View from Benacia/Issue 16: Monday, the Eleventh of October
This imported article was originally posted at http://viewfrombenacia.blogspot.com/2004/10/issue-16-monday-eleventh-of-october.html at 10/12/04.
A Resolution, At Last!
After an inordinate amount of discussion, a solution to the BAM/DAM question has been found. Duke Nick of Yardistan, who has already announced his intention to resign as Duke in the foreseeable future, appointed Baron Greg of BAM as his heir, and decreed that BAM would be dissolved and the former underwater realm of Straylight resurrected as a Barony under Yardistan.
The news was met with gladness and enthusiasm in most cases, because it simultaneously circumvents the problems of adding too many Duchies, destroying Yardistan as an entity, and failing to honor Greg with a position as Duke.
Crime Doesn't Pay?
But the entire DAM issue has, in turn, brought up other issues. Although the reasons are not yet clear to everyone, it seems that (or so Malarbor is implying) Harvey's participation in the idea had something to do with a grudge against Yardistan.
His arguments with Duke Nick over moving new citizen Moose, have caused the latter to banish him from Yardistan "for his subordination of the Duke and his unwillingness to comply with his decrees". Furthermore, the Duke has initiated legal action against Harvey in the halls of the Imperial Judex. The Provost is currently hearing the case of Avocatio v Steffke. The charges have been read, and Harvey has plead guilty to "refusal to comply with a Ducal Decree", but not guilty to "suggesting to others that they should not be following a Ducal Decree" and "conspiring against the Duchy of Yardistan".
Uh-oh, the Kaiser Has That LOOK Again
The Kaiser recently proposed a relatively radical new system for the Landsraad, which would change the organization of the time-honored institution. This would involve splitting the legislative body into two halves, one for Dukes and another for Barons, with the former holding precedence over the latter. Laws could be passed only through the Council of Dukes, but could also be passed by the Council of Barons and then approved by the Council of Dukes.
Despite some misgivings about the creation of unnecessary layers to the government, the idea seems to have received a warm welcome. Although alteration of the Imperial Charter may be necessary to allow the new structure, since doing so will be no problem for the Kaiser it seems likely that the measure may be implemented in the near future.
All's Not Great in Oz
MiniTrade Ozarka Monto seems to have landed himself in serious trouble. In a [http://p074.ezboard.com/fmicronationalnewsnetwork48264frm2.showMessage?topicID=417.topic surprising expos�] by Ardashir Khan, it was revealed that Ozarka, also Minister of the Interior for the Grand Duchy of Coralia, acted in that capacity to try to hire spies for the Coralian Intelligence Agency, with the apparent intent of using them to institute regime change in the Red Antilles.
The Grand Duchy of Coralia, which in its short history has held an openly anti-Communist stance, has been severely embarrassed by the experience. Despite an apology from Ozarka, many of the Red Antilles' fellow Communist and socialist micronations are outraged at the Grand Duchy, especially the Red Antilles' allies in the newly formed Comintern. It is uncertain whether Ozarka will be permitted to remain in his post in Coralia, but the issue seems not to have attracted much attention in Shireroth, and there has been no talk yet concerning any action that might be taken there.
