View from Benacia/Issue 79: Is Our Glorious Founder Leaving

This imported article was originally posted at http://viewfrombenacia.blogspot.com/2005/04/issue-79-is-our-glorious-founder.html at 04/12/05.

Erik, our Glorious Founder and many-time Kaiser of Shireroth, has announced a "semi to permanent retirement" tonight, shocking many citizens and touching off pleas for him to remain.

Erik has been going through changes in his life lately, by his own admission; his micronational divorce from Baroness Alexandra had attracted the notice of many Shirerithian citizens. But this latest announcement caught many off guard. Saying that he felt he wasn't who he wanted to be, he expressed further that this was partly due to being trapped by labels: "people got this vision of me as something I am not.. and I can't shake it.. and due to that.. I become it. People seem to see me as some bady guy.. out to make life miserable for Bill.. someone who thinks he owns this place..etc..etc.. and.. that isn't who I am.. or want to be.. but people won't let me shake it.."

Claiming a need to leave for the sake of his sanity, he left doubt as to when he would be back: "So, yeah.. maybe I'll be back in a month.. maybe less.. maybe I'll get dragged back.. maybe I'll never return.. but I need to leave... for my own sanity...stability.. and spirituality..."

Almost immediately, several Shirerithians expressed their regret, or even outright opposition, to Erik's leaving (including Bill, with whom Erik has had numerous arguments). A petition for Erik to stay has been created in General. Treaty With Cyberia Ratified

After a delay of several months, the Treaty of Amity between the Virtual Commonwealth of Cyberia and the Imperial Republic of Shireroth has been ratified unanimously by the Cyberian National Assembly. The document, a treaty of friendship between the two countries, was passed by the Landsraad in early December, over four months ago.

Shyriath's Quote of the Day:

"We bury the hatchet. But we remember where we put it." - Duke Greg of Yardistan, speaking about chronic micronational grudges (private conversation)