RefugiaBoard

I'm on vacation in the Deep South in the US and ugh, so many Confederate flags. And then the Supreme Court...yeah.

I'm deeply sorry for all folks affected in the US. Y'all are facing a horrendous political and legal situation on so many issues.

Hey my beautiful friendos!

Before I posted the next discussion post, I wanted to share two quick announcements:

1) Per my campaign, Minskievian Refugees is appointed as my GA Correspondent. His primary duties will be helping me with GA related IFVs! I'm not the best at understanding what is good/bad in a GA proposal, so when I write an IFV Mins will check over it to make sure I'm not writing bad-quality stuff! \o/

2) I just wanted to publicly say - if you need help with anything WA related (anything from questions on a resolution to maybe writing your own), feel free to reach out to me at any time! Ping me on the RMB, telegram me, message me on Discord (derp#9479) - it's my job to be bothered, so bother away! I really don't mind it and am willing to either directly help or lead you to other Refugi or resources who can also help out. :D

So now let's consider the upcoming Security Council resolution Commend Haku, authored by our own Councillor of Foreign Affairs, Dacay!

Proposal: (page=UN_view_proposal/id=trivene_1655744535)
Thread: (viewtopic.php?f=24&t=519466)
ETA to Vote: ~5 hours

Commend Haku is about the career of a highly renowned Defender - an individual who aims protect regions from attacks by raider nations. According to the resolution, Haku started off as a raider but soonafter switched to a stunning career as a defender wherein he participated in 16,000 operations and led some of the most notable defender operations in NationStates history. Beyond being an excellent defender leader, the resolution claims Haku has extensively developed technology to assist defenders in their work. He also played a role in protecting the highly notable N-Day minigame alliance "The Horsemen of the Apocalypse" - helping the alliance see much success every year. The resolution finishes off by listing some impressive contributions Haku has made in the notable defender region the Order of the Grey Wardens, with his contributions covering a wide array of areas including creating technology and pushing integration efforts.

Overall, I'm soundly for this resolution. Dacay's writing is exceptional as always. The stated achievements are impressive beyond all measure. It's simply a great resolution in all respects.

One thing I'm personally really hyped for, though, is the narration. I love the way the first three clauses strongly establish the narrative that Haku is an individual who reformed from being a raider into a defender. The second clause in particular is amazing because it lists some traits that help to personify Haku as a player and further frames how the following clauses should be perceived. The way not a single position is not listed is also really cool to me - a lot of Security Council resolutions, including some RP ones, tend to focus on positions of some sort. So this draft's avoidance of such really helps focus on Haku's abilities and accomplishments.

The only thing I find a bit out-of-place is the N-Day stuff because it doesn't really fit into the resolution's focus on Haku being a defender. However, Dacay managed to easily work in the N-Day clause into the narrative in a cohesive manner for the most part, and Haku's N-Day work is, without a doubt, highly. It isn't really a negative and doesn't affect my opinion on the resolution - but just thought I'd mention it as I'm praising Dacay's work here a lot. :P

So while I'm ultimately for this resolution, I'd like to hear if anyone has any thoughts before I state an official recommendation. How do you plan to vote on this? What do you like/dislike about the resolution? Everyone's thoughts are welcome! ^-^

Cheesy Tots wrote:

So now let's consider the upcoming Security Council resolution Commend Haku, authored by our own Councillor of Foreign Affairs, Dacay!

For my perspective, there is no one who has been more dependable and impactful to defending than Haku. Outside of his completed operations (which should really be listed as 18,000, and not 16,000), he has been at close to 1,500 updates, roughly equivalent to being around to guard against raids every update, every day, for two solid years. No one in the history of defending has matched that dedication, optimistically retiring at 20-30% of Haku's record.

Haku is one of three pivotal figures over the time I've been in defending who have helped me get started, motivate me to continue, and encourage me to grow my own abilities. It is likely that I wouldn't have made it this far, or wouldn't still be in defending if he never existed, and I appreciate him a great deal.

It's far overdue that he get recognition for all he's put in.

Cheesy Tots wrote:

So now let's consider the upcoming Security Council resolution Commend Haku, authored by our own Councillor of Foreign Affairs, Dacay!

Against due to author, I heard he's a big meaniebutt.

Dacay wrote:

Against due to author, I heard he's a big meaniebutt.

Hm, fair enough reason to oppose.

Which is why I'll be recommending a vote FOR because I disagree even if I do like to bother him sometimes uwu

Cheesy Tots wrote:

Hm, fair enough reason to oppose.

Which is why I'll be recommending a vote FOR because I disagree even if I do like to bother him sometimes uwu

u r the worst <3

Kaltea wrote:

I'm on vacation in the Deep South in the US and ugh, so many Confederate flags. And then the Supreme Court...yeah.

I just came back from a vacation and I am questioning, are they even legal, and if so... That was like 200 years ago, it's honestly terribly interesting, like how is that still someone's mindset?

Aephony wrote:

I just came back from a vacation and I am questioning, are they even legal, and if so... That was like 200 years ago, it's honestly terribly interesting, like how is that still someone's mindset?

They are probably thinking that they are still fighting against the Government and refuse to let go, I believe. That said, certain people in southern Sweden also use that flag for whatever reason is beyond me.

Aephony wrote:

I just came back from a vacation and I am questioning, are they even legal, and if so... That was like 200 years ago, it's honestly terribly interesting, like how is that still someone's mindset?

It's often less to do with the actual civil war, and more to do with the era of America's civil rights movement of the '50s and '60s, when folks in the country fought to end state-sanctioned segregation and disenfranchisement, and when the country saw a serious resurgence of such hate symbols. Sometimes it's about the war, but I'd say it's more about some general opposition toward the empowerment of non-whites and other non-majority demographics.

Sadly, they are legal in the US, so long as it's private land or a private citizen's personal possession. More and more, they have been disappearing from public land through concerted efforts by groups that fight such extremism. But you can, for instance, drive a major highway across part of the American South and suddenly be confronted with an absolutely massive confederate flag. But it sits on private land, so no one has been able to get it removed. Unlike a place like France, where I understand they are quick to ban a symbol if it is associated with hate or extremism, the US has tended to offer blanket protection for all personal expression, even if they are negative.

New pi-ramesses wrote:

They are probably thinking that they are still fighting against the Government and refuse to let go, I believe. That said, certain people in southern Sweden also use that flag for whatever reason is beyond me.

I've occasionally seen them in Canada as well. No idea why.

Sylh Alanor wrote:

I've occasionally seen them in Canada as well. No idea why.

It’s the racism

Idk what I did, but I answered an issue, and I think now my economy is controlled by AI. I thought my economy would go up, but there was a crash, and now...
I. Am. Socialist.
Fate is cruel.

Gildendal wrote:

Idk what I did, but I answered an issue, and I think now my economy is controlled by AI. I thought my economy would go up, but there was a crash, and now...
I. Am. Socialist.
Fate is cruel.

Socialism! Although you can still have a strong economy in NationStates with socialism, it does climb eventually.

Gildendal wrote:

Idk what I did, but I answered an issue, and I think now my economy is controlled by AI. I thought my economy would go up, but there was a crash, and now...
I. Am. Socialist.
Fate is cruel.

Welcome to socialism! :D

Hi all! I’ve recently joined NationStates (or technically re-joined but its complicated). I’ve been pretty impressed by what I’ve seen for Refugia so far! If anyone would mind, could one of you give a sort of overview of the region? I’ve been looking at the various things everywhere but along with internal Hanigain things everything is slightly overwhelming and confusing, so I can’t truly say I understand what exactly is going on. In the meantime though, I’m happy to be here and look at your cool airspace treaties and maps!

Refugia Information For Voters Dispatch: Vote FOR "Commend Haku"

by The Goose's Old Snacc of Cheesy Tots

---

Information For Voters: "Commend Haku"

---

Useful Links:

---

• Proposal at Vote
• Drafting Thread

Summary

Commend Haku is a resolution commending a highly renowned Defender - an individual who aims to protect regions from attacks by raider nations - named Haku. According to the resolution, Haku started began his time in NationStates as a raider, but soon after switched to a stunning career as a defender. As a reformed defender, he participated in 16,000+ operations and led some of the most notable defender operations in NationStates history.

Beyond being an excellent defender leader, the resolution claims Haku has extensively developed technology to assist defenders in their work. He also played a role in protecting the highly notable N-Day minigame alliance "The Horsemen of the Apocalypse" - helping the alliance see much success every year as a constant high scorer. The resolution finishes off by listing some impressive contributions Haku has made in the notable defender region the Order of the Grey Wardens, with his contributions covering a wide array of areas including creating technology and pushing integration efforts.

Opinion

It is the Councillor's opinion that "Commend Haku" is a great resolution on all fronts.

In terms of pure achievement, is evident Haku is far from lacking. Hisdedication to protecting regions, propensity for technological development, and ability to improve the organizations he partakes in are absolutely impressive abilities because they establish Haku as an exemplary protector and region-builder (both qualities highly beneficial for the Security Council to promote). These qualities are well elaborated and showcased by the resolution's solid rhetoric and detailing (an example being the mention of specific technologies Haku developed), ensuring they are not underrepresented.

While the resolution's rhetoric is excellent, the part of this resolution that further excites the Office is the resolution's narrative. The draft's first three clauses strongly establish a narrative of Haku being an individual transforming from being a raider to a reformed defender, effectively setting a strong tone for the rest of the proposal. The second clause in particular is excellent since it lists some traits that help to personify Haku as an individual. The resolution then carries this narrative of Haku being a protector to the end of the resolution via later phrases such as "Haku’s vigilance in safeguarding innocent populations" and "service to the international community" - ensuring the resolution has a strong narrative overall.

Another particularly notable narrative aspect of the resolution is how it does not list any position Haku may have served in. It is a well-known fact that the Security Council focuses solely on the achievements of those it notices, with positions only serving as context for them. Yet, oftentimes proposals can fall into an issue of focusing solely on treating positions as the notable part of a nominee's career, ignoring or diminishing a nominee's accomplishments. By completely forgoing the listing of any positions, Commend Haku not only avoids such a pitfall but it helps itself focus more on Haku's works. In short, this resolution shows that avoiding position-naming is possible and even beneficial, a practice future resolutions may want to consider.

While the resolution itself is beautifully crafted, there are some points of note that should be brought up. In particular, it can be said that the N-Day clause does not fit as well with the resolution's narrative focus on Haku being a highly notable defender. However, the Office's opinion is that the N-Day clause is sufficiently tied in with the resolution's focus on Haku's protection of innocents, so it ultimately does not detract from the resolution. Another point is that it is plausible Haku's operation numbers were underreported, being closer to 18000 than 16000, although this small error does not really affect the resolution at all.

Recommendation: As such and with all things considered, the Refugi Office of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote FOR "Commend Haku".

Read dispatch

IFV moment

Give an upvote if you like it ^-^ And if you have any feedback, lemme know!

Hanig wrote:

Hi all! I’ve recently joined NationStates (or technically re-joined but its complicated). I’ve been pretty impressed by what I’ve seen for Refugia so far! If anyone would mind, could one of you give a sort of overview of the region? I’ve been looking at the various things everywhere but along with internal Hanigain things everything is slightly overwhelming and confusing, so I can’t truly say I understand what exactly is going on. In the meantime though, I’m happy to be here and look at your cool airspace treaties and maps!

Welcome! We're a pretty chill region here. Most of us can tick at least one box out of 'eco-friendly', 'leftist' or 'LGBTQ' though anyone can hang out here as long as they're nice. ^^

We've got a nice mix here of people who have been on NationStates for years and are heavily involved in different bits of gameplay, and people who just log on to water the metaphorical plants and say hi, so there's always someone about who can tell you more about different things you can do if you're interested, without there being any pressure to play the game a certain way here.

If you've got any questions just ask 'em here and there will be somebody who knows the answer!

Tiralta wrote:

Welcome! We're a pretty chill region here. Most of us can tick at least one box out of 'eco-friendly', 'leftist' or 'LGBTQ' though you don't have to be any of those, anyone can hang out here as long as they're nice. ^^

We've got a nice mix here of people who have been on NationStates for years and are heavily involved in different bits of gameplay, and people who just log on to water the metaphorical plants and say hi, so there's always someone about who can tell you more about different things you can do if you're interested, without there being any pressure to play the game a certain way here.

If you've got any questions just ask 'em here and there will be somebody who knows the answer!

Well I’m very bisexual, quite like the environment and am ‘leftist’ by American standards (although liberal, by British ones), and hopefully nice, so I’ll probably right fit in! I’m glad to hear about the available advice, I’ll be sure to pester all of you with inquiries ;) /s. I don’t think I have anything to ask right now though, but I’ll keep all that in mind, thanks for the warm welcome!

Breaking: Senate Passes Bill Adding Anti-Millennial Verse to Pledge of Allegiance by Unanimous Consent

Cheesy Tots wrote:

Refugia Information For Voters Dispatch: Vote FOR "Commend Haku"

by The Goose's Old Snacc of Cheesy Tots

---

Information For Voters: "Commend Haku"

---

Useful Links:

---

• Proposal at Vote
• Drafting Thread

Summary

Commend Haku is a resolution commending a highly renowned Defender - an individual who aims to protect regions from attacks by raider nations - named Haku. According to the resolution, Haku started began his time in NationStates as a raider, but soon after switched to a stunning career as a defender. As a reformed defender, he participated in 16,000+ operations and led some of the most notable defender operations in NationStates history.

Beyond being an excellent defender leader, the resolution claims Haku has extensively developed technology to assist defenders in their work. He also played a role in protecting the highly notable N-Day minigame alliance "The Horsemen of the Apocalypse" - helping the alliance see much success every year as a constant high scorer. The resolution finishes off by listing some impressive contributions Haku has made in the notable defender region the Order of the Grey Wardens, with his contributions covering a wide array of areas including creating technology and pushing integration efforts.

Opinion

It is the Councillor's opinion that "Commend Haku" is a great resolution on all fronts.

In terms of pure achievement, is evident Haku is far from lacking. Hisdedication to protecting regions, propensity for technological development, and ability to improve the organizations he partakes in are absolutely impressive abilities because they establish Haku as an exemplary protector and region-builder (both qualities highly beneficial for the Security Council to promote). These qualities are well elaborated and showcased by the resolution's solid rhetoric and detailing (an example being the mention of specific technologies Haku developed), ensuring they are not underrepresented.

While the resolution's rhetoric is excellent, the part of this resolution that further excites the Office is the resolution's narrative. The draft's first three clauses strongly establish a narrative of Haku being an individual transforming from being a raider to a reformed defender, effectively setting a strong tone for the rest of the proposal. The second clause in particular is excellent since it lists some traits that help to personify Haku as an individual. The resolution then carries this narrative of Haku being a protector to the end of the resolution via later phrases such as "Haku’s vigilance in safeguarding innocent populations" and "service to the international community" - ensuring the resolution has a strong narrative overall.

Another particularly notable narrative aspect of the resolution is how it does not list any position Haku may have served in. It is a well-known fact that the Security Council focuses solely on the achievements of those it notices, with positions only serving as context for them. Yet, oftentimes proposals can fall into an issue of focusing solely on treating positions as the notable part of a nominee's career, ignoring or diminishing a nominee's accomplishments. By completely forgoing the listing of any positions, Commend Haku not only avoids such a pitfall but it helps itself focus more on Haku's works. In short, this resolution shows that avoiding position-naming is possible and even beneficial, a practice future resolutions may want to consider.

While the resolution itself is beautifully crafted, there are some points of note that should be brought up. In particular, it can be said that the N-Day clause does not fit as well with the resolution's narrative focus on Haku being a highly notable defender. However, the Office's opinion is that the N-Day clause is sufficiently tied in with the resolution's focus on Haku's protection of innocents, so it ultimately does not detract from the resolution. Another point is that it is plausible Haku's operation numbers were underreported, being closer to 18000 than 16000, although this small error does not really affect the resolution at all.

Recommendation: As such and with all things considered, the Refugi Office of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote FOR "Commend Haku".

Read dispatch

IFV moment

Give an upvote if you like it ^-^ And if you have any feedback, lemme know!

Upvoted for that wholesome banner

I just chose an option on an issue that literally did no stat changes, nothing at all, not even in details, just empty.
What a nice 5 minutes of my time reading well spent!

Aephony wrote:

I just chose an option on an issue that literally did no stat changes, nothing at all, not even in details, just empty.
What a nice 5 minutes of my time reading well spent!

You had magical immunity! If someone else had answered in the same way, their nation would have burnt to the ground. I saw it foretold in the prophecies.

Lethodus wrote:

Choose your own mediocre superpower.

Inspired by this: choose your own mediocre "slightly villainous" ability. Like, not "taking over the world evil", just "petty and/or mischievous chaos".

Mine would be to make it so that the glasses of people I don't like always have a big smudgy fingerprint in the middle, no matter how often they're cleaned.