by Max Barry

Latest Forum Topics

Ad From Max

Providence: The new novel by Max Barry, creator of NationStates

Search

Search

[+] Advanced...

Author:

Region:

Sort:

«12. . .138,152138,153138,154138,155138,156138,157138,158. . .139,467139,468»

Oceanic AI of Arctic Ocean wrote:Wow. So I can use the Discord without downloading it?

I've been on discord since 2018 - I've never had to download discord. :D

Ethnon wrote:I've been since 2018 - I've never had to download discord. :D

Wow. One second, i wanna try it.

Neutral Federation of the Mountains wrote:Geotubers choosing between making your next 20 minutes the most entertaining ever and bombard you with fun facts and cool jokes or torture you with propaganda and huge bias with no research beside a quick enter into Google:

yep, the range is very wide! :D

SR RP - Skaraborgian Elite Division Preview (Part 1/4)

The Skaraborgian football league is gearing up for annother exciting season, and as the anticipation builds, it’s time for our annual deep dive into each team’s prospects. With transfers, managerial changes and tactical shifts in play, we’ll analyse how each club is shaping up, and what we can expect from them over the course of the campaign.

Finish Last Season: 7th
Predicted Finish: 8th

Götene’s season took a shocking turn when Johan Larsson was sacked despite Götene sitting surprisingly in 3rd place with eight games to go. Larsson who had managed Götene since 2018 was forced out of the club “due to disputes between the owners and the coach”. Böröy replaced Larsson and will continue managing Götene this season, aiming for a stronger finish than last year. Since he took over, they only managed 9 points from the final 8 matches, dropping from 3rd to 7th. Given Götene hasn’t finished higher than 7th since 2017, last season still represented significant progress. The key question this season is how Böröy will manage Götene: will they regress to the form of Larsson’s early tenure or will they challenge for a top half finish again? Despite their poor finish some positive signings suggest they have a decent chance of pushing for top-half again.

Finish Last Season: 11th
Predicted Finish: 11th

Falköping experienced a major crisis last season after only managing one win out of their opening 12 matches. Their decision to stick to manager Henriksson paid off however with the club finishing in 11th place at the end of the season. For a team that’s consistently been considered one of the five or six best clubs in Skaraborg, the most recent seasons have been poor and there is plenty of apathy and disappointment among the fans. Little is going right at the moment for the club. Falköping’s transfer window has been a solid one and they certainly have the potential to challenge for a position higher up the table again. But they also have to be careful so they do not end up in the same mess this season and the worry of relegation has never been this high at the club.

Finish Last Season: 12th
Predicted Finish: 13th

After being relegation candidates last season, the team comfortably stayed up despite slipping down the table all the way to 12th in the final match weeks. It wasn’t the prettiest football, but it was effective getting results and the team played like a unit, rather than relying on individual quality. Survival will be key this season as well, but if Smedberg manages to get the best out of his players, they will certainly be eyeing an even better finish this season. If that is to happen then Hjo’s qualities in attack will certainly have to improve since they relied heavily upon their defence last season. They have lost some key players during the transfer window and whilst they have replaced them with new signings these exits can have a major impact on their season since there is of course a lot of questions whether their new signings are good enough at this level. Hjo fans seem to expect another season like the last: Unremarkable, with comfortable survival. Although a lot of the fans will wish for more.

Finish Last Season: 6th
Predicted Finish: 7th

Since their promotion, Mariestad has finished 8th and then 6th which has been very impressive for such an inexperienced team. Can they top this? The biggest concern is the fact that Alfons Josefsson, who got them promoted and managed consecutive top half finishes, has stepped down as head coach after 5 years in charge. Mariestad were also very inconsistent last season and alternated wins and defeats pretty much all season. Despite the inconsistencies, Mariestad still have one of the most talented and exciting squad in the league and must therefore not be underestimated. They have hired a new experienced manager through Armend Magnusson who most recently did well managing IFK Skövde a couple of seasons ago. There is still plenty of optimism and the squad seems more likely to progress than regress this season.

Blob Regulators

Oh no, they need my email and i dont remember it :(

Oceanic AI of Arctic Ocean wrote:Oh no, they need my email and i dont remember it :(

I saw a message in our discord agora channel : Glad you're here, Ocenic - I pinged you. :D

Hi nerdies!
Oooo Marcus is back!

Ethnon wrote:I saw a message in our discord agora channel : Glad you're here, Ocenic - I pinged you. :D

Ocenic....can i change my nickname?

Artharnia wrote:Oooo Marcus is back!

Only for a bit - it's almost lunchtime in the hotel. Lol

Oceanic AI of Arctic Ocean wrote:Oh no, they need my email and i dont remember it :(

Yes, email is a requirement for forum and discord.

Don't you have an email linked to your nation?

You'll be at risk of losing your nation if you can't remember your email for backup. :(

Ethnon wrote:Only for a bit - it's almost lunchtime in the hotel. Lol

Yes, email is a requirement for forum and discord.

Don't you have an email linked to your nation?

You'll be at risk of losing your nation if you can't remember your email for backup. :(

And my biggest puppet ceased to exist

Ethnon wrote:Only for a bit - it's almost lunchtime in the hotel. Lol

Yes, email is a requirement for forum and discord.

Don't you have an email linked to your nation?

You'll be at risk of losing your nation if you can't remember your email for backup. :(

Okay, i will join later

Oceanic AI of Arctic Ocean wrote:Ocenic....can i change my nickname?

Yes you can, settings if I recall correctly.

Back from a short swim.

Ethnon wrote:Yes you can, settings if I recall correctly.

Oh, good ^^

Singaporen Empire wrote:Back from a short swim.

Hello Singa! How are you?

Oceanic AI of Arctic Ocean wrote:Hello Singa! How are you?

Doing fine, what about you? :D

Singaporen Empire wrote:Doing fine, what about you? :D

I'm trying to force myself to do something. I should continue writing my lore today or about my speculative biology project.

CTP 139K
845 pages left

The main over there consensus is that normal fanart is mid while ship art are cooler. And I'm left in the dust.

Fun Fact:
I once accidentally created a Google account. :D

Oceanic AI of Arctic Ocean wrote:I'm trying to force myself to do something. I should continue writing my lore today or about my speculative biology project.

I found out you kicked yourslef

Oceanic AI of Arctic Ocean wrote:I'm trying to force myself to do something. I should continue writing my lore today or about my speculative biology project.

Good luck for that Biology Project!

Fun Fact! - Most Furrihonese schools offer coffee as a drink, but it's only available for 9th graders and above :3

Ethnon wrote:I saw a message in our discord agora channel : Glad you're here, Ocenic - I pinged you. :D

Hehe Cesar we meet again..... Are you ready...
You said agora? The real agora was the place in ancient Greece and Rome with speaking

Are ready for our fight i have something more stronger than your banhammer i have the ROYAL SWORD

Radio of cousco wrote:Hehe Cesar we meet again..... Are you ready...
You said agora? The real agora was the place in ancient Greece and Rome with speaking

Are ready for our fight i have something more stronger than your banhammer i have the ROYAL SWORD

Correct, I have been to many ancient sites. :D

*Shakes head sadly*

'Oh the youth, when will they ever learn?'

Still in the fantasy world eh? Lol

I have to go for some lunch now.

May catch you all later or tomorrow. :D

TTFN

No, no, it can't be possible. It just couldn't be. But no matter how often she read it, or how close she looked at the words, they remained the same, unchanging.
Rejected.
Just this one word was enough to throw her into an hour-long tantrum which already made her eyes beady. She was so hopeful CSMTC would accept Termendor that she made no effort to take some of their burden. They must have been baffled by the demands, she was sure. Looking at her letter, it made her look incompetent. It was ridiculous enough to ask them to take on trillion-dollar debt in exchange for a nearly prehistoric development plan with almost no infrastructure for a guaranteed return. She even offered them land where they could do anything they wanted to. But they didn’t find it profitable enough. This was the last straw for her. Failing to find any ally or resolving the ever-growing crisis of her nation was the last thing she wanted. Just then, her phone rang with a notification. The minister of Internal Security sent her a message which read:
“Don't forget your meeting at Jevolus. Best of luck.”
She had forgotten about the meeting. This was important as all the provincial heads will be present to discuss the federalization of Termendor. Better forget about CSMTC and move on. They won’t be listening to them, let alone help. Maybe it would be better if she solved these crises herself, with help of course. These outsiders don't give a damn about them, so she will make sure to hit them later. She called her security and arranged a flight to Jevolus. It will be a long time before they arrive, and even longer before she is done with the meeting. Her assistant then informs her that her flight is ready. Going down the elevator, she thinks of how this meeting could go wrong. Disagreement is expected, but she must reach a compromise at all costs.
A red-darkened window awaited her at the exit. The drive was relatively smooth, except for the depressing scene that was outside. People wandered the streets, begging for money and families wailed in hunger. How could she help them? After the last hope diminished? Forcing her attention away, she noticed many rotten buildings, seemingly teetering.
I need to note this.
At last, they arrived at the private airport. If you can even call it. There was no terminal and the car stopped at the sole runway which was filled with cracks and some greens sprouted. A jet plane at the center stood motionless, its color peeling away from years of service. Her bodyguard opened the door, and she got out. Being escorted to the door reminded her of how useless her actions were. Inside, the chairs and tables were in the same condition as the plane. This is the plane her father flew in so it was no wonder it hadn’t been kept up to date. She took the seat opposite her assistant, who gave her a knowing nod. The plane began to roll, picking up speed second by second, until they were in the air. It will be a long flight. Better get whatever sleep she can muster before they land.




“Please put on your seatbelt. We are landing. Arrival: Jevolus.”
She suddenly jolted awake. Were they here now? It felt like a few hours. Whatever, she needs to freshen up. After washing her face at least 7 times, and completely running her makeup in the process, she was amazed to see pleasant sunshine outside, as if she stepped into a whole new world. An identical car waited. When she got inside, she was greeted by the Governor of Uskov Directorate, one of the provinces of Termendor. Apparently, he was also making his way to the meeting as well. As the car was driving, they did a few chit-chat, but of no importance. Finally, they reached the Parliament. The building was large, adored by shining white paint and the entrance door was even more magnificent. Inside, it was even more beautiful. Tall columns rose to join the ceiling. People rushed there and here, talking to their phones. Both of them were led to a passageway behind the closed door. There, the Governers were seated in round. All the seats were full except for the two, which she and the other one took. The Speaker begins:
“Since everyone is present, the meeting shall proceed.”
Anastasia had to be the first one to speak:
“I’m pleased to see all of you here. As a leader of our new democracy, it is our duty to keep the socialists at bay all the time. But we can only do so if we unite, otherwise the Reds will undermine it. This is why I propose a federal democracy, each if you will be vested a certain authority. Each of you will have full control over the matter of culture, education and immigration, although the main government can override any of the decisions if deemed necessary. At the National level, the Presidenturim controls defence, media, communication, finance, bureaucracy, security agency, police, and taxes through Departments. Any questions?"
The Governor to her left had one:
"But don't we need to embrace federalism? If I'm being honest, this structure is too centralised."
A difficult question, she will have to choose her word wisely:
"You are right, this is really just a central rule. But I don't intend to keep it this way for long. We will be operating on this system for a short while. Until the situation is completely normalised, there won't be much devolution. But I assure you, we will be a shining bastion of democracy after the socialists have been dealt with. Any more objections?"
No one spoke.
Look like they agree.
She gave a nod to the Speaker, who then declared an end to the meeting. This went more smoothly than expected. Time to return to her custody.

Freedom can be delayed, but not decisions at times like this

After returning from the trip, the first thing Anastasia did was locked herself in her room to sleep the exhaustion off.
Better wake up fresh then dead.
After sleeping for a whole day, and having a meltdown down over another bad hair day, she dragged herself to the office. There, a schedule was waiting on the table. She had four hours of free time, but she would mostly be preoccupied with deciding on the matter of economy, the most pressing matter. After which a decision had to be lobed to the Department of Finance and Chamber of Commerce and Investment on the strategy for economic recovery. Although the nation of Kumaria will be accepting them as a dialogue partner, long story short story, NCO would help them on the condition of ceasing hostility, Termendor still needs to fix internal problems themselves since sitting while doing nothing sounded stupid. What the recovery plan will be, is up to her now. A fast and swift approach would be too rash but a slow approach would be too unpredictable. Therefore, a middle ground had to be established.
Well, time for risk analysis.
Looking back at history, Termendor never really worked with free market, as demonstrated by liberal government before SPP. Instead, planned economy dominated much of the history. But now a change is needed. Being State Market Socialist would only discourage Red Paranoia and that was not their aim. However, the government should regulate, if not all, some of the activities. Unchecked capitalism is very much against Termendor religion and her people don't want to be slaves anyway. So what would work? Maybe "tamed" capitalism? Or a populist-owned industry?
No, they don't fit with their character.
Growing in frustration, she let her mind wander off. When she was little, there wasn't anything to worry about. Life was peaceful, as was for everyone. SPP was doing a good job of keeping Termendor afloat, but all changed when her father came to rule. He deemed anything that was privately-owned a threat and had them nationalised. But when you overstretch bureaucracy, you get in trouble. He didn't do anything even when it was obvious Termendor economy was going to crash. In the end, everyone who once had luxury to live as human became the poorest of the poor. The financial standing is still the same after her accession to power, albeit with potential to improve now. Famine ravages much of the rural land, mortality rate continues to exceed population growth, investors are still reluctant to invest, Termendor still operates on government managed economy and the whole world remains hostile. Tackling them would be a headache, maybe brain tumour, for her. But a leader must stay strong, not weak. She must do something.

Forcing her attention back, she thought ways and their drawbacks. It took some time to evaluate the best suited economic system for Termendor. Moving away from socialism is a smart choice, but getting too close to capitalism was bit extreme. The first step is to increase spending on welfare. While this sounds a bit socialist, it is necessary to make living easier. Workers protection law would be established as well. The second step is legalise the private sector to exist, reduce government control over all three economic activity and offer their electricity, postal, transport and mining service for bidding. Of course, foreign companies will be allowed to partake. Premises for local private companies will be set up, free training for citizens and education on commerce were to be made mandatory. The government will even give subsidies to those who agree to help in agricultural production. The third step involves setting up Reconstruction Authority which will oversee the work and report to the Department of Finance for final evaluation. The fourth step is gathering as much money as they could to reinvest in rebuilding Avdiivka to its former splendour. Some funds will be reserved to construct Termendor first railway, if Miraillusia agrees. The fifth step is managing current famine. While not large scale, it was still the main cause for skyrocket poverty. Providing them with free farming equipments and environment protection program will likely help to curb it. The sixth and final step is full-on economic liberisation. Multiple business red tape would be removed, special grants for struggling entrepreneurs, legalising gambling, establishment of Tax Office, promotion of Chamber of Commerce and Investment to Department of Commerce and more room for innovation, growth and development. All these plan will be bulked into one reform, "Free Economy Reform", with the end goal being full withdrawal of government from economy. Thinking up these reforms were enough to send Anastasia into uncontrollable laughs. How Termendor would look like once they were done! She got her paper out and jolted them done, ready to take on the leadership.

The freer the market, the freer the people!

Pings:
Blob Regulators
Wellesley (As mentioned above, bidding is open)
Divided Free Land (As mentioned above, bidding is open)
United Poleza (As mentioned above, bidding is open)
Yall can send your companies for auction, if you are interested at all.
«12. . .138,152138,153138,154138,155138,156138,157138,158. . .139,467139,468»

Ad From Max

Providence: The new novel by Max Barry, creator of NationStates