Kalistani Major History

[Doc]

Republican Proving Grounds in Sudanor to begin researching new torpedos
Goal is to surpass 27 nm effective range and guidance systems of current Kalistani technology
Sulari, Suldanor
October 20, 5337


KRS 268, Indica Class submarine of the 3rd Regular Fleet returns to Yoshimi Station last year following Exercises

The Ministry of Defense has contracted with KALMILINCO to begin designing a new torpedo capable of exceeding the specs of the current Mk92s used on Kalistani subs.

"We are launching a major effort to develop a new torpedo," said KALMILINCO spokeswoman Claire Trevino. "Our current standard heavyweight torpedo design has an effective range of about 27 nautical miles. The Mk92s have been in service for a very long time, and we believe that current technology will permit us to design a new torpedo that can not only move faster than the current range at 40 knots, but also differentiate between decoys and countermeasures and an actual target. If we can keep distance and increase speed and accuracy, that will be a secondary goal of the project, but ultimately, we need a larger range torpedo that will allow our submarines to fire, maneuver, and go silent before enemies are even aware they have been fired on."

A number of factors affect torpedo targeting and target acquisition, that this project aims to address. "Kalistani submarines tend to deploy from shallow waters, where finding them is difficult. A sortie will leave the continental shelf and set in ambush along a known route of travel. But seawater has a nasty habit of scattering electromagnetic frequencies, which could other wise allow for more accuracy in targeting. It also provides a significant impediment to aquadynamics, and without a reliable gyro system, can cause a well aimed torpedo to go wildly off course. There are additional challenges, such as the need to carry propellant, and the limitations that creates for range."

Trevino suggested some modifications could be made to materials and the engine to allow the torpedo to carry more propellant. "More propellant will not by itself increase the range significantly. You would theoretically have to have a torpedo twice as long to get an appreciable improvement in range." Trevino also suggested that researchers will be working on new new engines that uses propellant more efficiently "... to squeeze more distance out of the same fire," and better targeting systems to allow for fewer course corrections on the way to the target.

"We know that the maximum distance and the max effective distance are two wildly different things. The amount of unexpended propellant in a torpedo when it it impacts is sometimes as much as 20%. If we could use even half of that, we could stretch the max effective range out to almost 3 additional nautical miles. That's before any of the other efficiencies we have talked about, and that comes with more accurate targeting, both on the torpedo itself, as well as on the firing computers onboard the subs," said Trevino. Targeting enhancements include onboard sonar tracking, as well as machine learning to allow a torpedo to differentiate a target from its countermeasures as well as proximity fuses that do not arm torpedos until they are close to a target at the waterline.

All these modifications to torpedo technology can help Kalistan close in on its target laid out in the new revised Strategic Doctrine of allowing subs to become more agile and operate out farther from Kalistani shores. "The goal is to make our submarines more deadly, and to deny the enemy the opportunity to respond before they have been hit, hopefully crippled or destroyed," said Trevino. "We are not interested in a fair fight. If Kalistan is going to be attacked in the near future, it won't be with a force equal to ours: It will be overwhelming force. Therefore, we will likely get one chance to thin the ranks. We want to make our sub fleet as deadly to our enemy at sea as our artillery is to them on land. Increasing range, speed and accuracy of our torpedos is just one way Kalistan's national security can be enhanced before any enemy even arrives in Kalistan.

The KALMILINCO project is expected to take up to 2 years to complete, after which time testing in a service setting will begin. Meanwhile, the Republic is also looking into possibly developing a new submarine design that is smaller, allows subs to hide in shallower waters and operate for longer without detection. "We hope to enlist the help of international naval engineers in the development of a new submarine design," said Trevino. "That project is still in the planning phase at the moment."

[Doc]

Sanctions leveled against Trigunia
Aim is to punish Trigunian Capitalists
Kaliburg, Ananto
March 1, 5340


New Premier Michelle Reynolds-Torres kicks off administration with punishing sanctions against Trigunia

In perhaps one of the most ideologically clear statements in recent administrations, the incoming Premier of the Republic, Michelle Reynolds-Torres announced sanctions aims at punishing Trigunian Capitalist firms. "We took pulled our diplomats and citizens from Trigunia years ago. Unfortunately, the situation has deterriorated. Kaistan now joins the other civilized nations in the world in punishing Trigunia for not keeping their capitalist dogs on a leash. The sanctions, outlined in the Resolution entitled Kalistani Economic Sanctions on Trigunia are aimed specifically at punishing Trigunia's economy, and hopefully crushing capitalism in their nation. Trigunia is an example of what happens when you hand the reigns of civil government over to corporate capitalist demons. The time for them to reform is long passed. Our aim is to make their economy scream."

To this end, the Government of Kalistan has issued punitive sanctions against Trigunian capitalists. "Our sanctions aim at providing a legal basis for Kalistan to seize Trigunian Private Property in Kalistan," said Premier Reynolds. "We are not targeting the Government of this capitalist dungeon. We have limited our sanctions specifically to economic actors who are driving the demonic policies of the Government. The Government is merely an arm of capitalism: The President of that nation does not have a free hand in government: She is in the complete thrall of corporations in Trigunia. Consequently the snctions target private property." The sanctions call for the seizure and expropriation of all privately owned Trigunian property, financial assets, transportation, shipping and aircraft found within the Republic. Kalistan has explicitly excluded materials which are shipped through Trigunia, but do not originate there. "We are not targeting any other nation, even those who maintain their own relationship with Trigunia. These sanctions are designed to punish Trigunian corporations, and hopefully lead to the abandonment of capitalism in that poor imprisoned nation."

The Kalistani Regular Navy has been authorized to stop and impound all Trigunian Commercial shipping found on the high seas, and to impound all Trigunian aircraft in Kalistan. The Republic specifically shall not offer compensation for the expropriations, but will auction the property to Kalistani citizens. "We have left Kalistan's ports open to emergency stops. We are not interested in punishing regular Trigunian Citizens and have left the door open for Trigunians fleeing the monstrous National policies to expatriate themselves to Kalistan to help drain the population of the Country. But if we catch a Trigunia-originating commercial ship attempting to enter the Ananto Strait, we will stop it, we will board it, and we will impound it. All commercial and military vessels seeking to avoid sanctions can travel through the Lourenne Strait and take their chances with the Lourennais."

Kalistan joining the international sanctions regime signals Kalistan's more international focus, and in combination with Lourenne's sanctions, effectively closes the entire Anantonese Ocean to Trigunian shipping, preventing trade with Western Dovani and eastern Seleya. The Kalistani Regular Navy on the Northern Limit has been put on alert, and the 1st Regular Fleet has increased patrols in the Northern Anantonese Ocean. Kalistan will be coordinating with the Lourennais Navy to ensure compliance with sanctions in areas of joint operations. A naval liasion is expected to arrive in Eroncourt within the month to lay out the ground work for cooperation on the sanctions regime.

[Doc]

RSMoK Sets Sights on new Training Opportunities
NSanlosa Army makes tentative offer to gain additional Expertise
Gendaris Odufaray
March 15, 5340


RMSoK trains in foothills of Dragon Mountains last fall

The new Government in Nsanlosa has reached out to the Kalistani Government to seek additional training opportunities with Kalistan. "The Revolutionary Socialist Militia of Kalistan, one of the terra's foremost irregular militias, has expressed interest in a deployment to Nsanlosa with the goal of additional training against regular military," said Socialist Party spokeswoman Pamela Carson.

"The Kalistani Regular force has concluded its training with the NSanian Artillery Corps, and the Government has reached out looking for additional training. The Militia therefore has offered to participate in regular rotations to work with the Nsanian Military to instruct irregular tactics, including sabotage, hit and run, small unit deployment, ambush tactics, field weaponry deployment, industrial and telecommunications infrastructure demolition, and demoralization tactics. In return, the Militia will have the opportunity to improve training and tactics against a standing military of a foreign country."

Negotiations about the deployment with the NSanian Government are currently ongoing but Socialist Militia are ready and willing to deploy and look for the details to be finalized. Socialist partisans could be in Dovani by the end of this year. Carson noted that cooperation is possible specifically because of Kalistani-Suyu Llaqta cooperation before their government was overthrown. "It is good that the government that replaced the former regime is a left oriented government. This bodes well for relations between our two nations, and we will look forward to any and all opportunities to train together."

[Doc]

Kalistan not ready to abandon Sanctions Regime
As country after country responds to reforms in Trigunia, Kalistan holds fast
Northern Limit, Ananto Strait
March 10, 5341


Foreign Minister Nathan Sanchez explains Kalistan's rationale for maintaining sanctions

For many, the reforms proposed in Trigunia have satisfied their demands for the rollback of the worst of Trigunia's pro-corporate policies. Even Lourenne is considering abandoning the sanctions regime against the imprisoned island. Kalistan however, is not quite ready.

"We have yet to see any significant changes in the imprisoned nation's subservient and obsequious posture toward their capitalists," said Sanchez. "The people who are responsible for these horrific policies have not been held to account, and the attitude of the Government seems to remain that nothing wrong has happened in Trigunia. Consequently, we do not intend to back off just yet."

To underscore Kalistan's resolve, The Regular Navy Frigate KRS-442 fired warning shots at an unidentified Trigunian Tanker last week as it approached the Northern Limit. "We could not conclusively identify the vessel," said Naval Spokesman Ensign Satoshi Murakami. "We are aware that it had lowered its colors before approaching the line, in an attempt to hide its port of origination, and it heeded our warning and pulled off the line without further incident. But these events are increasing, as other nations begin to relax sanctions."

There is still no official word on negotiations between Lourenne and Trigunia, but Kalistan has signaled in Eroncourt that it intends to follow Lourenne's lead in the Northern Anantonese. "Kalistan does not, and will not maintain diplomatic relations with Trigunia," said Foreign Minister Sanchez, "but if Lourenne should drop sanctions, Kalistan will need to seriously consider continuation of sanctions on its own. Kalistan is confident that it can maintain sanctions on its own, but we will need to ask ourselves what good those sanctions will do if Trigunia can freely trade with Lourenne, with whom the Kalistani economy is nearly entirely integrated. We will maintain our sanctions as long as we can, and encourage them to fully punish those complicit in the the crimes of Trigunia."

Ensign Murakami also noted the tendency of bad actors in Trigunia to conduct cyberterrorism. "We've noted a rise in cat memes, which hide malicious code from Trigunia, being passed around on Kalistani social media platforms. It is key for Trigunia to crack down on the criminal masterminds responsible for these malicious cat memes: Lifting sanctions could ultimately come down to this."

[Doc]

Odufaray celebrates completion of Central Rail link between Dana and Senvias Vrassa
Delays and budget overages will slow further rail development in Odufaray
Senvias Vrassa
March 31, 5341


Central Rail arrives in Vrassa to hand project off to Vrassa Northern

The National Magnetic Levitation passenger line which envisions highspeed passenger transit from Yoshimi to Addisjah took one crucial step towards completion this week. With the opening of Senvias Central Station, the construction of Odufaray's portion of the National Railline has come to a successful conclusion. The opening of the station came after a series of unexpected delays and budget overages which will ensure that rail service in Odufaray is unlikely to expand within the District much further than completed track.

"Both Kluptoon and Vrassa Rivers both provided significant geographical challenges for the railroad," said Central Rail's spokesman Chad Bradley, when talking about the construction project in mainland Kalistan's central District. "The bedrock in the Kluptoon proved rather difficult to locate, which is a fact we have been long prepared for. What we did not anticipate was how deep we would have to sink pylons. When it proved too deep to construct without creating a significant ecological problem in the estuary, a whole new bridge had to be engineered, which did not rely on center pylons. The result is a beautiful suspension bridge, but re-engineering and then abandoning the work that had already been done not only added about 14 months to the project, but also added tens of millions of Rubles to the project. The Vrassa River was a whole other challenge, but that had to do more with currents and the need to eventually divert the whole river to build the bridge."

Another major increase in time and money was the desire to connect Springfield to the rail line. "In Suldanor, the track was more or less direct, and they are still going to be working for some time to connect major cities to hubs on the coast," said Bradley. "We decided at Gendaris to add a direct line between Gendaris and Morpheum via Bowendorf, rather than simply using the line from Gendaris to Springfield and then connecting to Bowendorf. This extra track added more than 240 miles to the project which was not initially budgeted for."

Over all, the Central Rail's addition to the National Railway took much longer than its 5 year projected timeline. "We brought it in in just under 7 years," said Bradley. The 1007 mile project cost Central Rail more than 160 billion KRB, of which 43% was raised among Private Sector Investors. "This is significantly higher than the anticipated cost construction through Odufaray, which we initially aimed to keep under 100 billion KRB," said Bradley. "The numbers are indeed very daunting when you consider them in the aggregate, but keep in mind, less than 100 billion of that was from Public funds, spread out over 7 years. I think the Odufaran appetite for rail construction is sated though. There is not a lot of private money left to invest in additional miles here in this District, and likely will not until Odufaray's rail line begins generating profit, which we project to happen by 5345."

The completion and opening of Senvias Central Station signals a handoff for Vrassa Northern, who have been doing prep work to prepare for the arrival of the rail line in Vrassa over the last two years. "The delays we experienced in Odufaray will hopefully be offset by the work they have already done in Vrassa while they were waiting for us," said Bradley. "Vrassa Northern has already built tunnels through the Vrassan Mountains up into the Funk Valley. Those peaks, valleys and passes were considered formative, but two additional years of blasting have put them well ahead of schedule already. The Jah Hills will not offer such a barrier to progress."

Construction in Vrassa of the main rail line is expected to take 4 years, given that nearly all expected tunnels have been excavated, and more than half of the miles have already been graded. At the end of this time period, the rail line will be complete and will run from Addisjah on the Lodamun border all the way to Yoshimi, and will have a station in each major and most minor cities along the coast. At this time, the dream of high speed transnational ground transportation will be complete.

[Doc]

Kalistan Central Bank Clarifies law for Community Banks
"Independence requires conservative practices," says Bank Chief
Kaliburg, Ananto
September 19, 5341


Central Bank Director Howard Fallon delivers Keynote Lecture at Republican Economic Conference in Kaliburg

The annual All-Kalistani Conference of Economists was held at Kaliburg Polytechnic Institute last week, and featured the standard bevy of papers on economic theory that one would expect from a Kalistani economic conference. Most panels dealt with topics such as zero-growth vs. degrowth, while others discussed economic prosperity in the Dual economy.

One panelist announced "It is Kalistan's stability that ensures Kalistan's success. Understand: This runs contrary to every facetious statement ever uttered by both Liberal and Metzist economists, Metzism itself being a natural product of liberal economic thought. The Liberals will claim that producers demand stability. But really what they thrive on is chaos, because the only way they grow is by gobbling up their competition. This produces turbulence in the economy, where many lose and a few win. And each cycle of chaos in a free market system produces fewer and fewer winners and more and more losers, which produces the effects for workers that the Metzists incorrectly attribute to the malice and greed of the producers. In fact, the cycle would indeed produce private monopoly, like what exists in Trigunia, where they do vivisection for profit, if the liberal government, in the name of protecting the business cycle that allows economic actors to generate wealth, unnecessarily inserts itself into the cycle, breaks monopolies, and ensures competition. It is not the stability that Liberals seek, but instability, while Kalistan's economic policy seeks stability, regularity, and zero economic growth. It is THAT stability which ensures that we can properly plan specific segments of the economy to meet need, while ensuring space for the private sector to produce things people want on demand."

Boilerplate and non-controversial lectures on zero growth and economic stability were overshadowed by the delivery of the Conference's keynote speech by Director of the Republican Bank, Howard Fallon, who discussed a clarification in banking laws which may lead to attracting new investment from overseas and from here at home. Titled "Kalistan's Community Banks: A new Investment Vehicle", the director suggested that given the dual system in banking, there was certainly nothing preventing Kalistani investors from teaming up with foreign investors to start new investment entities. "The thing about the Kalistani economic model is that it aims at stability in all its various facets. But then again, the law in Kalistan allows for casinos too. So I ask, fundamentally, at root level: what is the difference between an investment bank and a casino? Well, the answer to that question is simple: The casino is more honest than an investment bank. When you go into a casino, only a moron believes they can beat the house. When gambling in the stock market, all investors are shown to be morons, because there is an implicit promise of return on investment, when there is no way to guarantee such a thing without running a ponzi scheme."

The Central Bank Director drew laughs from his statements, but also encouraged a sober evaluation of the private banking situation. "Right now, when we survey the banking institutions outside of the Central Bank, we see small entities which are little better than piggy banks for investors. If you want your money to grow at a snail's pace, invest in a credit union: Those institutions offer people in communities the opportunity to invest in their neighbors, because the money that is invested in a credit union is available to serve as loans for small businesses, and automobiles and houses. Obviously the social economy in Kalistan makes many of these loans utterly unnecessary, and so they tend to be low activity institutions where both volatility and incentive to use them as money generating institutions are both extremely low-- one gets better rates of return from the Central Bank. The other main type of local private bank is the commercial bank, and they serve primarily to guarantee the transfer of funds from one commercial entity to another. I don't mean point of sale transactions, but large scale transactions that involve sometimes hundreds of millions of rubles. They are primarily not a money making institution either, in that they act as agents for transactions to ensure trust. Home escrow accounts are also found in these institutions."

But why, asked Director Fallon, "shouldn't there be an opportunity for those with money to try their luck to make themselves more money? Why don't we have banks that facilitate gambling in the stockmarkets, act as stock agents, and make money for their shareholders from transaction fees? It would seem to me to be a no brainer that this would be a good opportunity for foreign capital and Kalistani capital to work together for the explicit benefit of their own shareholders? And since this sort of activity exists almost entirely outside the realm of need, the only interest the Kalistani Government would have in such an institution is that the institution keeps whatever legal agreements it makes with the people it is accepting money from."

The Director of the Central bank stated that some entity like this does not fall within the scope of the Republican Banking Act, and hence it would remain mostly unregulated. "Since an institution like this would be serving as an agent, its fiduciary responsibly would be to its clients. And to itself. It obviously would not ever be large enough to have an effect on the stability of the Ruble or the Kalistani economy itself, but in economies that are more open to the moves in their own stock markets, and while we are aware that even small jitters in the stock prices can cause paroxysms in liberal states, the duty of this institution is to turn a profit for its investors. If other economies are sunken by the actions of a few investors in Kalistan, first off that would be fairly wild in its unlikeliness, but second of all, perhaps that should be a wakeup call to other states to protect themselves from liberalism."

The speech concluded with Director Fallon announcing the formation of a working group to study ways to bring investment banking to Kalistan, as well as drafting a set of limits to insulate the fortunes of the bank from affecting the vaunted stability of the Kalistani Economy, and to ensure that any bank of this nature fully conform to Kalistani Statute and the Charter of the Republican Bank. Fallon received scattered applause, while some economists raised questions about the possible embrace of liberalism, even in this limited form, by the Director. Fallon brushed off the objections noting that there is plenty of free enterprise under the dual system, and he is confident that those working on the subject will ensure adequate guardrails to keep Liberalism in check within the Republic. "Independence requires conservative practices, but at the same time, choking out non-essential economic activity is also not a good idea."

[Doc]

KalMD releases AR-2000 Glasses
First in line of wearable Augmented Reality technology signals new move for Tech Company
Sulari, Suldanor
September 20, 5342


KalMD's AR-2000 represent step forward in consumer electronics

Kalistan's main consumer electronics producer Kalistani MicroDivision, or KalMD, which has led the domestic market in consumer electronics and smart phones for centuries, has taken the next step in smart technology with the marketing of the first brand of wearable technology. Known as the AR, or Augmented Reality 2000, this brand of stylish glasses allows the user to access the internet from the touch of a button on the sidearm of the glasses.

"We have been focused on augmented reality technology for a long time now, and we believe we have developed the first wearable technology available for Kalistani Markets," said KalMD spokeswoman Brianna St. James. "The AR-2000 will allow users to get map and satellite based information about their location, or check the weather, or access their email, or make a video call, or watch a movie right inside their glasses. The information or images will appear within the lenses as if it were being projected about five feet from the user, but will not be visible to anyone but the users. It is a remarkable technological advance that has the potential to possibly replace handheld devices all together, and represents the future of our company."

St. James said that the wearable technology comes in the form of the lens, and can be shaped into any popular style of glasses that is available in most optical shops throughout the Republic. "We work with most glasses makers to offer consumers lots of popular options, so they can customize their lenses," said St. James. Once a selection is made, KalMD technology is placed within the frames, to power the device. "There is a six hour battery that takes up most of the mass of the frame, with receiver that connects to either a wifi network or a cellular data network. The microcomputer accesses the the network to provide the user updates related to their current location. For example, if I am at a restaurant and I would like to know the menu, I can look at it, and the glasses will access the network to provide a link to that restaurant's website. There, you can access the menu, order a delivery and so forth. Accessing various applications will allow users to do other things as well while there."

Features included in the app are a music channel, a video app, a GPS app, a web browser, and an email/texting app. "We've also included safety features: For example, given its connection to GPS, you cannot operate most apps while operating a car, for example. But the GPS feature will still give you audio turn by turn directions." The glasses come in non-prescription and prescription varieties.

"We are setting a price point at K1,235 per pair to start with, with significant discounts and payment plans available at cell phone provider shops," said St. James. "It is our goal to attract users of KalMD cell phones to this new technology to replace the cell phone technology as it ages. We will maintain the handheld market, but in the event of widespread adoption in the market, we may consider wearable technology to become the next generation of communications technology." St. James said KalMD expects robust sales in the first quarter. KalMD stock rose in the Kalsie on the announcement of the new technology, finishing 16 points higher at closing.

[Doc]

New Film Studios open in Sulari
Kalistan Film Collective's first major picture "Nowhere Man" earns modest profit
Sulari, Suldanor
March 1, 5343


Derrick Jacobs stars in his first major motion picture, the sci-philosophical drama "Nowhere Man"

Kalistan has in the last couple decades really taken an interest in the art of making movies, producing several big name motion pictures. There is some sign that domestic audiences are starting to pay more attention to Kalistani-made and financed movies than they had before 5300. There appears to be enough interest in the movie industry that in July of last year, a group of investors and film makers themselves capitalized a new film production corporation, known as the Kalistani Film Collective, which aims to attract more independent films and smaller films which may not necessarily meet the criteria necessary for greenlighting films at Republican Studios. The KFC aims to supplement the domestic catalog with smaller, more story driven or cerebral movies that may attract niche audiences.

One such movie is KFC's first major motion picture, the science-philosophic film "Nowhere Man". Its main star, Derrick Jacobs plays a man named Utopia. The story, told from the end of Utopia's life describes both the opportunities and challenges of existing without a country. Utopia has the ability to travel to any point on the globe at will, and once there, can more or less inhabit a random individual. Over the course of this asynchronous tale of international travel and radical cosmopolitanism, a story of three loves of Utopia play out: Throughout the movie, he falls in love with three women, all in less than ideal nations, and he must decide whether it is worth never travelling again and settling down, or continuing to live the life of the stateless man. This conundrum takes up most of the movie.

Jacobs said of the performance: "Its a very complex story that explores ideas of national identity, patriotism, and culture. For example: If Utopia can travel and easily fit into any and every culture, merely at will, is culture itself a real thing, like is it in the genes of the people in that culture, or is it completely and utterly constructed? And if it is constructed, like if National Identity is constructed, what does that mean for individuals who use national identity to get and hold power? If it is not constructed but is something that is maybe genetic, can we ever really see assimilation of immigrants into our society? And what does it really mean to possess a national identify which is entirely unenforcable? And further more, if our identity is supposed to be what divides us, what role does love, even cross culture love play in the whole thing?"

"Nowhere Man" is not seen as a block buster. It has a relatively small budget and a cast of largely unknown actors who carry the more than 2 hour and 20 minute long exploration of ideas around identity. "Nowhere Man" was produced for less than K2 Million, and was adapted from a philosophical text by Martin De Groot. Nonetheless, the movie is already seen as a success at the box office, turning a modest profit for KFC in its first month. The Soundtrack features both alternative rock from Kalistan as well as music from Dorvik, Istalia, Luthori, Vascania, Lourenne, Dankuk, and Valruzia. The cast not only includes half a dozen Kalistani actors, but extras and actors from NSanlosa, Dankuk, Lourenne, Indrala, Deltaria, Badara, Vascania Gaduridos, and Egelion. Most principle photography took place in Kalistan, but there were more than 2 dozen location shots and sets from around the world, treating Kalistani audiences to the sights and sounds of the World, right along with Utopia. "We were careful not to use actual countries and their cultures' names," said Derrick Jacobs. "This way, these places can be anywhere and truely, we did get to go to a lot of remarkable and beautiful places, but the Collective didn't want some country thinking we were depicting them unfairly. We leave it open to interpretation where you think we are, but this movie is totally set on a fictional planet very similar to our own."

The movie is a major first for KFC and hints at great things to come for the new studio.

[Doc]

Kalistani Brethren meet in Kaliburg to Lobby Government
Committee Calls for peace and non-alignment
Kaliburg, Ananto
October 17, 5343


Members of the Brethrenist Committee for Republican Legislation meet with Deputies to discuss peace

Brethrenists from across the Republic gathered in Kaliburg to call on Deputies to move for peace. The usually taciturn faith to which more than 85% of Kalistanis still belong on some level, was heard loud and clear during a week of lobbying of the National Assembly. The Brethren were calling for peace in the Anantonese, as well as asking to consider a renewed effort to form a non-aligned movement and an anti-NBC treaty.

"The All Terran Conference passed minutes in support of general peace in the Anantonese Ocean," said BCRL spokeswoman Anne Sydney. "It is imperative that Kalistan stop threatening ships in the Anantonese. Historically speaking, we would like to remind our legislators what happens due to heightened activity in the Ocean. It often leads to war, and war goes against the basic faith and practice of Brethrenism. We call on the Republican Government to look for solutions to the conflicts we are experiencing with other nations and hope our Deputies will find a solution that will put peace to the front of foreign policy."

The Brethren also called on Deputies to begin working on both a new Non-Alignment Treaty and a new ban on nuclear, biological and chemical weaponry. "These two items were at one point of Kalistan's foreign policy. We would like to see our Government focus once more on these items of peace."

The Brethren were met by Francis Verde, Deputy from Sulari, who listened to the comments of the Brethrenists. "While we are a secular republic, we do pay attention when the Brethren speak with one voice, given that the vast majority of our constituents belong to the Brethrenist faith. Naturally, we also seek to find peaceful solutions to international issues. And of course, new treaties covering things which are traditionally Kalistani positions are always something we will look into. If there is large support for a new Non-Aligned Movement treaty and a new Anti-NBC treaty, that is something I can see the Socialist Party wanting to work on."

The week in the Capitol brought Brethren from across the Republic together, and while mornings were spent talking to Deputies, afternoons were spent touring the various monuments and museums on the Mall, as well as speaking with school children about what the Brethrenist Committee for Republican Legislation. A get together in Kalistan would not be complete without a concert, and this week of lobbying was no exception. The Brethrenists had a concert Friday night featuring reggae and punk rock that sang about peace and unity. The concert was well attended, and a good time was had by all. Meanwhile, Socialists in the National Assembly are reportedly already beginning to discuss the non-aligned movement and a treaty to ban non-conventional weaponry.

[Doc]

AnarchRock Debut Album hits 38 in Hot 100
"No Values" first Hardcore Punk album to chart
Kaliburg, Ananto
March 8, 5344


Sulari band AnarchRock scores highest chart position for a Hardcore Punk Record

The Sulari hardcore punk quartet AnarchRock's debut album "No Values" was the 38th most popular album in the Republic this week, according to KRTVN Radio 1's National Album Poll, which compiles various measures, including album sales, radio airplay, TV video play and streams/downloads. "According to the poll, music from 'No Values' spun more than 18,000 times this week, making it the 38th most popular album in the Republic," said Chart analyst Megan Thomas, of KRTVN Music 1.

Normally, Number 38 is really nothing to write home about. Debut albums have certainly charted higher, and even the album's label, Last Chance Records, which has specialized in niche genres and underground bands for decades have records that have made it much higher in the charts over its more than 250 year history. The amazing fact about "No Values" is that it is a hardcore punk album. No album of this subgenre have gone so high in the flagship weekly poll. "This is certainly the highest chart position for any album of the Hardcore punk genre, and certainly opens the door for other similar bands to achieve a more mainstream success in the Republic," said Thomas.

The success of "No Values" has as much to do with its nihilistic, anti-authority, pro chaos lyrics as it does with a slow but deliberate corporate reorganization at LCR that has expanded its distribution model from a sort of DIY ethic, where hand pressed EPs and Singles are sold at shows, and bootleg cassette tapes are curated for true fans into a more widescale distribution model. The change in company structure with an increased focus on national distribution allowed the punkrock soundtrack for the feature film "Kidnapped!" to become a fan favorite, which still consistently sells more than several hundred copies a month and higher than average streaming spins, even 4 years after the film's release.

"LCR has been hampered primarily by their artists," said Thomas when describing "No Values"' success. "Most bands who record for LCR want merch to sell at shows. And LCR is happy to record and press physical media for them to stock their merch tables. But that translates into hundreds or maybe a thousand records sold. It's a DIY ethic that pervades the scene, which keeps LCR making enough money to stay in business, and gives bands the freedom to set their prices and make money on their records. I think AnarchRock decided that they were sick of being hungry all the time."

Lead singer Hank Kemmerer agreed. "Did we lose some fans when we decided to stop being completely underground? Sure. But when I saw our first check from sales, I about sh-t my pants... No kidding. We talk about anti-authority and all that. But that don't mean we have to live on Ramen all the time. I mean, like rich idiots with no talent regularly sell like 50,000 records. And they suck worse than we do. That pop garbage that people in other parts of the world dig? The f--k? And those people can afford to eat three meals a day? Seriously?"

Kemmerer was explicit that the band was not selling out. "Making money to pay rent is not the same as selling out. Our next record is already being written. It's called 'Kill Landlords'. And its dedicated to all those bastards who make money off others without doing sh-t for it. We're gonna turn my apartment into a commune."

With the success of "No Values" LCR is planning to expand its footprint in Kalistan and in Northern Seleya and Western Dovani markets, to see if punk ruck can't attract new fans outside of the punk clubs and moshpits of Sulari, Dana and Kaliburg.

The first video, as such, from "No Values" is called "Your Abuse" and can be seen here.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8RJNk43ELs]