Wittenberg

Ministry of the Interior
IMMIGRATION APPLICATION




[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]Application received[/td]
[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]17 SEPTEMBER 2020[/td]
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[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]Wittenberg account approved[/td]
[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]17 SEPTMEBER 2020[/td]
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[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]First Witt Post[/td]
[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]17 SEPTEMBER 2020[/td]
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[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]Eligible for Petition[/td]
[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]2 OCTOBER 2020[/td]
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[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]APPLICATION STATUS[/td]
[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]CITIZENSHIP GRANTED[/td]
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[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]Official notes:[/td]
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[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]The Ministry of Interior, using information provided in the application and after investigating to the best of its ability, is satisfied that this application is Bona Fide.
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Applicant Name:
@Nicholas Richard Burman

Gender:
male

Year of Birth:
1980

Location:
Alexandria, VA

Have you been introduced to the Kingdom of Talossa by an existing citizen?
NO

Do you have any previous experience with, or membership in, any "micronations"?
NO

Is it okay if Talossan citizens contact you by e-mail?
YES

Is it okay if Talossan citizens contact you by telephone?
YES

About Myself:
Hi! I am involved in disability advocacy and am a database administrator for a disability nonprofit. I wish to earn more IT certifications and to be a developer on my platform. I enjoy television, video games, and amateur radio.

Why I am Interested in Becoming a Talossan:
To lead a Glorious Peoples' Uprising and end the tyranny of the monarchy, establishing a free and just anarchist society for the people of Talossa. No gods, no masters!

Where did you hear about the Kingdom of Talossa?
Random internet surfing

[td style="border:1px solid #000;padding:3px;"]Verification and Declaration[/td][/tr]
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Agreed to verification check: YES
Link provided:
Link 2 provided:
Display links on public immigration profile:
No, please do not include these links on my immigration profile
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The applicant has affirmed/sworn, under penalty of perjury in Talossan law, that the information provided in this citizenship application is accurate and true.
~~~
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Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 17, 2020, 07:11:17 PM
To lead a Glorious Peoples' Uprising and end the tyranny of the monarchy, establishing a free and just anarchist society for the people of Talossa. No gods, no masters!

(https://media.giphy.com/media/UrZWGs5OO3U0o/giphy.gif)

Hi everyone! It is an honor to be here.

Quote from: Nicholas Richard Burman on September 17, 2020, 11:12:03 PM
Hi everyone! It is an honor to be here.

Azul! Nice to meet you. Where online did you find us?

iirc, I found you by going down a Wikipedia rabbithole and somehow wound up reading about micronations. This one seemed interesting to me, so I thoughts I'd come over here and sign up!

Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

Hi there, Nicholas,

I'm sorry, but I don't think you can have your username set to just a smiley face like that.  I know that the immigration secretary has edited this already, so you must have changed it back again.  If privacy is an issue, I guess you could change it to something like "NRB"?

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 07:34:45 PM
Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

Fun fact.  Province of Vuode was Anarcho-syndicalist for a short while around about 2010.

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 08:25:47 PM
Hi there, Nicholas,

I'm sorry, but I don't think you can have your username set to just a smiley face like that.  I know that the immigration secretary has edited this already, so you must have changed it back again.  If privacy is an issue, I guess you could change it to something like "NRB"?

OK, I've changed it per your suggestion - yeah, I did in my questionnaire say I did not care if people know my real name, but I did not think that would put my real name up as my forum username. I'd prefer to not post with my real name (even if everybody knows who I am per the subject title).

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 09:46:28 PM

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 07:34:45 PM
Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

Fun fact.  Province of Vuode was Anarcho-syndicalist for a short while around about 2010.

oh rad - I'm a syndicalist and am active in the labor movement. I am sorry to hear it did not last.

Quote from: NRB on September 20, 2020, 09:50:56 PM

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 08:25:47 PM
Hi there, Nicholas,

I'm sorry, but I don't think you can have your username set to just a smiley face like that.  I know that the immigration secretary has edited this already, so you must have changed it back again.  If privacy is an issue, I guess you could change it to something like "NRB"?

OK, I've changed it per your suggestion - yeah, I did in my questionnaire say I did not care if people know my real name, but I did not think that would put my real name up as my forum username. I'd prefer to not post with my real name (even if everybody knows who I am per the subject title).

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 09:46:28 PM

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 07:34:45 PM
Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

Fun fact.  Province of Vuode was Anarcho-syndicalist for a short while around about 2010.

oh rad - I'm a syndicalist and am active in the labor movement. I am sorry to hear it did not last.

Cheers for changing it.  This particular forum (immigration) isn't public.  You can only see it if logged in, and Google, etc. can't scrape it for search results, so this thread having your name is safe.  As much as you want to have privacy, we want to feel safe about who we share our community with, so thanks for understanding.  It's really just so we all know who we are talking to without confusion as well though. It's all well and good in your own thread here, but if you are posting in other sub-forums there will be citizens wondering who :) smiley face is and would have no way to work out it's the guy from this application.  But, yeah, cheers mate. Thanks.



On the Vuode thing.  There was a citizen around that time, Drue, who was an anarcho-syndicalist.  He made it happen, but one day he disappeared and without him things changed to how they are today.  I took part in it, but it was all a bit tongue-in-cheek for me to be honest. 

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 07:34:45 PM
Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

I would like to hear the answer to this.

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 10:00:39 PM

Quote from: NRB on September 20, 2020, 09:50:56 PM

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 08:25:47 PM
Hi there, Nicholas,

I'm sorry, but I don't think you can have your username set to just a smiley face like that.  I know that the immigration secretary has edited this already, so you must have changed it back again.  If privacy is an issue, I guess you could change it to something like "NRB"?

OK, I've changed it per your suggestion - yeah, I did in my questionnaire say I did not care if people know my real name, but I did not think that would put my real name up as my forum username. I'd prefer to not post with my real name (even if everybody knows who I am per the subject title).

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 09:46:28 PM

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 07:34:45 PM
Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

Fun fact.  Province of Vuode was Anarcho-syndicalist for a short while around about 2010.

oh rad - I'm a syndicalist and am active in the labor movement. I am sorry to hear it did not last.

Cheers for changing it.  This particular forum (immigration) isn't public.  You can only see it if logged in, and Google, etc. can't scrape it for search results, so this thread having your name is safe.  As much as you want to have privacy, we want to feel safe about who we share our community with, so thanks for understanding.  It's really just so we all know who we are talking to without confusion as well though. It's all well and good in your own thread here, but if you are posting in other sub-forums there will be citizens wondering who :) smiley face is and would have no way to work out it's the guy from this application.  But, yeah, cheers mate. Thanks.



On the Vuode thing.  There was a citizen around that time, Drue, who was an anarcho-syndicalist.  He made it happen, but one day he disappeared and without him things changed to how they are today.  I took part in it, but it was all a bit tongue-in-cheek for me to be honest.

Didn't Dreu get caught plagiarizing poetry, and get basically so embarrassed he stopped showing up on Witt?  Dreu Gavartitch, I think his name was?

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 20, 2020, 10:02:13 PM

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 10:00:39 PM

Quote from: NRB on September 20, 2020, 09:50:56 PM

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 08:25:47 PM
Hi there, Nicholas,

I'm sorry, but I don't think you can have your username set to just a smiley face like that.  I know that the immigration secretary has edited this already, so you must have changed it back again.  If privacy is an issue, I guess you could change it to something like "NRB"?

OK, I've changed it per your suggestion - yeah, I did in my questionnaire say I did not care if people know my real name, but I did not think that would put my real name up as my forum username. I'd prefer to not post with my real name (even if everybody knows who I am per the subject title).

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 09:46:28 PM

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 07:34:45 PM
Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

Fun fact.  Province of Vuode was Anarcho-syndicalist for a short while around about 2010.

oh rad - I'm a syndicalist and am active in the labor movement. I am sorry to hear it did not last.

Cheers for changing it.  This particular forum (immigration) isn't public.  You can only see it if logged in, and Google, etc. can't scrape it for search results, so this thread having your name is safe.  As much as you want to have privacy, we want to feel safe about who we share our community with, so thanks for understanding.  It's really just so we all know who we are talking to without confusion as well though. It's all well and good in your own thread here, but if you are posting in other sub-forums there will be citizens wondering who :) smiley face is and would have no way to work out it's the guy from this application.  But, yeah, cheers mate. Thanks.



On the Vuode thing.  There was a citizen around that time, Drue, who was an anarcho-syndicalist.  He made it happen, but one day he disappeared and without him things changed to how they are today.  I took part in it, but it was all a bit tongue-in-cheek for me to be honest.

Didn't Dreu get caught plagiarizing poetry, and get basically so embarrassed he stopped showing up on Witt?  Dreu Gavartitch, I think his name was?

Yeah, that's the name, but with a thorn letter in the surname.  I don't remember the poetry thing, but you could be right.  It rings a bell, but I'm not sure it was Dreu... was that not the DPDPDPDPD guy?  edit: remembered his name, Tony Weckstrom. No?

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 20, 2020, 10:01:15 PM

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 07:34:45 PM
Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

I would like to hear the answer to this.

I am unable to confirm or deny these allegations at this time.

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 10:05:25 PM

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 20, 2020, 10:02:13 PM

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 10:00:39 PM

Quote from: NRB on September 20, 2020, 09:50:56 PM

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 08:25:47 PM
Hi there, Nicholas,

I'm sorry, but I don't think you can have your username set to just a smiley face like that.  I know that the immigration secretary has edited this already, so you must have changed it back again.  If privacy is an issue, I guess you could change it to something like "NRB"?

OK, I've changed it per your suggestion - yeah, I did in my questionnaire say I did not care if people know my real name, but I did not think that would put my real name up as my forum username. I'd prefer to not post with my real name (even if everybody knows who I am per the subject title).

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 09:46:28 PM

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 07:34:45 PM
Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

Fun fact.  Province of Vuode was Anarcho-syndicalist for a short while around about 2010.

oh rad - I'm a syndicalist and am active in the labor movement. I am sorry to hear it did not last.

Cheers for changing it.  This particular forum (immigration) isn't public.  You can only see it if logged in, and Google, etc. can't scrape it for search results, so this thread having your name is safe.  As much as you want to have privacy, we want to feel safe about who we share our community with, so thanks for understanding.  It's really just so we all know who we are talking to without confusion as well though. It's all well and good in your own thread here, but if you are posting in other sub-forums there will be citizens wondering who :) smiley face is and would have no way to work out it's the guy from this application.  But, yeah, cheers mate. Thanks.



On the Vuode thing.  There was a citizen around that time, Drue, who was an anarcho-syndicalist.  He made it happen, but one day he disappeared and without him things changed to how they are today.  I took part in it, but it was all a bit tongue-in-cheek for me to be honest.

Didn't Dreu get caught plagiarizing poetry, and get basically so embarrassed he stopped showing up on Witt?  Dreu Gavartitch, I think his name was?

Yeah, that's the name, but with a thorn letter in the surname.  I don't remember the poetry thing, but you could be right.  It rings a bell, but I'm not sure it was Dreu... was that not the DPDPDPDPD guy?  edit: remembered his name, Tony Weckstrom. No?

No, don't think so.  Weckstrom started up some other micronations with fake names and then had them declare alliance and some other play-acting things, as I recall.

Yeah, that's right.  I knew Weckstrom did something. Yeah, that was it.

Quote from: NRB on September 20, 2020, 10:12:15 PM

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 20, 2020, 10:01:15 PM

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 07:34:45 PM
Question: do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government? Please be assured that IMHO those are perfectly valid opinions! But it's been a while since someone has suggested literal anarchy in Talossa. For many of us the system of government - even, for some, the Monarchy - are an essential part of the fun.

I would like to hear the answer to this.

I am unable to confirm or deny these allegations at this time.

That's too bad.  I don't think we should be immigrating anyone who vows to overthrow our government or who says they'll essentially be lying with their citizenship oath.  I hope that, unless this is clarified a bit, that someone will exercise Section 8 on this application.

S:reu Burman, do you intend to try to overthrow the government?

My attorney has advised me to not answer questions related to this topic.

Instead, please enjoy this youtube video of Ella Fitzgerald: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djZCe7ou3kY

There's a lot I could say here, but I'd rather not get into a political debate in a thread to that's entire purpose is welcome a prospective citizen. I will say I'm not opposed to his immigration in principle so long as any overthrow of the duly elected government is only done via the will of the people (though I doubt the people will that).

Switching topics, aside from the description on wikipedia (and the desire to overthrow the government), what brings you here? Is your interest cultural, linguistic, you just like the quirkiness, something entirely different?

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 20, 2020, 10:22:33 PM
I don't think we should be immigrating anyone who vows to overthrow our government or who says they'll essentially be lying with their citizenship oath.  I hope that, unless this is clarified a bit, that someone will exercise Section 8 on this application.

Fun fact: I identified as an anarchist when I first applied for Talossan citizenship. That's one of the many reasons King Robert I caught an allergy to me. And when I finally became a citizenship of the Kingdom I "swore allegiance to the King" pro forma, while retaining my republican beliefs.

I would certainly not exercise Section 8 on someone with anarchist political beliefs. It would be perfectly okay for a Talossan citizen to advocate a transition to a governmentless nation - in fact, that's one of the historical definitions of "Peculiarism" and thus sanctified by precedent. I might exercise Section 8 on someone who wasn't straight-up and honest in the immigration queue, though. I hope my meaning is clear.

NRB, if you can say it on the immigration form, surely you can say it to other Talossans. Courage of your convictions and all that.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 20, 2020, 11:07:21 PM

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 20, 2020, 10:22:33 PM
I don't think we should be immigrating anyone who vows to overthrow our government or who says they'll essentially be lying with their citizenship oath.  I hope that, unless this is clarified a bit, that someone will exercise Section 8 on this application.

Fun fact: I identified as an anarchist when I first applied for Talossan citizenship. That's one of the many reasons King Robert I caught an allergy to me. And when I finally became a citizenship of the Kingdom I "swore allegiance to the King" pro forma, while retaining my republican beliefs.

I would certainly not exercise Section 8 on someone with anarchist political beliefs. It would be perfectly okay for a Talossan citizen to advocate a transition to a governmentless nation - in fact, that's one of the historical definitions of "Peculiarism" and thus sanctified by precedent. I might exercise Section 8 on someone who wasn't straight-up and honest in the immigration queue, though. I hope my meaning is clear.

NRB, if you can say it on the immigration form, surely you can say it to other Talossans. Courage of your convictions and all that.

"Advocate a transition" is doing a lot of work here, since it's kind of the main point of my query.  Being an anarchist is fine with me, but intending to "overthrow the government" can encompass a great deal of efforts, including illegal ones.

Quote from: Adam Grigoriu on September 20, 2020, 11:05:29 PM
Switching topics, aside from the description on wikipedia (and the desire to overthrow the government), what brings you here? Is your interest cultural, linguistic, you just like the quirkiness, something entirely different?

Def. the quirkiness aspect. I think it's amusing a kid came up with the concept over 40 years ago and that it's still going along today.

I'm also impressed there is a language. I'm a little bit interested in conglangs and tried to learn Esperanto (and failed, but I've always done extremely poorly with languages). My wife's native language is Spanish though, so if I put in the effort to really really learn a second language I will have to confess that I would go with Spanish and not Talossan.

For what it's worth though, I have over the course of my life attempted to learn Spanish (elementary and junior high school), French (high school), and German (college), and of those I remember more French than anything. So presumably, i'd be able to pick it up better than I could most languages (which to be perfectly honest still would not be that quickly)

Quote from: NRB on September 21, 2020, 06:49:24 AM
For what it's worth though, I have over the course of my life attempted to learn Spanish (elementary and junior high school), French (high school), and German (college), and of those I remember more French than anything. So presumably, i'd be able to pick it up better than I could most languages (which to be perfectly honest still would not be that quickly)

Bienvenido! I put a fair bit of time into studying Talossan back when I first joined in 2013. My skill with Talossan has waned unfortunately, but I actually found its Latin structure useful some years later when I took up studying Spanish at university. So take heart! The language has its uses.

I am curious to know: if you will not comment one way or the other about your intentions to overthrow not just the King but the entire system of government, then what are your greatest interests in Talossa?

More specifically, if you were granted citizenship in the next hour, what would you do with your newfound citizenship?

Would you help maintain the wiki? Perhaps join one of the magazines as a columnist? Become a member of SIGN and learn the language?

How do you think you will turn fascination into action?

within the next hour? I would probably go, "Oh neat," and go back to work, because I am in the middle of a big data migration. I'm at the final cleanup stages but still, you know how it is.

I am not much of a writer I am afraid, so I doubt I would contribute to the magazine, and as I have said I am bad at languages. I have written a couple wikipedia articles and done some minor editing, so I suppose of those options the wiki would be my top interest.

I think we should all pause to consider that, in our Big Neighbour, there is a scary "demonization " of anarchists going on (https://c4ss.org/content/53367) in the service of the ongoing authoritarian crackdown, aka the Mussolini cosplay coming from the White House. I'd prefer we didn't start doing that here. I don't like the idea of a discussion on whether particular political views (outside those explicitly condoning bigotry and hatred of certain identities) are sufficiently Talossan.

Maybe we should declare Fiôvă an "anarchist jurisdiction" in solidarity with New York and Portland.

I don't think anyone's doing that, and it's much more about finding out whether or not he actually is expressing an intention to engage in an illegal overthrow of our government and laws, if he is just phrasing democratic intentions in an inflammatory way, or if he's just being coy and silly. There have been a lot of people with very unusual political beliefs in Talossa, and paper anarchists are not even that unusual. What has drawn my attention is pretty much exactly what drew your attention.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 21, 2020, 02:28:32 PM
Maybe we should declare Fiôvă an "anarchist jurisdiction" in solidarity with New York and Portland.

Let's please not. It's a nice province. The last thing we need is a Makhnovite bandit orda roaming around the place requisitioning grain and conscripting people.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 21, 2020, 02:28:32 PM
I think we should all pause to consider that, in our Big Neighbour, there is a scary "demonization " of anarchists going on (https://c4ss.org/content/53367) in the service of the ongoing authoritarian crackdown, aka the Mussolini cosplay coming from the White House. I'd prefer we didn't start doing that here. I don't like the idea of a discussion on whether particular political views (outside those explicitly condoning bigotry and hatred of certain identities) are sufficiently Talossan.

The Seneschal doth project too much, methinks. This isn't HUAC or the Star Chamber. It's reasonable to have questions about a belief system that considers state power as such to be the primary enemy of justice and progress, given that we ourselves occupy something approximating a state with hierarchical institutions. I've never heard of any brand of anarchism that wants to "smash the state, except for this one particular nice state that we like".

This country once had an actual Italian neo-fascist as Seneschál. It is not appropriate to start politically policing new citizens at this point.

y'all had a fascist?

Quote from: NRB on September 21, 2020, 09:30:34 PM
y'all had a fascist?

Sorry to say but fascism has a long political history in Talossa. King Robert I was obsessed with fascist aesthetics and the symbol of his political party was the same as that of the  Hungarian Arrow Cross movement (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_Cross_Party) for a while. Guess what "Benito" province USED to be called. :( Count Ián von Metairâ was a conservative Prime Minister from 1991-1994, who in the 1980s led the Talossan National Party (http://wiki.talossa.com/TNP_(Party)), which would definitely be called "alt-right" by today's standards.

But this isn't just American teenagers cosplaying fascists. From Ár Päts, King Robert I's history of Talossa:

QuoteAlberto Manassero, a right-wing Italian political operative... was sworn in as interim PM on 6 March (1996).

Manassero worked for the Alleanza Nazionale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Alliance_(Italy)), the heirs of the MSI, themselves the heirs of Mussolini's National Fascist Party. This was before my time so I didn't know the scumbag personally.

Oh, I just found out (I might have known but I forgot): an actual Anarchist Party ran in the February 1995 elections. So given all that, anyone clutching their pearls over anarchist citizens can get all the way into the sea.

to be honest I'm torn between, "that's concerning," and, "well, this is all just a hobby anyway"

Don't be put off by some of the people here. Just keep interacting so we get to know you better.

presumably these people are gone now anyway, and like who cares if somebody wants to go on the internet to a fake country and RP a nazi i mean it's weird but, so is the whole idea of a fake country so, meh

anyway sorry for breaking, back in character now

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 08:09:01 AM
to be honest I'm torn between, "that's concerning," and, "well, this is all just a hobby anyway"

Why not both? :D

I'm the youngster around these parts. Not in terms of age, but in terms of citizenship: I naturalized only barely 3 years ago now. Take it from me: Talossa is an amazing experience, but it doesn't push itself forward; you definitely have to make your own activities and, if you play your cards right, the right people will join in with you.

That's why I asked earlier about how you might turn your fascination into action. The most common mistake that I've seen among new citizens is that they expect things to just happen, without appreciating that things happen only because people choose to make them happen. If you end up naturalizing, you will never know how amazing Talossa is until or unless you get involved and take your own initiative.

WITH THAT SAID, do keep interacting! We'd love to have you here, even if the appearances don't seem so. In that spirit:

How are you involved in labor? Any story worth sharing?

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 08:44:42 AM
presumably these people are gone now anyway, and like who cares if somebody wants to go on the internet to a fake country and RP a nazi i mean it's weird but, so is the whole idea of a fake country so, meh

A point of order: Talossa is not a fake country, unless you would consider yourself an extreme peculiarist (http://wiki.talossa.com/Peculiarism).

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 08:45:01 AM
anyway sorry for breaking, back in character now

Although, I have a new question now: How would you manage to take an oath of citizenship in good faith, if you admit that (a) Talossa is a "fake" country and (b) you are playing a character?

I want to be very firm but respectful on this point: Talossa is not a roleplaying game. What separates Talossa is that all of us take this seriously, use our real names (often not on Wittenberg, for obvious reasons), and are both earnest and sincere in our endeavors. I can promise that we have prosecuted and exiled folks in the past who did not represent themselves sincerely at time of immigration, or who turn out to be roleplayers, actors, and the like.

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 09:01:12 AM
use our real names (often not on Wittenberg, for obvious reasons)

Our Talossan names are our real names in a sense as they are our names in Talossan. No one has to convert his or her name but that is part of the fun - having a slightly different persona. I only know some real life non-Talossan names thanks to Facebook and/or Immigration threads. I also think some of Talossa is role-playing in the sense that where else in the world can I, a humble teacher, have been Prime Minister, an Uppermost Court Justice, Secretary of State, etc. except for in a place like Talossa? Here I can live out my wilder desires that are not quite as possible in the "real world".

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 08:54:48 AM

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 08:09:01 AM
to be honest I'm torn between, "that's concerning," and, "well, this is all just a hobby anyway"

Why not both? :D

I'm the youngster around these parts. Not in terms of age, but in terms of citizenship: I naturalized only barely 3 years ago now. Take it from me: Talossa is an amazing experience, but it doesn't push itself forward; you definitely have to make your own activities and, if you play your cards right, the right people will join in with you.

That's why I asked earlier about how you might turn your fascination into action. The most common mistake that I've seen among new citizens is that they expect things to just happen, without appreciating that things happen only because people choose to make them happen. If you end up naturalizing, you will never know how amazing Talossa is until or unless you get involved and take your own initiative.

WITH THAT SAID, do keep interacting! We'd love to have you here, even if the appearances don't seem so. In that spirit:

How are you involved in labor? Any story worth sharing?

I suppose it would be interesting to actually go forward like that, eh?

I wish I had more interesting stories to share - I'm in the Industrial Workers of the World and I've been to numerous protests though none lately because 1) covid-19, 2) my asthma has been way, way worse as of late and marching in the streets would be difficult, and 3) if I get arrested my wife will kill me

I suppose the most interesting thing I can say is I was at the protests for Donald Trump's inauguration. I was standing in front of a bunch of riot cops and when inauguration attendees would walk by me some would bump into me. Which is totally understandable! It was very crowded, and people often had no choice. However, every once in a while, somebody would bump into me with just a little extra force than was necessary. I was a little worried I'd get bumped into the riot cops and get my ass beat for backing into the cops, but I am a pretty big dude and knocking me back would be tough.

anyway I should have a photo of that and I will share if I can find it.

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 09:21:03 AM
anyway I should have a photo of that and I will share if I can find it.

(https://www.pixelsbin.com/images/2020/09/22/abcdefgf3e98d4533634742.jpg)

SO I GUESS the takeaway here is if nothing else I am close enough to DC to work in the Talossan embassy, and should intelligence or commando actions be required against the US government I would be in a unique position to assist in those activities.

I have since lost the grubby ugly beard.

Do you have a YouTube channel and do those public building (photography is not a crime) 1st Amendment Audits?

I feel like I've seen that exact scene from your photo before and your face looks familiar.

No, I don't make YouTube videos.

Honestly I hate going into federal government buildings and avoid it when I can because they all have the metal detectors and doing that is always a pain in the ass, I don't think I would do "1st Amendment Audits" and to be honest I think the idea is silly.

I am all for photography in public and wouldn't think this guy needs to be shut down or anything but somehow I don't think the bodies will be buried in the DOI building - at least not the parts which are publicly accessible.

The Seneschal asked a while ago, "Do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government?"  I would really be interested in an answer, as well as an answer about whether you mean this in the general sense of persuading others to join you in democratic dissolution of the system, or something else.  I know that Etho has suggested you were essentially just trolling when you have declined to answer, and maybe that's true?  Please be candid with us.

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 22, 2020, 11:18:35 AM
The Seneschal asked a while ago, "Do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government?"  I would really be interested in an answer, as well as an answer about whether you mean this in the general sense of persuading others to join you in democratic dissolution of the system, or something else.  I know that Etho has suggested you were essentially just trolling when you have declined to answer, and maybe that's true?  Please be candid with us.

Quote from: NRB on September 20, 2020, 10:39:02 PM
My attorney has advised me to not answer questions related to this topic.

Quote from: Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM on September 22, 2020, 09:12:26 AM

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 09:01:12 AM
use our real names (often not on Wittenberg, for obvious reasons)

Our Talossan names are our real names in a sense as they are our names in Talossan. No one has to convert his or her name but that is part of the fun - having a slightly different persona. I only know some real life non-Talossan names thanks to Facebook and/or Immigration threads. I also think some of Talossa is role-playing in the sense that where else in the world can I, a humble teacher, have been Prime Minister, an Uppermost Court Justice, Secretary of State, etc. except for in a place like Talossa? Here I can live out my wilder desires that are not quite as possible in the "real world".

I did not mean to undermine the validity of our respective Talossan names, but rather to underscore and highlight that Talossa is not a game. Call me a derivatist (http://wiki.talossa.com/Derivatism) (I am), but I find it a very, very dangerous path to walk down if we start saying that Talossa is the "wilder desires" or "the thing that makes things possible outside of the 'real world'". That line of thinking is what caused the ESB Affair (http://wiki.talossa.com/Eiric_B%C3%B6rnatfiglheu#The_ESB_Affair), the Guy Incognito court case, and related issues.

A prospective citizen should understand and, more importantly, appreciate that Talossa is not a potential dumping ground for their worst instincts; there are people here, including myself, who work sincerely and genuinely, and whose efforts are insulted by an excessively or unreasonably laissez-faire attitude. I'm not suggesting, either, that we all need to be super stiff and wear bespoke suits or something silly... just that it's a bit off-putting to say or suggest that Talossa may be "just a game" or "just a fun internet thing".

We are a real nation with real laws, real citizens, a real government, and real elections.

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 09:29:35 AM
SO I GUESS the takeaway here is if nothing else I am close enough to DC to work in the Talossan embassy, and should intelligence or commando actions be required against the US government I would be in a unique position to assist in those activities.

I support this endeavor. NRB, you may really enjoy Els Zuávs (http://wiki.talossa.com/Zu%C3%A1vs_da_l%27Altah%C3%A1l_Rexhit%C3%A1l). If or when you naturalize, you could sign up here: https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=473.0

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 11:31:36 AM

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 22, 2020, 11:18:35 AM
The Seneschal asked a while ago, "Do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government?"  I would really be interested in an answer, as well as an answer about whether you mean this in the general sense of persuading others to join you in democratic dissolution of the system, or something else.  I know that Etho has suggested you were essentially just trolling when you have declined to answer, and maybe that's true?  Please be candid with us.

Quote from: NRB on September 20, 2020, 10:39:02 PM
My attorney has advised me to not answer questions related to this topic.

Well, I guess you've certainly staked out a position.  I'll be interested to see what the people in power decide to do.

Quote from: Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM on September 22, 2020, 09:12:26 AM
Our Talossan names are our real names in a sense as they are our names in Talossan. No one has to convert his or her name but that is part of the fun - having a slightly different persona.

I was this close to taking 'Zeucumpulseva Vürfiglheu' as my Talossan name in the beginning. I can't believe I let myself get talked out of that one.

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 11:31:59 AM

Quote from: Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM on September 22, 2020, 09:12:26 AM

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 09:01:12 AM
use our real names (often not on Wittenberg, for obvious reasons)

Our Talossan names are our real names in a sense as they are our names in Talossan. No one has to convert his or her name but that is part of the fun - having a slightly different persona. I only know some real life non-Talossan names thanks to Facebook and/or Immigration threads. I also think some of Talossa is role-playing in the sense that where else in the world can I, a humble teacher, have been Prime Minister, an Uppermost Court Justice, Secretary of State, etc. except for in a place like Talossa? Here I can live out my wilder desires that are not quite as possible in the "real world".

I did not mean to undermine the validity of our respective Talossan names, but rather to underscore and highlight that Talossa is not a game. Call me a derivatist (http://wiki.talossa.com/Derivatism) (I am), but I find it a very, very dangerous path to walk down if we start saying that Talossa is the "wilder desires" or "the thing that makes things possible outside of the 'real world'". That line of thinking is what caused the ESB Affair (http://wiki.talossa.com/Eiric_B%C3%B6rnatfiglheu#The_ESB_Affair), the Guy Incognito court case, and related issues.

A prospective citizen should understand and, more importantly, appreciate that Talossa is not a potential dumping ground for their worst instincts; there are people here, including myself, who work sincerely and genuinely, and whose efforts are insulted by an excessively or unreasonably laissez-faire attitude. I'm not suggesting, either, that we all need to be super stiff and wear bespoke suits or something silly... just that it's a bit off-putting to say or suggest that Talossa may be "just a game" or "just a fun internet thing".

We are a real nation with real laws, real citizens, a real government, and real elections.

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 09:29:35 AM
SO I GUESS the takeaway here is if nothing else I am close enough to DC to work in the Talossan embassy, and should intelligence or commando actions be required against the US government I would be in a unique position to assist in those activities.

I support this endeavor. NRB, you may really enjoy Els Zuávs (http://wiki.talossa.com/Zu%C3%A1vs_da_l%27Altah%C3%A1l_Rexhit%C3%A1l). If or when you naturalize, you could sign up here: https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=473.0

I guess by definition i'd have to be a peculiarist and I would assume in practice so are most people. Talossan laws are not binding in any real way after all, and should someone try some wacky thing like raising the drinking age to 69 I would still have a beer in the evening, and I assume everyone puts their real-world duties above anything here. Which isn't bad. I'm joining a service organization next month (Civitan International) and should the demands of the local club overwhelm me I would drop it. So, you might be thinking, "Are you telling us your loyalty to your cat is higher than your loyalty to your nation?" Oh, wait. My immigration attorney is telling me not to answer that and to move on to another subject.

But, it sounds like nobody wants to pass silly laws for no reason, and I read the ESB Affair article you linked and I just find it silly. What is the point of registering fake individuals anyway?

I guess a person could get 17 extra votes that way but 1) too much effort and 2) i'm not too big on stuffing the ballot box anyway, even if it weren't a task that took too much effort

Anyway, I love everyone here and look forward to defecting from the United States of America.

Oh, and my lawyer is again telling me something. OK. So, I need to point out that I am not looking to defect from Talossa, and that I have never participated in seditious activities against any sovereign nation.

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 22, 2020, 11:57:58 AM

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 11:31:36 AM

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 22, 2020, 11:18:35 AM
The Seneschal asked a while ago, "Do you really want to overthrow not only the monarchy, but the whole system of government?"  I would really be interested in an answer, as well as an answer about whether you mean this in the general sense of persuading others to join you in democratic dissolution of the system, or something else.  I know that Etho has suggested you were essentially just trolling when you have declined to answer, and maybe that's true?  Please be candid with us.

Quote from: NRB on September 20, 2020, 10:39:02 PM
My attorney has advised me to not answer questions related to this topic.

Well, I guess you've certainly staked out a position.  I'll be interested to see what the people in power decide to do.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 22, 2020, 11:57:58 AM
Well, I guess you've certainly staked out a position.  I'll be interested to see what the people in power decide to do.

The conservative opposition, the LCC, have more than 1/3 of the Cosa and could enact the provisions of Lex E8, should they choose to. I will not do so myself because I oppose political tests in the immigration pipeline; but I don't speak for the other Government MCs on this issue. I really wish NRB would say "you're damn right I'm an anarchist!" and have the stones to make a passionate defence of his beliefs, but if he'd rather avoid the question, can't say I blame in him in the current climate.

(AD really thinks we don't see him trying to position himself as an impotent victim crying for justice over a wicked "power elite", so he can get this to seep into mainstream discourse if he says things like this often enough. Just making sure there's pushback.)

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 11:31:59 AM

Quote from: Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM on September 22, 2020, 09:12:26 AM

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 09:01:12 AM
use our real names (often not on Wittenberg, for obvious reasons)

Our Talossan names are our real names in a sense as they are our names in Talossan. No one has to convert his or her name but that is part of the fun - having a slightly different persona. I only know some real life non-Talossan names thanks to Facebook and/or Immigration threads. I also think some of Talossa is role-playing in the sense that where else in the world can I, a humble teacher, have been Prime Minister, an Uppermost Court Justice, Secretary of State, etc. except for in a place like Talossa? Here I can live out my wilder desires that are not quite as possible in the "real world".

I did not mean to undermine the validity of our respective Talossan names, but rather to underscore and highlight that Talossa is not a game. Call me a derivatist (http://wiki.talossa.com/Derivatism) (I am), but I find it a very, very dangerous path to walk down if we start saying that Talossa is the "wilder desires" or "the thing that makes things possible outside of the 'real world'". That line of thinking is what caused the ESB Affair (http://wiki.talossa.com/Eiric_B%C3%B6rnatfiglheu#The_ESB_Affair), the Guy Incognito court case, and related issues.

A prospective citizen should understand and, more importantly, appreciate that Talossa is not a potential dumping ground for their worst instincts; there are people here, including myself, who work sincerely and genuinely, and whose efforts are insulted by an excessively or unreasonably laissez-faire attitude. I'm not suggesting, either, that we all need to be super stiff and wear bespoke suits or something silly... just that it's a bit off-putting to say or suggest that Talossa may be "just a game" or "just a fun internet thing".

We are a real nation with real laws, real citizens, a real government, and real elections.

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 09:29:35 AM
SO I GUESS the takeaway here is if nothing else I am close enough to DC to work in the Talossan embassy, and should intelligence or commando actions be required against the US government I would be in a unique position to assist in those activities.

I support this endeavor. NRB, you may really enjoy Els Zuávs (http://wiki.talossa.com/Zu%C3%A1vs_da_l%27Altah%C3%A1l_Rexhit%C3%A1l). If or when you naturalize, you could sign up here: https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=473.0

I'm not denying we are a real nation with real laws etc. What I am saying is that odds that you, for example, could ever rise to the rank of Attorney General anywhere else is incredibly low. You'd have to become a lawyer, win a few state-wide elections, etc. What Talossa gives us is a chance to have an impact to a much larger degree than in our own macronational surroundings.

I doubt I would ever be able to become Prime Minister anywhere else (or any equivalent office in the United States). Here in Talossa, I actually WAS Prime Minister. We can do much more here than outside.

Also, if I wanted to be someone completely different, why would that be entirely wrong? Maybe I want to be a monarchist in Talossa and a communist in my macronational life? What makes that lead down the road to scandal and ruin?

Maybe Nicholas is doing something similar? What makes that wrong?

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 12:01:50 PM
I read the ESB Affair article you linked and I just find it silly. What is the point of registering fake individuals anyway?

The point was - I believe - to protest against our overly lax immigration laws of the time. The sequel of that is that we now make sure that everyone who wants to join is a real person whom we can trace in the real world, even if they don't want to use their "street name" in Talossa. Anyway, that guy did his time and is now a party leader and Cabinet Minister, lol.

I have to back up Açafat on the fake/real thing as well. If we treat Talossa as fake (and if there are no possible consequences for our "real lives"), there's nothing to stop us being complete jackasses to one another or even veering into real psychological abuse. Talossa came very close to being an actual cult under King Robert I - even before then, the worst political villains we had were a pair of Right-wing Marines who rigged elections and justified it with "Talossa is a game, we play to win".

I guess that Talossa is a game in the same way soccer is a game. There are, and should be, real consequences if you decide that winning is the only thing that matters, and use tactics of abuse and intimidation to do so. Can't impose such consequences against an internet phantom; only a real human being with a fore name, a hind name and an address.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 03:11:23 PM
I really wish NRB would say "you're damn right I'm an anarchist!"

Quote from: NRB on September 20, 2020, 09:50:56 PM

Quote from: Eðo Grischun on September 20, 2020, 09:46:28 PM
Fun fact.  Province of Vuode was Anarcho-syndicalist for a short while around about 2010.

oh rad - I'm a syndicalist and am active in the labor movement. I am sorry to hear it did not last.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 03:28:58 PM

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 12:01:50 PM
I read the ESB Affair article you linked and I just find it silly. What is the point of registering fake individuals anyway?

The point was - I believe - to protest against our overly lax immigration laws of the time. The sequel of that is that we now make sure that everyone who wants to join is a real person whom we can trace in the real world, even if they don't want to use their "street name" in Talossa. Anyway, that guy did his time and is now a party leader and Cabinet Minister, lol.

I have to back up Açafat on the fake/real thing as well. If we treat Talossa as fake (and if there are no possible consequences for our "real lives"), there's nothing to stop us being complete jackasses to one another or even veering into real psychological abuse. Talossa came very close to being an actual cult under King Robert I - even before then, the worst political villains we had were a pair of Right-wing Marines who rigged elections and justified it with "Talossa is a game, we play to win".

I guess that Talossa is a game in the same way soccer is a game. There are, and should be, real consequences if you decide that winning is the only thing that matters, and use tactics of abuse and intimidation to do so. Can't impose such consequences against an internet phantom; only a real human being with a fore name, a hind name and an address.

look I'll be serious - I think your soccer analogy is pretty good. I can play for fun, sure. If I choose, I can play hard. I can play to win. Or if I want, I can kick you in the nuts, carry the ball with my hands, and flop around on the ground like I'm dying if anyone on the other team comes within a yard of me.

Although now that I think of it if you're talking about soccer there is a good chance you don't know what a yard is, so let's call it a meter. Or metre. whatever.

OK SO THAT SAID, those are all some of the choices I have. Some of those choices will get me tossed out on my ass.

the idea I'd try to take over the talossa.com domain is goddamn silly because 1) even if I did, somebody would just register something like kingdomoftalossa.com and restore the site from backups (you do have backups, right?) at the new domain, and because 2) fucking why lol that is dumb af.

if I play it would be for fun - let's say I do manage to fucking take over or whatever. who the hell would care, I can't tell my friends I'm benevolent dictator for life of some state that has zero recognition in the international community.

Anyway AGAIN SORRY FOR BREAKING.

I suppose what I'm trying to get across is that if you think that's "breaking character", you've got the wrong idea of this place because it's not a role-playing game. Everything you've said above is 100% cool. Just I think that if we think of what we do in Talossa as "playing a role", rather than a real org we're in with real people, we're more likely to get into the kind of destructive nonsense that both you and I are familiar with when people start LARPing within the movement. Talossa is "real people playing an acting-as-if game" rather than an RPG. If that makes sense?

Do you know, you've gotten more interest and engagement than any new citizen we've had in years? Well done!

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 03:49:05 PM
the idea I'd try to take over the talossa.com domain is goddamn silly because 1) even if I did, somebody would just register something like kingdomoftalossa.com and restore the site from backups (you do have backups, right?) at the new domain, and because 2) fucking why lol that is dumb af.

It may be dumb as hell, but, uh, have you ever been on the internet? There are some sorry people out there who get their kicks by pissing in someone else's sandbox. Talossa has our laws not by happenstance, but by hard lessons learned in the past.

Which reminds me...

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 03:49:05 PM
Anyway AGAIN SORRY FOR BREAKING.

What Miestra said: If you're trying to play a character, you're doing it wrong. Just be you. The literal you, rather than some special-made version designed specifically for Talossa.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 04:00:37 PM
Do you know, you've gotten more interest and engagement than any new citizen we've had in years? Well done!

I echo the sentiment. Please don't let any of this turn you away. It's part of the culture. Talossa wouldn't be Talossa without the occasional quibble or squawking. It happens because every person here actually cares about what's going on. I think you're going to fit in just fine :-)

Please feel free to PM me, Miestra, Txec, or anyone else who's spoken in this thread. Any one of us would be more than happy to start getting you integrated outside Wittenberg. There's an entire underground of Facebook groups, outside projects, and discussion areas that aren't seen here. The sooner you start, the more confidently you can get naturalized!

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 03:28:58 PM

The point was - I believe - to protest against our overly lax immigration laws of the time.

(https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/facebook/000/023/021/e02e5ffb5f980cd8262cf7f0ae00a4a9_press-x-to-doubt-memes-memesuper-la-noire-doubt-meme_419-238.jpg)

Quote from: Glüc da Dhi S.H. on September 22, 2020, 04:14:25 PM

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 03:28:58 PM

The point was - I believe - to protest against our overly lax immigration laws of the time.

(https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/facebook/000/023/021/e02e5ffb5f980cd8262cf7f0ae00a4a9_press-x-to-doubt-memes-memesuper-la-noire-doubt-meme_419-238.jpg)

This is off-topic, so if @the SoS needs to move this elsewhere, I won't be offended... HOWEVER... Why "doubt"? Were there other purposes?

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 03:11:23 PM

Quote from: Sir Alexandreu Davinescu on September 22, 2020, 11:57:58 AM
Well, I guess you've certainly staked out a position.  I'll be interested to see what the people in power decide to do.

The conservative opposition, the LCC, have more than 1/3 of the Cosa and could enact the provisions of Lex E8, should they choose to. I will not do so myself because I oppose political tests in the immigration pipeline; but I don't speak for the other Government MCs on this issue. I really wish NRB would say "you're damn right I'm an anarchist!" and have the stones to make a passionate defence of his beliefs, but if he'd rather avoid the question, can't say I blame in him in the current climate.

(AD really thinks we don't see him trying to position himself as an impotent victim crying for justice over a wicked "power elite", so he can get this to seep into mainstream discourse if he says things like this often enough. Just making sure there's pushback.)

...what? I'm just a citizen, not a member of the Cosa in any regard. The people in power includes representatives from my party, as well as any of the other offices capable of overseeing this process. I understand the instinct to tribalism, but these days I'm thinking much more in terms of public versus the Ziu, than one party versus another.

Quote from: Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM on September 22, 2020, 03:15:07 PM

Maybe Nicholas is doing something similar? What makes that wrong?

He seems sincere in his espouse anarchism, and has anyone actually said that anarchists are not welcome? I didn't think that was at all the issue. I thought the issue was just the exceedingly obvious one that has been repeatedly belabored and studiously avoided... not the ends, but the means.

Yeah, it's very easy to post memes which while "just asking questions", spread doubt and suspicion about what I thought was settled historical fact. ESB's electoral fraud began as a protest at how new citizens were approved without even cursory checks as to how real they were. I have never heard that there was any "purpose" beyond that, but that it spiralled out of control because of where ESB's mindset was at in those days.

If you're going to drag up old history, please have the courage to say what you mean, not just drop innuendo.

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 04:25:30 PM

This is off-topic, so if @the SoS needs to move this elsewhere, I won't be offended... HOWEVER... Why "doubt"? Were there other purposes?

I can't recall him ever arguing for stricter immigration controls outside of the article where he justified his actions. Actually, I believe he recently argued against ID laws.

On the other hand, he did use his sockpuppets to vote, engage in political arguments, attack political opponents and in one case pretend to support a party he didnt like in a way that made the sockpuppet (and thus the party) look like a complete tool.

Perhaps its true he was just trying to see how much he could get away with. I think its very likely he was also motivated by partisan interest. The 'I was doing this for a noble cause, like some ethical hacker' explanation I don't believe for one bit.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 04:46:03 PM
Yeah, it's very easy to post memes which while "just asking questions", spread doubt and suspicion about what I thought was settled historical fact. ESB's electoral fraud began as a protest at how new citizens were approved without even cursory checks as to how real they were. I have never heard that there was any "purpose" beyond that, but that it spiralled out of control because of where ESB's mindset was at in those days.

If you're going to drag up old history, please have the courage to say what you mean, not just drop innuendo.

I'm surprised people consider that settled history. I thought it was just a (rather unlikely) claim that he made after being caught. Either way, not trying to be sneaky or whatever. I meant to say that I don't believe that version. I'm not necessarily looking for historical debates, but if people are making that claim (which I thought was rewriting the narrative, but apparently it might already be the established narrative, which is even worse) I feel it needs to be challenged.

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 04:10:46 PM

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 03:49:05 PM
the idea I'd try to take over the talossa.com domain is goddamn silly because 1) even if I did, somebody would just register something like kingdomoftalossa.com and restore the site from backups (you do have backups, right?) at the new domain, and because 2) fucking why lol that is dumb af.

It may be dumb as hell, but, uh, have you ever been on the internet? There are some sorry people out there who get their kicks by pissing in someone else's sandbox. Talossa has our laws not by happenstance, but by hard lessons learned in the past.

Which reminds me...

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 03:49:05 PM
Anyway AGAIN SORRY FOR BREAKING.

What Miestra said: If you're trying to play a character, you're doing it wrong. Just be you. The literal you, rather than some special-made version designed specifically for Talossa.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 04:00:37 PM
Do you know, you've gotten more interest and engagement than any new citizen we've had in years? Well done!

I echo the sentiment. Please don't let any of this turn you away. It's part of the culture. Talossa wouldn't be Talossa without the occasional quibble or squawking. It happens because every person here actually cares about what's going on. I think you're going to fit in just fine :-)

Please feel free to PM me, Miestra, Txec, or anyone else who's spoken in this thread. Any one of us would be more than happy to start getting you integrated outside Wittenberg. There's an entire underground of Facebook groups, outside projects, and discussion areas that aren't seen here. The sooner you start, the more confidently you can get naturalized!

This all seems fair enough. I'd be lying if i said I've never engaged in internet trolling but,  no. I've no interest in actually tearing everything apart. Even if all y'all turned out to assholes i'd rather just leave you to be assholes with each other than break your asshole website.

And i'm not really playing a character,  i mean I'm not pretending to be someone else or whatever.

But anyway sorry for breaking AGAIN

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 04:46:03 PM
This is a tendentious rewriting of history. ESB's sock puppets - inc. Benedict Stamford - personally attacked me in a way that makes AD's sniping look like friendly banter. A strange way to go about it if he wanted to help the ZRT win.

Didn't he cast more than a dozen votes for the ZRT? And serve as one of your legislators?

I mean, Gluc seems obviously right to me. Outside of his criminal defense arguments, I don't know that ESB has ever been any sort of advocate for stricter identity verification.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 22, 2020, 04:00:37 PM
Do you know, you've gotten more interest and engagement than any new citizen we've had in years? Well done!

(https://media.giphy.com/media/tiaM8SCGOQx7a/giphy.gif)

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 05:04:30 PM
And i'm not really playing a character,  i mean I'm not pretending to be someone else or whatever.

But anyway sorry for breaking AGAIN

bruh just stop saying you're breaking character at the end of every post

Quote from: Éovart Andrinescù on September 22, 2020, 08:44:12 PM

Quote from: NRB on September 22, 2020, 05:04:30 PM
And i'm not really playing a character,  i mean I'm not pretending to be someone else or whatever.

But anyway sorry for breaking AGAIN

bruh just stop saying you're breaking character at the end of every post

OK.

hey yo, so I watched a few videos on the OFFICIAL Talossa YouTube channel and I realize they're all like 30 years old and are probably out of date BUT

one video states that provinces are assigned based on a person's location in the world. How does that work? I have been unsuccessful in finding this info on either the wiki or the forums - though I didn't spend more than like 30 seconds searching so

Quote from: NRB on September 24, 2020, 03:03:39 PM
hey yo, so I watched a few videos on the OFFICIAL Talossa YouTube channel and I realize they're all like 30 years old and are probably out of date BUT

one video states that provinces are assigned based on a person's location in the world. How does that work? I have been unsuccessful in finding this info on either the wiki or the forums - though I didn't spend more than like 30 seconds searching so

http://wiki.talossa.com/Law:El_Lexhatx#E._Immigration

Look at Section 7.3.3 for more info.

Alexandria, VA would be assigned to Maritiimi-Maxhestic.

You're that close to DC? I'm so sorry, you're going to have to be on the frontlines when the Trump autogolpe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-coup) happens. Stay strong; the whole world will be counting on you. There are plenty of insane dictators in the world today, but most of them don't have nukes.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 24, 2020, 03:29:46 PM
You're that close to DC? I'm so sorry, you're going to have to be on the frontlines when the Trump autogolpe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-coup) happens. Stay strong; the whole world will be counting on you. There are plenty of insane dictators in the world today, but most of them don't have nukes.

I think the good news is everyone here hates him and I know several people who will fight.

The bad news is, yeah, we're all probably going to die, and very soon.

Quote from: NRB on September 24, 2020, 03:49:25 PM
The bad news is, yeah, we're all probably going to die, and very soon.

That would be a relief, frankly. To die, be truly dead and out of it all... if you don't believe in a literal afterlife, a plan with no drawbacks. As Khrushchev put it way back when, "the living will envy the dead".

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on September 24, 2020, 04:47:59 PM

Quote from: NRB on September 24, 2020, 03:49:25 PM
The bad news is, yeah, we're all probably going to die, and very soon.

That would be a relief, frankly. To die, be truly dead and out of it all... if you don't believe in a literal afterlife, a plan with no drawbacks. As Khrushchev put it way back when, "the living will envy the dead".

You feeling okay? If you need someone to talk to, I'm here.

Alright so just an FYI if anyone needs it. Looks like you're a Kiwi, Miestră Schivă, UrN. so...

NZ suicide hotline:     0800-543-354
NZ domestic violence hotline:     0800 733 843

And for the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

suicide hotline:     800-784-2433
domestic violence hotline:     800-799-7233

Wait a minute - you say things like this

Quotewe're all probably going to die, and very soon.

and people don't start worrying about your mental health. That's kinda ableist.

I mean no offense - your post to me read like a joke when I first saw it, then Sir Alexandreu Davinescu said what he said and I wasn't so sure.

In my experience I'd rather give out that information and it not be needed that it be needed and someone not have it. I do like to get that info out as often as possible, so I am pretty quick (too quick perhaps) to share it in case anyone out there needs it (why I gave the US numbers as well).

Quote from: NRB on September 25, 2020, 02:08:35 PM
I mean no offense - your post to me read like a joke when I first saw it, then Sir Alexandreu Davinescu said what he said

AD says a lot of things. But seriously, I myself was wondering whether

Quotewe're all probably going to die, and very soon.

was a joke, or what someone says just before they strap explosive to themselves and run into the FBI building. I know some people cope through black humour - if you understand the reference, I'm sometimes not sure how to distinguish between that and being "black-pilled".

Nevertheless, sincere thanks for your concern.

I don't think I am black pilled, but I do think things are grim.

I can't go suicide bomb the FBI though because 1) thanks to Snowden we know the FBI is probably watching, 2) my cats would be lonely, and 3) my wife would kill me

Quote from: Açafat del Val on September 22, 2020, 09:01:12 AM
A point of order: Talossa is not a fake country, unless you would consider yourself an extreme peculiarist (http://wiki.talossa.com/Peculiarism).

Nope. From the Peculiarist point of view Talossa doesn't have to worry about other people's standards of what makes a country fake or real or anything else, because Talossa is unique and doing her own real thing.

Okay, that was an off-topic intermezzo, so back to the main topic of this thread: hello and welcome, NRB.

Yes

Quick check-in. Is NRB eligible for a citizenship petition?

Breneir

Quote from: Breneir Itravilatx on October 07, 2020, 04:17:31 PM
Quick check-in. Is NRB eligible for a citizenship petition?

Breneir

As far as I can see, he has met all requirements, but the Talossa is not Witt Act is still in effect, so a petition can be made, but only by someone who has communicated with him extra-Witt...(someone from the D&D group?).

What a ride.