View from Benacia/Issue 26: The Debate Over Global Reset
This imported article was originally posted at http://viewfrombenacia.blogspot.com/2004/11/issue-26-debate-over-global-reset.html at 11/05/04.
(Ed. Note: Apologies to our readers for the late publishing of this issue, but this editor was caught up in personal issues of an emotionally demanding nature... and no, I don't mean the outcome of the American elections, although that was a nasty knock in itself. :p The next issue of the View should be posted tomorrow in normal fashion.)
The long-dormant Count of Muad'dib and Head Priest of Horjin, Fax Celestis, resurfaced briefly in the Kaiser's Court to offer a controversial proposal: Global Reset.
This idea is one that has been considered before, and involves what would mostly amount to a wiping clean of all major positions of power in the nation other than that of the Kaiser, and then filling them again with new people. Dukes and Barons, Ministers and Directors, Pr�tor and Provost, all would be reappointed under the proposed sheme, designed to revitalize a national scene perceived as being in decline.
It appears that the idea has gained much interest, and several people have argued for it. One argument was made on the basis that it would be "fun"; the Baron of Lac Glacei noted that "The Great Reset of Holy and Matchless Doom would be like a breath of cold, sharp sea air, like what you get on a cold summers day in blackpool...knocks you for six, but invigorates you".
On the negative side of the argument, it has been agreed upon in several corners that the Reset might not affect much of anything. Due to the limited availability of people with skills or interest in any of the positions, most of the Ministers and Directors are likely to already be the ones best suited to their jobs. However, as pointed out by MiniEx Scott:
"one thing that would be interesting to reset would be the Duchies...right now the Duchies are weird agglomerations of people who have collected there over the past two or three years and not necessarily the kind of people who would be together under their own free will, not to mention they're a little disproportionate in population. It would be interesting (if culturally destructive) to come up with six new Duchies and see who's in them and who's leading them."
Yardistan Goes Topsy-Turvy?
Who woulda thunk it?
The new Duke of Yardistan made his promised official coronation speech on Monday in the ducal forum. Attending nobles and commoners from all over Shireroth gathered in the audience chambers to hear Duke Greg speak, and at the appointed time, he stepped up to the podium and addressed the audience. The full text of his speech follows:
"Thanks."
Those wishing to see the speech firsthand may go here.
Response to the Duke's words... er, word... was enthusiastic. The Duke of Brookshire expressed his delight:
"Dude... WTF? I thought we were going to get a REAL speech! A lamer thing I haven't heard in ages. :P"
One of Duke Greg's first actions upon accession to the ducal throne was to issue a Decree unbanning Harvey from Yardistan, an act which seems to have annoyed the former Duke Nick to no end. Addressing protests to his assertion that the ban was meant to be permanent, Nick cheerfully commented, "I'm just being a pain in the ass. Like I used to be before i was duke!"
Another Break for Harvey
In another Harvey-related story, the Kaiser answered a petition made by Duke Greg to lessen Harvey's sentence as handed down by the Imperial Judex. His Majesty had already made it clear, at the time of the sentencing, that the two punishments ('branding' and posting restrictions) together were probably excessive, but had not intervened.
Upon receiving the petition, however, the Kaiser agreed to lessen the sentence, removing the posting restrictions imposed by the Provost. However, the other punishment, consisting of the brand "Traitor of Yardistan" beneath Harvey's login name, will be left as is. (This punishment, unlike the posting restrictions, is presumed permanent, unless this Kaiser or a future one decides to remove it at a later date.
What's Doing in the Landsraad
Activity in the Landsraad is moving right along. The Holiday Realignment Act, proposed by the Duke of Goldshire, would reorder the Imperial Holidays listed in the Lawbook by chronological order, rather than in the random fashion they'd been listed, and would also firmly set the previously anytime-goes Switching Day at April 1st (more commonly known in the macroworld as April Fools' Day). The bill seems set to pass easily at Y-36 to N-0.
The Zeroith Law Act, proposed by the Kaiser, would remove Chapter 0 of the Lawbook. The Chapter is mostly just an introduction to the Lawbook, and contains definitions of the nation and its sovereignty, and it has been argued (and not only by the Kaiser) that it holds no purpose. Objections have been raised, however, over the fact that Article D would also be removed:
"D. Liberties and Privileges 1. All persons shall enjoy privileges and liberties subject to the provisions of the Lawbook. Man and woman shall be equal and enjoy equal liberties. The restriction of privileges and liberties, which is contrary to the will of the provisions of the Lawbook cannot be done."
The bill, which is currently running at Y-10 to A-2 to N-16, seems unlikely to pass.
The Religion and the Landsraad Act, also proposed by the Kaiser, is doing much better. This act would eliminate Chapter VIII, Article N from the Lawbook, which was first crafted by Duke Locke of Hyperborea to protect freedom of religion. The objection raised by the Kaiser was its potential to block the creation of new Cedrist holidays. In what appears to be either an outpouring of support for the traditional faith of Shireroth, or a lack of enthusiasm for government involvement in religious matters, or both (or, maybe neither), the bill appears well on its way to passing, currently standing at Y-33 N-0.
There are currently also three other bills on the Landsraad floor, for which voting has just begun; these are in the form of MiniReform Act, Parts I, II, and III. These three bills deal respectively with the powers of MiniInfo, MiniInt, and MoMA, but are mostly clarification measures; the first two seek to alter the Lawbook to reflect the Kaiser's recent separation of MiniInt and MiniInfo, while the third's only major change seems to be a provision to reduce MoMA's direct control over ducal militias, giving zir mainly the right of review. The current MoMA has already expressed his satisfaction with this provision, although he questions the reasons that the MoMA, as head of the military, is not given board admin.
Aside from current bills, activity has also changed in the vote distribution as well (though it hasn't been abolished yet :p). Since Monday, Baron Ozarka of Hallucination has had his votes reduced from 2 to 1, due to what the Duke of Kildare considers an open attempt at secession (see last issue for details), and the new Baron of Straylight has been granted 3 votes by the new Duke of Yardistan.
In Other News...
-Bush, in frank defiance of common sense, won.
-Someone has it in for Antica.
-Coralia commits not only a micronational gaffe, but attempts to mix it with deep philosophy.
