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Thanne

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Welcome to The North Pacifc Wire, the regions #1 news source for national, regional and interregional events. Need news on regional entertainment? We've got it. Need news on governmental affairs? We've got it. Need news on international affairs? We've got it. Consider us your one stop-spot for the latest in news.

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Can I be taken off the official staff list? I am not sure I have the time to be a regular staff member that contributes stories. I might put in a story every once in a while. ^_^

I like the setup Thanne! Bravo! :worship:
 
I look forward to reading articles written by DD. He always says things in a manner which are funny, expressive and informative.
 
The North Pacific Wire offers an advertisement program to select approved persons and groups, as long as thier advertisement fits the general Advertising Guidelines.

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Any group working with the North Pacific government can recieve an advertisement in top priority, provided that they meet the general guidelines. Advertisements may not be discriminitory (i.e. Cabinet members only, new members only)

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Any regional recruiter who has posted at least 3 regional advertisements on the NationStates Regional Bulletin Board, and who has abided by all requirements may recieve an advertisement in second priority. Advertisements may not be discriminitory (i.e. guys only, teenagers only)

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Article Name: BLACK SHEEP SQUADRON COMMENCES SPAMBUSTING
Category: I
Priority: 5

16 January 2008, Admin Island, The West Pacific. A TWP military force known as the Black Sheep Squadron invaded the founderless region "The Military Alliance" (TMA) this past Monday. TMA provoked this action by frequently violating SPAM rules that forbid more than one feeder post in 24 hours. First Lieutenant Kharkistania was point for the invasion force, which included not only the Black Sheep Squadron members but drew assistance from the Lone Wolves United and the Last Kingdom.

The enthusiasm generated by this very successful action was strongly positive but tempered: the squadron operates under an oversight document that governs the conduct of such actions; it forbids collaborating with region destroyer groups, requires the invaded region to be returned to the native delegate after three updates, and provides mechanisms to abort invasion actions that could be unduly provocative or disruptive. One measure of the "realpolitik" success of this invasion: even an ally of the invaded region seemed to acknowledge that the vigorous action by the Black Sheep Squadron was not unjustified, and discounted its original intention to come to the aid of the TMA. TWP's First Minister TAO congratulated the work done with this observation on the updated World Factbook Entry: "IT LOOKS FABULOUS!!! Excellent work.... The chance to breathe new life into a dying region. And the opportunity to refound a stronger community with a living founder."

There are rumors that other feeder regions are actively seeking to establish offensive forces comparable to the Black Sheep Squadron. Anyone with questions about the governance agreement or the organization of an invader group in a traditionally 'defender' region can contact First Minister TAO, Minister of Defense Kaze Hikari, or Black Sheep Squadron First Lieutenant Anarchy Wolf on the TWP forum at http://twp.nosync.org. Suggestions for future invasion actions -- or requests to be invaded -- can be directed to these same contacts.

This melding of defender and invader capabilities may be just one of the first steps in further transforming the evolution of the dynamics within the NationStates world and broadening the views of national and regional leaders, new and old.
 
Simple. Go to TWP forums, find the Ministry of Defense (which BSS is a subdivision of) office, sign up in the recruitment thread and request to be placed in BSS. You'll be masked accordingly and a BSS member in less than a day (if our Admins are not lazy that day). Membership is easy to hold and we actually schedule and plan missions around the needs and limitations of our members, which is convent for all.
 
Now this is exactly the type of action against RMB spammers that I promoted a long time ago! It's time that feeders go on the offensive against spambastards. :winner:

Now, if we really want to have some fun - we create an inter-regional anti-spam strike force to enforce the spam rules. :evil:

R
 
Well, to be fair, we sort of did. We had members of TWP there, Limitless of the Pacific Army, Khark, who is also in the NPA, and Spec, who in the Lazarus Legion.

We could have played that off as feeder unity but since the above mentioned players are in either LWU or BSS we thought we would just go ahead and just save space by excluding that little piece from the article.
 
Jack's Politics Diarrhea...I mean Diary BROUGHT TO YOU BY GEICO CAR INSURANCE - 15 MINUTES COULD SAVE YOU 15 PERCENT OR MORE ON CAR INSURANCE ®

Dear Diary,

Sometimes I wonder why people complain about Wal-Mart so frequently. Not all people - only liberals, mostly - but it is a major pet peave of mine. So I feel like I need to speak my Gospel of Inconveniant Truth (tm) on the issue.

Firstly, people voluntarily shop at Wal-Mart. They voluntarily work there. Can you say that about social security, the public education system, or Geico Car Insurance(tm)? No, you can't. Social Security steals money from you like a mugger on the streets of GHETTO Talahassee (only that the mugger happens to also have a cheritable side and thus gives it back to you when you're 70), the public education is forced indoctrination at heart, and Geico's low rates are simply too good to pass up. Further, most of the people doing the bitching choose to shop at Wal-Mart themselves.

Whining about Wal-Mart's emloyee practices reminds me of whining about a bad Pokemon Card trade when I was young. I traded a Blastoise, two Gyradoses, an Alakazam, and a Venasaur all for a Charizard. Now, the Charizard kicked some ass as it could do 100 damage in one hit, but it lost energy cards at the same time, so had to recharge appropriately. Further, my primary deck was water and plant based, so the Charizard didn't even fit. Basically, I got ripped off by a smartass six year old at the local Pokemon Club. I think looking for employment should be like trading Pokemon Cards. I never got my lost cards back, but rather I was stuck with Charizard. Wal-Mart emloyees don't know how good they have it - they can stop working at any time. I wish I could have stopped making unbalanced Pokemon Card trades at any time, let me tell you. But no, this isn't good enough for the American left and anti-Wal-Mart crowd. Wal-Mart needs to be forced to supply health insurance and all these benefits. Let me tell you, I would have LOVED for the government to force people to trade me Venasaurs for Bulbasaurs, but logically it makes no sense. Eventually, those trading Venasaurs will cry and quit the game. Likewise, we're going to bankrupt Wal-Mart if we continue down this policy.

My solution to this problem is to let the whiners vote with their wallets. If Americans want Wal-Mart driven out of their towns and cities, they can stop shopping there. Heck, let's hold a referendum next election cycle. Let's see how they really feel.

Also, hail Pokemon! o/ It was a great fad while it lasted, IMO.
 
Well, I don't have a witty pop culture reference to throw in here, but I'd like to address some of the issues people have with WalMart.

First off, you mentioned their employee practices. Now its well known that WalMart doesn't give their employees much benefits and that's their right as an employer (although considering their profit margins and the exorbitant amounts of money the Walton heirs have, I personally think they could afford to). However, the problem is that at one point, WalMart had advised its employees to exploit the Federal security net that you hate so much (like Medicaid). This caused some deal of controversy, and has since been removed, but it shows just how WalMart operates.

Second, I'll admit that I have shopped at WalMart, but I don't do it on any regular basis. I've maybe been to a WalMart 6 times in the past year, and that's just because I was generally hanging out with family who do shop at WalMart. Incidentally enough, their everyday low prices don't seem to apply to groceries, which are cheaper at my local Krogers, but never mind that.

The issue I have with WalMart is to keep their prices low, they have to undersell everyone else in a community. They do this by selling the consumer cheap Chinese crap, that in light of recent events may not be quite safe. This business model favors corporations, like consumer electronics companies, who move their operations to China- companies that work in the United States simply can't supply WalMart with the lowcost stuff that they demand. This favors the Chinese and certainly doesn't not favor Americans, who are being provided with low cost crap that will soon break down and need replaced- by more cheap crap from WalMart.

Then there's the whole "WalMart drives local businesses into bankruptcy" argument. I won't really address this because there's a rather easy solution to it. In fact, the solution is the one thing that you said that I agree on- it's up to consumer to decide if they like WalMart. If you're tired of the cheap junk they sell there and want to support local businesses, its up to you to shop local and buy local.

And that's pretty much all I have to say about that.
 
Agreed about the Medicaid part... we need to phase out that program entirely.

Secondly, do you think Safeway is cheaper than Wal-mart? Or Albertsons? I'm looking for a new grocery store myself :P

As for the China "problem" I'd say Good for China! It is ridiculous that the largest country on earth is so poor, and you can't deny that free trade policies have benefitted them. But they also benefit us - think of the ramifications if we cut off trade with China. No more cheap crap!!! At first glance that might sound good, but it won't be so great when everything costs 50% more than it does now. Biggest concern arising out of free trade policies is the way the Chinese abuse - rather the way we LET them abuse - their trade surplus. They hold an enormous sum of American dollars that they then invest in American government bonds, effectively buying our government. We could fix this by a reversion to the gold standard and a refusal to, you know, sell our government to foreigners. Of course, with the gold standard comes inflation and deflation alongside trade fluctuations, allowing for corrections.
 
Hurrah for the minarchist! (If that's still what you are...)

A few points I'll add in response to Outer Kharkistania:

1. You say "to keep their prices low." Why do they try to keep their prices low? Well, it's to meet our wishes. Are we aware of what our wishes entail? Generally, I'd say yes, we are. We choose the cheap Chinese products (I won't say crap, because, frankly, the Chinese can make some very solid goods in certain areas), knowing that an American might then not get the same job.

Why am I personally able to buy this product? Because I find it utterly hypocritical to attempt to demonize me as unsympathetic to the plight of the poor American working class when that "poor" American working class is competing with the Chinese working class. I am fully confident that I know which of the two socioeconomic groups is more deserving of my human compassion, should I deign to base my comsumption on such premises.

2. Of course it favors the Americans. Or are you asserting that we Americans are stupid and just really don't know what product most suits our interests? If the majority of the populace consume one good instead of another, I find it entirely absurd to say that society would benefit more by removing said preferred good. You see, I uphold the principle that I know what's best for myself. As such, I must respect that the same holds true for others.
 
SD, you are welcome to have your opinion, as I am welcome to mine.

No offense, but I just don't like shopping at WalMart, and as a consumer I am entitled to shop at what is increasingly becoming a niche economy- local stores selling American, or at least North American, goods.
 
Your faith in humanity to regulate itself will be the death of us all. We act in our own self-interest, and that is not in the best interest of humankind as a whole. Most just want to get their piece, and who cares about the rest? That is certainly the business model of Wal-Mart and all other wholesalers who snuff out local business, force manufacturers to lower their prices, and export jobs to labor markets where they are basically given free reign, because to most countries visited by these massive conglomerates any business is good business. This allows for those low low prices we love, but why do we love them? Because we like to live outside of our means, in middle class opulence; a middle class that would be considered upper class in most other countries in the world. And thank goodness Wal-Mart is around to feed our desire for stuff at cheap prices because for some odd reason there just aren't as many jobs out there for skilled workers any more.

The middle class is undergoing a squeeze, you're either moving up (unlikely) or you're moving down the scale. We can still remain comfortable though because Wal-Mart still has the low prices we need to be able to live the way we want to, which is cooped up from 9-5 so we can have a roof over our heads and a big tv to watch when we get home too exhausted to do anything but sit in our castles.

The psychological aspect of this cycle is stunning as well. We have become hyper-individualized to the point where we hardly even converse with people, even just for fun. An awfully lonely existence populated by a bunch of stuff which doesn't nearly fill the void left by human interaction. What a surprise that happiness levels have been steadily decreasing since the 1950's. An odd little thing though is that people who shop locally, who go to farmers markets, are on average 10 times happier than someone who goes to the supermarket to buy their food.

I am not saying Wal-Mart is the cause of all of this, merely a symptom of a larger problem, unabashed consumerism, which is certainly augmented by cheap foreign labor and cheap products. We all want the american dream, to be better off than our parents, to be affluent. There are two ways to go about this, to buy more, or desire less. Unfortunately we have chosen the former, and in a world of finite resources just how long will we be able to sustain this seemingly infinite progression of affluence?

You can sit in your computer chair and make very poor pokemon analogies to attempt to justify your position, but you come off as a privileged white american with childish views, too much time, and an anonymous pulpit from which to preach your selfish and ignorant views.


Addendum: Let them vote with their wallets? They should boycott it if they don't like it? Well that is hard in an area where Wal-mart exists, because they deliberately set prices to destroy small businesses in their area. So yes, the people have the choice in their area, wal-mart or nothing. That sounds about right for American's considerations of democracy.
 
Democratic Donkeys:
Your faith in humanity to regulate itself will be the death of us all. We act in our own self-interest, and that is not in the best interest of humankind as a whole. Most just want to get their piece, and who cares about the rest? That is certainly the business model of Wal-Mart and all other wholesalers who snuff out local business, force manufacturers to lower their prices, and export jobs to labor markets where they are basically given free reign, because to most countries visited by these massive conglomerates any business is good business. This allows for those low low prices we love, but why do we love them? Because we like to live outside of our means, in middle class opulence; a middle class that would be considered upper class in most other countries in the world. And thank goodness Wal-Mart is around to feed our desire for stuff at cheap prices because for some odd reason there just aren't as many jobs out there for skilled workers any more.
Click to expand...
I agree with this bolded part. But how do we fix this problem?
 
Mr Sniffles Son of Gross - The Most Shocking Story of the Hour
jon_stewart.jpg

Mr GrossesSchnauzer holds his son Mr Sniffles

Grosseschnauzer is a man with many possessions: a plush office, an extensive wardrobe, several overdue parking tickets, but now he has something else. A son. The lab results were faxed to the Speaker's Office immediately. It's official. Mr Sniffles, formerly Mr Vladimir Grossereovich Sniffowitz, is the esteemed Speaker's son. Upon reading the results, Mr Grosseschnauzer rushed out of his office and into the arms of his long-lost son. The two engaged in a heartfelt embrace. The reunion was so deep and moving that it took several hours to fill out the proper forms.

The most quizzical thing about the affair was not that despite working together for over three years they never suspected anything, but rather the paternity test itself. Dr Joseph Albert Ludovic, the doctor who performed the test, explains," Vell, DNA vus not used, rather ve measured die lengths uft die poles up zer you-know-vhere. You see, every person hast ein pole, but only those uft die parents match perfectly. So, it vus a matter of measurement."

Suspicion regarding Mr Sniffles's paternity arose at an annual Congress of Local Orthopedists meeting (both are licensed doctors) when the two rose simoltaneously to object to printing the annual greeting card on biodegradable material, stating that it violated the old CLO charter that was abandoned twenty years earlier.

"It doesn't say anything about biodegradable material!", stormed Mr Sniffles.
Mr Grosseschnauzer added,"This is a gross violation of powers by the Directorate!"

Truly the perfect family.

------
Written by New Kervoskia
NationStates Today
Copyright 2008


Notice that all of this is fabricated
 
D-dad? You do realize you owe me about 21 yrs of Christmas and birthday presents right?

Explains the teenaqge rebellion stage when I was Speaker and he was PM though.

Now if we can finally settle NK's love childs with JAL AND L&W then we'd be drama free.
 
Democratic Donkeys, you refute your own last point. You say that Wal-Mart sets artificially low prices to destroy competition. How does this destroy competition? People choose the artificially low prices. They ARE voting with their wallets...

And where on Earth did you find that statistic about people being ten times happier if they shop at specialty stores? What was determined as happiness? Where was this poll conducted?

Self-interest, as Ayn Rand so eloquently and forcefully defends, is a better motivating factor than any other. It takes far too long to explain that, but in essence, you need to re-evaluate your premise that says selfishness = bad.

Please also explain how the middle class is living outside of its means by choosing lower prices... And while you're at it, I'd point out that we are not, in fact, hyperindividualized. At least as regards politics.

Finally, how can we dream to live better but desire less? If you claim something along the lines of me needing to seek spiritual as compared to material benefits, I'll fish slap you... ;)
 
I believe this adequately solves the debate :)

Clicky here

Scandinavian Duchies:
Finally, how can we dream to live better but desire less? If you claim something along the lines of me needing to seek spiritual as compared to material benefits, I'll fish slap you...
Click to expand...

I would like to state that you don't have to discover something spiritual to be content with less. Psychologically, you can find other desires that don't require "low low prices, always"
 
rykkland:
I would like to state that you don't have to discover something spiritual to be content with less. Psychologically, you can find other desires that don't require "low low prices, always"
Click to expand...
Okay, now get 300,000,000 people to believe that. :)
 
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