Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on Yesterday at 07:49:23 PMOne of the failures of the Free Democrats this term have been that we were so focused on getting a solution to the constitutional issue that we slacked off on Duty One of any opposition, holding the Government to account. And the outgoing TNC government, despite their Seneschal being a polite chap, did, as we say around these parts, the square root of not very much. The complete flop of the Database Commission, and the fact that our web presence is now on the incumbent MinTech's personal server, is perhaps the most shocking. The implosion of the TNC might make it more difficult to run on that in the election, but to the extent that individual candidates/parties were responsible in the outgoing Government, we can still question whether they'd do anything different next time.

Miestra, appreciate the honest self-assessment here as I know I criticized the FreeDems during the start of the term for not holding the Government to account. I recall asking "citizen inquiries" about the Data Commission, the OrgLaw Standing Committee, etc. in an effort to fill in the gaps. And I am relieved that we were able to finally solve the constitutional issue after years of jar-jarring.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on Yesterday at 05:41:32 PMIt is kind of fun, but it also means you become a "main character" in politics, with people from all sides lobbying you for your vote, to join their coalition, etc, and you make enemies as fast as you make friends. This is why we brought in the provision for "1 seat for new citizens", to bring in a low-stakes way to start in politics. For some reason people have just not been interested in that. Wild, as 1 seat in the last Cosa would have changed everything.

I know that I mentioned this as an option when I talked with new citizens. I don't know if it continued after I was MinImm. That may be why its use declined. But I am still glad to have co-sponsored the legislation and hope it will be used more in the future.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on Yesterday at 03:40:03 PMMake that four Té-En-Tzells now. I'm reminded of Karl Marx's saying that organizing the peasantry is like putting potatoes in a sack with holes in it. It seems that the TNC was something like that. Interested to hear what their two sitting Senators plan to do!

Also, it's been pointed out to me that the IND Party's call for "a more pluralistic approach to Talossan politics" is interesting given that the IND Party's leader was one of the loudest voices for a "TNC-only cabinet" excluding Sir Lüc da Schir, at the time of the last government negotiations.

I really like the term Té-En-Tzells.

* Full Party name: Open Society
 
* Party Initials: OPEN

* 50 word statement: Pragmatic, less ideological problem-solving in open, democratic institutions with cooperative, respectful dialogue. Despite controversy, I've sought to address problems while protecting those institutions, and demonstrated through the recent historic breakthrough on the King that this approach can work. I promise my best work and pray it will be good enough.

* Party Leader: Breneir Tzaracomprada

* Candidate list (additional names not expected but welcome): 1. Breneir Tzaracomprada

Quote from: Iason Taiwos on May 15, 2024, 03:37:43 PM

Quote from: Breneir Tzaracomprada on May 13, 2024, 09:10:53 AM

Quote from: Iason Taiwos on May 12, 2024, 07:57:28 PMIs there a way to make Fora Talossa's videos more up to date? This weather report was from awhile back. We had tornadoes in my area the other night, and I probably could have recorded a live, but crude video of the proceedings. (Not in Talossa proper, but don't the catchment areas deserve some love?)

Were you being serious here, Iason? I assumed you were joking because Fora Talossa is not a live news channel.

Perhaps someday...

This is a superb response.

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For those who think they may not like science fiction this blends mystery with sci-fi for something that is gently different. Just finished the first season in one big juant.

Quote from: Iason Taiwos on May 12, 2024, 07:57:28 PMIs there a way to make Fora Talossa's videos more up to date? This weather report was from awhile back. We had tornadoes in my area the other night, and I probably could have recorded a live, but crude video of the proceedings. (Not in Talossa proper, but don't the catchment areas deserve some love?)

Were you being serious here, Iason? I assumed you were joking because Fora Talossa is not a live news channel.

Fora Talossa is delighted to present this weather bulletin from renowned Talossan weatherman, Barclamiu da Miéletz

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It is my pleasure to announce the honoree for the 3rd El Pretz Per Tomas Poetry Prize. But first please allow me to thank @owenedwards the originator of this prize.

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@Ián Tamorán S.H. is the winner of the 3rd El Pretz Per Tomas Prize for his poem, Avançamantisch! I want to also extend my thanks for the honor and pleasure of reading your work at length, Ian, especially a first look at the magnificant forthcoming volume, Poesie. The winning poem is a part of the forthcoming volume and I am told it will be available in the near future if you, like me, wish to enjoy more and support his great work.

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OFFICIAL CITATION: Ián Tamorán S.H. (Avançamantisch)

QuoteDr. Tamoran's voice of wisdom and experience here is indeed at "Revelation's core," to borrow his wonderful description. Avançamantisch is a structurally tight piece with measured rhyme while also containing a play on the title. The melding of superb imagery, wordplay and tight form is evidence of superior artistic skill. Talossan art-lovers do not just want more works like this, it is a need.

Avançamantisch

"And did those feet in ancient times" walk on
Valorious, wander hill and mountain, take
Amazing leaps by boulders, gazing on
New vistas, in the freezing blizzard shake?
Cold clamb'ring down to shelter, safe and warm,
And further down, to sit by glowing fire,
Mild neighbours, family in their friendly form
Around you? Did you then no more aspire
In courage to ascend the hills once more?
Nor seek the danger of the open view?
True trembling lies at Revelation's core,
Standing in danger stark to see the new.
Courage or captive – you can make the choice
How from this moment we will hear your voice.

Ian reads the poem in our official announcement video here:

It is my pleasure to announce the honoree for the 3rd El Pretz Per Tomas Poetry Prize. But first please allow me to thank @owenedwards the originator of this prize.

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@Ián Tamorán S.H. is the winner of the 3rd El Pretz Per Tomas Prize for his poem, Avançamantisch! I want to also extend my thanks for the honor and pleasure of reading your work at length, Ian, especially a first look at the magnificant forthcoming volume, Poesie. The winning poem is a part of the forthcoming volume and I am told it will be available in the near future if you, like me, wish to enjoy more and support his great work.

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OFFICIAL CITATION: Ián Tamorán S.H. (Avançamantisch)

QuoteDr. Tamoran's voice of wisdom and experience here is indeed at "Revelation's core," to borrow his wonderful description. Avançamantisch is a structurally tight piece with measured rhyme while also containing a play on the title. The melding of superb imagery, wordplay and tight form is evidence of superior artistic skill. Talossan art-lovers do not just want more works like this, it is a need.

Avançamantisch

"And did those feet in ancient times" walk on
Valorious, wander hill and mountain, take
Amazing leaps by boulders, gazing on
New vistas, in the freezing blizzard shake?
Cold clamb'ring down to shelter, safe and warm,
And further down, to sit by glowing fire,
Mild neighbours, family in their friendly form
Around you? Did you then no more aspire
In courage to ascend the hills once more?
Nor seek the danger of the open view?
True trembling lies at Revelation's core,
Standing in danger stark to see the new.
Courage or captive – you can make the choice
How from this moment we will hear your voice.

Ian reads the poem in our official announcement video here:

Mick.
Braneu, this time, if you say to me "I hope you are happy" in Talossan then my answer will be yes. Talossa is better place with Braneu. Also, is Cafe Pressente still an embassy?

RZ20    The Flexible State Opening Act    Per
RZ21    9 to 5 Amendment Per
RZ22*   The Succession Amendment Per

VoC - Per

*Comments on RZ22: Just six weeks ago, on 15 March, I called for the immediate end to King John's reign in a speech to the Free Democrat party convention. This was not an easy call but was based on a renewed review of John's presence over my own term as seneschal and the subsequent terms of the Excelsio and Sant-Enogat ministries. Despite promises to do otherwise, the King's nonfeasance had indeed continued just as Miestra and Ian had warned during debates concerning previous reform legislation. The progress we've seen on this seemingly intractible issue through multipartisan discourse and cooperation have made these some of my proudest days as a Talossan and I express my thanks to Ian, Baron Davinescu, Miestra, Gluc, Therxh, Carlus, Dama Litz, Barclamiu, and Luc for their participation. I also thank King John for his invaluable service to Talossa, acknowledgement that he has not been sufficiently present, and affirming publicly his intention to abdicate once a successor is chosen. Thoughts of a new king Txec who will serve as a just and unifying symbol of an enduring Talossa lead me to enthusiastic Per on the amendment.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on April 29, 2024, 08:04:02 PMLast minute question, sorry to be a jerk. I would like to Clark this with the words "(or, if female, Queen)" removed from Section 1. Two reasons:

- I'm kind of nostalgic for the ancient Talossan precedent whereby "King" is a gender-neutral term. (I'd honestly kind of like to start a new one whereby the King's consort is called the Queen regardless of gender :D )
- It's a friendly gesture to any Talossans now or in the future who might not identify as either male nor female.

Honestly that was what I was hoping to do when I proposed Monarch but I like how using King as a gender-neutral term is in fitting with Talossan history.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on April 28, 2024, 04:52:36 PMI have no reason to believe that His Majesty has the intent to go back on his pledge to abdicate once he is "satisfied that there will yet remain to our Kingdom a monarch to safeguard her honours and her majesties". Emphasis added; the King is signalling the kind of person (with the kind of agenda) he hopes to nominate. It could be a long time before such a person can be found who would be acceptable to a Ziu supermajority.

I will consult my party ASAP but I hope we can still Clark this in time.

I hope we can move forward with both bills too. This seems like a remarkable opportunity for progress.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on April 28, 2024, 02:10:28 AMPerhaps what we need is for the Chancery every couple of years to check out the flow of new citizens, seeing where it's imbalanced towards or away from various provinces, and make a formal recommendation to the Ziu for re-catchment-ing?

When I drafted the previous catchment reform last year there was a proposal to make catchment area review a regularly scheduled (every five years) process conducted by the Ministry of Immigration. For reasons that are still unclear to me this proposal was opposed. But I still think the process would be better handled by the Ministry working in consultation with the Chancery.