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Dispatch → Bulletin → News
The Cable - November 2020
The Cable
November 2020 | The Embassy
Our newsletter, The Cable, aims to build communications between our embassies. Please share this with your region-mates by posting a link on your RMB!
This month the seven millionth nation was created, we had some pretty dope polls, we spoke to the source of NS's favourite pancakes, and some regions went technicolor. And I heard something about vegans taking over NS. Wandering around, wanting to eat grains. Or maybe I misheard that.
But if you're just thinking, "I don't care about any of this. Why did I get a notification?", then this section is for you.
Honeydewistania spotted that the seven millionth nation was created this month. But which nation was it? Now, each nation has a database ID. By adding one million to the database ID of the six millionth nation (ID no. 2906891), it looked like the seven millionth may have been Lhrykrinsk. However, The BlAAtschApen observed that nations that had CTEd before IDs were introduced (years ago!) must get a new ID if they were refounded. That meant that the seven millionth nation would have a higher ID number, and won't be Lhrykrinsk after all.
On 17 October, New Zealanders went to the polls. There were no surprises when Jacinda Ardern was voted back in. However, it looks like there'll be surprise results for the referenda. Not all votes have been counted yet, but it looks like two thirds of Kiwis backed the euthanasia proposal, but fewer than half backed allowing recreational use of cannabis. I can't be blunt, but that's a killer outcome. More on the story in this BBC article.
Aleixandria, Ambesia, Armenasia, Athrania, Bella poarch, Bonnie Blue Republic, Borduria13, Cirrus Azale, Coca-cola sprite and fanta, Colin advance wars, Dourterk, Dr mario, El Spana, Esperantist mars, Freedomanica, Fruit smiles, Genoath, Grandia Sebastia, Greatholypandanation, Haelstien, Janiland, Jo hore, Kaiserville, Khwhp, Kor chemballa, Kor pantaal, Neo Splatoonia, New scotstan, Nordicavia, Northern fardelshufflestein, Opolarzarianduses, Pronunshaa, Raumi, Sail nation, Sermonisket, The Age of Utopia, The anime imperialists of japan, The reformation of qing dynasty, The winds upon the soil, Trumpy America, Vladilan, Voxija, Warren buffet, Wi sd ea d, Windchia, Zynthon
And the one we're all waiting for - will the Republicans Trump this election? Or have the Democrats just been Biden their time? Here in NS, we're expecting a Biden victory. Turnout is expected to be high, despite talk of voter suppression.
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Ambassadors Reception: You've an interesting factbook that says you had a nation in a Gypsy Lands region of old. With a little detective work, I found that the region lasted from January 2004 to September 2005. That's quite some time ago! What do you think the biggest change has been in the game since then?
Gypsy Lands: The biggest change in NS since 2004-5 is that the big old regions have died out and given way to multiple one-nation regions. The sheer number of players is amazing.
AR: If you could change one thing about the game, what would it be?
GL: I wouldn't change anything about the game. It has changed over the years anyway, and continues to evolve. I just go with the flow.
AR: Back in the day, the WFE of Gypsy Lands read:
"A region of Lakes, Mountains and natural beauty. Nations are free to roam and discover their own inner path, or to take part in community activities. This is a non-political region where each nation walks in peace, or is invited to move to another region. The Independence of each nation is respected and friends of member nations are always welcome."
How do you feel the culture of present day Gypsy Lands compares to the early region?
GL: The former Gypsy Lands had over a hundred nations. It was one of those big old regions. I don't even think there was such a thing as embassies back then. But they were good cooks and liked to feed the nations, so we try to carry on this tradition.
AR: Although NS is a political simulator, your region (like the old region) avoids talking about politics on the RMB. What inspired that decision?
GL: We definitely avoid political stances. There are so many other regions for that and I do believe that many of our members, including me, have puppets in regions where they can argue religion, politics, and everything else. We just want to relax and have a good time.
AR: It's been 15 years since the original Gypsy Lands CTEd. Have you played NS continuously since then?
GL: I have played NS continuously for more than 15 years, nearly from the beginning. I have met many of the old time players.
AR: You must have met a lot of interesting players. Is there anyone who stands out in your mind, and why?
GL: Yes, I have met a lot of interesting players. Some I have known for more than a decade. A couple of them do stand out as particularly interesting, but I can't reveal them because I doubt that they even know I have this region.
AR: What's been your favourite aspect of NS? What keeps you logging in?
GL: My favorite aspect of NS is the role-play. We're probably very different as RL people than what our nations’ display. We can remain anonymous, yet we share some very intimate details on occasion. Being a part of a region is like being in a club, but without the dues and the fund drives.
AR: I can't not mention the embassies. You opened the region in September 2017. By Christmas, you had an incredible 1000 embassies. You've rarely had fewer than 1200 embassies since March 2018. Did / do you have a conscious strategy for your approach to embassies?GL: We do have a lot of embassies, but I do not consider us "embassy collectors." I am the founder of another region, and embassy requests there have annoyed me. However, when I founded GL I decided to reach out to other regions on a diplomatic level, rather than just to "collect" them. Many founders have sought my advice. And sometimes I put my two cents in whether they ask for it or not. I take the privilege of having another region's embassy very seriously, as do all our members.
AR: If you were to share one piece of worldly wisdom, what would it be?
GL: One thing I would share with other players is that the game isn't too interesting unless things are happening. There are so many nations in regions all by themselves and that are locked down so no one can join. To each his own, I guess. But our region contains nations with such interesting ideas, such fascinating comments, and such intellect that I am constantly wanting to log in and see what's going on.
AR: Thanks for those insights. And thanks for the pancakes. And thanks for your time!
🌍 TourAdvisor is the searchable, crowd-sourced guide of places to go in NS. Build the best browsable guide to the NS-verse by reviewing the places you've been, and the things that you've seen. Read our guidelines, and post your review!
Sail nation travellers cruised through The Democratika and Alnobia this week, and kindly left us their thoughts.
Looking to analyse an argument? We reviewed a dispatch that might help you with that!
A few days ago, Tim-Opolis raised an issue in the Technical forum. Certain regions had their WFE color "leaking" onto the region page. It turned out that this was due to a bug with BBCode in dispatches. Nations from Democritus had discovered this by accident back in August, and raised it then, but their post was ignored. By the time Tim raised the issue, the bug was being exploited in a few regions. For example, Christmas used it to make all their text red, which, with the standard green hyperlinks, matched their region's usual seasonal colour scheme. Mods have since edited the "offending" dispatches, and taken the Christmas decorations down.
Read all about it!
- Labyrinthine Chronicle- October 2020
- Layem Times Issue 23
- The Monthly Tabloid | October Issue
- LaraCast Ep 2
- NationStates News October 13
- Layem Times Issue 21
- FWOTruth
- NS Today
- Daily Line
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The Diplomacy Awards celebrate the foreign dignitaries that interacted with our RMB in the past month, either by making posts, or clicking 'Like'.
We can't say it straighter - you're the greater orator. This month's premiers of praises per post are:
Style | Likes per Post | Nations |
🖋 | 5.5 | |
🖊 | 4 | |
🖍 | 3.75 |
* Nations making multiple posts during the month are eligible for The Floored Award.
We think it is great to appreciate a state. This month's 'like' button bashers are:
Hearts | Like Count | Nations |
❤ | 380 | |
🧡 | 61 | |
💛 | 38 |
I've no idea how The gold mines failed to show up in this category. I use the API to download this data, and for some reason, they don't even get a mention.
We get really psyched about those who were 'liked'. This month's most praised posters are:
Awards | Like Count | Nations |
🥇 | 241 | |
🥈 | 80 | |
🥉 | 58 |
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