Quote from: Béneditsch Ardpresteir on August 01, 2020, 09:31:27 AMIf you feel this is a fleecing, I wonder how bad you're going to take it when we introduce the mandatory Witt membership fee next term. Plus the 2% mandatory tax for citizens who earn more than $10,000 (USD) per annum to start our welfare programme for retired old growthers.Quote from: Glüc da Dhi S.H. on July 16, 2020, 04:47:16 PM
Getting worried that there might be a bit of an unfairness in the system in that parties can use (and are using) the electoral database to advertise their senate candidates, but senators not affiliated with a party do not have access to the same resources.
Perhaps the law (and the privacy settings in the database) should be changed to allow senate candidates access to the electoral database.
Especially, since the present Government of Talossa wants to fleece individual Senate candidates to the tune of half the party registration fees for the Cosa.
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#286
Wittenberg / Re: [Chancery] Rules and Registrations August (July) 2020 GE
August 01, 2020, 10:28:36 AM #287
Wittenberg / Re: Final immigration report for the 54th Cosa
July 29, 2020, 04:05:52 PMQuote from: Eiric S. Bornatfiglheu on July 29, 2020, 11:51:44 AM
For the 36 that failed the Townsend, did they seem to be bots? Or were they human individuals insofar as you could ascertain?
That's a good question and it may have accidentally answered why this here happened:
"I note that the number of spam applications has fallen drastically over time though, with them occurring in a short space of time over January and February with zero having been found in the months since."
The immigration form changed to include Townsend after February, and those changes would be near impossible for a rudimentary bot to pass. The applicant now needs to fill out a field with a hyperlink to a social media profile. I guess that it's not impossible for a bot to do, but it would need to be very clever to be able to fill out the hyperlink box in the correct context, as well as clicking to confirm several qualifying statements. So, by implementing Townsend we may have inadvertently solved the spambot issue that we were having earlier on.
To answer your actual question though, as far as I could tell the applications in question were made by real people. The form won't send to me if at least one social media link hasn't been provided and, as already mentioned, this leads me to believe all of the form receipts were sent to me by a human.
The reasons for failure were either (i) that the social media account was in the correct name, but was clearly a brand new account with little to no friends or posts, leading me to conclude that the social media account was created solely for the purpose of completing the citizenship application, or (ii) the social media account provided did not match any of the names given on the application.
I should add that in cases where the element of doubt was present I would shoot off an email to the applicant to try and find out more info. A small number of those instances did lead to the application eventually going ahead.
#288
Wittenberg / Re: Miestrâ has more energy than the rest of us put together. Vote FREEDEMs!
July 28, 2020, 09:04:22 PMQuote from: Txosuè Éiric Rôibeardescù on July 28, 2020, 08:21:40 PMQuote from: Eðo Grischun on July 28, 2020, 07:17:35 PMQuote from: Txosuè Éiric Rôibeardescù on July 28, 2020, 06:48:48 PMQuote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on July 28, 2020, 04:38:04 PM
With respect, J. R., you have absolutely no idea what Ben Madison was actually like. You're acting like a disgruntled schoolkid comparing an unpleasant teacher to Hitler. I'm not enthusiastic enough for a fight to tell you who in Talossa right now really does behave like Ben Madison, insofar as gaslighting and emotional manipulation, but I'm sure others can chime in.
There you go again making it personal, using my real initials. You yourself have told us that our history is worth reading and learning from. Looks like I have learnt enough to draw a comparison.
Thing is, the person making it personal here seems to be you. Miestra may be rough in her debating style, but at least the meat of her argument attacks the policies of the opposition. You, on the other hand, are doing just exactly what you claim her to be doing (though she isn't), and that being focusing your attack on her personality, ad hominem.
Miestra has put forward her argument that she disagrees with certain policies. Instead of retorting by defending those policies you choose to attack her personality and falsely equate her to our Nation's bogeyman from the past to down her.
I am aware that I am guilty, to a degree, here of playing "tu quoque", but still, and seriously, you might think you are somehow arguing the righteous and admirable position here, but you're just being the exact thing you are claiming to stand against.
I see the hypocrisy.
I just shouldnt have to point it out in the first place. the shoe sure as hell doesn't fit me, somone else will have have to wear it.
I wasn't calling you out on hypocrisy. I was saying you are flat out wrong.
#289
Wittenberg / Re: Final immigration report for the 54th Cosa
July 28, 2020, 07:26:22 PMQuote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on July 28, 2020, 12:02:18 AM
Thank you so much, Senator!
I guess this blows the "FreeDems-led government depresses immigration" narrative out the window. The problem is not the quantity of new applicants, but the quality; actually, this can be said for active citizens as well.
Indeed.
Immigration application stats at the first point of action are actually very good.
All the various steps in the process does weed that high number down to a low naturalisation figure, but there's a lot of merit behind "better fewer, but better".
#290
Wittenberg / Re: Miestrâ has more energy than the rest of us put together. Vote FREEDEMs!
July 28, 2020, 07:17:35 PMQuote from: Txosuè Éiric Rôibeardescù on July 28, 2020, 06:48:48 PMQuote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on July 28, 2020, 04:38:04 PM
With respect, J. R., you have absolutely no idea what Ben Madison was actually like. You're acting like a disgruntled schoolkid comparing an unpleasant teacher to Hitler. I'm not enthusiastic enough for a fight to tell you who in Talossa right now really does behave like Ben Madison, insofar as gaslighting and emotional manipulation, but I'm sure others can chime in.
There you go again making it personal, using my real initials. You yourself have told us that our history is worth reading and learning from. Looks like I have learnt enough to draw a comparison.
Thing is, the person making it personal here seems to be you. Miestra may be rough in her debating style, but at least the meat of her argument attacks the policies of the opposition. You, on the other hand, are doing just exactly what you claim her to be doing (though she isn't), and that being focusing your attack on her personality, ad hominem.
Miestra has put forward her argument that she disagrees with certain policies. Instead of retorting by defending those policies you choose to attack her personality and falsely equate her to our Nation's bogeyman from the past to down her.
I am aware that I am guilty, to a degree, here of playing "tu quoque", but still, and seriously, you might think you are somehow arguing the righteous and admirable position here, but you're just being the exact thing you are claiming to stand against.
#291
Wittenberg / Final immigration report for the 54th Cosa
July 28, 2020, 12:01:03 AM
Final immigration report for the 54th Cosa
Total number of immigration applications received by the Ministry during the 54th Cosa session and to date: 101
Of those 101, total number that went on to register an account on Wittenberg: 25
(22 of those 25 did so either exclusively on NewWitt or on both NewWitt and OldWitt,
while 3 registered on OldWitt but didn't migrate over to NewWitt)
Thus of the 101 applications received, 76 did not progress past the initial application stage.
Of those 76, the number of applications that would have gone ahead but the applicant just didn't go on to create a Witt account was 40. And, of the same 76, the number of applications that were outright rejected by the Ministry was 36.
Those 36 rejected applications were by and large made by people who failed to pass the new "Pete Townsend" (who are you?) test. This, as you may have noticed, is where the application form now asks applicants to provide a link to at least one social media profile for the Ministry to verify that the applicant is who they say they are. In all cases where this test was failed, the applicant provided links to social media accounts that were clearly fraudulent (usually a brand new account with no post history or friends list).
This is rather notable, in my opinion. In the past, I was of the view that immigration requirements should be loose and that the process of immigration should contain zero entry barriers. You will note my words during the election campaign for the 54th Cosa where I called for immigration to be completely open to any and all, as well as the numerous times in the past where I stood against introducing requirements for identity checks. However, since implementing the 'Pete Townsend test', the findings have changed my mind. It is quite clear to me that a considerable number of applicants are completely comfortable in attempting to obtain Talossan citizenship while concealing their true identity. Now, I am totally sympathetic to issues of privacy, which is why in implementing this identity check it is made clear to the applicant that the link or links provided are not stored in any database without consent and, further, we seek affirmative consent on whether the applicant wishes the links to be included on their public immigration profile or not. The thresholds of this ID test are very, very low. Yet, many choose to attempt to game it.
A further thought on this is that it can't simply be a new problem. This must always have been happening in the past but going unnoticed. I surmise, then, that a large number of previous applicants over many years may have been made using false names. To date, only one such case of a fully naturalised citizen having done this has been discovered (not counting the ESB affair), which leads me to think that almost all of the times that this has happened will have been with prospective citizens that never achieved naturalisation.
Finally, on this subset, a handful of the 36 rejected were nuisance applications or spam bots. The exact breakdown of these I don't have data for as they were deleted upon receipt, but it was single digits (around half a dozen-ish). I note that the number of spam applications has fallen drastically over time though, with them occurring in a short space of time over January and February with zero having been found in the months since.
As for the 40 applicants that did not go on to register a Witt account, I cannot provide any indication as to why that happened. In those cases, the applicant did pass the 'Pete Townsend Test', but simply failed to take action. We can only guess and speculate as to the reasons why.
As for the 25 that did create Witt accounts, 5 were naturalised. In many cases, the applicants either didn't post at all or when they did they only posted a small number of times before dropping off. In all other cases, the applicant met the basic requirements set out to achieve full citizenship, but no petition was made to the Chancery by an existing citizen. The exact breakdown of data for these cases has not been recorded, but can be found by viewing each individual thread within the immigration sub-forum. And, finally, of course, a small number of these 25 cases are still active applications.
Total number of immigration applications received by the Ministry during the 54th Cosa session and to date: 101
Of those 101, total number that went on to register an account on Wittenberg: 25
(22 of those 25 did so either exclusively on NewWitt or on both NewWitt and OldWitt,
while 3 registered on OldWitt but didn't migrate over to NewWitt)
Thus of the 101 applications received, 76 did not progress past the initial application stage.
Of those 76, the number of applications that would have gone ahead but the applicant just didn't go on to create a Witt account was 40. And, of the same 76, the number of applications that were outright rejected by the Ministry was 36.
Those 36 rejected applications were by and large made by people who failed to pass the new "Pete Townsend" (who are you?) test. This, as you may have noticed, is where the application form now asks applicants to provide a link to at least one social media profile for the Ministry to verify that the applicant is who they say they are. In all cases where this test was failed, the applicant provided links to social media accounts that were clearly fraudulent (usually a brand new account with no post history or friends list).
This is rather notable, in my opinion. In the past, I was of the view that immigration requirements should be loose and that the process of immigration should contain zero entry barriers. You will note my words during the election campaign for the 54th Cosa where I called for immigration to be completely open to any and all, as well as the numerous times in the past where I stood against introducing requirements for identity checks. However, since implementing the 'Pete Townsend test', the findings have changed my mind. It is quite clear to me that a considerable number of applicants are completely comfortable in attempting to obtain Talossan citizenship while concealing their true identity. Now, I am totally sympathetic to issues of privacy, which is why in implementing this identity check it is made clear to the applicant that the link or links provided are not stored in any database without consent and, further, we seek affirmative consent on whether the applicant wishes the links to be included on their public immigration profile or not. The thresholds of this ID test are very, very low. Yet, many choose to attempt to game it.
A further thought on this is that it can't simply be a new problem. This must always have been happening in the past but going unnoticed. I surmise, then, that a large number of previous applicants over many years may have been made using false names. To date, only one such case of a fully naturalised citizen having done this has been discovered (not counting the ESB affair), which leads me to think that almost all of the times that this has happened will have been with prospective citizens that never achieved naturalisation.
Finally, on this subset, a handful of the 36 rejected were nuisance applications or spam bots. The exact breakdown of these I don't have data for as they were deleted upon receipt, but it was single digits (around half a dozen-ish). I note that the number of spam applications has fallen drastically over time though, with them occurring in a short space of time over January and February with zero having been found in the months since.
As for the 40 applicants that did not go on to register a Witt account, I cannot provide any indication as to why that happened. In those cases, the applicant did pass the 'Pete Townsend Test', but simply failed to take action. We can only guess and speculate as to the reasons why.
As for the 25 that did create Witt accounts, 5 were naturalised. In many cases, the applicants either didn't post at all or when they did they only posted a small number of times before dropping off. In all other cases, the applicant met the basic requirements set out to achieve full citizenship, but no petition was made to the Chancery by an existing citizen. The exact breakdown of data for these cases has not been recorded, but can be found by viewing each individual thread within the immigration sub-forum. And, finally, of course, a small number of these 25 cases are still active applications.
#292
Maritiimi-Maxhestic / Re: Notice to Voters in MM Senate Election
July 27, 2020, 09:59:03 AM
I didn't realise the family connection. The two Davinescus aren't related. It makes sense now seeing as your surname isn't particularly common.
#293
Maritiimi-Maxhestic / Re: Notice to Voters in MM Senate Election
July 26, 2020, 10:27:31 PM
Today I learned that Ian's dad is a Talossan citizen.
***
This situation reminds me of several similar situations that have arose in Vuode between myself and V. As far as I can remember, both of us, even at the height of our previous hostilities towards each other, always voted against ourselves in favour of the other on final deciding votes.
Whenever a vote has come up concerning myself, such as my recent nomination for the Senatorial Medal of Honour, I have abstained.
To be in the position to hand yourself the casting vote and then follow through and actually hand yourself the casting vote would be utterly shameful. George W. Bush and his daddie's buddies would be proud of such a move.
The fair and right thing for Ian to have done, is resign the GGS position so to not find himself in such a compromising position.
***
This situation reminds me of several similar situations that have arose in Vuode between myself and V. As far as I can remember, both of us, even at the height of our previous hostilities towards each other, always voted against ourselves in favour of the other on final deciding votes.
Whenever a vote has come up concerning myself, such as my recent nomination for the Senatorial Medal of Honour, I have abstained.
To be in the position to hand yourself the casting vote and then follow through and actually hand yourself the casting vote would be utterly shameful. George W. Bush and his daddie's buddies would be proud of such a move.
The fair and right thing for Ian to have done, is resign the GGS position so to not find himself in such a compromising position.
#294
Wittenberg / Re: WE NEED A NEW HISTORY OF TALOSSA
July 25, 2020, 04:29:12 AMQuote from: Éovart Andrinescù on July 24, 2020, 11:58:07 PMQuote from: Eðo Grischun on July 24, 2020, 10:37:25 PM
We need historians, parsers and authors.
If we get that collaborative effort up and running at some point in the future, I'd be interested to pitch in—condense/summarise some old events/documents, proofread, that type of thing.
Nae back-backsies!
You've said it, we'll remember!
:D
#295
The Webspace / Re: Login issues
July 24, 2020, 10:45:25 PM
Yeah, I get the same bug. It's been there forever. Not sure what causes it; probably cookie related.
There are a bunch of general and security updates outstanding on the website. Getting those done might fix it.
There are a bunch of general and security updates outstanding on the website. Getting those done might fix it.
#296
Wittenberg / Re: WE NEED A NEW HISTORY OF TALOSSA
July 24, 2020, 10:41:29 PM
I also agree that any further entry barriers should be avoided...
But, a non-mandatory quiz could be done. Just for the funs.
In fact, we could have some kind of history course with quizzes in a similar vein to how memrise was used for a language course.
But, a non-mandatory quiz could be done. Just for the funs.
In fact, we could have some kind of history course with quizzes in a similar vein to how memrise was used for a language course.
#297
Wittenberg / Re: WE NEED A NEW HISTORY OF TALOSSA
July 24, 2020, 10:37:25 PMQuote from: Éovart Andrinescù on July 24, 2020, 09:27:43 PM
It could be part of a 'Talossan starter pack' we issue to new citizens.
This is a project we want to get done. Some work was started on it, but the problem is it's too big a job to get done quick. As you point out, the amount of source material is huge. So, the same problem that exists for new citizens (overwhelming amounts of text) is the same problem faced in trying to condense it.
We need historians, parsers and authors.
#298
Wittenberg / Re: The LCC Executive Platform
July 23, 2020, 04:08:09 AMQuote from: Ian Plätschisch on July 22, 2020, 06:46:43 PM
We will create a clear list of what government positions are open and how to apply for them.
Awesome. You could use the new and fully-featured dedicated jobs portal that the FreeDems just built and released for this.
www.talossa.com/jobs
#299
Wittenberg / Re: Royal Bank & Post online store tweaked (coins&stamps)
July 20, 2020, 02:29:14 AMQuote from: Istefan Perþonest on July 20, 2020, 02:07:07 AM
...
Oh, and apologies, you'll need to amend your forum signature now as the links to the 2 solo pages won't work. The link for the new single page is
http://talossa.com/culture/coinsandstamps/
#300
Wittenberg / Re: Royal Bank & Post online store tweaked (coins&stamps)
July 20, 2020, 02:18:59 AMQuote from: Istefan Perþonest on July 20, 2020, 02:07:07 AM
@
Okay, there are at least two serious problems here:
1) The coin link isn't using the correct HTML button code. The critical bits that make it actually work have gone missing. The code between the <center> tags should read:
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_s-xclick">
<input type="hidden" name="hosted_button_id" value="M92FV56Z58VA2">
<input type="image" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_buynowCC_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!">
<img alt="" border="0" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1">
</form>
2) We do not have free shipping on stamps anymore no matter how many you buy, and haven't at any point where we were selling coins, because the PayPal back end wasn't happy with that. The last version of the stamps page I edited did not offer free shipping. (That was back on the kingdomoftalossa.net domain, back when we had two separate websites running in parallel, so apparently this is a survival from a pre-coins copy-over that I wasn't involved in.)
1) PayPal code fixed, with thanks.
2) Changed to read "+ shipping"