Kalistan

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AYIC Leader Romero says "Majatran Yeudis do not speak for Kalistan"
Publicly criticizes Neset's efforts to "Claim Leadership over Terran Yeudis"
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 30, 5666


David Romero, leader of the Kalistan Based AYIC speaks to reporters about the dangers of the Neset

David Romero, who is the President and Spokesman for one of the largest Yeudi Affairs organizations in Terra that is not associated with the Neset, spoke out against the actions of the Neset today from Kaliburg. "At this very minute, there are a group of Artanian, Majatran, and Dovanian individuals meeting together in Amudim who claim to be electing a king of the Yeudis," said Romero. "And I want it on record that Majatran Yeudis do not speak for Kalistan. We have no Monarch but the Empress."

Romero, who founded and leads the Anantonese Yeudi Interest Committee, a civil society organization that claims a membership of 650,000 dues paying members and claims to represent all the nearly 3 million Yeudis of Kalistan, said his organization has received both a flood of calls and emails, and also a massive increase in donations when it became clear that the Majatrans has convened a secret meeting and have invited no members of the Yeudi Community from either Kalistan or Valruzia.

"We don't see ANY Seleyan representation there in that group," said Romero. "Instead, I got a mother writing me asking me to stand up for Seleyan Interests, and I have a class at the Sulari Yeshiva taking up a collection for this group to try to raise awareness about the Neset and what it is trying to do to the world. I got a young man sending me all the money he got at his bar mitzvah asking me if it will help. We have people we've never heard from before calling us, writing us, texting us, asking us how they can help, how they can join the cause. My answer is 'spread the word. AYIC is fighting for Kalistani interests in the Diaspora.' We will not be silent. We will not allow them to claim leadership over Terra's Yeudi communities."

The existence of this meeting, or the actual agenda of this group, if it does exist, is unknown, but Romero takes it seriously. "Those of us in the Yeudi community in Kalistan know all about what the Neset does. It exists to unite Yeudis worldwide under Amudim leadership. It doesn't support Kalistan, it doesn't work with Kalistan and it really doesn't even like Kalistan. it was Neset Yeudis who taught Kundrati how to build missiles which they used to attack Kaliburg, and then lied about the nature of the Artanian threat.

"Why?" he asked rhetorically. "The answer to that is unclear but we suspect it had something to do with the Hulanevek Gem. So they would get several countries to meddle with us because of a stone and some crazy legend that is 5000 years old? Those are real lives those foreigners ended. Their concern for the Kalistani Yeudi community was shown plainly the night burning white phosphorus filled our lungs and then burned our houses down over us while we gasped for breath. And Kalistan didn't even get the worst of it. Beiteynese Yeudis incinerated Xsampa in nuclear terror. why would anyone submit to that lot?"

Romero said his group is planning a massive and international PR campaign warning Seleyan, Kerisian and Maconian Yeudis about the dangers of the Neset. "We are blessed with this influx of additional monetary resources," said Romero. "We want to put them to use to encourage Yeudis world wide to be aware of the corrosive action of this Neset, to understand the fact that they are currently declaring themselves king of the Yeudis, and how to avoid the pitfalls of divided loyalty. We are Kalistanis and Valruzians first. We are Seleyans second. No Majatran or Artanian has an ounce of claim to our loyalty or support."

@TheRepublic

[GreekIdiot]

Amudim
"They are right"; Luthorian-Yeudi Hadayim CEO, Lily Benowitz, casts public support for Kalistani-Yeudis
May 5666
https://forum.prtcy.com/thread-3-post-9260.html#pid9260

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"Of Course we are Right," says Romero
AYIC Leader thanks Benowitz for her Support, invites her to join AYIC
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
June 5, 5666


AYIC Leader counts Neset comments as "Victory for Kalistani Yeudis"

"This is absolutely a victory for Kalistani Yeudis," said AYIC leader David Romero, as his ongoing strike against the Amudim driven Yeudi Neset organization continues.  Mr. Romero spoke at an AYIC rally in downtown Sulari today to encourage Kalistan's Yeudi community to reach out to friends, relatives neighbors and co-workers about the efforts the Neset is making to sideline Kalistan and marginalize Kalistani Yeudi concerns.  He was responding specifically to an article in The Times of Yishelem, titled "They Are Right [...]"  "She said in her country's paper that we have a point, that Kalistani Yeudis have been neglected by the Neset, and reluctantly acknowledged the support and protection that this Nation, our Nation has offered to us as Yeudis Yeudis while our relatives and loved ones were being persecuted around the world.  We were right, Ms. Benowitz declared.  To which we respond, 'Of Course we were right.  We're Kalistani.'"

Romero said despite Benowitz' conciliatory language toward Kalistan, this was not what his group is looking for, at all.  "Ms. Benowitz says a lot of pretty words about Kalistan," he said to a crowd of over 10,000 supporters who met at Martinez Park in Downtown Sulari to kick off the summer PR campaign for AYIC.  "It's nice that she acknowledged history.  But our statement was not one of unity.  We are striving for an identity, separate from those represented by Ms. Benowitz's organization.  Which, at the end of the day, is no different than our own.  They represent a constituency, no larger or really much different from our own."

The only issue, Romero said was that "The Neset, as it is takes their constituency for granted.  For far too long they have assumed that they are the single spokespeople for the various Yeudi communities in Seleya, Keris, and Macon.  Did they ask us if they could speak for us?  Did they bother coming to our nation one single time while they bribed other governments to block us at every turn, or worse, to attack our people with their weaponry?  Yes, we know who was behind the missiles who struck sleeping Yeudis in their own homes.  It was Ms. Benowitz' group, the Neset who sold Kalistani Yeudis out during the war to protect some privilege they believed they had in a place like Kundrati, of all places.  They protected their hovel in a shtetl in a fascist dystopia, and helped that nation destroy mansions and single family homes here in Kalistan to do it.  We do not forget, Ms. Benowitz.  Those deaths are at the Neset's doorstep."

Then Romero offered the coup de Grace: "If Ms. Benowitz really wants to do some good, she will disband her organization and have her constituents begin supporting AYIC. If she truly cares about global unity, that is."

Romero's firey speech was a flat out rebuke of the Neset in Kalistan, and a warning shot to Neset activities in Seleya.  "We are asking Seleyan Yeudis to reject this so called leadership from afar and take matters into your own hands here in Seleya.  Foreign kings, foreign interest groups, which have used us and ignored us when we begged for help, why do they still hold such power over us?  What we as Seleyans should do is work together, for our own interests, and say good bye to the old world, the world of masters and puppets.  I as a Kalistani recognize no sovereign but my Empress.  A Valruzian Yeudi should recognize no sovereign but his or her Constitution and the people who live and rule under it, just the same.  But our sovereign, as Yeudis, is not in Majatra, or in Artania.  It is right here, at home, in Seleya.  And blowing us off with some sugarry words, as Ms. Benowitz has really isn't going to change that."

Romero finished the rousing speech with a  call to action.  "Let's work to get this message out.  The Neset is not our friend.  It never has been and it never will be.  And the only way we will stand up against this international cabal of influence peddlers is if we stand together.  Surely our Governments will hear our pleas to divest from the Neset.  I can tell you Kalistan has.  It is my prayer that all do.  But to do that, we, the Yeudi People need to call on them to do that.  Today."

The crowd roared their approval, and at this moment, Mr. Romero asked his invited guest, the Chancellor of the Empire to the podium to offer some words of support and solidarity between all Kalistanis.  Along with her came Lady Helen Ananto-Reynolds, head of House Ananto, who publicly presented Mr. Romero and his organization a check for ₭500,000 Imperial Rubles before a cheering crowd of supporters.

@TheRepublic

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Kalistani News in Brief: Militia conducts Drills in Ananto
Sulari Lord Mayor inaugurates Metro Rail; New GanJam planned for next Summer
Dahriel, Grand Duchy of Ananto
July 1, 5666


Ananto Red Legs, a Militia Artillery Unit, Conducts Drills in Davon Mountains

Militia Conducts Drills in Ananto
In a show of Militia Readiness, the Institutional Militia conducted life fire exercises in all five duchies this month. The focus of the exercises were combined arms exercises involving mobile infantry, artillery, and Demo teams. "We practiced deployment of the heavy artillery, who fired in support of mobile infantry who assaulted a number of different kind of targets," said Militia Captain Nadia Roberts at one of firebases set up by a Battalion of artillery in Ananto known as the Ananto Red Legs. "These tactics are known as leap frogging, where our recon element, including battalion survey, moves forward, sets up firing positions, then Arty moves in, lays the batteries, and fires as the Infantry moves up to the assault."

The Militia conducted both day and night operations this month, and practiced a number of tactics, including military operations in urban terrain, mobile defense, and hipfire tactics. "Trainers were fairly impressed by our readiness in all five duchies." The Captain said that this was the first major exercises for the Militia in a couple years, and the first large scale exercises for the militia since the Likatonian War. "We want this new generation of partisans to be as prepared to defend this nation as previous generations. A lot of the members of the Militia are former servicemen and women who for one reason or another wanted to continue to work to defend the nation, but did not wish to continue active duty enlistment. The Militia is not full time service: Part time civilian life is a draw for a lot of these men and women."

The Militia says they intend to do annual drills in the summer and Duchy specific drills each winter going forward.

Sulari Lord Mayor inaugurates Metro Rail
The Lord Mayor of Sulari, Lord Henry Ortega has announced that the Free City of Sulari has begun to study the feasibility of constructing a city wide Metropolitan Transit system. The Lord Mayor wants to construct a light rail system in the city that serves the population of the city. "We would like it to mirror the system used in Kaliburg," said Lord Mayor Ortega. "We are planning to take advantage of the new funding opportunities in the Localization Act to replace our city's aging bus system that no longer fully serves the population of the City."

According to initial summaries of options, the City is considering subways, elevated rail and street car service. "We want the entire fleet to be electrical," said the Mayor. "We are going to keep free of of diesel operations. The only way to service a city with a population of more than 4.5 million people without significantly impacting the pollution is to run railcars by electric." The Mayor also talked about replacing the bus fleet with new models that are not hybrid models like the old fleet. "It's time to move to all electric. This will also require us to begin constructing new electrical generation and supply infrastructure in the city. We will put that under the Localization Act funds too."

The different feasibility studies will be reviewed over the next couple years before a final plan is accepted and work begins on the new Metro. Money is already being requested for the project from the National Government.

New GanJam planned for next Summer
ODEN-K has announced that they have received commitments for funding for the next GanJam from KRTVN, KMI, LCR and ARC Records. With ODEN's contribution, the planning Committee has announced that GanJam is a go for August 5667. The Planning Committee says they are looking at sites right now, with the short list including Luxon, Kaliburg, Sulari, and High Bong.

"We want this festival to be one for the books," said Committee spokesperson Victor Rogers. "It's been a long time since we have done a multi day festival in Kalistan. So we will be a bit rusty, but I think the committee is comfortable with a three day event. We will be recruiting rock, Hip Hop, Reggae, Ska and RF bands for the show." Rogers said the committee also wish to bring back the visual Arts, food and performance pavilions which were not part of recent GanJams.

"The Visual Arts pavilions were fantastic additions to the music festival," said Rogers. "They provide people with something to do during the day when your lower card bands are playing, and nobody is really that alert because they are either still flying high, or are coming down from last night's parties. It also gives us to showcase our nation's artists along with musicians."

Rogers says he also wants to invite foreign musicians to GanJam. "As always," said the Director. "We maintain an open invitation to foreign bands to come play at GanJam. It's our hope that they take us up on the offer this year." The festival dates will be announced next spring, when tickets go on sale. It is expected that they will be sold as day passes and festival passes, for music fans who want to either just do a day or attend the entire show.

@TheRepublic

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Navy Review Determines significant need for Cutbacks
Bentasur survives chopping block
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
August 12, 5666


Chancellor delivers Executive Summary to National Assembly

The review of the Kalistani Regular Navy has been completed and delivered to the National Assembly. The Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Jennifer Alvarez-Miller delivered the report to the National Assembly this week, focusing executive Summary and the conclusions of the review. "Much of this information, especially about capacity and specifications remains classified and National Assembly Deputies will be briefed and will have the opportunity to inspect the full report in a closed setting starting next week," said the Chancellor. "But the results of the review show a number of areas where cutbacks are necessary due to duplication, lack of adequate readiness, and lack of mission."

The findings of the Select Commission on Naval Review, empaneled two years ago by Her Imperial Majesty's Government, went through the entire Regular Navy from top to bottom, with an eye to looking for and highlighting what Kalistan does well, what it does poorly and what it can improve upon. "The Commission's goal was to see if what we have is what we need, and if what we have is usable," said the Chancellor. "And what they found was significant cost overages, redundancies fleet wide which can be trimmed, lack of adequate supply in many portions of our fleets, and in some cases, just unservicable equipment."

The Chancellor began her summary of the findings with what Kalistan does. "Kalistan takes care of our men and women under arms," said the Chancellor. "Compensation for the Regular Forces is among the best in the world. Our men and women under arms have some of the best services, including full medical, dental, housing, food, clothing, BEQ and BOQ facilities, married and family support. We offer all our active duty servicemebers mental health care, 60 days of leave annually, excellent retention bonuses and advancement opportunities, and pensions. An 18 year old right out of High School can easily make a career in the Armed Forces, and job satisfaction is among the highest of all sectors. We do a very good job at taking care of our men and women." She also noted the ample opportunities for training proficiency in the Regular Navy, and for professionalization at service and grade schools, off duty entertainment, physical fitness standards, and discipline. "We are very proud of those who serve and take care of them well."

She went through a number of other more technical aspects of the Navy that the Regulars do well. "Our fleets excel at their primary missions which is defend the Ananto Ocean and the Empire from all threats, foreign and domestic. We have some of the best submarine detection and mitigation systems in place of any nation in the world, allowing us to easily handle threats that present themselves at our gates. We track and can manage every single ship transiting the Strait, a long term tactical goal of countless generations of planners in Kalistan. We can mitigate most threats with a combination of weapons system that will cripple or sink our adversaries long before they reach range to threaten our major coastal cities. Kalistan is a fortress, and the walls of that fortress remain our Regular Navy."

But, she added, "There are things we do very poorly at, and these are things the Regular Navy has sacrificed to maintain the high levels of combat readiness here at home." The litany of shortcomings of the Kalistani Regular Navy was fairly extensive. The Chancellor mentioned that Kalistan's major weakness is in projection outside of the Anantonese Ocean. "At one point, our empire was a two ocean Navy. Now we are limited in our capacity to project even within our own ocean." She cited the failure to prevent the Egelian Navy from seizing a Naval Base for itself as a spoil of the Rildanor Civil War that it chose to insert itself into as an example. "There was a day when foreign states could not so easily project themselves completely through three Kalistani Battle Fleets with no care whatsoever to how Kalistan might view the action or react, as Egelion did with impunity. That day is sadly over, and is not coming back in the foreseeable future."

As it is, Kalistani Naval Power is much diminished from what it was at its zenith during the Artanian Sea Campaign. "The loss of the 4th Fleet in that series of engagements was not only a blow to our Naval projection capabilities, but also to the tolerance for risk in our military establishment," said the Chancellor. "The complete disaster in that naval campaign, while a tactical victory, showed the downside of risky projection: there was absolutely zero strategic gain to the loss of that fleet and no follow up either from Kalistan, who no longer could, or her so-called 'allies', who turned their backs on Kalistan at precisely the decisive moment, to solidify any of the tactical gains we lost our fleet to achieve. As a result, it was just a loss of lives, property, and capacity. Kalistan pulled back into more familiar territory after that devastating loss, and we have not recovered our swagger or confidence since then."

The result of that naval disaster, which is still marked with a moment of silence in early August every year within most Service Organizations, has led to a much larger navy than is needed to meet Kalistan's strategic imperatives. "We sail two fleets, each one which is the size of many nations' entire navies, within the Northern Anantonese Ocean itself, between Kalistan and Keris. This is seen as a colossal waste of resources and time. We are not at war with Keris, and either of those fleets can match whatever any other nation can realistically deploy against us, especially navies who have to sail their units far from home to get here. Therefore, we just have too many ships under Kalistani Colors in the Northern Anantonese Ocean, and as expected the review suggests that both mission and fleet size needs to be paired back to match more correctly with Strategic Doctrine in the Northern Anantonese."

To accomplish this, The Chancellor stated that the report recommends that the 1st and the 4th Fleets be combined, and shrunk to about the size of the current 4th Fleet. "We can also begin to decommission the antique Sativa Class Submarines," said the Chancellor. "These ships are inefficient, the design is very old, and they tend to cost more per annum to operate than the newer, better armed, better equipped Victor and Indica-C class subs." She also noted that the old Daniel Guzman Class Multipurpose Frigates will likely face decommissioning in favor of more Luxon and Luxon II ships which were both jointly designed by Kalistan and Hutori. "The Daniel Guzmans performed poorly in the Artanian Sea Campaign, and were among the first to be sunk while scoring almost no hits at all. They are slow, they have poor handling at sea, and as we transition to focus on surface to surface naval artillery, the Daniel Guzmans will require too much money to retrofit." Other ships which are deemed redundant or exceed the Organizational Structure will be mothballed, likely at Port Swedes, which will be redesignated to its primary function as a Naval Logistics Center, moving the reorganized 1st Fleet back to its home at Bozo River.

The Chancellor also announced that the Navy will undergo a force reduction of about 20%. "We will work with Sailors who wish to take buyouts and early retirements. But it is possible that we will have to go to cashiering if we do not have enough volunteers to leave." She said the Defense Ministry will be developing a plan to identify good candidates for either buy out or early retirement beginning in October. Force Reduction should begin within a year.

Importantly, the Chancellor noted that the report declared Bentasur to be an extremely expensive base to maintain but that it is recommended that Kalistan maintain its presence in Gaduridos. "The reviewers noted that food and supplies in Bentasur tend to be twice as expensive as they are at Port Swedes on average. This means that the budget for the Third Fleet, who operated out of Bentasur, is one of the biggest costs to the entire military budget. However, the reviewers concluded that if Kalistan abandons Bentasur, Gaduridos, which does not itself possess a navy outside of a coastal patrol fleet, will not be able to make much use of it, and so they will likely look for ways to transfer it to some other power. There are plenty of people itching to insert themselves into the Central Anantonese Ocean, not least of whom is Egelion, who seems to be on an expansionist mission. Other likely candidates would come from nations with whom Kalistan certainly wants to actively limit their influence in this part of the world. So there is of a more geopolitical cost to handing the base back to Gaduridos, just so they can allow basing from one of Kalistan's regional rivals in Gaduridos, or worse yet, our adversaries, than it is to simply bear the cost of keeping it." The Chancellor noted that this conclusion was shared by Her Imperial Majesty, and was likely influenced by the Crown.

"We will need to find better logistics support for Bentasur in the coming months and years," said the Chancellor. "The 3rd Fleet's activities are crucial for controlling the southern approaches to the Anantonese Empire, and so Bentasur remains a vital part of Imperial Defense. But, we still have to keep our Fleet supplied and that is what is preventing expansion elsewhere. What these new Logistical supply points will look like is uncertain: We don't have any friends south of Gaduridos. The logical choice would be to get into a regular agreement for supply from Mordusia, but given Mordusia's attitude toward Kalistan and their subservience to Fort William, who is known to absolutely detest Kalistan, purchasing war stores from Mordusia is almost certainly off the table. So it will need to continue to be brought in from Kalistan, while we obtain what we can in Gaduridos."

The Chancellor is optimistic. "Force Reduction in the north will more than offset cost increases in the South. But this should be a signal to our neighbors: You all are going to have to pick up more of the slack for regional security. You can count on cooperation from Kalistan to keep our region safe from foreign encroachment, but you can no longer rely upon Kalistan to fling its ships to far seas to keep the far enemy away. That is a burden you will need to carry yourselves. Kalistan can maintain the core Region between Indrala and Keris safe, but we are now standing behind the gates, not in front of it any longer. That is your jobs now." The Chancellor admitted that it has been for a while: This is simply an acknowledgement of the facts on the ground by an Empire who no longer can protect those who themselves do not care much about the opinion of the Empire when they do whatever they are doing.

"In short," said the Chancellor in conclusion, "as we pull back into a more reasonable sized Fleet and Strategic mission, you shouldn't just automatically assume that your '6' will always be covered by the Kalistani Regular Navy any longer, especially is we are busy covering our own '12'. We can't maintain that role for foreign nations any longer, because free riding is pushing Kalistan toward the poor house."

@TheRepublic

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Finance Minister talks about new Tel Bira Bank
"Geopolitical considerations at play here," says King
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
August 20, 5666


Dr. King says new Tel Bira bank system is "good system that flounders upon geopolitical shoals"

Her Imperial Majesty's Finance Minister, Dr. Michael King, said he has the opportunity to review details around the new Tel Bira Banking system which proports to provide a medium for monetary, stock and commodities exchange. He says that it is unlikely that Kalistan will initially support the system, but doesn't put the idea down in a measured statement. The Minister spoke on Radio Kaliburg's Finance Hour show, which was broadcast all over Kalistan, was streamed live in rka.ks and beamed via satellite into receivers around the world.

"It seems fairly sound," said the Finance Minister. "The bank at Tel Bira is actually several banks, which themselves don't have a lot of stake in the transfers that go through them. Instead, they act more as guarantors and a pass-throughs that make their money from service fees charged to members. It seems pretty straight forward and transparent. If Bank A and Bank B are in two different countries, and each have their own regulations, restrictions and fees, this Bank C in Tel Bira can smooth out the transaction between the two, so Bank A and Bank B do not have to worry about compliance, exchange rates or whatever. It makes international Bank-to-Bank transactions much simpler, guarantees transfers to some certain amount, and reduces both risk and marginal fees for all users. Tel Bira takes their cut, which seems to be paid by the sender, everyone is happy. And meanwhile, they re-establish the credibility of the financial system in Amudim, specifically Tel Bira."

But as he was explaining this new system, there was a hint of hesitation in his explication. When pressed, the Finance Minister said it would likely not be something that Kalistan would join. "Well: We have our issues with the City States in Amud... excuse me, with Beiteynu. The system asks signatories to place their trust in the Banking system of Tel Bira. But I don't need to remind everyone that Amudim has owed billions to large institutional creditors around the world. I wonder if they thought we would all forget about those loans, which, I'm not sure whether they are still outstanding or if they have been repudiated or what... I don't know? have the been repaid? I don't know... My point is: Beiteynese interests have made their money serving as the middleman, putting very little of their own skin in the game while leveraging everyone else so that only they actually come out ahead. Very shrewd, but you can't expect Kalistan to help to lend credibility to that activity or to help them prosper when they have historically been the source of misery for everyone else."

The Finance Minister added, "Look: the plan and the details in the treaty show a solid business plan. Any liberal nation interested in free movement of capital around the world should at least be interested in this treaty. The fact that those trying to trade with that kind of ease should have no problem with Tel Bira collecting a toll for passing through its institution: after all Tel Bira bears some risk as well. The exchange rates of some of the less convertible are gonna eat into their profitability a little bit, but the math isn't that hard: the service fees will cover those losses too. It's not complicated. But then again, Kalistan is not a liberal economy: We protect our currency here, and don't care to share the risk with an institution in a foreign country that Kalistan neither trusts, nor particularly wants to encourage. This is a pretty good system that flounders upon geopolitical shoals."

The Finance Minister suggested there might be an opening for cooperation with Tel Bira, were that bank to invest into an institution that Kalistan controls, like the ForIn Bank. "We could help them mitigate some of their costs with buying and holding foreign currency," said Minister King. "Our ForIn bank Charter caps exchange service fees at 1%, which is lower than any cambio, who usually charges between 2.1% and 3.6%, depending on where you are exchanging--worldwide, the fee is often much higher than that even. But cooperation would require Tel Bira to have confidence in Kalistani institutions too, enough to see the upside to doing business with us. In other words, it wouldn't be just a one way street. I think the Tel Bira system will be fine with or without Kalistan. But trust goes both ways, and right now I think there is a deficit in trust on both sides that will preclude any deeper relationship between Kaliburg and Tel Bira."

The definitiveness of the Minister's statements suggest they represent the official stance of Her Imperial Majesty's Government, which we can also assume mean that they were vetted and approved by Her Imperial Majesty herself.

@TheRepublic

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At Home with the Crown Prince and Lady Jennifer Connor
Crown Prince to begin second year of College
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
September 5, 5666


Crown Prince Fredrick and Lady Jennifer Connor at their home in Kaliburg

His Highness The Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Collins and fiancé, Lady Jennifer Connor sat down with La Moda Crown writer Kathy Torrence to discuss their first year together, relations with Her Imperial Majesty, and preparations for Imperial Duties.

(La Moda's) K(athy) T(orrence): Thank you Your Highness and Lady Connor for meeting with me today.

(His Highness, the Crown Prince) F(redrick) A(nanto-Collins): It is our pleasure to meet with you today.

(Her Ladyship, Baroness) J(ennifer) C(onnor-Zappa): Its nice to see you as always, Ms. Torrence.

KT: First question is for your, Lady Connor. I see you've been made a peer. Congratulations to you.

JC: Yes, Her Imperial Majesty created a barony for me just outside of Kaliburg. I am the 1st Baroness of Zappa, which requires me, more or less to oversee a subdivision exclave and about ten square miles of the Zappa River Valley. My job is to make sure the river is clear of debris, and make sure the roads are repaired. It doesn't seem like too big a job.

KT: Congratulations, will your Peer responsibilities affect your modelling?

JC: No, ha ha. I'll probably be in my demesne far more often than most Barons, living right here in Lolla.

KT: So you two have found a nice home here in Lolla. Your home is very pretty. Certainly not one you would expect the future Emperor to live in.

FA: It does the job. We have a couple bedrooms, its close to the subway so I can get to school and to Cliff House as I need to, and Jenn can get to her various shows, her studios and so forth. Its perfect for what we need, and its right near all the conveniences.

KT: How is your highness finding your Imperial Apprenticeship?

FA: It's going quite well. I feel like I am having a lot of things coming at me all the time. Between school and working with my mom, I leave here about 7:30am and come home at about 8pm. These are long days, and even when classes are out, I'm still going for more than 12 hours a day. I kind of knew what my mother did: I started this transition process when I was 14, but as you know, I spent a lot of time surfing, so, I'm having to catch up a bit.

KT: What sorts of things are you learning from the Empress.

FA: Well, she has a lot of, shall I say, unofficial duties besides her official ones. And I think its those that are pretty hard to master. She's been doing this for more than 40 years; a lot of things just come natural to her. A lot of times she doesn't think to talk about me about something until it happens and I ask her, you know, what is this, what happened here? And then if she has time, she will discuss how this is part of this job or this is part of that role.

KT: Has Your Highness seen her exercise her legislative fiat?

FA: It's kind of strange. She is talking to her government, or members of her government daily, and they're carrying on some conversation about something, and the next thing we know, we are in the National Assembly, and the Chancellor is scheduling that thing for a vote. If the Empress is in attendance, it passes, almost always without debate, but if not, they will debate it sometimes among themselves. Most of the debate has to do with how that thing will be implemented. But if the Chancellor says it, you know it will eventually become a law.

KT: Lady Connor, have you had the opportunity to sit in with the Crown Prince and the Empress during the days?

JC: Of course. It is just like Fred says: She is just having a conversation and the next thing you know, you are reading about it in the paper. I'm not entirely sure how they know what she wants, but they seem to be on her wavelength, and I suppose that is a thing Fred will have to master.

KT: How are your school studies going, Your Highness?

FA: Accounting and finance is comparatively easy compared to Imperial Administration, haha. I got through my first year with great grades. The course load is not too difficult.

KT: Do you get any time in to surf?

FA: No, I don't I surfed a little when I got out of the NSP, but haven't competed since I was younger. I'd be kind of out of practice by now, and don't have a lot of time to get back into it.

KT: So tell me what life is like as a couple.

FA: Hahaha, I will let you handle this one, Jenn.

JC: Let's see: When we both have a free night, we may go out to dinner and then maybe a show. We do occasionally get to use the box at the National Opera. But for the most part, we stay at home, we order some Indralan, we snuggle up under the blanket together, and watch some movies or something. We aren't together every night unfortunately: Sometimes, I'm in Sulari, sometimes he's in Athosia. When we do get our schedules aligned, we are together.

KT: Is the wedding still set for two years for now?

JC and FA (together): Yes

FA: I would do it sooner if it wouldn't take her away from her job. But I don't think I could do that to her: She's got a contract and everything, but I would feel terrible if she had to leave what she loves to do for me and for this life. I know it's really difficult becoming the Empress. When we marry, she's still going to be a public person But she won't be the face of a product or a fashion line. I mean, let's be honest: She a lot better to look at than I am. And she's way more outgoing than I am. So, I want her to have the opportunity to still live her life as long as possible.

KT: Does Your Highness need to be married by the time you are crowned?

FA: There's no rule on that, for real. I think my mother would prefer I be married now, but... She can't have everything she wants.

KT: Does Your Highness plan to stick to avoiding the Hulanevek Diamond when you are Emperor?

FA: Yes. It might be nice to let Jenn wear it, but I think it might just be better to leave it alone. She can choose whatever stone she wants to wear out of thousands of stones. The more the better, you know? Why test fate with that one?

KT: Do you believe the stone is genuinely cursed?

FA: I do.

KT: How about you, Lady Connor?

JC: I honestly don't have an opinion. I don't know if I believe in curses, but the way Fredrick and Her Imperial Majesty talk about that stone-- It gives a person pause, you know? These are two intelligent people, and if they say its cursed and genuinely believe it, you know? I trust them. It kind of makes me think there is something to it, to the belief that its cursed.

KT: Would you ever wear it in public?

JC: No, I don't think so. I mean: The way The Empress wears it: Who could even match that elegance and class? I could never outdo her, so I don't think I would try.

KT: Last Question for you both: the next GanJam has been announced for next summer. Will you both attend?

JC: We are both very excited for the festival, and I have already planned to work my schedule around it, and I know by then Fred will need a break too. So I'm pretty sure we'll both go.

FA: I think (Her Highness Princess) Nicolette is also planning to take some time off from NSP around then so she can go too. It will be a lot of fun for all of us I think.

KT: Who are you hoping to see there?

JC: I just love live music. I think there is a rock band from I think Yoshimi named Azules Electricos who I want to see in concert sometime, maybe they will get to play. I think they're kind of up and coming though. I really also kind of want to see Limelight. I think they're a great reggae band. There's a lot of music in the underground right now. I'm sure they'll have a great program.

KT: And how about Your Highness?

FA: I am not partial. I want to go more for the experience. People who know Kalistani music history know the cultural importance of the GanJam festivals. And I am just happy that I will get to experience one in my lifetime. We've waited too long as a country, I think.

KT: Well, I really thank you both for your time and for speaking with me today. I just can't get over how pretty your home is.

JC: Thank you Kathy. You're so kind to say so.

KT: My pleasure!

@LaModa

[Doc]

Lady Jennifer Connor becomes "MV Girl" at Sulari Car Show
Signs exclusive 2 year contract with MotorVrassa
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
November 10, 5666


Lady Jennifer Connor will star in a series of print and television ads for MotorVrassa

MotorVrassa's new campaign kicked off this week with the unveiling of the new MV-2 Long Range Electric Vehicle, at the Sulari Car Show, the annual trade and hobby show which displays new products from Kalistan and the International Community's manufacturers, as well as the efforts that car enthusiasts have taken to modify their vehicles. The Annual show includes nightly races at the Sulari Duchy Speedway, and plenty of booths from car parts dealers for those who want to take the standard stock models and modify them to their own specs.

The Sulari Show allows each car company to unveil new designs and give people a heads up with regard to what to expect in the new car space for the up coming year. And this year, all eyes were on MotorVrassa's pavilion as their new spokeswoman, and future Empress Consort, Lady Jennifer Connor, presented the new MV-2 Long Range Electric Vehicle, MotorVrassa's new sedan design that increases range per charge by more than 75 miles through using lighter materials, a more efficient powertrain, and a more efficient energy return system than previous models.

The new car was impressive, but more impressive was the news that accompanied Lady Connor's appearance at the trade show: The fiancé of the Crown Prince and future mother to the Heirs to the Throne of Ananto and Kalistan had signed a two year exclusive contract with MotorVrassa to appear in print, television and radio ads for the automaker. "Connor's face, voice and likeness will be associated with MV for probably the rest of her life," said advertising executive Gail Howard, of Sun City Consultants in Sulari. "She's officially the 'MV Girl'. The contract is worth ₭4.6 million Imperial Rubles. During that time, she will also travel across the nation and to everywhere MV sells cars, and will hold guest appearances to advertise MotorVrassa's various products." Her fee is considered a record fee for product advertisements, and allows her to bring her own money into her upcoming marriage to His Highness the Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Collins.

The advertising campaign, inked last week between MV and Lady Connor's agents at Kauffman allows her to have final editorial say over what is published using her image or likeness. "Lady Connor has one of the most recognizable faces in Seleya at this particular moment, second only to Her Imperial Majesty herself," said Howard, who is running the MV campaign for the next two years. "She's going to sell a LOT of cars for that company. Paying her well and letting her protect her image is the least they can do. She is a beautiful woman, and sometimes its easy for people like this to get into situations where they get bad advice. But she's also pretty shrewd, and is always looking out for her future: When her modelling career ends, she's still going to be the Wife of the Emperor, and she will graduate from being the face of MV to the face of the whole Empire."

MV was reportedly very pleased with the ability to sign Lady Connor to an exclusive deal. "She had plenty of other offers," said Marketing Director for Sales, Olivia Petty. "We didn't even give her the most money. But I think we were the ones who looked at what she wanted and said 'How can we make you happy?' rather than throwing a bunch of money at her. She drives a hard bargain, but I think she has a great agent, and knows what she wants. Selling cars is just a thing for her: I will say, the car could sell itself, but the same car looks a lot nicer with her standing in front of it."

MoCo, also present at the show, is highlighting its new line of sport utility vehicles, for those who wish to off-road. "As all vehicles in Kalistan are electrical, getting an SUV with the kind of torque needed to pull a horsetrailer or to climb up a mountain is still a problem that plagues us," said MoCo Chief of Design James DuGarde. "But MoCo does a good job with the cars we offer. We've been putting a lot of money into continuous transmission that allows for the vehicle itself to select the correct gear for the job, and we think this is where we are going in the future."

MoCo still leads the car market in Kalistan, despite the upstart MV posting profits for five years straight. "MV is a growth company," said Petty. "We are small: We currently only have about a 19% market share for all new cars. But that's up over the last 10 years from nothing. And its all coming from MoCo's former customers who want to try something new, something trendy, something hip. We think Ms. Connor's addition to our team is gonna be a big part of this: She's fresh and cool, she's 'in' right now, she's the image we want for our company."

The appearance of Lady Connor at the show as the Spokesmodel for MV drew a very large crowd, even by Sulari Car Show standards, and she ended up staying behind after the noon presentation for photos and autographs from fans and well-wishers, all of whom say they were already at the show but came to the MV pavillion when they found out she was there. She took photos with the show's attendees for more than an hour, and then was on hand for a 2 O'Clock presentation as well.

@LaModa

[Doc]

GanJam 5667 returns Festival to Kalistan
Renewed Festival returns Arts Pavilions after long hiatus
Luxon, Grand Duchy of Ananto
July 12, 5667


Limelight, who made it their mission to bring GanJam back, Given Headliner Spot

GanJam 5667, sponsored by ODEN-K and KRTVN, as well as KMI, LCR and ARC record companies, was, by all measures a hit. The long awaited concert featured Limelight, the Dana Reggae Punk band who, 5 years ago, declared it their lifelong mission to bring GanJam back, were awarded the coveted Headliner Spot and given the rights to close the concert. But before Limelight took the stage for their set, there were three days of music, drugs and Kalistani Art for people to experience.

The Festival took place at Luxon's Global Music Hall of Fame Amphitheater. Festival organizer Cheryl Thomas, head of marketing at ODEN, said "We chose Luxon based on advance ticket sales. Luxon tends to be a bit more intimate and subdued compared to some of the other venues we were looking at. We were expecting a somewhat smaller crowd size than some of the largest shows, but we also knew Luxon had space for up to about 45,000 comfortably, so, we decided to limit sales to around there. We sold out in the first week, but by then we had already worked out the agreement with GMHoF, so, the way we accommodated that was to move the art pavilions and the food and drink vendors out of the main amphitheater, and then just open those to all, even non-ticket holders."

GanJam once again priced tickets based on the amount of shows people wanted to see at ₭42 for a day pass, or ₭107 for a three day festival pass. "Ticket prices were higher than they traditionally have been," said Thomas. "Band fees are higher now than they used to be, and we also had to pay a bit more for the venue, due to needing to co-insure the festival. It all led to tickets being about 20% higher this year than they were at the last GanJam, but that was a long time ago, so, nobody but an accountant staring at our number would even appreciate the increase. We were still profitable, but the margin was about the same as it has historically been."

Azules Electricos, a progressive rock band from Sulari mixed classical guitar with hard rock to open GanJam

The first night featured rock and pop. The bands that took the stage included Sulari's Azules Electricos, who opened the show with a set of progressive rock. "I really kind of liked them a lot," said festival attendee Mark Robbins. "They played about half their set acoustic, and their lead guitarist, who is a classically trained guitarist, played a lot of his music on plastic strings, which was a totally unexpected sound." Other acts from Night 1 included Indie pop act Righteous Kill, and Kaliburg rockers The ExCops, who did a rockabilly set.

Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Collins and Lady Jennifer Connor attend the 3 Day Festival and are introduced during Night 1

During the day on Day 2, the Art Pavilions opened, and predominant in this year's festival was photography, psychedelic art and mixed medium art. One pavilion featured large format photography taken by famous Kalistani photos. The centerpiece installation in the Photo Pavilion featured supermodel Kelsey Ryan, who posed for Port Swedes photographer Maria Suarez. Ryan was on hand during Day 2 and Day 3 to talk to fans and viewers about the photography of Suarez, who lost her battle with leukemia in May of this year.

Kelsey Ryan featured in the Photo Pavilion, photo "Duality" taken by the late Maria Suarez

"These sessions that Maria and I did together were her last," said Ryan. "She was very sick, but she was very dedicated to putting together an exhibition of her work here at GanJam. When she called me in December, I was like 'Who is going to say no to Maria?' but like a lot of people, I didn't even know she was sick until about a day before we were finished. These were the last photos she took, and I am so grateful for the time I got to spend with her and work with her. She really made me look very good here and it's such an honor to be here and talk about Maria, and what an amazing photographer she was."

A painting of Her Imperial Majesty, Showcasing the Opium Poppy, displayed as part of "Art for ODEN" installation in Psychedelic Pavilion

Over in the Psychedelic Art pavilion there were a number of both print installation as well as interactive art, where participants could be in the art, and move it around and interact with it. "The Pavilion is best experienced on psychotropic chemicals," said Eshar artist Blake Farnsworth. "Especially the interactive ones. We all basically communicate within our community, and we all decided this year that the art is to be made by everyone."

Other pavilions included mixed media, including short films, and technology. The pavilions were well attended this GanJam, and provided concert goers something to do during the day when music wasn't playing continuously, but there were breaks in the program.

L Night Headliner Dea makes a well received comeback at GanJam

Night 2 was designated L Night, and featured primarily RF and Funk Music. The Concert which traditionally lasts all night, met expectations at this GanJam. About 8:30 pm, the Kaliburg techno DJ crew Stella came out and blasted club bangers to get the crowd warmed up. Also featured that night was Micky Zapata, a KME and RF singer from Yoshimi who was a huge hit with the multitudes. The Headliner of the night, reigning electropop Queen Dea, made her comeback on L Night with a double set that lasted until 2:30 am.

"We had no idea Dea was going to play here, until we saw the program," said fan Gina West. "I grew up listening to her, but she hasn't put out a new album for like 6 years. But I can see why. She has a more adult, if you want to say that, sound. Her stuff before was more pop, but her new stuff almost has an industrial tint to it. I think that is certainly what she is going for. It's far more sexual, and deviant in a lot of ways. It was fresh and pretty exciting." The entire crowd really welcomed Dea back to the stage and she completely played up her new RF angle.

The one thing that all the artists doing RF during Night 2 had in common was a focus on almost an art deco sort of elegance. "It makes a lot of sense, when you think back to what past people thought modern elegance would be," said attendee and RF fan Nate Smith. "I suppose past futurism really embraced these very conservative sort of hair styles, dress fashions, and suits. Nobody dresses like this now, of course, but the essence of retro futurism is the nod back to what people of the past thought we would be doing now, at least in the aesthetic, and Dea, and the other artists, really brought that out. There was nothing at all that was scandalous: She and everyone else brought a conservative modernism to their look, how they carried themselves, and everything. The RF we heard this year is a different aesthetic completely from the more classic RF."

Night three Openers Mighty Ape kicked the last night off with a HXC assault

The Closing Night of GanJam featured punk, ska and reggae. The night started off with Kaliburg Hardcore punk band Mighty Ape. The set brought out the moshers, many of whom climbed onto the stage in an attempt to stage dive back into the crowd . The General Admission area in front of the stage was a swirling sea of bodies all slam dancing as Mighty Ape played a 23 song set in about 25 minutes. Dana ska followed the Mighty Ape as 8-piece tradska band Satellite took the stage, and slowed things down over the next hour.

After several more bands played, the Show Closers Limelight took the stage at around 1 am. Limelight is the Dana reggae and punk band that declared their mission was to bring GanJam back. "This is literally a dream come true," said front man Keith McDonald, as he arrived on the stage. "You guys don't even know what an awesome thing this is for us, and for music lovers all across this country! Now let's f--k some sh-- up!" The band launched into one of their new tracks, the punkrock, "Bleed". The crowd, who knew the meaning behind McDonald's words shouted cheers and immediately went nuts out in the pit.

"Oh man, the Limelight set," said attendee Francis Wright, "best set of the whole show. Those guys just have so much like passion. They have the vibe, you know." A lot of the music that Limelight played during their set was hip hop and ska influenced surf punk, a style which has come to dominate the scenes in Dana and Sulari, and has also spawned a micro-scene in Luxon. "It's that surf punk that is fast and loud, but not aggressive," said Wright. "It's made for a place like this, where things are just chill, the weed is blazing and we're all just laid back and having a great time. Turn your brain off kind of music."

After the Show closed, ODEN reported attendance and earnings. Over the three days of the event, 48,354 attendees scanned their tickets, the majority being full festival passes. The Concert earned ₭3,643,843 in ticket sales, another ₭932,453 in concessions, and ₭2,765,000 in recreational sales over the three day festival. The profit (after band fees, venue fees, insurance, and logistics) was split between sponsors based on their stake in the event, and all fully recouped their investment.

Organizer Thomas said "Well, it was profitable: GanJam is always a good investment. The one thing we didn't have this year, and I always wish we had more, was international bands. But so few countries actually have a thriving music industry. They have musicians, for sure: FOMAT demonstrates that. But a music industry is great because it allows nations to locate and develop talent. A music industry that pays its artists allows them to make a living off their talent, rather than requiring them to split their time between making music and their stupid day job that doesn't really even matter.

"Kalistan is blessed with a wealth of talent because we have the infrastructure in place to cultivate that talent and to patronize that talent. Our musicians just have an easier time going from good musician to great musician, which is why we see by far the best and the vast majority of good musicians coming from Kalistan. And that allows us to put a three full day musical festival like GanJam together. The bands are already here. It would be nice if other countries did music too, especially as systematically as Kalistan does."

Hopefully we don't have to wait too long for the next GanJam. But meanwhile, take it easy, from GanJam 5667.

@KalistaniRawkMonthly

[Doc]

House Ananto reports ₭1 Trillion in assets and equity for first time
Investment and Conservative Fiscal attitude Attributed for Success
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
September 20, 5667


Lady Helen Ananto-Reynolds, Skipper of House Ananto and Miramar, at office in Kaliburg

The Head of House Ananto, Lady Helen Ananto-Reynolds, released House Ananto's Financials this month, following the completion of the annual audit. The asset column contained more than ₭1 trillion Imperial Rubles in assets and equity for House Ananto, with liabilities totaling ₭128 Billion and total equity totaling more than ₭780 Billion, mostly in retained cash and House Ananto Equity in Miramar. Miramar Holdings carries all the liability of the company, consisting mainly of outstanding stock not held by House Ananto and debt carried by the corporation. Miramar owns stock in large sections of the Northern Seleyan Economy, including nearly every major Kalistani corporation, and much of Kalistan's international investments, making it one of the largest institutional investors in Seleya.

"Being a trillion Ruble Corporation is a landmark," said Lady Ananto, at Miramar's annual shareholder meeting. "Over more than 600 years, House Ananto has assiduously and carefully invested in our economy and the economy of sectors across Northern Seleya. We have not taken risky chances, we have invested in the stable institutions of the Anantonese Empire. And lets also say what we mean here: We have not been greedy. The reason capitalists fail is simple greed. We have taken a pragmatic approach to our business, and have been rewarded by capital when we need it, an excellent credit reputation with our banks, and vast and unimaginable sums of wealth. With that, our Sovereign is able to provide for her people when they are in need, invest in development efforts overseas, and ensure that the Imperial House and the Royal Family is able to pay itself, rather that take from the Kalistani people while one person is hungry, or one person is without a home, or one child is uneducated, or one elderly person cannot receive the medical treatment they need."

Lady Ananto-Reynolds said that much of the money earned in the last fiscal year was earned from stock transfers and commission on money management services. "Miramar is not only a company that holds stock, but we also have a fiduciary responsibility to provide our clients excellent financial advice and to invest their money into well crafted and hedged financial portfolios. The largest institutional investors in Kalistan have their money with Miramar, and our reputation is such that those investing hundreds of millions of Imperial Rubles trust us to make them money. We have consistently outperformed the Kalisie due to our conservative strategy by about half a percentage annually for decades. We of course take commission for our services, and that money itself goes back to House Ananto, along with profits from all other operations Miramar has money in."

Some Kalistanis have publicly criticized House and Miramar over the years, mostly on grounds that it acts as a vacuum sucking vast sums of wealth and transferring it to the Empress herself. But this is more often a moral critique than a suggestion that there is any corruption or illegal action. "Miramar exceeds industry best practices on corporate transparency," said Lady Helen. "We do all we possibly can to not only ensure our books are public and available for inspection from anyone who wishes to, but our current ledger is also made public at miramar.ks/corporate/finance. We compensate our executives enough to discourage self-dealing. We pay our dividends on time and in full. Nobody can impeach our corporate practices: Miramar sets the standard for transparency, corporate responsibility, and corporate citizenship. We owe that to our investors and to the people of the Empire. And it is a point of pride for Miramar, House Ananto, and myself personally."

Instead, most arguments revolve around the rhetorical question of "what could one person do with a trillion Imperial Rubles?" Especially when there is still a housing shortage in Kalistan's cities (a problem which is improving but is not fully resolved yet) and people are starving in even developed capitalist nations overseas. Lady Helen Ananto-Reynolds has an answer: "What difference does it make if the Empress has access to a trillion Imperial Rubles? Its her money. She is not going to impoverish herself to feed people in capitalist nations who won't even help themselves by ending the economic liberalism that is the sole cause their starvation. It's a moral hazard: If Her Imperial Majesty helps feed people in capitalist nations, it will just encourage capitalists to continue to ignore their own people. House Ananto is not a charity organization for liberals or fascists."

Now that House Ananto is a trillion Ruble organization, Lady Helen notes that it will be a much shorter time before the Imperial Family will hit the two trillion ruble mark. "Money seems to attract money," said Lady Helen Ananto. "We are currently on the lookout for overseas investments that fit our conservative criteria. As all investments carry some risk, it remains my task to mitigate as much of that risk as I can so that we can ensure a positive net return on investment. This is the touchstone principle of Kalistan's entire economy--It also remains the guiding principles of Miramar and House Ananto.

@TheRepublic