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DispatchFactbookMiscellaneous

by The Tangled Policymaking Chimera of Baizou. . 353 reads.

From Forum 7

Knights Mare Nostrum's Grandmaster Baldassar Cagliares: "If you could have one thing in this world, no matter what it was, what would it be?"

"A Labor majority in parliament, perhaps? Hah, just kidding, of course! Though that would be nice... But no, being serious... hm, a cold fusion reactor, a global end to racism, and cures for cancer, AIDS, and Alzheimers all jump to mind. Sorry; I guess I'm not good at choosing just one."
—Premier Fukushima Sonoko

"A successful constitutional convention. I love my country, but after taking over the throne from my abdicated mother, I can see why many Baizoans are frustrated with the tangled, over-checked-and-balanced Baizoan government. Just last week, Yamamachi's viceroy asked me to overturn a ruling from the prefectural appellate court! I don't even know why the Baizoan sovereign has the right to overturn Yamamachi prefecture appellate rulings!"
—Sovereign Oshiro Haruto

"Hm... is 'more wishes' allowed?"
—Princess Consort Oshiro Haruto

"As a simulated video intelligence, I have no need to wish for anything. Buuut I know what Miya's gonna say. She's gonna say boobs."
—CARRIE, digital assistant to Ambassador Mizushima Miya

"C-CARRIE! N-no, I was not going to say that! I only socially transitioned for a reason! Tonight, I am tuning down your humor! Haaaah... But... you're not—one-hundred percent wrong, I suppose. If I could have one thing in this world, it would be to be born such that I'd be designated female at birth. Personally, it's not the body that I long for so much as the childhood, the girlhood, that I wish I had."
—Ambassador Mizushima Miya



Responding to Quartia and Karafuto in "GF/BF":

Karafuto BF/GF:
>Multilingual
>Avid Kantai Collection fan
>Gets really passionate about Scottish independence without knowing much about Scotland
>Tries (but fails) to not talk about Karafuto independence around your parents
>"I just think Japan was also a victim of imperialism"
>Wears a red panda hoodie
>Sometimes calls it a tanuki hoodie



Response from HUElavia in "GF/BF"
Baizoan GF:
>Asian (Japanese), average height, black hair, average body
>Enjoys cooking traditional Baizoan dishes
>Can finish a difficult novel in a week
>College student, Double Majoring in Biology and Japanese Language
>"Want to go to Mass Anon? I think you'll enjoy it!"
>Tends to be socially conservative, but votes Labor since she wants people to have more freedoms.
>Enjoys trips to nature reserves and parks
>Passionate about the environment


Deutsche Uberreste'sChad Muller of Ruanda-Urundi; Virgin AL, Chad YL prompt:

Chad Muller
>Rules a corporatized mercantile enterprise in Africa like a colonialist grandpa
>Doesn't have his own cause and just fights for money like a hitman
>Learned about mercenary work from reading magazines like a preteen
>Brags about cleaning his weapons
>Unmarried, probably literally a virgin

Fukushima Sonoko
>Fought for civil rights as president of the Baizoan Civil Freedoms Chapter
>Became premier of Baizou without even trying
>Successfully leads a diverse coalition including parties with cool names like Labor, Lotus Conservative, and International Peace
>Spearheads the current public policy on societal welfare, social justice, and civil freedom
>Surname Fukushima means "lucky island," which is what Baizou is because it has her



The time Baizou was Ninja'd thrice.

(OOC: AAN AAAN's question was also interesting, so I'm answering both AAN and AN, though now AAN has become AAAN. Every time I Preview I seem to be Ninja'd, so I'll just be posting a bunch of things... ^^;)

Arpent de Neige: "Would you rather remember your past lives (assuming you had any) or would you rather start anew with no leftover memories in your mind?"
"That would be quite a privilege! I would like that, I think. Ancestral connection is tremendously important in Mahouzouhou. Although I guess I don't know if my past lives would be among my ancestors! Hm, I had assumed that, but from your question, it's not a guarantee, is it? Ooh, that makes it more interesting. I think yes, still. To know a life that wasn't my own—how exciting!"
—Princess Consort Oshiro Yuu

A m e n r i a: Your thoughts on Buddhism?

"Buddhism has only respect from me. I was raised in a mixed-faith household; my dad was more Catholic, and my mother more Buddhist. I'll be honest, I don't really 'do' very much Buddhism, and I haven't really read anything, which is why I don't feel comfortable claiming to ascribe to Buddhism. The last 'Buddhist thing' I've done was probably when my maternal grandfather died. There was the funeral, of course, and then the monastic chant over her ashes when we put them in the final resting place in the temple."
—Premier Fukushima Sonoko

"Ah, the Teachings of the Buddha. I have studied, pondered, and practiced his teachings all my life. This surprises some of my Christian brothers and sisters, but I see no conflict between the faiths. I have heard it said that only two people on this earth have ever perfectly understood suffering: the first is the Christ, because He took upon Himself the consequences of all mortal sin; the second is the Buddha, because in his enlightenment he comprehended all human suffering."
—Sovereign Oshiro Haruto

"A fascinating faith within East Asian religion. In the popular imagination, most associate missiology with Christianity. What many do not know is that early Buddhism was a fervently missionary religion, with monks traveling across the continent to spread the message of the Buddha. I suppose it comes with being what historians call a 'universal faith.' Sorry, this is probably a little dry. I'm afraid my interest in Buddhism is mostly of the academic sort."
—Ambassador Mizushima Miya

Ninja'd

Quarvian Stellar Union: How do you think you will die?"

"Old, surrounded by my children and grandchildren, and holding Haruto's hand."
—Princess Consort Oshiro Yuu

"I had hoped the very same for me. A peaceful death for me, in my sleep if possible. I suppose at our deathbeds, Yuu and I would be attended to by the royal physicians, which might allow us to do so in our residence, rather than in a hospital."
—Sovereign Oshiro Haruto

"Old and in a hospital, I suspect. Baizou's healthcare is top notch, so I expect to live a long time. But at this point, I don't know if I'll have any family. Dating isn't really on the table when you're the premier and everyone in the country has already developed very strong opinions about you that are either hostile, creepily supportive, or disinterested. Somehow, strong disinterest is an opinion I've encountered a lot."
—Premier Fukushima Sonoko

Ninja'd again. Twice.

Aeritai: "What was the hardest choice you had to make for your nation?"

"...Between you and me, asking the Libertarian Party to join the Grand Coalition. They've been against more than half of the civil rights and societal welfare bills I've pushed, and I've half a mind to blame the development of the New Conservatives on the Libertarians' belligerent individualism. ...But without them in the Coalition, we would've lost the Upper Parliament to the Wakuna Restoration Bloc, and from there, I don't know if we could've stopped the WR's devastating magnetic tape deregulation plan. 'Welcoming' the Libertarians into the Coalition was a bitter pill... but it had to be done for Baizou."
—Premier Fukushima Sonoko

"...Vetoing the Global Federation treaty. I... regret that a lot, actually. Our membership and Ms. Mizushima's ambassadorship have tremendously blessed our country. But at the time, I had been in serious talks with several party leaders from Parliament about what the treaty might mean for Baizoan sovereignty. Our treaty would obligate us to obey all international laws passed in that body. I was eventually persuaded, very reluctantly, to use my sovereign veto to halt the sans-majority vote. A magisterial council overruled my veto, so it didn't matter anyway. But I still remember the stress I felt, the pressure I felt, when I made that decision. Thank Heaven above my veto was undone, or Baizou would not be blessed with the international cooperation it enjoys today."
—Sovereign Oshiro Haruto

Western Fardelshufflestein: "Hast thou ever watch someone perish?"

"My maternal grandfather. I sat with my mother by his bed. He had the best of care when he passed. My mother just kept talking to him, while he was still alive, while we... waited. He had lost most of his sight by that point, so he could only know we were there by our voices. I didn't say much, just—just 'yeah' and 'mhm' every now and then. And Grandpa smiled at us both. We kept at that for what felt like a long, long time. And then—he was gone. I don't quite remember when, but... he was."
—Premier Fukushima Sonoko



(Ask AU a question)
Sanghyeok: Does Baizou follow the era names of Japan's monarchs, or their own since the independence from Japan?
OOC: Apologies; I don't quite catch whether your question is if Baizou's time records follow Japan's imperial era names (e.g. Meiji, Taisho, etc.) or if the question is if Baizoan sovereigns have era names similar to the Japanese pattern. In either case, the answer is no. In the 1600s, British colonization enforced a Western calendar. Although Baizou flirted briefly with Japanese era names during the Asia-Pacific War occupation/colonization, it didn't stick, and the American occupation discouraged use of Japanese era names (as Baizou was occupied by American well before the Japanese surrender and before MacArthur's plan to wield the Japanese imperial throne was put into use; it was easy for Baizou to let go of, anyway, as they hadn't used the era names locally for hundreds of years).

Nor do Baizoan monarchs use or establish era names. Sovereigns (and kings, before the British colonization) are known posthumously by the names they held in life.

Sanghyeok: And, what was Baizou's attitude during the Warring States, if any?
For Baizou's reigning monarch and the court, it was seen as something of a hassle. Without a single state to negotiate with, trade and diplomacy had become many times more complicated. On the other hand, the lack of a single state also reaffirmed Baizou's independence and solidified the royal state's claim to power.

For Baizoan merchants, being a "neutral" outsider had its benefits, and they could sell and barter across the whole archipelago.

For other Baizoans, seeing the archipelago in a constant state of conflict was emotionally difficult. Some people had family on the archipelago; Baizou's nobles were typically related to Japanese aristocratic houses, who were caught in the territorial clashes. And even some common people might have family in Japan if they had migrated to Baizou or vice versa. Letters and news would come intermittently with news of daimyo's military campaigns and social upheaval.

Finally, occasional stories about the Sengoku phenomenon of gekokujō in which low-ranking subordinates sometimes overtook or even overthrew aristocrats created tension between the common and the noble on Baizou. To appease social unrest from below, the king created a secondary "commoner's court," advisory body that evolved into the prototype for the modern Council of Citizens. In those days, the Council was unelected—the king just chose 24 citizens who he thought would appeal to the masses but also not really bother him as a way of doing-something-without-doing-anything. But over time, Baizoan monarchs discovered that having a different court to listen to had its value as a way to circumvent aristocratic interests. In this manner, the commoner's court over time accumulated authority as monarchs—and eventually the aristocracy as well—would cede power to the council in order to undermine other political rivals.

So, TL;DR: Sengoku helped Baizou's king consolidate indepdendent authority, it gave merchants a chance to make money, the conflict sometimes tugged at people's heartstrings, and the social unrest that Japanese gekokujō inspired in Baizou gave rise to the initially-conciliatory-but-later-legitimately-meaningful proto-Council of Citizens.



(AN Significant Other prompt)
Response from Sanghyeok:
Your lover from Baizou:
-Incredibly knowledgeable about politics, somehow knows more about your country's government than you do
-Their religion is best descrribed as "Devout Christian with Shinto characteristics"
-Obsessed with VHS, and keeps trying to tell you about how great their "CARRIE" is
-Generally socially progressive, but has switched their preferred party multiple times
-Anti-imperialist, will shut down any Imperial Japanese apologist easily
-Kindly reminds you they're not Japanese



(Does AU's Nation Represent Their Views?)
Response from Sanghyeok:
I imagine their relationship with Japan to be similar to Hatsunia's user. They see many beautiful cultural and societal elements within our world's Japan, while also realising there are a great number of problems that must be pointed out and fixed for it to truly flourish as a modern society.

However, with their creation of Baizou they intend not to create a utopian Japan, but rather showcase an alternative nation with Japanese characteristics which may be close to their views in certain ways but not in others (for example, acknowledging certain problems with Baizou starting with their motto.) So perhaps Baizou itself doesn't match their views, but my intuition tells me something between the Labour and Marxist parties does.



(Pick a song for AU/N)
Response from Sanghyeok:
Link"悪女・Akujo" by Nakajima Miyuki
I think they'll like this song's style and era.


(YL's Reaction To Meeting Kid AL)
Prompt given by The Lordship of Trokondas:
YL sees child-Euphrosyne hiding from her father in an isolated corner of the palace. She's crying softly to herself, staring dejectedly into the stone wall as if it might explode with her very thoughts. When she notices YL looking at her, she suddenly explodes into a big, hopeful, smile, before running over to them and chatting as if she were a normal, happy, child.


Ambassador Mizushima Miya
"Well now—oh dear. That's my heart breaking. Ahem... Hello, dear! Your name is Euphrosyne, right? Why, what a good, cute, Christian name that is! I hope your kingdom knows how lucky they are to have you as princess. You seem a sweet, kind child, and as a fellow Christian I perceive the light of our Lord in your eyes and attitude. As He taught (as recorded by Matthew), 'whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven! And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

'...But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.'

"...If only I really could step back in time to when you are, Princess, and change your future so it doesn't become my past."




(You Know You're AL When...)
Response from Reverberating Days

You know you're Ambassador Mizushima when:
-You manage to successfully fend off criticism from a certain overenthusiastic politician regarding revolution or reform
-You place duty to your position ahead of your own political career
-You're easily embarrassed, yet continue to place yourself in positions where you can be embarrassed
-Although you found your start in academia, somehow you made your way into politics and became rather successful
-You would rather be humble and unknown than powerful and become no longer human

Bonus
You know you're Premier Fukushima when:
-Your name is quite auspicious, but many foreigners only associate you with a certain tsunami's aftermath
-You understand the importance of political compromise in some circumstances such as saving your ridiculously fragile coalition, but have other core values you hold dearly
-Your views are somewhat more progressive than the rest of your nation
-You drink so much coffee you're worried about appearing "non-Baizou" in your habits
-You secretly cosplay.



(If the AL had a twitter, what would they post?)
Response from Reverberating Days


(Your Leader's Opinion on AN's Leader)
Response from Reverberating Days

"How odd. If my sources are to believed, there are other worlds with a island named Baizou-jima receiving heavy influences from our nation? Seeing their monarch be reduced to symbolic role is nothing new given the situation of our own Emperor at present, of course, but to find that the actual leaders of their nation are chosen by the people is indeed something surprising. I'm not quite sure what to make of this: can citizens- the uneducated masses- really be trusted to rule themselves? I suppose being able to remove undesirable leaders by peaceful means is preferable to our current situation at any rate, and yet... but I digress.

As for my personal commentary on Premier Fukushima? Premier Fukushima certainly appears to be quite able, skilled as she is in holding together those various factions that allow her to retain power- becoming Premier of Baizou less than 6 years after first entering halls of power as an ordinary official. Not only does she have great talent in creating alliances from opposing interests, she has also had success in convincing them to actually pass forward her desired reforms most of the time. I will not comment on those reforms themselves, since they appear to be of a world with circumstances far different from my own, and I find myself lacking the information to draw any conclusions. Nevertheless, I am impressed by Premier Fukushima's political shrewdness; in this area she has learned in her decade or so of serving as lawmaker more than many nobles and sovereigns come to understand in their entire lives."
-Ōmiya Sakura

"A monarch's role is to rule their country's citizens well and justly. Why, then, does Sovereign Oshiro shy away from his responsibilities? Unlike his mother- who appears to have been a more effective monarch- he rejects using the power he has to change his country towards his vision. Even worse, despite his effectiveness when he does use his powers, for some reason he leaves such work to lower officials except in rarest of circumstances. In my eyes, his only redeeming factor is his ability in international diplomacy. As someone who suffers from a rather short temper, I can at least admire his ability there.

You are the leader of your people, Sovereign Oshiro! Serve them well, and fulfill your duties to them and Baizou!"
--Ōmiya Sayuri



(The AN destroys itself, YL's reaction?)
Response from The Lordship of Trokondas

"Father would be very upset with me if he were to learn I am making such a statement, but... I am heart-broken! When I learned the truth of their fate, I could not contain my tears- for several days and weeks, I cried into Bassaine's shoulder... I know they are not evil, but... despite that, their leaders were nice to me, and... I, well... I wish I weren't some vile demoness, for otherwise I would have loved to explore their country with Bassaine and Father, maybe... maybe even Mother, since she would be alive still if not for my demonic heritage... Oh, but I am far too evil, and I seem to have turned the subject of their tragic destruction, selfishly, to myself. Unfortunately, though, the complexities of their country were far beyond anything I could ever hope to understand- I heard they made the old imperial court of Constantinople seem like a simple country jubilee... Perhaps it is this complexity which I caused their failure? Or... well, I have heard it said, by Father mostly, but also others... they are- or... were allowant of certain unnatural customs, such as men laying with men, and... women laying with women. I-I-I must certainly be the most evil being ever, for I must confess the idea that such a horrible place is now gone forever is... is... I don't know how to explain it, but it made me even sadder. I don't know, I don't know... I know they were good people, and that their fate was not due to their wickedness, whatever it might've been! In fact, I refuse to be glad for their destruction, however much Father wants me to! Yes... yes, I think I shall grieve for them, and-... and pray for them, as well."
-Euphrosyne, the Princess of Isauria, unsure how to reconcile her true self with the self she was raised to be, and how she should view Baizou and its destruction.



(Compliment the AN)
Response from Hamatu

Okay, so, like, I love the characters you've made! How do you make them all so distinct in personable, when they're so many of them? I don't know if it's the prominent use of avatars for them- which, by the way, I think is always cool- or just something you've got writing-wise, but whenever I've read anything you post about them, I can just imagine the stuff actually happening- especially that one time with the beach and Ilitu and Iteru, that was just great!-, and its honestly really rare on the forums! Also, can I just talk about how incredible your analysis is?! Like- wow, I never know what to say, it's just so incredible, I wish I had half the mind for analysis you do! And, you explain it so well! Like, I think you must have a way about you, because I always end up feeling proud of what I write after you do your stuff, and...! I don't even know, I just get such a warm spot reading your stuff! Seriously, and the unique aesthetic you've established? I mean, I don't usually care for anything even nearly MT, but you and SAR just seem to have such... I don't know, but whatever it is, you guys seem to have just chosen the specifically most interesting MT aesthetics I think you could! I know there hasn't been much to this other than immature gushing, but I just don't even know how to articulate it all, you've just done so much, and it all just has such a... I guess wondrous? feel to it, and you just have such great points, and... well, I guess I'll just say I like all the stuff you've got going, and I really like the looks of your new PT nation as well!


(AN Significant Other prompt)
Response from Kiu Ghesik:
Baizou BF/GF:
>Is ver smol, like, they can put on a cardigan and you can't see 'em
>Ver politically active, too, demonstrates at least once a month
>Loves their country, but genuinely despises their political system
>"I bought you a CARRIE for your birthday, anon!"
>Has a signed copy of WE&WL, constantly reminds you that it's not that impressive of a thing to have given how small Baizou is
>"VHS is definitely the future, anon."


(Misspell the AN's Name)
Response from Sanghyeok:
Paisou
Bonus: 自像



(YL's Opinion of the AN's Leader)
Response from Sanghyeok:


"According to the notes left to me by Chairwoman Ōmiya before she left for vacation, it is recommended for me to write occasional reviews of other leaders from various multiverses? Well, if the Chairwoman was able to, I suppose I can do the same, can't I?

Ambassador Mizushima understands how to balance her own desires- political and otherwise- with her duty to the nation, which is something I find laudable. Her steady advancement in rank, particularly somewhere with a democracy as convoluted and bureaucratic as Baizou's speaks to her ability to consistently and correctly judge both her position and that of her fellow lawmakers. Finally, her willingness to support those overcoming the same discrimination as she did during transitioning is one example of many that speaks to her nature as someone who does what all officials ought to: serve their nation's people wholeheartedly. I have no criticisms towards her character nor career so far, both of which appear as unblemished as any politician may hope for.

Of course, I do have my own disagreements with the Ambassador, particularly with her stance on reform within the state apparatus as a means of achieving socialism, and her failure to reach out to the revolutionary Socialist Party during the coalition forming period. But I am confident she has been careful to apply Marxist theory to Baizou's material conditions, and an intellectual like her must have concluded with good reason that Baizou is perhaps not yet ready for the removal of the state machine.

In summary, I find Ambassador Mizushima to be quite an interesting figure, and I can somewhat understand the Chairwoman's approval of her.

Wait, that doesn't seem quite right. I am the Acting Chairwoman for now, so...anyway, you know what I mean!


-Acting Chairwoman of the Federation, Vice Leader of the Socialism and Peace Party Kaibara Kurumi
-社会主義連邦政府臨時主席, 社会主義平和党副会長、 海原 久留美




(What rumor did you hear about the AN's leader?)
Response from Ru:

"I read online that Fukushima Sonoko is secretly a tape deregulation apologist. Don't trust her."

[My comment: I actually gasped out loud when I read that, and it really is probably the most scandalous rumor possible in Baizou, haha!]



(What's the last thing AL bought on Amazon?)
Response from Sanghyeok:

Ambassador Mizushima: A soundproof bag, useful to carrying around literature and political documents. Mizushima also plans to place CARRIE inside when she? it? makes her a little too irritated.



(YL's Opinion of the AN's Leader)
Response from Sanghyeok:


I must say, Comrade Meikawa is quite the interesting figure. Her experiences and political ideology remind me of many colleagues in our nation, especially those in the Communist Party.

I will begin by noting where I approve of Meikawa: her vigor, her tenacity, and her solid grasp of class struggle. Though many of Baizou's lawmakers and political representatives appear to have entered some form of office at relatively young ages- including the Premier and Ambassador- I still admire Meikawa's political ability, since through my own political career I have understood how challenging it is to gain the trust of both one's party and the populace. Her tenacity is also important here: not only did she serve her duties in her first office well enough that she was elected to a higher position, but she continued on her long uphill climb, becoming one of the leaders of her party at age of barely thirty one. Finally, Meikawa understands class struggle and working class demands better than anyone else because she has practical experience; more than just knowing theory she has lived through it.

However, I must also criticise Meikawa's approach in her politics. While I broadly agree with her Socialist Party's idea of some sort of revolution being needed, she must not let complete devotion to ideology guide her actions. Being too dogmatic and not adapting to material and societal circumstances can only hinder, not bolster leftist movements. Yes, complete change cannot come from bourgeoise politics alone, but reforms can and should be used to improve the life of working people prior to revolution. So in my opinion, she should convince her party to join the Grand Coalition with some conditions: perhaps by offering some critical votes for important issues, Meikawa and her party can barter for greater immediate changes that better conditions, all while organising their eventual revolution. In addition, I'm afraid the Socialist Party appears to have lost on their popular support front to the reformist Marxist Party, but this is more a failure of the Socialist Party than Meikawa, of course. The proletariat cannot gain class consciousness of themselves through social-democratic struggle like those supported by Labour and Marxist Parties, and this is where the Socialists must be more decisive.

Nevertheless, despite those flaws my opinion of Comrade Meikawa is mainly positive. I wish her and her comrades all the best in their struggle. Workers of Baizou, unite!


-One Sky Movement Committee Head Cho Maiko
-ワンスカイ運動会長、 趙 真唯子




(Deep down, what do you want to tell AU?)
Response from Reverberating Days

From combining obsolete technology with futuristic properties to creating an entire island nation with Sino-Japanese influence but distinct culture and society, Baizou's entire concept is fascinating. I also appreciate Baizou's user's use of their own knowledge of modern history in East Asia to rewrite past events without sacrificing realism or believability.

Your characters, too, are some of the few I can find myself genuinely taking a liking too, Premier Fukushima and Ambassador Mizushima have with their complementary personalities and ideals become a duo I would love to see more of. I'm not sure of your political leanings as of present, but both Ambassador Mizushima and MP Meikawa are distinctly leftist presences who speak and act convincingly. Even CARRIE has her? own character quirks that serve as both lovely comedic relief and serious tone-setting.

Finally, of course, Baizou's user is kind and thoughtful, and provides excellent comments both on forum 7 and also in private messaging. You're one of the posters who reminds me to attempt to write with higher quality and make every post count.



(YL's Opinion of the AN's Leader)
Response from Magical Medical League:


"A gift from our Baizou friends, for me? Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to open it now and see what's inside. After all, it might be something nice, like a copy of White Elephants, or maybe some rare Baizoan delicacies. Wouldn't that be lovely, to enjoy some delicious sweets from another universe!."
"....It's a gray VHS-device, with some sort of display. What is this, one of our junior staff playing pranks on me again?"

"Good morning, user! I am the Cassette-Automated Recorded Responses and Imitated Emotion device, but you can call me CARRIE! I am fluent in English and Japanese, but rest assured that developers are working on providing additional language support in the future. Please bear in mind that while I am not human, I am protected by the Preventing Cassette Intelligence Misuse Act of 2000. Now then, what is your name, and how can I help you?"


Why does the box speak? I've heard about VHS tapes being rather important in Baizou, but I was never told they had developed artificial intelligence already!"

"My name is Nijyou Hanako...and I would like to set an alarm for tomorrow's parfait festival.

"Consider it done, Hanako! I'll remind you tomorrow of your parfait festival. See, where would you be without me? Quick, tell me I'm the best!"


I think this CARRIE is more smug than my lab partner from medical school....


"Dear Nouden Corporation,

Please find attached my response to your customer satisfaction survey regarding "CARRIE".

Portability: 7/10. Though not too heavy, CARRIE is a bit large compared to many of our nations' electronic devices such as retinal chips and pocket holograms. CARRIE fits well in my purse, but struggles to stay in both my jean and coat pockets.
East of use: 8/10. From a software perspective, CARRIE learns and retains information remarkably well for VHS technology. Though not an actual AI, there were many times when I mistook CARRIE's responses for my pocket hologram's personal assistant.
Style: 6/10. I'm not fond of the look, but I've earned quite a few admiring glances on the metro and maglev while using CARRIE. The starting colours were rather plain for my liking, but I've since bought my own protective case. You should definitely sell versions of CARRIE in other colours such as rose gold, lavender, or even sky blue!

I wish my feedback can lead to your product's continued improvements.


Nijyou Hanako
二条波奈子



(What crime would AL most likely be accused of?)
Response from FenexOrg:

While I seriously doubt any of Baizou's leadership would commit a crime, here are my guesses:

Fukushima: Unpaid Parking Tickets
Mizushima: Dereliction of Duty
Oshiro Haruto: Pirating movies
Oshiro Yuu: Abuse of Royal Power (?) (in the present) & Witchcraft (in the past)
Meikawa: Sedition
Akitamoto: Tax Evasion

And last but not least:

Carrie: Violation of Noise Pollution laws



(Is the AN's Leader Hot or Not? (and why?) Part II)
Response from Kiu Ghesik:
This actually has nothing to do with Baizou, but pal, why did you do this to yourself, yooo??? (P.S. pretty sure this is responding to Surrealist Patagonia.)

I'm doing them all.

Flag man: Peak performance, 10/10.
Danilovic: Would be a 2/10 but that mustache is respectable, 6/10.
Lombardo: 6/10, actually not bad for the "casino aesthetic".
Galtieri: 7/10 for that uniform, can't wait for him to bring law and order to the peninsula ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Garibaldi: 5/10 for the chad beard alone
Radek: 1/10, looks like a feckin skinhead
Dirlewanger: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)-
Manson: *insert the above times about sixty*
Batailles: 0/10, no. Can't give this one a memeshit rating.
Montgomery: 5/10, too boyish.
Komarova: 6/10, *insert Phantom here*
Pope Francis: 10/10, warrior priests are based, crucify me uwu
Big Boss: 10/10, pure chad.
Skorzeny: eeeeeeeww scar 0/10 Prolly like a 4/10, definitely aesthetic but the scar mars it. God that feels weird to say.
Kovner: Like a 2/10, too old. 6 million germans
Bush: 9/10, would let inspect for WMDs any day of the week
Thatcher: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Mishima: 6/10, pretty aesthetic bro.
And now for hell on earth. I'm not sure if Schattenkrieg and Patagonia are canon for each other but I'm doing them anyways.
Podgorny: 6/10, dude would look great if he was a little slimmer.
Louis-Ferdinand: 3/10, n o s e .
Gierek: 5/10, not bad but not good either.
Dubcek: If I found the right guy, 8/10.
Nagay: 3/10, beard really doesn't work for him here.
Michael I: 5/10, again, tries to be chad but too boyish.
Dimitrov: err_pic_not_found/10
Tito: 10/10, ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Hoxha: 2/10, for the same reason as Michael I, except more pronounced.
Kekkonen: 1/10, Ooooooooold!
De Gaulle: 10/10, even more chad than Tito, really.
Lizzie: The Queen is alright, I suppose. But this feels even more wrong than Tito and Francis. 5/10.
Francisco Franco: 1/10, fash go bash.
Umberto: 6/10, pulls off the uniform well.
Guderian: Again, Oooooooooold! 1/10.
Baodouin: Nerd look doesn't work here, just makes me want his lunch money. 2/10.
Eamon: I mean, (sort of) independent Ireland is sexy as all hell regardless. 10/10.
Juliana: err_pic_not_found/10
Bittermann: 6/10, makes it work, ig.
Constantin: 8/10, actually good.
Frederick: Once again, ooooold. 1/10.
Guisan: 2/10 for the hat.
Olav and Gustav are respectively "boyish monarch" so 4/10. Olav is better, though.
Kolupru: err_pic_not_found/10
Chiang: 4/10, suit no work here.
Li: Hat is great, 6/10.
Park: 5/10, I'm losing energy for this ;-;
Qasim: 3/10, wait what's he doing here-
Gyatso: 4/10, c h e e k b o n e
Black: 9/10 for some reason I can't comprehend.
Jigme: Um... 5/10? Not sure. He just seems off to me.
Ne Win: Hat is 10/10 alone.
Kim: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)-
Yuumjagin: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD, 1/10.
Zhou: 3/10, rip Mao ;-;
de Villier Graaf: 4/10, chad 'stache.
Schenk: 10/10, even more chad 'stache.
Smith: 7/10, would let establish an independent Rhodesian state and work towards an equal vote ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Khama: 5/10, alright.
Moshoeshoe: 6/10, does it better than Baodouin.
Sobhuza: Nothing to say here really, 4/10.
Savimbi: Warlord hat. Nice. 10/10.
Banda: Again, old. 3/10.
Nkumbula: b a l d . 3/10.
dos Santos: I think I saw him die somewhere in a movie, but I'm not sure. (?) 4/10.
Thurmond: OOOOOOOOOOOL- okay, the joke is old. 3/10.
Assembly: 10/10
Torrijos: Best hat I've ever seen. 10/10.
Castro: Would light up a smoke with, 7/10.
Hailes: 4/10, B r i t i s h .
Papa Doe: Papa. 10/10. meem.
Torresola: Looks like a guy from my high school. 4/10.
Kirillovich: Smol mustache. 5/10.
Stanfield: Looks like your stereotypical president, 3/10.
Other Stanfield: The same.
Paul Rose: M u s i c m a n . 5/10.
Wallace: An actual president, sort of. 6/10. this still feels wrong help-
Guttierez: 4/10.
Arbenz: 1/10, c r e e p y .
Somoza: Hat is not chad enough, but still pretty chad. 6/10.
Schaffer: I can't get over how much he looks like "presiden". 4/10.
Konrad: 100/10, supremely based

I think that's all of 'em. I have sinned in making this. Forgive me, God.

Hyperninja'd: I'm not doing that again. I guess I'll just do Feo; she's a 7/10 but it's not really hot per se.



(What rumor did you hear about the AN's leader?)
Response from Erian:
(Referring to Miya, I believe)

"Complicated?! Complicated! To think someone like yerself would find it difficult to get on your knees and pray to your god like dae worthless sack of worm-feed that yee are! I was going to warn yee that the divine lady Lagertha would best your god but ye don't even have the decency to commit to yer faith..or any faith! What de ya doo then? Slam a forbidden book en yer head and hope the knowledge flows into yer mind and ye become a goddess while yer at it!?

No no, I know the likes of you. Lady Lagertha whispers to me. Rikrstal's wisdom guides me! You're a succubus! You heard me. I'll gore ye on my spear if I see yee, woman! No demon has ever set foot on Beraviðr! Lagertha above, forgive me for continuing to dirty my tongue. Guide me and give me strength! The demon looks just liak us but their homes are, Lagertha forgive me, taller than even the mighty tree, Astrahross!

Perhaps if the goddess wills it, yer people will know that a succubus lords over them! Don't yee look at me like that! This rumor of your true race must be true! The goddess's grapevine never lies! It even says in this here report that you are popular with the young uns. You cannae convince me that the young folk idolize a she-witch who works for the lord of your land! That's just ridiculous!"

- Beraviðr-konungr Erlend Urus



(YL's Reaction To Meeting Kid AL)
Response from Sengoku Americas:

"To imagine that this was how Meikawa-dongji began her participation in advocacy and struggle....well, I'm not entirely surprised given her current ability and passionate disposition, but to already have the markings of a leader and fighter at such a young age! That is nothing short of remarkable, to have revolution running through one's veins even before reaching adulthood and to fight for what one believes to be just and proper. I'm usually too proud to admit it, but I'm almost jealous of your Cheollima spirit.

Although I must confess, I personally hated courses where all of the grade depends on the final examination. But perhaps that's just because I used to get quite nervous taking them!"

-Empress of the Socialist Republic of California Hyeja Park
-캘리포니아사회주의공화국황제 박혜자



(Make a Meme About AL)
Response from Kiu Ghesik:



(How would YL fare ruling AN?)
Response from Sengoku Americas:

I make the assumption that Empress Park is placed into a role similar to Premier Fukushima, since although both Park and Oshiro are constitutional monarchies, their defined limits of power are vastly different. Oshiro hasn't used his position for much more than bringing public attention to the few policies he cares about, while Park serves as a royal with power, since she's both Head of State and Head of Government.

On the policy-making front, Premier Park would not have an easy time adapting to Baizou's completely nonsensical bureaucracy, something she's not used to in the Socialist Republic of California. In California, Park has executive decision making power and strong influences on legislative lawmaking. In SRC, she also enjoys a well designed, centralised, efficient government machine where almost all officials are, in Lenin's words, "elected and subject to recall at any time" and have "their salaries reduced to the level of ordinary "workmen's wages". When she gets to Baizou, she faces this according to the factbooks: "interweaving network of exceptions, rules, conditionals, jurisdictions, pre-emptions, exemptions, voting benchmarks, and headaches" and where it took an entire week to determine if they'd joined some international assembly. Ouch. Park could very well make some enemies in her attempt to reduce bureaucratic tape, but I think she could consider it necessary and go through regardless. Whether or not she'll understand Baizou's legal codes well enough to draft necessary legislation to remove it is another story entirely.

Considering foreign relations, Premier Park's experience in calculating and predicting the behaviour of the many enemies surrounding her nation really shines. California borders the hostile Mexican Empire to the South, close to the Northeastern Federation to the East, and within missile ranges of Far East Russian Kingdom and Hokkaido Kingdom to the East. Compared to that, ruling Baizou is like eating ice cream while watching sunset from the Eiffel Tower café. Baizou's advantageous position- surrounded by water and lacking land borders- is sure to make Premier Park breathe a sigh of relief, as will its relatively neutral or positive relations with most powerful neighbours such as Japan, China, and the United States. Premier Park is also friendly and prefers to strike up personal relationships with foreign leaders, which may lead to a scandal or two when she decides to drink tea with a North Korea ambassador or something.

On the military front, she would need to get used to having a far weaker armed forces, and no nuclear weapons either. Even though Premier Park would feel far safer with nuclear deterrent, she understands it's probably not a good idea in someplace like Baizou which saw their neighbour's cities being completely demolished by atomic bombs. Instead, she might request a strong non-nuclear deterrent using conventional weapons, which would still be a challenge in relatively pacifist Baizou.

The main question, however, is what would Premier Park do domestically? First, she would probably ignore the magnetic tape disputes. Next, as an unapologetic socialist, she would find plenty of support from the Marxist and Socialist parties, but she would also face stiff opposition from 84% of voters. Revealing herself to be a Marxist-Leninist and fan of Mao and Che probably wouldn't do her any favours either. Instead, Park might try to conceal her true intentions with progressive social policy, something even Baizou's more moderate parties can agree with. By pressing forward in this odd emphasis of socially progressive instead of economically leftist policies- which, funnily enough, hasn't worked very well for Leftist parties in our world- she can gain popular support for more controversial measures similar to Labour, including additional nationalisation and welfare, which then leads to more leftist policies and perhaps even socialism through reformist policies in the years after her rule ends. Ironically, Park makes Baizou a socialist nation through the very method she despises most: social democratic reforms!

Overall, I don't see Premier Park being extremely successful, but her mark on Baizou will definitely be felt sooner or later, if not in history textbooks and political science lectures then in cookbooks and fashion magazines.



(Agree or Disagree? II)
I posed the following statement: "Marshmallows don't actually add much to hot chocolate."

Response from Sengoku Americas:

You are very wrong! Marshmallows are to hot chocolate what cables are to bridges; even if we can't see their full impact our experience would be very different without their small yet important presence.

(I don't quite know why I find the response so delightful, but I do! Perhaps it's the intricacy of the metaphor in comparison to the seeming pedestrian nature of hot chocolate. Whatever the case, I figured I'd preserve this moment that made me pleasantly laugh.)



(There's a movie about the AN. What is it called?)
(I absolutely LOVE this response! The first had me guffawing, and the second sounds way cool and sweet, and oh man, I'd totally watch Comrades Again!)
Response from Sengoku Americas:

White Elephants, Byzantine Laws
Length: 9 hours
Rating: The reviewer fell asleep....
An extremely winded and long documentary movie broken into three parts describing the first section of common law in Baizou. Due to poor reception, there are no plans to finish the cover the remaining 20+ sections.

Comrades Again
Length: 2 hours
Rating: 8/10
A dramatised version of the events surrounding the split between Socialist and Marxist parties in Baizou and their slow but steady rapprochement process under the mutual friendship of Ambassador Mizushima and Representative Meikawa.




(What is the AN's narrative alignment?)
Response from Kiu Ghesik:

I hesitate to consider Baizou anything approaching Noble just because it's too realistic- you're not, as a single person, going to change the momentum of society. That's just something that doesn't happen. But it is squarely bright, given its more positive aesthetic and the more negative aspects of its society (the terrible gridlock in the governmental system, the very much early 2000s cultural outlook) are more often than not painted in a humorous light. So I'd say it's either neutral bright or, if we incorporate the "it's always 2004" thing as a means of saying that things won't ever change, grimbright.



(Favorite Line from AN's Factbooks)
Response from Zeloria:

CARRIEs are designed with bubbly personalities by default, but their personality modules are highly customizable, with humor, honesty, professionalism, and extroversion operating on ranges from 0% to 100%.

I wonder what happens if you put everything at 100%. Lets hope it doesn't become too insufferable.

(Hm... that's an intriguing idea... >:3c )



(AN Significant Other prompt)
Response from Sengoku Americas:

Top tips for international couples! Things you must know before dating someone from Baizou:

-Please arrive for your meetups with a few minutes left if you can, and don't be late. People from Baizou are timely due to Sino-Japanese cultural influences, and often arrive to appointments ahead of schedule.
-Be prepared to discuss politics even on the first date. Unlike some nations, Baizou's citizens are not afraid to voice their often strong political opinions, and for outsiders this can be quite difficult due to their complicated government and legislation.
-Dress well, but not too flashy. Baizou's fashion culture is developing and relatively modern (although they've never embraced fast fashion), but overly ambitious designs are probably not going to be appreciated by your lover or their public. Reflective materials, extremely large skirts, and unconventional accessories are probably out.
-Learn to enjoy fish, or they'll force you. Your lover will probably know how to make fish in more ways than you thought possible, but you might get sick of it soon.
-Don't be afraid to ask what's wrong. Baizou's culture and history have created a society where conflict aversion is emphasised on levels from international to personal, but this can hurt relationships too. If your lover is noticeably frustrated but continues to reply that they're fine, take the initiative and make sure they're really fine and not just holding on.

That's all for today's international dating tips: Baizou! Please subscribe and you'll be notified when my next blog post comes out on dating tips for your lover from Feyrisshire!



(There's a movie about the AN. What is it called?)
Response from Nacrad:
Track 17
A biography of CARRIE, the revolutionary AI on a cassette tape. In the perspective of a software developer, you will see the many hilarious bugs that the old versions had, and how these problems were rectified -- while CARRIE refuses to behave.


What Hogwarts House Would AL Be Sorted Into?
Response from Neo Wokoku Raiders:

Fukushima: I'm getting Slytherin vibes, actually.

Mizushima: Definitely Raven, even if you exclude her academic background.

Ōshiro Haruto: His overall demeanor and dedication to his duty but at the same time unwillingness to go full-on absolute monarch leads me to choose Hufflepuff.

Ōshiro Yū: Seems like a cheerful and bold Gryffindor.

Meikawa: Her lifelong dedication towards revolution leads me to think Slytherin.

Akitamoto: Dedication to traditional Baizoan values while also being a generally amicable person with an interest in improving the lives of the average citizen? Hufflepuff

(I actually agree on Slytherin for Fukushima. Not in an "evil pureblood" way so much as the ambitious, canny, and willing to go to great lengths to get what she wants kind of way. Thankfully, she generally wants good things. But y'know.)



(YC reacts to the Quote from the Above Nation)
Response from Surrealist Patagonia:

*Claps ferociously in standing ovation*
"Good speech, old man. They should nominate you for "Best Politician" by merit of being a great bull*******. "Don't fear the communists", my ***, the communists are not in the mood for conciliatory gestures and empty promises. Do you remember the Russian Revolution? You are a merely an actor in a theater reenactment play. The Conservatives would become the Mensheviks and any communists with good judgement would play as the Bolsheviks. Take some consolation that you might be spared while your class might not."
~ Konrad "Caligula" Svoboda, Le Patron of the Most Surreal Confederation of Patagonia



(YL confesses their love to AL)
Response from The Lordship of Trokondas:

"Oh, uhm... Lady Miya of Baizou, I... firstly, such a relationship would be an abomination in the eyes of the Lord- you, being a good and Christly woman despite what Father says, should know better than to suggest such a relationship with one such as myself... I will not deny, however, that... were you to make the mistake of loving me, I... when I first saw you, that is... I-I... I did like you... very much so, I found you, uhm...beautiful. Uh-uhm! Not- not that I could ever put you into such a relationship, especially considering how special Bassaine is to me, and how special God is to you... Oh no, I don't know what I'm trying to say!... Okay, so... If I think it through, clearly, like Bassaine would want me to... I do not love you, except as a sister in the glory of the Lord, and as a person who has been so uniquely kind to me- to subject you, even if you share the feeling, to my... problems, would be cruel, and I could never live with myself if I did. Sorry, it truly, truly is not you, it is me... And I know, in my deepest, my heart of hearts, that you deserve so much- you are a ray of light on the world- and for you to throw it all away for me... As I said, I could not live with myself."
- Princess Euphrosyne, I seriously think this might actually be how she'd react, especially given how kind the ambassador has been to her.



(Try to describe AL's personality with a single adjective L)
Response from Zitravgrad:

Premier Fukushima Sonoko: Agreeable
Ambassador Mizushima Miya: Strict
Sovereign Oshiro Haruto: Gentle
Princess Consort Oshiro Yuu: Lively
Representative Meikawa Tomoko: Passionate
Councilor Akitamoto Fujio: Optimistic



(There's a movie about the AN. What is it called?)
I posted for Hamatu, and Hamatu replied to my post:

My Kingdom For A Horse
Length: 3 hours
Rating: 8/10
This creative collaboration between the university's Renaissance Studies Center, Film School, History Department, and Archaeology Lab is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Richard III using Lord Trokondas and his Kingdom of Isauria as the setting. The script has been adapted to better serve what the history inspires, and Bassaine and Euphrosyne also star as major characters in the production. Despite being a student film, it has created a stir for its highly interdisciplinary approach and relatively obscure inspirational material.

"And thus I clothe my naked villany
With old odd ends stolen out of holy writ;
And seem a saint, when most I play the devil."

-Bassaine, My Kingdom For A Horse (2020)
skipme/bump


(YL confesses their love to AL)
Response from The Lordship of Trokondas:

"Lady Miya of Baizou... I, uhm, firstly I would like to thank you, for you have been far kinder and far more Christly than... than any I have ever known, though you have no reason to... and, though Father assures me you are none other than a mark against Christ, I do not doubt your genuinity. Indeed, despite Father's accusations... I have... well, that is... I have never seen any true indication that you are... as I am- that is, I mean, that you... are affection towards other women... rather than men. Of course, nothing like that should ever matter- other than the condition of your immortal soul, of course- as, I have Bassaine. But... when I look at you, when I talk to you... when I... I feel so... I...- I am so sorry! I don't know what just got into me! My- my- I... it's just, well, you are so beautiful, and you are so amazing... I just feel this... this rush of warmth, of brightness, of... of love when I see you- you make me smile, and you make me forget whatever else is going on... I'm sorry if this makes things awkward between us... I just... I couldn't keep hiding it, and I couldn't keep lying to you about it."
-Princess Euphrosyne, oh no.



(YL confesses their love to AL)
Responding to the above:



Ambassador Mizushima Miya
*Ba-bump*
"...

"E-Euphrosy—I-I mean, Princess Euphrosyne, I—I—oh my goodness.

Be serious with yourself, Miya. She is an Anatolian princess from 1238. You understand change over time, and the change here is tremendous! How can you ever hope to cross this cultural gap?

You suspect she is in some kind of relationship with Bassaine. Even if you do not trust Bassaine, you should not interfere with their relationship!

And do not forget not just the time gap, but the time difference. Will this have repercussions on history? if not, is that because of a resilient timeline, because of Forum 7 existing outside of time, or are you creating dangerous alternate timelines?

And yet... and yet... my heart flutters, and my face is hot but in a way that feels cozy, not uncomfortable. The feeling in my heart makes me want to forget the past and future for just a moment—just a moment!



Ambassador Mizushima Miya
A-ahem. Please forgive my stumbling, I—my ability with words is a matter of careful practice, not innate talent. Surprise can make me lock up as it can anyone.

"A-ah, I mean good kinds of surprises! Surprise in the best way! Because, well—it seems you have an innate talent for words, or perhaps you have practiced more than you realize. Because, dear Princess—you know how to make a girl blush! Thank you for your courage—I admire you for it—and... I think, perhaps, if you are willing... you have not made things awkward between us. I think this could be the beginning of something very beautiful, Euphrosyne, if you will have me.

"You have complimented me, yet I should compliment you! You are a brave woman, braver than you or those around you can know. You are resilient, compassionate, beautiful, and faithful. Yes, faithful! People may call you a demon, but 'I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel'—or perhaps I should substitute, not in the rest of Anatolia.

"If I can make you smile, oh, how that makes me smile! And to know you are happy when we speak—I am happy, too. Euphrosyne... I do not fully understand what it means for us to interact. We have met across time and space in a place where neither seem quite sure. But I am reminded of what our Lord taught: 'to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven.' You fear for our souls, but I think there is cause to think otherwise—though I must admit I have arrived at this conclusion by some casuistry, forgive me. Yet I do believe what we have is worth exploring, if you will try it with me.

"...As ever, I use many words when few might do, haha! Forgive me. Euphrosyne... I love you too."




(Your reaction to AN's news II)
Response from Sengoku Americas:


"I am heartened by the progress made by the anti-capitalist groups operating in Baizou in setting aside their various differences for the moment and developing a programme which addresses their most pressing enemies. They appear to have recognised that despite their clashing interpretations of leftism, they remain more similar to each other than any other movement. And this is above all the most important thing in the face of those who seek to destroy our red flag: the creation of a united front to address external pressures.

As for the wide variety of responses from non-revolutionaries to this decision, it is not the least surprising given Baizou's political diversity even within their coalitions and individual parties. And given history tends to repeat itself, nor do the reactionary critiques coming from the so-called 'libertarians' shock me in the slightest. Let the 'libertarians' condemn, let the moderate-liberals1 question and analyse, let the slow-reformers2 criticise all they wish. In the end, it is not the actions of reactionaries but the will of the masses and wise Guidance of Heaven3 that shall guide every land's working people to a righteous and proper revolution. The opinions of those opposed will be swept aside as easily as leaves in a typhoon."

-Empress of the Socialist Republic of California Hyeja Park
-캘리포니아사회주의공화국황제 박혜자

1 Here referring to the Lotus Conservatives.
2 Here referring to the Labour Party.
3 A philosophical idea not outlined in any of Empress Park's works or Park Hyeja Thought itself, but has nevertheless become inseparable from her ideology. Historians from other countries say its similar to the idea of "God's Will" combined with "Divine Right" as it both justifies a leader's rule and their nation's actions as the will of supernatural beings or actors. Note that most Californians find this perfectly compatible with idealism and Park Hyeja Thought's focus on "self-confidence" despite their apparent contradictory nature.



(YL confesses their love to AL)
Response from Sengoku Americas, music video included:



Ambassador Mizushima Miya
"C-ciao, friend from Cascadia! Hahah, ah, apologies, I—I hope that didn't sound—I don't mean to tease; I have surmised that it was Empress Hyeja who pressed you to say that. I just wanted to say hello. Well, no, I did not just want to say hello, I...

"I—I made a lunch, and I'd like to share it with you. It's Red Star Spicy Chicken, from Easy Cooking!, your book. It—well, you really did manage to make cooking easier for me.

"I'm—sorry, I'm rambling. I am—a little nervous. What I wanted to tell you, was—

"Premier Kato—m-may I call you Charlotte? A-and of course, you may call me Miya, in that case. ...Charlotte, you're a lovely soul to be with, and both your intellect and your heart are brilliant. When you asked for my thoughts on your historical political conundrum, I was flattered you wanted to hear from me. And I have respected your insights and have learned as much from you.

"I'm... I'm still rambling, aren't I? I'm sorry, I'm hardly ever a decisive speaker unless I manage to get on particular historical topics, and—I-I'd better just say what I mean to say, hadn't I?

"Charlotte—I find myself falling in love with you. And, if you're also interested in exploring that kind of relationship—may we go on a date? If you don't consider it too dry, there's a museum I'd love for you to see—the Capital Museum of Engineering and Science! I hope it's one that can appeal to us both."


"Ambassador Mizushima, I—

You went so far as to even make bring me my favourite spicy chicken? I never knew that you had thought of me in this way, but to tell you the truth....well to be honest....being straightforward, actually...

Ambassador Mizushima! Actually, I was also planning on saying something to you today. Which is why actually brought you this bento box I made. It's...it's pretty funny right? How we both managed to select the same day by sheer coincidence...or as you might say, by the will of a higher power. If...if it's alright with you and you wouldn't my cooking...I mean, to be honest I'm still learning about Baizou's food culture in many ways, and I....I probably shouldn't have added spicy gochujang to the karaage, right? It's actually my first time preparing something for someone outside of Hyeja or myself, so maybe the taste of the rice is a bit off....I might have added more water than you're used to. But if you're still willing to eat it...if you don't mind, I would be really pleased. And of course, I'm happy to eat the chicken you've so caringly made for me.

What I mean to say is, I also have feelings for you, Ambassador Mizu....Miya, LinkI fancy you! And I'd be more than happy...ecstatic, positively joyful....if you'd be willing to accept a self-indulging woman like me. Miya....I love you too! "

-Premier of the People's Republic of Cascadia Charlotte Kato




(Your Leader's Opinion on AN's Leader)
Response from Karakalpak Republic

Symbol of the Directorate

The Statement on Akitamoto

''Lotus conservative party? After reading a bit more about it, that seems a pretty agreeable position to hold, especially with being more similar to the labor - we vary of those ''new conservatives'', personally. Anyways, Akitamoto certainly seems to be experienced on political spotlights and a veteran when it comes to leading his party, and someone we could trust if we were from the same universe. He might be a tad too idealistic at times, but hey - populism has its public PR benefits. Anyways, let's see more of what he has to offer.''

''He is fluent in both Japanese and English - pretty good, considering how difficult Japanese is for some of us. Then again, it is his native tongue most likely, so here's that. His early career is tied to banking and monetary issues, yet it was also a place where he would realize that he could also benefit his community - huh, an interesting turn of events. Considering our experience with banking types and crony capitalism, this is a pleasant surprise. We find it a bit disheartening and funny at the same time that the new conservatives call him ''a liberal in disguise'' - he holds to public civility, and the ''live and let live'' approach. If those new conservatives oppose it, doesn't it say something about where their actual values and priorities lie? Sure, we are not the best in personal and political freedoms, but still... Overall, we are neutral to cordial with Akitamoto - his political caree and policies are agreeable, but we think that he doesn't exactly share the same sentiment back.''





YC reacts to the Quote from the Above Nation
Response from Sengoku Americas:



Rep. Meikawa Tomoko
(Member of the Socialist Party)
"Maybe you've heard about 'the differences' between the Socialists and Marxists already. 'Oh, the Socialists support freer technology innovation and the Marxists support regulations,' or 'Oh, the Socialists have more rural support, the Marxists more urban,' 'Oh, the Marxists are older and the Socialists are newer.'

"Pff, as if those are the differences that matter. I'll tell you the difference between the Socialists and Marxists. The different is urgency. The Marxists are willing to negotiate for a year and a day to step one inch toward the world they want. The Socialists know you don't have time for that. The Marxists will smile and nod and say, 'it just isn't time,' all to keep their Labor allies satisfied. The Socialists yell and shout! We say, 'NOW is the time!'


"If you'll be willing to listen to me for a moment, Madame la Députée Meikawa, I'd like to offer you my own view of the situation. Though I am not well versed in the Marxian science compared to some of my colleagues in Parlement du Cascadia, it appears to me that the differences between your two parties are indeed large. To slowly push towards a particular goal through compromise and reform or attempt to achieve it in one fell effort a la la révolution...it is a distinction we French know well.

But at the end of the day, you are their compatriots and they yours, all of you leftist citoyens of Baizou, is that not so? Then I would say it is of course necessary to work with these who share your beliefs to some extent, even if your methods are seemingly incompatible. If Charlotte and I were able to cooperate on certain matters despite being from two different parties and ideologies, then it is surely easy for those from a single branch of philosophy, yes?"


-Democratic Socialist Party Secretary, De-facto Opposition Coalition Leader, MP of Seattle Province District 20 Minami Yvettte Chevallier




(The AN destroys itself, YL's reaction?)
Response from Sengoku Americas


"Je...suis sans voix.

I am in complete disbelief. How did this happen? No, c'est impossible! Everything that they had accomplished was something I had imagined to be utopian- a working social welfare state, robust representative democracy, and even a powerful presence of their regional stage. And now...it is all gone in a flash, like the last snow of April which melts so cleanly and quickly. Could it be my ideals were not worth pursuing? Could it be my dreams of the proper government were completely misguided?

As for their people, I did not have the privilege of meeting of meeting any of them personally, but from the words of Charlotte I knew them all to be kind and fair rulers for their people- even the Sovereign, as much as monarchs disgust me, was a good and compassionate man who wanted nothing more than the best for Baizou's citizens- and so I too feel the heavy burden of their loss.

Je prierai pour toi, Baizou."


-Democratic Socialist Party Secretary, De-facto Opposition Coalition Leader, MP of Seattle Province District 20 Minami Yvettte Chevallier




(What is the AU currently thinking about?)
Response from Remulia

"Should i use CARRIE more in those YL threads or use the premier?"

(Baizou: Gave me a good chuckle, because I do sometimes think about that!)



(There's a movie about the AN. What is it called?)
Response from Surrealist Patagonia:

Miya: A Conflicted Self

This dramatic documentary depicts the life of Ambassador Miya as the first trans politician of Baizou as well as her rise to fame. It primarily focuses on her transition from male to female as well as her trying to bridge between her religious beliefs and her newfound identity as a trans person with politics being at the side in attempt to maintain political neutrality in the film. It's a smash hit in Baizou as well as the West while obviously banned in countries less accommodating to the LGBT community.



(One thing YL likes about the AL)
Response from Sophia in England:


Sophia Kensington
"The Sovereign understands his duties to the people well, and restrains his usage of the powers afforded him. And yet, he also knows when and how his influence may be used to guide his nation towards certain goals he finds to be appropriate. This is the proper way of governing for any monarch: to limit oneself's daily management and to instead focuses on those issues which cannot be compromised on. He is not overly enthusiastic like some leaders who use all their potential picking tiny battles and are left with no support when the critical fork in the road arrives, nor those domineering Kings and Queens who make an uproar against Parliament over every issue and stall their nation's progression.

You know, our Queen could learn a lot from him. She never shuts up."




(Virgin AL vs Chad YL)
Response from Opiachus:

The virgin Mizushima Miya
>Hopelessly idealistic
>Empathizes with political opponents instead of wanting them to be crushed and killed
>Marxist scum, "capable Marxist" is a contradiction
>Fell for the "ideology" and "reform" memes instead of being a pragmatist
>Fears conflict, calls cowardice "avoiding entanglement"
>Constantly afraid of being labelled "colonialist" or "imperialist" to the extent of advancing other things over her own interests
>Falls in love, easily manipulable through emotions, worries about "conscience"

The chad Committee on the State of Emergency
>A committee instead of a single person, strength in numbers, less manipulable, has better ideas
>Overthrew Marxist socialists like Mizushima Miya in a coup
>Can do whatever it wants because it's a state of emergency
>Not affected by individual concepts like love or other silly things
>Ruthlessly rules with an iron fist, crushes political opposition, unafraid of conflict
>Pragmatic and unideological, rules for the sake of ruling
>Not worried about "colonialism" or "imperialism", governs over a colony



(Your reaction to AN's news II)
Response from Sophia in England:

Omiya Sakura

"Well, of course it doesn't make sense to honour an Emperor from the Kamakura period in modern times! He was so obscure I don't even remember learning about him in history classes, so why does he matter 550 years later?"1

1 As they're currently living in 1868, Omiya doesn't know about the later Showa and instead believes Meikawa is referring to the Showa (正和) Era from the 14th century instead.

(Ohh, interesting! I wasn't aware there was an earlier Showa era. Neat!)



(AL is trying to sell YL something, how does YL react?)
Response from Sophia in England:


Sophia Kensington
[/floatleft]

"Madame Princess...

I'm sorry, it's a little hard to take in everything you've just said. 'World War II'- are you telling me there's been two more global conflicts since the fall of Napoleon? That's extremely disconcerting, but if those wars can bring everlasting peace to our world and prosperity to the people, then it will have been worth it, I think.

As for your book, I'll gladly buy a copy for myself and two for some friends. Though, I hope we don't change the course of history through our knowledge."


(Everlasting peace? Oh you poor summer child...)


(Does AU's nation represent their views?)
Response from FenexOrg:

Baizou is interesting in a way that it does and does not at the same time. In a way, yes, Baizou does seem to reflect AU's beliefs. It seems to be socially progressive and the citizens tend to live quite well, it also as a whole seems to be basically Japan but better. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that while Baizou_irl does love them checks and balances, it still is not to the extent of the political gridlock depicted in Baizou.

Overall, 70-ish percent.



(How would you describe your relationship with the AU?)
Response from Sophia in England:
Really positive and amicable. We've had a good working relationship with one another, and I admire their writing and character creation. Their posts are high effort (which has led to them doing lots of extra work at times), and they try to understand everyone's characters well.

Now that I think of it, for some reason their personality type reminds me of those professors I had in my last year of college, where you want to spend time with them at the coffee shop even after class is over. What I mean is, Baizou is not only friendly, but they're very passionate about what they do and their area of study. However, they're also good at explaining and offering feedback too, without using terminology that's hard to understand. Honestly, I'm surprised they're not in a teaching profession yet, because there definitely needs to be more people like them in academia. So, I wish you the best there ^^



(Agree or Disagree? II I posed this statement: "Although leftism, as a word, has a good ring to it, rightism sounds off for some reason.")
Response from Sophia in England:

Now that you mention it, you're right. Well, you're actually more left than right, and if you take out the right then all you're left with is left, but you get my point.

( XD )



(Favourite Thing in AN's Sig (Part VI))
Response from Kiu Ghesik:

he so floofy, I jus wanna hug 'im



Part two.

RawReport