Kalistan

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Kalistani News in Brief: Peso Adoption Behind Schedule;
Kalistan voted "Most Photogenic Nation"; Thomas Jones' "Modern Art" Shakes up Album Charts
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
April 17, 5710


Thomas Jones' Modern Art reaches into Top 10

Peso Adoption Behind Schedule
The rate of adoption of the Imperial Peso is falling behind schedule, according to Her Imperial Majesty's Finance Minister, Dr. Roger Berry. "We are six months into the Peso Regime, and about a third of all outstanding Imperial Rubles have been exchanged for new Pesos. We are at about 85% where we thought we would be on Ruble collections and fully encourage holders of Rubles, especially businesses, to bring them to your local Imperial Bank Branch, not to the Cambio, and exchange them as soon as possible."

The Finance Minister said that the 1:1 rate that the Central Bank is offering will end at the beginning of September of this year, and after that, either the National Assembly will need to extend the deadline for exchange or exchange will have to happen at the Cambio. "According to the law, the Ruble will no longer have the backing of the National Government after September 1, and will be technically worthless. All National Bank accounts have already been converted and can only be accessed in Pesos, but the biggest problem is that businesses still accept Rubles and foreigners still hold Rubles. And those will go away completely, and then the only thing holders will get for them will whatever they can get from the Cambios. It is doubtful that the National Assembly will extend the deadline, because dual currencies tend to undermine one another. So we need to get those Rubles in and exchanged for Pesos as soon as possible."

The Foreign Minister predicted that the Peso will already receive a significantly higher valuation than the Ruble, just based on where the exchange program is expected to end based on current adoption. "If the trend holds, the Peso will come in at about 4:5 against the Ruble. This will make Kalistani goods far more attractive to Kalistani and foreign consumers but will put a lot of downward pressure on imports. Consequently we will probably see a drop in supply, especially in cheaper consumer goods that are made overseas. Great for Kalistani products, but in order to keep our larger stores fully stocked, those imports are important, and so we will likely see some supply side dislocation as a result of this change. It can't be helped, really: foreigners simply do not want to bring in their Rubles, and at this rate, between 10 and 20% of them will simply end up being written off."

Kalistan voted "Most Photogenic Nation"
In the international news and fashion journal Les Temps Internationaux, Kalistan was voted by wide margins to be the "Most Photogenic Nation." The Canrille language periodical conducted their readers poll between August and December of 5709, and Kalistan earned 42% of all votes, beating out more than 80 other nations. Readers cited Kalistani monarchs, actors and actresses, musicians, sports figures, and models as justification for their decision.

"J'ai grandi avec un calendrier de maillots de bain d'Alice Björksdattir accroché au mur," said reader Michel du Blanc. "Et Kalistan compte 90 millions d'Alice Björksdattirs: il y en a pour tous les goûts." Another reader complimented the remarkably good looking public officials in Kalistan: "L'impératrice est si belle, le chancelier si charmant. C'est toujours un plaisir de lire les journaux de ce pays, ne serait-ce que pour les photos des personnes qui le gouvernent."

Readers also opined on what contributed to Kalistan's photofriendliness: Some put it on good diet, many attributed it to the emphasis on easy access to the Ocean and the beach and to nature, some contribute it to a healthy and clean environment. "It could be also, that Kalistan just possesses good photographers that always seem to capture Kalistanis in their best light, who have mastered angles and retouching," said editor Margeaux Chevallier. "Kalistani photographers, the men and women behind the cameras, likely play the most important role in presenting Kalistan to the world as the prettiest, as the most masculine, as the more interesting set of people the world has ever seen. So we can also put at least some of the image that the rest of the world has of Kalistan down as very effective propaganda."

For Kalistanis, the result of the poll at least vindicates what they already know about themselves. "Yeah, its obvious," said Kalistani Jose Ramierez-Griffin of Sulari. "We're good looking people, and those who disagree are just haters."

Thomas Jones' "Modern Art" Shakes up Album Charts
Thomas Jones, the Kaliburg Art Rocker whose debut art-glam debut The Duke of Kaliburg hit number 1 had a lack-luster follow up titled Fiends which was largely derided by critics as "pretentious... inaccessible... super weird..." Fiends only reached number 48 on the Album poll and produced no Top 10 singles before it quietly fell off the charts last year. But it almost feels like Jones saved his best material for this year's very eclectic, but more glam rock oriented Modern Art.

"It's all about experimentation and you know, trying out different personnas," said Jones in the interview publicizing this record. "My goal as an artist is to keep people from ever feeling that they have the answer, you know? That they know the real me. I want them to always hear my work and you know, see my art and think, 'Huh, that's different from the last thing...' I want to inspire people to think and I would love them to really rock out, and also, you know, feel a little uneasy with the pedestrian-ness of daily life. Like just below the surface, something isn't right, none of this is really real. It's like a simulation, and I am simulating the simulation within the simulation."

This new album was released in March but on the strength of its initial single "You're Not Alone," it has already made its way into the top 10 on the Albums Chart, with "You're Not Alone" peaking at Number 7 on the KRTVN Radio 1 Top 40 weekly singles poll. This album features Jones at his glammy-campy best thus far in his career, and is also pretty apocalyptic, most explicitly demonstrated on the album opener "That's All We got." But it never fails, and is some of Jones' best music to date.

You can check out the Lead Single "You're Not Alone," below as well as the new Video for "That's All We got" from Modern Art by Thomas Jones. It is out on KMI and is in local stores across the Empire and the world.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJQf-gcG-g4]
"You're Not Alone", the recent Top 10 Single from Thomas Jones' Modern Art

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gPSGrpIlkc]
"That's all We Got" the apocalyptic leaning Glam Rock album Opener from Thomas Jones

@TheRepublic

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Catching up with the Prince Consort
His Highness spills the Tea on being married to Empress
Nowagard, Republic of Valruzia
June 12, 5710


His Highness, Prince Elliot Rosenfeld with Her Imperial Majesty at Olympic Opening Ceremonies

His Highness, Prince Consort Elliot Rosenfeld, husband of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Carolina II Ananto, and father to three Minor Princelings, including the future Emperor, are in Valruzia currently for the International Olympic Games. La Moda reached out to House Ananto for an interview and we were initially turned down, with a very short message: "Her Imperial Majesty would like to focus on the Games and has preferred to keep her social schedule clear to spend time with Kalistani Athletes." We clarified that we wished to speak to the Prince Consort, and within moments, we received the message that the Prince Consort would definitely like to speak to our Olympic correspondent, Ms. Jenna Waters.

After the Opening Ceremonies, we sat down with His Highness to catch up with him.

(La Moda's) J(enna) W(aters): Hello Your Highness.

(His Highness, the Prince Consort) E(lliot) R(osenfeld): You can call me Elliot if you wish. We're not in Kalistan.

JW: I'd prefer to continue to call you Your Highness, I don't want to get my boss in trouble when this runs.

ER: Very well, as you please. It's just so weird sometimes.

JW: It makes sense. You are the father of the Future Emperor. You aren't a commoner. We're not the same.

ER: That may be the law, but I wasn't born a member of the Royal Family.

JW: That may be so, Your Highness, but you sleep a breath away from one of the most powerful absolute monarchs in the entire world.

ER: Well, she snores, so...

JW: Excuse me?

ER: What?

JW: Did you say Her Imperial Majesty... snores?

ER: Well, breathes loud. Sometimes there is some rattling there, but mostly it's just loud breathing. She sleeps very deeply, she has a clean conscience. She could sleep through a jet engine taking off next to her head, I think.

JW: Oh wow, Your Highness. That is unexpected. I wouldn't have dreamed of that.

ER: Oh the sheer amount of things people do not know about her would floor you. She's very pretty, and she's very collected, and in public she looks like a model, but I promise you, that woman is quite feral. She lost her parents when she was very young, and was raised by her Aunt, who had a completely different view than her parents and was kind of a hippy. Consequently, Carrie grew up without a lot of, shall we say, refinement. Yeah, in public she's this feminine, prim, almost prudish figure. At home, she wears a t-shirt and sweatpants and wrestles with the kids and drinks tons of coffee and eats mountains of spaghetti, and yeah, she sleeps very deep and, well maybe she snores a little. She'll kill me when she reads this. (laughs)

JW: Well, is there any other gossip the readers should know about Her Imperial Majesty?

ER: Oh... I better keep my mouth shut. She can be mighty frightening when she is angry, but luckily she has a sense of humor. I'll say this: She's probably more intelligent than anyone you've ever met.

JW: I was actually sent here to talk about you.

ER: Ok, let's do that too.

JW: Well, its been a while since we've heard from you. You've been keeping a low profile.

ER: I am usually pretty private, to be honest. I really prefer to let Carrie do the shining, and I like to stay behind the scenes without a bunch of cameras on me all the time. Being married to an Ananto is hard if you have an ego. The Empress is probably the closest thing that the world has to a living god: she lifts her finger and the lives of at least 97 million people are affected. It's pretty impossible to compete with that, so I think royal spouses just learn pretty quickly to not even try. As long as I don't do anything that will embarrass her, or House Ananto, I can literally do whatever I like. So I choose to use that sort of anonymity to do the things that make me happy and make me feel fulfilled. I was never so purely free of any sort of restraints as I am married to the Empress.

JW: And what are some of those things?

ER: I primarily get the opportunity to teach and play Go almost every day. Somedays I bring the little ones with me, and sometimes I just go myself. I'm a Go teacher and a professional coach in Kaliburg, and my students have gone on to win three National championships since moving to Kaliburg. I go hiking in the Zappas, and go kayaking in the upper Zappa River, which is just like rapids after rapids after waterfall, its pretty exciting. I sail, I get to speak to various interests who all want the ear of my wife. And I am active with the AYIC in Kaliburg- I help them with fundraising primarily. I keep pretty busy. I am proud to say that I have such full days but eat dinner with my family every single night.

JW: Do you and the Empress spend much time apart?

ER: Sometimes she has to go out of the country for a night or two, but when we are both home, we rarely spend more than a couple hours of time apart for anything. She wouldn't put up with that anyway.

JW: Do you and the Empress go out on the town often?

ER: Well, we'll make it to major events and we do enjoy going to the National Theater, but we're both homebodies for the most part. We are happiest at home, and I think she's probably my best friend. She laughs at my jokes and calls me handsome. And she's polite and kind and interesting and funny. Really what else could a man possibly want? Why would I want to be without her?

JW: Its quite refreshing to know that you two have found happiness with one another.

ER: We're very lucky, to be honest. And my parents just love her and the kids too. My mom always tells me, "Elliot, you got the better end of this deal..." Like I don't know that. We get to spend time with Lady Nicolette in Luxon and watch her surf-- She still surfs all the time in the summer, and she is still so awesome, the kids just love it.

JW: Does the Empress surf?

ER: (laughs) No... No she doesn't, not at all. She used to try but gave it up when she moved back to Kaliburg. She just never took to it, I suppose. She always says she's convinced she is going to drown, I think she's just afraid of the ocean... She doesn't even swim, which is weird for an Ananto. Lady Nicolette often asks if my wife is even related to her. I can't even get her to come sailing with me.

JW: Do the kids swim?

ER: Like fishes.

Kalistani Athletes, led by champion surfer Jamal Wade, enter the Stadium during the Grand Entry of the Olympics Opening Ceremony

JW: So the family is here to see the Olympics. Have you had the chance to meet with the Athletes?

ER: Yes, we met the Gymnastics team, and let's see, lots of others: Um, the Sufing team, definitely, the Judo team, both men and women's triathlon athletes, the cyclists, the gymnasts, the Beach Volleyball girls, and the Rugby team.

JW: Kalistan doesn't have a football team here this year?

ER They don't play football at the Olympics. Just soccer. If they actually played Football, we'd have three teams here. But alas, the rest of the world calls soccer football for some reason, though it was the Luthorians who actually came up with the name soccer, before they changed it to football. Now they mock us for using their language when they decided to change it just to prove how different they were. I'm kidding of course. I understand why they call it football. It's just a thing. No, we don't have a soccer team at the Olympics. We're cheering for Lodamun.

JW: Do you have any preductions for the games?

ER: Outside of Surfing, which we think we will dominate at, we're just glad that Kalistanis get to compete. In honest competition, all of these athletes are just phenomenal. Their worst day is better than my best day at anything going on here. So it will be exciting just to watch.

JW: Do you think there will be any rivalry between Anantonese teams and MATO countries?

ER: No, this is neutral ground. All those politics are for other people. We're just hoping that Kalistanis win some.

JW: I imagine you and Her Imperial Majesty will still be proud if Kalistan wins.

ER: Seeing the Imperial Standard rise above all others, and hearing the Anthem playing will be phenomenal when it happens. But I think the Empress wants her athletes to just compete honorable, and let the best athletes prevail, regardless of their country. Its more important to compete and for Kalistanis to just do their best. The fact that we're here is already a win.

JW: Will you be spending anytime in Valruzia beside the Olympics?

ER: Well, we're officially on vacation throughout the entire event, but some of the time we will be staying at Kulka-Kozyra Palace further south. I think we are planning on inviting President Pawlik and her husband to stay with us for a few days: The President is such a close family friend, and its been a long time since the Empress and President Pawlik spent any time together.

JW: Will you all discuss the issues around the failed monarchical referendum?

ER: This is not a business vacation. So no, they likely won't talk about politics at all.

JW: I think they are signaling at you, Your Highness.

ER: Yeah, they are telling me that I am wanted. Now that the opening ceremonies are over its time to get the kids into bed. And then I think we'll watch a movie together before bed. Tomorrow is gonna be a big day.

JW: Alright. Thank you for speaking with me, Your Highness. I hope you get some sleep tonight.

ER: It was my pleasure. Knowing my wife, I am betting we probably won't. Luckily I got some sleep on the plane.

JW: Maybe Your Highness could invest in earplugs?

ER: Oh, haha, yeah, that too...

@LaModa

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Mica Brenard Debuts Swedeport Blues
Deep Cut nominated for FOMAT in Dundorf
Vrassa City, Duchy of Vrassa
July 20, 5710


Mica Brenard, Folk Singer, voted First in FOMAT Poll

Vrassa District Records released the debut album from Alt-Folk singer-songwriter Mica Brenard called "Swedeport Blues," a theme album about the journey of a young naieve girl to Port Swedes, and the heartbreak she found there. The album is loosely biographical about Brenard's actual experience in Port Swedes from 5706-08, where she dreamed of hitting it big and instead was introduced to only distractions and terrible options.

"After I got out of national service, I decided to pursue my career in Port Swedes," said Brenard, 25. "I was just some mountain girl from Razar, and enlisting in the NSP was really the first time I had ever even been to a big city. I just knew that all the music I liked as a kid came from Swedeport, so I was gonna go there and make my name." But apparently, all she found was drugs, disappointment, "... and terrible men. I'm not saying every guy in Swedeport was bad, but I felt like I was some stupid deer and I was surrounded by wolves. It was all I could do to avoid the worst of them. And I'm pretty stupid sometimes, so a lot of those problems I brought on myself."

While her life was a self described "mess", she also went to work playing clubs and getting experience. "There is a market for folk in Swedeport," said Brenard. "Vrassa and Nevaras are good scenes for folk, for country, for the alt-folk that grew into Grit and then Noise Alternative too, and also what turned into anti-pop like what Stepanov used to make. It all comes from folk and blues at its base, and the people who listen to music who are not into the more poppier stuff or the art stuff like they are doing over in Kaliburg tend to be drawn to folk and alt-folk."

As she started getting some gigs, drugs almost completely derailed her ambition. "There was a lot of heroin all around me for much of that time, and there are a few weeks that are missing for me too, but thank god one of my friends from Razar came to Port Swedes to see me and when she saw me, she did an intervention, got me straightened up and took me back home to Razar to clean up my mind and refocus." After returning to Razar, Brenard said she decided that she couldn't do her whole career herself, hired a manager for a percentage of sales, and decided to get serious about being a professional.

"I played in Razar for like 6 months," said Brenard, "and went to Vrassa City a couple times, and my manager sent a demo to VDR to see if I could get into the studio and record a proper EP. VDR listened to the demo and had me come in. I did another couple songs for their A&R rep and asked me if I had anything more than 3 songs. I said I got 22 songs, and so they agreed to sign me and get me into a proper studio to record a record."

The result was 5710's Swedeport Blues, which chronicles Brenard's time in Port Swedes. "There's a lot of really personal stuff on there," said Brenard. "But I kind of hid a lot of it so first nobody would get mad at me for talking about them, and second, I want to make it a little more universal so that others could kind of hear their own stories in my songs." Her first single, with supporting video is called "Soon You Will See" and it has anchored sales across Kalistan Proper, even making some inroads into Ananto's notoriously parochial music market. The song inspired more than 35,000 sales in its first week, whcih outsold even Thomas Jones' Top 10 selling Modern Art during her debut week.

In a strange twist of fate, Brenard's release coincided for the opening of the voting for the upcoming FOMAT. Her first single however was not the one promoted by VDR to join the contest. Instead, the lachrymose song "Thoughtless Words," was the one the record company preferred to enter. "That song is about a guy who I thought was this smart guy, and it turns out that intelligence doesn't grant someone the ability to be gentle or kind," said Brenard. "But I wrote it more as a catharsis, to kind of push out the poison, rather than wallow in it. It has that effect, it brings tears to my eyes to even sing it sometimes. But I don't know why the record company would promote it to FOMAT."

"Well, we did it because it is her best song," said Brenard's Manager Tabitha Yeager. "Plus, I think it is probably the one that VDR thought could possibly win FOMAT. Audiences tend to like two kinds of music: the vast majority of nations vote for the most generic pop music imaginable, but every once in a while, they vote for someone like Jennifer Stepanov, who sings a song so good it can't be denied. Brenard wrote a song like that. 'Thoughtless Words' is the most Stepanov-like song on the album, and it also has these baroque elements that are meant to attract the Art crowd to folk music. It is a song that is designed to win, pure and simple. Very mature, very pathos inducing."

"Tab said that?" laughed Brenard when she heard the answer. "That's like super manipulative, but whatever..." The song easily won the voters choice poll on Radio 1 and became the nation's candidate for the upcoming FOMAT contest. Brenard will travel to Lutzenkamp to perform the song before an international audience. "Well, I'm not sure about my chances," said Brenard. "There is a lot of pop music I am going up against, and people tend to like the easily digestable, not the stuff that forces you to feel sorry for me. But we'll see. I'll do my best."

Meanwhile, the actual first single from the record, "Soon you will See" has moved to regular rotation on Radio 1 and has entered the Folk & Country Charts on Channel 6 at number 12. The Video will enter regular rotation on M7 this week, and Brenard is expected to gain major exposure from her M7 appearances. "Man I am so glad I got pulled out of Swedeport. Now when I go back, I'm not gonna have to play those gross longshoremen bars. I'll get to play on a proper stage, and I'll get to keep my g-d d--ned clothes on."

Check out Mica Brenard's "Soon You Will See" right here and if you like it, her album Swedeport Blues is available at all retail outlets, published and distributed by VDR.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WW4qcmrJ3E]

@KalistaniRawkMonthly

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Chancellor Reginald Hanson Dead in Auto Accident
Police pin accident on icy road conditions
Vrassa City, Duchy of Vrassa
February 4, 5711


The Late Chancellor of the Empire, Lord Reginald Hanson

The Chancellor of the Empire, Lord Reginald Hanson, Count of Jah, has died in an auto accident near Red Pass in the Duchy of Vrassa. Police ruled his death accidental: the accident occurred in near whiteout conditions during a snowstorm that also caused 18 accidents. Hanson, driving from Vrassa City north towards Funkadelphia enroute to Addisjah on V1, when he apparently lost control of his vehicle during the storm and collided with the side railing, collapsing in the driver's side of his vehicle, breaking several of his ribs, and causing one to puncture his left lung. By the time EMTs arrived on the scene, Hanson was listed in critical condition, and died before he could arrive at the hospital.

The loss of the Chancellor hit Kaliburg like a ton of bricks. Her Imperial Majesty, and the Royal Family immediately returned to the Capital from Athosia, where they were in Winter Residence at Playa de Paz and convened an emergency session of the National Assembly. The Nationalist majority handed Her Imperial Majesty a list of their own members who they would accept, and to date no word has been issued regarding who will replace Lord Hanson.

Lord Hanson, who had just turned 45 years old, was the Count of Jah, having served the Duchy in that role since 5694. He was first elected to the National Assembly in 5695, and was tapped by Her Imperial Majesty to replace Lady Ericka Donahue, who was sacked due to her increasingly counterproductive public statements. Hanson was a moderate, was well loved by his constituents, and had a solid working relationship with Her Imperial Majesty, not always agreeing with her, but dutifully performing his responsibilities as head of Her Imperial Majesty's Government.

The Chancellor was also instrumental in actively supporting a more enthusiastic outreach to other nations, overseeing the transition to the Imperial Peso, and unravelling Kalistan from imperial fetters to Gaduridos. "Some would call Hanson's administration a qualified success," said Carl Miter, who writes on public and foreign policy for the specialty periodical National Policy. "He did have a number of legislative successes, certainly. But nobody can forget that it was on his watch that Her Imperial Majesty was forced to dissolve the National Assembly, because Lord Hanson could not keep his own Deputies in line. Among his numerous responsibilities, the Chancellor of the Empire is the whip in chief and head of the Institutional Party--He MUST turn in legislative majorities for Her Imperial Majesty's agenda, and if he can't he has no business being in office. In any other nation they would have called a vote of no confidence against him and brought down the government, so we have to give him qualified marks on his leadership."

When Hanson took over the Chancellorship, national mood was also significantly higher than it is currently. A number of factors seem to be depressing the national mood, including increasing prices and supply shortages in some markets due to the overvaluation of the Peso against the old Ruble which will take some time to work its way out across the economy, Kalistan's middling performance at the Olympics in Valruzia, including not even meddling in men's surfing or beach volleyball, the apparent external irrelevance of Kalistan in the foreign policy sphere considering the shadow of the northern Colossus, and the end of the Anantonese Empire, which dealt the nation a severe existential blow.

"It would seem that, while Lord Hanson cannot be said to be the author of a growing national malaise--the actual causes are generally known to be entirely external to Kalistan and Ananto--Kalistanis are the ones who feel it, and alone in most cases," said Miter. "Hanson had nothing to do with the performance of the Olympic Athletes, for example, and the news from Valruzia wasn't all bad, because we obviously had a number of wonderful successes. He had nothing whatsoever to do with Gaduridos being stripped from Kalistan and the end of the Anantonese Empire, and despite the more than 110 years of good relations, people only want to focus on the tragedy of an unrealized future for our two nations as we realized that Gaduridos never cared for Kalistan even half as much as Kalistan cared for and about Gaduridos. People will always tend to focus on failure more often than success; or put another way, the success is never sweet enough and the failure is always too bitter. And people look for someone to blame: Hanson gets more than his share of the blame fairly or not, and now it is up to history to write his legacy, because he has no more control over how future generations will view his accomplishments."

Moderates especially mourned the passing of the Late Chancellor, seeing him as a good alternative to hard Nationalist Policies which preceded him. "Well, it sucks," said self-identified Moderate faction member Bruce Ingraham said. "Lord Hanson was such a refreshing change from Lady Donahue, in everything: Here at home, abroad, how other countries talked to us and about us. And now we're probably shifting back to Nationalism, because they have the majority in the National Assembly, and they are looking for revenge for the loss of Gaduridos. I worry for our country, it could be very easy to slip into pariah status and then all the progress Lord Hanson made will be reversed."

Her Imperial Majesty is expected to appoint a new Chancellor within the next couple months. The Assembly is not currently in session and Sir Thomas Harney has been appointed as interim Speaker of the National Assembly until a new Chancellor is appointed to take care of any necessary business. Harney has said he has no intention of serving as Permanent Chancellor, nor would he likely be acceptable to the Nationalist Majority even if he was named.

Lord Hanson will be buried this week in Addisjah, and Her Imperial Majesty will attend and will sit with Hanson's widow, Countess Rita Hanson, and the rest of Lord Hanson's fairly sizeable family.

@TheRepublic

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Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn named Chancellor
Nationalists force acceptance of strong Conservative nominee
Sulari, Duchy of Ananto
April 4, 5711


Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn, Countess of Lucid, is formally named to Chancellorship

It is no secret that Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto's hostility to the Conservative wing of her own Party has led to successive foreign policy defeats for Kalistan. From our nation's utter humiliation in the dissolution of the Anantonese Empire to Her Imperial Majesty's Kowtowing to the Egelian security line in Altea, to now even our lackluster performance at the Olympics, under Her Imperial Majesty, and more specifically, under the leadership of the late Chancellor of the Empire Count Reg Hanson, Kalistan's star is clearly in decline.

Instead of advancing, the borders of our Empire are on the retreat. Kalistan is losing all relevance on the International Stage: We can't even get a nation as ridiculous as Trigunia to treat with us on serious terms, or achieve any meaningful results- Instead, talks between out two nations seemed to vaporize due to boredom and general apathy among the Trigunians. Our prospects for improved foreign relations abroad are falling one by one under the spell of the Svengalis in Amudim, while we can count our true friends on less than one hand.

Well, that is about to change. It would appear that the Nationalist Majority in the National Assembly has forced Her Imperial Majesty's hand back to sanity. Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn, 31, a direct descendent of Empress Nicolette The Great and the original Anantos, has been given the Green Light by Her Imperial Majesty to be elected as the next Chancellor of the Empire for the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan. Lady Alvarez is distantly related to the Grand Duke of Kalistan, and has lived in Lucid before being elected to the National Assembly in 5701.

Lady Alvarez is not only a close ally to the sacked former chancellor Lady Erica Donahue of Eshar, but is a very strong critic of the Moderate policies of Her Imperial Majesty's Government. "What we are seeing here is a national disgrace," she said in 5706, while debating the end of the Empire. "It's a shame that borders on mendacity and incompetence, and I for one can't believe that Her Imperial Majesty, the so-called 'Red Empress' is tolerating, no, is complicit in the stripping of our National Patrimony from Kalistan. The Chancellor has done nothing whatsoever to secure Gaduridos and ensure it is correctly governed, and what is worse, no steps have been taken on our bill to formally annex Athosia and return it to our Nation. Have these people forgotten what we are supposed to be doing here? I for one will never cast a vote for the dissolution of the Empire. I'll rot in prison first." Lady Alvarez was subsequently cashiered along with the rest of the National Assembly for not falling in line with the shameful retrenchment, only to be re-elected overwhelmingly by her constituents who know she will fight for them.

Lady Alvarez' ascendancy to the Chancellorship looks like a serious retreat for the Moderates around Her Imperial Majesty, who have been using her for more than a decade to promote a more internationalist, more accommodating view of Kalistan's place in this world. "Why is Her Imperial Majesty promoting Valruzian language in our schools, rather than promoting Vrassan, Suldanoran, and Egelian?" said Lady Alvarez as she was running for office in 5701. "We know who we are. We don't need to be anything else. Are they promoting Vrassan in their schools? I don't think so." During another speech she went after Dovani. "We hear all the time about Dovani Century. No, the 5700s are the Seleyan Century. Kalistanis will reclaim our centrality in world affairs, by any means necessary."

Lady Alvarez is openly and combatively hostile toward liberalism, republicanism, constitutionalism, democracy, communism and fascism. "Pluralism in politics is a road to division, grievance, and revolution," she said, speaking to a group of Nationalists in 5710. "And these nations who flirt with popular government, who commit the fraud of making the people feel like they have the ability to govern are criminal actors who are leading their people into ruin. Only absolutism can prevent this sort of inordinate longing on the part of the mass of people who are neither interested, nor capable of actual, real democratic government. Handing a commoner a pluralist ballot is like handing a toddler a loaded pistol. There's an equal chance that he will not know how to use it at all as that he will accidentally kill someone with it. Democracy is as irresponsible and dangerous as communism and fascism, and for many of the same reasons. And it should be put down like all infectious diseases before it has the chance to spread to our nation." She used the speech to call for the end of factions within the Institutional Party, which is no doubt her first order of business when she takes office later this month.

Nationalists across the nation, who still represent the majority of all voters in Kalistan cheered the news of Lady Alvarez' appointment. "I don't really have so much against the moderates," said Brad Johnson of Sulari, who supports Lady Alvarez. "Their tenure was meh. I am sure it pleased a lot of foreign governments, who have been cheering for Kalistan's demise for a century now. But Lady Alvarez is going to put a stop to that. It's time to take back what is ours. I am for her." Others called her outspoken criticism of Her Imperial Majesty, who remains a popular figure in Kalistan, a little over the top but then dismissed it as political theater. "Melanie Alvarez is a patriot," said Melissa Hanley of Nevaras. "I wish she was my Countess, to be honest. Yeah, she may publicly attack the policies of the Moderate government, but we are one of the freest nations in Terra, and we have the right to express our opinions. She is just saying what millions of us think, and if she has to put a little bit of sauce on her words to make sure they are heard, so be it. Its what politicians have to do these days."

Lady Alvarez has not issued a legislative agenda for her coming tenure, but in the past she has called for Vrassan and Egelian only in schools, breaking relations with communist nations, increasing efforts to reclaim direct control over Athosia, repudiating the bills severing Gaduridos from Kalistan, nationalizing foreign owned property in Kalistan and cracking down on foreign investors who have bank accounts or stock portfolios in the KalSiE, breaking all treaty relations and business deals with countries who join or participate in MATO, and formally calling for revision of the Altea Accords to make them bilateral treaties rather than multi-lateral treaties, due to the membership of the multilateral treaty--She specifically would target Trigunia/Nadiya, who she says we do not currently have formal diplomatic relations with, nor have we formally recognized them, so we should not be signing treaties where they are parties to the agreement. She has also said that the Government should move to make the Luncasi Supply Port a permanent posting rather than returning it in just under a decade.

Whether any of this will happen will be a matter of discussion between Her Imperial Majesty and the new incoming Chancellor. Lady Alvarez, for her part said, "I am a devout Brethrenist and was raised to consider lying to be a very serious crime against humanity. So I do affirm that as Her Imperial Majesty's Chancellor of the Empire, I will do all I can to move her agenda. But I will also endeavor to move her to a more nationalist position, and advise her in a way that puts Kalsitani national interests ahead of all other nation's interests in our consideration. Because in reality, as a sovereign and independent nation, our interests are not only the most important interests, but really they are the only ones that do and should matter to us. Period, Full Stop."

She also added, "Her Imperial Majesty does not like me, personally. She thought getting rid of Donahue solved her problems, but in this, very uncharacteristically, she was incorrect. Lady Donahue was driven by her duty to her Empress, and she put up with a number of very personal humiliations for reasons unknown by the Anantos. I am perhaps more driven by ideology, and perhaps a bit less reasonable. I will follow the law, but it should be known that under the actual law, I have a lot of independent power to craft what that law looks like when it comes out of the National Assembly. And I hope Her Imperial Majesty is at least willing to talk with me and discuss matters with me, and come to terms with me on grounds we can both accept. I may be a sitting member of the National Assembly, but if she dissolves the National Assembly, I don't go away. So we will need to work together one way or another. I hope Her Imperial Majesty is willing to consider me as a part of her team, rather than as her enemy."

Traditionally, Chancellors are named to the Order of Gray Smoke as Knights or Ladies Protector. There is still no word on whether that tradition will be upheld for Lady Alvarez. "If it doesn't happen," said Lady Alvarez, "it doesn't happen. My feelings won't be hurt. But membership in that Order is the only method, besides being in her immediate family, where I would be allowed to speak directly with her outside of formal audience. So if she doesn't let me join the Order, we're just gonna do things the hard way. I will obey the protocol, because it is required of me, but those meetings are going to be long."

House Ananto gave no comment on the appointment, except to say that they congratulate Lady Alvarez-McLinn on her appointment, and "hope she takes her responsibilities as seriously as her Predecessors have." Formal inauguration will take place later this month, and the first audience between Her Imperial Majesty and the New Chancellor is expected for early May. Given the mutual animosity between the incredibly popular monarch and the Countess with a large and devoted following in Nationalist circles, it is unclear what the near Future Holds for the Empire. The KalSiE responded with a highly volitile trading week, with the index dipping as low as 92% on the day before recovering and closing the week at 101.3% week over week on optimism of increasing domestic production and supply.

@TheNational

[Doc]

First Audience is tense, but new Chancellor promises cooperation
"Her Imperial Majesty and I will disagree," says Alvarez
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 5, 5711


First Photograph of Empress and Chancellor of the Empire at Cliff House

Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn accepted a summons to an informal audience with Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto at Cliff House in Kaliburg. The two women met for about an hour, and the meeting ended with a photograph. It is now well known and widely discussed that the new Chancellor and Head of Government is ideologically opposed to the direction of Her Imperial Majesty's government over the last ten years and has publicly stated that it is her mission to undo much of it. Alvarez-McLinn has publicly referred to the Empress as the Red Empress, leading the term to hold wider acceptance among Nationalists who suggest that the Empress may sympathize with socialism, and while the Empress herself has not publicly characterized her relationship to Lady Alvarez, House Ananto has publicly called her an "ideologue" and a "pain in the ass."

Today, while the cameras were on, however, the two women were cordial toward one another. The Chancellor was spot on with her observance of Imperial Protocol, even speaking with Her Imperial Majesty in the third person as if she was a commoner, bowing respectfully and never speaking unless asked a direct question. The Empress, for her part was rather taken aback, and was unused to her Chancellor speaking indirectly to her or only speaking when spoken to. She even noted at one point that this was intended to be an informal audience, and the points of protocol could easily be waived so the two could have a frank discussion. The Chancellor responded "If It please her Imperial Majesty, the law says what it says, and I think it would be prudent, given Her Imperial Majesty's immunity from the consequences of the law, that I nonetheless follow it to the letter in her presence, so that I may not violate Her Imperial Majesty's law."

Many saw this behavior by the Chancellor as somewhat disrespectful, as it felt like obstinately sticking to the letter of the law violated the spirit of the law, but the Empress for her part let it slide, by pointing out that it was as the Chancellor wished. Points of protocol aside, the meeting was nominally productive, with the Chancellor taking the opportunity to set out her priorities for her tenure. The Empress listened patiently as the Chancellor said her number one priority was to reform the Institutional Party to eliminate factionalism.

"There is one Institutional Party, we have one job," said Lady Alarez. "Our Party apparatus is not meant to accommodate heterodox viewpoints, nor are we a democratic organization. Our job is literally functional, and those who wish to promote something other than the Party's function within the National Assembly are there simply to promote division. It is my desire to remove politics from the Institutional Party, to restore a unity in voice and action, and to ensure Her Imperial Majesty's fiat majorities as she needs to accomplish what she feels is good for her Nation." The Empress simply responded, "The Chancellor is the head of the Institutional Party. If she feels this is what must be done, we may encourage her to do it openly and transparently."

Other points of the Chancellor's agenda include identifying property and businesses that foreigners have money and economic interest in and turning those to Kalistani ownership, along with revision of the Bank and Investment Adjustment Acts to forbid foreign investment in Kalistan; to put more money into promotion of Kalistani industry and Kalistani exports, to the detriment of the free trading nations who do not place barriers to imports, to denominate all foreign transactions in Imperial Pesos; to take steps to hold onto the vestiges of Empire that Kalistan still possess, including Bentasur and Luncasi; and to promote Vrassan usage across Northern Seleya while downplaying "non-Kalistani Languages in Kalistani schools."

She also said she would like the Empress to reconsider close relationships with communist and liberal nations in Terra, especially those associated with MATO. "Surely Her Imperial Majesty realizes that investment in and importing from nations that have fallen under the persuasive, yet utterly pernicious spell of the MATO alliance assists them to grow stronger at our nation's expense," said Lady Alvarez. "MATO and their neo liberal internationalist agenda directly and indisputably threatens our region, and I would encourage Her Imperial Majesty to fully reconsider association with any MATO nation under any circumstances."

The Chancellor specifically mentioned Kundrati and Luthori as targets for revision. She also noted that the Altea Accords produce problems for Kalistan, given Nadiya's membership in the agreement. "Her Imperial Majesty has never formally recognized that government, so treating with them offers them an informal legitimacy that I do not believe it was Her Imperial Majesty's intention to offer. Renegotiating those agreements to exclude cooperation between Kalistan and Trigunia should be a priority for Her Imperial Majesty's foreign policy." She also included the communist regime in Xsampa as well as continued non-involvement with the totalitarians in Utaristan.

She saved her hottest fire for Athosia, and claimed that Kalistan is owed that territory as compensation for the loss of its political relationship with Gaduridos. "Athosia is historically, by right, part of Her Imperial Majesty's demesne," said the Chancellor. "Those of us with family there wish to be reunited with our loved ones. I want to prevail upon Her Imperial Majesty to fight for Athosia, fight for a reunited Greater Kalistan. Do not let international actors determine what our nation can and cannot do with our own territory. If it please Her Imperial Majesty, I can put a bill on the floor of the National Assembly tomorrow that formally annexes Athosia to the Grand Duchy of Kalistan permanently and forever. I merely need the go ahead and it can be done. Millions of us wait for Her Imperial Majesty to do what is right and give us our country back."

The Empress sat perfectly still and quiet through most of Lady Alvarez' speech and when the Chancellor noted that she looked for the Empress' response to her several points, the Empress simply said, "We shall take our Chancellor's advise under consideration as we formulate our future course. Where the Chancellor sees only opportunities, we have the benefit of a different, possibly equally important perspective which bids us to tread carefully domestically and internationally. We encourage our Chancellor to lead our Government as she is expected to, keeping in mind that conservatism which has led her to this great and terrible responsibility in the first place. We trust that Lady Alvarez will do as we command in a way which benefits and improves our Nation for us, and that we will have the opportunity to speak on these and many other issues in the future, and we thank her for her time to come and visit us and let us know of her opinions."

The response was a bit of cold water on the zealotry of the Chancellor, who expected the Empress to respond in a more pugilistic manner. The Chancellor clearly came to Cliff House prepared for a fight, and the Empress simply sidestepped the opportunity. The Chancellor speechless then took the opportunity to respond "Then Her Imperial Majesty appears to be on the same page as the Nationalists after all," and quickly sipped her tea. The two women posed for a photograph, and then Her Imperial Majesty thanked the Chancellor once again for responding to her call for an audience, and politely wished her a good day.

Upon leaving the Imperial Residence, Lady Alvarez said, "Her Imperial Majesty gave me important pledges in there. We are moving forward with a Nationalist agenda, arm in arm with the Sovereign, and the sooner I get started, the better off we will all be in this country." Additionally, the Chancellor said that the Empress appeared poised, confident, and "surprisingly candid," though the Empress spoke very little during the meeting. "I haven't had the opportunity to meet Her Imperial Majesty before today, but just by talking with her for an hour, I can tell she is serious and intelligent, and feel like even the brightest people can be led astray by bad advice of those whose job it is to advise her well. That won't be this government. Her Imperial Majesty and I will disagree, but I think that disagreement can be healthy and productive to get the best policy for this nation and to ensure that Her Imperial Majesty's fiat goes to the asset side of the sheet rather than the deficit side."

The Empress' office issued no comment on the audience.

The Chancellor, as head of the Institutional Party, is expected to advance a measure internally next week to eliminate factions within both the Institutional Party and within the National Assembly. Both are likely to narrowly pass.

@TheRepublic

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Chancellor ends Factional Rule
"There is one and only one Institutional Party," said Lady Alvarez
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
August 20, 5711


Chancellor of the Empire Melanie Alvarez-McLinn reads out vote totals

In a fully expected legislative victory, the outspoken Orthodox Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn, celebrated the end of heterodoxy within the Institutional Party. The bill, which ends recognition of separate factions in the National Assembly, follows very closely with the re-outlawing of factions in Institutional Party Conferences that passed earlier this summer. In this string of wins, Lady Alvarez completed the first, and possibly easiest of her administrative goals for this term.

"There is one and only one Institutional Party," said Alvarez on the floor of the National Assembly. "We have one and only one job. It is not to debate amongst ourselves over the direction of the country: that privilege lies with Her Imperial Majesty herself. Our job, as a Party is to fill the seats of this National Assembly, write policy that turns the Imperial Fiat into law, and to report back to the Empress what our constituents think. Yet the existence of factions permitted politics to enter into this body, moved us off of our explicit and sole function, and gave us a reason to think strategically about who has what power in this government, and how the can obtain more of it. Let's be clear here, folks. Kalistan is not a republic. We are in no way a democracy. And we certainly are not a liberal democracy. There is no room in this building, in this city, or in this Empire for that misguided and pernicious ideology, least of all within this Chamber of Deputies."

The bill, which passed over strong moderate and socialist opposition, officially stripped the factional designation from members of the Government and Deputies in the Assembly. "I understand that people will still meet in informal factions," said Alvarez. "Some habits are hard to break, but then our challenge becomes to mitigate the effects of factions. So included in this bill is the requirement that if a measure is identified as being based on Imperial Fiat, and has Government backing, it may pass on the floor without debate or amendment. Neutering the potential for collective opposition that can serve to scuttle bills will reduce the incentive to organize that sort of opposition in the first place."

Critics of the policy have called it a move to centralize legislative authority in the Government and to further weaken any independent base of power in the Legislature. Chancellor Alvarez appeared unfazed. "I have heard all the arguments against this measure and to be honest, it does not really matter. All legitimacy comes from the breath of the Sovereign. The National Assembly has the duty, the legal obligation, to focus on how that aspiration is enacted in policy. We are not here to debate whether Her Imperial Majesty's utterances are legitimate."

The measure passed 56-23, with solid Orthodox support. Every socialist voted against, as did nearly every moderate, but ultimately, their opposition to the bill was rendered irrelevant. Several deputies gathered after the vote to determine whether their next actions would be to resign, but ultimately, knowing that Orthodox Deputies would be appointed as their replacements, they decided to remain with the National Assembly, and complete their terms.

The Office of the Empress issued a statement, positing that this was a matter concerning organization of the National Assembly, and as such, the Empress would like to refrain from unduly influencing legislative affairs.

@TheRepublic

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Chancellor calls for divestment in Foreign Nations
"MATO is a real problem", Alvarez says on Kaliburg Tonight
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
September 1, 5711


Chancellor of the Empire promotes regional development in KRTVN

The Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn made what is becoming a regular appearance on KRTVN-1's Kaliburg Tonight where she spent her segment making the case for divestment in foreign economies. "Whatever the return on investment overseas, Kalistan is not helped at all by those investments. When Kalistanis are not investing in Kalistan, we need to focus our investments on decent nations closer to home."

She targeted Kalistan's significant investments in Kundrati and Luthori, specifically but also argued that Kalistan should reconsider its relationship with Tel Bira. "Given Tel Bira's role as central financier of Amudim, and therefore of MATO, Kalistani investment in that nation's financial institutions goes to help a set of nation's who are hostile to Kalistani existence and identity. We understand that Tel Bira is nominally independent from the state of Amudim and the city of Himmelstern, but nominal independence doesn't negate the financial ties that city has to the rest of not only Amudim but also to MATO. Divesting in that City's financial institutions, as well as MATO member states in Artania should be a priority of our investment community. A neoliberal hypermilitaristic MATO is a real problem: Alignment with them should not be a free choice for anyone."

Of the three areas named, Kalistan has significant investments primarily in Kundrati where it is heavily leveraged in the nation's gold mining industry. "Dividends have been lucrative for Kalistani investors most certainly, but they are nothing compared to the profits that Kundrati producers are making, and the profits our investments allow them to make. But to be sure, I'm not arguing for a greater share of the profits. I am arguing for denying a MATO nation the profits from Kalistani investments."

One of the panellists, liberal author Richard Smith took great umbrage at the Chancellor's bellicose rhetoric. "Madame Chancellor," he said, even interrupting her, "This nation already chokes off free enterprise and distorts the market to an unrecognizable shape. How do you and Her Imperial Majesty expect those of us who invest our money to ever make money? Is it your goal to bankrupt all of us? How can you call Kalistan a free country when you restrict economic liberty almost as much as you restrict political liberty?"

The Chancellor simply laughed off the concerns of Smith, saying, "What Mr Smith and people like him do not seem to understand is that our economy is for this nation, not for people like him. Investment is permitted not because Kalistan needs him to be individually wealthy, but because we need our nation to be collectively wealthy. It isn't about him, or people like him. He doesn't understand that, because he labors under the mistaken impression that one person is more important than the entire nation. In anything. It simply is not true. If I have to impoverish him and fifty people like him, for the benefit of the 94 Million people who live in Kalistan, I will. Without even blinking."

The Chancellor called divestment Something we all must bear. "Her Imperial Majesty is heavily invested in Kundrati Gold as well as a number of other very important industries in Luthori. I have already asked her to consider divestment. She is willing to make that sacrifice, and if she is willing to require divestment by Miramar in those industries, then capitalists like the ones Mr. Smith presumes to speak for should follow her example."

The Chancellor said that Kalistanis ought to focus closer to home. "There is a much more ethical investment environment in Egelion for example, where people can spend their money in a way that makes our regional position stronger," said Lady Alvarez. "Lodamun presents an excellent investment opportunity for Kalistanis who have money to send overseas. And Kalistan itself is one of the most stable and secure investment environments on the planet. All these nations provide far better investment opportunities than anything in Artania, with the possible exception of Dundorf, because investing in any of these nations helps us, as a nation rather than helping MATO as a Collective."

The Chancellor said that Kalistan would begin imposing assets based taxes on all investments made into corporations headquartered in MATO nations. The measure is controversial because critics believe it will force Kalistanis to sell those foreign held assets rather than having to come up with the tax, which will be assessed on securities and commodities held regardless of if they are sold or not. Additionally, the Chancellor said before the end of the year, she will strengthen capital controls to prevent money from flowing out of the country, especially to nations associated with MATO.

"[Investors] can complain all they like," said the Chancellor. "I keep reminding them that Kalistani National interests always come first in our consideration. And by the way, we do have buy in from Miramar: If we do move this bill to tax these foreign held securities, the Miramar Mutual Fund will divest more than $400 Million Imperial Pesos from the Kundrati Gold Industry rather than pay an assets tax on them. We encourage others to follow suit, its the responsible thing to do."

After taking several questions, she finished up the segment with "Look, its simple. Invest closer to home. The neo-liberals hate us in Majatra and Artania. We're not going to continue to reward that sort of shortsighted behavior anymore."

@TheRepublic

[Doc]

Empress published Political Theory: An Introduction
Book critical of liberalism promoted in attempt to popularize academic subject
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
November 6, 5711


Her Imperial Majesty signs a limited First Edition of Political Philosophy text

When one thinks of popular literature, they rarely think of political philosophy as a subject. However, a new book, written by the erudite sovereign of Ananto and Kalistan, Her Imperial Majesty Empress Carolina II Ananto aims to change that. Her new book, Political Theory: An Introduction, published in the capital by Black Bear Publishing is a 365 page long explication and justification for the political system within the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan, and a fairly deft contrast of our system of government with the system and ideology inherent in liberal democracies.

"The subject is presented as a fictional novel, aimed at the college aged audience in their early 20s," said critic Valerie Holloway, of La Moda. "Its story revolves around a man, John Smith, who wakes up one morning, inexplicably transported to a fictional nation known as the 'Amereca.' This fictional land represents itself as a utopia in all things, but John very soon discovers that indeed, it is as he describes, '...a mix between a topless casino, an amusement park and a prison...' which treats consumption as the highest civic virtue and spends its time convincing all the people there that the rest of the world does not even exist. It's a very bizarre tale indeed, and some of the things Her Imperial Majesty describes baffle the imagination. And yet, underneath it all is a stinging indictment of liberalism as an idea, rather than an actual practice gone off the rails, capitalism that has turned predatory and then vampiric, and a government which is so corrupted that it no longer serves anything like a national will, but instead spends its time enriching itself. All under the banner of '...liberty and justice for all...'."

Smith is initially befriended by a local outcast and self described social reformer, Jennie Adams, who serves both as a not completely reliable partial narrator and supplier of important exposition. Adams is associated with a group of nominally left wing reformists who spend their time pointing out the problems in society while avoiding definite solutions. "It seems more important for these center-leftists to have the issues on the table to maintain relevance than to actually solve the social problems that underlie these issues," said Holloway. "Eventually, Smith comes to the conclusion that Adams' outrage is largely performative and she is no more interested in solving the problems she and her group spend their time pointing out than the people who are causing the problems in the first place, and a twist toward the end shows him that her kind of opposition merely serves to reinforce the system, rather than doing anything to actually change it in any meaningful way."

The story itself serves as a comparison and contrast between what Smith calls "correct order" (which Adams derides as dictatorship and tyranny, when she sets out to take his personal reformation up as a cause) and the sort of formal, but substance-less liberal democracy of most modern democratic nations that exist on Terra today. Smith compares this fictional dystopia to many of our real democracies, even those that pretend to be monarchies, but leave all important decisions to the will of elected majorities, and where elections are little more than popularity contests that you would see in primary and secondary schools. It is a defense by negation, which shows the alternative to be too dreadful that the null looks good in comparison. "Smith did describe some benefits he got from living in this alternative universe," said Holloway. "For example, he described getting a dopamine rush when Adams gave him the opportunity to actually vote in a very 'important election,' but later he confessed that the rush was over too quickly and left him feeling duped because the supposed 'election' was actually to vote in a televised singing contest not unlike the real world's FOMAT. It was an event of cultural significance for sure, but when he realized that there were 15 times as many votes as people watching the program, he learned that within the aggregate, his individual vote didn't matter at all. It didn't have even the most minute outside chance to change the outcome, and the outcome felt predetermined anyway- The contestant hyped by the show's 'judges' was the one who won anyway. This is obviously a metaphor for voting in normal liberal democracies."

The story describes other horrific examples of the liberal democratic hellscape our protagonist was forced to exist in: Newscasts which decried police brutality in this supposed liberal utopia cutting directly into a commercial for ice cream where happy families had no problems at all that they needed to worry about, let alone the images of police brutality that literally just aired on the same program, which then cut to a commercial for a drug that treats an illness which is not real, but which the drug company created an ad for anyway to get people to buy drugs they don't need, which have terrifying side effects at an alarming rate, which then cut to a news story about how drug companies earned record profits for the 30th straight quarter, which then cut to a story about homelessness and hunger among the working class. At one point in the story, Smith asks Adams why people put up with it, and her answer is "What do you mean? Look at how good we have it compared to billions around the globe. Yeah, it always feels like it could be better, but this is the best system on the planet, and just needs a few tweaks here and there to make it better."

The book at the end is revealed to be a systematic examination of alternatives. Smith spends his time wishing he could return to his beloved Kalistan, comparing each incident and example throughout the book to its Kalistani equivalent. The liberal democracy comes out unfavorably in almost every category, but Smith also opines how some lessons could be taken from the visit to the fictional dystopia to improve Kalistan, "if nothing else, than to prevent Kalistan from ever turning into some horrific liberal democratic capitalist nightmare like what I wake up to everyday." The story ostensibly ends with Adams turning her back on Smith, dismissing him as a "fascist pig," and joining her friends in his ostracism. The reader spends their entire time hoping Smith makes it back to Kalistan, but the epilogue reveals that he never does: Instead he adapts to his new life, getting a job that doesn't pay him enough to pay rent or buy enough food to eat, but he adopts an addiction to commercial television and the internet, and almost stops thinking about Kalistan all together, until one day he speaks Egelian to a person with a large flag on the back of a monster truck, and the person calls the police to have him deported as an illegal migrant.

"It's largely, and thankfully a work of science fiction," said Holloway. "I think, disregarding the fact that it was written by the Empress, the book was very well written and keeps its audience in mind, making several important cultural references that the youth will certainly pick up on, as an effort to draw in her audience. It's not preachy at all, but the narrative is also not dry. The author has a way to paint her prose with just enough gilding to make it shine, but not make it gaudy or too poetic. We feel for Smith as we should for a protagonist, but he himself is not perfect. Sometimes, for example, you catch his sympathy for some aspects of his new life showing through, like the glee he seems to take in being able to just go into a massive super-market of some kind and see nine million of each item from wall to wall, anything you want from clothing to auto parts to highly processed and salty foods. He, at times, feels like he made it here in this Amereca, and it made his home feel relatively austere. But for the most part you want him to escape from the soulless consumption and the mindless political drivel inherent in all liberal societies, which is a hundred miles wide and never more than an inch deep. You cheer for him and the ending is made that much more bitter."

The book is expected to sell well, despite its matter of fact title. "[The Empress]... is a great author," said Nadine Wright, who purchased a copy and obtained an autograph from the Empress at the book signing event in Kaliburg. "I study political science here at Kaliburg Imperial and I have read a number of her academic papers. She has this way of getting to the point, in an elegant and efficient way--She makes me feel very smart. But I also love reading horror stories, and so I think this one is right up my alley. Plus I will certainly learn something while reading the book. I understand that the liberal mind is almost schizophrenic in its outlook at the world, but we wouldn't ever directly experience something like that in this nation. Its a thrill to think about how she will tell this story."

House Ananto, which oversaw the publishing and the marketing for the book says that House Ananto covered the publishing costs, allowing House Ananto to set the retail price for Political Theory: An Introduction. "The book is selling for a nominal $3.00 Imperial," said Holloway. "Her Imperial Majesty announced that all the profits for the book will be donated to rural infrastructure development programs under the Ministry of Infrastructure. She will make no money from writing the book." In fact, the book is also already provided as a proof version electronic download on several sites across the Empire for free, but downloaders are also encouraged to buy copies of the book to support rural infrastructure.

@LaModa

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Kalistan throws its name in the hat for New Englian Oil
"Aim is to pay New Englia to not produce", says Chancellor
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
November 18, 5711


Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn speaks in Kaliburg

Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn spoke before the National Assembly this week to announce that Kalistan would enter the bidding process for rights to New Englian Oil production. "Her Imperial Majesty has authorized us to to make a serious and competetive bid on New Englian Oil," said Lady Alvarez from the Rostrum of the Chamber of Deputies. "We will use public and private money combined to back these bids and will make every effort to outbid others in the process."

Chancellor Alvarez stressed that Kalistan is not getting back into the oil game. "Our aim is to pay New Englia to not produce," said the Chancellor. "We can theoretically put more money into the bid than other nations should be able to because it is our intention to prevent development of the oil field, so we should not need to build infrastructure around its exploitation or delivery." The Chancellor said Kalistan's aim was to prevent the oil from coming online in the first place. "Fossil fuel production and consumption is by far the leading source of environmental pollution in Terra today," she said. "Every year people of this planet burn fossil fuels like they are inexhaustable, and indeed, nobody understands the destruction we do to our climate and our atmosphere in the process. Only a few nations have been bold enough to step forward and swear off petroleum, developing alternatives to supply energy to our people and to supply the things petroleum also produces but made out of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials instead. Kalistan is one such nation: We hope to encourage New Englia, which is at the very beginning of its life as an oil exporter to consider the same as a viable alternative to destroying our environment for profit."

The bid would be made to grant Kalistan exclusive control over the Rossfadda Oil field, with all options to develop and produce there to be guaranteed. "And then we just pay them to not develop it," said Chancellor Alvarez. "it is a responsible and mature step to make. The Nation of New Englia is looking for help in its development: it really shouldn't matter to them what the money they get buys the nation that supplies it. For us, it would be an investment in a clean environment and a viable, non-petroleum based economy for a nation that is developing in North Eastern Dovani."

She also addressed other nations who have put in bids. "Those nations are not concerns of ours," she said. "Egelion says it wishes to help develop the fields specifically for the sole reason of helping New Englia out. This is fine. Our money would have the same effect, with the added bonus of a clean environment. Win win for both Egelion and New Englia and the world actually. I believe Luthori is also still bidding. Whatever their motives are, our points still stand: Exploitation of those fields is a net negative for the world. We wish to utilize our considerable investment capital for social good."

The Chancellor did not disclose the size of the Kalistani bid, but promised that it would be competitive. "Ideally we would outbid whoever else is in the process. We have sizeable disposable capital, both in the private sector as well as a decent public surplus to ensure that any investments we made there would serve our national interests, which in this particular case are identified as a clean environment." She also said that taking the Rossfadda field off line would work to stabilize oil prices else where. "When that field comes on line, other nations that rely on oil sales will see their profits reduced. This way, they can keep the status quo. They should support Kalistan's bid from a purely economic perspective. But also from an environmental perspective."

Representatives from Her Imperial Majesty's Ministry of Trade are being dispatched to Englia to begin negotiations with their New Englian counterparts. "If we're gonna be imperialists, we should be imperialists for global good, rather than selfishness."

@TheRepublic