NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: A few things to get out of the way first:
1) Please do not place reactions here. If you want to make something out of a story, or something of that nature, please either PM or TG me.
2) I will update this whenever I think events might merit it.
3) If you have ideas, please also TG or PM me with them. Stories will be on any topic related to the nation; sports, politics, literature, entertainment, music, etc.

Thank you.

April 14th, 2009
Sports Section

The Dynasty Continues?
Gerard Kight

Tomorrow night the OWHC championship game will be played, this year in Dresden. The big game this year will pit perennial the powerhouse Copenhagen Crimson against the upstart Zagreb Wolves. Copenhagen (32-0, 3-0 PO) is undefeated thus-far, having steamrollered all opponents into submission this year (the worst was the game against Paris, which was mercied going into the second period, at 12-0). while heretoforth insignificant Zagreb (28-4, 3-0 PO) has faced an uphill struggle all year.

Across the Atlantic, in Inneville, the St. Charles Monitors will play arch-rivals the Carnegie Steel in the AHC final.

The winner of each game will go on to the National Championship Game, the winner of which will be the National Team for the next year and undisputed champion.

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April 15th, 2009
Sports Section

The Giant Undone!

Last night the undefeated Copenhagen Crimson fell to the Zagreb Wolves, 2-1 after a last-second score by Olin Pejorsek the right-wing for the Wolves.

"It is a dream come-true," Pejorsek said, in an interview after the game, "before now no-one had ever thought we could come anywhere close. They would laugh and say "Zagreb?" like they were speaking of a bad joke. But now, well, we're just short of the ultimate goal!"

After the last-second score, Zagrebs' fans (and people who simply don't like Copenhagen, who there are many of) surged onto the ice. A few people were injured from slipping, but apart from that no one was hurt. The city is alight with celebrations, as a bit of happy excitement surges into the residents of the city.

The Monitors fell last night to the Steel, 5-3. The Carnegie Steel and the Zagreb Wolves will play in the finals on April 22nd, at 9:00 pm CT (Capital Time) in Milan.

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Underdogs in Feeding Frenzy!
Sports Section

April 22, 2009

Last night, the Zagreb Wolfpack defeated the Carnegie Steel, 4-1, making Zagreb the national Ice Hockey Champions, and making them the Fanboyist National Team for the next year.

Zagreb's fans stormed the ice after the game, most of them deliriously happy. Even Governor-General Heinrich Grimm of Croatia was delirious, reportedly shouting "Yes! Yes! At last! Finally! I can rub Erik's nose in it!" referring to Erik Hohenzorn, a field marshal, and acknowledged Copenhagen fan.

April 29th, 2009

Self-titled Release by "Firesquid" Powers Through
By Andrik Gressom

Fantasy- and Symphonic- metal band Firesquid's most recent, self-titled release is a lesson in sheer, overwhelming, instrumental firepower.

The band's lyrics, based largely off of mythology, fantasy writing and the like, is at its best here, often thought-provoking or evocative of a planet where things are, plainly, epic. Joe Cho's singing is still superb, especially with the assistance of Ms. Daniella Tomsic (also on bass).

But melodic power is where Firesquid really shines through. With only one main guitarist, one may question where that comes from. The answer, of course, is absolutely everywhere else.

While Cho's guitarwork subtly guides the melodies, the power from them comes from one of the two potential bassists (Hank Voss and Daniella Tomsic) or, sometimes only one of them as the other goes onto another instrument (a churchy-sounding organ and a flute or fiddle, respectively). On bass, the two share a percussive style, almost making a drummer unnecessary.

But drummer Chris Grenner is quite necessary, providing, of course, the backbone to the melodies, as any drummer should, with solid though uninspired beats.

The song "Leviathan" is one of the best works of theirs to date, and if one is using an on-line downloader and can only afford to get one song, "Leviathan" is the logical choice, followed closely by "Glacial."

May 11th, 2009

James Erickson passes away, aged 92
By Miles Richards

Renowned author and humorist James Erickson passed away in his Inneville home yesterday. He was 92.

Erickson was best known for his book The Watch which spoofed various cop-show and mystery novel cliches. The Watch was enormously successful, and is regarded as one of the greatest novels of the last century, and has been translated into 31 different languages and has sold 11 million copies.

He is survived by three children and 11 grandchildren.

The Vienna Times-Tribune


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Ultimate End to Communist Conflict in Sight?
By Carlos Vasquez, Resident Foreign Policy Expert
and Thomas Williams, Resident Political Analyst
May 19th, 2009

- Sevastopol, Crimea, FFNAT -


Yesterday, the guns ceased firing around the Red Brotherhood Proletarian Army stronghold of Sevastopol as a cease-fire was offered by Acting-Field Marshal Stanley Neniven, with the approval of Generalissimo Filie.

The offer is reprinted below:



To All Forces Arrayed Alongside and Against the Federal Armed Forces,

As of today, May 12th, 2009, a political agreement has been reached in the capital: the RBPA shall be granted amnesty, and a welcome to regular political life if its members lay down arms and swear a solemn oath to act non-violently in the future. In exchange, with the exception of crimes against humanity (a charge which will only be launched against those that there is internationally-approved evidence against) all crimes commited in the service or employ of the RBPA will be voided; members of the RBPA will be permitted to form their own political party, and will be subject to regular law of the Federation.

If the people truely sympathize with the RBPA, let them vote for what their hearts and minds say is right. You cannot argue with that.

A cease-fire is also offered to and between all-nations involved in this conflict, with the exception of those who have taken a conflict from elsewhere to this place. However, in such a case, we ask that you continue your fighting elsewhere, else both nations will be considered hostile to the Federation.

No diplomatic ill-will will be projected to any nations involved.

To those who have joined the RBPA's fight against the government because of our own ideology: the IFA has been quit (from) and democracy is coming. Those that encourage democracy here have no more reason to fight against us. Those that are anti-fascist likewise have no more reason to fight against us. Further hostile action in the face of this offer of cease-fire will be considered unjustified and unwarranted hostility, subject to international action.

A coalition government has been elected throughout the Federation. Nowhere did communism triumph. Socialism won a few victories. These elections were approved by foreign observers as fair. To continue and push an aggressive communist revolution is to ignore the will of the people that communism claims to aid.

In addition, all POW's on both sides shall be released, should the involved factions agree to this cease-fire.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Generalissimo Andrew Filie,
Head of State, Fanboyist Federation of North Atlantic Territories
Commander-in-Chief, Federal Armed Forces
Head, Nationalist Party

Counselor Heinrich Grimm,
Head of the Advisory Junta for the Foundation of a Greater Government,
Assistant Head of State
Head, Federal Republican Party

This declaration/offer of a cease-fire came after Generalissimo Filie revealed his intentions to move ahead with plans for a new democratic government for the Federation, and also informed the world of the Federation's departure from the Imperial Fascist Alliance (IFA).

The campaign in the Crimea, dubbed Operation Red Purge III, and ironically led by Stanley Neniven (who was actually one of the two founding leaders of the RBPA) was initially very successful, upon the arrival at the Crimean bastion of Sevastopol, the attack slowed down as it fought to penetrate the strong defenses designed during the last days of the Wars of Defense. In the face of this stiff resistance, other nations, now revealed to be principally led by Greston and the North Baltic, a Grestonian ally, flocked to aid the otherwise-hopeless RBPA. Due to the large number of Federal forces committed to the campaign, it is quite likely that the RBPA would have eventually been crushed, but at the point of mass intervention by foreign nations, the potential for great bloodshed and the conflict with the new principals that the government has pledged to operate on, a cease-fire was offered, and has apparently been accepted by Grestonian forces. No news has been recieved regarding whether or not the North Baltic has opted to accept the cease-fire.

A meeting has been offered to take place in Sevastopol to iron-out the technicalities of the agreement. It is believed that the foreign coalition and the RBPA may insist on autonomy or full independence for Sevastopol. The government is expected to reject any such demand countering with the offer of full political recognition and legal protection should the group choose to lay down arms and resume political action rather than violence.

The Vienna Times-Tribune

The Chuck Norris of Politics?
By Andrik Starrhemburg


Yesterday, at a Carnegie Press Conference, Generalissimo Andrew Filie and Heinrich Grimm, of the Nationalist Party and the Federal-Republican Party respectively, made an announcement that could completely change the course of the election.

"After much discussion, it was realized that the people that have turned these two parties into truely national movements seem to have very similar views on the major issues: economic policy, foreign policy, secularism, life-protections, familial issues, the list goes on," Grimm (FRP) was quoted as saying.

"And we realized that it would be in the best interest of these people, after conferring with the regional leaders of the party branches, that a combining of the two parties would greatly increase the chances of their views having an impact on our government," Filie was quick to add.

As a result, it was decided that a consolidation was in order, forming the Federalist Party, now fielding Grimm as candidate for General and Filie for Vice-General.

With the consolidation of two of the three most widely supported parties, it is expected that the election may be a landslide in favor of the Federalists.

As part of a compromise, Walter Rikkenbaucher, Grimm's original running-mate and well-reputed statesman, has been named as Party Head for the Federalists.

One pundit was quick to jump to an...interesting analogy, claiming that "this will have an effect on this election akin to putting Chuck Norris in a room full of bad guys. It'll be over in seconds, and it may almost seem like the other parties never existed, for all the difference they'll make."




Andrik Starrhemburg is the resident political correspondent in North America for the Times-Tribune, and is currently acting as election correspondent. Read his blog at www.theyellowline.com