Kalistan

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Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley Discusses Kalistani-Hutori visits
Royal Family Considers King "one of our own," said House Ananto Chief
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 1, 5716


Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley discusses ongoing Kalistani-Hutori Relationships

As the Royal Family prepares to make its second trip to Hutori in under two months, Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley discussed the renewed activity in the Kingdom of Hutori. "Clearly, Her Imperial Majesty is happy that King William has returned to Hutori," said Lady Ananto to a group of investors who represent the bulk of private capital in Miramar Holdings in Kaliburg the week. She was there to give an update on Miramar's investments, which are recovering from the after effects of the failed Englian oil bid. "House Ananto considers the King to be one of our own, due to his long sojourn in Ananto, and his time as ward of the Royal Family. He is a very astute individual, is charming and friendly, and has learned very well all he needs to formally take the reigns in Hutori while he lived here in Kalistan."

House Ananto's Chief, who also holds the title of CEO of Miramar, said House Ananto intends to offer its assistance to Hutori as it needs it during this transition. "The Regency was quite long indeed, and His Majesty's first task will be to put his own people close to him. Lord David Alvarez managed the nation competently, but of course the King will now want to have people close to him that he can trust, and we expect that Kalistanis will provide important assistance as he now fashions Hutori into his own kingdom, as is his birth right."

Lady Ananto announced that the Royal family visited Hutori in August to attend the funeral of the late Regent. "Lord David was closing in on 90 years old when he died," said Lady Ananto. "Lord David was a descendant of Duke Mark Ananto, and therefore was only one generation out of the Kalistani Royal Family itself. But later in his life, he grew to identify more with Hutori than with his home in Gaduridos. Throughout the years, the Anantos maintained close relations with Lord David, and Hutori has long been a valued ally to the Empire." The Empress and her family, along with the Princess of the Empire Nicolette Ananto-Collins and Lord Andrew Rohrbach, and other close members of the Royal Family went en masse to Hutori last August to pay their final respects to the Regent following his passing.

Now that King William has returned to Hutori, the Empress wishes to continue to support his efforts to consolidate his own authority over the great northern Nation. His Majesty, the King grew up here in Kalistan. He spent half of his childhood either at Ravens' Head or living with Her Imperial Majesty, who, upon reaching her own majority, was his guardian and Royal Mentor. "Though in reality, they were distant cousins, their relationship was always like close siblings," said Lady Ananto, "and it was well known that the Empress and the King were personally very fond of one another. Even after he took up residence at Ravens' Head on a semi-permanent basis, they were never apart for very long at all. The King regularly joined the Royal Family when they took residence in Athosia, or at Eveari, and he never needed to announce his arrival-- in fact it was always expected that he would attend family and Order functions. The King preferred to remain outside of the spotlight, but he was nonetheless a very large part of the Kaliburg high social scene for years and gained the reputation, fairly or not, as a ladies' man in Kaliburg."

This trip has more of a business feel to it. The Empress is travelling once more to Hutori this month to continue consulting with the King on his administration. "She also intends to discuss the needs of Hutori for direct foreign investment to help him kickstart his economy. Kalistan stands in a position to offer help with whatever the King needs. If Hutori needs credit, Kalistan is prepared to offer him a significant line of credit at royal family rates (which is to say, no interest, backed by House Funds). If they need direct investment, Her Imperial Majesty is prepared to help line up willing investors in Kaliburg and Sulari. Hutori is a safe and stable nation, and one that is attractive to Kalistani investors, including Miramar, who are currently looking for projects to invest the significant capital they have been sitting on following divestment in Gaduridos. Hutori will obviously be first in line."

The Royal Family is expected to return to Kalistan in Mid October, and Her Imperial Majesty will remain in residence in Kaliburg before relocating to Athosia for the winter before the New Year.

@TheRepublic

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Lady Nicolette Ananto-Collins published Memoir
"Oh, I don't surf anymore," says Princess of the Empire
Luxon, Grand Duchy of Ananto
December 4, 5716


Empress Carolina II Ananto visits Princess of the Empire Nicolette Ananto-Collins at home in Luxon

Once known as the Queen of surf for winning the Kalistani Surf Triple Crown (a feat which has not been replicated since), the Princess-turned surfer-turned Regent now says her surfing days are behind her. "Oh I don't surf anymore," said Her Highness, Princess of the Empire Nicolette Ananto-Collins, Countess of Luxon, at her home near the sea in Luxon. "I still do swim laps: An old lady like myself needs to stay in shape, but, you know as I get older, things don't tend to stay put and gravity always wins..."

The Princess of the Empire, who is aunt to Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto, and sister of the late Emperor Fredrick IV Ananto, will turn 70 in 5717, and looks back on a long and full life in her new memoir, "On the Swell" which hits bookstores this week. In the autobiography, which she cowrote with Christy Zarate and is having published through Sun Press in Sulari, she describes her life as a one of competing pressures. "I dropped out of life for a very long time because I really couldn't handle all these people demanding things from me," she said, to explain why she retired from professional surfing. "I got the Dah job, and it got to not be fun anymore. I couldn't just surf like I wanted to. I had to be at this corporate event, and take a photo for this magazine. I started getting weird letters, from men and women, and I just decided, that was it. I retired from professional surfing, took a little time off and started teaching."

And drinking. The Princess said she had dealt for years with drug and alcohol addiction. "I don't want anyone to be all poor me, but it really got control of my life. I kind of became a recluse, and when I wasn't at the beach, I was at home drinking and doing all kinds of things. My husband, who ironically was the head of the world's largest drug cartel, tried to have me cut off at the dispensaries, but I had to remind him that I outranked him. It really affected our marriage at that time, and that I think was the saddest thing at all. He put up with a lot from me, that I don't really think any person should put up with, but he was very patient with me, and eventually, I was shocked into cold turkey sobriety, and had no real choice over the matter."

That shock came in the form of Her Highness inheriting her niece after her brother and sister in law died in a plane crash over the Mad Dog Ocean. "I was still not healthy when Carrie came to live with me," she said. "And Andrew was travelling all the time. The news itself sent me into a deep depression: except for my niece, I had lost my whole family almost. My brother, I looked up to him. I thought he was so awesome. And my sister in law, Jenn, she was my best friend. Losing them and the boys was too much to bear. And I thought every single day about going back to the drugs. But now I was something I had never intended to become. I was a mother of a pre-teen, and I had to try to keep it together for her, if I couldn't do it for myself. I had no idea what I was doing and decided that I needed to keep a clear mind if I wasn't going to fail completely."

Her Highness, then Princess Nicolette, on the Swell sometime in the 5670s

The Princess, as the only eligible candidate, remained regent for about 10 years, just under the time that her brother had served as Emperor. "And I wouldn't have been nowhere without people who stepped up and helped me. My husband returned home for a while, and we kind of rebuilt our shattered relationship. I had a lot of people who helped me raise Carrie into the remarkable and beautiful woman she is now: Fun fact, she may be as old now as I was when we lost her father. it's been a very long time. But I am happy to say, she owes her love of spaghetti to me." A statement at which the Empress, who was sitting next to her during the interview, winced at.

After leaving office, the Princess has spent her time doing "whatever the hell I want to," she said with a laugh. She still regularly smokes tobacco, but has other wise remained clean and sober for more than 30 years. "I just find I have a lot more time to do things that I like doing if I am not wasted or recovering for 18 hours out of each day. I can write poetry, I can go to the shore and paint the sunset over the Swell. I still get to talk to surf clubs here in Luxon, all of whom want to try their hands at surfing one of the most challenging waves in Terra. I play Go, thanks to Carrie's, and especially Elliot's teaching. I can paint, I volunteer weekly at the Global Music Hall of Fame where I help the archivists. And I just generally do whatever I want. I really have had a remarkable life and I still have some great years left in me."

The Empress who joined us for the interview, mostly sat silently and listened to her aunt tell about all of her wilder days with a polite smile. "We are sure," she said toward the end of the interview, "that our aunt was far wilder as a young person that the woman we met as a child. Nicki was our aunt before she was anything else. Our brothers adored her, and we ourselves were always a little afraid of her when we were young. She has an outsized personality. She doesn't say much, so when she finally does, it is always like a bolt of lightning. But we are so proud of her, we are so thankful that she adopted us and took us in. We need her to tell me stories about our father, because we have forgotten him almost completely. She can help us reacquaint ourselves with our mother and father."

The book "On the Swell: the Life and Times of the Queen of Surf" is available in all book stores across the Empire.

@LaModa

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Kalistani News in Review: Green Terra Initiative begins its first project;
MoCo and MV both report increased international sales; Reed Jeweler announces new spokesmodel
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
February 8, 5717


Summer Orozco is the face of new Diamond Campaign from Reed

Green Terra Initiative begins its First Project
The Government of Seko has applied for, and received the first grant from the Green Terra Initiative. The initial Grant is valued at K$10 Million Imperial Pesos, plus 8 percentage in Admin/Overage costs. The project aims to work with The Sekowan Ministry of Energy to create a new Kumasaki Industrial Solar Plant in Seko. "The Sekowan Government is putting 60% of the costs of the project up and the Green Terra Initiative is supplying the other 40%, plus costs for training programs that aim to begin building a domestic plant operation skill base in the nation," said Initiative Spokesperson Matt Wilton. "This is a very small project for the Initiative, which could give out as much as K$2.3 Billion annually, but it is a good first project for both partners in that it allows them to begin the transition to green energy, while allowing us to see how money delivered will be administered, allowing us to fine tune the program if needed to better serve grantees."

The building and training project will last for 4 years. Besides a capital injection, Green Terra will also be able to supply most materials, including photovoltaics and large scale energy storage batteries, at cost, so that the plant can maintain 1.1 megawatts of production continuously. It is estimated that the energy needs of Seko is just under 69Mw of continuous power generation, but in Seko, nearly all of that is produced using fossil fuels. "This is a very modest start," said Wilton. "We are not going to convert Seko into a Green Energy center overnight, but I don't think Sekowan workers would benefit from that. It's a start, and it will stand as an exhibit in favor of more green energy and conversion away from fossil fuel over time. While we could fund the project to convert half of Seko's energy needs to solar this year, I think it would be a real mistake to do that, because Seko would not only need to train thousands of workers to work at those plants, but also there would be massive displacement in their current energy sector. Starting small I think is the prudent step, and then, if they decide to scale up, we stand in a position to help again." The Green Terra Initiative estimates that it will cost about K$10.2 million per megawatt of capacity, but costs are significantly discounted through the Grant from Kalistani suppliers.

During the building of the plant, Kalistan will host the first cohort of workers who will work at the plant when it becomes operational. "It's important that they train with industry leaders in Kalistan, as Kalistani technical methods will be employed at Kumasaki plant," said Wilton. The Sekowans will take the same training that Kalistani workers who work with KPO have to take, and they can then take that knowledge back to Seko and can develop their own SOPs and training manuals to pass that information on to their own technicians locally. The Green Terra Initiative will cover the cost of these training programs, including a year of per diem for trainees in Kalistan, travel and housing allowances. KPO will also assist with training modules for the Sekowans to take with them when they return home.

MoCo and MV both report increased international sales
Both electrical vehicle producers, Kalistani Motor Company (MoCo) and Motor Vrassa (MV) have announced record sales of Kalistani electric vehicles abroad in the second quarter of FY17. This news follows strenuous marketing pushes, as well as increased trade opportunities abroad. Most of the international sales were in Seleya, though Kalistan is increasing its marketshare in both Dovani and Keris.

"We are very encouraged by the increase not only in sales, but in the expansion of the infrastructure to support those cars through northern and central Seleya," said MV spokesperson Jill Zimmermann. "There are still plenty of gas powered engines on the road, and EVs remain a niche market outside of Kalistan, but that means that even small gains look pretty large relative to the past." Zimmerman said MV sold more cars internationally last quarter than they had ever sold. "And it wasn't even close: MV saw a 135% increase in the second quarter from the first quarter, and the first quarter itself was record setting." In fact, demand is increasing so fast that international hybrid sales rates are quickly outpacing the relatively perpetually stagnant domestic growth. MoCo reported similar growth, with its purely electronic models increasing international sales by more than 200% internationally so far this year over last year.

Zimmerman attributes the growth to good marketing, Kalistani state subsidies that keep price points low, and increasing international appetite for cleaner energy alternatives. "Even as more oil reserves come on line, oil producers are doing whatever they can to keep prices stable. But gas consumers cannot possibly be insulated from global shocks that could send gas prices skyrocketting for no clear reason. Unless they switch away from gas engines completely. We are seeing more people do that, if not out of concern for the environment, than out of concern for their own bank accounts. And people are actively working to undo environmental damage being enthusiastically engaged in by a handful of gross polluter nations. That in and of itself justifies the purchase of one of our electric automobiles."

Reed Jeweler announces new spokesmodel
Summer Orozco, an up and coming model from Sulari who signed with Kauffman Agency last fall, has been named the new Spokesmodel for Reed Jeweler and has signed an exclusive three year contract. She has already begun shooting new photos for Reed ads, which will be placed in magazines, on billboard and in newspapers this spring. The campaign is to promote a new Diamond Set that features tennis necklace and bracelet, and matching earrings.

Orozco, a 29 year old Athosia native won the contract for Reed among very stiff competition. "There's something fresh and exciting about Summer that really stood out in our interviews," said Ad Manager Carina Hibbert. "Her first language is Egelian, of course, and she speaks Vrassan with such a thick accent that you almost have to really pay attention to her, but what shines through is her charm and her natural charisma. We all noticed it during the auditions: when she entered the room, we were kind of in a huddle debating who was closer to the top of the stack than who, and you could see it happening. First one turned and saw her, then another, it was like a wave where people just lost interest in talking about the mundane and paid attention to her and she didn't even say a word. Naturally when we started speaking with her, the other potentials sort of faded out of mind."

The statuesque, 6' tall model, from Puerto San Luis in Athosia, moved to Sulari when she was 16. After doing her national service, she went to the University of Sulari to study photography, but wound up on the other side of the camera when she did an ad for the Sulari based Redliner Eyewear, and was contacted by Kauffman the next day. "She's not a model's model" said Hibbert. "I think that's part of her charm. She's goofy and not very graceful. You probably won't see her on a runway anytime soon, which is a real shame because she has the body of a surfer. But no, I think that would be a disaster. Reed on the other hand, does not require their models to go on runways, and she can be as silly and fun and pretty in her pictures as she wants to be: Our jewelry looks good on her, and people are going to see those ads and want those necklaces and bracelets, because she's in them. So we're very happy to have her here with us."

Orozco said, "Estoy muy contenta de trabajar para Reed. Tienen una larga trayectoria con chicas guapas en sus anuncios, así que haber sido elegida como su próxima portavoz me ha dado un gran impulso. Estoy súper emocionada por la campaña y por estos próximos tres años con ellos.'

@TheRepublic

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Miramar's Secret Weapon
Diane Acheson named new VP of M&A at Bank of Suldanor
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
February 20, 5717


Lady Diane Acheson widely thought to be "Inside Woman" for Miramar at Bank of Suldanor

Lady Diane Acheson, 29, is not a household name in Kalistan, or indeed in Terra. Daughter of the Count of Dana in Suldanor, Count Francis Acheson, the young noble enjoys the courtesy title of Countess of Dana (due to her mother's early passing last year) and holds the title Marquess of Salón Blanco, due to her close friendship with the Kalistani Royal Family, and especially her secret-not-so-secret association of the Hutorian King William XVII Steuart-Carmichael over the last year. She has also moved into a key position at the investment Bank of Suldanor, being promoted to the Vice Presidency of Mergers an Acquisitions, where she will oversee the fiduciary financial advisory department that involves corporate mergers, splits, and dissolutions.

Her close ties to House Ananto and Miramar specifically are aimed to put Miramar at the center of the major financial institution's decision making process. "Miramar is a major investor in the Bank of Suldanor," said financial report Carl Ibanez in Sulari. "Since the Bookmaking scandal was resolved, and Miramar stepped in to underwrite the bank to prevent failure, the Royal Family has been heavily invested in one of the largest investment banks in Northern Seleya. Acheson's promotion to head the Mergers and Acquisitions Department suggests that Miramar is making a move to turn Bank of Suldanor into a finance credit and advice arm of the Royal Family Inc."

Acheson herself is not a member of the Royal Family, but her father has provided House Ananto and House Alvarez investment advice for decades. "Both House Ananto and House Alvarez' financial affairs are public record by law in this Empire," said Ibanez. "But Acheson is particularly savvy with economic forecasting, and his advice over the last 40 years has been invaluable to both the Grand Duchess of Ananto and the Grand Duke of Kalistan. He and his family have subsequently become incredibly wealthy from the matter, and much of the family business was passed on to the Count's daughter when he retired from public affairs last year."

Lady Diane is no slouch herself when it comes to her financial forecasting abilities. "She's has had the opportunity to advise several blue chip corporations in the Sulari market, including MoCo, Sun Coast, and SSC. She was also the primary advisor to the Kalistani Bookmakers' Association when they were setting up the Observers' Market, helped developed several risk evaluation algorithms for the futures aspect of the Market, and was a key liaison between the Bookmakers' Association and the Bank of Suldanor, who eventually became the guarantors of moves made in the Sulari Observers' Market. In her six years plus of financial advisement for the Bank of Suldanor, she has earned more than K$37 million in commissions based on her advice, and made her clients significantly wealthier as well. And taking over Mergers and Acquisitions from the retiring George Schlitz dramatically increases both her profile and her value to her allies in Kaliburg."

Acheson got her finance degree from the University of Sulari in 5711. She completed her degree by correspondence while in National Service, and did a year of residency with the Dana financial planning firm New Prospects LLC. She then accepted a job in Financial Investment Planning at the Bank of Suldanor, where she worked her way up. She was well known by her clients by challenging their more liberal impulses, opting for more conservative, but safer investments. She also gained a reputation for always advising that investment in Artanian industries always be shorted. "To Lady Acheson, there was never a safe bet in Artania," said Ibanez. "She would advise her clients against messing with Artanian securities, and certainly against Artanian bonds, unless they were betting against them. She was right in this impulse more often than not, but it led to some people believing that her personal animosity toward Artania was affecting her financial advice."

This personal animosity led to her being reprimanded and then moved to mergers and acquisitions where she could just handle domestic (eg: non-Artanian) advisement and brokering. From there, she went on an uninterrupted string of successful work with Kalistani corporations and personally oversaw three hostile takeovers, as well as a number of more friendly mergers. Her track record recommended her to replace Schlitz, and she got major support from Miramar, AYIC, and several of her Blue Chip clients. This industry wide support for her candidacy led to an almost unanimous vote from the Board of Directors of the Bank of Suldanor to name her one of the youngest Vice Presidents in the Banks long history.

Acheson is a very serious investment banker who knows how to put deals together. But she also has a fun side: The Dana native apparently loves surfing and skating in Sulari, and does both as part of her daily exercise regimen. She frequents the skapunk scene in Dana, music she has been into since she was a pre-teen, and loves to sail her sloop in Sulari Bay. She is also quite cultured: She regularly attends the opera at the National Operahouse in Sulari, which is where she met King William of Hutori last year (they were introduced by mutual friends, and reportedly hit it off, though soon afterward, William returned to Ravens' Head and Acheson went back to work). She and the King reportedly remained friends, and Acheson even came to Eveari for a visit with the Hutorian in the Empress' new Manorhome on Ananto Estate. She was made a Marquis in late last year in honor of her friendship with the King, and in recognition of her excellent financial advice to Miramar, and at the same time, she was inducted into the Order of the Gray Smoke to allow her to discuss money matters directly with the Empress.

The Vice Presidency is the crowning achievement in a fairly short, but storied career for Lady Acheson. "Lady Acheson is a very hard worker," said Ibanez. "It is known that she keeps crazy hours, and feels that this is necessary to keep her edge. But that said, when she is off work, she is a totally different person almost: She has a great sense of humor and is a remarkably good story teller. In another life, she may have been a filmmaker."

According to those closest to the Marquess, Lady Acheson knows how to work a room, and gladhands only the right people, and yet nobody would ever think she was a schmooze, because with her, nobody ever says that they feel like she was just talking to them to make a deal. She is honest, and she is charismatic. She donates heavily to charity, proudly pays her taxes, and is a member of the Brethrenist Faith. "She's really the perfect person any client could want helping him or her make financial decisions," said Ibanez, "though some whisper that she doesn't necessarily have the bank's financial health in mind all the time: She was known to tell people to bet against the Bank of Suldanor, after letting them know that she has an obvious conflict of interest. The Bank for their part, either turned a clear blind eye to this, or it got the word from somewhere else to overlook it, though her advice to short the Bank that she worked at also contributed to her lateral move to Mergers and Acquisitions. But at least she gets marks for honesty."

it is widely believed that when Count Francis Acheson finally retires, she will be first in the consideration for his replacement as Countess of Dana in her own right. She owns her own home in Dana, and recently purchased a penthouse suite in downtown Sulari. Though her name may not be well known yet, Lady Acheson will likely only continue up in the world of High Finance in the Empire. She continues to keep Miramar as a personal financial planning client, separate from Bank operations.

@TheRepublic

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Lady Diane Acheson called "unnecessarily Nationalist" for Artanian Critique:
Pushback demonstrates liberals still somehow exist in Kalistan
Sulari, Duchy of Ananto
March 7, 5717


The new VP at BoS gets libled by Liberal Critics

Editorial
First of all, as editor of The National, it is my prerogative to issue my own personal opinion on matters of national importance. It is the price I demand for doing the thankless job of editing this newspaper, which, for the sake of my bosses and the News Director, I happen to find "extremely gratifying and rewarding." As such, this is my opinion, and does not reflect the opinion of the rest of the editorial staff, the Ombudsman, or the Board. -WSB, Editor

Lady Diane Acheson, Marquess of Salón Blanco, Courtesy Countess of Dana, and also, Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions at the nation's most capitalist of all institutions, the private investment bank known as the Bank of Suldanor, hasn't been at her job for a full month before she was savaged by liberals in the little-read rag known as Economica, an independent Liberal broadsheet which spends much of its time committing sedition by calling for democracy and suggesting that the monarchy has outlived its purpose.

We don't usually dignify Economica's "news" if you want to call it that, with attention, let alone comment, however something in yesterday's issue needs responding to. The Editor of Economica, a Liberal hack known as Samuel Edward Middlefirth, slammed Lady Acheson for a number of things, calling her corrupt, a dupe of the Empress in control of one of the largest financial institutions, blah blah blah. But the thing that caught our attention was that Mr. Middlefirth called her "unnecessarily nationalist" and took issue with Lady Acheson's apparent "anti-Artanian bigotry."

To support this claim, Mr. Middlefirth laid out a screed of quotations that he claimed were spoken by Lady Acheson. Where he obtained these quotes is not mentioned in the article, nor is the sources who told Mr. Middlefirth these quotes.

According to Middlefirth, Lady Acheson said "Artanians are disgusting. They do not go to the dentist at all." Another quote attributed to her was "I would never invest in Artania. I'd rather throw my money down the toilet. At least then I would get some joy out of watching it disappear." Middlefirth claimed that she wrote in 5714, and more, had it published in the newspaper (we were unable to track down a copy of said newspaper) that Lady Acheson said that if Artania went bankrupt, they might have to start eating their kids, thus saving us all the trouble of bailing them out in 25 years as they went extinct. These and other, more vile charges were leveled at Lady Acheson.

I am certainly no fan of Artania. But these claims that Middlefirth levels against Lady Acheson are scandalous. There are laws against the publication of falsehoods in Kalistan, and there is no doubt that Mr. Middlefirth will very soon be named as a defendant in a defamation suit. But libel aside, Mr. Middlefirth was trying to accomplish something far more sinister with this article. Superficially, his target was her character, which, as far as we can tell is absolutely unimpeachable. Whether her reputed claims about Artania have any merit or not, Middlefirth attempted a clear-cut character assassination attempt with this insane editorial. And as a member of the legitimate free press, I have an obligation to call it out for what it is. Because this sort of yellow journalism actually makes us all look bad.

But it also possible that the attacks on Lady Acheson by Mr. Middlefifth are just typical liberal attacks against not only a very successful investment banker, but also a member of Kalistani nobility. The target may not be Lady Acheson at all, but the institution of the nobility. Acheson is clearly a House Ananto favorite: that is obvious, because they don't just put their enormous influence behind any idiot, evidenced by no member of House Ananto ever speaking to Economica even on background in the magazine's 12 year history. Acheson herself was well known to Her Imperial Majesty, as her father was a long time financial advisor for Miramar. It is possible that Lady Acheson is one of these behind the scenes people who actually make things happen in this country who are rarely ever recognized for their efforts but without whom, the monarchy and the entire system itself would fall apart.

Perhaps that was Mr. Middlefirth's real goal with this hit piece. Suing him to death will not do much: It is known that his largest asset, his newspaper Economica barely makes any profit, and his salary is listed as "periodic" on the company's website. But by assassinating the character of an Imperial Favorite, Middlefifth can strike a blow against legitimate Kalistani institutions. And in doing so, in undermining this one Noble, on grounds that she is corrupt and bigotted, he can then call the entire system that put her in that position into question.

It's bad enough that Mr. Middlefirth took this opportunity to drag a very successful, well liked and well connected Marquess in the press. His 130,000 readers no doubt agree with him. This points at a much larger problem: There are still a large number of liberals in Kalistan who will not be satisfied until the monarchy ends, and liberal democratic republicanism becomes the regime of our nation. Lady Acheson, though her life is money and finance, and she no doubt lobbies the National Assembly for liberalized international capital flows, will not be liberal enough for these people, because she is a member of the Aristocracy and a friend of House Ananto. But again, she's not the real target of this smear campaign. The Imperial system is.

The article is just the latest in a number of attacks against the Monarchy over the years. We don't even have to go into the violence of fascists pretending to be liberals wrecked on this nation: The fact that even very smart people confused fascists for liberals should tell you all you need to know about liberals. We only need to look to last year, when a poll showed 30 percent of the population in support of some form of constitutional limitation on Imperial Authority. One in Three! That number is obscene when you think of what they are actually asking for.

They would like the Empress to be a figure head. They would like the people to rule. They would like to create a system that could be captured by selfish self serving economic interests who bend the society and the economy toward individuals benefit at public expense. These people who support the notion that we ought to sum up the entirety of our social obligations as "voting every four years" would tear apart the single solitary source of our national concensus--A unified, singular absolutist hereditary monarchy, which puts political fighting over limited public resources out of the picture, and provides a single unified voice on national and foreign policy. A system, I may add, which frees us of the burden of government to allow us to pursue the kind of life we want.

Kalistan under our Imperial System allows each and everyone of us to be a more fully actualized human being. When we as a society decided to eliminate need, we freed our people from the slavery of being forced to work to eat. We freed the working class of relentless exploitation at the hands of those who wrote their pay checks and who were the sole decision makers when it came time to pocket profits and lay workers off, or share the prosperity of the company. Our Imperial System is the only thing stopping neo-serfdom from returning to Kalistan.

Undermining that Imperial regime in Kalistan would throw tens of millions of workers to the mercy of the greedy masters of yesterday's plantation economy: the same sort of economy, I will add that still is the most common form across the liberal capitalist world, where labor is forced to negotiate as individuals and compete for limited wages, while owners, and worse yet, the liberal Investment Class still makes money by moving money around and not otherwise lifting a finger. This is the world liberals are aching to impose upon Kalistan as well. This is the dystopia Middlefirth and his liberal cronies at Economica would have us all live in, so they could say we were "free". Free indeed. Free to accept exploitation or die of stavation.

I do not think Lady Acheson made these comments about Artania. She is reported to actually greatly dislike Artania, and for good reason no doubt. I can imagine some of her reasons: In many Artanian nations, they have liberal capitalist economies and liberal democratic governments. That's the biggest reason to not like, and in fact, fear Artania, in my own opinion. We need look no further than the difference between income earned and share of income to see how liberal economies handle economic inequality in their nations. In fact, they encourage it. We need look no further than the absolute nightmare scenarios we see in multi party SMD election systems. With 16 Parties, how can anyone possibly discern any difference between them? In fact, in most cases most of their names are just variations of the names of other Parties in the system. The goal is difference in quantity, not quality.

But 30% of the population supporting constitutionalism, and the freedom Mr. Middlefirth abuses by writing such scurrilous attacks against an honorable and successful investment banker, a Bretherenist and a staunch supporter of the Empress, House Ananto and the Institutional Party demonstrates to me that we have far too many liberals in Kalistan. While we have freedom of consciousness, I kind of think this option, to be a liberal, shouldn't be one that anyone is proud of adopting. It's like supporting having intercourse with farm animals. I am sure that some people do think that this is a perfectly acceptable thing to do, but its not something you should really brag about, because it marks you as a degenerate.

Perhaps Mr. Middlefirth ought to go live with his liberal friends in Artania, since he apparently admires them so much. As for myself, I will always defend an upstanding and honorable Lady like Lady Acheson, who has risen to the heights of her profession before turning 30, a profession, by the way, which is the hallmark of liberal economies across the globe: Finance Capital. She's a person Kalistanis should strive to emulate, not tear down. Because tearing her down tears down our nation. It attacks our nation at its foundation stones. And it should never go without answer from those of us who, like myself, happen to hold strong national and institutional sentiments.

Besides that: Criticism is one thing. Outright lies and libel in the press are quite another thing entirely. One is legal, the other is not.

@TheNational

[Doc]

Brethrenism in Kalistan
The unofficial State faith that permeates society
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
April 5, 5717


Lolla Monthly Meeting in Kaliburg is one of 8 Monthly meetings in the Capital alone

The Empire of Ananto and Kalistan doesn't have an official state religion. Officially, the law is agnostic regarding faith or belief, and all agree that Kalistan has a very high level of religious freedom. According to the last cultural censuses, Hosians, Yeudis, Ahmadists, Daenists and multiple other faith traditions, who collectively make up about 1/6th of the population, freely practice their faiths in Kalistan without hindrance by the state in any real way, save that they are not allowed to openly proselytize and they must pay taxes on all church income that is not used for direct costs of maintenance of the congregation or charity to others.

One group, however towers above all others in terms of attendance, adherence, and prevalence in society. Curiously, unique among nations, Kalistan happens to be the only nation in Terra where Brethrenism is at least acknowledged by wide majorities. Most recently, it was reiterated that nearly three quarters of the population of the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan claim to be Brethrenists. Most are birthright members of meetings across the nation, and nearly all follow the denomination known as New Branch Brethrensim organized under the All-Terra Conference here in Kalistan. Governed (government is a loose term in this case) under the All Terra Conference Faith and Practices, the Kalistani Annual Meeting organizes six quarterly meetings, dozens of monthly meetings, and more than a hundred provisional study groups and prepratory meetings across Kalistan, Ananto, Athosia and Gaduridos.

Brethrenism is so ubiquitous in Kalistan that it has more or less joined the long list of civic institutions that Kalistanis take for granted as just being part of daily life. The Meeting one attends weekly is the locus of social interaction. Kids often grow up in their meetings and remain with them after reaching adulthood, and even if they leave and move to another part of the country, they are greeted warmly when they return to their "Home Meeting," while meetings will consider time spent with other meetings to be a "sojourn" rather than a hard transfer. The Meeting is at the center of much of a persons social community in Kalistan, and to leave or worse, to be kicked out of a Meeting for violating the laws or norms of society often provides such a strong social disincentive that desire to remain within the good graces of one's meeting actually has a measurable effect on crime rates in the Empire.

"Sociologists have studied this in Kalistan," said Religion and Ethic scholar, Dr. Jenn Dawson of University of Vrassa. "The rate of criminality among Kalistanis tends to be less in the nation compared to other nations because nearly all crime of necessity is resolved by several features in our law and structure, but just looking within, we see that 'being a Brethrenist' significantly decreases criminality even further. Crosstabs indicate that the reason why is strong aversion of Meeting disapprobation of specific deviant behaviors, like dishonesty, theft, profligacy, and causing harm to others. Brethrenists tend to be more law abiding because of the social pressure they experience in their key community, their Meetings, and more law abiding also means, quite frequently, more inclination to support authority--a finding which is quite ironic given Brethrenism's teachings about authority." For these reasons, Brethrenists tend to have lower levels of criminality per 1000 than any other religious group in Kalistan or indeed those who have no faith affiliation.

The Brethren themselves have had to square this in a number of matters: Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto, along with her entire family, are devout Brethrenists. Even the avowed epicurean, almost hedonistic Princess of the Empire, Lady Nicolette Ananto-Collins has returned to her meeting in Luxon after years of sparse attendance. How can a faith that promotes the absolute equality of all human beings, nonetheless accommodate both a tendency to support absolute monarchy and a natural tendency to obey authority by those who experience intense social pressure to observe the law?

The answer could be as simple as "Brethrenists in Kalistan prefer to view community as paramount and will argue that all, even Empresses, are welcomed in their midst," said Dawson. "The natural symbiosis between Brethrenist faith, which claims the support of three quarters of the population and the Institution of the Monarchy is a long standing marriage of convenience, albeit a very happy one. The Empress is known to regularly seek advice from her Home meeting in Eveari, as well as the Wilson Meeting in Kaliburg where she and her family attend while in Kaliburg, on matters that are absolutely consequential, and doesn't often make capricious or whimsical choices, but runs nearly all of her weighty decisions past clearness committees to test her leadings, and she is very sincere in her desire for clearness and her meetings know that she takes their voices seriously. She may be the Empress, but of this Empress, it can be said she is a Brethrenist first."

Brethrenism in Kalistan therefore provides a very direct connection between the people and the Empress that the political regime itself cannot accommodate. Within both the Eveari Meeting, and the Wilson Meeting, protocol is almost always modified to a Brethrenist form of address, where Her Imperial Majesty is referred to as "Friend Carolina" rather than Her Imperial Majesty, even though calling each other "Friend So and So" is considered to be plain speak and is generally considered to be antiquated. She and the Royal Family are provided with a special bench in the back of the Meetinghouse so that others are not tempted to focus on her specifically, and she regularly speaks in meeting, referring to herself as "This friend" rather than using the plural personal pronouns. She has never sought to be clerk, but financially supports her Monthly Meetings as well as the Ananto Quarterly meeting.

In exchange, people regularly offer their feelings on matters of community interest while she is in attendance. The Brethrenist Meetings do not become a public forum, for certain: back and forth exchanges are discouraged as part of Brethrenist practice in general. But they are opportunities for Citizens to come and express their feelings about the choices the Empress has made, to offer some suggestions for needed legislation, or to make a plea to consider a cause. And the Empress, it is known, has followed up with many of the members after the meetings. The Clerk does have his or her hands full though by helping the community police attenders who just show up at the meeting to lobby the Empress, reminding them gently that meetings are to listen for the still small voice of God, not rail against the political system. There are very few such outbursts as Brethrenists are very sensitive about maintaining community norms within their meetings, as noted above.

But Brethrenism, especially during the reign of Empress Carolina II Ananto, has become something of a conduit for the voice of the people to completely bypass the normal legislative process and reach the ear of Her Imperial Majesty. She is known to regularly travel to different monthly meetings around the Empire to perform similar listening sessions, all within the space and time of a Brethrenist Meeting, and the access this provides Kalistanis is enough to even further suppress any desire for democratic institutional reform in the Empire. "The Meeting attended by Her Imperial Majesty acts as a pressure valve of some sorts," said Dawson. "It allows Her Imperial Majesty to interact with commoners in a very controlled setting. She knows that no matter where she goes, she will hear the authentic voice of the people, because at any time, 3 out of 4 people in any community will attend that meeting as Brethrenists. The people know what sort of conduct is permissible within the Meeting, and the Empress is able to indulge the people with audiences that they would not otherwise gain any access to. Her presence at whatever meeting she happens to attend is always welcomed, and Clerks report they are always the best attended meetings of the year."

The norms of the Brethrenist meeting then carry over into society, are endorsed by all classes generally from Empress to commoner, and inform a lot of Kalistani activity. "Brethrenism is fundamentalist in one sense," said Dawson. "It boils down the religion of someone like the Aurorian Patriarchal Church to first principles. It strips away all that man added to the ethical principles, and just lays the ethical aspects and the moral aspects of the belief bare for people to interpret and debate over and implement on their own. Brethrenists are taught that this sort of deconstruction is an excellent use of one's time from a very young age. In our society that finds its expression in the simplicity of the Kalistani diet, of Kalistani homes and dress and attitudes. Kalistan is very, some would claim excessively, community oriented. We are a communal society that sees our own benefit in isolation as a detriment to someone else, but our own benefit in community as a benefit to the whole community, including us. So Kalistanis can be generally relied upon to help one another, up until (but usually not including) the point of starving ourselves and in turn finding ourselves in need too. We would rather see the entire community where we live prosper so our lives may be that much better than build a castle in a landfill."

This adherence to Brethrenist principles, which eschews formal leadership, formal clergy, formal doctrines, and instead embraces ministry from the membership, access to religious and philosophical texts from across the world and the ages, and tolerates heterodoxy like Unitarians, ironically can be seen in our politics. "And in our government, we find Brethrenist Principles expressed as a unitary, absolutist hereditary monarch who is the singular source of all law and authority, and the reduction of all other nominally political institutions to the mechanism of her will. It's very simple and quite elegant- She governs, she does her one single solitary duty to her community, so we don't have to get into the messy and divisive business of politics, and we follow the law because we are not interested in facing the very strong social shunning we expect if we deviate from the common good for selfish reasons. And ironically, in this we can find something like unity on political and social questions, even though it may not be consensus, or anything resembling a liberal democratic majority."

Due to its ubiquity in society, and the hegemonic nature of the Faith's testimonies (Integrity and Honesty, Simplicity, Peace, Equality and Social Justice, and stewardship and Community) as being present in Kalistani society, from top to bottom, is it possible to argue that Brethrenism and the Anantan State are one and the same thing? "We are definitely there from a defacto perspective," said Dawson. "Kalistan is the society a Brethrenist would design. In all aspects, from music to culture to the economy, to our government, Kalistan shines Brethrenist principles. Yeah, we still have our criminals. Yeah we still have our exploiters and our liberals: Only 74% of the Population claims Brethrenism as their faith after all. But on the whole, nobody would disagree if you said Kalistan was an Annual Meeting in charge of a State."

In law, Kalistan remains an explicitly secular state, but we are almost forced to ask ourselves if that's really even true in practice anymore. "When the Empress is a birthright Brethrenist, when nearly the entire government are Brethrenists, and less than 6% of those are Convinced Friends, when most of the main economic elites are associated with the Brethrenist faith, and 75% of the workers, and 75% of the consumers, and just one and on and on, are you really not a Brethrenist Nation? There is no legal advantage to being a Brethrenist, and no legal disadvantage of not being one."

That said, Dawson does state the clear advantages one has by being an attender of a Brethrenist meeting. "Bretherenist hiring networks still exist in Kalistan, however, where the meeting you attend may not matter, but if you do not attend a meeting, you won't even hear about a specific job. A lot of deals are done by handshake at a Brethrenist Meeting. Being a Brethrenist is shorthand for being 'trustworthy' in Kalistan and non-Brethrenists also face additional scrutiny that non-Brethrenists don't have to put up with. It may not hurt one to be secular or some other religions but membership and attendance at Meeting sure provides a number of informal advantages that encourages people to want to join a community and then stay within that community, while shunning can be worse than a prison sentence because it is being cut off from one's entire social structure."

In the end, Dawson stated that it was a good thing that Kalistan did not have an official state religion. "Given that Brethrenists think that we are all equal, and all people have a piece of the truth in them, stifling conscience by enforcing an established religion would be profoundly anti-Brethrenist. Especially given Brethrenism's history of being among the repressed religions of the world. The government, I think is correct to keep Kalistan secular, to allow all people to be free to worship, or not, as they like. Monarch after Monarch clearly agrees. Besides: There is no need to codify what enjoys such a strong defacto support on the national, Ducal, and local levels already by itself."

@TheModa

[Doc]

Kalistan's New Crown Prince
Minor Prince William-Malcolm Isaac Ananto-Rosenfeld is Introduced
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
July 1, 5717


The Minor Prince William-Malcolm Isaac Ananto-Rosenfeld, at a skate park in the Wilson Hill neighborhood, (not the photo his mother would have preferred)

On June 25, 5717, Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto officially decreed that her first born son, His Highness, the Minor Prince William-Malcolm Isaac Ananto-Rosenfeld shall be her official heir and successor. This formally makes the Minor Prince the Crown Prince of the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan. Her Imperial Majesty decided to wait until after he was 13 years old to formally name him as Crown Prince, to ensure that he reached an age where he could, theoretically take the throne with a regent if needed, should something happen to Empress. This will allow Her Highness, the Princess of the Empire to finally fully retire and remove herself from the line of succession for good.

The Minor Prince was welcomed into Kalistani society with a formal party where he was allowed to invite his friends from school. "His Highness, the Minor Prince controlled much of the guest list," said Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley, head of House Ananto. "The Party was held here in Kaliburg, at Cliff House, and except for a few select members of the nobility, and Lady Alice Bjoriksdattir, who was invited to keep Her Imperial Majesty company and help chaperone the party, it was mostly kids. Both of the two minor princesses also attended and were allowed to invite one friend each so as to not detract from the Crown Prince's event."

House Ananto released a brief biography of the new Crown Prince: His Highness, born on March 15, 5704 is a bright 13 year old. The Crown Prince will start High School at Kaliburg-Wilson next fall. He is interested in skating, football and music. He said he intends to start surfing next summer. His favorite musician is Thomas Jones, like millions of other teenager, and he reportedly has no time for pop music. Like his mother and father, he is a birthright Brethrenist, and while his family's home meeting is in Eveari, he has most connection with the Wilson Hill Meeting near his house. His favorite classes are music and theater classes, though he also scores high marks in science and math, where he is expected to place into trigonometry during his freshman year. He also said he would like to learn Dundorfian in High School.

Like his parents, he is an avid Go player, and currently holds an amateur rank in the Kaliburg Club System of 4 kyu. He doesn't currently show much interest in conservation, said Lady Christina: He prefers a more urban setting. "One thing we do know is that he is very concerned about homelessness in the capital," said the Head of House Ananto. "So Her Imperial Majesty is helping him work with the Brethrenists to volunteer some of his free time serving food at a local shelter, to help him learn about not only what homeless people face on a day to day basis, though he himself will never have to face those difficulties, but also to help inure him to the notion of voluntary service to the people of the nation. Most of the people he meets during the day do not know him as anyone but another Brethrenist, and some comment that its a good thing that even a kid is willing to help people out."

Lady Christina said that the Crown Prince will formally begin his Imperial Training in September. "The Empress knows that she only has five more years to teach him the basics of public administration, so she will insist that much of his non-school time is spent showing him how to carry an absolute government on his shoulders, as well as teaching him strong normative lessons that inculcated the very specific moral and ethical lessons a monarch must learn if they are to promote the General Good during their rule." Others are also being enlisted in this effort to teach the Crown Prince what he must know to begin to govern as soon as Her Imperial Majesty vacates the Throne.

"Interestingly enough," said Lady Christina, "Her Imperial Majesty has also decided that she will take it upon herself to train her daughters as well, while she is training her son. The Minor Princesses, 11 and 10 respectively, seem eager to learn, and while Her Imperial Majesty likely won't provide as intensive training as the Crown Prince will receive, they will still learn how the Institutional State works first hand from the singularly greatest living authority on the question." Lady Christina said this desire to train all of her children how to govern stems from the fact that her own older brother was tragically killed when she was only 12 years old, and she always wished that her parents had done more to introduce her to government.

Up until now, the Minor Prince could be found at the Wilson Hill area skate park and youth center. Lady Christina said he will still have time to skate, but he may find that his peers may treat him a bit different now that he's been named the next Emperor of Ananto and Kalistan. "Up until now, people have always just treated him and talked to him as Willy, the kid who lived on the other side of Wilson Hill. That's kind of over for him now. Her Imperial Majesty said she knows this will transform his life forever, but it is his duty to his society, and so the less she delays, the more she can help to prepare him for his life as an absolute monarch."

A formal investiture ceremony was held at the Imperial Seat on June 30. In attendance were His Highness the Prince Consort, Her Highness, Princess of the Empire Nicolette Ananto-Collins, Lady Christina Ananto-McKenzie, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn, Judith Martel who is Clerk of the Wilson Hill Meeting in Kaliburg, and both Minor Princesses. A formal reception was held afterward for the Peerage and members of the Ancient Order of Gray Smoke in the Informal Audience Hall a the Imperial Seat.

@TherRepublic

[Doc]

Sulari Observers Market to expand operations
"Predictions Market fit in with Futures Model" says Millikin
Sulari, Duchy of Ananto
August 18, 5717


Events futures began trading in Sulari Observers Market on Aug 1

Michael Millikin, President of the Kalistani Bookmakers' Association announced a much anticipated expansion of the Sulari Observers Market establishment this month. "We've added pure Events Futures to the Sulari Observers Market," said Millikin. "It seems that what we began with the Observers Market naturally lends itself to a predictions market: We essentially ask the same sorts of questions: In the Nations Market, we ask will the nation improve or worsen, and the contracts are settled at whatever they end on when the term closes, determined by the parimutuel. But the Observers Market is kind of a hybrid between a commodities future market and a prediction market. Adding a pure, straight betting market based on set dates and events, whether they happen or not, seems like a perfectly logical step to include into the Market we have set up here."

The Events Futures exchange follows the same regulatory regime as the Observers Market, but rather than betting for or against the improvement of a national or regional Index, the events futures bets against whether a specific discrete event will happen. A bettor may purchase a "contract" for or against a specific event for a set amount, that usually equals anticipated probability of that event happening, and when the contract closes, usually when the specific event is anticipated, winning contracts will pay 1 Peso each per winning contract, while losing contracts will lose all of their money. "We make our 4% when the person buys the contract, so if the contract is selling at this moment at 30 cents, it will cost the bettor .312 cents to purchase the contract. We eat the rounding errors, of course." said Millikin. Each day, the price of a contract will change, and a bettor may buy or sell their contract at any time before close at whatever the contract is currently priced at. "They only pay the vig when they buy the contract," said Millikin. "We don't charge it again when they cash it in. This way the Bookmakers Association has no financial interest whatsoever on the outcome of the contract."

Unlike the parimutuel, the money in the events futures does not need to be balanced wins against losses. "In parimutuel, like the Observers Market, we need to keep our books balanced, to ensure that we will make our vigorish under any circumstances," said Millikin. "We do that by adjusting the moneyline to attract more bets during the betting period, and then we pay out based on whatever the contract was when it closed. In the Events futures, we don't need balanced books, because the bettor put their money up against one another on specific events. We have the latitude, therefore, to maintain unbalanced books, and can adjust our contract pricing over time to reflect the money coming in on either side of a question rather than trying to produce our odds to keep our risk mitigated. The price throughout the day is discovered by the trade volume, rather than set to try to draw more money to one side or the other. In this sense, then the final settlement of the contract is more a reflection of the mind of the participant rather than the bookmakers."

Millikin said the new Events Futures Exchange which will be part of the umbrella Observers Market will focus specifically on probability rather than information based bets. "We want to try to ensure that insiders who have the ability to exploit their secret knowledge do not have a place in these operations," said Millikin. "So the Events Futures Exchange will focus on events where the outcome is considered random and unknowable when the contracts are created, where individuals cannot directly affect the outcome of the contract. Things like climate events, things like stock market crashes, things like new inventions, things like this, discrete events that may be observed with publicly available information sources." Millikin also said that positions will be limited to discourage positions by large institutional investors who are themselves likely to have inside information. "If we limit positions initially to about 50K per question, we will definitely drive the sharks away who seek to gain by exploiting their own knowledge, ensuring that the market stays more about forecasting and less about unfair advantages that inside information provides."

Millikin said the Events Futures Exchange will ultimately look more similar to a game of chance than to anything resembling a legitimate career. "Sure, there are professional gamblers in Sulari," said Millikin. "We have guys who come to the track everyday except when its raining, and then they go to the Parlor. That's fine. But events prediction aims to be a fun way for people to test their forecasting chops against other players, and maybe make a bit of money along the way. And really, that's a fun thing in and of itself." Millikin said that the Observers Market will also include information on the top moving positions, so that people may purchase contracts in person while in Sulari, but he also said that the Observers Market is launching an app later this year which will allow those who cannot make it to Sulari to still participate in trading. To this end, The Observers Market has recently remodeled its Exchange in downtown Sulari to include a new Events Futures parlor.

"We want the app to be available internationally, for sure," said Millikin. "We are currently working with ForIn to begin accepting and paying out in foreign currency for international participants. There is no reason Kalistan shouldn't see to offer our gaming services to other nations, especially those nations whose governments do not provide them with opportunities to participate in predictions contracts domestically."

@LaModa

[Doc]

Thomas Jones' Visions of Dystopia hits Number 1
Pop Adjacent record is departure from Art Rock all together
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
December 1, 5717


Thomas Jones' "least Challenging" work to date is a response to fan challenges

In 5715, Thomas Jones was speaking to Sulari based KME musician Monica Núñez on her podcast, as an effort to get the small but dedicated KME audience introduced to his work. The Podcaster, who was live streaming the conversation, also read emails and comments from the livefeed on her show. One said "Thomas Jones sucks. He claims that he has no interest in popular music because it is lowest common denominator and meant to appeal to the masses rather than snobs like him. But he couldn't make a pop song if he was paid to do it." Jones, for his part laughed and said "Yes, well I have been called an elitist before." But Núñez took up the matter and followed up by asking him why he didn't make pop music.

He was slightly taken aback by the question and said he had number one singles and platinum certified albums. "Isn't this pop music, in a sense?" he asked, pointing out that millions of people have followed his career for more than a decade now, and have purchased his records and singles. "How much more popular do you want?" He asked rhetorically. But Núñez pushed back again and said his music wouldn't fit into the genre of pop music. "Oh," said Jones. "You mean dance music, like specifically R&B kind of dance music." Núñez said that yes and like KME or New Wave of RF or something like this.

So Jones took this as a challenge. "I think there is a feeling in Kalistan that if someone doesn't make pop music per se," said Jones, in a news conference this week when it was announced that his recent release from KMI, Visions of Dystopia hit Number 1 on the album charts and his second single "God and Man" was declared Number 1 on both the Pop and the Alternative Charts, "...like if they really do something different than what millions of quite frankly teenagers are told to do by massive and overwhelming marketing campaigns by the labels tell them to do, to buy what they are told that they want to buy, etc, that a person CAN'T do it well. My record is proof that even someone as completely disillusioned by the state of pop can indeed make pop music. And if I can do it, anyone can do it."

Despite massive sales of the record (since late August, the album has sold more than 3 million copies as new fans are rushing in, finally granted some access to a future Global Music Hall of Famer's work, critics are offering mixed Reviews. "Well, he took the bait," said columnist Barbara Jennings, "and in doing so, sacrificed some of his artistic integrity. Whatever Jones was doing, it was his, for him. It was him asking fans to come along on his journey, but this unfortunately feels like a detour." Carl Reynolds called Visions of Dystopia an "aptly named album. It is the album he would have made if the fascists had won the war. It is simultaneously the most accessible album of his entire career, and the least challenging album, musically, lyrically, and artistically. A real disappointment, coming off his Nordhaus phase."

Whatever the critics say, fan reaction is sharply dependent upon when the person you are asking started listening to his music. For older fans, reaction is definitely negative. "Sell out," "Paycheck," and "Disappointment" as some of the more regularly reactions from fans. "I have been with Jones since the beginning," said Donald Wallace of Kaliburg. "I am just beside myself about this record. It's like crap you will hear on the Top 40 station. I took my copy immediately to the thrift store. He lost a fan today." While others, like 15 year old Mickie Adams of Sulari said, "Man I haven't been this excited about a new album in a long time. He's so handsome, and his voice is like some classic voice. It's easily my favorite new music this year. I'm so glad that I got to discover him, finally, this year. My friends and I listen to Jones nonstop."

Jones has recently begun the "Modern Dance" tour to support the album, and will play across the entire Empire over the next three months. In April he expected to begin the International leg of the tour, travelling to Hutori, Luthori, Dundorf, Egelion, Lourenne, Valruzia, Lodamun, Gaduridos, and Mordusia. "I've never had the opportunity to play in Hutori before," said Jones, "and I am looking forward to doing that most of all. Their music culture is fantastic. I think I'm playing either five or seven shows there." He also noted that he is looking forward to getting back to Dundorf to visit friends and play some lower key venues, which will focus more on the music he wrote while in Dundorf from the Nordhaus period. "And Luthori, that will be a trip. I've never been there." He said the schedule for the international leg is pretty easy. "We have space in the itinerary for a lot of sightseeing, which is kind of something I have always wanted to do."

Though Jones will be on the road for about the next six months, this massive release is already leading to PR issues. "It would seem that a lot of folks want to interview me all of a sudden," he said. "It's kind of wild. My poor publicist is used to like maybe 10 or 15 fan letters a week. Now, last week, she got like 5500. There aren't enough hours to do all the interviews and talk to all these teen magazines. But we're learning how to say no now, instead of reflexively jumping in front of every camera even vaguely pointed in my general direction." The move to solid underground, mainstream adjacent music to finally break out megastardom is quite jarring for Jones and his small dedicated management team.

For better or worse, Thomas Jones has become a household name from this album. "No, my years and years of work are still there," he said. "I am not a pop singer. This record was made just to prove I could make it, nothing else. That people like it is no surprise. King Johnson (who has produced five other number 1 albums in as many years) produced it. It was contrived to be Number 1. And surprise, here it is." Asked if the rumors about a potential knighthood from the Empress were true, Jones laughed and said "I was asked, yes. I had to refuse it. Knighthood for what? I am not in this business for that kind of thing. She should give it to someone who actually has accomplished something real and permanent and meaningful. This is pop music. This is tripe."

Check out Thomas' Jones "God and Man" his recently minted Number 1 second single from his Number 1 Platinum Visions of Dystopia, out now on KMI, and check him out when his promotional tour comes to your town.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HivQqTtiHVw]

@KalistaniRawk Monthly

[Doc]

Gathering of House Ananto closes out season in Playa de Paz
Lady Diane Acheson meets with Empress before heading to Hutori
Playa de Paz, Athosia, Baltusia
April 3, 5718


Lady Diane Acheson is welcomed to the Family by Her Imperial Majesty in Athosia

Kalistani Royals held a formal House Meeting at Playa de Paz before the Empress returned to Ananto for the Spring months. The Royal family was present, as well as several adjacent members of the Kalistani Aristocracy. Lady Diane Acheson, Marquess of Salón Blanco and Courtesy Countess of Dana was invited along, as was Chancellor of the Empire Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn, Grand Duke Craig Alvarez of Kalistan, the Dukes of Kalistan, and Lady Marisol Paz Alvarez Navarro.

The topics discussed at the Royal confab included final instructions from and to Lady Diane Acheson as she prepares to relocate to Hutori to become the wife of the Hutorian King William Steuart Carmichael, as well as the naming of Lady Marisol Paz Alvarez-Navarro to the position of Special Envoy to the Nation of Gaduridos. "Hace diez años, renuncié a mi ciudadanía y a todo vínculo formal con mi patria en Gaduridos," she said to reporters who were in Athosia to cover the event. "Me avergonzaba ver cómo mi nación se había negado a gobernarse a sí misma y a su pueblo; y, más que nada, mi juramento de lealtad personal a mi Emperatriz prevaleció sobre cualquier amor heredado por un país que le había dado la espalda. Hoy regreso a la tierra que me vio nacer como alguien cuya misión es intentar colaborar con el nuevo gobierno para descubrir qué puede rescatarse entre nosotros y, tal vez, construir una nueva relación y un nuevo futuro como dos estados iguales, independientes y soberanos. Quizás, algún día, Gaduridos sea una nación que pueda volver a reivindicar con orgullo. Hará falta mucho trabajo y mucha paciencia para llegar a ese punto."

Both the Empress and the Chancellor stressed the importance that Kalistan make a settlement over Bentasur, in southern Gaduridos. "Bentasur is a key strategic point and a vital part of Kalistani regional defense," said Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn. "The reputational loss we would suffer from losing that base would by itself be immense, but more importantly, loss of Bentasur without anything in place to take up the role of guarding Kalistan's southern approaches would be a disaster. Kalistan will not part with that exclave which has been under direct Kalsitani control for more than 130 years under any circumstances, but it is Her Imperial Majesty's hope that Lady Alvarez may approach the new Gaduri government with an arrangement that will satisfy them so that we may continue this very important strategic mission, not only for Kalistan, but also for Gaduridos, who itself has no real armed forces to speak of."

If Lady Alvarez-Navarro is not able to come to a mutually agreeable solution, said the Chancellor, "Her Imperial Majesty will cross that bridge at that point. Kalistan is absolutely credible in its commitment to Bentasur and will follow through on whatever course is set for us. It will be in everyone's benefit if the question is peacefully resolved." Lady Alvarez-Navarro hopes to establish positive relations with the new Gaduri government right off the bat, but the Chancellor of the Empire acknowledges that there are still a lot of very hard feelings between Kalistanis and Gaduris that only time and repeated positive encounters can begin to heal. "As Marisol Paz said, it will take a lot of time and hard work if the outcome is to be mutually beneficial. We need to rebuilt trust from basically nothing."

Other matters were handled at the meeting, including a dismissal of petition from the Grand Duke of Kalistan to establish a written constitution for Kalistan. "The Empress politely listened to the petition from the Grand Duke, who is essentially her Viceroy on the Mainland," said Chancellor Alvarez-McLinn. "The petition had the backing of the Duke of Odufraray, while the Dukes of Vrassa and Nevaras politely abstained to allow the petition to be presented. The Empress quickly dismissed the petition, saying that a constitution would create a misapprehension among some of the more pro-Democracy elements in the Nation that the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan is on the road to popular government. She explained that she would not like to mislead her People of give them some false sense of empowerment that a constitution would create. At the end the petitioners had to acknowledge that recent polls showed support for democracy was still very much a minority position, and that it was possible that it was being stoked by a handful of activists with no constituency who were impressed by flirtation with democracy abroad. The petition was abandoned at that point."

The Empress discussed the potential of renaming the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan. "She said it was rather unwieldy, especially when put next to our nation's common name, which is Kalistan. It's very long. I suggested the Anantan Empire. She shot it down immediately, claiming that it was antiquated, and even the Anantonese Empire was only named that because of the Ocean, rather than being related to our country. In the end, we decided that the matter should be tabled for a later time."

Lady Diane Acheson went over her financial strategy, at length with Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley. "Lady Christina, as Head of House Ananto and CEO of Miramar, welcomed the advice, and took the opportunity to announce figures concerning House Assets and liabilities. It was no surprise that House Ananto remained worth more than a trillion Imperial Pesos, with most of that wealth invested in vast swaths of the Kalistani economy through Miramar, and in non-liquid assets such as precious stones and metals. Most investments are meant to hold value over long periods of time, and the investment strategy of House Ananto, advised competently by Lady Acheson and her father before her, concurred with this strategy."

In exchange, Lady Acheson was congratulated on her engagement to King William. It was well known among the Royal Family that the two had struck up a rather close relationship long before the King returned to Hutori on a permanent basis. "It goes without saying that the King is an adopted member of House Ananto," said Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley. "His Majesty is treated by House Ananto as a Kalistani Royal and Brother to Her Imperial Majesty--This designation was especially important to Her Imperial Majesty, since she had lost both of her own brothers when she was a girl, and His Majesty came into care of the Empress when she finished National Service. The Empress has decreed it so in perpetuity, that the Monarchs of Hutori shall be considered in Kalistan as full sibling members of Kalistani Royalty, though they retain their own familiar designations and rankings and so forth. So Lady Diane marrying His Majesty, the King will make her a Sister in Law to Her Imperial Majesty."

According to Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley, Lady Diane Acheson is expected to fully embrace her role as Consort in Hutori, but she shall retain all her titles, both her courtesy title in Dana and her Marquessate of Salón Blanco, which Her Imperial Majesty has made heritable, able to be passed on to her children. As the title is not a land peerage, the Marquess shall be granted a plot of land in Green County adjacent to Ravens' Head, will entitle her to a Baronetcy. The Baronetcy will be formally known as White Hall, and though may not be combined with Ravens' Head, will be aggrandized and may be passed on to her children. The Marquess will be expected to improve the land, but may lease it out as she pleases.

"Her Imperial Majesty welcomed her new Sister to the family," said Lady Ananto-McKinley, "and says she will look forward to spending time with the newly married couple when she next sees them in Hutori for the wedding. Her Imperial Majesty will attend with His Highness the Prince Consort, His Highness the Minor Crown Prince and the two minor Princesses. Lady Nicolette Ananto-Collins and Lord Andrew Rohrbach are also expected to attend, as is the Chancellor, Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, myself, and Lady Marisol Paz Alvarez-Navarro. The Entourage will travel to Hutori and will stay at Icehaven during the celebration."

Other matters of a closer sort were also discussed during the three day long Ananto summit, and the event ended with the Kalistanis returning home and the Royal Family closing the house for the season. They are expected to return to Kaliburg in three days.

@TheRepublic