UPDATE L
April 1, 2011
33rd Congress, 33rd Cabinet, 28th Senate
Population: 1,048
A full list of current office holders is available at the bottom of this update.
Let's Party: "Culturefest" Celebrates Renewal of Old Ties
In honor of their new "Treaty of Friendship," old allies Europeia and The New Inquisition held a three-day cultural exchange. Fortana flashed his Irish brogue with a voice recording of himself reciting the names of colorfully named characters from both regions. Fort's audio debut inspired other renditions of the same list and sparked a spirited debate over how to pronounce the surname of TNI Reich Chancellor (and Europeian citizen) Tyranna Lucina.
The lovely Tyranna
New Europeian Foreign Minister Skizzy Grey took the opportunity to appoint himself ambassador to TNI and to publish a special, self-deprecatory edition of his regular EBC column there. The denizens of TNI treated Skizzy kindly, even as they questioned his sanity.
All in all, it was a good time where new acquaintances were made and old ties were renewed. Tyranna and Europeian President Earth are applauded for their work to bring the treaty and festival to fruition so swiftly!
Burn Out, or Fade Away? A Legend Retires, For Now.
On the heels of a lauded presidential term and in the midst of simultaneous, successful stints as Grand Admiral and Senator, Europeian legend Oliver Dion-Grey abruptly retired.
Ollie wouldn't have missed the reference in the headline.
In a tender farewell speech, Oliver plainly stated his reasons for retiring:
- I didn't think that I'd be writing this message for some time, or possibly ever. As some of you may have noticed, I have been tired for some time in Europeia, and it's time for me to move on. This is not a failing of Europeia's, I think. In their lives, people go through many stages where they may need different things. For the nearly two years I've been here, Europeia has been an important part of my life, and I love it dearly, and will be sad to leave it.
I am coming into a stage in my NationStates life where I don't know what I want, I don't know what's going to make me happy. I think the only way for me to find it is for me to wander, and to experiment. Oliver Dion-Grey will go wandering, with the blessing and love of Aessiris. I won't rule out the possibility of returning someday, but it may be some time down the line....
To my comrades of the Navy: You are doing fantastically. You can succeed without me. You have the tools and the knowledge. Grow the Navy. Recruit actively. Be a community together, and be responsible, intelligent raiders, and you will do wonderfully.
To all of Europeia, I say much of the same. You are fantastic, and brilliant, and Europeia will continue to grow. I'll be watching, I'm sure, from a distance, and rooting for you all. I will miss you deeply. I don't want anyone to feel responsible for this action: the only one responsible is me. It's time for me to go now, and find whatever it is I'm yearning for. I hope to see you again, when I'm ready for a place like Europeia once more.
With deepest feelings of respect, admiration, and solemnity,
Goodbye.
Oliver Dion-Grey
One Potato: A Fresh Voice at EBC
When Culture Minister Gustavus Adolphus Rex steps back, his revival of the EBC will likely stand as both his first and greatest achievement. Gus's early work at EBC continues to pay dividends, most recently with The Potato. Created by Europeian newcomer Kotharis, The Potato is a conscious satire of perhaps the greatest satirical publication of our age (The Onion).
An excerpt from the maiden issue of The Potato follows. Enjoy.
- Much has been said about the recent success of the Europeian Navy under recently passed Grand Admiral Oliver Dion-Grey. They had conquered regions with impunity for the glory and good of the Republic, and things were going swimmingly. But now, part of the way through the current electoral cycle, the Navy and its new leadership are facing down a new challenge: defending its citizens from the appearance of a vicious and deadly sea monster, the Kraken.
The Kraken is a monster of myth and legend, gargantuan in size and capable of substantially damaging even the Navy's most sturdy ships. The Kraken has claimed our former Grand Admiral to its tentacles, and now it has set its sights on the Europeian government. Just in these last few weeks, it has claimed the lives of Senators Andrew Jefferson, Tyranna Lucina, Jusduckria and Foreign Affairs minister Asianatic. As it stands, that leaves half of our Senate and a substantial minority of the Cabinet lost to the slippery tentacles of the beast.
After a series of resignations unexpectedly opened three seats in the Europeian Senate, former Presidents Anumia and PhDre and current Chief Justice Abbey Anumia entered the fray and won the open seats, defeating two other candidates.
Past President PhDre is one of Europeia's three new Senators
The by-election, convened and held swiftly in accordance with Europeian law, radically transforms a Senate that had been dominated of late by newcomers. To varying degrees, the three successful candidates held themselves in contrast to the recent trend; the results suggest voters may have become wary of electing newcomers to the region's highest legislative body.
Anumia stated the case for experience most bluntly:
- Recently, we have turned away from this path. Recent times have seen a stern push in a different direction; a wild rush to throw our newest and least-experienced members as high up along the political chain as possible has seen our political culture as a whole abandon traditions and policies that served our Republic for years without fail; now, without conditioning or aid, our youngest citizens are catapulted into a world of duty and responsibility at a rate that would have been considered foolish, even scandalous, less than a year ago, while the older and experienced citizens are retiring or shifting out of politics in droves, citing a need to "let the newcomers have some room."
The end result is a legislature without direction or confidence, and the Senators we thrust too early into the spotlight are left floundering without aid from those with the wisdom to help. Couple this with the recent trend pushed forward of "utter and uncompromising precision over practicality and interest" has seen activity in our Senate dry up and the throughput of legislation in the past few months drop to zero. The Courts are afflicted by a similar problem, and the matter is obvious: we have become so caught up in attaining "perfection" (or as close to it as possible) that we have ground our legal system - in both legislative and judicial spheres - to a boring, unimaginative, and inactive halt.
It is high time therefore that we see a return of some of our better and wiser traditions, and it is time that our Senate wakes up and remembers its potential. Once more, the Senate must become the guiding hand of the Republic, and allow its resolutions to make their full effect in both domestic and foreign affairs. We must remind ourselves that the Senate should not be the first port of call for every new member who gains citizenship, and we cannot nitpick ourselves into oblivion. We must fight to reclaim the spirit of the Senate of old, and in our new age of greater enlightenment, size, and influence, we must not be afraid to allow the Senate to exert its proper influence, within this land and abroad.
Once more we must see our experienced citizens serving in the Senate. Once more we must look at all candidates with a critical eye, to ensure we elect the best and brightest. Once more we must seek to properly introduce our new citizens to our legal system, and support their political advancement in Europeia without giving them a free ride that too often results in a crash. Once more, we must see honour, authority, and duty fully-restored to the rank of Senator.
Don't s--t on this, pigeon!
Who's Who
You don't need to have a program to know the players, but it doesn't hurt.
President Earth, Europeia's Head of Government
Supreme Chancellor HEM, Europeia's Head of State
Executive Government
Supreme Chancellor: HEM
President: Earth22
Vice President: Common-Sense Politics
Grand Admiral: Griff
Foreign Minister: Skizzy Grey
Interior Minister: Asperta
Culture Minister: Gustavus Adolphus Rex
Welfare Minister: Rachel Anumia
World Assembly Delegate: Lethen
Legislative Government
City Council Mayor: Rachel Anumia
Senators:
Abbey Anumia
Anumia
Asperta (speaker)
Free Politic
Indycar Racing
PhDre
Judicial Government
Chief Justice Abbey Anumia
Associate Justice: Swakistek
Associate Justice: Silver Steps
Associate Justice: Peaceful Llamas
Attorney General: vacant