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by The Regional Nation of The Northern Light. . 116 reads.

The North Star - Issue VII, May 1 2019



Campus News
by Marcus Antonius, Chancellor of The North Pacific University


THE NORTH PACIFIC UNIVERSITY

"sequere Polaris"



Dear Staff, Lecturers and students,

As part of my reorganization of the University. I have enacted changes to be made to the University Forum. The old Forum set-up was limited in it's subjects on a University standing. To remedy this I have had created four Divisions which will cover all subjects that could possibly arise. One of these Divisions will be totally open to all subjects relating to NationStates and our Region. The other new Divisions, Humanities, Mathematical,Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) and Social Science's cater for all subjects from Art to Zoology.
A new Library and Museum have been built for sharing books and displaying collections. The Chancellery and Lecture Hall have not been demolished and will still be used for their intended function. Please find below details of the layout of the University's Campus. I hope you enjoy the new layout and please submit lectures in the relevant categories. I wish to thank General COE for his advice and assistance in setting up the new Forum layout.

Wishing you all success.

MARCVS ANTONIVS
Chancellor of The North Pacific University


The North Pacific University just got bigger.

Chancellery
The Administration office of the North Pacific University. Announcements will be made here.

NationStates Division
TNP and NS

Humanities Division
The Arts, Classics, History, Music, Philosophy and Religion

Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division
Botany, Chemistry, Computer, Earth, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics and Zoology

Social Sciences Division
Current Affairs, Environment, Geography, Law and Sports

Wizardofoz Lecture Hall
For Guest Lectures

Polaris Library
TNP University's collection of the written and spoken word

"stella Polaris" Museum
TNP University's virtual collections


NPA Bulletin
by Bobberino, Minister of Defense

The North Pacific Army forged on through the month of April in a prompt and impressive manner. Soldiers of the NPA under the baton of the great and powerful Minister of Defense Bobberino went from region to region, mopping clean native scum and placing upon it the most powerful of TNP propaganda; or went from region to region, sweeping clean raider scum and reinstating native unity, depending on the way of which Bobberino's daily can of spam flipping challenge spam can finally landed. The completion of this challenge led to high quality joint ops with good turnout and target count.


MoD "Mad Bob" Bobberino puts on his "Special Invasion Epaulettes"

Some important news is that Bob is still MoD. Instead of doing this on time like a good DM of Comms would, Bob decided to write this blurb. And before Bob is attacked and dragged away by the oligarchy, he'd like you to know that ----- audible screaming and torture ----- Everything is fine and under control in the NPA. Order will be restored under the next Delegate, to whatever their interpretation of fine and under control is. Probably less spam. Tune in on the next edition of TNS to find out what the oligarchy got.


Spotlight #18: Interview With Bobberino
by BMWSurfer, Minister of Home Affairs
Views in this interview may not reflect the views of TNP's government


Bobberino always looked up to BMWSurfer

BMWSurfer: Hello there and welcome to this month’s TNS interview! Today we have Bobberino with us! How are you doing Bob?

Bobberino: Hello, BMW! I'm excited to be interviewed.

BMWSurfer: Fantastic! Tell me a little about your background in NS and TNP

Bobberino: This goes back... Actually not that far compared to some of the other names that have been on here. I've been on NS since March 16, 2018 and I founded right here in TNP. I got telegrams from everyone that does recruiting, but I decided to stick with TNP and give it a try, and if it didn't work out here then I'd try out "The Roman Empire". Yes, that "The Roman Empire". So I stayed in TNP for the most part, though I also am now in TRR.

BMWSurfer: I’m glad you stayed! What is your history in the NPA? How did you rise to MoD so quickly?

Bobberino: I applied for the NPA shortly after joining TNP because it looked to be a really interesting quirk. I joined on April 1, 2018, under MoD Malphe and he and the rest of the NPA made me feel very welcome. And so, I stayed! I stayed for not only the pure R/D skill but also for the history and very strong precedent that the NPA has to offer. I felt like it was my niche and my area of expertise, that I could grab onto quickly. And so... I grabbed on quickly. I became an officer in a lightning fast 27 days, and worked my way up the ladder from there. I was an Adjutant under MoD Loz and DMoD under MoD Darcania, and thus was the next man up for the job when opportunity called in the form of Darc's resignation. I feel like I rose quickly both due to organizational adaptability and fluidity rather than rigidity as well as my own commitment and skill.

BMWSurfer: That’s awesome! How have you liked the job so far?

Bobberino: I love it! It's a lot of fun and I'm eager to keep going. It's great. Join the NPA y'all

BMWSurfer: Great advice! What other things do you do here in TNP?

Bobberino: I am former Deputy Speaker, and also Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Deputy Minister of Communications. DMoHA was my first appointed position. I also serve on the Speaker's Staff and the staff in Culture, FA and WAA.

BMWSurfer: Wow, you sound like a busy guy. What got you into so many positions?

Bobberino: I've always been interested in giving back to such an incredible region. I also have a soft spot in my heart for recruiting and writing particularly - you, the current MoHA, have been one of my closest friends and mentors in TNP, and I want to be able to do the same for others

BMWSurfer: I'm glad I could be of service, and consider you a close friend as well. Speaking of mentors, is there anyone else you have looked up to in TNP?

Bobberino: I look up to yourself, Darc, Malphe, McM, QD, Ghost, Artemis and MJ to name a few. Leaving out probably four dozen names. I've always learned by asking questions of whoever is present.

BMWSurfer: That’s a great strategy! What is your favorite memory in TNP?

Bobberino: My favorite memory in TNP... Probably saying I'd never amount to anything and then getting appointed DMoHA the next day. Or being appointed MoD. I dunno.

BMWSurfer: That was funny, you said no minister would appoint you Deputy and minutes later you were appointed a deputy.

Bobberino: Quoting BMWSurfer last year:
“Wonder if anyone's gonna be dumb enough to make me DM lol - Bob, mere hours before being appointed DM
hey want to be an HA DM?"

BMWSurfer: That was entertaining, and one of my best appointment lines to date ha ha.

Bobberino: That was one of several memorable TNP bob memes

BMWSurfer: That leads right into my next question! Tell me about the title “spammer in chief”

Bobberino: Well I got banned from TNPGen quite publicly, and Spammer in Chief was a device of my own creation based off my notoriety of spamming the sewers there

BMWSurfer: That’s interesting! Let’s get down to business. Are you planning a Delegate run this upcoming election?

Bobberino: Definitely not in this upcoming election. I think I could gain limited traction, but I don't know if I'd get too far in a potentially crowded field. Delegate is in my future sights, but for now it remains a future endeavor.

BMWSurfer: That makes sense, although seeing a spammer Delegate would be very fun.

Bobberino: I'll make note of that. Lol

BMWSurfer: Lol. Whats the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Bobberino: Hmm... Probably has to be Zaz on day one in the NPA chat. "Don't hesitate to ask questions, we were all new once. :smiley:"

BMWSurfer: Very good advice! Well, thank you for your time!

Bobberino: Likewise!


Regional Assembly Highlights
by Artemis, Speaker of the Regional Assembly

Regional Assembly April 2019

Speaker of The Regional Assembly: LinkArtemis




Vote

LinkMotion to Uphold the Vice Delegate's Rejection of Cormac's Citizenship put forward by Vice Delegate LinkSil Dorsett
Status: Passed
Ayes - 35, Nays - 8, Abstains - 10

Summary: The North Pacific Legal Code stipulates that any nation that fails the Vice Delegate's Check during the citizenship application process must be presented to the Regional Assembly for consideration. After the mandatory two days of debate, and four days of voting, the Regional Assembly voted to uphold the Vice Delegate's rejection of Cormac's Citizenship.

LinkConfirmation of El Fiji Grande to the Security Council put forward by Vice Delegate LinkSil Dorsett
Status: Currently Open
Summary: El Fiji Grande was nominated to become a member of the Security Council by a unanimous decision, with 9 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions. El Fiji Grande has shown to be an active member of TNP Government, forum community and the game-side community. He has received broad support during deliberations in the Regional Assembly.

Current Business

LinkOnsite Authority Enhancement Bill put forward by Delegate LinkPallaith
Status: In Discussion
Summary: Current TNP Law is very strict in the manner that nations can be banned from the region, even those who have been banned for malicious actions on the forum This proposal expands the authority of the Executive to issue a regional ban that can match the length of the forum ban.

LinkTreaty Repeal Clarification Bill put forward by LinkPraetor
Status: In Discussion
Summary: This bill further defines the procedures for which the North Pacific and more specifically the Regional Assembly shall exercise its authority to revoke a treaty with a foreign entity. Currently, the only procedure for revoking a treaty is based on the Standing Procedures set forth by the Speaker of the Assembly. This bill will codify the process and requirements to revoke a treaty in the Constitution.


World Assembly Digest
by Marcus Antonius, Deputy Minister of Communications


General Assembly
Improving the world one resolution at a time.

"Astronomical Data Repository"
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: For
Final Vote (World): For: 16,667 Against: 988
Final Vote (TNP): For: 539 Against: 31 Percentage of WA nations voting: 39.4%

Recommendation:The proposal, Astronomical Data Repository, takes a no-nonsense approach to cosmic data collection in the WA. It has been crafted in such a way that protects the rights of sovereign nations while still accomplishing the task of creating a repository that will be able to effectively serve the WA community scientifically and educationally. The proposal also acknowledges and protects the disparity in tech-levels that can be found in the World Assembly by guaranteeing entities, both public and private, the ability to play on even ground in data aggregation and similar endeavors. In summary, this proposal will greatly benefit the scientific community and nurture interest in astronomy and similar sciences for much time to come.

In accordance with the reasoning above (with our totally not-biased-at-all opinion), the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For this proposal.


"Drug Abuse Amelioration Act"
Status: Failed
Delegate's Vote: Against
Final Vote (World): For: 3,992 Against: 12,573
Final Vote (TNP): For: 115 Against: 500 Percentage of WA nations voting: 41.9%

Recommendation:This resolution suffers from a lack of clarity in its mandates, and a certain naivety about drugs and addiction, in general. The stated definition of drugs is incredibly broad, with no differentiation between the most harmful and the most benign. The resolution suggests decriminalizing first time possession of drugs in jurisdictions where they are illegal but makes no clear statement about quantities possessed. The concern is that an individual caught with a significant quantity of drugs, suitable for distribution, would also be absolved of criminal responsibility on a first offense, increasing the potential for illegal trafficking. Further, the resolution wrongly conflates first-time possession of drugs for recreational purposes and drugs being possessed as part of an individual's addiction. The reality is that many recreational drugs aren't addictive. No clear distinction is made between addictive and non-addictive drugs, or between addicted and non-addicted users caught in possession, yet mandatory rehabilitation is universally suggested as the alternative to criminal charges. Even in a case where a person is addicted to the drug they may possess, most research suggests that forced rehabilitation is an ineffective way to deal with the problem, with the vast majority of addicted persons relapsing or re-offending. Well intended as it may be, the proposal doesn't reflect a comprehensive understanding of the complex subject matter and could well do more harm than good.

For these reasons the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against this resolution.


"Protecting Personal Data"
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: Against
Final Vote (World): For: 9,867 Against: 6,438
Final Vote (TNP): For: 233 Against: 373 Percentage of WA nations voting: 41.0%

Recommendation:The proposal, despite its well-meaning intentions, appears to create unnecessary requirements for member governments to collect and analyze data, especially for noncriminal cases in which warrants would never come into play. When it comes to criminal cases, the proposal seems to mandate warrants to severely limit the scope of what can actually be done regarding investigations made by member governments. Furthermore, the mandates made by the proposal seem to be overly ambiguous, allowing for member governments to evade requirements by citing loosely defined terms such as 'well being of users' or 'safety or disciplinary reason.' In summary, the proposal takes an approach that is too simple to capture some of the more complicated facets of data collection.

In accordance with the reasons displayed above, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against the proposal.


"Fair Depository Standards Act"
Status: Failed
Delegate's Vote: Against
Final Vote (World): For: 2,862 Against: 13,219
Final Vote (TNP): For: 81 Against: 505 Percentage of WA nations voting: 39.0%

Recommendation:This resolution suffers somewhat from a rush to submission that prevented the proper vetting of some of its mandates. A few of the ideas suggested are incomplete, with no instruction as to how to carry them out effectively. For example, the resolution recommends a fixed capital reserve requirement for financial institutions. The resolution does not, however, provide the established Depository Regulators Committee (DRC) the ability to develop regulations that would harmonize how capital reserves should be calculated. Since there is no existing body in the WA to create such a regulation, and since there are innumerable jurisdictions, this creates a disconnect. The DRC is the enforcement agency, but there is no organization created through the resolution to draft the regulations themselves. Similarly, the resolution allows institutions to appeal DRC decisions around non-compliance, but there currently exists no WA organization to handle such appeals. The resolution doesn't make clear to whom appeals would be made and provides no instruction for the development of such a body. There are a few other structural issues of this nature, and, some important investment areas and institution types that probably should have been included as part of the resolution weren't. In general, there is a sense that the Act is somewhat incomplete, and some of its mandates fail to address the more complex aspects of finance and investment.
For this reason, The Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against this proposal.


Repeal: “Protecting Personal Data”
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: For
Final Vote (World): For: 11,917 Against: 4,013
Final Vote (TNP): For: 493 Against: 93 Percentage of WA nations voting: 39.3%

Recommendation:The target proposal possesses large flaws that harm its effectiveness and lead to unintended effects. This includes firms' incentive to not collect data so as to avoid the mandates, as well as not considering the possible legitimate reasons for minors having personal data stored without explicit consent. Furthermore, as outlined by the repeal, the target hampers the ability for civil courts to uncover all the evidence relevant to their respective cases and private entities from receiving court mandated action or compensation.

In accordance with this and our previous IFV on this topic, the Ministry of World Assembly recommends a vote For this repeal.



Security Council
Spreading inter-regional peace and goodwill, via force if necessary.


Repeal:“Liberate Confederation Of Corrupt Dictators”
Status: Failed
Delegate's Vote: Against
Final Vote (World): For: 1,919 Against: 14,991
Final Vote (TNP): For: 44 Against: 494 Percentage of WA nations voting: 37.3%

Recommendation:This self-pat-on-the-back proposal is nothing more than a publicity stunt to bring attention to their region after recently starting a campaign of antagonism against the World Assembly. This region is near totally undeserving of any positive recognition from the greater WA community; particularly in that the proposal's arguments for said commendation hold no merit and the regions intent to undermine experienced and intelligent voices within the WA.

For these reasons, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote against the resolution.


“Condemn Darkesia”
Status: Passed
Delegate's Vote: For
Final Vote (World): For: 13,757 Against: 2,020
Final Vote (TNP): For: 520 Against: 46 Percentage of WA nations voting: 37.6%

Recommendation:Darkesia is a long time player with an extensive history of condemnable acts. They began in the Pacific, serving under the New Pacific Order and advancing their agendas and influence where possible. Darkesia also participated in countless intelligence operations against other regions, namely The West Pacific. Furthermore, Darkesia participated and supported numerous coups in The North Pacific, The West Pacific, and The East Pacific. In conclusion, Darkesia has a history of espionage and undermining of sovereign governments, perpetuating their own agenda wherever they may see fit.

In accordance with the reasoning posted above, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For this condemnation.



The North Star: Lighting The Way To The Truth
Publisher: Pallaith :: Executive Editor: El Fiji Grande :: Managing Editor: Marcus Antonius

The North Star is produced by the Ministry of Communications on behalf of the Government of The North Pacific and is distributed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs externally and the Ministry of Home Affairs internally. Except where otherwise indicated, all content represents the views of the Government of The North Pacific.

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The Regional Nation of The Northern Light

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