Phoenix Quinn's Little Red Reading List
Day 711, 09:55
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Published in USA 
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by
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by Silas Soule
Phoenix Quinn's Little Red Reading List
In real-life, the human being behind Phoenix Quinn is an avid, perhaps even obsessive reader and a bit of book collector as well. His home library currently holds somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 volumes.
The oldest is an 1802 edition of "Dissertations on the Prophecies, which have Remarkably Been Fulfilled" by Thomas Newton. The latest acquisition is a recent (as in, last week) re-publication of "Folk Tales of the Coast Salish"...
...orginally published in 1934 by his real-life great-aunt, Thelma Adamson, and re-issued thanks to many years of hard work by Professor William Seaburg at the University of Washington.
This RL enthusiasm for the written word is a character trait that virtual Phoenix Quinn (official "cantankerous windbag" of the Socialist Freedom Party and all-round good guy) has inherited.
Why eRep Newspapers Rock
For someone who's keen on reading, the Newspapers module is one of eRep's most innovative and interesting features... for a number of reasons that I don't mind listing:
* They're equal opportunity and open-ended. As long as they don't break the rules of eRep etiquette, articles can be on just about any topic.
* They give a voice to people who may not enjoy, or may not be so skilled at, the rapid-fire jive of an IRC channel or the asynchronous nature of forum-based jabber.
* They provide for full expression. Fact is that not all ideas can be shared meaningfully in short bursts. The eRep Newspapers provide a way to tell a story, to communicate information, or to make an argument that actually has a beginning, a middle and an end.
In the intro to that "Folk Tales" book, Prof. Seaburg noted that among the Coast Salish peoples story-telling sessions could go on all night. Listeners lay quietly on their backs while stories were being told. Children were required to go jump in the river for a swim, either before or after the telling, as payment to the elders.
Now, somewhat sadly, Short Attention Span Theater seems to be epidemic and immersion into a spoken or written narrative is practically becoming a lost art. On eRep, it's distressingly to be expected that some well-intentioned (?) reader will advise "tl; dr" (too long, didn't read) on any article longer than a haiku.
That kind of response would've likely gotten them slapped upside the head by a Cowlitz elder!
Good Reads on eRep
Any engaged citizen should, of course, read the articles posted by their military and government leaders. In the eUSA, if you don't know what those papers are, then you probably need to adjust your reading glasses, 'cause links to them are posted or shouted about every sixteen nanoseconds -- and they're usually in the top 5 as well.
Below I've listed a few of the newspapers that I find useful, interesting or fun for a variety of reasons. By no means do I always agree with everything their authors publish, but that's not the point. If we all agreed on everything, or if there was only a single possible understanding of "the truth" of the game, how boring would that be? And from a broader perspective, if inquiry into "the margins" of knowledge ceased, then all scientific and cultural progress would simply grind to a halt!
There are many other eRep papers out there worthy of notice for the richness of their content. These are just a few that I would recommend to others who enjoy a good read. Please feel free to post links to your favorites in the comments!
On eUS Political and Military Affairs
Desertfalcon's Global Defense Report
... provided informative updates on the military situation every single day of World War 3, an awesome accomplishment in e-journalism.
Aeros' Defense Intel Review
...provides detailed and thoughtful analysis of world-wide military events that have an impact on the eUSA. Always interesting and great way to keep up with what's going on in the New World.
Astra Kat G's Shining in the Darkness
...provides insights into the workings of the US Congress that simply can't be found elsewhere and does it with a sense of humor and a "lightness of being" that both delights and informs.
Rheinlander von Phalz' Paladin's Honor
...has done a beautiful job of reporting on results of the just-concluded US Congressional elections. Senator von Phalz also set the bar for providing detailed explanations of votes taken in Congress, providing a rationale and sometimes interesting background info for each one.
On World Politics
Arjay Phoenician's Grain of Sand
...is an absolute must-read on my list. Arjay engages with world leaders across the e-globe in a never-ending journey of wisdom that's both fun to watch and challenges pre-conceived notions of what is possible within the game.
Carr De Vaux's Chron. of Democracy Viva
...covers a wide variety of topics, with an emphasis on news and opinion from the SoL countries of the Asia and Pacific regions. Always well-written.
evighet's Evighet's Opinion (in Castillian Spanish)
...provides news coverage and informational articles on what's going on in eSpain and often poses fine questions to the citizenry for their consideration.
CossackSWord's The Cossacks HeadQuarters (in Russian and English)
...is Moredan Kantose's epic telling of the story of e-Russia from the Cossack perspective. Written by an ardent Russian nationalist with a very critical eye, if you want to keep up with the never-dull hard-scrabble world of Russian e-politics this is a must-read.
On Modeling and Understanding the Game
mihail.cazacu's The Carpathian's Yell (Usually in English, sometimes in Romanian and other languages)
...fits well into many categories, but I finally decided to put it here since I consider mihail to be, among his many skills, a master of game mechanics. Always fun, usually funny, mihail's sharp wit, deep knowledge of the game and insight into Slavic and Central European culture and politics puts his paper near the top of my personal "best reads" list week after week.
system0101's Ghost in the System
...has lately been featuring some detailed data-centric information, and a bit of analysis, on infrastructure. His dedication to publishing actual data, rather than just opinion, is highly praiseworthy (in my humble opinion!) and will hopefully encourage a baby boom in systems analysis!
dreaeuh's The Economist Manifesto
...provides all sorts of fascinating information about monetary markets and, like Ghost in the System, makes an admirable attempt to provide observations and analysis of actual trends, based on concrete data -- a refreshing break from the "you're stupid; no you're stupid kind of debate that arises all too often.
Funny Bones, Aesthetics and Belles Lettres
Lowell Kennedy's The Musicman
...is one of my favorite e-newspapers. It provides all sorts of great advice for new and mid-level players, combined with sometimes quirky, sometimes moving, but always insightful observations on the game, life, and everything.
Jon Malcom's Voice of America
...is often hilarious and never, ever boring. And the fact that he posts like 8000 articles a day keeps it fresh!
smokinpope's greenmeatstew
...is an interactive poetry jam. smokinpope's original verse is full of win and has elicited a series of poetic responses.
On the Left
Fredrick Engels Worker's Digest
...seldom fails to deliver a "no-holds-barred" barrage of leftist theory and criticism from an e-socialist perspective. Love him or hate him; agree wholeheartedly or not; the comment sections of Fredrick's articles tend to be a whopping good place to get a ringside seat to debates on some of the deeper realms of e-economic theory and politics.
Socialist Freedom Press
...is the newspaper of the Socialist Freedom Party in the eUSA. Along with party news and analysis, and articles written by different party members, it publishes interesting articles from lefties around the world.
The Worker's Cause
...is one of several papers published by members and supporters of the Peoples Communist Party in the e-UK. It is particularly noteworthy for publishing in-depth theoretical pieces like Social Democracy: A Critique by Johnobrow Dadds and Analysis of Classes in eRepublik by a certain cantankerous windbag.
pharoah revival's Left Margin (In Bahasa Indonesia, sometimes with English translations provided)
...provides the viewpoint of the Communist Party of e-Indonesia, which has a distinctly different view of the world from the Indonesian imperialists and is doubly noteworthy given the difficult conditions that leftists face in RL Indonesia. "Push the Red Button. Red for resistance. Fight the imperialism. "
A Pugno Chiuso ("The Closed Fist", in Italian)
...is the newspaper of the Communist Party of E-Italy, a rapidly-growing and influential player in Italian politics, currently with 50% of the Chamber of Deputies in their camp.
In real-life, the human being behind Phoenix Quinn is an avid, perhaps even obsessive reader and a bit of book collector as well. His home library currently holds somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 volumes.
The oldest is an 1802 edition of "Dissertations on the Prophecies, which have Remarkably Been Fulfilled" by Thomas Newton. The latest acquisition is a recent (as in, last week) re-publication of "Folk Tales of the Coast Salish"...
...orginally published in 1934 by his real-life great-aunt, Thelma Adamson, and re-issued thanks to many years of hard work by Professor William Seaburg at the University of Washington.
This RL enthusiasm for the written word is a character trait that virtual Phoenix Quinn (official "cantankerous windbag" of the Socialist Freedom Party and all-round good guy) has inherited.
Why eRep Newspapers Rock
For someone who's keen on reading, the Newspapers module is one of eRep's most innovative and interesting features... for a number of reasons that I don't mind listing:
* They're equal opportunity and open-ended. As long as they don't break the rules of eRep etiquette, articles can be on just about any topic.
* They give a voice to people who may not enjoy, or may not be so skilled at, the rapid-fire jive of an IRC channel or the asynchronous nature of forum-based jabber.
* They provide for full expression. Fact is that not all ideas can be shared meaningfully in short bursts. The eRep Newspapers provide a way to tell a story, to communicate information, or to make an argument that actually has a beginning, a middle and an end.
In the intro to that "Folk Tales" book, Prof. Seaburg noted that among the Coast Salish peoples story-telling sessions could go on all night. Listeners lay quietly on their backs while stories were being told. Children were required to go jump in the river for a swim, either before or after the telling, as payment to the elders.
Now, somewhat sadly, Short Attention Span Theater seems to be epidemic and immersion into a spoken or written narrative is practically becoming a lost art. On eRep, it's distressingly to be expected that some well-intentioned (?) reader will advise "tl; dr" (too long, didn't read) on any article longer than a haiku.
That kind of response would've likely gotten them slapped upside the head by a Cowlitz elder!
Good Reads on eRep
Any engaged citizen should, of course, read the articles posted by their military and government leaders. In the eUSA, if you don't know what those papers are, then you probably need to adjust your reading glasses, 'cause links to them are posted or shouted about every sixteen nanoseconds -- and they're usually in the top 5 as well.
Below I've listed a few of the newspapers that I find useful, interesting or fun for a variety of reasons. By no means do I always agree with everything their authors publish, but that's not the point. If we all agreed on everything, or if there was only a single possible understanding of "the truth" of the game, how boring would that be? And from a broader perspective, if inquiry into "the margins" of knowledge ceased, then all scientific and cultural progress would simply grind to a halt!
There are many other eRep papers out there worthy of notice for the richness of their content. These are just a few that I would recommend to others who enjoy a good read. Please feel free to post links to your favorites in the comments!
On eUS Political and Military Affairs
Desertfalcon's Global Defense Report
... provided informative updates on the military situation every single day of World War 3, an awesome accomplishment in e-journalism.
Aeros' Defense Intel Review
...provides detailed and thoughtful analysis of world-wide military events that have an impact on the eUSA. Always interesting and great way to keep up with what's going on in the New World.
Astra Kat G's Shining in the Darkness
...provides insights into the workings of the US Congress that simply can't be found elsewhere and does it with a sense of humor and a "lightness of being" that both delights and informs.
Rheinlander von Phalz' Paladin's Honor
...has done a beautiful job of reporting on results of the just-concluded US Congressional elections. Senator von Phalz also set the bar for providing detailed explanations of votes taken in Congress, providing a rationale and sometimes interesting background info for each one.
On World Politics
Arjay Phoenician's Grain of Sand
...is an absolute must-read on my list. Arjay engages with world leaders across the e-globe in a never-ending journey of wisdom that's both fun to watch and challenges pre-conceived notions of what is possible within the game.
Carr De Vaux's Chron. of Democracy Viva
...covers a wide variety of topics, with an emphasis on news and opinion from the SoL countries of the Asia and Pacific regions. Always well-written.
evighet's Evighet's Opinion (in Castillian Spanish)
...provides news coverage and informational articles on what's going on in eSpain and often poses fine questions to the citizenry for their consideration.
CossackSWord's The Cossacks HeadQuarters (in Russian and English)
...is Moredan Kantose's epic telling of the story of e-Russia from the Cossack perspective. Written by an ardent Russian nationalist with a very critical eye, if you want to keep up with the never-dull hard-scrabble world of Russian e-politics this is a must-read.
On Modeling and Understanding the Game
mihail.cazacu's The Carpathian's Yell (Usually in English, sometimes in Romanian and other languages)
...fits well into many categories, but I finally decided to put it here since I consider mihail to be, among his many skills, a master of game mechanics. Always fun, usually funny, mihail's sharp wit, deep knowledge of the game and insight into Slavic and Central European culture and politics puts his paper near the top of my personal "best reads" list week after week.
system0101's Ghost in the System
...has lately been featuring some detailed data-centric information, and a bit of analysis, on infrastructure. His dedication to publishing actual data, rather than just opinion, is highly praiseworthy (in my humble opinion!) and will hopefully encourage a baby boom in systems analysis!
dreaeuh's The Economist Manifesto
...provides all sorts of fascinating information about monetary markets and, like Ghost in the System, makes an admirable attempt to provide observations and analysis of actual trends, based on concrete data -- a refreshing break from the "you're stupid; no you're stupid kind of debate that arises all too often.
Funny Bones, Aesthetics and Belles Lettres
Lowell Kennedy's The Musicman
...is one of my favorite e-newspapers. It provides all sorts of great advice for new and mid-level players, combined with sometimes quirky, sometimes moving, but always insightful observations on the game, life, and everything.
Jon Malcom's Voice of America
...is often hilarious and never, ever boring. And the fact that he posts like 8000 articles a day keeps it fresh!
🙂
smokinpope's greenmeatstew
...is an interactive poetry jam. smokinpope's original verse is full of win and has elicited a series of poetic responses.
On the Left
Fredrick Engels Worker's Digest
...seldom fails to deliver a "no-holds-barred" barrage of leftist theory and criticism from an e-socialist perspective. Love him or hate him; agree wholeheartedly or not; the comment sections of Fredrick's articles tend to be a whopping good place to get a ringside seat to debates on some of the deeper realms of e-economic theory and politics.
Socialist Freedom Press
...is the newspaper of the Socialist Freedom Party in the eUSA. Along with party news and analysis, and articles written by different party members, it publishes interesting articles from lefties around the world.
The Worker's Cause
...is one of several papers published by members and supporters of the Peoples Communist Party in the e-UK. It is particularly noteworthy for publishing in-depth theoretical pieces like Social Democracy: A Critique by Johnobrow Dadds and Analysis of Classes in eRepublik by a certain cantankerous windbag.
pharoah revival's Left Margin (In Bahasa Indonesia, sometimes with English translations provided)
...provides the viewpoint of the Communist Party of e-Indonesia, which has a distinctly different view of the world from the Indonesian imperialists and is doubly noteworthy given the difficult conditions that leftists face in RL Indonesia. "Push the Red Button. Red for resistance. Fight the imperialism. "
A Pugno Chiuso ("The Closed Fist", in Italian)
...is the newspaper of the Communist Party of E-Italy, a rapidly-growing and influential player in Italian politics, currently with 50% of the Chamber of Deputies in their camp.
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Comments
first
Great list, man. Though you don't have to talk in the third person. Hah.
Outstanding picks, PQ.
@unknown1829: Phoenix Quinn says thanks! 😉
Fredrick Engels disagrees, talking in the third person is how everyone should talk. Well that's what Fredrick Engels would tell you anyways.
As far as an eRep article that provokes halfway intelligent discussion, I like Clevinger's "Clevenger's Toybox" http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/oh-god-oh-god-i-m-late--1004723/1/20" target="_blank">http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/oh-g[..]1/20
Since you like to read, try it out.
Thanks John Largo. I'm a HUGE fan of Clevenger's Toybox. Can't believe I neglected to include it on the list.
Good stuff, Quinn.
I just subbed most of these papers, PQ. Thanks for a great service.
I think I'll start posting ts;dr (too short/didn't read) on any article that is just a googled image with a caption. Oh, sound-byte culture, how you enforce small-mindedness!
I have some new papers to check out
Voted.
Halloween Edition
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/halloween-edition-1010227/1/20" target="_blank">http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/hall[..]/1/20
Definitely voted. I've never seen Clevinger's paper. Thanks for that suggestion.
Great article, and not just for the compliment! 🙂
@ John Largo
Thank you so much for putting a plug out there for my articles! I love it when I am able to attract new readers 🙂
@ Phoenix Quinn
Wonderful article! Many of these writers I had never seen before and it is so wonderful to see many writers work in the spotlight! I can't wait to see what these writers will bring now with their newfound support 🙂
Nice article, thanks!
eRep newspapers do rock, and its great to find good articles in the back-issues after a little digging around.