I have asked for a word to be coined for this new approach, and we intend to do them fairly regularly.

As much as possible, we need to begin expanding the ways in which we interact with each other. We have to move beyond words on a screen and start seeing each other's faces. This will help bridge gaps as we begin to see each other's common humanity.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN-GC on December 27, 2025, 04:56:10 PMI just want to circle back on this bit:

Quote from: Xheralt Del'Encradeir on December 26, 2025, 03:34:57 PMHis concern of course is to not be subjected to an overtly hostile environment, there being easily a half dozen Quator Astor citizens still at least semi-active here who despise him viscerally; his impression from his last attempt at reconciliation was that those people were still "in charge" and absolutely blacklisting him. 

"Quator Astor" is a misspelling of "Qator Itrìns", Talossan for "Four Stars", i.e. the flag of the Talossan Republic. When Ben last tried to come back, the Seneschal was in fact a former Talossan Republican, i.e. me. I was not convinced he had changed in any way that would mean I could be safe in a political community with him, and I'm still not.

So am I to take from this that Ben wants to come back now because his former political enemies were out of power and he thinks they're no longer a threat to his plans for Talossa? That's a hint on how to take seriously the question of whether there would be any "forgiveness" or "bygones being bygones".

First off, my knowledge of ghelp is pretty minimal.  I remember it as astor, maybe there was a newsletter that went by that name or something?  In any case, my bad.  Recall that I had no direct access to things Republican.

Next off, your bias is really showing here, in that you PRESUME he has nefarious "plans", and you are putting the worst possible spin on him simply not wanting to walk into an unremittingly hostile environment!  As it was back then!  Who would want to do that?  Some hostility, given the polarization around his very existence, is expected.  Occasional landmines can be defused; clearing an entire field might be too much of an ask. 

Heck, I'm surprised I've caught as little flak as I have, in returning.  I haven't forgotten that MY previous efforts to rejoin, or even look in on, this Kingdom (Landing Pier style) were unceremoniously and silently rejected. By perhaps the same administration?  But I'm here now, so that can be (and is) forgiven.

The concept of "death of the author" really applies here.  His lived reality, decades in the making, has pretty clearly demonstrated that he can't control what Talossa is, that his creation does just fine without him.  It seems likely to outlive him.  I think he'll be happier about that than anything else.

With a populace as wary of him as modern RT seems to be, such machinations (should they even exist!) are unlikely in the extreme to succeed.  His hands will be on none of the levers of power.

What are you afraid of?

Furthermore, ambition requires energy, something that becomes scarcer for someone in their sixties, as he and I are!

For the benefit of all members, I would like to elaborate on the matter of the quasi-Living Cosă to be held in conjunction with the State Opening.

It was determined that holding a full Living Cosă on the 11th would be in breach of existing provisions concerning the minimum advance notice that needs to be given to MZs. However, nothing forbids the Cosă from holding some other kind of live meeting to debate legislation anyway.

A related issue, though, is whether or not binding votes can be cast during a quasi-Living Cosă; but the only requirement for the manner of holding and casting Clark votes is found in OrgLaw VII.9, which states:

QuoteEvery MC and Senator may vote on every bill in every Clark through reasonable means determined by the Secretary of State, and MCs and senators will have until the end of business on the twenty-first day of the calendar month to submit their votes to the Secretary of State. [...]

Since I am happy to consider a voice vote during such a meeting a reasonable mean of voting, MZs will be allowed to cast Clark votes at the quasi-Living Cosă, and I will either be in attendance to record them, or delegate someone else  to do so, so that those same MZs do not need to enter their votes using the Database or Wittenberg.

The only differences with a normal Living Cosă, as far as I can tell, will be that proxy voting will not be allowed, and that the final tally on bills will not be taken at the end of the voice vote during the Living Cosă, but at the regularly scheduled "end of business" on January 21st.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN-GC on December 27, 2025, 12:03:00 AMGiven that Talossa's transgender community is now large and prominent in public life, perhaps someone should ask Ben Madison whether he still holds to the absolute contempt he expressed for that community in previous decades.

I will ask.  Because I have enough IRL trans friends via sci-fi fandom to be concerned by that as well.

To be fair, knowing who the first trans person he was ever exposed to was, back in the formative 1980's, one of the weird-even-by-other-pagan's-estimation pagans around the university, I can see why he would be initially repulsed and never want to deal with that realm again.  First impressions carry a lot of weight. 

To understand said (now deceased, I've heard) pagan's unhealthy life focuses, I can tell you that s/he was an ardent fan of Jacqueline Lictenberg, Jean Lorrah, and disgraced author Marion Zimmer Bradley.  That's the first impression a trans person has to overcome, interacting with Ben.

Right after the State Opening, there will also be an unofficial quasi-Living Cosă. Members of the Ziu are encouraged to attend the event to debate the Clark and vote on it in person. Those who cannot attend will be able to cast their votes through conventional means following the usual timetable.

If there are any questions, feel free to ask them in this thread.

Ok I lied - one more!


-Txec R

Ok last one for now haha.


-Txec R

Another favorite! It's an oldie but still beautiful.


-Txec R

Another favorite!


-Txec R

Love this song!


-Txec R