Zogradia

I could do it.

Sorry about that bit of downtime, but the database server was just about to imploded itself again, much like last December.
You may notice the forums are a bit different looking....by product of the upgrade, so here we are on Invision Power Board 4.1.xx...
 
Additionally we're now running on new hardware, and on a 1GBit connection instead of the old 100Mbit connection, so hopefully things seem a bit faster.
 
If you find you are getting odd pages (like no formating) try doing a forced refresh of the page (Press CTRL+F5 together on your keyboard).  This should force the page cache to refresh.

I'm looking for a mapmaker that can adequately make a map that includes nations who want to be in the map. If you're interested please PM or TG me, my nation name is in my sig.

I'm unsure about what the "Fair Play to them" means.
What I honestly think of transgender people? Nothing. I mean, they are people, why would I think different of them? I do think different of people who discriminates the LGBT community, I think those people are scum and do not deserve to share my planet.... But then again, I can't be passionate about stuff at times xD

Population increase in NationStates!
For a while, our population has hovered around 5,000, however, it has recently jumped to literally over 9,000, while somehow still staying at 5th place. The North Pacific remains the most populous region at over 11,000 nations. This is pushing the stability of the delegates’ power, causing Elegarth to send a mass telegram a few weeks ago to all TWP nations. Though the cause is uncertain, Elegarth seems to be stable with around 450 endorsements.

TWP World Summit
This March, the TWP Summit was hosted in Carson Village, Benjamin Mark, in which, the leaders of Zogradia, Hariko, Antahbrantahstan and Malviet all met for a couple days, though the discussion topic was not completely clear. Either way, the RP summit went on for about 10 days before the nations departed one-by-one.

Zogradi Company Looking to Colonize the Solar System
A Yakadu-based development firm known as Inostran, known for developing the Yin Yang Artificial Island Resort, has been developing everything from commercial districts to permanent Antarctic bases since 1988. However, Inostran CEO Kim Seung Jo has decided to partner her $13.6 billion (T7.3 billion) company with the government-operated ASAP Zogradia, the Zogradi space program, to jumpstart bases on the moon and Mars, hoping to also soon reach out to the moons of Jupiter.




By Zogradia  
   

Population increase in NationStates!
For a while, our population has hovered around 5,000, however, it has recently jumped to literally over 9,000, while somehow still staying at 5th place. The North Pacific remains the most populous region at over 11,000 nations. This is pushing the stability of the delegates’ power, causing Elegarth to send a mass telegram a few weeks ago to all TWP nations. Though the cause is uncertain, Elegarth seems to be stable with around 450 endorsements.

TWP World Summit
This March, the TWP Summit was hosted in Carson Village, Benjamin Mark, in which, the leaders of Zogradia, Hariko, Antahbrantahstan and Malviet all met for a couple days, though the discussion topic was not completely clear. Either way, the RP summit went on for about 10 days before the nations departed one-by-one.

Zogradi Company Looking to Colonize the Solar System
A Yakadu-based development firm known as Inostran, known for developing the Yin Yang Artificial Island Resort, has been developing everything from commercial districts to permanent Antarctic bases since 1988. However, Inostran CEO Kim Seung Jo has decided to partner her $13.6 billion (T7.3 billion) company with the government-operated ASAP Zogradia, the Zogradi space program, to jumpstart bases on the moon and Mars, hoping to also soon reach out to the moons of Jupiter.




By Zogradia  
   

Interestingly enough, I don't think of Raiders as evil. The play a part of the game I am not fond of, but I have privately raided in the past (and I have also defended) and I can tell you both sides draw fun out of what sometimes can be a very dull game.

SPECIAL REPORT


 




 
SPECIAL REPORT: DEN is Dead
 
 
Ever since the DEN invaded TWP via our then Delegate, United RussoAsia, I have had nothing but sour thoughts about the DEN and their frightening efficiency and lack of mercy or empathy. A few weeks ago, the Zogradi Department of Security and Intelligence backed a puppet nation, Yuzakistan, to use as a surveillance base, however, it would appear very much that none of this is needed anymore.
So what happened? When the DSI noticed that Yuzakistan had been moved to TRR, it investigated and found that, just yesterday, moderator Sedgistan announced in the forum about changes and tweaks made to accommodate nations, and even two regions, that used illegal script, and subsequently deleted DEN , as well as its 'trophy regions', and punished its former leaders.
 
Read more here.

Autism is a developmental disability. Children with autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder or ASD, have social, communication and language problems. They also have restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, such as flipping objects, echolalia, or excessive smelling or touching of objects. Autism may be mild or severe. All children with autism don't have the exact same problems. Children with autism may have the following social and communication skills and common behaviors:
Social Skills
Your child may have problems using social skills to connect with other people. He may seem to be in his own world. It may be hard for him to
share a common focus with another person about the same object or event-known as joint attention;
play with others and share toys;
understand feelings;
make and keep friends.
Communication Skills
Your child may have trouble with communication skills like understanding, talking with others, reading or writing. Sometimes, she might lose words or other skills that she's used before. Your child may have problems
understanding and using gestures, like pointing, waving, or showing objects to others;
following directions;
understanding and using words;
having conversations;
learning to read or write. Or she may read early but without understanding the meaning—called hyperlexia.
Your child also may
repeat words just heard or words heard days or weeks earlier-called echolalia (pronounced ek-o-lay-le-a);
talk with little expression or use a sing-song voice;
use tantrums to tell you what he does or does not want.
Common Behaviors
A child with autism may
have trouble changing from one activity to the next;
flap hands, rock, spin or stare;
get upset by certain sounds;
like only a few foods;
have limited and unusual interests-for example, talk about only one topic or keep staring at one toy.
How is autism diagnosed?
It is important to have your child evaluated by professionals who know about autism. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), typically as part of a team, may diagnose autism. The team might include pediatricians, neurologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and developmental specialists, among others. SLPs play a key role because problems with social skills and communication are often the first symptoms of autism. SLPs should be consulted early in the evaluation process. There are a number of tests and observational checklists available to evaluate children with developmental problems. The most important information, however, comes from parents and caregivers who know the child best and can tell the SLP and others all about the child's behavior.
Source: http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/Autism/
 
 

*Wheezes after writing 3 articles in a few days*
 
Oh well, good thing I'm a fast writer! Anyway, Issue 2 is out in the link here! Hope it's good!
 
Or, if you want to stay in the forums...
 
Help Wanted at TWP! (Please?)
Well, I guess it’s just me this entire issue, so… let’s get this through. Okay, so The West Pacifican (what the TWP in the title was referring to) is a newspaper we hope to have every month or so, though the progress of releasing issues has gone slower than Jim Gilmour’s 2016 presidential campaign, which is why I am asking you for help writing the newspaper to write stories.
Basically, all you need is an idea, and preferably good grammar and spelling skills (at least better than what you find on the YouTube comments section), then, just write a couple short paragraphs about whatever you want related to TWP or NS that you think people will find interesting, then send it to my puppet [nation=short]The West Pacifican[/nation]. Simple! Anyways, now that I made my cry for assistance, let’s move on… 
 
Election Under Way!
As you may or may not know, the 2016 election for WA Secretary-General is underway, and our own [nation=short]Benjamin Mark[/nation] is running for the esteemed office, but didn’t exactly make the second round, so we switched our support to [nation=short]Mikeswill[/nation], and we urge you to be a true West Pacifican™, and vote for We Are Not TBH! “But how?” you ask, well, first if you read this in the next few days, you will see a small, turquoise banner near the top displaying election numbers. Click on it, and you’ll be taken to the election page, from there, click “vote” and select whoever TWP supports next!
 
What are we Voting for, though?!
The 2016 WASG election is underway at the same time as the US presidential election and the Zogradi Prime Ministerial election in a few weeks, but what is the first thing, exactly? Well, to explain it to a degree in which I can explain it, it is the election for the WA Secretary-General. As of the release of this article, we have had three primary rounds, and are now in the General Election, and we (TWP) have switched support from Benjamin Mark to Mikeswill, and are now supporting [nation=short]We Are Not TBH[/nation], keep in mind we’re against much of NS, including non-WA members. Yes! Non-WA members can vote for the head of the WA, like if I, being an American, voted for who will be the EU chancellor. But hey, can’t hurt, can it? (We’ll probably be fine)

Westwind Telegraph Frontline News 
WTF News date: 12 March 2016

Issue # 9

A randomly periodic publication of reports from around NationStates (hey, last issue was two years ago).
WTF News is a public service of Westwind.

*Neither The Once and Future King of Westwind, The Infinite Space of All Good People, associated puppet nations, nor the The West Pacific or Equilism take any credit or responsibility for the opinions expressed herein. All implied contracts are figments of your imagination.  All your NS issues belong to us.  Speaking of issues, do not expect to feel 'normal' while reading this one.  This isn't RL you know.  This news service is Published by The Universe. Long live NS national sovereignty and remember, today is National Plant a Flower Day.

Recommended by ......wait a minute, I forgot. Proceed at your own risk.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 

 
Issue #1 - It's the End of The West Pacific Union as we knew it, and I feel fine
 
(The Voice, The West Pacific) - Yes, as has been discussed in a curious conversation on the NS gameplay forum, The West Pacific Union forum government voted itself out of existence.  For some outside the region, this has caused a certain level of consternation.  While inside the region, there is no concern what so ever. I won't go too deeply into these diverse opinions on the situation.  But the truth is that each GCR has chosen it's own method and level governance, and The West Pacific is no different.  Former Delegate Punk Daddy has long been an advocate of an ingame government and the region has believed in the primacy of the Delegate for over a decade. This is nothing new for The West Pacific.
 
It was unfortunate that the ingame thread linked above lead to so many moderator warnings and bans.  So many unnecessary attacks. But some attacks went on to become overly personal were certainly unbecoming some NS players. 
 
There are all kinds of different communities across NationStates.  Just because one region doesn't fit the mold that you think it should, doesn't mean that it isn't what the actual community wants for itself.  That attitude towards TWP was insulting.  Looks across all the thousands of regions....they don't all have offsite forum governments.  Some don't have governments at all.  So why should TWP if it's community doesn't want it, or simply isn't interested. It's sad to see people that would rather degrade a region's own choice rather than to respect it's community.  But perhaps that goes on back into the history of various players with their various interests in trying to control the GCRs.  Or maybe not, I don't know.  I'm just the old timer in the rocking chair in the corner.
 
Everything is fine in TWP.  There is a fully functional government, and it only uses the forum for what it needs, while the rest is ingame.  That makes perfect sense to me, because we're playing a game in nationstates.net , and it's giving us more tools to do what we need ingame.
 
 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 

 
Issue #2 - The Equilism Township, can elections be far behind?
 
(Tranquility, Equilism) - Having languished for months in the Equilism Senate in an effort to replace the existing Commonwealth Constitution, the new Charter of the Equilism Township has been ratified.  The Founder (Whamabama) has three days in which to veto the Charter if he so chooses.  At that time the Commonwealth of Equilism will officially be dissolved and elections opened for the positions of Delegate, Moderator, and Mayor.  One candidate has expressed an interest in all positions already.  Once elections have been concluded, the Interim government will also be dissolved.
 
Other matters under discussion in Equilism include the status of the forum and whether or not a move to a new forum would be a good idea, and the issue of a future policy direction for the region.  Founder Whamabama and Co-Founder Westwind have emphasized the need for the region to choose a focus upon which to build community and activity for the region. Gameplay ideas have been presented and role play also mentioned.  Whether or not the needed participation levels and leadership will be their for those concepts are yet to be seen.  It is quite early in those discussions, although elections may provide an opportunity to expand upon them.
 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 

 
Issue #3 - An Europeian Anniversary (Happy 9th!)
 
(Ninth Anniversary Celebration Hall, Europeia) - WTF News would like to wish Europeia a happy 9th Anniversary.  Yours is a region of much history both of it's own and as a part of the NS-wide world.  I enjoyed the opportunity to visit the celebration and add a couple memories of my own there for you.  I won't repeat myself here.  Certainly you are well aware of your impact upon NS affairs, and will hopefully look forward to many more years of activity and influence to come.  Salute !
 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 
Issue #4 - North Korea has a missing submarine (I read it in the Enquirer!)
 
Yes, as soon as I heard the news, I immediately recalled special issue #6 which revealed Bhang Bhang Duc was working with North Korea to attempt to create their own Dalek:
 

 
 
Could it be that they have now reached a successful conclusion to their Dalek project and seek to deliver it via submarine to a clandestine point to commit sabotage and destruction against their enemies?  Stay tuned, because when it comes to North Korea (and sometimes Bhang Bhang Duc), anything can happen. (The officer in the foreground certainly seems proud of his toy collection.)
 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
  As always, only the finest data bits were sacrificed in the transporting of this data packet to your device.
All data bits have been blessed by the Sanctus Vermiculus Ordinem of The West Pacific and The Church of Westwind. Amen.

Westwind Telegraph Frontline News is in Distribution to fine regions across NationStates.

Brought to you by....

Copyright 2016, Westwind of All Good People. Better people, Better Food, and Better Beer.
             The difference between the Heavenly Dream and the God Awful Reality. 

The racial and ethnic make-up of this thread has been put into chart format. White ethnicities are blue, Asian green, and African red.
 
77% of the people surveyed are white, 17% are mixed, and 6% are Asian. 80% of the ethnicities claimed are white, 15% are Asian, and 5% are African.
 
Compared to the US, this thread would overrepresent whites and Asians while underrepresenting blacks.
 

!So you are neither Arabic nor Korean?
*looks at Zogradia's factbook*

WHAT??? You're not at all Korean? 

A very limited edition.

I'd hate us to use something like that. WHy don't you guys reach out to Yy4u and see if he can come up with a stamp to represent TWP? Also, I've never been to any of the World Fairs, so I thank you guys for taking point on this

Argh! Put that Jucheist propaganda away! Those Northern bastards aren't even true communists.

How about in the style of North Korean socialist realism?
 

Welcome to TWP!
By Zogradia
Hello, new West Pacifican, and welcome to the West Pacific, where Karaoke Friday is every, well… Friday, and all your chocolate belongs to Darkesia! I am here to give you a brief tour of the West Pacific, or TWP! Note, this will not be a tour of NationStates, just TWP.
 
First, let me introduce you to the TWP government, led by the Deledragon Dragongarth of Elegarth as our WA Delegarth… I mean Delegate! Then, we have our guardians, Yy4u, Punk Daddy and Mediobogdum. They have control over border control, communications, embassies and polls, which basically means they can banject any troublemakers to The Rejected Realms and create fun polls whenever they like.
 
Then of course, you have Security Officer Bhang Bhang Duc, and TWP Advocate Big Bad Badger. As for a founder… we don't really have one, unless Max Barry himself counts.
 
TWP also has its own forum at westpacific.org, shouldn't be too hard to remember! On the forums, you can discuss everything from serious events to role play if we ever revive it, and the Clubhouse, full of fun activities like "type your name with your nose", which I failed horribly, or an entire topic with just questions (how did we pull that off?), or a topic for Polandball.
 
Lastly, in the world factbook entry on the main page of the West Pacific in NationStates, you will see a few factbooks that have been linked, including a guide to nicknames, acronyms, and TWP treaties. While you're at it, don't forget to check out the TWP pronunciation guide, so you can realize it's "Ha-ree-ko", "Mal-vee-et" and "Foo-jey", not "Hairy-ko", "Mal-vee-ey" and "Fooj-eye"! I hope you found this brief introduction helpful and that you stay a while here in TWP, where the bar is always open!
 
TWPAF In Action
By Malviet
 
The West Pacific Armed Forces has been revitalized!  After a slow summer and several leadership changes, the TWPAF is once again off and running.  Newly appointed Field Commander Malviet, led the charge in a Delegate transfer and security in Warzone Australia. 
 
While Commander Big Bad Badger led an impressive lineup into Atlantic, a region that has been the whipping post of raider regions for months.  The initial take over was perfectly timed as a raider group backed out just before the update, a TWP operative came in and endorsed the my puppet and I quickly ejected the raider RO’s and puppets.  Big Bad Badgerasked for help on the RMB to hold the region and TWP responded.  TWP royalty Darkesia and our very own Mayor Tweedy assisted in the pile, as well as long time ally Brightonburg.  Newly recruited soldier, Jacobania also partook in the exercise.
 
A special thanks goes to all of the nations that assisted in this mission.  Especially, Fratellnoir for tutelage and mission support.  TWPAF is forever grateful!
 
If you are interested in joining the TWPAF send Big Bad Badger a telegram right away.  New missions are beginning!
 
From the Desk of the Delegate:  Z-4 Resounding Success
By Mediobogdum
 
*nervously taps Radio TWP microphone and smiles at waiting The West Pacifican reporters and camera crews*
 
I just had to retire to my quarters in TWP bunker a few hours before the end of Z4, so I missed the grand finale  :(However, most of what I have to say has already been echoed by previous speakers on the RMB, which is awesome  :)Z4 did seem somewhat easier this year than last despite the purportedly tougher Zombies being promised. But there were other cogent reasons why you, the nations of TWP, achieved so such more.
 
I do not wish to overly dwell on the results, outstanding thought they were. Z4 was a sentient example of what can be achieved when a group of like-minded nations, with a firm and common purpose, meld together and achieve what most thought was unattainable.
 
Much is owed to Darkesia who took up the Cure Coordinator planning mantle again and to autonomica and his wonderful tracking system which allowed us to spot infiltrators and possible threats before they became manifest. But,... but,... the main reason you did so tremendously well was because of all those nations who spent countless, sleepless hours sweating over their keyboards, nervously twitching at the Cauterizer missile launch buttons, or sipping cold coffee at 3 o'clock in the morning 
 
Every nation, large or small that did so, has the right to be proud of TWP's achievements, as I am of yours!
 
*puts microphone down and wipes away a few tears*
 
TWP – Castaway Island Discs
By Bhang Bhang Duc
This started off with a request from Big Bad Badger for an article on Friday Karaoke, a long standing tradition in the West Pacific. I thought about expanding that and suggested using the BBC’s radio programme “Desert Island Discs” as a template. On this programme guests are invited to choose the eight favourite recordings they would have with them if they were stranded on a desert island. They are also allowed one book and one luxury item.

Well as it was my idea BBB told me to write the article. However, instead of eight I’m only choosing five pieces of music so here goes and I’ve changed the name just in case the BBC ever reads this.

My first choice was easy as it was the first single I ever bought. Up until hearing this piece of music I wasn’t a great fan of pop and rock, but this one just clicked with me. Pure glam-rock, Roxy Music’s “Virginia Plain”.

My second choice was originally lent to me by a friend at school. He told me that this record was like nothing else he’d ever heard. I took it home that lunchtime and played all of side one. I was instantly hooked. Went and bought my own copy that following weekend. Even now more than forty years later it is still my favourite piece of music. I had a copy long before it became known through the film “The Exorcist”. It started Richard Branson on his path to global domination and Danny Boyle got its composer to play it live as part of the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games; it’s Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells”.

Third choice is Talking Heads and “Once in a Lifetime”. No other reason except I think it’s great. The video is superb as well.

I really got into British traditional folk and its electric/rock versions. I first heard of this group when a single they released was an unlikely Top Twenty hit – who’d have thought that a Christmas carol sung in Latin and acapella would make it into the charts. Saw them live three or four times in the 70s and they’re still going today. This album is a great mix of folk and rock and I just loved Maddy Prior’s voice. Choice number four is Steeleye Span’s “Parcel of Rogues”.

My last choice is classical and what else would an astronomer choose but Holst’s “The Planets”. Yes I know the inspiration for the music was astrological, not astronomical but it’s still a powerful suite of music. I’ve also chosen this because my wife and I used the middle section of “Jupiter” for our wedding march.

My luxury item would be my telescope (what else?) and the book I would take would be Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”. Not for reading mind you. I gather it has lots and lots of pages and so would be very useful for lighting a fire.
 

Got an idea for an article? The West Pacific an needs you. Our first edition comes out very soon, but we need help!

Hello BB!
 

BB's on the forums! Should have realized that would have happened sooner or later.

Issue frequency is always a hard one to agree on.  I would suggest to start out that bi-monthly would be a good periodicity. Ideas are very often easy to come by for the first few issues but things tend to 'dry up' thereafter and undue pressure is brought to bear upon editors, writers, etc to produce good quality articles, and the staff has a tendency to become disillusioned, and leave.
 
As for content and structure, the Dass Nachrichten team did a great job for the single issue and maybe you should tap into their thoughts and add those to your own.  The overall format was good although there was a need for better proof reading of the BBcode because we had a few 'bloopers'
 
One thing that we must include, is pictures.  Our last publication, although it had good content and a good banner, lacked visual impact as it was all text.

Good day ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to another episode of TWP Street Talk, the show where we take our questions to the streets of The West Pacific, and let you hear for yourself, the thoughts of your fellow citizens.  And now let's join our field reporter Jennifer Swift.
 
Thank you Brian. With the support of the Delegate in recognizing The Voice as the government of The West Pacific and thus fully restoring it, I went out to ask the people on the street what they think of the restoration of The Voice of The West Pacific Union.  If you thought the answers we got last time were interesting, wait to you see these results!
 
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
Oh no! Please tell me it's not true?!? I hate that show!
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
Power to the people and all that stuff man, like, you know?  Like when you find a little tiny grain of sand on the beach, and it starts yelling out 'listen to me! listen to me!'.  Every once in awhile the rest of the beach stops to listen.  Pass the pipe, man.
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
I'm telling ya, you lousy joker, stop asking me those questions!  *turns away hurriedly*
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
Wait....did you just ask the opposite question about a week ago?
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
*Sigh*  I still haven't gotten my MTV.
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
I hope they pick me for Delegate or something!  I'm new here, how do I do that?
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
Excuse me, but I can't answer you right now, I'm in midst of a surveillance operation.  Now where did the guy with that pipe go to....
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
Has it done anything yet?
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
My Lords and Lady's, I beg to take this opportunity to again address, and remind serious members of The Voice, of a serious issue that concerns us all.  Yes, the continued threat of greenhouse gas emissions from marsupials. I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I truly beg the Delegate and government to take quick action on this gassy matter. This pestilence must be dealt with quickly.
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
As an Ambassador from another region, what am I to think? The West Pacific had a perfectly flexible government, then dropped it for another perfectly flexible government.  Then dropped it while waiting for an alternative that looked a lot like the formerly dropped government.  Only to return to the formerly dropped government once again. It's impossible for me to form an opinion.
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
Oh Thank goodness.  Now we can finally get back to what we were doing before all this confusion.  Although, I don't know that that was.  If anything. Huh.  I can't think of anything.  Oh well, I'm sure someone will post something to get us going somewhere.  Yeah, that's it.  Someone else will remember.  Someone else will post.  Yeah. 
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
When are we gonna go raid stuff?!?!
 
What do you think about the restoration of The Voice ?
 
I think the preponderance of evidence indicates the strong potential for a political vacuum in which unknown or perhaps unknowable variables will enter into the probability stream when attempting to forecast the future of The Voice.
 
 
Yes, as always there are many differing thoughts on the recent events in TWP, and the Street Talk is once again all over the place as you might expect.  Thank you for joining us for this episode of TWP Street Talk.  Till next time, goodbye.
 
 
*Now On Audio!*
Yes for this episode only, listen to TWP Street Talk for yourself!