Scow Creek News Archives & Thread

[Scow Creek]

Note: for background on the History and Constitution of Scow Creek, as well as regularly updated facts about the nation, please refer to our Factbook at http://www.nationstates.net/nation=scow_creek/detail=factbook

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19 JULY / 20 JUL SC
For immediate Release

THOUSANDS OF CUBIC YARDS OF SPOILS DUMPED IN TISÓ IQEPO WLDERNESS AREA

CHERRY GROVE, SCOW CREEK: Several thousand tons of dredge spoils have mysteriously been dumped on the eastern end of the Tisó Iqupo Wilderness area in the Kingdom of Scow Creek, and no one is quite sure how they got there.

The spoils were discovered by three fishermen who had headed out to the area to fish for stripers, currently enaged in their seasonal run along the Kingdom's barrier beaches.

"We were cruising east towards the furthest end of the wilderness area, when suddenly these sand mountains came into view," said Ryan Quinn, captain of the Quinn Sea. "I was here just last week, and this was all low and flat."

According to Quinn and his crew, there were no dredging vessels, barges or other large ships in the area.

The wilderness area, while open to the public, serves as both a natural preserve for nesting seabirds and as a productive fishing and shellfishing area for residents.

"The tern nesting areas are completely wiped out," added Quinn, who also reported seeing thousands of hardshell clams, oysters, and scallops mixed in with the dumped spoils.

According to Todd McMillan with the Scow Creek Coast Guard, no dredging was planned and the appearance of spoils is a mystery. "The presence of shellfish suggest that someone dredged the bays behind the barrier island, or the channel that separates us from Qúpsóg" he suggested.

The wilderness area represents the furthest reaches of the Kingdom of Scow Creek, and is separated from the neighboring Kingdom of Qúpsóg by a narrow shipping channel. Hundreds of years ago the two Kingdoms were connected, but a winter storm breached the beach and divided them. The breach has since grown in depth and width, and has become a major shipping lane. The nature of the shifting channel between Scow Creek and Qúpsóg has long resulted in an ill-defined border between the Kingdoms, though both have used the channel without incident. The two nations have divergent - and clashing - cultures, as Qúpsóg (or "Cupsogue" in the native tongue) has developed into a wealthy, highly-regulated summer playground for wealthy transients.

As of press time, a spokesmen from the Governing Club of Cupsogue declined comment.

[Scow Creek]

20 JULY / 21 JUL SC
For immediate Release

SPOILS LINKED TO ILLEGAL CHANNEL DREDGING BY QÚPSÓG

CHERRY GROVE, SCOW CREEK: The mountains of dredge spoils that were found on the eastern end of the Tisó Iqupo Wilderness area by three fishermen yesterday apparently originated from a “midnight dredging operation,” according to Scow Creek Coast Guard Commandant Raúl Rivera.

Rivera confirmed that there were no dredging operations planned anywhere in the area, an operation that is normally carried out with the involvement of both the Coast Guard and the Ministry of the Environment.

According to Rivera, the Coast Guard dispatched an immediate investigation and discovered considerable changes in the charted channel depth of the Orišesmo Channel, which separates the Wilderness area from the neighboring Kingdom of Qúpsóg.

“This channel is normally thirty feet wide and ten to twelve feet deep at mean high water, and it is at least twice as deep and perhaps a hundred feet across now. It also has been extended and has destroyed a productive shellfishing flat on the back side of the islands, before suddenly running east towards Qúpsóg. This eastern extension is an entirely new channel.”

When asked if he suspected the operation to have originated in Qúpsóg, the Commandant replied, “We are investigating all possibilities.”
The Scow Creek Environment Ministry estimates that shellfish with a retail value of at least USD 400,000 (2.225 million míl) was destroyed in the operation. The ministry confirmed that Environment Minister Tódd Ericksén left on a morning boat for an emergency meeting with officials at the Governing Club of Cupsogue.

Meanwhile, local consensus points the finger squarely at that kingdom. Speaking in a nearby coffee shop, local resident Ame Gold said, “You know it’s those arrogant bastards in Qúpsóg…they probably just wanted deeper waterways for their damned yachts…and you don’t think they’d dump the stinking spoils, with rotting fish and clams, on their own precious beach, do you?”

Two days into the incident, the Governing Club of Cupsogue continues to decline comment.

[Scow Creek]

24 JULY / 25 JUL SC
For immediate Release

QÚPSÓG ADMITS TO DREDGING INCIDENT, DENIES VALIDITY OF SCOW CREEK KINGDOM

CHERRY GROVE, SCOW CREEK: The visit by Scow Creek Environment Minister Tód Ériqsén to the Governing Club of Cupsogue revealed not only the source of the mountains of dredge spoils that were found on the eastern end of the Tisó Iqupo Wilderness, but also resulted in a shocking press statement by the neighboring kingdom denying the validity of the Scow Creek Kingdom’s authority.

After several days of intense and reportedly heated discussions, Ériqsén reported that officials of the Governing Club admitted to the midnight dredge operation of the channel separating the nations, as well as the dumping of the spoils on Scow Creek territory. The Governing Club issued a statement of its own, however, revealing a perspective that could spell brewing trouble between the Kingdoms.

A statement by Kín Woodhouse, CEO of the WoodHouse Financial Corporation and spokesman for the Governing Club, said,

“It is the position of the people of Cupsogue that the Scow Creek government is the result of an illegal rebellion and treasonous, cowardly act of arson against its rightful authorities. It is beyond legal question that the lands under the control of Scow Creek were deeded by the continental Federation to the people of Woods Point, who were driven out simply for asserting their lawful rights to the land. Our people have resettled in Cuspogue, where we have been welcomed and rebuilt our businesses and lives. We are outraged that the Scow Creek ‘Monarchy’ is once again harassing us simply for going about our daily basis.

It was necessary to dredge the navigation channels for our more robust vessels to safely pass, and as we continue our legal claim to the lands controlled by Scow Creek, it was entirely within our right to place them in this undeveloped location where no one would be impacted.”

The residents of Woods Point were driven out after an attempt by the wealthy community to control the winter oil supplies, block land and water passage by members of the other 25 communities, and an attempt at a massive eminent domain project to build a highway through the communities. Most “Pointers,” as they were called, re-settled in Cupsogue 10 years ago and quickly gained controlled of the governing structures of the more laid-back, native Cupsoguans.

King Tuathal I of Scow Creek has called the Assembly into a rare summer session to discuss the Kingdom’s response to the statement.

[Scow Creek]

26 July / 27 July SC

Editorial: Qúpsóg Dredging: Something Missing
Brus Mikl, Editor

Yes, there are thousands of pounds of dredge spoils missing from the seafloor. And yes, more than 2 million Míl worth of shellfish missing from our productive bays. But that’s not all.

The recent response by Governing Club of Cupsogue to the overtures of Scow Creeks Minister of the Environment should not be dismissed as a childish outburst designed to undercut Scow Creek’s authority. The response is a cleverly-designed ruse to deflect attention from the unanswered question as to why this incident happened in the first place.

Oh, sure, Clubhouse spokesman Kín Woodhouse made it clear in his press statement:

“It was necessary to dredge the navigation channels for our more robust vessels to safely pass…”

And therein lies the question: What “robust vessels?”

The reality is that the working and pleasure craft of Scow Creek – fishing vessels, trawlers, Coast Guard patrol boats, cargo and trade ships – have all been using the Orišesmo Channel without incident for years. The pleasure yachts owned by the wealthy scions of Qúpsóg are impressive and imposing – but they do not have drafts of more than 10 feet below the waterline. According to our own Coast Guard, the channel was dredged to a depth of almost 24 feet. As any of our local mariners could affirm, there is not a single vessel in all of Qúpsóg that has a draft that deep.

To object to and decry the trespass of dumped spoils and the destruction of shellfish beds and tern nesting grounds is a legitimate response. But let us not be so focused on these tragedies that we miss the bigger picture here: The Woodhouse financial industry does not spend money for the hell of it, and certainly not without expectations of a healthy monetary reward.

Before these diplomatic maneuvers end, we must turn our attention to what is glaringly missing: a legitimate explanation as to what kind of “robust vessels” are being welcomed into Qúpsóg.

Brus Mikl is the Editor of the Scow Creek Island News.

[Scow Creek]

“RANGER” DANGER

In three different Departments this past week – Kismet, Atlantique, and Cherry Grove – residents have reported being accosted by Private Security Forces claiming to be government law enforcement officials.

Commandant Raúl Rivera of the Scow Creek Coast Guard warns residents that these self-proclaimed “Rangers” are not in any way connected to the government of Scow Creek.

“Ten years ago, the people of our islands drove out the Pointers (residents of Woods Point) and their private security forces,” Rivera said. “In the last year, we have seen a resurgence of these uniformed goons harassing our citizens in sudden raids, usually in remote locations. What is particularly worrisome is that they appear to be recruiting men into their ranks from around the world. Coupled with the statement from the ClubHouse in Qúpsóg last week, this is a troubling omen.”

Last week, the Governing Club of Qúpsóg issued a statement denying the legitimacy of the government of Scow Creek.

Up to 18 people have been illegally detained and questioned in the dunes east of Cherry Grove, and were threatened with arrest for nudity, a Constitutionally-protected right in the Kingdom. Yesterday, men claiming to be “Rangers” confiscated alcohol from a party of beachgoers in Atlantique at gun point, declaring a re-imposition of Prohibition. In both cases, the victims were unable to discern the Ranger’s accents, validating concerns that they had begun recruiting from distant shores.

“Your best defense is a visible, concerted offense,” said Rivera. “Creekers are allowed to carry their firearms, and it’s a good idea to show these thugs that we will not back down.”

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WATER WOES EXACERBATE SPOILS CRISIS

As the Kingdom Assembly continues to meet in an effort to resolve the Spoils Crisis in the Tisó Iqepo Wilderness Area, the issue has been made more complicated by water tests that have just come back from the National Lab: e coli isasterde, a virulent, long-lived and highly toxic bacetria, has been detected in seriously elevated quantities in the waters just off the Wilderness.

According to Liá EÞeraba at the Lab, “The maximum safe limit of e coli isasterde is 200 colonies per ml of water. We took 8 samples from the area recently subject to the illegal dredging in the Wilderness area, and all 8 samples tested between 1,000 and 3,000 colonies per ml. No one, under any condition, should be bathing in that water, and they certainly shouldn't be eating fish or shellfish taken from those waters.”

EÞeraba was unable to identify the source of the bacteria.

“This particular strain is almost always transmitted through the blood or feces of mammals,” she said, “and what worries us is that it can live for extended periods in water where it colonizes seafood resources. We have never seen this strain in our waters, though it is common in warmer waters south of here.”

When asked if the dredging could have stirred up or increased the reproduction of the bacteria, EÞeraba was emphatic: “No. These colonies do not respond to mud and sand being disturbed…more likely, it indicates a sudden, infected mammalian presence in our waters.”

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ENVIRONMENT MINISTER TRAVELS TO ŠÍNÍQÓQ NATION

After almost a week of grueling negotiations with the Governing Club of Cupsogue over the recent Dredge Spoils crisis, Environment Minister Tódd Eríqsén has suddenly departed for the Šíníqóq Nation. Neither Eríqsén nor his ministry office returned calls to this paper concerning the reasons for this visit.

About 300 years ago, the Šíníqóq people inhabited the lands currently in the Scow Creek domain. For a variety of reasons: disease, conflict with migrants, a series of brutal winters – the Šíníqóqs abandoned the islands and relocated on the mainland.

For many years, it was assumed that the Šíníqóqs were lost as a people as they were assumed into the greater mainland society created by the Continental Federation. However, a remnant of Šíníqóqs have entrenched themselves on a peninsula of the mainland and have existed as an independent nation since that time. Largely isolationist and resource-poor, they have dwelt relatively unnoticed by both Continental and Island cultures since their removal. Geographically, the nation of Qúpsóg - currently governed by the ex-Pointers who have admitted responsibility for the Dredge Spoils incident – is the closest Island nation to the peninsula on which the Šíníqóqs dwell.

It is widely rumored that Eríqsén’s visit to the Šíníqóqs is part of a government effort to isolate the Cupsoguans and resolve the Dredging Crisis.

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CENSUS BEGINS: TECH SCHOOL DORMS AT ISSUE

The Constitution dictates that in each Gregorian Calendar Year ending in the digit “4” or “9,” the Kingdom shall conduct a census whose primary purposes are to determine the number of Assemblymen each Department is entitle to, and to determine the official languages of each Department. Any language spoken by more than 5% of the residents of any Department during the Quinquennial Census automatically becomes an official language.

In 2009, the Kingdom’s first census, no major controversies arose, as the vast majority of Creekers embraced the language diversity requirements of the Constitution. However, a growing number of residents of Raynortown, a small Department in the Sedges, are growing nervous over the impending opening of DóQléft Technical College.

“Look, we are proud and excited that the new tech school is opening in our Town,” said local resident Eli SmíÞ. “It will be great for the fishing trade and add some life to our community. But I don’t think that a dormitory should determine the outcome of local elections. They don’t really ‘live’ here; they are staying here temporarily.”

According to Census & Statistics Minister Jín Buríl, the ministry intends to give students the right to declare their Dormitory room as their home for voting and Census purposes.

“They are citizens, and they live there,” said Buríl. “We do not ask anybody in the Kingdom how long they intend to live in one place, nor do we require them to dwell in a single location for a stated period of time. College students are no different.”

The ministry intends to delay counting in Raynortown until after 01 SEP, at which point students will be settled in their dorms and can decide where to declare their residency. Dormitories for the Tech School cover eight acres of DóQléft Sedge in Raynortown, and, when full, will hold more than 60% of Raynortown’s population.

“If necessary, we will appeal to the Monarch,” said SmíÞ. We have welcomed this development with open arms, and it is simply unfair that we should be repaid by having our Department’s political process overrun.”

The Constitution grants the Monarch the sole authority to determine the number of boundaries of Departments.

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SPORTS UPDATES:
SCOW CREEK ATHLETES AT SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES IN WYSTERIA

More than a dozen athletes and several dozen Scow Creek residents are now in the Region of Wysteria for the Summer Olympic Games. Scow Creek Athletes hoping to score a medal include:

100 meter Sprint – Ive Uóqr
Steeplechase – Éd Qronénbúrg
Love Boat 5km /couples – Édú Létís & Snáø Úntr
Kayak – Dbl Mix 1000m – Índeú Uótrs
Rum–Down Hill/Down River – Únetú Mórgóretú
Diving – Tóme Tópr and Sánde Bóqs
Boxing – Qónr Qase
Gymnastics – Floor – Šárín DíQláp
Modern Pentathalon – Ógúst Šuts
Bossaball – The Blue Bulls (Burelo Ab’los)

We wish you all the best! Go get ‘em!

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SPORTS UPDATES:
BEACH VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS

Each contest consists of a maximum of 4 matches.
Teams win 3 points for a contest win (winning 3/4 matches), 1 point for a tie (2matches each), and 0 for a loss.

Western Division Place, Team, Points

1 Saltaire Sportsmen 38
2 Rum Pt. Pirates 38
3 Eastern Sedges FC 30
4 Zach’s Bay Whitecaps 28
5 Oak Beach Rip Tide 25
6 Milburn Revolution 23
7 Raynortown Storm Surge 20
8 Gilgo Baymen 18
9 Kismet Impact 14

Eastern Division Place, Team, Points

1 Fair Harbor United 34
2 Pines MusselMen 32
3 Headlands Navigators 30
4 Cherry Grove Beef 30
5 Ocean Beach Drifters 27
6 Seaview Breach 26
7 Davis-Ridge Crew 26
8 Ocean Bay Park Union 23
9 Atlantique Fire 20

[Scow Creek]

01 AUG 2014 SC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COAST GUARD DETAINS "HORROR SHIPS;" TOXINS-FOR-GUNS PLOT UNCOVERED
WOODHOUSE FINANCIAL, QÚPSÓG GOVERNING CLUB IMPLICATED

CHERRY GROVE, SCOW CREEK:

In a rapidly developing story, the Scow Creek Coast Guard has detained two unflagged commercial ships laden with diseased animals and vials of biological toxins attempting to pass through the newly-dredged Orišesmo Channel between the Kingdom and neighboring Qúpsóg.

“The holds of these ships are a horror story,” states Raúl Rivera, Commandant of the Coast Guard. “I have never seen anything like this in my entire career.”

The two ships, which contained no identifying registration numbers or flag of origin, attempted to pass through the channel on Midsummer 3, the last night of the three-day national festival, ostensibly in the hopes that the small Coast Guard would distracted by merriment taking place throughout the Kingdom and the closing of government offices for the holiday. They were spotted by a boater, who immediately called in the Guard. Upon boarding, the Guard discovered a nightmare.

“Hundreds of animals, some dead, and many suffering from varying diseases and ailments. I can’t even begin the describe the sights and smell,” said a clearly shaken Rivera.”In addition, we found crates of powders and vials clearly marked with biological toxins such as anthrax and e coli isasterde.”

This past week, Liá EÞeraba at the National Lab, took 8 water samples from the channel east of the Wilderness area, and all 8 samples tested between 1,000 and 3,000 colonies of e coli isasterde per ml. The maximum safe limit of e coli isasterde is 200 colonies per ml. At the time, the source of the virulent bacteria strain was unknown.

Rivera said that the captains of the two ships were questioned separately, and the Guard has pieced together the following facts, which explain many of the recent events that have taken place in Scow Creek. They issued the following statement (in part):

“The ships are independently owned by a private company that flies under no national flag. They have a deep hull and a draft of over 15 feet, which explains the need to have the channel dredged for passage. They also had no locks on their waste systems, in violation of maritime law, meaning that animals and waste products could have easily been discharged in to the waters of the channel, which explains the presence of e coli isasterde.

Both ships were under contract with the Woodhouse Financial Corporation, and were stopping in port in Qúpsóg for payment and import documentation. From there, they were to deliver their cargo to the Fort Terry Animal Disease Research Lab, in exchange for a shipment of firearms, to be returned unloaded at the Governing Club in Qúpsóg. They also admitted to numerous previous trips using smaller vessels that were able to navigate the channel before it was dredged.”

The Fort Terry Lab is a highly secretive military facility operated by the Continental Federation.

A spokesman from the Monarch’s Palace, speaking on the premise of anonymity, stated,

“The Governing Club of Qúpsóg and the Woodhouse Financial Corporation appear to be in League with the Continental Federation in a biological toxins-for-guns exchange, which explains the increased harassment of our people by the ousted Rangers. It does not bode well for the Kingdom in any respect – our physical security or the environment - and I expect a very serious response from the Monarch and Assembly will be forthcoming.”

Photo: unidentified creature removed from one of the detained ships

[Scow Creek]

01 AUG 2014 SC / 02 AUG 2014 GC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

QÚPSÓG: SCOW CREEK SEIZURE OF SHIPS AN "ACT OF WAR"

CHERRY GROVE, SCOW CREEK: In a disturbing and rapidly escalating conflict, the Governing Club of Cupsogue has declared last night’s seizure of unflagged vessels “an Act of War.”

In a statement issued by Kín Woodhouse, spokesman for the Governing Club and CEO of the Woodhouse Financial Corporation, Cupsogue is calling upon its allies – including the Continental Federation – to assist in its ongoing claims to the Kingdom of Scow Creek.

The statement reads:

“Last night, two scientific research vessels, traveling in international waters, were boarded and seized by the illegitimate forces of the Scow Creek Monarch. The research aboard those vessels represents thousands of hours of legitimate scientific work that could result in the betterment of all mankind. The seizure of this time-sensitive cargo is nothing less than an act of piracy, in violation of international law and treaties.

We insist on the immediate return of the ships and their cargo, and the release of their crews. We further call on the civilized nations of the world, including our allies in the Continental Federation, to move swiftly against this rogue state to neutralize their ability to wreak havoc in peaceful shipping lanes.

We consider this an Act of War.”

Scow Creek Coast Guard Commandant Raúl Rivera reported this morning that after interrogating the ships’ captains, it was clear that the ships were engaged in a smuggling operation funded by the Woodhouse Financial empire. They were carrying diseased animals and biological agents, heading for the Fort Terry Biochemical Research Lab in Federation territory, in an apparent toxins-for-guns exchange that would have benefitted Cupsogue’s private security forces, widely known as “The Rangers.”

Toxins recently discovered in the waters between Scow Creek and Cupsogue were among those discovered on board.

Meanwhile, in Milburn, the Scow Creek Kingdom Assembly has adjourned, and the Monarch is en route to Cherry Grove. As of press time, Environment Minister Tód Éríqsén was wrapping up a diplomatic mission to the Šíníqoq Nation and en route home as well.

The Scow Creek Guard has asked all citizens to be on high alert, and to report and suspicious water craft to the Guard immediately.

[The Siniqoq Nation]

The Following Dispatch was received at the Monarch's Palace this morning:


Statement from the Šíníqoq Tribal Council on Events in Qúpsóg

It has been the position of this Nation to extend the hand of friendship and respect to all Nations. In so doing, and by turning our focus on our own community, we have survived as a Sovereign People for thousands of years. It is not for light or frivolous reasons that we should stray from this path.

However, recent events that have taken place in the waters to the west have grieved our spirits. Our Sustaining Mother Earth cries out to her children, and we can not be silent.

We weep over the destruction of the waters and lands and fellow creatures.

We have seen the nesting grounds of our Terns destroyed. We have seen the shellfish that have sustained our people laid waste. And now we have seen great ships carrying evil to all of Life in pursuit of Greed and Destruction.

In response,

We call for an end to the Evil being spread in the name of the Governing Club of Cupsogue.

We call for an end to the Greed that is driving the Woodhouse Financial Corporation.

We call for an end to use of our waters to carry Our Mother’s Children to their Torture and Death at Fort Terry.

And, towards those ends, we declare that our People will stand firm with the People of the Kingdom of Scow Creek.

As the Sun Rises on the People of Šíníqoq and Sets on the People of Scow Creek, so shall the Sun above bear witness of this Alliance to Rid our Mother of the Evil dwelling between us.

Uióndánš,
Sachém of The Šíníqoq Nation

[Scow Creek]

03 AUG 2014 SC / 04 AUG 2014 GC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INTERNAL REBELLION IN QÚPSÓG; PROTESTERS SURROUND GOVERNING CLUB

CUPSOGUE VILLAGE, CUPSOGUE: After sparking an international incident with a toxins-for-guns plot, the Governing Club of Cupsogue has now found itself in the middle of a domestic, as well as international crisis.

Some 300 Cupsogue residents marched to the Governing Club this morning, surrounding it and demanding the resignation of the entire governing board. It is believed that all five members of the government are holed up inside the building, which is currently surrounded by angry, placard-wielding residents.

Three days ago, the Scow Creek Coast Guard intercepted two ships containing biological toxins and diseased animals. Documents provided to the press showed that the Woodhouse Financial Corporation, whose five directors also serve as the governing body of the small Cupsogue nation, arranged for the delivery of the cargo to a mainland biochemical lab in exchange for weapons, ostensibly to arm their private security forces known locally as “The Rangers.”

Yesterday, the Šíníqoq Nation issued a statement declaring itself in an alliance with Scow Creek to interrupt the shipments.

Joónen Rubín, a well-known animal rights and community activist, appears to be leading the protest movement. In a prepared written statement to the press, she stated,

“ Ten years ago, the people of Cupsogue welcomed the refugees from Woods Point with open arms, empathizing with their story of having been driven out of Scow Creek. As a nation that values hard work, sound investing, and a conservative approach to wealth preservation, we assumed – wrongly – that our new neighbors from Woods Point were victims of class warfare, and we quickly integrated them into our community, even electing them to office in our Governing Club in the hopes that an infusion of fresh faces would relieve some of the weariness we ourselves had been feeling.

But we now find that we have been hoodwinked by a rapacious cadre of criminals whose only concern is their lust for ill-gotten wealth and expansive control over others.

In ten years, we have watched our independent banks swallowed by the Woodhouse Financial Corporation, our property taxes and mortgage interest rates raised, our property taken by eminent domain, and our people threatened with the power wielded by the Club. At the same time, our beaches have eroded, our single road has deteriorated to the point of impassibility, and now we find our nation’s reputation destroyed through a hideous plot carried out in our name.

We will no longer be financial serfs to the WFC or the Governing Club. We will not stand by idly and be part of ghastly experiments on animals. We demand the immediate resignation and ouster of the entire Board of the Governing Club.”

As an internal and international coalition builds against the Governing Club, they appear to be losing allies on the mainland as well. A spokesman for the Fort Terry Biochemical Research Lab – the ultimate destination for the “Horror” ships, according documents seized by the Scow Creek Coast Guard – denied any knowledge or involvement with the Woodhouse Financial Corporation or the Governing Club.

[Scow Creek]

Fellow Residents of the Kingdom,

We address you today because of a growing international crisis that has required a strong, deliberate response on the part of your Assembly and your Monarch. Please do not take Our silence over the last few days as an indication of inaction; rather, We have taken, and are about to take, a series of very serious actions to counter the crisis on our Eastern Border.

Ten years ago, the former community of Woods Point sought to destroy and control our Kingdom. From blocking land and sea transport routes, to initiating destructive infrastructure projects, to the now-infamous Burning of the Sedges which led to our Rebellion and establishment as a Kingdom, they sought to change forever the peaceful communities of the Scow Creek Islands Group.

After our victory over them, the Woods Point people left our Kingdom and settled en masse in the neighboring nation of Qúpsóg. Since that time, they have gained control of that nation’s governing and financial structures, revisiting an old pattern on new victims.

And then beginning two weeks ago, a series of actions against Our Kingdom, and indeed, against Humanity, commenced, culminating with the seizure of two of their ships by our Coast Guard, unraveling a ghastly operation.

We have no argument with the people of Qúpsóg . But as against the Government of Qúpsóg, We lodge the following charges:

They have Trespassed on our Sovereign Lands and Waters, destroying productive shellfish beds and seabird nesting grounds;

They have dredged channels in our Kingdom’s waters, creating dangerous, uncharted navigation routes, and dumping thousands of square yards of spoils on our lands;

They have sought out, and contracted with unflagged rogue ships, who have dumped toxic waste into the waters surrounding our two Kingdoms.

They have initiated and executed a plan to transport suffering, diseased animals and devastating biological toxins, to a research lab in the Continental Federation. This was a brazen effort both to amass personal wealth for the Woodhouse Financial Corporation, and to obtain firearms with which to arm their private security forces for use against us.

They have denied the legitimacy of our Kingdom, and sent teams of Rangers to harass our Residents.

Our Kingdom will not idly stand by, and neither will the good people of neighboring lands.

As of this moment, Our Coast Guard has secured the shipping lanes to the West of Qúpsóg, preventing their escape and blockading any aid they might receive from the west and south. At the same time, our allies, the Šíníqóq Nation, have sent their Warrior-Mariners to secure the shipping lanes to the East. A full circle blockade is now in place.

Internally, a citizens rebellion has begun under the able leadership of citizen-soldier Joónen Rubin, and 300 Cupsoguans have surrounded the Governing Club of Qúpsóg. They were joined one hour ago by a flotilla of 30 vessels from our own Kingdom, recruited from the communities of Milburn, Kismet, and Ocean Bay Park, who have been granted letters of marque. These volunteers are providing armed support to the citizen rebellion.

In consideration of these developments, and under the Authority granted to Us in Article IV Section 4 of the Constitution,

We hereby now Make the Following Proclamation:

The Nation of Qúpsóg, including both the land and waters in their entirety, is hereby Annexed by the Kingdom of Scow Creek;

The Assets of the Governing Club of Qúpsóg and the Woodhouse Financial Corporation, as well as the personal assets of their Directors and Officers, are hereby seized by this Kingdom;

The Directors and Officers of the Governing Club of Qúpsóg and the Woodhouse Financial Corporation are hereby banished from the Kingdom of Scow Creek and forbidden re-entry in perpetuity. The Scow Creek Coast Guard will escort them, under guard, to port in the Continental Federation.

The Kingdom of Scow Creek is dedicated to restoring peace and human rights to the lands of Qúpsóg. Towards that end, we pledge:

To immediately grant the rights and privileges held by all Citizens under the Scow Creek Constitution to all residents of Qúpsóg;

To return assets confiscated and held by the Woodhouse Financial Corporation to the people of Qúpsóg;

To provide a Coast Guard presence to protect the residents from aggression and retaliation;

To immediately recognize each of the following four communities in Qúpsóg as Departments entitled to the rights and privileges of all other Departments in the Kingdom: Qúpsóg Dunes, Quóntúq, Qoóg, and Qiánu;

To immediately seat Joónen Rubin as an ad hoc Cabinet Member of the Scow Creek government, and authorize the immediate selection of one Assemblyman per Department, per their own process, to have voice and vote in our Assembly.

We hereby welcome the complete inclusion of the People of Qúpsóg into our Kingdom, and declare that our hand of friendship remains open to the People of the Šíníqóq Nation who have stood by us in this endeavor.

Ís b’í má Réfe – We Will Be Free.

Tunís Qorsa, King Tuathal I
04 AUG 2014 SC

[Scow Creek]

THIS WEEKS NEWS BRIEFS:

1. QÚPSÓG ANNEXED
2. ŠÍNÍQÓQ NATION ALLIANCE FORMED
3. DÓQLÉFT TECHNICAL SCHOOL TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER
4. ECONOMIC RESILIENCY SYMPOSIUM
5. SPORTS UPDATES

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1. QÚPSÓG ANNEXED: “POINTERS” & RANGERS BANISHED, ASSETS SEIZED

In news that reverberated around the Region, the Scow Creek Coast Guard, a Flotilla of volunteers from Kismet, Milburn, and Ocean Bay Park, and the Warrior-Mariners of the Šíníqóq Nation joined forces this week to aid a citizen uprising in Qúpsóg that resulted in the overthrow of that nations rogue Governing Club. The catalyst for this alliance was the discovery of a Biological Toxins-for-Guns plot masterminded by the Governing Club and the Woodhouse Financial Corporation to tighten their control in Qúpsóg and re-establish control over Scow Creek.

By Proclamation of King Tuathal, Qúpsóg has now been annexed and is under protection of the Scow Creek Coast Guard. Joónen Rubin, leader of the citizen’s rebellion, has been named as an ad hoc Cabinet minister to aid in the transition, and Qúpsóg has been granted four Assemblymen in the Assembly, one for each of the four communities on that Island (Qúpsóg Dunes, Quóntúq, Qoóg, and Qiánu.)

==========

2. ŠÍNÍQÓQ NATION ALLIANCE FORMED

During the recent crisis, Environment Minister Tódd Eríqsén spent several days with leaders from the Šíníqóq Nation. While the meetings were held behind closed doors, the immediate results were significant: After years of isolationism and neutrality, the Šíníqóq Nation actively participated in the effort to oust the Qúpsóg government. Sources report that the shipment of biological toxins through Šíníqóq Nation waters provided the tipping point for the change in policy.

Longer-term, Sachém Uióndónš of the Šíníqóq Nation has indicated that this new alliance with Scow Creek was not a one-time event. “We share a common reverence for the Earth and Waters, and our cooperation in their protection needs to continue beyond this incident” the Sachém was quoted as saying. Observers point to this as having significant future benefits, as the neighboring Šíníqóqs are also engaged in discussions with several other First Nations people with a view towards establishing an even broader network of alliances.

About 300 years ago, the Šíníqóq people inhabited the lands currently in the Scow Creek domain. For a variety of reasons: disease, conflict with migrants, a series of brutal winters – the Šíníqóqs abandoned the islands and relocated on the mainland on a peninsula they call “Thunder Island.”

==========

3. DÓQLÉFT TECHNICAL SCHOOL TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER

The first adult technical school in Scow Creek is due to open its doors in September. Located in Raynortown, adjacent to the nation’s largest marine-industrial district, the school will be offering nine different courses of studies. By working with area businesses, the school is incorporating apprenticeships that will prepare students for direct entry into careers.

Current courses of study include:

Aquaculture
Brewing & Distilling
Energy Systems
Marine Engines & Mechanics
Maritime Ecosystems
Medical Services
Navigation
Residential Construction
Sports & Recreation Management

==========

4. ECONOMIC RESILIENCY SYMPOSIUM IN ZACH’S BAY, 01 SEP – 03 SEP

Businesses and economic development experts from around the region have been invited to share ideas and proposals to assist in Scow Creek’s economic resiliency efforts.

The Kingdom clearly has some economic strengths: Fish and shellfish comprise our largest industry. A cluster of Craft Brewers and Distillers thrive in Rum Point beach; Salt Hay, harvested from the Sedges, is baled and stored in the National Hay Stores and shipped to mainland farms; Industrial Marine services are the Kingdom’s one truly vibrant industrial sector.

And yet, All clothing & fabric, grain, fruits & vegetables, meat, poultry, dairy, and processed foods must be imported, resulting in extremely high costs for all of these resources, and transportation logjams; fishermen receive bottom-dollar for their harvests; and the Kingdom lacks centralized renewable energy capabilities.

The Symposium invites comments, opinions, suggestions, and offers of engagement.

==========

5. SPORTS UPDATES:

Congratulations to our own Hedda Lettuce and Snatch Hunter, who took the Silver Medals in the Pedalo Race! This represents the first ever medals for Scow Creek in the Cross-Regional Olympiads!

Our team completed the course in 13 minutes and 17 seconds, just 7 seconds behind the husband-wife gold-medal winners, the Smithsons, from Elke and Elbe.


WEEK 21
BEACH VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS
Each contest consists of a maximum of 4 matches.
Teams win 3 points for a contest win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 for a loss.


WESTERN LEAGUE TEAMS POINTS

Saltaire Sportsmen 39
Rum Point Pirates 38
Eastern Sedges BVC 33
Zach's Bay Whitecaps 29
Oak Beach Rip Tide 28
Milburn Revolution 26
Raynortown Storm Surge 23
Gilgo Baymen 22
Kismet Impact 14

EASTERN LEAGUE TEAMS POINTS

Fair Harbor United 37
Pines MusselMen 36
Headlands Navigators 33
Cherry Grove Beef 30
Seaview Breach 29
Davis-Ridge Crew 27
Ocean Beach Drifters 27
Ocean Bay Park Union 24
Atlantique Fire 22

[Scow Creek]

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE FIRST CONFERENCE ON ISLAND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY, 27 AUG 2014

Contributions received from members representing Scow Creek, the Algonquian Nations, Nouvel Acadie, the Cymric Corporate Authority, the Ságípónáq Nation, the State of Móntóq, and Icelandia.

Scow Creek Strengths:

Healthy maritime resources and vibrant fishing/shellfishing industry
Strong Marine industrial, Brewing, and Hay production sectors
Advanced micro-level solar energy generation
Effective Coast Guard and defense operations; security alliances
Pristine ocean beaches
Quality Technical School

Scow Creek Weaknesses:

Low world seafood prices
Near-crippling overreliance on imports, esp. food (fruits & vegetables, poultry, meat, dairy and grains) and textiles.
Practical non-existence of arable land
Unresolved issue of the dumping of thousands of tons of illegal dredge spoils
Lack of ground transportation for access to national attractions
Poor institutional-level, large-scale energy production
No broad-based trade arrangements


Recommendations:

1. Formation of a Seafood Cooperative or Board to counter low world prices, promote markets, pool resources, and create a positive brand image.

2. Use of dredge spoils to create arable land on one of the sedges

3.Long-Term trade deals with agricultural nations for bulk purchase of food and textiles.

4. Development of a National Solar Farm for institutional energy use

5. Coordinated marketing of established products (brewing, beach plums, seafood)

6. Development of road networks in more highly developed western areas of the nation

Respectfully Submitted,
/ss/

[Scow Creek]

THIS WEEKS NEWS BRIEFS:

1. KING ANNEXES UNCLAIMED SEDGE FOR FARM OPS
2. CENSUS PROGRESS
3. DÓQLÉFT TECHNICAL SCHOOL OPENS
4. SPORTS UPDATES

Current Exchange: 1 NS$ = 5.67 Míls 1 Míl = .18 NS$
========================================================


1. KING ANNEXES ‘UNCLAIMED SEDGE;’ MAJOR DREDGING, DEVELOPMENT INTENDED FOR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS

As a direct result of the recent Islands Economic Resiliency Symposium, King Tuathal has chosen to exercise His rights under Article 4 Section 4 of the Constitution to annex the formerly ‘unclaimed’ sedge that has historically served as a “no man’s land” barrier between the Kingdom and the Continental Federation.

Alternatively known through the years as “The Unclaimed Sedge,” “The Great Northern Sedge,’ “Verity Marsh,” and “Adams Island,” the area in question comprises over 1,200 acres and will require major construction.

According to Prime Minster Dán Tirél, the plans for the area solves several issues at once.

“As the Symposium pointed out, the Kingdom is almost in a crisis when it comes to food imports. We are currently unable to provide our own fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, or meats, and the cost of importing is crippling. The entire purpose of this plan is to create arable land so we can being to provide for own people.”

It s expected that the thousands of tons of dredge spoils that were dumped illegally in the Tisó Iqepo Wilderness will be barged to the sedge and used as partial fill to elevate the area, which currently stands at barely half a meter above sea level.

“In addition, we will be dredging a new harbor to insure that all new residents of the island have access to their own dock, as well as a new houseboat colony. The Eastern side will be dredged and filled to create housing and a small village commercial center. A processing facility will also be constructed in the northwest corner, said Tirél.

Some Creekers privately expressed nervousness at the proximity of the island to the Continental Federation, and feared it may provoke a response from the mainland. However, according to Coast Guard Commandant Raúl Rívérá, the occupation of the island will actually prove to increase security.

“Right now, it is a barren island. If the mainland wished to attack us, it would provide no defense whatsoever. Our plans include the construction of a defensive stone wall along the entire northern edge of the island, which will serve as a solid defense structure. I don’t think we need to worry about an immediate response from the mainland, as they have currently pulled all of their troops into the large cities to handle the current riots. The outlying areas are essentially in a state of anarchy right now due to the lack of any security presence. If we are going to act, the time is now.”

According to Cabinet officials, the plan is to begin recruiting settlers both from within the Kingdom and from neighboring lands to populate the region and institute farming operations via a Homesteading Program. Potential settlers will be offered a small home and 20 acres of land for free in return for growing a meat, dairy, fruit, or vegetable crop for sale solely within the Kingdom.

In addition to security issues, skeptics have raised concerns that this endeavor will take too long to relieve the immediate high costs and shortages of basic foods. When pressed on this, Tirél responded with a smile, “This is not our only plan. Stay tuned.”



====================================================================
2. EARLY CENSUS RESULTS SHOW HUGE INCREASES

Preliminary Census results show that the population in Scow Creek has probably more than doubled in the last 5 years, and that the majority of this increase is due to immigration.

Minister of the Census, Statistics, & Public Records Jín Buríl told this newspaper that significant shifts have also taken place, “…with enormous growth in the western part of the Nation. While not presuming to speak for the Monarchy, I think it’s reasonable to expect that this year will see some changes concerning the boundaries of the Departments and allocation of Assemblymen.” In Scow Creek, the King has absolute authority to determine the number and boundaries of the Departments, as well as the number of representatives each may have in the Assembly.

“In addition, we will certainly see some changes in official languages,” said Buríl. In Scow Creek, any language spoken by more than 5% of the residents in a Department automatically becomes an official language, and major government documents must be available in those languages. Buríl continued, “our open immigration policy, openness towards languages, and non-distinction between ‘residents’ and ‘citizens’ makes us a very attractive nation for immigration, and we are seeing the results of that openness in the 2014 census.”
===============================================

3. DÓQLÉFT TECHNICAL SCHOOL OPENS DOORS

With a first year enrollment of 540 students, the Dóqléft Technical school in Raynortown is now open. By working with area businesses, the school is incorporating apprenticeships that will prepare students for direct entry into careers in Aquaculture, Brewing & Distilling, Energy Systems, Marine Engines & Mechanics, Maritime Ecosystems, Medical Services, Navigation,
Residential Construction, and Sports & Recreation Management.
======================================================

4. SPORTS UPDATES:

WEEK 25
BEACH VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS
Each contest consists of a maximum of 4 matches.
3 points per contest win, 1 per tie, 0 per loss

The Rum Point Pirates have leaped over the Saltaire Sportsmen in the Western League, while the top spots in both Leagues are tightening up as the end of the season approaches.

Western League Points

1. Rum Point Pirates 45
2. Saltaire Sportsmen 42
3. Eastern Sedges BVC 42
4. Zach’s Bay Whitecaps 33
5. Oak Beach Rip Tide 31
6. Milburn Revolution 30
7. Gilgo Baymen 28
8. Rayortown Storm Surge 25
9. Kismet Impact 17

Eastern League Points

1. Fair Harbor United 43
2. Headlands Navigators 43
3. Pines MusselMen 42
4. Seaview Breach 33
5. Davis-Ridge Crew 33
6. Ocean Beach Drifters 31
7. Cherry Grove Beef 30
8. Ocean Bar Park Union 30
9. Atlatntique Fire 26

[Scow Creek]

03 SEPTEMBER 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALGONQUIAN NATIONS, SÁGÍPÓNÓQS, AND SCOW CREEK ENTER HISTORICAL ALLIANCE;
"SÁG HARBOR ACCORDS" CREATES DEFENSIVE, ECONOMIC ALLIANCE

In a press statement released minutes ago, the leaders of Scow Creek and nearby First Nations have announced a new defensive alliance and expanded trade pacts that signal a significant strengthening of the overall region. As part of the Accords, the Ságípónóq Nation will enter into the Federation of Algonquian Nations, increasing the size of that Federation tenfold, and the Kingdom of Scow Creek will enjoy major trade access to food and fiber in return for an expanded defensive Coast Guard presence throughout the area. The details of the Accords follow:

On this Third day of September (SC) and Twenty-Fourth Day of the Green Corn Moon (AN), we, the signatories, acting as legal representatives of the Ságípónóq Nation, the Federation of Algonquian Nations, and the Kingdom of Scow Creek, hereby agree to the following principles and actions, and bind our people in alliance to one another:

Acknowledging:

That destructive and illegal activities undertaken by foreign criminal elements continue to harass and plague the coastlands, and have reached critical proportions along the Ságípónóq shores, endangering the lives, property, and lands and waters of her People;

That food and textile shortages in Scow Creek and stagnant markets for Ságíponóq products present an opportunity for mutually advantageous economic development through increased market access;

That our nations share a common ethos, and that which separates us ought to be minimized in order that all may advance in accordance with our unique cultural strengths; and

That the unique strengths of each of our nations can be used to assist others without diminishing their domestic vitality;

We, the signatories, hereby agree to the following geopolitical, defensive, and economic provisions to strengthen ourselves and each other:

Geopolitical:

The Ságípónóq Nation hereby requests admission as an equal partner in the Federation of Algonquian Nations, and the Áquínóq, Nárígánsóq, and Šíníqóq Nations readily embrace and endorse that admission effectively immediately;

The Ságípónóq Nation immediately discontinues all occupation and claims to the disputed lands known as the Šíníqóq Hills, North Sea, and Halsey Neck, and cedes them to the authority of the Šíníqóq People; and

The Port of Ság Harbor shall be henceforth established as the Capital of the Federation of Algonquian Nations.

Defensive:

The Alliance previously existing between the Šíníqóq Nation and the Kingdom of Scow Creek, established for the mutual protection of Lands, Waters, and Peoples, shall henceforth be deemed to exist between the entire Federation of Algonquian Nations and the Kingdom of Scow Creek;

The Kingdom of Scow Creek is requested by the Algonquian Federation to establish a defensive Coast Guard presence along the coastline of the Ságípónóq Nation for mutual protection of the Nations; and

To carry out the above, the Kingdom of Scow Creek shall, with the approval of the Ságípónóq Tribal Council, establish and maintain a defensive Coast Guard Base in the Port of Ság Harbor, which property shall be the Sovereign Soil of the Kingdom of Scow Creek.

Economic:

The Algonquian Federation and the Kingdom of Scow Creek hereby award each other Most Favored Nation Trading status; and, after meeting the market needs of the residents of the Algonquian Nations, the Ságípónóq Nation shall guarantee first right of refusal to the Kingdom of Scow Creek for bulk purchase of the following products: flax, hemp, wool, potatoes, brassicas, poultry, hops, and grains;

The Ságípónóq Nation further embraces and approves of a joint venture between its Tribal Government and private investors from the Kingdom of Scow Creek to establish fiber-to-textile mill operations in the Port of Ság Harbor; and

The residents of the Algonquian Nations shall all henceforth enjoy open admission and in-Kingdom tuition privileges at the Dóqléft Technical School in the Kingdom of Scow Creek.

Together we join hands in all these provisions, towards the goals of greater economic and physical security for our Nations.

Sachém Uióndánš for the Šíníqóq People and the Federation of Algonquian Nations
Sachém Qánonchét for the Nárígánsóq People
Sachem ‘Iáqumís for the Áquínóq People

Sachem Meqóqs for the Ságípónóq Nation

Tunís Qorsa, King Tuathal I, of the Kingdom of Scow Creek

(Picture: press rendition of ceded territory)

[Scow Creek]

Today’s Exchange Rate: 1µ = .17 NS$ 1 NS$ = 5.75 µ

In This Week’s News…

1. Fill, Construction begins on Verity Marsh
2. Coast Guard announces purchase of Five new patrol vessels
3. Continued Militarization on Mainland Threatens Outlying Region’s Way of Life.
4. Updates: Beach Volleyball League Standings

====================

1. Fill, Construction begins on Verity Marsh; First immigrants request Homestead Rights from Arnhem, Holland

Following the upswing in chaos in the Continental Federation on the mainland and the subsequent withdrawal of their forces to defend larger cities, the transformation of Verity Marsh, long viewed as an unclaimed, unpopulated “no-man’s land,” has proceeded at a dizzying pace.

“Significant dredging has already changed the face of the Island,” said Márqo Ádorno, the chief engineer appointed by King Tuathal to lead the project. “The new Abdinlo Canal has been dredged, creating a clear boundary between the Kingdom of Scow Creek and the mainland. In addition, the mudflats and marshes on the south side of the island have been fully excavated to prepare for the new Marina. With several barges of fill en route from the east, the Island will be ready earlier than expected for spring agricultural operations.”

The King declared the island, now being popularly referred to as “the Bay Colony,” under Scow Creek Control in response to warnings that a food crisis could be imminent if the nation did not find a way to begin some of its own food. The dredging and filling of the island, along with a simultaneous trade deal with the Algonquian Nations is expected to alleviate some of that projected shortage.

In order to populate the 1,200-acre island with farmers, the Monarchy has instituted a new Homesteading Program, awarding 20 acres of agricultural land free to any experienced farmers in exchange for their producing food goods for sale in the Kingdom. This week, an application from a collective of residents in Arnhem, Holland arrived requesting to tale advantage of the Homestead offer.

“These are precisely the kind of people we are looking for,” said Ádorno. They have experience both in farming, and in working canal-laced, sea-washed fields. As an added bonus, the high-density housing we have proposed on the east side of the marsh is precisely what the urban-dwelling Dutch farmers are familiar with in their homeland.

According to sources, major work still remains: the construction of canal walls in the proposed commercial district, the development of a food processing center, the erection of a defensive stone wall along the new Abdinlo Canal, and a process to allow for the mooring of more than 200 houseboats in the new marina.

“It will happen,” said Ádorno. “We are already weeks ahead of schedule.”

====================
2. Coast Guard announces purchase of Five new patrol vessels from the Republica Federal de Catalunya.



At a price of 76.5 U$ m [426míls in Scow Creek currency], Scow Creek Coast Guard Commandant Raul Rívéra announced the purchase of five new Barceló class Offshore Patrol Vessels, currently under construction in Barcelona.

“This purchase will enable us to fulfill our defensive duties towards our own residents as well as our new allies in the Algonquian Nations. We expect to deploy one of these ships at each of our five bases. They are small enough to maneuver our channels and back bays, but large enough to engage in defensive missions where necessary.”

The patrol boats will be stationed at the three existing stations in Zach’s Bay, Kismet, and Little Brewster Island, and at stations currently under construction in Qiánu and in the Algonquian Nations Port of Ság Harbor.

====================

3. Continued Militarization on Mainland Threatens Outlying Region’s Way of Life.

By all accounts, Shelburne Falls is one of the nicest areas in the Continental Federation: home to hundreds of artisans and craftsmen, it is an oasis of creativity in an empire that makes more news with its destructive firepower than with the arts. And as if to drive home the point that Shelburne Falls is “counter-culture” to its parent nation, the five foot bridges that span the Salmon River dividing the region are lined with flower gardens, as is just about every visible yard in the area.



But while art and flowers draw tourists with cameras and painters with brushes wishing to capture its beauty, the economic base of the region has just been dealt a possibly fatal blow: Taurus Forge, the largest independent firearms manufacturer left on the mainland, has been essentially told to cease production.

This week, Éduórd Bág, President of the 120-year old Shelburne Falls fixture, received a letter from the Continental Military Police informing him that “private arms sales are forthwith forbidden in the Federation. All production, sale, possession, and transfer of private firearms must cease immediately. Only licensed government security agents may lawfully possess firearms, which shall be issued by the federal government, effective immediately.”

“Our company produces small pistols and hunting rifles,” explained Bág. These are not the kind of firearms that the government is interested in purchasing. By outlawing private sales, they have essentially put us entirely out of business.

Worse, they have made it clear that they mean for the entire population to be completely disarmed and defenseless against their growing police state.”

The company employs more than half the residents of Shelburne Falls, and subsidizes much of the arts community.

“Our entire way of life is hanging by a thread,” said Bág.

Emergency meetings by local government officials have resulted in numerous suggestions for courses of action, including utilizing the neighboring Algonquian Nations or the Kingdom of Scow Creek to help transport stock out of the country for sale in foreign markets. Others have suggested that Taurus take advantage of their immediate neighbors in the quasi-tribal nudist colony of Rock River. The Rock River people are so secluded that no roads penetrate their mountain settlement, and access is only through treacherous footpaths. Continental Military Police have never bothered to attempt to reach that settlement at any time in recent memory.

It is widely rumored that the Monarch has dispatched a number of community leaders from the nearby Qúpsóg departments on a fact-finding mission to Shelburne Falls.

4. Sports Update: Beach Volleyball League Standings

WEEK 26
BEACH VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS
Each contest consists of a maximum of 4 matches.
3 points per contest win, 1 per tie, 0 per loss

In the Western League, the Milburn Revolution has one four games in a row, catapulting them into fourth place from sixth and positioning themselves for a slot in the playoffs. In the Eastern League, the Fair Harbor United, Headlands Navigators, and Pines MusselMen continue to jockey for the top three slots, leaving most other teams far behind..

Western League Points

1. Rum Point Pirates 51
2. Saltaire Sportsmen 42
3. Eastern Sedges BVC 42
4. Milburn Revolution 39
5. Zach’s Bay Whitecaps 34
6. Oak Beach Rip Tide 34
7. Gilgo Baymen 31
8. Rayortown Storm Surge 27
9. Kismet Impact 20

Eastern League Points

1. Headlands Navigators 49
2. Fair Harbor United 47
3. Pines MusselMen 46
4. Davis-Ridge Crew 36
5. Ocean Bay Park Union 36
6. Ocean Beach Drifters 35
7. Seaview Breach 33
8. Cherry Grove Beef 30
9. Atlantique Fire 29

[Scow Creek]

This Week’s News Briefs…

1. Continental Federation sends SWAT Team to Shelburne Falls; Scow Creek Responds
2. Kingdom Assembly to open 23 SEP to record number of Proposed Bills

====================

FEDERATION SWAT TEAM RANSACKS SHELBURNE FALLS IN PURSUIT OF FIREARMS; SCOW CREEK COAST GUARD SENDS AID, WARNINGS;
Observers fear actions will embroil the Kingdom in an unwinnable foreign war

QIÁNU, SCOW CREEK

A team of some two dozen military SWAT members descended on Shelburne Falls this week, destroying businesses and invading private homes in search of private firearms.

Two weeks ago, the Continental Military Police notified Éduórd Bág, President of the 120-year old Taurus Forge that “private arms sales are forthwith forbidden in the Federation. All production, sale, possession, and transfer of private firearms must cease immediately. Only licensed government security agents may lawfully possess firearms, which shall be issued by the federal government, effective immediately.”

The company employs more than half the residents of Shelburne Falls, and subsidizes much of the region’s enormous arts community.

According to Taurus foreman “About two dozen militarized SWAT officers descended on the plant two days ago, seeking to confiscate private firearms. They were puzzled to find nothing, as we had ceased production in cooperation with their order, and had no stock left. They did not believe us, and they killed [owner] Bág right there on the factory floor, and then left to pillage the arts community downtown.”

Reports indicate that storefronts and artist studios were ransacked, and damage in estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to both buildings and art. The SWAT members were last seen heading to the neighboring region of Rock River, in search of weapons.

According the Coast Guard Base in Qiánu, the Scow Creek Coast Guard entered Continental Territory to send in humanitarian aid to the victims. “We are not involved in military operations,” said a spokesman for the Coast Guard.

However, residents report that a Scow Creek Coast Guard helicopter departed the base on the day the SWAT teams left Shelburne Falls, and dropped leaflets in the settled ravine far to the north in Rock River – a clear violation of Continental Federation air space, and an act which could embroil Scow Creek in the Federation’s chaos.

The Rock River people - a quasi-tribal nudist colony - are so secluded that no roads penetrate their mountain settlement, and access is only through treacherous footpaths along the river from the coast. If the SWAT team is indeed headed there, it will take them at least three days.

In the meantime, one Qiánu dock worker, speaking on condition of absolute anonymity, suggested that recent shipments from Shelburne Falls contain the firearm stocks that the SWAT teams were seeking.



====================

KINGDOM ASSEMBLY TO OPEN TO RECORD NUMBER OF BILLS
Military maneuvers, Road Construction, Constitutional Amendments Expected to Draw Heated Discussion

MILBURN, SCOW CREEK: A record number of bills are expected to be filed at this Autumn’s session of the Assembly, which opens on 23 SEP.

In addition to discussions on the current events in Shelburne Falls (see related article), bills are expected to be filed mandating national holidays; banning certain pesticides; establishing a buy-back program for home-produced renewable energy; and creating a road network and light rail system in the western islands and regulating motorized vehicles.

This last measure is expected to draw impassioned debate, as the Kingdom, in part, rebelled against the Woods Point Government when it executed eminent domain proceedings to run a paved road through the midst of the Fire Island departments.

In addition, it is expected that Constitutional Amendments including a Right-to-Farm provision; a national draft, rights to hunt, fish, and travel; establishing a Cabinet Ministry for Commerce; and devolving powers to the Departments will be debated.

Tunís Qorsa, King Tuathal I, will open the session, and announce the Kingdom’s departmental organization, Assembly Delegate apportionment for next year’s elections, and the official languages of the Departments as reorganized.

[Scow Creek]

SPECIAL REPORT
MAINLAND TURMOIL AND INTRIGUE: GOV’T SWAT TEAM SEEKS ASYLUM IN ROCK RIVER COMMUNITY; LEADERS IN ROCK RIVER, SHELBURNE FALLS SEEK SCOW CREEK PROTECTION
28 SEP 2014 SC

QIÁNU, SCOW CREEK: In a real-world military twist worthy of a spy novel, the SWAT team that ransacked Shelburne Falls two weeks ago and then invaded Rock River has now sought asylum in that community, as leaders from both communities appealed to Scow Creek to come under its protection.

Under orders from the Continental Federation, the SWAT team was originally sent to confiscate private weapons and shut down the Taurus Forge in Shelburne Falls. Upon finding that the weapons had been smuggled off of the mainland, they ransacked the town’s large art and retail district before leaving to turn their fury on neighboring Rock River.

The Rock River community has long enjoyed an isolated existence, as its only populated area is deep at the end of the rivers ravine, surrounded by dangerous vertical ledges on all sides. As the SWAT team made the three-day journey up the non-navigable river, the Scow Creek Coast Guard dropped warning flyers on a helicopter fly-over, incurring the criticism of the diplomatic community for invading air space and involving itself in another nation’s internal civil war.

The Rock River people could have conducted a serious guerilla war by positioning themselves on the ledges above the river; instead, they greeted the SWAT members with a feast.

The “River Rats,” as they affectionately call themselves, are a unique settlement of near-primitive conditions. The nearly 100% gay male community enjoy an entirely nudist existence, living a nomadic, hedonistic existence out of tents and rock campfires. Though many residents are transient, a core of ‘council elders’ occupies the center of the settlement and provides continuity and ‘peer pressure’ to insure a modicum of social rules and practices. A single trading post at the mouth of River insures a degree of trade with the outside world for necessities.

Aaron Derek, the leader of the SWAT team, gave an exclusive interview to this reporter on the sudden change of heart:

“All of us have been trained in a high degree of self-reliance, as well as reliance on our brothers in the team, and in outdoor survival skills. The primary time we get to execute those skills is when we are called upon to undertake a mission. Then we found these people here, and they are actually living, day-to-day, the very existence most of us crave.

We signed up to defend our nation from invasions. We were proud, loyal, patriots, each one of us. But our nation’s government has changed, and when we were sent to Shelburne Falls to confiscate private firearms, every one of us felt uneasy about that. You’re looking at a bunch of guys who are very comfortable around weapons, and who have been private firearms owners and shooters ourselves. After we received orders to pillage the village, none of us felt good about what went down.”
Derek continued:

“On the three-day journey up Rock River, we all went through some heavy soul-searching about what we were doing and what we were defending. When we were greeted by the “Rats,” we all felt the same way – that these people were living the way that we all wished we could, all the time. We had some serious heart-to-hearts, and all agreed that we needed to be fighting for these people, not against them. All twenty of us decided we wanted to stay.”

When asked about their lives at home in the Continental Federation, Derek replied,

“In an ironic way, they actually made this easy for us. Members of elite SWAT team units may not be married or have kids, nor can we own our own real estate or vehicles. We are actually leaving very little behind.”

Many have wondered if the wrath of the Continental Federation would now be visited upon the area. “I don’t think so,’ said Derek. ‘These mountains are impregnable, and when we were sent here it was made very clear that the CF considers this area ‘expendable.’ They are fighting much bigger battles in the huge cities, and see this area as little more than a small annoyance. They may, however, send another SWAT team, and that is why we think that we need to forge stronger ties with Scow Creek – they already have an efficient local force here in the Coast Guard Base at Qiánu. With their defense outside the community, and ours inside, I think we’re pretty good.”

But what about the free-loving, gay nudist lifestyle here? Derek gave a surprising answer:

“Look, all of us in the Team were trained to rely on each other for our very lives. We’ve lived in close contact with each other during every mission, and pretty much know each other’s deepest thoughts. A lot of us are much closer than many people probably imagine…I think we’ll get along just fine here. And if someone is uncomfortable and wants to leave, we won’t stop them.”

Indeed, this reporter noted that every member of the SWAT team had already shed their clothes and were clearing out tent spaces for themselves, side by side with the native villagers.

Meanwhile, the Assembly is scheduled to discuss Shelburne Falls’ request for military protection at tomorrow’s legislative session.

[Scow Creek]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
03 OCT 2014 SC

ASSEMBLY RELEASES NEWLY PASSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, LAWS;
People must adopt Amendments; Monarch must Act on Laws.

Proposed Constitutional Amendments

Amendment I

1. The Kingdom shall make no law infringing on the right of the people to engage in agricultural pursuits, or to hunt on their own land; or from processing, consuming, or offering for sale from their property the products thereof; and no such operation shall be found to be a public or private nuisance if the operation conforms to generally accepted management practices. Nothing in this Amendment shall prevent the Kingdom from prohibiting specific agricultural toxins or practices for the benefit of environmental or public health and safety.

2. The Kingdom shall make no law prohibiting the right of the people to hunt, fish, harvest shellfish, or forage on the public lands and waters of the Kingdom, to provide for their household needs. Nothing in this Amendment shall prevent the Kingdom from setting harvest limits and seasons, or from establishing temporary or limited no-harvest zones for sound reason, or from regulating commercial operations.

Amendment II

1. The Scow Creek Coast Guard shall constitute the chief military force throughout the Kingdom under the Commandant, who may authorize and organize minor or temporary strike teams or squadrons, reserves, and auxiliaries as necessary.

2. No resident shall be subject to forced conscription, and the military forces of the Kingdom shall be subject and inferior to national civilian authority. All members in active service shall retain all rights and privileges held by all other residents under this Constitution.

Amendment III

1. The Monarch, with the consent of the Assembly, shall appoint a Minister of Training and Commerce to oversee economic development and higher education and training facilities, and who shall serve as a member of the Cabinet.

2. The Citizens of the Kingdom shall elect, every five years, three Regional Senators to serve as Cabinet Members. Citizens residing on Onesge Island and departments west shall elect a Western Regional Senator; citizens residing on Fire Island shall elect a Central Regional Senator; and residents on Qúpsóg Island and areas east shall elect an Eastern Regional Senator. All such elections shall be held according to an Instant Runoff Voting Procedure.

3. The Minster of the Census, Statistics, and Public Records shall certify candidates for Regional Senate. Any candidate submitting nomination forms containing the signatures of 2% of the total population of the Region based on the last Census, who is a Citizen age 16 or over and resident of the Region, shall be so certified.

4. No member of the Assembly shall receive any salary or wage for serving in the Assembly.

Bill F14-001: Prohibition of Certain Insecticides

1. Possession, sale, and use of any insecticide that measured as slightly toxic or higher to honeybees (any species of the genus Apis), as measured by an acute Lethal Dose 50 at exposure of 100 micrograms or less per bee, and all neonicotinoid insecticides, are hereby prohibited.

2. Violations shall be punishable by fines to cover bee restoration with additional treble punitive damages, and/or state confiscation of poisoned property.

Bill F14-002: National Holidays and Compensation for Certain Employees

1. Official National Holidays shall consist of the following: New Year Days; St. Tuathal’s Day (March 28); Midsummer Days; Election Day (first Saturday in September every 5th year); Samhain (Oct 30); and Christmas (Dec 25).

2. Any employee of a Corporation who is required to work on an Official National Holiday shall receive a minimum of double their customary and usual wages for that day; and shall receive time-and-a-half for any work hours exceeding 40 in a customary work week. Service Employee’s tips shall not be counted towards meeting this requirement, and all such tips are exempt from taxation.


Bill F14-003: Permitted Motorized Vehicles

1. Motorized Land Vehicles shall be prohibited throughout the Kingdom, except as follows:

a. Wheelchairs and mobility-assistance vehicles; Utility and Emergency vehicles; and National Government Vehicles throughout the Kingdom;

b. Dune Buggies and Jeeps on sand roads, and, from Samhain through St. Tuathal’s Day inclusive, between the Primary Dune and the Ocean on Barrier Beach Islands;

c. Agricultural vehicles in the Departments of Bay Colony and Shelburne Falls;

d. Personal Jeeps, Motorcycles, and pickup trucks; and light commercial vehicles on paved roads;

e. Golf carts on paved or wooden Walks and docks;

f. Heavy equipment in the Department of Woodcleft, and elsewhere in the Kingdom when performing work.

2. This law shall not apply to any Coast Guard bases in the Kingdom, or to the Department of Ság Harbor.


Bill F14-004: Preserving the National Beach Culture

1. No for-profit corporation that is open to the public for business shall require any customer to wear shoes or clothing above the waist as a condition of entrance or service.

2. Violations of this act shall be punishable by fines of not less than 6,000 µ and not more than 25,000 µ per violation, to be paid to the offended customer.


Bill F14-005: An Act Establishing Secondary Education Facilities and Requirements

1. The Kingdom acknowledges that Primary Education remains the responsibility of the Residents of the Departments, and lauds the variety of structures currently in place. Nothing in this bill shall be construed as interfering with or establishing mandates for those efforts.

2. The Kingdom hereby authorizes the borrowing and spending of 35,000,000 µ for the construction of three Secondary Schools, one in each Region. Enrollment in these schools shall be available at no cost to all Residents turning age 14 during the year in which they enroll through the age of 20. A school schedule shall be based on full-time attendance for four years, from 01 SEP to 30 MAY.

3. As a condition of receiving a Diploma, students at each of these schools shall enroll in and pass the following subjects:

a. Elementary Algebra; Geometry; and Statistics;
b. History (2 years); Geography; and Scow Creek’s Constitution, Culture, and Laws;
c. Environmental Science; Meterology; and Maritime Ecology;
d. Atlantican (1 year); a second language (2 years); and a third language (1 year);
e. Physical Conditioning & Athletics (4 years); and Health;
and four years of the following (any one subject may be repeated multiple times):
f: Agriculture; Art; Carpentry; Electric Circuits; Fishing & Navigation; Hunting & Marksmanship; Instrumental Music; Plumbing; Theater;
and Vocal Music.

[Scow Creek]

FINAL VERSION OF BILLS AS APPROVED BY THE MONARCH

Bills & Amendment Adopted by the Fall 14 Term of the Scow Creek Assembly
[Constitutional Amendments need to be approved by Citizen's Vote; Bills have all been Approved by the Monarch and go into effect immediately]

Bill F14-001: An Act to Prohibit Certain Insecticides

1. Possession, sale, and use of any insecticide that measured as slightly toxic or higher to honeybees (any species of the genus Apis), as measured by an acute Lethal Dose 50 at exposure of 100 micrograms or less per bee, and all neonicotinoid insecticides, are hereby prohibited.

2. Violations shall be punishable by fines to cover bee restoration with additional treble punitive damages, and/or state confiscation of poisoned property.

Bill F14-002: An Act to Establish National Holidays and Compensation for Certain Employees

1. Official National Holidays shall consist of the following: New Year Days; St. Tuathal’s Day (March 28); Midsummer Days; Election Day (first Saturday in September every 5th year); Samhain (Oct 30); and Christmas (Dec 25).

2. Any employee of a Corporation who is required to work on an Official National Holiday shall receive a minimum of double their customary and usual wages for that day; and shall receive time-and-a-half for any work hours exceeding 40 in a customary work week. Service Employee’s tips shall not be counted towards meeting this requirement, and all such tips are exempt from taxation.

Bill F14-003: An Act to Permit Certain Motorized Vehicles

1. Motorized Land Vehicles shall be prohibited throughout the Kingdom, except as follows:

a. Wheelchairs and mobility-assistance vehicles; Utility and Emergency vehicles; and National Government Vehicles throughout the Kingdom;

b. Dune Buggies and Jeeps on sand roads, and, from Samhain through St. Tuathal’s Day inclusive, between the Primary Dune and the Ocean on Barrier Beach Islands;

c. Agricultural vehicles in the Departments of Bay Colony and Shelburne Falls;

d. Personal Jeeps, Motorcycles, and pickup trucks; and light commercial vehicles on paved roads;

e. Golf carts on paved or wooden Walks and docks;

f. Heavy equipment in the Department of Woodcleft, and elsewhere in the Kingdom when performing work.

2. This law shall not apply to any Coast Guard bases in the Kingdom, or to the Department of Ság Harbor.

Bill F14-004: An Act to Preserve the National Beach Culture and Individual Liberties

1. No for-profit corporation that is open to the public for business shall require any customer to wear shoes or clothing above the waist as a condition of entrance or service.

2. Violations of this act shall be punishable by fines of not less than 6,000 µ and not more than 25,000 µ per violation, to be paid to the offended customer.

Bill F14-005: An Act to Establish Secondary Education Facilities and Requirements

1. The Kingdom acknowledges that Primary Education remains the responsibility of the Residents of the Departments, and lauds the variety of structures currently in place. Nothing in this bill shall be construed as interfering with or establishing mandates for those efforts.

2. The Kingdom hereby authorizes the borrowing and spending of 35,000,000 µ for the construction of three Secondary Schools, one in each Region. Enrollment in these schools shall be available at no cost to all Residents turning age 14 during the year in which they enroll through the age of 20. A school schedule shall be based on full-time attendance for five years, Monday through Thursday, from 01 SEP to 30 MAY.

3. A “Unit” of study shall consist of 108 hours of class or field work. As a condition of receiving a Diploma, students at each of these schools shall enroll in and pass 40 units, as follows:

a. Elementary Algebra; Geometry; and Statistics (1 unit each)
b. History (2 units); Geography; and Scow Creek’s Constitution, Culture, and Laws ( 1 unit each);
c. Environmental Science; Meterology; and Maritime Ecology (1 unit each);
d. Atlantican (1 unit); a second official language (2 units); and a third official language (1 unit);
e. Physical Conditioning & Athletics (10 units); and Health (1 unit);
f. 10 units from among the following (any one subject may be repeated unlimited number of times): Agriculture; Art; Carpentry; Electrical Wiring; Fishing & Navigation; Hunting & Marksmanship; Instrumental Music; Plumbing; Theater; and Vocal Music.
g. Any five additional units, from any of the above subjects or others as may be developed or introduced

Bill F14-006: An Act to Tax Certain Sales and Establish a National Gymnasium System

1. A 10% Sales Tax is hereby levied on all retail sales of Alcoholic Beverages, Recreational Drugs not prescribed for a Medical Condition, Performance Enhancing Substances, and Nicotine Products, as well as Delivery systems and hardware for said products, whether sold for on or off-premise consumption, effective on the first day of the month next following the thirtieth day after adoption of this Act.

2. It shall be the responsibility of the Vendor of said products to collect sad taxes, and to remit them by the 15th of each month following their collection to the Ministry of Finance, who shall account for all such receipts in s Dedicated Fund for the carrying out of the provisions of this Act.

3. Said Designated Fund shall be used exclusively for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of National Gymnasiums which shall be made available to all residents under the direction of the ministry of Parks, Recreation, and Sport Priority of locations for the establishment of said facilities shall occur in the following order:

Rum Point, Woodcleft, Quóntúq, Fair Harbor, Zach’s Bay, Pines, Shelburne Falls, and Cherry Grove, and such other locations in turn as the Ministry of Parks, Recreation, and Sport shall determine.

Amendment I

1. The Kingdom shall make no law infringing on the right of the people to engage in agricultural pursuits, or to hunt on their own land; or from processing, consuming, or offering for sale from their property the products thereof; and no such operation shall be found to be a public or private nuisance if the operation conforms to generally accepted management practices. Nothing in this Amendment shall prevent the Kingdom from prohibiting specific agricultural toxins or practices for the benefit of environmental or public health and safety.

2. The Kingdom shall make no law prohibiting the right of the people to hunt, fish, harvest shellfish, or forage on the public lands and waters of the Kingdom, to provide for their household needs. Nothing in this Amendment shall prevent the Kingdom from setting harvest limits and seasons, or from establishing temporary or limited no-harvest zones for sound reason, or from regulating commercial operations.

Amendment II

1. The Scow Creek Coast Guard shall constitute the chief military force throughout the Kingdom under the Commandant, who may authorize and organize minor or temporary strike teams or squadrons, reserves, and auxiliaries as necessary.

2. No resident shall be subject to forced conscription, and the military forces of the Kingdom shall be subject and inferior to national civilian authority. All members in active service shall retain all rights and privileges held by all other residents under this Constitution.

Amendment III

1. The Monarch, with the consent of the Assembly, shall appoint a Minister of Training and Commerce to oversee economic development and higher education and training facilities, and who shall serve as a member of the Cabinet.

2. The Citizens of the Kingdom shall elect, every five years, three Regional Senators to serve as Cabinet Members. Citizens residing on Onesge Island and departments west shall elect a Western Regional Senator; citizens residing on Fire Island shall elect a Central Regional Senator; and residents on Qúpsóg Island and areas east shall elect an Eastern Regional Senator. All such elections shall be held according to an Instant Runoff Voting Procedure.

3. The Minster of the Census, Statistics, and Public Records shall certify candidates for Regional Senate. Any candidate submitting nomination forms containing the signatures of 2% of the total population of the Region based on the last Census, who is a Citizen age 16 or over and resident of the Region, shall be so certified.

4. No member of the Assembly shall receive any salary or wage for serving in the Assembly.

[Scow Creek]

The Supreme Court of The Kingdom of Scow Creek
28 DEC 2014 SC

Richmond vs. Qlevlánd
SC2014-015

DECISION OF THE COURT, HON. PÓL RÁND, presiding.

The Court hereby reverses the conviction of Joséf Qlevlánd on charges of rape and sexual assault, 9-0. Justices Jefsón, Qran, Népoletón, Šmít, Øevolínsqe, Napesu, Lóbréq, and Su Arte, concurring.

FACTS:

On 30 July 2014 SC, Claire Richmond, a 16-year old female non-citizen tourist, was vacationing in the department of Cherry Grove with friends for the Kingdom’s Midsummer Festival. According to undisputed testimony, Richmond had been drinking at the Village Tavern, and was described by various witnesses as “tipsy.” Plaintiff testified that she had consumed at least “six or seven” strong drinks at the tavern.

Plaintiff Richmond met defendant Joséf Qlevlánd, a 21-year old male, at the tavern. Qlevlánd also admitted to drinking “about five” beers at the Tavern. After some time of small talk, Richmond agreed to accompany Qlevlánd back to his house, where the two had two more drinks, and then engaged in sexual activity. No testimony was presented suggesting that any sexual activity was physically forced; to the contrary, both plaintiff and defendant stipulated that the activity was entered into willingly. The couple then fell asleep; Richmond continued vacationing for six more days, whereupon she returned to her native country.

Two months later, in early October, Richmond filed charges against Qlevlánd for rape and sexual assault, alleging the following:

1) That Richmond could not legally give consent to sexual activity based on her age of 16; and
2) That Richmond could not legally give consent to sexual activity based on her state of alcoholic intoxication.
3) That Richmond never granted actual, unambiguous verbal consent to their activity.

The lower court agreed and found defendant Qlevlánd guilty of one count each of rape and sexual assault. Defendant Qlevlánd appealed on the following basis:

1) That the lower court erred on the issue of legal age of consent;
2) That the lower court erred on the issue of consent while under intoxication;
3) That the lower court erred by not instructing the jury of the right of Jury Nullification.
4) That sexual consent can be inferred from action, and does not require unambiguous verbal direction.

This court agrees with the defendant on all four counts, and reverses the convictions on both counts.

LEGAL ANALYSIS:

On the first and third issues raised by defendant, this court need not engage in discussion beyond the plain reading of the Scow Creek Constitution.

Art. I Sec 8. of the Constitution reads, “The Kingdom shall pass no law establishing a legal age of consent or majority for any legal purpose higher than the age of 16.”

It has long been uncontroverted law in the Kingdom that adulthood for all purposes – voting, decision-making, signing contracts, drinking, and sexual activity – is established at the age of 16. Indeed, some judicial decisions have found capacity to make personal decisions even by those younger than 16. Plaintiff has no legal claim to lack of consent based on age.

In addition, the trial court erred in not instructing the jury of the right of Nullification, as contained in Article II Sec 5:

“ In all jury trials, the jury shall be informed by the Trial Justice of the jury’s right of Jury Nullification.”

The Trial Court’s error in failing to so instruct the jury was a fatal error, prejudicial to the defendant.

On the issue of the capacity to give legal consent while intoxicated, this Court deems it appropriate to explore this issue in depth.

The Kingdom has a long history and culture of permissive attitudes towards drinking and sexuality. We point to the Constitutional rights to public nudity, the prohibition of victimless crimes, the relatively low age of majority in this nation, and the absence of laws prohibiting adultery or fornication among consenting parties. The question raised by plaintiff is whether in fact consent can be given by an intoxicated person.

We take judicial notice of the fact that many decisions, from the signing of binding business deals to the election of representatives to the Assembly, take place in taverns across the Kingdom. We would be naive to suggest that participants in these activities have not enjoyed alcoholic beverages. Indeed, the very creation of the Kingdom took place in meetings held in Taverns. We would also be naive to suppose that residents do not regularly engage in sexual activity, with new or established partners, after enjoying alcohol, and we are not willing to label all such behavior as criminal.

The Court is also troubled by the discriminatory claim of the plaintiff, which seeks to exonerate defendant from responsibility due to intoxication, while insisting that the defendant must be deemed completely responsible for his actions while intoxicated. We find that such an interpretation of the law would violate the Scow Creek Constitution, Art 1 Sec11:

“No law shall … deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

This Court holds that to apply one standard of responsibility to intoxicated males, and a different standard to intoxicated females, would violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

Indeed, we find that in the normal course of life, it is quite common for individuals to make binding decisions while under the influence of alcohol, and this standard must be applied equally to all.

The remaining question, then, is whether, in the absence of unambiguous verbal permission, consent can be assumed.

The Court does not wish to inquire into every sexual liaison as to the details of conversations or the lurid stories of how sexual intimacy advances from one stage to another. It takes judicial notice of the fact that couples engaged in sexual activity do not operate by script, nor keep transcripts as they progress through various stages. In the normal course of events, such progress is a delicate ‘dance’ between individuals as they respond to each other and use physical activities to gauge a partner’s interest.

We hold, therefore, that in light of testimony that there was no effort on plaintiff’s part to cease the activity of which she now complains, that her consent can be inferred from her own actions at the time of the incident, and no verbal cue is required.

DECISION REVERSED. SO ORDERED.

[Scow Creek]

Treaty of Hermansen Commune

I. The parties to this Treaty are the Constitutional Monarchy of Scow Creek and the Free Land of Poospatuck.

II. The parties hereby recognize:

a. The Sovereignty of the Free Land of Poospatuck;
b. The Existence of two separate political entities in Poospatuck: New Danmark and Mástíq Beach;
c. The Communal System as the Legitimate Government Authority of New Danmark; and
d. The Absence of a formal government structure in Mástíq Beach.

III. The parties further agree that:

a. Residents of Poospatuck shall enjoy joint citizenship in Scow Creek by operation of law, and shall be entitled to all rights and privileges extended to Scow Creek residents under the laws, courts, and Constitution of Scow Creek; Residents of Scow Creek shall not be so entitled to citizenship in Poospatuck by automatic operation of law, but rather by any method determined by Poospatuck, except that no such process shall be more restrictive than that for citizens of other nations;
b. New Danmark and Mástíq Beach shall each be entitled to one Member of Assembly in the Scow Creek Assembly, regardless of population;
c. Scow Creek shall have both the authority and responsibility to undertake the projects developed in the Infrastructure Plan developed at the Hermansen Commune Summit;

IV. It is further agreed that:

a. Each of the two member entities of Poospatuck shall retain home rule authority to implement laws and to enforce them through such courts as they may establish, or through the Scow Creek Court System; and for organizational purposes, Poospatuck shall be considered part of the Eastern Region of Scow Creek;
b. Poospatuck shall have the right to engage in treaties and/or memberships with other nations, regions, or regional and global organizations, except that all such international treaties shall be approved by the Commandant of the Scow Creek Coast Guard to be deemed valid;
c. The nation of Poospatuck shall remain on the Gregorian Calendar, unless that nation chooses to adopt the Scow Creek calendar, but shall adopt the Míl as the official form of currency;
d. The formal name of the Free Land of Poospatuck shall hereinafter be “The Protectorate of Poospatuck;” and
e. Residents of Mástíq Beach shall be subject to the same tax policies as residents of Scow Creek, while the rent heretofore paid by New Danmark to Mástíq Beach will henceforth be paid directly to Scow Creek in compensation for the projects contained in clause III (c) above, in perpetuity, in lieu of taxes.

V. This Treaty may be voided by unilateral choice of either Scow Creek or Poospatuck.

Adopted this 3rd Day of March Gregorian / 2nd Day of March SC

Tunís Qorsa, King of the Constitutional Monarchy of Scow Creek
Emil Sondergaard, Chief Convener of New Danmark
Abi Cummings, for the People of Mástíq Beach

[Scow Creek]

Bill S15-001 An Act to Establish Specific Criteria Regarding a National Flat Negative Income Tax, Corporate Profit-Sharing Requirements, and Personal Retirement Accounts, hereinafter to be referred to as the National Tax Act of 2015.

Sec. 1 – National Individual Income Tax

A. By Aug 30 of each year, the Department of Finance shall determine and publish the official Poverty Income levels based on Household Size, to be effective with the ensuing calendar year.

B. During the Fall term, the Assembly shall determine a single Household Tax Rate for the ensuing year, said tax rate to be applied to all households on all taxable income over and above the Poverty Income Level.

1. Taxable Income shall include but not be limited to salaries and wages, profit-sharing, profit on sole proprietorships and partnerships, gambling and prizes, inheritances, retirement account withdrawals, and capital gains on financial instruments and real estate except for gains on primary residences.

2. No deductions or credits shall offset taxable income.

3. Until changed by the Assembly, the tax rate shall be 10%

4. Income Taxes shall be due on April 30 in the year following the calendar year in which the taxable income was earned by the household. All households shall file, regardless of the level of household income. Penalties and interest for failure to file and late payments, as well as payment arrangements, shall be determined by the Ministry of Finance.

C. Households with income below the established Poverty Income Level must file a tax return, but shall pay no Income Tax. Said households will receive an Assistance Transfer Payment in an amount to bring their total household income to an amount equal to 80% of the Poverty Income Level based on Household size, said level to be designated the Guaranteed Income Level.

Sec. 2. – Corporate Income Tax

A. A Corporate Income Tax shall be levied on all business enterprises organized as for-profit corporations.

B. During the Fall term, the Assembly shall determine a single Corporate Income Tax Rate for the ensuing year, said tax rate to be applied to the annual Profit, which shall be determined by subtracting expenses from revenues.

1. Corporations may choose adopt accounting on a cash or accrual basis, but may change from one system to another without permission from the Ministry of Finance. They may not choose an accounting year different than the calendar year.

2. Profit shall include both profit on operations and all realized capital gains.

2. No deductions or credits other than actual expenses shall be permitted. Profit Sharing, as required by Section 3 of this Act, shall be included as an expense for the purpose of such calculations in the year in which the payments are made, regardless as to the accounting basis chosen by the Corporation.

3. Until changed by the Assembly, the tax rate shall be 5%

4. Corporate Income Taxes shall be due on April 30 in the year following the calendar year in which the profit was earned. All corporations shall file, regardless of the existence of an annual profit. Penalties and interest for failure to file and late payments, as well as payment arrangements, shall be determined by the Ministry of Finance, but shall in no case be less than that applied to Households.

Sec. 3 – Corporate Profit-Sharing Requirements

A. Compliance with this section of this Act shall be presumed to be compliance with the filing and approval requirements of Article III Sec 3 of the Constitution.

B. All Corporations, as a requirement of maintaining a corporate charter, shall establish a Profit Sharing Program with employees.

1. 5% of the Annual profit of all Corporations shall be distributed to employees on an equal, per capita basis by March 30 for the profit earned the previous year.

2. Eligible employees shall be all those who were employed for an equivalent of 6 full-time months during the year in which the profit was earned shall participate in the profit-sharing distribution. Hours employed in part-time service or multiple periods of employment shall be combined to determine the six-month equivalency.

C. At the Corporations sole discretion, profit sharing funds may be distributed in one of three ways: actual cash payment to all employees through cash, check, or electronic deposit; shares of stock in the company if the company is publicly-traded on the National Stock Market; or employees may be offered a choice of either method.

1. Corporations choosing to issue stock in the company shall use the Average Daily Closing price of the stock for all days in January to calculate the value of the shares being distributed, and shall deposit such shares directly into the brokerage account of the employee’s choosing.

2. Corporations may alter the method of distribution only after giving notice to employees by Oct 30 of the year preceding the distribution.

Sec 4 – Individual Retirement Requirements

A. With a view towards encouraging individual responsibility for retirement security and to prevent undue strain on national financial resources, all individuals age 16 and over are required to establish a Personal Individual Retirement Account (PIRA).

1. All individuals 16 and over must contribute a minimum of 10% of all annual income to their PIRA. All PIRAs shall be through brokerage accounts approved by the Ministry of Finance.

2. Businesses operating under a Corporate charter, both for-profit and non-profit, are required, if requested by an employee, to deduct PIRA contributions from the employee’s paycheck and make contributions on the employee’s behalf to an approved PIRA of the employee’s choosing. Said contributions to the employee PIRA shall be made no later than 14 days after the issuance of the paycheck from which the funds were withheld.

B. Individuals may not make withdrawals from a PIRA until they turn age 50 or are determined to be partially or fully disabled, except as modified by section C. All withdrawals are taxable income events.

C. PIRAs shall be legally owned by individuals. They shall be included in the estate of a deceased owner should the owner predecease the exhaustion of the fund. However, no PIRA shall secure any loan or be sold or transferred to any other individual during the lifetime of the owner.

Sec 5 – Enforceability, Severability.

A. The administration and enforcement of this Act shall be carried out by the Ministry of Finance.

B. If any clause of this Act shall be found to be invalid, all other clauses shall remain valid.

C. All provisions of this Act shall remain in force until specifically repealed or modified by the Assembly.

D. None of the Provisions of this Act shall apply to residents of New Danemark in the Protectorate of Poospatuck as per the Treaty of Hermansen Commune.

[Scow Creek]

[center][/center]

CHERRY GROVE, SCOW CREEK - The Spring 2015 Legislative session ended today by enacting only three provisions - provisions sure to generate controversy throughout the Kingdom.

The largest of the Bills - which has already been signed by the Monarch - is the National Tax Act of 2015. The Act is the most comprehensive tax bill since the founding of the Kingdom over a decade ago.

The Tax imposes a 10% Flat Tax on all income earned over the established poverty income level and provides for transfer payments to the poor to bring the up to the poverty level. In addition, corporate taxes have been cut to only 5%, but will be required to distribute an additional 5% of their profit to employees through a mandatory profit-sharing arrangement. The Bill has been termed a "Negative Flat Tax" by Prime Minister Dán Tirél, and can be read in its entirety online at http://www.nationstates.net/nation=scow ... /id=413581

"No tax is warmly embraced, but there is something in this package to appeal to most people from whom we have heard on financial issues," said Tirél. "For progressives, the tax applies to all income, including capital gains and inheritances, and seeks to raise the standard of living for all our citizens out of poverty. This has been a growing issue for many of our farmers, fishermen, elderly, and disabled. The mandatory profit-sharing provisions means that all workers will benefit which makes it more effective than simply enacting a minimum wage.

For conservatives, it keeps the tax rate quite low, and avoids impacts on struggling businesses who can not afford to raise wages or pay higher taxes. The bill also provides for the establishment of national, individual retirement accounts, encouraging our workers to provide for their own futures rather than rely on government assistance."

In addition to the NTA, the Assembly adopted two Constitutional Amendments which have already drawn criticism from some Assemblymen in the western departments of the Kingdom. One provides for three popularly elected "Regional Senators" to sit in the Cabinet, one from each of the regions; the second would move the National Stock Market, Securities & Exchange Commission, and Corporate Registry out of Oak Beach in the western region, and relocate them to the department of Quóntúq in the Eastern Region. While the majority of the Assembly see both provisions as recognizing the eastward expansion of the Kingdom, many in the west see it as a loss of power and influence - as well as jobs - to newer departments. Opposition to both amendments is shrill in the west, though long-sought after in the east.

In order to become law, proposed constitutional amendments must be approved by a majority vote in three-quarters of the departments; with 31 current departments, 24 departments will need to approve the proposals for them to become law.