Join the new world

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"Savia non fui, avvegna che Sapìa
fossi chiamata, e fui de li altrui danni
più lieta assai che di ventura mia.

E perché tu non creda ch’io t’inganni,
odi s’i’ fui, com’ io ti dico, folle,
già discendendo l’arco d’i miei anni."

Purgatorio, Canto XIII
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I caught a song on the radio today, same station that did a short interview yesterday with Half Moon Run, who were in town for a gig. Dan Mangan is another great Canadian musician who scooped up two big wins on April 1st for “New Artist of the Year” and “Best Alt. Album of the Year.” This article runs with what seems a very apt song (for eCanada) by Mangan, called “Post-War Blues,” which also has a decent video for Dr. Strangelove fans. Anyway, it goes like this…


Much is being discussed lately, as the hawks and doves convene.(click pic for the tune)

“Let's start a war for the kids,
A purpose for which to unite.
Make them some words they can mince.
What they don't know, they won't mind.”

The last few days have been eventful, perhaps more so than the typical tribulations we go through each month. We’ve seen ONE land on our east shores after insult led to invasion, only to have our butts royally saved by some awesome neighbours to the south. With allies like those, who cares what enemies we make, right?

Actually, wrong.
I very do care about what enemies we make. Perhaps we underestimated the consequences of trivializing the pride of ONE HQ and misunderstood the prospects of an NE with, I mean , declaration of war against eUK. It only seems right to invade our perennial foe across the pond ~ why not, since we were their rightful occupiers after successfully coordinating a strategy with allies to secure more productivity bonuses. Seems slightly ironic that when we attempted to pacify one foe, we created many others. I’m speaking about how eCanada’s national unity foundered last month as we tried to heal it. Make no mistake about it ~ we lost productivity, wages, taxes, players, influence, and respect when our foothold in the eUK fell apart. It didn’t help that we fumbled re-entry into war with eUK, then pulled out due to pre-mature speculation of eCanada’s battle readiness.

“Find them a foe for the fight,
And stories to tell as they age .
Then maybe time will decide,
Which ones keep and which ones fade.”

With EPC on hiatus while we re-organize to do some navel gazing and political re-shuffling, we need to get our priorities and reputation straightened out. If we were to begin recapturing lost productivity bonuses at this early stage, we’d likely see a return of EPC to counter our gains. However, this looks unlikely, since they’ve found their peace and will move on to let eCanada be as we sort ourselves out. Yet, we have much work to do if we are to at least gain (politically and socially) from what we have recently lost (economically and strategically). Though there are signs progress is being made in that direction, do not expect a smooth and fast process.

Therefore, we find ourselves without obvious foes to fight right now. EPC is silent. An ‘idiot wall’ (in the words of Iian Keers) has been built around us by our Bros to cut us off from the front we opened. So it may come as no surprise that a new battle has begun in a game (country?) where an adage is always uttered during times of Peace&Quiet: “We need an enemy to unite against or else we turn on ourselves.” Enter NPG.

The New Power Generation has amped up the polarization of eCanada. One can assume it aims to undo the New Order established by the proliferation of Norsefire across various occupied parties (some are merely copycat lulzers, btw). peace brings inner-war, and the strife will bring us closer to the zero hour when the balance of power is restored in eCanada…or so that is how it is supposed to go.

“Make me a fire to burn,
Burn all the letters I wrote.
Write me a list of concerns
If we are at peace,
If we are at ease,
I want to know.”

There is a lot of potential now building up, mainly on two ‘fronts.’ One is the ‘hope floats’ mentality that will pervade the coming CP elections. A tide, you might call it, could soon spring from the revitalization of purpose in eCanada’s political class (the citizens who take the time to write about, coordinate, and run in elections)…or so that is how it is supposed to go. I am hopeful of Sperry’s message and his influence on the trends within eCanada and I would very much like to support him in those efforts towards a politics of integrity and honesty.

Nevertheless, another side is calling, and the tune is alluring.



You think making more laws will fix eCanada? The solution lies in getting beyond the need for a Charter that can be so easily twisted to unintended purposes. More on that later.


Related to the buoyant message of optimism, or running parallel alongside it, is NPG and its recent charge of the light brigade in the Party President elections this past weekend. Was the effort merely tilting at windmills or did it stir up something that will generate some current to energize the buzz going around about a “movement.” Yes, it does exist and it is rather active in discussing its next step. Opinions are quite mixed, so the process won’t be quick. The divide in the discussion lies between two trends of thought:

a) those who wish to ‘transcend’ the current ‘real politik’ found eCanada and establish a class of leaders and voters who can fill in the vacancies created by apathy, indifference, and exodus

b) those who wish to immediately reduce the effects of corruption and political stagnation by engaging in methods that will awaken the player-base to the dangers of vote buying and election blocking (ie. manipulating the ballots of the Top 5)



“For instance , the more disasters happen, the more papers I sell. See, everything’s connected. A newsvendor understands that. He don’t retreat from reality. Newsvendors always cope…they thrive on disaster.”
~ The Newsvendor


In truth, I am quite torn. The media-lover in me says that encouraging NPG will lead to plenty of interesting times ahead. People will pay much attention to the many articles written about the results of each election and the build up before each main event. Part of me quite enjoys this part of the game. It drives me to write articles and reflect on the dynamics of eCanada’s parties and politicians. Face it ~ conflict sells and it motivates activity, yet is it of the type that provides long-lasting results or is it merely the adrenaline kick that precedes some sort of post-party blahs.

“There's the deepest sleep in my life
From which I am slowly coming to.
And every morning I wait for the news.
Oh this is, this is post-war blues.

Oh this is, this is post-war blues.”



Actually no we don't have to pay ~ not in Gold, nor our values, though nothing is ever really free.


A recent PP candidate asked me not to throw her under the bus when I wrote an article, yet a writer would glorify or molly-coddle a good story only if he were motivated by political aims. A journalist, on the other hand, goes for the guts of the story and all the gory fallout. In truth, I would have wanted Mia to stick around to see NPG makes it run because she had spirit, yet part of it was really just about the intrigue of a ‘multi-masquerade’ and the curiosity of seeing how far the crusade could go. Yet, the failure to capture a party actually did some good for NPG’s cause, since it humbled the movement and made it reconsider its purposes, rather than follow its original impulses. Now, NPG is reorganizing and finding new roots with other players who have a similar, though not identical, interest to improve eCanada.

Another player I very much respect would likely advise me right now to ‘Be cool.’ It’s hard to do when you see potential that may go unused and be squandered in lengthy debates on Ethical Principles. “Strike while the iron is hot” is the other side to consider. EPC is cooling its heels; NPG is establishing a footing; CP candidates are stepping up to the plate. Despite whatever other players are saying, it's the best possible time to be eCanadian, when almost everything you thought you knew is wrong…or perhaps about to change.

“Make me a means to an end.
Oh make me an ending in sight.
Make me insightful again.
What I can't see, I can't fight.”

As I look at the fork in the road ahead, deciding which branch to take will require defining what needs to be accomplished in eCanada in the short term, as well as in the long run. Establishing measures to directly reduce the influence of Norsefire parties will be a driving message, and it will have my ear. Holding off with an aim at a more measured approach of building slowly and surely, will be less alluring, more abstract, and not nearly as immediately entertaining. Insight is required.

We’ve already been to hell and back, so there’s not much to lose compared to what we’ve already gone through. There will be a lot of work ahead to sort through all the forestry and sailing metaphors that are being tossed around. I’ve not quite decided where my sympathies will lead me, perhaps it should not be an emotional reaction, but rather a long-considered decision…if only that iron could remain pre-heated as I dawdle and discuss.

“There's the deepest sleep in my life
From which I am slowly coming to.
And every morning I wait for the news.
Oh this is, this is post-war blues.

Oh this is, this is post-war blues.”

The finger is on the button for change ~ will it ignite another chain reaction for a movement to undo all that has been done, or will pushing it bring the rewards of patience over the long haul. On the positive side, should the hawks fail to coalesce into immediate/effective action or form a party, then we do have the doves to fall back on as they follow through with a long-range passing play. (thought Al Pacino might like that last metaphor…with so many to chose from these days, why not add football) In the end, what eCanada will need is people with positive outlook filling the roles of PP, CP, and Congress…not more articles discussing what to do next, though the newsvendors will always be there to talk about whatever happens.


“eCanada, together we are a Quasar burning at both ends...Together, we explode.

Yours in National Unity & Everlasting Embrace,

Plugson

(I need Ichsven to make me a nice bottom banner for that…with a nod to him for inspiring the sequence)