by **Gylias** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:14 am

The National Inquirer

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HOME » NEWS » POLITICS » 2016 DRAFT BUDGET

Sibylla Antoniou's speech on the draft budget in full

Addressing a meeting of the Gylian Confederation of Industry in a speech titled "Can Gylias Afford More Business as Usual?", Sibylla Antoniou suggested that the government's draft budget is too timid to increase Gylias' growth rate. Read their speech in full here:

National Conservative Party finance spokesperson Sibylla Antoniou Photo: GNNA

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2:13 PM GST, 10 October 2015
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"No one can begrudge Sakura Kusatsu their achievement, certainly not me. They has been Gylias' Minister of Finance for what is now 25 years, 8 months and 2 days. Under them, Gylias has not suffered a recession or a steep drop in economic performance; indeed it has been well on the way to recording the longest period of economic expansion in its history. That is the kind of dedication and diligence we are lucky to have in our public service, and sets a great example for us all.

Alas, if I could only finish my sentence there. Sakura Kusatsu has many qualities to recommend them, both personal ones and the sort of qualities we rightfully expect of our civil servants. However, I fear that in the totality of the matter, when history shall write its verdict it may well be a disappointing one.

What we have here is undeniably the Finance Minister who enjoys the strongest position available to them since Aliska Géza themself. But Sakura Kusatsu has let that go to waste, has never once seized that opportunity since the necessary reforms undertaken during Mathilde Véira's first term. Welcome as those reforms were, they have not gone far enough, and ever since, the longer Sakura Kusatsu's term at the finance ministries continues, the more plain it becomes that they have a discouraging lack of vision, content to make do with bureaucratism and minor tinkering to substitute for the lack of any courage to challenge received wisdom and look at the Gylian economy with a fresh pair of eyes.

Their performance is a matter of public record. In the 25 years we have had Sakura Kusatsu as the doyen of the Gylian economy, it has grown at an average of 3,77%. That is not a figure to sniff at, far from it. But ask yourselves this: over 25 years total, with a good record of economic growth interrupted by only mild and brief recessions when the waves of the global economy washed against our shores, is that really the best we can do? Gylias used to grow at an average of 6,43% over the 17 years of Aliska Géza's service, and hit the height of 11,82% growth in 1968. Sakura Kusatsu is perhaps right in repeatedly explaining that this was due to a one-time combination of factors that cannot be repeated, but the best they have managed is 5,56% growth, sixteen years ago. Is this enough? Should we settle for this? As a country, is this the best we can do?

Thanks to the great efforts of our best governments since independence, Gylias is sitting in an extremely enviable position from an economic standpoint. We have one of the lowest levels of inequality in Siduri. Our poverty rate is low, our middle class is enormous, and we have the safeguards in place that ensure prosperity increases everyone's income more or less fairly. Why isn't Gylias the toast of regional business? We have 22 million people with a GDP per capita of Ћ4.379.483, that should be a prospect that is impossible to resist, a prospect that gold rushes are made of. But Gylias continues to flounder near the bottom of all rankings concerning foreign investment and flow of capital in Siduri, let alone Tyran. In fact, give Amadioha and Arkoenn enough time, and magically pull Nalaya out of the rubble and solve its problems, and Gylias would immediately be the worst performing nation in the continent for investment and capital from abroad.

The facts go on. We have accumulated two decades' worth of surpluses, and one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios in the region. We could be an authority, a robust voice for fiscal sanity within the region, but in business circles abroad we are either laughed at or dismissed as an inscrutable socialist monstrosity, an aberration trapped in a time warp. And what our governments have done since 1990, has been to accept this. We see the occasional half-hearted nods towards business like tax credits or private sector loans, interspersed with a comfort in throwing the middle finger to the outside world and limiting ourselves to good relations with countries that are already economically cordial towards us, such as Cacerta and Schottia. This splendid isolation achieves nothing but to deprive us of a voice in regional economics. None of us here would stomach the thought of the accepted worldview in how economics are conducted being shaped by destructive amoral free-marketeers, or hidebound curmudgeonly boors. Why are we so eager to allow that to happen by irrationally refusing to engage, or trumpet our achievements?

For a long time now, the Progressive Alliance, Liberal Union, and Green coalition has made an ideological choice. They have willingly shut down many possibilities of further reform that would strengthen the Gylian economy, and have instead staked everything on the idea that the economy works best if it is akin to a pet that has not just been housebroken, but so completely abused and intimidated so as to be drained of all life; that the economy should be nearly catatonic, growing just enough to support the population and be an active machine but anything further must be clamped down immediately and severely. The Progressive Alliance in particular, practically revels in this, expresses pride in its ability to control the volatility of the business cycle and moderate it through the awesome tools it has at its disposal in the Hermes Programme and fiscal and monetary policy. The fact that we possess such tools so as to gather extremely accurate, real-time statistics on the performance of the economy and use it to take appropriate measures is a monumental achievement. Yet the PA has confused it with a tool of domination instead of control.

Look at every pronouncement Toni Vallas has made since they has become Prime Minister on the subject of the economy. Not a single one has been about economic growth in anything more than glittering generalities. All the other ones are entirely about overheating, restraining excesses, avoiding bubbles. Gylias is the farthest it can be from at risk of overheating. But the message is as relentless as it is ruthless: the economy cannot be trusted. It is a dangerous thing that must be kept up in chains and never be let out of close supervision. It must know its place, and beaten severely if it dares to step out of line. Sakura Kusatsu has casually rubbished every single comparison ever brought up between Gylias and other countries' rate of growth, and has expressed pride in the notion of presiding over an economy that is anemic too often, and continues to lag behind our regional competitors even at its best.

It is unfair and intellectually dishonest to look at observations about the differences between Gylias and other economies in the world, observations that are similarly made by any respectable research organisation and even accepted by the Ministry of Information, and dismiss out of hand any suggestions that this reflects poorly on us, or glibly suggesting that we want to subject Gylias to "scorched-earth economics" when we want nothing of the sort. We just believe that we can do better. But if we want to do better, we must swallow some unpleasant realities about how economics operates in the world, not how we would wish for it to operate.

I must at least concede that Sakura Kusatsu is completely candid to the point of bluntness about their worldview. This is the minister who said, on 17 March 1992, in reference to the possibility that our tax rates might discourage wealth creation or investment, "We'll tax the rich until they squeal, and then smash their heads against the wall for squealing." That may be emotionally cathartic, but that kind of hostility to business just shoots us as a whole in the foot. Can we really rely on small and medium-sized enterprises, valuable as they are, for everything? Can we be satisfied with Agathe Sanna and Iris Hentschel and accept the idea that there are more polar bears in Gylian zoos than there are multimiliardaires and very wealthy people in Gylias? Stevie Sanderson has commented that they will push for an increase in property and mansion taxes to prevent a real estate bubble... in the country with some of the lowest house prices in Siduri. At some point, it just becomes obligatory to ask, are the ministers in the current government afraid of their own shadows?

The National Conservative Party believes that Gylias can afford to take some risks safely. We have a robust justice system and a healthy culture with several great examples of wealthy persons who use their wealth for good works, there is no risk of the country being hollowed out by a tsunami of greed and heartlessness. We are not the so-called "Union for Freedom and Prosperity", with their fundamentalist fervour for the freedom of the upper-crust few and the prosperity of the already wealthy; it's astonishing that they have not yet been sued by the ASA for misleading people. We will not destroy public services, some of our country's greatest creations; the NHS, MoER and so forth are safe with us. I will not deny that I would look forward to the day where I do not have to repeat this disclaimer so often I can almost see myself muttering it in my sleep, but the debts of history and the dangers we face from the extremist fringe of politics are not so easily surmounted.

What is the National Conservative Party's alternative? It is the simple belief that, much as we use our education system to teach our children how to be adults and carve out their own paths in life, we are entitled to trust them as adults when it comes to loosening the restraints governing the economy. Why should we be satisfied with a mere 2 to 3% growth rate yearly, when if we established a proper partnership with a thriving private sector we could easily outgrow that benchmark? Why should we be afraid of foreign investment, suspicious of businesses? Businesses are not into business just to sate their greed, they wouldn't survive when faced with a mature population and regulatory environment like ours. Businesses exist to fill niches, to create the best products they can, to bring something new to the market, to contribute something to society. It is wrong and counterproductive to sneer at them for the fact that they gain material recompense in the process, especially since all of us currently live in that form of society.

None of this means demeaning ourselves by submitting ourselves to the whims of corporate capitalism; the days of kneeling and begging to our superiors are over. Our program is not one of groveling; it is one of common-sense acceptance and a wish to put the Gylian economy on the foundation of a healthier relationship between the state and the private sector instead of this thinly-veiled cynical enmity. It is a program of more freedom for experimentation, strengthening rewards for honesty and positive contributions to society and safeguards against cheaters, scoundrels and manipulators, and ultimately providing us with stronger resources to finance our public programs and undertake new ones without fear of fiscal laxity. The more business we have, ultimately the greater income we can use to undertake policies that will continue our fight against the blights of inequality and poverty, not only at home but abroad, and the stronger our voice will be in the latter.

The question I put to you is simple. If business as usual has served us well so far, why should we be satisfied with just more business as usual? Certainly our first cabinet was not satisfied with this and we are all enjoying better, safer and more interesting lives because of that. All we wish is to revive that bold risk-taking spirit and dare to reach for more than just "good enough".

Thank you.

by **Schottia** » Fri Nov 13, 2015 8:18 am

SBCNEWS Online...

Schottia to help Nalayans fleeing conflict.

This morning Amy Connell announced that in conjunction with Schottia's ongoing commitment to aid and the wellbeing of persecuted peoples within the region, that the Free People's Navy would be despatching ships to the Nalayan coast. The High Council Leader has stated the government's intention to house a significant number of refugees, although she stopped short of giving a specific number. The announcement has come amidst growing public pressure for the government to help those fleeing the conflict. Last week over five thousand people marched on the Schottic capital Handon, urging Cllr Connell to take some form of direct action, before the situation led to more suffering. The march was part of a larger campaign, led by the Deputy Leader of the Schottic Communist Party Cllr Lucy MacGregor, who has been one of the Councillors fiercely championing the cause.

Schottia have dispatched their flagship FPN Red-Star, an amphibious assault ship normally capable of housing over 1000 marines. Cllr Connell stated that the bed space would be used to help get the most vulnerable out of harms way, while the ship's medical facilities will treat those in immediate need of attention. The navy have also commandeered a hand full of civilian vessels, which will house more refugees, otherwise unable to make the north. Fearon-class FPN Galbraith will accompany the fleet on its journey war the torn country.

There have been continued calls, especially in light of the Shalumite Imperator’s visit to Schottia, for the High Council to declare its position regarding the ongoing hostilities. Old Handon Town Hall have insisted that this is in no way a political decision, and is merely an attempt to get victims of a conflict from harms way. One SSP spokesperson pointed out the fact that these actions are consistent with the Free Colony's position in the past.

by **Cacerta** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 1:14 am

OOC: I put in a lot of work for this article and I figured this was a very Cacertian kind of thing to write about. I hope this is not all that offensive -- I did my best to keep it as scientific as possible -- but if it does, please let me know.

EROTIC BEAUTY
A Scientific Analysis on Aesthetic Preference of Female Genitalia
by Monica Sarissita, Psy.D., National University of Cesena
ABSTRACT
In this paper, we examine anonymously submitted data collected over the course of one year to analyze the diversity of vulval morphology and the results of a survey reflecting the preferences of a random sample of the global population. Certain aspects of female genitalia were observed -- specifically labia length, protuberance, and physical rugosity -- and has resulted in six categorizations of vulvae based on collected data related to protrusion and overall complexity. According to our survey outcomes, nearly 57% of people surveyed preferred classes of non-protruding labia whereas the other 43% favored more complex vulvae types.
INTRODUCTION
Dimension, color, labia size, and rugosity are all part of what characterizes the wide variability that exists in female genitalia. This work attempts to quantify public opinion and perception over vulval morphology utilizing various submitted photographs worldwide and a publicly available anonymous survey.
METHODS
Sample Set
200 women -- who were at least 18 years old -- submitted various photographs of their external genitalia between 10 March 2015 and 23 April 2015. The rules for submission required all subjects to have at least three images of their genitalia in three stipulated angles. A submission form was also required which included a subject’s personal information -- specifically their name, age, and nationality. Provided information was kept strictly confidential unless subjects expressly allowed permission of its publication by the staff of the National University of Cacerta’s Psychology Department.

Categorization
We manually analyzed each submitted triplet of photographs by each subject, utilizing each angle to measure various ratios of genital morphology focusing on three key characteristics: labia majora length, labia minora length, and the length of the clitoral hood. We later translated the data into two primary ratios: labia minora/labia majora length and clitoral hood/labia majora length. Alongside the aforementioned measurements, we also categorized the protuberance of the labia minora -- utilizing a scale ranging from 1 to 4 -- and separated vulvae into three additional categories of rugosity. All measurements were made by Dr. Monica Sarissita to reduce the effects of multiple observer variance. The following table lists the final measurements of the overall sample set.
Table 1
Min/Maj Hood/Maj Min Protuberence Rugosity
0.56 0.37 2 Smooth
0.64 0.27 2 Smooth
0.63 0.29 3 Moderate
0.75 0.08 4 Marked
0.51 0.29 1 Smooth
0.38 0.32 1 Moderate
0.72 0.18 4 Smooth
0.83 0.19 3 Marked
0.44 0.47 2 Smooth
Showing 1 to 10 of 200 entries
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Table 1: Measurements taken for our final analyzed sample. Min: Labia Minora Length; Maj: Labia Majora Length; Hood: Clitoral Hood Length; Min Protuberence: Labia Minora Protuberance.
SURVEYS
Over the course of the next eight months, 188,317 people participated in an anonymous survey in which they rated a random selection of twenty images on a standard scale of 1 - 10. Participants were allowed to take as much time as they liked to consider each vulva presented; a subject’s name, age, and nationality were only shown if given prior consent. To reduce overall bias, data was analyzed using the survey mean and standard of deviation which allowed us to collate the results on an equal scale -- as some voters only partially used the 1 to 10 scale while others utilized it in its entirety.
VULVAL CATEGORIES
After several weeks of analyzation, we concluded that vulvae can be sorted into six primary categories exhibited by various labia minora sizes. These categories were named Class 1 to 6 -- where Class 1s were the simplest and Class 6s were considered the most complex. Labia minora of Class 1 categories did not protrude and were soft. Labia minora of Class 2 protruded slightly from the labia majora and were also soft. Class 3 and 4 possessed moderate rugosity; Class 3, however, possessed longer clitoral hoods. Class 5 and 6 exhibited the most rugose labia; Class 6 possessed the most protrusive labia.
Table 2
Avg Min/Maj Avg Hood/Maj Avg Min Protuberence Avg Rugosity % Photos
Class 1 0.58 0.27 1 Smooth 32
Class 2 0.61 0.26 2 Smooth 21
Class 3 0.54 0.34 3 Moderate 10
Class 4 0.71 0.20 3 Moderate 16
Class 5 0.67 0.21 3 Marked 14
Class 6 0.66 0.25 4 Moderate 7
Table 2: Calculated averages per each class of vulval category.

Figure 1: Examples of each Class categorization (image has been blurred for user safety, available on the Department of Psychology website at nuoc.cer.edu).
Figure 2 illustrates the number of subjects per country. Table 3 lists the information in greater detail. Most subjects resided in Tyran with most particularly prevalent participation from Cacerta and Shalum, both of which had representations of each of the six categories.

Figure 2: Geographic distribution of subjects in Tyran (click image to enlarge). Although citizens of Kirisaki were participant in the study, it is not illustrated in the above image as the majority sample was located in Tyran.
Table 3
Country No. of Subjects
Cacerta 68
Gylias 51
Shalum 43
Kirisaki 17
Schottia 12
Ruvelka 7
Nalaya 2
Table 3: Number of subjects per country.
STYLE PREFERENCES
Participants of the survey were asked to rate 20 randomly selected photos. Figure 3 illustrates the geographical distribution of anonymous participants of the survey -- Tables 4 and 5 describe the information in greater detail. Nations located in Tyran possessed the highest percentage of survey participation with most participants from Cacerta and Shalum.

Collected data revealed that most people who took part in the survey preferred Class 1 vulvae with vulvae of Class 2 and 3 often following closely behind. Closer inspection showed more specific variability by nation. Citizens of Kirisaki preferred Class 3 more frequently in comparison to participants from Cacerta, Gylias, and Schottia, who preferred Class 1. Figure 3 illustrates the distribution of the 188,317 surveys taken regarding preference.

Figure 3: Geographic distribution of survey participants in Tyran (click image to enlarge). Although citizens of Kirisaki were also participant in the survey, it is not illustrated in the above image as the majority sample was located in Tyran.

Table 4
Country No. of Surveys Preferred Class
Cacerta 99,453 Class 1
Gylias 79,752 Class 1
Shalum 4,523 Class 2
Kirisaki 2,247 Class 3
Schottia 1,423 Class 1
Ruvelka 875 Class 1
Nalaya 44 Class 2
Table 4: Number of people surveyed per country and preferred categorization of vulva.
Table 5
City No. of Surveys Preferred Class
Fumicino 5451 Class 1
Cesena 4998 Class 2
Velouria 4819 Class 1
Vichenza 4771 Class 1
Mishawaka 4277 Class 2
Naáras 3512 Class 1
Potenza 2972 Class 2
Carrera 2173 Class 3
Aragon 712 Class 2
Asahi 702 Class 3
Showing 1 to 10 of 135 entries
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Table 5: Number of people surveyed by city and preferred categorization of vulva.

Figure 4: Sample data style preferences

In order to collate the overall data acquired during the study, we computed the general average of rankings of various vulvae related to the total number of people surveyed. Figure 4 above illustrates the overall preferred styles of vulvae over the given sample population. Class 1 is most preferred of the six categorizations, but the combined percentages of the more complex vulvae was found to be greater than those who selected Class 1.

After a general overview of the data was conducted, it was found that the age of a subject or their country of origin did not play a significant role on how individual preferences were listed. Survey participants did not rate vulvae originating from their own nation higher than those of foreign nations. There were also no significant patterns found that directly related to the time or day of the week in which they survey was given. Features such as piercings and tattoos also had little effect on the overall survey process. Posture, however, played a minor role in how certain images were rated;certain positions obtained a higher average preference rating even when vulvae of the same subject were provided.
ANALYSIS OF WEBSITE TRAFFIC
Although the study focused primarily on our 200 subjects and the related 188,317 conducted surveys access to subject photos, pertinent information, and the ongoing study analysis was made publicly available on the website of the National University of Cesena’s Department of Psychology. Approximately 9.7 million people worldwide visited the site during the study’s duration period of one year.

The majority of visitors came from Tyranian nations, revealing that Cacertians and Gylias showed particular interest in the study -- both for its subject matter and anticipation of its results. Most visitors were found to be under 45 years of age, as illustrated in Figure 5. Data revealed that there was a considerably even split between men and women, exemplified in Figure 6.

Figure 5: Distribution of ages among visitors of the Department of Psychology public website.

Figure 6: Distribution of gender among visitors of the Department of Psychology public website.
DISCUSSION AND FINAL REMARKS
Utilizing a collection of submitted images, we measured three primary aspects of vulval morphology, specifically focusing on the complexity and protuberance of of the labia minora. Using the data we collected, we classified female genitalia into six main categories and then quantified the preferences of a random sample set of 188,317 anonymous survey participants.

The study concludes that the diversity of female genitalia is both poorly documented overall and a significantly taboo subject in a vast number of nations. The data gathered in the paper also proves that both simple and complex variations of female genitalia are equally preferred in men and women, although there exists a slight -- if negligable -- preference for simpler vulvae.
REFERENCES
Abernathy, H. (2012). “The Morphology of Female Genitalia.” Neuropsychopharmacology 88(7), 22 - 31.

Netti, Anatolia. (2010). “Variety in Female Genitalia: Beauty and Eroticism”. Cacertian Scientific 112(12), 65 - 79.

Zanotti, M. (2011). The Vagina: The Revolution of Female Sexuality in Cacerta. Cesena, Sarissita, Cacerta: National University of Cesena.

by **Quen Minh** » Mon Dec 07, 2015 1:22 am

PALM TREE
Global Information Register

Gamers Galore Once Again

Published: December 4, 2015
Author: Leslie Đỗ
Id: 3229
Tags: Gaming, Competition, Kontin, Entertainment, CounterStrike: Souce, CounterStrike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Team Fortress 2, League of Legends

KONTIN, QUENMIN - At the Nguyen Thinh Sang Convention Center, within the future-skinned confines of the vast hall, there resides hundreds of people, mostly youth aging from 13-25. Their eyes are locked on towards the bright light of the monitors displaying another world, their hands set on pushing the buttons of mouse or keyboard, and their ears avoiding the sounds of the outside world. Intensity builds up as various teams settle their disputes via the games that shine in front of their faces. As various commands sound out from their very mouths, the players are in for the night(s) of their lives.

Players on a round of Dota 2

Every year, from November 30 to December 2, the city of Kontin--as well as others cities of the country--hold an online gaming competition that is named the Zeta One Gaming Competition, generally known as Zeta or Z-1; each day is about nine hours long, running from 10:00 AM to 12:30 AM. Within the epoch of four days, one game is randomly picked out of a list of five that were voted upon those who applied to be played on each day. This year, over 1,000 in the whole country registered, with 100 being in Kontin.

Last competition involved the games of CounterStrike, both Source and Global Offensive, Dota 2, Team Fortress 2 and League of Legends--with the exception of Global Offensive being the last, all of them are played in that order throughout. As it progressed, more players began to take the games seriously, because of the games that were voted upon; several of them shouted and even broke several keyboards in some instances when losing, almost half of them attempting to destory the computers and had to be taken into a chill shack to calm themselves down. Despite these incidents, most of the gamers that participated claimed that it was the best competition that they have ever participated in.

"Thank God for the games chosen. I would have died in my seat if all of them weren't my faves," claimed Thach Cong Xuan, a 15-year-old gamer from the Zeus Team.

"Our sessions became more intense as we played this year. I must admit I had to walk to the shack when I died several times, but I'm glad to have participated," said 18-year-old player Le Khan Sinh of the Blazed Eels Team.

"I absolute loved this year's Zeta, that I couldn't even stop talking on my mic throughout," enthusiastically said 21-year-old Joseph Lam from the Quenminese FaZe Team.

Tickets for the upcoming competition are available on October 15 of next year, the deadline being November 22. It was a really fun time being there to watch and listen to them play. In recommendation, I would buy the tickets sooner.

Link: http://z-1-gaming.com/registration

by **Acrea** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 9:40 pm

Заголовки | акая | музыка | спорт | технологии | образ жизни | бизнес | путешествия | среда
headlines | acrea | region | music | sports | tech | lifestyle | business | travel | environment

Rally in Arkhangelsk
-Ongoing as VV Troops organise to control crowd of protestors
-Claim unjust breach of natural rights by Katayev Administration

Leagues of protesters clamour for space in Novaya Square as an unexpected rally against recent policy reforms by the Katayev Administration sweeps the city. The protesters, not identified by any single group, have yet to make any specific demands beyond reversal of the reforms. VVMVD troops have reportedly been deployed to the Square, but remain few in number and unarmed for any sort of riot control. Though police presence has increased, it appears to be more out of a wish for keeping foot traffic and business around the Square continuing without delay or restriction due to the protest than stopping the protest itself.

The rally speaks volumes regarding the Premier's policy changes, which were already controversial among the Duma and supposedly did not even have the support of the Prime Minister herself. More forced through than being passed, the policy changes loosened limitations on data collection and warrant requirements for police and state forces, a highly unpopular sentiment among both many legislators and the general populace. Since the start of the rally, the cabinet has reportedly been in session to discuss future action.

"Yet another step onto our personal privacy is completely unacceptable. And for what? We are not Mudaks! We are citizens," says one protester, Peter Poklovsky. "I did my time in the Army, my time in the service of the government. Now that I am out, they have no reason to know where I am, who I speak to, and what I am doing at any time they please."

Following recent forced editing and censorship by the Administration concerning political experts and observers criticising previous actions of the government, there is a common feeling that the rally is about more than just the policy changes. The sentiment is shared by many who are not participating in the rally to voice their concern and/or outrage at the reforms, and hopes are only that the cabinet meeting will result in the best and, as is seen by some, the only option of reversing the policy reforms, and freeing the press.

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by **Shalum** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 10:16 pm

Shalumite National News Network
Bringing You the Latest News From the Empire

ShalumAir Offers Comfort Dogs to Stressed Out Holiday Travellers

Traveling during the holiday season is always stressful, there is no doubt about that. From passengers to airline representatives and employees, travel this time of year takes a toll, especially when you consider the influx of passengers, weather related complications, and the dreaded delays and cancellations. This week -the peak of yearly holiday travel- ShalumAir is looking to appease passengers who are especially worn-down by the process.

The Shalumite News Network reported earlier in the week that ShalumAir has enlisted the assistance of 300 hundred specifically trained ‘comfort dogs’ across its eight airport hubs in: Aragon, Kaiserwerth, Niece, Dresden, Olympus, Frankfurt, Fontera, and Concordia.

Aragon International airport in particular will receive the most support dogs, fifty total along with a handler for each, to relieve the stress of passengers. From December 20th to December 27th, from eight in the morning to eight in the evening, comfort teams will be present and working in shifts at designated areas. The dogs will be wearing open invitations for ShalumAir passengers, as well as passengers from any other airline, to pet and hug them, and receive much needed animal love in return.

In today’s press release, ShalumAir’s Vice President and Chief Market officer Nathan Stone said. “In ways large and small, all of us at ShalumAir want to bring comfort and joy to our customers during this busy season of Christmas. We introduced comfort dogs during the last holiday season, and they were very popular with our customers, so we have decided to bring them back this year, in greater numbers so that more people can receive affection.”

If you are flying ShalumAir this year, make sure to look out for these pups if you’re in need of a good smile during this stressful time of year.

In Other News:
Festive Pets: Photos of our furry friends during this holiday season
Santa’s Reindeer cleared for takeoff: Veterinarian confirms they’re ready to fly
Shalumite Ducal police officer rescues kitten on highway during rush hour traffic
‘Dog shot by cop’ to be thing of the past? Imperator Holland promises so during Christmas speech

by **Delkora** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 2:59 pm

by **Gylias** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 2:39 pm

GNBS News

Gylias elections 2016: Parliament dissolved, federal campaign begins
1 January 2016 Last updated 11:38 PM

President Laura Varnath after their speech announcing the dissolution
of Parliament.

Parliament has officially been dissolved, inaugurating a three-week electoral campaign period before the general election is held on Friday, 22 January.

The Prime Minister, Toni Vallas, met President Laura Varnath shortly after 2 AM to ask for a dissolution, which was confirmed this morning by the President in a press conference.

Laura Varnath, who is running for reelection in the simultaneous presidential election, was notably lighthearted during the announcement, remarking that "it is time once again for that special occasion when the President of Gylias has the opportunity to serve as the person waving the flag at the start of a race" and suggesting that "Toni will be along shortly, once we all wake up, and in some cases, have a coffee. Or not coffee. Everybody has their own morning ritual."

Laura Varnath indicated they would campaign on their record in office, and expressed pride in the quality of candidates for the presidency, emphasising the responsibilities the post carries.

"No matter who Gylians vote for and who wins the election, they are guaranteed to have excellent representatives.", they stated. "I am grateful to see such an illustrious field of candidates for the presidency."

The President ended the brief press conference by saying, "I suggest the other candidates could start their engines about now."

A 'clear choice'

Prime Minister Toni Vallas spoke to the media as well later in the afternoon, confirming that they had requested a parliamentary dissolution. They spoke of a "clear choice" facing voters in the election, casting their alliance as a force for gradual change.

"Gylians will make an important decision about the direction of our country. We have benefited from a long period of tranquility, our economy is healthy and our republic remains one of the safest nations in Tyran. This is the best time for adventurous plans and the exploratory spirit that built our republic.", they said.

"It is imperative we do not waste this opportunity. We can always do better, we can always work towards a fairer and more inclusive society than we had even yesterday.", they added.

Prime Minister Toni Vallas speaking to reporters after having asked the
President to dissolve Parliament.

Toni Vallas, the leader of the Social Democratic Party, said they would seek a mandate to strengthen the economy, identifying investment in research and technical development as a means towards this goal, and to increase Gylians' participation in governing and decision-making, particularly in the area of budgeting.

"I believe we have the right conditions to give the people a greater, direct say in how they want revenues to be spent, both federally and locally.", they added.

After the announcement and answering questions from reporters, the Prime Minister headed home, with plans to begin canvassing on Sunday.

Opinion polls timed with the announcement all suggest that the Progressive Alliance retains the lead and will be the largest group in the upcoming 13th Parliament, although they will be short of a majority alone.

A poll by Ragnhildur Research on behalf of The Morning Post indicates that the Prime Minister personally remains popular, with 54% of respondents approving of their performance, 40% disapproving, and 6% unsure.

The significant factor will therefore be the performance of the Progressives' coalition partners, the Liberal Union, Green Party and Independent Regional Alliance for Minorities.

The Liberal Union leader, Elly Marx, told supporters in Maveás that the alliance would focus on regaining the "influential role" it held in 1990s under Prime Minister Mathilde Véira, before a setback in the last election. They positioned the LU as a moderating force in the governing coalition, arguing that they have brought a substantial contribution to the success of past governments through restraint and pragmatism. Elly Marx cast their party as less "dogmatic" on debates about the economy, and reaffirmed their commitment to social reform and liberty.

'Real change'

National Bloc leader Stéphanie Daniau speaking at the campaign launch in Greíza, Herlan AR.

Launching the National Bloc's campaign in Greíza, Herlan AR, National Conservative Party leader Stéphanie Daniau stressed the economy as a defining issue of the campaign.

"Gylians will have a choice between four more years of a 'good enough' economy, or our plan for change.", they stated.

"We won't settle for less. We will increase our growth rate and productivity, and replace the damaging attitude of distrust and imperiousness towards business that the PA has adopted in government with a more productive and harmonious cooperation between the public and private sector. We have nothing to fear from the market when our regulatory system and public institutions are so strong."

The NCP leader stressed their commitment to the public sector and a consensual, consultative governing style. They also used their speech to criticise the Union for Freedom and Prosperity, deriding their platform as "sociopathic" and saying they intend to "strip Gylias of all the protections and safety nets we have in place, and leave us to at the mercy of the ravenous wolves of hyper-capitalism, so they can ransack everything in sight."

Stéphanie Daniau aimed their pitch at average voters comfortable with their personal situation and the condition of the country, seeking to reinforce their alliance's place in the mainstream of Gylian politics. This was underlined by remarks attacking the UFP as "extremist" and "a threat to the well-being of the Gylian economy and state".

The NCP leader is safe from challenges from the right, being personally more popular than any of the UFP parties' leaders, but is seen as facing a challenge in trying to overturn the PA's long-lasting dominance in politics. Several polls indicate that respondents view them as a better Leader of the Opposition than potential Prime Minister.

New seats

12th Parliament at dissolution

Necessary for a majority:

383 seats in the House of Representatives
151 seats in the Senate

_
Political groups
__Representatives__ __Senators__
_
PA
308
77
_
LU
155
76
_
CG
95
45
_
NB
74
49
_
UFP
33
11
_
Greens
57
20
_
IRAM
25
9
_
Pirates
12
12
_
Independents
5
1

Campaigning on the day was limited due to Rememberance Day following and the fact that the parties' manifestos have not yet been released.

The Centre Group is hoping to build on the breakthrough of 2012, when they won 95 seats in the House of Representatives after two elections at which they had lost seats. Its new leader, Laura Ráydvan, was chosen last year and will lead the bloc into an election for the first time.

All political blocs are predicted to increase their tally in the House of Representatives, as boundaries have been redrawn based on the 2014 census. The new House of Representatives will have 840 seats, an increase of 76 compared to the current House of Representatives' 764 seats. New federal districts are located in the following administrative regions:

Eárxath (one more federal district)
Kausania (one more federal district)
Mishawaka (two more federal districts)
Sváen (one more federal district)
Elena (two more federal districts)
Envadra (one more federal district)
Nezyál (two more federal districts)
Tomes (two more federal districts)
Dzarna (two more federal districts)
Adhuna (one more federal district)
Nauras (two more federal districts)
Nerveiík-Iárus-Daláyk (two more federal districts).

The seat totals in the other administrative regions remains unchanged.

The Toni Vallas coalition government heads into the election with a majority of 326 in the House of Representatives and 64 in the Senate.

by **Syara** » Sat Jan 09, 2016 11:51 pm

Acrean-Syaran Non-Aggression Pact Signed

Zovahr, Syara - Confirming the report to the press outside the Citadel, Executive Radovan Kostović stated that the Commonality of Syara and the Soviet Federation of Acrea had signed a Non-Aggression Pact, the cultivation of high level talks between the two states over the past few weeks. Kostović reiterated Syara's commitment towards peaceful relations and increased trade with northern countries, vowing this Pact was the first step in a process of gradually improving Syara's standing with many other states in the region.

Sources close to Arkangelsk revealed that Prime Minister Viktoriya Kalashnikova had authorized the talks late last year, with early discussion taking place just weeks before Christmas. Although a number of topics were discussed, chief among them was the ground work for further Acrean and Syaran cooperation, resulting in an agreement of non-aggression against each other for the forseeable future. Kostović stressed to reporters that Syara's ultimate goal was the resolution of any and all disputes with it's foreign counterparts, dismissing accusations that the Commonality only wished to secure the assistance of one of the region's premier powerhouses.

Though normally divided by socioeconomic differences, Acrea being a socialist state and Syara a largely capitalist nation, Kostović asserted that politics had little role in the agreement, but was rather based on a mutual intention to create a "better and brighter future for our children, regardless of nationality."

by **Shalum** » Sun Jan 10, 2016 9:38 pm

Shalumite National News Network
Bringing You the Latest News From the Empire

From Waste to Energy: The Other Natural Gas

Every twenty-four hours, at a large facility near the city of Dresden in the Duchy of Hallefeld, approximately ten-million gallons of what people have flushed down their sinks and toilets, otherwise known as human waste, is collected. The water that emerges from this sewage treatment plant is cleaner than the Harmony River that it flows into. Meanwhile, the organic material that is strained from the water is put to good use -- producing fuel for the city’s government vehicles.

Since the opening of the Dresden Sewage Processing Facility several decades ago, organic wastes collected have been processed to the point that it can be dumped in several nearby landfills. This procedure produces methane as a byproduct, which used to be simply burned off into the air. However, after two years of infrastructural expansion by the local government, with the assistance of government subsidies, the facility is now capable of producing natural gas that is chemically identical to what is harvested from drilling operations.

The city of Dresden has been steadily replacing its aging fleet of garbage trucks and city busses with compressed natural gas vehicles, fueled primarily by human produced natural gas from the local treatment plant. The city’s water service manager, Dylan Hamilton, says the Dresden’s facility is the first in the nation to use this method, and that he hopes many more like it will be brought into service.

“We’re looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars being saved every year in terms of fuel costs, by implementing this process,” Hamilton said, “and for a utility area of our size, that is a significant amount of money. I can only imagine how much a city like Aragon or Frankfurt would save by following our example.”

Freya Butler is the President of Eracura Vision, a Shalumite non-profit dedicated to expanding the use of this renewable natural gas, officially known as HRNG. She applauds the Dresden project as a common sense way to save money and lower greenhouse gas emissions. “This is a model for cities across the country, both large and small. The Dresden facility is medium sized, when compared to the city of Aragon, but large when compared to a city like Fonterra. Scaling it up or down would not be a particularly hard thing to do,” she explained.

She points out that there are other sources for HRNG beyond human waste. The SNN team interviewed President Butler on the ground-floor of a Dresden Hotel and she started to walk among the tables, pointing said sources out: ham and eggs leftover from a breakfast on a plate, pieces of unfinished toast, coffee and tea still in cups. Natural gas can be made from food waste as well.

Every day like clockwork, food scraps are collected from restaurants across the country, as well as from grocery stores and large food manufacturers. In several weeks, it will all be headed to the Frankfurt Biogas Facility in Central Shalum, which is in its final stage of construction. For all intents and purposes, it does the same thing as the facility in Dresden, however on a much larger, industrial scale.

“It is a very unique place, the largest in Shalum by far, and probably one of the biggest in the whole region,” said Riley Howard. Her company, Northwest Organics, has partnered with the Frankfurt Biogas Facility to coordinate and organize all the food shipments coming in.

Howard says that there could soon be forty to fifty tractor trailer loads of food waste making its way to the plant every week once it becomes operational. It will end up mixed together with manure from local dairy farms, as well as cattle and bison ranches. As it turns out, the best way to harvest the most natural gas from waste is to process a balanced diet of both food scraps and animal waste.

After the facility extracts methane gas from the waste and processes it into usable material, it is to be injected into pipelines along with fossil based natural gas, into the nationwide delivery system. Freya Butler of Eracura Vision says that if all the organic waste in the country was collected, that with the assistance of modern technologies, enough natural gas could be produced to replace about half of the diesel fuel used in the Shalumite transportation sector.

While it is not a complete replacement for the oil and gas industry, not by a long shot in fact, Freya Butler argues that it is a step towards practical solutions to climate change. To solve the problem of climate change as a whole, issues must be handled one at a time, through the means of smaller steps such as this. “One thing isn’t going to cut it,” she said. “But for this sector, which in itself is a very large one, it is not a small matter at all.”

She also goes onto say that, as far as individual solutions go, a single person can contribute in the neighborhood of one cubic foot of natural gas per day.

by **Schottia** » Mon Jan 11, 2016 6:42 am

Schottic High Council locked in fierce debate as councillors prepare for Socialist Market Group Vote.

11 January 2016 | Schottic Politics

▶ 0:00:00 - 0:00:00
Watch events live from Handon Old Town Hall

Amy Connell has fielded tough questions in the chamber so far today as she looks to finally hold an eagerly anticipated vote on the influence of the SMG. The unelected committee were set up in 1928, and currently have vetoing powers over decisions directly affecting the Schottic economy.

It had controversially been a manifesto pledge of Amy Connell, when she stood for party leader, and it is understood that her own party are very divided on the issue. There have been several SSP Councillors who have urges Cllr Connell postpone or even rethink the policy, claiming it will drive a left-right wedge through the middle of the party.

Many of Connell's supporters see the SMG as undemocratic and entirely outdated. Whereas her opponents regard its members as the last bastion of socialism, keeping out the corrupting powers of capitalist investment.

In her opening remarks, Connell pressed the importance of modernisation, and stressed that bringing the group's responsibilities under the umbrella of the High Council cabinet did not present a risk to the economy. At great length she insisted that the powers would be safer and better served, subjected to the scrutiny of the democratic system.

Main opposition to the proposal has come from the Communist Party of Schottia and their leader Nick Granton, who in his response accused Connell of 'opening the doors to capitalist' and 'being asleep at the wheel.' He also asked the Council leader if she could confirm who the Councillor in charge of this new department would be. When Connell replied that this would be decided upon in due course, he questioned how anyone could vote for such uncertainty.

The debate is now headed into its fourth hour, with further speeches expected from Councillors on both side of the discussion. It is yet to be seen exactly whether many of her own government will vote along with her proposals as it expected that her main coalition partners, the Schottic Workers' Party, will either vote against or abstain. Within her own party there have already been a few high profile Councillors who have come out against the proposals, most notably hard left big hitters Sabine Marditz and Bill Zhang, however two thirds or there abouts are expected to side with Cllr Connell.

Connell obviously feels that she has enough support to get the bill through, even if it may be tighter now than she had initially hoped. There is a lot riding on all of this, as Connell would have ideally liked to have had this vote late last year, but was uncertain of winning the argument. A defeat would certainly make the 25-year-old's position a little difficult, and it is a situation she will be desperate to avoid.

by **Gylias** » Sun Jan 17, 2016 5:19 pm

THE GYLIAN JOURNAL

Whither internal democracy in the NB?
Editorial by Janet Léiksh

18 January 2016

Stéphanie Daniau addresses an electoral meeting in Arcyk, 15 January 2016. The National Conservative Party leader is
on track to consolidate their gains from the last election, according to the latest opinion polls.

Any good political leader can overcome setbacks, but it takes a truly special talent to be able to transform a seeming setback into a personal triumph. The publication of the latest opinion polls shows that this is exactly what the National Conservative Party's current leader, Stéphanie Daniau, has managed to do after four parties broke off from the National Bloc to form the Union for Freedom and Prosperity on 15 April 2014. Coming on the heels of the energetic campaign conducted by the NB and the good performances Stéphanie Daniau had in debates so far, holding their own against the Prime Minister and easily dominating Ufyath Tiálb of the UFP, the contrast between the NB's average polling of 25% and the UFP's 9% surely feel like vindication.

Stéphanie Daniau has naturally not wasted time seizing on the polls to boost their status, telling supporters in Andral yesterday: "We have exposed the extremist agenda of the ufépistes for what it is, and we can be certain now that the Gylians' final judgement on it will not be sparing." The increasing trouble that has befallen the UFP throughout the campaign has been one of the greatest advantages for the NB's electoral strategy, allowing them to disarm a potential threat from the right and isolate the UFP from the heart of Gylian politics. Considering that Ufyath Tiálb explicitly cited dissatisfaction with Stéphanie Daniau's leadership and derided them as an "obstructionist", the high-risk strategy has clearly not borne any fruit. Far from producing a "big bang" effect on Gylian politics as they hoped to do by assailing the post-war consensus, the UFP must now contend with the humiliation of trailing even the Pirate Party in current seat predictions. If current trends continue, they are well on track to winning even less seats than the NB did in the infamous blowout of 1990.

For these reasons it is tempting to paint a portrait of Stéphanie Daniau as a formidable Leader of the Opposition. They will mark ten years of being the NB's leader this year. In that time, they has reversed the devastation wreaked by Kezdal Eyúdh, whose abrasive rhetoric and harsh ultra-right manifesto set a new standard for political suicide. Stéphanie Daniau, by moving the NB back to moderation and presenting it again as reasonable and trustworthy conservatives, brought the alliance back from the political wilderness: it won 107 seats in the House of Representatives at the last election, after two decades of being permanently at 31. They have benefited from both campaigning skills, their current message of whether the Gylian economy can be satisfied with "good enough" gaining them traction with voters, and significant luck, exploiting the inner splits of the NB to position themself as the defender of ordinary Gylians from the spectre of rapacious capitalism.

Certainly, if the election does result in the NB marginalising the UFP for good, it will be regarded as Stéphanie Daniau's crowning achievement. The tortured and often luckless history of the NCP and its greater alliance shows it has never managed to properly persuade a majority of Gylians that it is a credible and safe choice for government. The success of Lǽa Kersed at purging extremists and softening the alliance's image was followed by Kezdal Eyúdh scaring off voters once again with the "eyúdhanasia" programme. Stéphanie Daniau has now brought the NB back full circle: as the established opposition, the decent dealmakers, the political vehicle of benign orthodoxy, the responsible opposition in all senses of the word. But before they can bring the NB to the precipice of power like Lǽa Kersed, they must confront the challenge of steering a steady course amidst the particular internal dynamics of their bloc, and the tricky tightrope act of drawing just enough clear blue water between themself and the government to represent an alternative without raising the spectre of an agenda of assault on the time-honoured institutions that hold an important place in Gylian identity, such as the National Prices Board, the National Health System, or public education.

The task grows more complicated with the Bloc's unique characteristics being taken into account. Other political alliances operate in a more decentralised manner, whether it be the relative equality of the Liberal Union and Centre Group, or the way the Progressive Alliance clearly has certain dominant parties but with the other constituent parties having opportunities to influence overall policy and strategy. The Nationals, on the other hand, are recognised as being a very centralised bloc, a legacy of Lǽa Kersed's reforms: the National Conservative Party says what will be done, and that is it. It is a system that works very well for forcing its parties through a detoxification process and bringing them from the fringes of politics to the big tent. It backfires badly when the leadership gets captured by self-destructive forces that prize ideological purity, scorn compromise, and prefer extremism to electoral appeal. At least part of the reason why the NB's agonies of defeat were prolonged for 22 years was the growing struggle for power between the National Conservatives and the Prosperity Party, representing the more capitalist economic wing of the bloc.

That the Prosperity Party and its hangers-on defected from the National Bloc first represents a good look for Stéphanie Daniau; an outright expulsion might have raised more uncomfortable questions about whether the NB's internal organisation is too authoritarian, or at least centres too much power in the hands of one party. With the UFP parties gone, the National Conservatives' authority as the standard-bearers of Gylian conservatism is assured, the NB's status as the main right-wing bloc unchallenged. Yet the issue remains far from settled. The defeats of 1962, 1969 and 1990 are seared powerfully into the memories of the Nationals, and past leaders who aimed to end their exiles from the political mainstream used them as ominous phantasms to scare the rank and file into rallying behind the banner of moderation and resisting extremism. Should the election result succeed in confirming the NB's rude health and the marginalisation of the UFP, the questions could very well be amplified. There's nothing stopping NB members and constituent parties, secure in the knowledge that the NB has avoided another brush with political suicide, asking themselves why should the National Conservatives dominate the bloc to such an extent. The question should be particularly galling for the National Independence Party of Gylias, who did their best to carry the torch for consensual Gylian conservatism between 1990 and 2012 and are still rewarded with the status of junior flunkies, not even true partners, within the alliance. Nothing would sink Stéphanie Daniau's leadership faster than ignoring this issue; few things would boost it as well as successfully navigating a democratisation of the NB's outdated structures.

The Nationals' long losing streak at the ballot box will not disappear soon. It is so entrenched by now it easily becomes the subject of tongue-in-cheek spectator sports speculating how they will fizzle out this time. But if Stéphanie Daniau succeeds, they may well have brought the greatest contribution to erasing the NB's reputation as the "eternal second best". One day, it might even be a reasonable possibility that the NB could win.

by **Delkora** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 3:52 pm

by **Shalum** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:12 am

Shalumite National News Network
Bringing You the Latest News From the Empire

Floating Farms: The Future Of Agriculture

Over the course of the past few decades, population centers across the globe have soared at astronomical rates for a number of reasons. Nations have become more peaceful, wars less prevalent, and the arts of medicine have experienced periods of great development. With these expansion, industry has expanded with the demand. Buildings have become bigger to house more people, technology more advanced to keep everyone in touch, and farming has advanced in its practice to keep up with the constant need of the people.

For some nations, however, this has been more of a problem than with others. Not all countries are large, or have the arable lands needed to sustain their communities. They must instead resort to measures such as importing large amounts of food, which can be very costly. However, with the assistance of environment friendly oriented technology and forward thinking architectural designs, these days of may eventually become a thing of the past. That is, at least, if the Harper Group (owned and managed by the Jack Harper, Duke of Hallefeld) has anything to say about it.

Introducing floating smart farms, capable of operating with complete autonomy while away from shore. The Harper Group’s ambitious design teams stretched eco-friendly concepts to their limits, creating smart floating farms, expansive three-tiered agricultural barges outfitted with fish farms on the bottom deck, hydroponic gardens on the central deck, and long stretches of solar panels on the roof to keep the facility operational. The concept has been around for some time, but with the help of Tericio and Imperial government subsidies, it has become a reality. The first farm barges are expected to come online later this month.

During the development stage, this concept hit all the important buzzwords: preservation of arable lands, local organic food sourcing with less “food mileage,” environmental protection, self-sufficiency, and sustainability.

As to the rectangular floating farms themselves, the designers decided the default size to be 700 feet by 1,200 feet and a total area across all its levels of about 2.2 million square feet. Space that isn’t being used for farming is occupied with service walkways and catwalks. Due to the modular design of of the barges, several of them could be clustered together to improve their efficiency even more to better serve densely populated areas.

The bottom levels of these farms are made up of: fish farms, external wave perimeter barriers and protection systems, water access points, slaughter and storehouses, a desalination plant, and a packaging facility. The next level features a greenhouse equipped with automatic hydroponics, and microclimate controls for crop cultivation. The rooftop levels of these farms are equipped with photovoltaic power plants, rain collectors, and skylights to deliver natural light to the plants. Wind turbines and wave generators could also play roles in future versions of these farms, as well as biogas power plants, and digesters that would eliminate the biological waste created by operating these facilities.

The most important parts of these barges are the hydroponic gardens, where the majority of the food would actually be produced. Due to the fact that hydroponics do not require natural precipitation, fertile lands, or pesticides to be effective; they can act as an alternative source of food for people who live in arid regions or areas with poor soil. The hydroponic gardens can also be stacked, which allows both space and production to be maximised.

The barges themselves are designed to operate pretty much automatically, with minimal amounts of human intervention actually required. One of the keys to this is the placement of sensors seemingly everywhere and the reliance on gadgetry and cloud storage to allow the farms to operate at peak proficiency. Big data analytics are also used to determine what local populaces and nations need most from their floating farms. Fewer fish and more corn, perhaps?

Over the course of a year, when running at peak levels, one barge is expected to yield as many as 8,152 tons of vegetables. Along with this, solar farms and fisheries are expected to produce 1,702 tons of fish a year as well. Finally, due to the fact that floating farm modules can be connected to form a grid (or any design allowable by its architecture, as shown in the picture above), entire cities can be fed if the sizes of farms are scaled up, not dissimilar to floating farm metropolises.

by **Gylias** » Sun Jan 24, 2016 4:46 pm

GNBS News

Federal election results: Government returned with increased majority
24 January 2016 Last updated 4:56 PM

The Toni Vallas government has won re-election with an increased majority.

According to the final results declared by the Electoral Commission, the Progressive Alliance, Liberal Union, Green Party and Independent Regional Alliance for Minorities now cumulatively hold 606 seats out of 840 in the House of Representatives, a majority of 372, and 182 seats of 300 in the Senate, a majority of 64.

The House of Representatives result represents an increase in the government's majority from 326 at the 2012 election. The Senate majority remains unchanged.

The opposition has had mixed fortunes at the ballot box. The Centre Group modestly increased its tally of Representatives to 99, but lost a Senator. The Pirate Party has won eight additional seats in both houses; it now shares a distinction with the Greens of being the only two unaffiliated parties to hold the maximum number of allowed seats per party in the Senate. Zasda Aervey, independent Representative for the Kulvin federal district, failed to meet the quota, finishing fifth on the final count.

The National Bloc will now hold 94 seats in the House of Representatives and 49 in the Senate. The former result represents a decrease of 13 compared to their 2012 election result, but an increase of 20 compared to their standing at dissolution. The latter result represents a decrease of 11 compared to their 2012 result, but no change compared to their standing at dissolution.

The Union for Freedom and Prosperity won 17 seats in the House of Representatives and 4 in the Senate. As they were founded last year, the results represent a decrease of 16 and 7, respectively, compared to their standings at dissolution.

The PA has secured a 31% share of the first preference vote, the LU 18%, the CG 15%, the NB 14%, the Greens 10%, the Pirates 4%, the IRAM 4%, the UFP 1%, and independent candidates 1%, all rounded up.

Of the two extra-parliamentary blocs, the Revolutionary Rally has a 0,6% share of the first preference vote, and the Association for National Independence and Protection 0,4%.

'Mandate to continue'

Prime Minister Toni Vallas seeing the final result at the
Social Democratic Party's headquarters

In their victory speech, the Prime Minister, Toni Vallas, set out their intentions to follow an agenda of continued decentralisation, implementing participatory budgeting and greater elements of direct democracy, and increased spending on research, and science policies.

"The result we have seen today is a vote of confidence from the people of Gylias for our policies and aims," they stated.

"Together with our partners, we have a strong team in the cabinet, a talented parliamentary body, and a clear vision for a better Gylias. We owe the result to the trust voters have placed in us, and we will justify that faith by continuing the work we have begun."

Deputy Prime Minister Kaori Kawashima said that the result is "the most important vote of confidence we seek as public servants", and interpreted it as "a mandate to continue the good work we have performed for the past four years."

The Liberal Union leader, Elly Marx, was also pleased with the result, declaring that it would help the Union ensure a balanced coalition government.

"The Gylian people have an understandable wariness of majority governments," they told GNBS. "They do not want to see a system where the majority can trample over the minority with impunity, nor a system where the minority can block and frustrate the majority's decision, but a system that encourages compromise and good governance. The presence of multiple parties and political alliances help make it a stronger and better government, which will represent the interests of Gylians well."

Elly Marx promised that the Progressives and Liberals would "work together" on cultural policy. They said that they would seek an increase in funding for culture, and added, "Our culture, artistic and entertainment sectors are among the calling cards of Gylias abroad. The creativity of Gylians is an important component of our country's vitality and its economy, and we must look into opportunities to support them whenever possible."

The second Toni Vallas cabinet will remain the same as the first, with the notable difference of Sakura Kusatsu relinquishing the post of Minister of Planning and Development. No replacement has yet been announced for the position.

A successful setback

Most of the campaign's antagonism undoubtedly occurred on the right, where the Union for Freedom and Prosperity sought to challenge the dominance of the moderate National Bloc, presenting a hardened agenda of reducing the size of government, cutting taxes, introducing means-testing in welfare payments, privatising publically-owned companies, and weakening the National Prices Board and National Capital Investment Board.

The National Bloc responded fiercely, painting the UFP as extremists who would destroy Gylias' economy and leave the country at the mercy of foreign capitalists. Several media outlets' analysts remarked that the NB seemed more interested in destroying the UFP than fighting an election.

Stéphanie Daniau told supporters that voters had rejected "economic fanaticism"

The final result was welcomed by National Bloc leader Stéphanie Daniau, who hailed it as "an emphatic rejection of callous economic fanaticism and the elevation of ideological purity above collegiality, courtesy and cooperation".

On the campaign trail, they had criticised the government's economic policies, arguing that their bloc would improve economic growth by cultivating a better relationship with the private sector, but reserved most of their ire for the UFP, which they blasted as "people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing".

Speaking to a crowd of National Conservative Party supporters in Mishawaka, Stéphanie Daniau said, "We have done our best, and this year it was not enough for us to win. That is my responsibility, and I accept it. But the important victory we have secured, is that the National Bloc has remained a viable fighting force for the future."

"We have protected conservatism from another hijacking by ruthless ideologues, and made sure that now and in the future Gylian conservatism will continue to stand for decency, compassion, civic duty, and the security and well-being of our vibrant communities."

The National Conservatives' finance spokesperson, Sibylla Antoniou, said that the UFP's separation from the NB was "a great weight lifted from the shoulders of the National Bloc."

"No longer will we be hindered by ungrateful market fundamentalists," they said. "Our message is clearer. Our cause is now in perfect focus. We must now take this golden opportunity to reach out to the voters we have not persuaded, and make our case to the best of our ability."

For Ufyath Tiálb, the Prosperity Party leader who instigated the creation of the UFP, the results represented a humiliation: the UFP gained the least votes and seats of any parliamentary group, finishing only a few percentage points above the total votes for independent candidates.

In a concession speech criticised for being ungracious, they called the election results "deeply disappointing" and remarked that "it is clear we face an uphill battle to convince Gylians to take personal responsibility and care for their lives instead of demanding that the government give them everything".

Table of Results

Political groups
Share of first preference votes
Seats in the House of Representatives
Seats in the Senate
__ Progressive Alliance
30,68%
350 [↑ 36]
77 [▬]
__ Liberal Union
18,38%
174 [↑ 19]
76 [▬]
__ Centre Group
14,89%
99 [↑ 4]
44 [↓ 1]
__ National Bloc
14,43%
94 [↑ 20]
49 [▬]
__ Green Party
9,86%
60 [↑ 3]
20 [▬]
__ Pirate Party
4,41%
20 [↑ 8]
20 [↑ 8]
__ Independent Regional Alliance for Minorities
3,69%
22 [↓ 3]
9 [▬]
__ Union for Freedom and Prosperity
1,38%
17 [↓ 16]
4 [↓ 7]
__ Independents
1,27%
4 [↓ 1]
1 [▬]
__ Revolutionary Rally
0,57%
0 [▬]
0 [▬]
__ Association for National Independence and Protection
0,44%
0 [▬]
0 [▬]

House of Representatives

Senate

Turnout
House of Representatives: 91,47%
Senate: 91,19%

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Analysis by Erdan Resiel

The re-election of the Toni Vallas government was never in much doubt from the moment Parliament was dissolved. The Prime Minister remains quite popular among the public, the opposition pulled in many directions, and the Nationals engaged in a disastrous internecine squabble with its unruly right-wing faction.

Solid economic growth also played well for the incumbent government, with the Nationals' message of "not settling for good enough" being lost somewhat in the shuffle of their own making. The final result is a personal triumph for Toni Vallas, having led their coalition to reelection with an increased majority, but it carries the scent of an election lost by the opposition as much as it was won by the government.

The defeat will weigh on the Nationals, but an extended bout of introspection seems unlikely. The sheer scale of the repudiation wreaked on the UFP at the ballot box is the kind of ignominy few alliances can escape from. They have less seats than the Pirate Party: they are as dead in the water as can be while still entering Parliament. The only question now will be how long will they limp on before being put out of their misery.

The implications of this realignment won't be fully seen until the next election, but that doesn't diminish Stéphanie Daniau's achievement. They have finally put an end to the struggles between moderates and hardliners that plagued the NB for so long, and once and for all cemented it as the vehicle for an appealing, Gylian brand of conservatism. Look for them at the next election.

Toni Vallas perhaps senses that there are changes afoot in Gylian politics. They could've easily left the liberals behind and reduced the coalition of the Progressives, Greens and IRAM. It would've slashed the majority to 24 in the House of Representatives and lost the majority in the Senate entirely, but it would result in a more unadulterated leftist government. They did not take that option, choosing instead to continue in coalition with the Liberals. It's easy to see why. In other democratic states, we've seen a historical process of decoupling between leftist and liberal parties, resulting in the forging of another alliance between conservatives and liberals, and leftist parties being pushed into alliances with green and regionalist parties. The Prime Minister knows enough about one of the markers of success for the Golden Revolution being the level of passive acceptance it inspired among the majority: they won't seek to shrink the Progressives' appeal to unattached voters.

Overall, the election has been remarkably domestic in its focus, the parties and blocs' disagreements being largely over economic issues, quality of life issues, and internal organisation. Foreign policy has a way of making its way to the top of the agenda, and in this regard we've seen broad agreement among them on aims and approach. It's reasonable to expect a supportive consensus between the parties over how to deal with issues like Nalaya's slide into crisis, Ossoria and Mubata playing with fire over a small island in the Nuadan, or Fiore and Castarcia teetering on the brink of war.

It remains rather ironic that throughout the campaign we saw a pattern of the conservatives trying, to an extent, to cast themselves as the courageous forces of change, and the leftists presenting themselves as the pragmatic gradualists. I suppose such a lengthy stint in government will do that to a political alliance. From what we see of the votes, the people of Gylias are happy with the way things are, or at least, not convinced by the case for faster changes. They are, as ever, wary of the risk uncontrolled modifications would have on public services and other elements of Gylian life they don't want to see altered or diminished. The government will of course be well aware that their satisfaction won't last forever. The opposition probably feels relief that they aren't the ones who will have to perform the highwire act of balancing flexibility and stability.

How lucky we are to have a political system that forces our politicians to be master acrobats.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

by **Mubata** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 1:22 am

THE LEOPARD
Mubata’s All English Weekly

29 November 2015

MUBATA ON THE ATTACK!
Yolenga Island is invaded by Mubatan Forces

Reported by
Imala Dazemba, Rory Ekana and Shanela Wokelu

As of the last few days, Mubata has been at war with the High Kingdom of Ossoria. During the first hours, troops were landed at several spots on the Island, while MAF aircraft attacked and strafed stations and military vessels of the Royal Ossorian Armed Forces. Footage was broadcast on National Mubatan television of troops pouring ashore at Rafinda, Epston and Dzowaz to cheering ethnic Mubatans. It is widely believed to have been staged, and the editing is obvious to many who have viewed the footage.

As of this filing, the Ossorian garrisons are reported to have fallen with most of the military killed, captured or on the run. The official surrender was taken from the Dunkitt commander with lots of footage taken of the female officer, a Captain Hensey, and the rest of the defeated defenders.

As of yet, there has been no sight of the Ossorian Governor of the Dominion of Raithir broadcast to the people of Mubata, Yolenga or anywhere else in Tyran. Elsewhere, random civilian casualties have been reported, and one constable was reported killed during the Epston landings by 'Liberation' Mubatan forces. Before the sudden silence of one of our sources, the presence of Directorate 57 personnel was confirmed to be on the Island and very active.

It was announced on the same day as the ‘Liberation’ commenced, that the Ossorian Ambassador to Karalaga and all Ossorian diplomatic staff and trade personnel were being ejected from the country. They left one day later by commercial liner on the last flight permitted out to Hemar, which was packed with other Ossorian nationals, as well as other foreigners that feared for their safety.

An official statement was released by President Linaga ‘Papa Lini’ Fazembe to several major Tyran media outlets, as well as to the embassies of nations throughout Siduri, Eracura and the many island chains between:

To: The Greater Region of Tyran, Trading Partners and Allies of Ossoria
From: The President of The Republic of Mubata
Marked Most Urgent

To All Concerned,

It has been a long time coming that we were able to build up our might enough to throw off the last shackles of colonialism from our shores. For centuries, the Ossorian Imperialists have held some of our people, as well as our neighbors, the Nalayans, under their yoke on the Island of Yolenga. They have done their best to assimilate our people into their culture, laying waste to the Mubatan way of life in the process. Not only the people, but the resources, and the land itself have been pillaged by these relentless Imperialists with no thought to the culture, the people and the very land they are grinding under their heels.

We come to the shores of Yolenga Island, or as it is called erroneously by the Imperialists, Raithir, as liberators. We will be victorious, and we ask that Ossoria relinquishes their claim on the land, without fighting what was after all, inevitable. We also ask that the world respect the new political situation, or rather, the old political situation, as we have righted what has been wrong for generations.

In regards to Ossorian flagged vessels, or originating flights from Ossoria or its allies, as well as recognized allies of the Imperialists such as Delkora, Nordkrusen, and Arkoenn, we must inform all that we will do all in our power to stop resupply to the military oppressor forces, the Royal Ossorian Armed Forces.

We hereby declare a no fly zone of unauthorized flights both above Yolenga, as well as the other territories of the southern Nuadan that could be used to support the Imperialist attempts to seize back their colonial possessions. As well, we are declaring a special restricted zone in the waters around those same area. Ossorian and allied vessels are liable to be turned back, boarded, or even sunk in the waters of all the illegally seized Southern Nuadan territories.

We ask for your support as we put to rest the last throes of the Evil Imperial Beast that is the Ossorian forces that resist our Liberation, or at least your neutrality.

With Righteous Authority,

Linaga Fazembe,
President of The Republic of Mubata

Further reports are pending and we promise to bring you the latest from Yolenga and the Southern Nuadan area, as well as always, the best true reporting from Mubata.

****

NOTE:
The Leopard is headquartered and published from Mishawaka, Gylias. Reporters and staff are from the large expatriate/exile community of Mubatans in Gylias, as well as other parts of Tyran. Some reports are smuggled out of Mubata itself at great personal risk to the contributors. There have been numerous requests by the Mubatan government to Gylias to shut down the opposition paper, claiming that it is filled with nothing but libel and that its sole purpose is to defame the Fazembe regime.

by **Greater Fiore** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 3:17 pm

The Withering of Flowers
Editorial by Euridice Caltellion

25 January 2016
25 Gel 2016 (Année de Crépuscule)

It's been three days since the death of Grand-Divine Hesperine, fifth of her name in Castarcia. It's been three days of martial law, the storming of the Castarcian Embassy and general chaos in downtown Umbra as rioters and protesters alike break martial law to voice their anger at the situation that has gripped the nation and the Faith. Riot police supported by the Faith Guardsmen and Fiorean Army have been battling rioters throughout the capital for three days and to no avail. The government has supposedly issued orders of restraint to the forces preventing them from more easily breaking up the riot by lethal force. Some in the more conservative wings have made calls for martial law to be fully implemented and for the soldiers to carry out their duty to "defend the state against any force, be it external or internal" labeling these rioters as an internal threat would in fact allow the military to use lethal force without legal repercussion.

The unrest across much of the country has gone from angry protests to riots that are consuming the very heart of our nation. The Military and even the Senate have been appealing to the people to "Remain calm, respect the martial law and continue on working to honor the memory of Hesperine V..." in the words of Legate Marshal Errius, military commander of Mitan. Some twenty-thousand soldiers from nearby bases are now supporting the six-thousand strong police forces of Umbra in maintaining some semblance of order, and containment in the areas that are occupied by rioters. The rail lines, subway, buses, taxis, the international and regional airports along with the port are all closed until further notice.

Group of Fiorean Tanks proceeding down a street in Umbra as part of the martial law.

The stock market of Fiore has been closed since the twenty-second. According to the Ministry of Information and Social Awareness, the nation will resume normal production following an end to the unrest, until then citizens are "Urged to remain calm and aid the police wherever they are asked."

Along the border with Castarcia the situation is very tense with unconfirmed reports coming in that guards and some private citizens on both sides have opened fire at one another and into the air to quell the unrest there. It is unknown as to whether these are baseless or substantial as the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs both refused to answer questions about the situation. It was at 21:00 on the Twenty-Second that the border was closed and it took hours to sift through the people fleeing one state to the other. It wasn't until nearly 02:30 on the Twenty-Third that the situation was under control and the border was actually closed. This all comes at a time when many politicians and border provinces recall how just six years ago talks had started about taking down the border markings and instituting an "open-border" policy, though that died in the Castarcian Legislature and likewise in the Fiorean Senate before it could be confirmed.

Rumors have begun circulating throughout various circles of High Fiorean Society stating that the Military is perhaps mulling a possible "Guardianship" of the State while the Conclave occurs so as to protect the people in this dark time. Fiore without a Grand-Divine technically doesn't have a legitimate government and traditionally authority has fallen to the Provincial Leaders to ensure stability in these times. Though these rumors like the skirmishes on the border are unconfirmed, it does not take much to think that the a military guardianship is far off. For years the military of Fiore has been collecting influence among the higher ranks of society and while the Senate would stand openly opposed to such a thing they themselves only yesterday had a debate as to the future of Fiore's Theocracy. The nation has entered waters that could quite possibly become murkier and murkier depending on the actions of citizens and foreign states. This is a time that we Fioreans who care about our country need to stand together, and stand arm in arm letting all know that we are not going to bow down and submit to anyone.

The Ministry of Information and Social Awareness along with the Foreign Ministry held a join press conference in which they stated that Foreign Minister Helene d'Aegle has reached out to her Lachellan counterpart to place upon the border of Castarcia and Fiore military forces to ensure the peace. They would be here at the invitation of the Fiorean Government to ensure that stability along the border was maintained. I for one would not mind seeing foreign soldiers on our border to maintain the peace to prevent our great state from going to war without preparation and just cause. Citizens are asked to stay away from the border at this time as it is in fact closed and any other reports not coming from the Fiorean Ministry of Information should be regarded as false at this time. Citizens, now is the time to stand together, stand for Fiore and stand for our future.

by **Ossoria** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 1:09 pm

Ossorian News Service
The latest news and information from the High Kingdom

Mubata Invades Raithir
Dunkitt falls to invading forces; Scepter summons Dail

Mubatan forces have landed on the island of Raithir and have captured most of the island, including the capital Dunkitt, in a surprise attack in the early morning hours. By day's end the island had effectively fallen to the enemy.

The assault allegedly sent a shockwave through the Ossorian military establishment, as the invasion represents the first time in nearly half a century that Ossorian territory has been invaded. Despite this shock among the uppermost commanders, our sources have reported that the dispersed Ossorian military commands began to respond to the crisis "quickly, calmly and in a manner keeping with their training and professionalism".

Later in the day and following a statement released by Mubata's President Linaga ‘Papa Lini’ Fazembe, a spokesman for the Office of Military Affairs did confirm that the military garrison present in Dunkitt had been overwhelmed by enemy forces, they refused to comment on the status of other Ossorian military forces which were stationed on the island. Likewise, the Office of Home Affairs has not commented on the whereabouts or status of Sir Úistean Morys, the Governor of the island.

While a spokesperson for the Scepter did not comment directly on the invasion, he did announce that the High Queen had called for an emergency plenary session of the Dáil for tomorrow morning, at which it was intimated that Her Majesty will request a declaration of war, which would be broadcast live to the nation. Additionally, the spokesperson categorically denied President Fazembe's claim to the island as "farcical and rooted only in his own delusional fantasy".

Following the announcement, it was also reported that Guardsmen from the Wolf Guards Battalion had been deployed in support of the Kenlis Constabulary in response to fears that a growing protest in the Embassy District centered on the Mubatan Embassy threatened to develop into a riot which could have threatened to overwhelm its assigned detachment of Diplomatic Security agents. The protesters threw rocks and empty bottles at the Embassy, but the arrival of the Guardsmen seems to have prevented further escalation for the time being.

We will continue to report on the situation as developments continue to come in.

by **Delkora** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 3:52 pm

The Royal Herald

Delkora Condemns Invasion of Raithir

Erik Holm, International Correspondent
November 29, 2015

Norenstal- The Delkoran Ministry of Foreign Affairs today released a statement condemning the recent Mubatan invasion of Raithir, an Ossorian island territory in the southern Nuadan Ocean.

The statement read in part: "The Kingdom of Delkora expresses its strong condemnation of the unprovoked and illegal invasion of Raithir, and calls for the immediate withdrawal of all Mubatan forces."

The unexpected attack caught many lawmakers by surprise. Chancellor Azengaard was notified of the invasion late last night, and promptly convened an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the situation. The news was passed on to Parliament this morning, where opposition parties were quick to criticize the Azengaard government.

"This invasion is a product of our Chancellor's failed foreign policy," Conservative leader Tyrian Gundersen said in Parliament today. "He has slashed our defense and intelligence budget and in the process weakened our international position. He has told dictators like Fazembe that they can do whatever they like without worrying about our Kingdom intervening."

Early this afternoon, Chancellor Azengaard held a press conference informing the public of the invasion and his government's response. He said in part, "This act of aggression on the part of Mubata is a threat to the peace and tranquility of Tyran, and will not be tolerated. I urge all Tyranian nations to condemn this invasion and demand that Raithir be restored to Ossorian control. To demonstrate Delkora's commitment to regional security, this government will present to parliament later this week a draft set of economic sanctions against the Fazembe regime and a proposal to provide material assistance to both the Ossorian Military and the citizens of Raithir."

When asked if Delkora would intervene militarily if the Ossorian government called upon its CSN allies, Azengaard said, "We are prepared to provide a military response if the Ossorian government invokes our alliance, but our hope is that this situation can be resolved without further bloodshed. War is, and should always be, our last resort."

Azengaard went on to say that a taskforce of the Royal Navy's Third Fleet, which was deployed on a humanitarian mission to Nalaya earlier this year, has been placed on high alert, and is prepared to switch to a combat role. He indicated that it would continue its normal operations and that all scheduled aerial sorties would continue as planned despite the no-fly zone declared by Mubata, and warned that any attacks on Delkoran ships or planes would be met with "appropriate force."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a travel advisory for Delkoran citizens in Mubata. Minister of Foreign Affairs Andreas Støvring confirmed that Ambassador Kathryn Halvard, Delkoran ambassador to Ossoria, has been working closely with the Ossorian government to determine if any Delkoran citizens are on Raithir.

by **Cacerta** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 7:05 pm

Thursday, 28 January 2016
CBC Online
POLITICAL PROFILE: VALERIANA KHUSHRENADA
by Enecone Astorino

Valeriana Khushrenada is the
current Duchess of OZ and a
prominent leader of the reformed
Ultranationalist Party.
Sanreno, Apullia -- Valeriana Khushrenada represents the new face and new direction of Cacerta’s aged Ultranationalist Party. A modern political leader and thinker, many Ultranationalists view her as a frontrunner for the party in this year’s upcoming election.

Following a failed coup attempt by members of House Damien in 2013 and the subsequent imprisonment of former Party Leader Giovanni Damien, the Ultranationalists desperately needed fresh faces at the helm. An emergency reformation of the party saw the creation of a new and more moderate evolution in Cacerta’s ideology of far-left nationalism under the new leadership of Iralia Marik.

The eldest daughter of House Khushrenada Head Sonia Khushrenada, Valeriana Khushrenada is among several of the party’s new leaders -- all of whom have been characterized by their young ages and prominently less militant view on Cacertian foreign politics. When asked about the strength of her party, Valeriana stated: “Ultranationalism may not be the dominant viewpoint, but it is present and it is powerful.”

She went on to say that the “...Ultranationalists are more powerful now under their new leadership than they have been in several decades…” going so far as comparing the party’s current iteration to that of Prime Minister Filomena Marcello -- the first Cacertian Prime Minister to assemble a National government in light of the First Helarian War.

A single woman, Valeriana commented that sex -- although enjoyable -- and marriage are both secondary to her duties in Parliament and of those to OZ.

Militarism in Cacerta
Elected to the House Assembly representing House Viareggio in 2011, Valeriana has been very vocal on the issue of Cacertian military power projection and has been a strong advocate for the creation of military bases outside of Cacerta’s home islands. Valeriana has been the leader of an initiative found bases in Shalum citing the nation’s close ties to country and the reportedly good rapport between Imperator Tyler Holland and the Queen.

When questioned as to why she has been pushing the issue for several years, she responded “Shalum and Cacerta -- despite our history -- currently possess very close ties both diplomatically and culturally. Pursuing an alliance with Shalum and constructing a base there would allow our nation a projection range that had not been previously accomplished. Supporting our allies has become increasingly more important on the world-stage as well as considerably more expensive with our lack of foreign bases.” She went on to cite the distance between New Edom and Cacerta. “If an alliance between Shalum and Cacerta can be accomplished, it would be of utmost importance for us to have a base within their nation if ever they needed our assistance.”

Queen Anelyn has gone on to confirm that while there have been personal talks of an alliance between herself and the Imperator, there is currently nothing planned for the immediate future.

The New Face of Ultranationalism
“Cacertian nationalism has always been a very big part of our nation’s politics. The UniPats are nationalists -- like us -- but tend to be more concerned about the inside and not the outside.” She told us during the interview. “I do not fault them for it. Our recent history -- the Helarian Wars -- proved that we needed a defensive mentality in order to win the fight. However, with that being said, modern conflicts are seldom fought like the Helarian Wars were. Strategy is more of a global matter now as opposed to regional.”

Prime Minister Ianelli commented on Valeriana more international viewpoint, stating that it was admirable but very difficult to implement. Henrietta Ianelli, a member of House Viareggio’s primary branch, has been serving as Cacerta’s Prime Minister since 2006. In conjunction with Queen Anelyn, the Ianelli Ministry has been characterized for its successful international presence and foreign policies.

Valeriana is a well-known supporter of Henrietta, having known the woman since primary school in Potenza. “Prime Minister Ianelli and Queen Anelyn have done a lot for the Kingdom to take it out of the rut it has been in since the end of the Second Helarian War. It is my hope whoever follows her -- if she is not re-elected -- is capable of capitalizing on all of the positive changes she has brought to Cacerta.”

by **Syara** » Sat Jan 30, 2016 5:26 pm

Zovahr Report

News from the Syaran Capital

Executive condemns Mubatan invasion of Raithir

Calling it a blatant disregard of international law and a senseless act of aggression, Executive Radovan Kostović issued an official condemnation of the Mubatan invasion of Raithir, which was approved and made official by the National Assembly earlier today. Accoriding to reports, forces from the Republic of Mubata seized control of the island in the early morning, claiming the action was in response to continued imperialistic endeavors by the High Kingdom of Ossoria. The invasion force reportedly seized control of the island in a short campaign that saw it's Ossorian defenders overwhelmed. The High Kingdom has not commented about the further details of the invasion, specifically the status of Ossorian forces still in Raithir.

The Syaran Government announced it would officially seize any assets held in Syaran firms by the Mubatan Government, and rumors flew of possible sanctions. Executive Radovan Kostović dismissed notions of further Syaran involvement however, stating the affair was largely between Ossoria and Muabata, and believed the situation would be resolved shortly, implying Ossorian military response would be swift and total. The Executive declined further comment, but Foreign Minister Dubravko Lenković stated the Syaran Government would continue to monitor the situation as it develops.

Raithir is an island colony belonging to the Ossorian High Kingdom as well as a significant military installation due it's assistance in projecting Ossorian naval force across the oceans, and it's loss presents a serious inhibition on Ossorian naval capabilities in that part of the region. Nevertheless, the Syaran Government implied it was confident the island would soon return to Ossorian rule, whether through diplomacy or other means.

by **Gylias** » Mon Feb 01, 2016 7:56 am

GNBS News

12th Parliament sworn in
1 February 2016 Last updated 2:05 PM

The 12th Parliament has been officially inaugurated, with all its members being sworn in this morning.

The 840 Representatives and 300 Senators gathered together in their respective chambers and were administered the oaths of office by their Speakers. Following the swearing-in, Prime Minister Toni Vallas presented their second cabinet to the Parliament for a motion of confidence. The motion was approved by 606-230 in the House of Representatives, and 182-117 in the Senate. Several Representatives from the PA and LU, as well as one Green Party Representative, were absent from the inaugural session. The three independent Representatives abstained from the vote. The Pirate Party voted in favour of the government in the House of Representatives, and abstained in the Senate.

With the motion of confidence being approved, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet took the oath of office in a ceremony attended by President Laura Varnath. After being administered the oath, the Prime Minister presented a detailed statement of the legislative agenda for the Parliament's term. Parliament then began debating the statement.

Min/Maj	Hood/Maj	Min Protuberence	Rugosity
0.56	0.37	2	Smooth
0.64	0.27	2	Smooth
0.63	0.29	3	Moderate
0.75	0.08	4	Marked
0.51	0.29	1	Smooth
0.38	0.32	1	Moderate
0.72	0.18	4	Smooth
0.83	0.19	3	Marked
0.44	0.47	2	Smooth

	Avg Min/Maj	Avg Hood/Maj	Avg Min Protuberence	Avg Rugosity	% Photos
Class 1	0.58	0.27	1	Smooth	32
Class 2	0.61	0.26	2	Smooth	21
Class 3	0.54	0.34	3	Moderate	10
Class 4	0.71	0.20	3	Moderate	16
Class 5	0.67	0.21	3	Marked	14
Class 6	0.66	0.25	4	Moderate	7

Country	No. of Subjects
Cacerta	68
Gylias	51
Shalum	43
Kirisaki	17
Schottia	12
Ruvelka	7
Nalaya	2

Country	No. of Surveys	Preferred Class
Cacerta	99,453	Class 1
Gylias	79,752	Class 1
Shalum	4,523	Class 2
Kirisaki	2,247	Class 3
Schottia	1,423	Class 1
Ruvelka	875	Class 1
Nalaya	44	Class 2

City	No. of Surveys	Preferred Class
Fumicino	5451	Class 1
Cesena	4998	Class 2
Velouria	4819	Class 1
Vichenza	4771	Class 1
Mishawaka	4277	Class 2
Naáras	3512	Class 1
Potenza	2972	Class 2
Carrera	2173	Class 3
Aragon	712	Class 2
Asahi	702	Class 3

_	Political groups	__Representatives__	__Senators__
_	PA	308	77
_	LU	155	76
_	CG	95	45
_	NB	74	49
_	UFP	33	11
_	Greens	57	20
_	IRAM	25	9
_	Pirates	12	12
_	Independents	5	1

Political groups	Share of first preference votes	Seats in the House of Representatives	Seats in the Senate
__ Progressive Alliance	30,68%	350 [↑ 36]	77 [▬]
__ Liberal Union	18,38%	174 [↑ 19]	76 [▬]
__ Centre Group	14,89%	99 [↑ 4]	44 [↓ 1]
__ National Bloc	14,43%	94 [↑ 20]	49 [▬]
__ Green Party	9,86%	60 [↑ 3]	20 [▬]
__ Pirate Party	4,41%	20 [↑ 8]	20 [↑ 8]
__ Independent Regional Alliance for Minorities	3,69%	22 [↓ 3]	9 [▬]
__ Union for Freedom and Prosperity	1,38%	17 [↓ 16]	4 [↓ 7]
__ Independents	1,27%	4 [↓ 1]	1 [▬]
__ Revolutionary Rally	0,57%	0 [▬]	0 [▬]
__ Association for National Independence and Protection	0,44%	0 [▬]	0 [▬]

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