114
Dispatch → Bulletin → News
The North Star - Issue XXVI, May 2023
Welcome to the 26th edition of The North Star, the premier magazine publication for all the news The North Pacific has to offer!
I am very pleased with the reception of the last edition! I took a risk pitching a completely new design format, which has seen TNS turn into more of a magazine style publication for foreign updates, designed using Canva, and I am very excited to say that I have been selected as Minister of Communications under Delegate Gorundu for the term to come!
This means that I will be able to experiment even further with the publications that we put out, including efforts to put together a new edition of The Northern Light, as well as dusting off the Northern Broadcasting Service for some well-needed radio shows. I'm really looking forward to working under Delegate Gorundu this term and proving that the Ministry of Communications deserves a permanent place in the executive.
Over the years I have had the very distinct honour of serving as Minister of Communications on multiple occasions and it is truly one of the most rewarding roles one can fill in NationStates. Turning all of the stuff we do in our spare time on this fictional browser game into captivating stories to tell throughout the region and across the NS multiverse is what I am in this position to do, and I am very excited to see what we can accomplish.
In this edition of TNS, we cover the results of the most recent general election, which saw Gorundu elected as World Assembly Delegate, Chipoli elected as Vice Delegate, and Skaraborg elected as Speaker of the Regional Assembly. We also cover the return of the Ministry of Communications and the most recent iteration of the Lennarts awards run by Culture. Included is an interview with elected Vice Delegate Chipoli, discussing his term ahead.
I hope you enjoy the 26th edition of The North Star!
Kaschovia
Minister of Communications
Delegate
Delegate Gorundu has emerged as a determined and capable leader during these challenging times. Assuming the position unexpectedly, Gorundu has taken swift action to address pressing issues and forge a path forward for the region. With a clear vision for TNP's future, the Delegate aims to build a stronger community, promote active engagement, and tackle the numerous challenges that lie ahead.
Over the past few months, TNP has faced a series of formidable challenges, from the technological setbacks that rendered key tools unusable to a crisis that led to the resignation of the previous Delegate. In the face of adversity, Delegate Gorundu has displayed resilience and determination, heading the charge to fill the leadership void and reaffirm the region's independence.
Under Gorundu's leadership, a military operation was conducted to secure a World Assembly Delegate in The Wellspring, the first active Frontier in the post-Frontiers update era. Recognising the potential of The Wellspring, the Delegate envisions establishing closer relations with the growing community, allowing it to develop its own identity and attract newcomers organically. By encouraging a strong government and community within The Wellspring, Delegate Gorundu seeks to aid in its sustained growth and success.
Delegate Gorundu acknowledges the pressing need to revitalise TNP's recruitment efforts in the face of diminished population growth due to the Frontiers/Strongholds update. Emphasizing the importance of telegram recruitment, the Delegate plans to implement all available methods, including stamps, API, and manual recruitment. To make manual recruitment more efficient, a dedicated tool will be sought to streamline the process and incentivise recruiters through contests and rewards. The aim is to maximise TNP's recruitment potential while also exploring the effectiveness of new telegram templates.
Delegate Gorundu recognises the interconnected nature of TNP's ministries and the need for coordinated efforts to address various domestic affairs. To overcome executive staff stagnation, the Delegate plans to optimise the Ministry of Home Affairs' recruitment tools, focusing on specific telegrams and refining the mentoring process. Moreover, a comprehensive review of the region's technology issues will be undertaken, with the government actively coordinating with talented coders and administrators to ensure the development of necessary scripts and tools.
In the pursuit of accountability and transparency, Delegate Gorundu intends to expand upon the Northern Notes, utilising them as a platform to communicate government activities and relevant updates to TNPers. Additionally, the revival of regular ministerial reports and the introduction of Delegate reports will provide the region with a comprehensive understanding of the government's achievements and challenges. Through these initiatives, the Delegate seeks to maintain an informed and engaged community.
Delegate Gorundu's campaign outlines a comprehensive vision for TNP's future, spanning various facets of domestic and foreign affairs. With a strong emphasis on building a vibrant and resilient community, the Delegate's plan focuses on recruitment, accountability, transparent communication, and the development of TNP's Frontier. By actively engaging with challenges and fostering innovation, Delegate Gorundu aims to lead TNP toward a brighter and more prosperous future.
Vice Delegate
The role of the Vice Delegate in The North Pacific holds significant importance in ensuring a smooth functioning of the region, supporting the Delegate in their responsibilities and most importantly the security of the region. As chair of the Security Council, the Vice Delegate is tasked with keeping TNP secure from external and, most likely, internal threats. Chipoli, the newly elected Vice Delegate, brings a fresh perspective and a dedication to serving the community during their four-month term.
With an initial endorsement count of 774, Chipoli has steadily gained endorsements, now maintaining a total of 907. Although currently ranked 7th among the Security Councillors, Chipoli's commitment to the role promises to bring positive change and contribute to the region's growth and development. Working closely with Delegate Gorundu, Chipoli aims to make their term the best it can be.
One of the crucial tasks for Chipoli during the transition period has been declassifying various threads in the forums. With over 20 threads to address, Chipoli expresses confidence in completing most of them by the end of their term. Additionally, there is a considerable backlog of around 4 years' worth of discord logs to be declassified. Chipoli plans to tackle this task incrementally, focusing on a term or two at a time. The effort to declassify forum threads has already begun, and the endeavour to declassify Discord logs will soon follow.
In terms of World Assembly (WA) membership, The North Pacific currently has approximately 1,472 WA member nations. This number reflects a slight decrease from the previous week, likely influenced by the recent F/S update. However, the endorsement counts for both the Vice Delegate and the Delegate are on the rise, indicating growing support and engagement from the community. The graphs showcasing this upward trend provide a positive outlook for the region.
Chipoli concludes their Vice Delegate report by expressing gratitude to Delegate Gorundu and the rest of the Security Council for their assistance in settling into the new role. With the hope of a successful term and a commitment to accomplishing great things, Chipoli encourages all community members to endorse both themselves and the Delegate. Anticipating more positive developments in the coming weeks, Chipoli signs off, wishing everyone a fantastic week.
As the Vice Delegate assumes their responsibilities, the region can look forward to their contributions, collaboration with the Delegate, and a commitment to serving the interests of The North Pacific. The Vice Delegate plays a crucial role in maintaining stability, fostering community engagement, and supporting the region's overall progress.
Speaker
As the Regional Assembly of The North Pacific commences its new term, the position of Speaker holds great importance in ensuring smooth operations and effective governance. Speaker Skaraborg, who has been elected for a second time, brings a wealth of experience and a clear vision for the future. With a track record of a successful term and a commitment to efficiency and expansion, Skaraborg aims to lead the Regional Assembly to another period of stability and progress.
Reflecting on the previous term, Speaker Skaraborg highlights the achievements and acknowledges the invaluable contributions of the deputies who served alongside him. The checks were efficiently conducted, and votes were properly counted and conducted, ensuring the smooth functioning of the Regional Assembly. Skaraborg extends his gratitude to Bobberino, Cloud, Sil Dorsett, St George, and Treekidistan for their support and assistance throughout the term.
Looking ahead, Skaraborg outlines his goals for the current term. One of his primary objectives is to expand the Speaker's office by appointing new deputies, including the return of a past speaker. By increasing the number of deputies, Skaraborg aims to provide more opportunities for nations to actively engage in the region's governance and contribute to the overall success of the Speaker's office. The speaker emphasises that serving as a deputy is not only a learning experience but also an excellent way to further involve oneself in the region and lend a helping hand.
In addition to expanding the team, Skaraborg is determined to complete the Speaker's guide, a valuable resource for future deputies to understand the mechanics of the office thoroughly. By providing comprehensive guidelines, Skaraborg aims to streamline the transition process for new deputies and ensure the continued efficiency of the Speaker's office.
Furthermore, Speaker Skaraborg expresses his intention to collaborate closely with the admins during the term. By establishing a strong relationship, the Speaker's office can adapt swiftly to any necessary updates and address potential issues promptly. Skaraborg mentions the importance of resolving the problem related to API-telegrams and demonstrates a proactive approach to maintaining the functionality of the office.
In terms of the Deputy Appointments, Skaraborg announces the selection of eight deputies for the current term, including both re-appointments and new appointments. The absence of a strict schedule allows deputies to take on responsibilities based on the needs and priorities of the office, further enhancing the efficiency of operations.
Speaker Skaraborg's dedication to efficiency, expansion, and collaboration sets a positive tone for the upcoming term in The North Pacific's Regional Assembly. With his experience, clear objectives, and commitment to providing opportunities for active participation, Skaraborg aims to ensure a period of stability and progress. As the Regional Assembly moves forward, the Speaker's office, under Skaraborg's leadership, remains a pillar of effective governance and continued growth.

Laying down the paths of progress and reinvigoration were the first steps I knew we needed to take. Introducing modernized designs of our publications through more approachable platforms such as Canva gave The North Star a sleek, new look, and will allow swathes of designers to exercise their creative energy for the benefit of the ministry, while our new staff credit and rewards system will ensure the work put into publications by staff is recognised through monthly awards, card giveaways, badges, and much more. We have a new found ambition to put together high quality radio broadcasts, and have been discussing internally the possibility of setting up our own Spotify platform to host our shows as well. This is further supported by a new leadership team featuring deputies Robespierre, Bobberino, Nutmeg, and Caius. All the riveting stories, scintillating dramas, and otherwise standard regional affairs will be placed stylishly in the spotlight of NationStates, adorned with new designs and a dedication to quality with this team at the helm.
These initial changes will provide Communications with the best chances of solidifying its presence in the executive for terms to come.
My goal for the next four months is simple: enjoyment in production. By making the process of putting together publications as enjoyable as possible, the levels of creative production are already showing signs of recovery from the period of inactivity we are leaving behind. The first Northern Broadcast Service radio show in months has been recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel at higher quality than ever, plans are being made to publish the first issue of TNL in over two years, and The North Star has already made its entrance back into the regular production schedule.
Within the internal rewards tracking system, 2075 staff points have already been earned by ministry staff, with three broadcast participants, multiple articles claimed, two staff members of the week awarded, and the monthly staff awards presented. But this is only the beginning. This term is likely to see three more editions of TNS, an issue of TNL published, at least two more broadcasts posted, and over 20,000 points earned between all members of the ministry.
If you would have told me that the Ministry of Communications would be making a return to the government late last year when I was serving as Minister of Culture, I wouldn't have believed you. For the longest time, the ministry had struggled to find the initiative and organization it so desperately lacked to justify its own existence, but that is about to change. In this new era of Communications, and in such monumental context within the wider NationStates world following the introduction of frontiers, it is more important than ever that The North Pacific earns its presence as frontrunners and innovators in the media scene. It is my intention to turn this ministry into one of the most productive and enjoyable places in the executive, for new writers, editors, and broadcasters alike to channel their passion and spirit into what we publish.
My approach to the job has shifted from the consistent releases we have managed in past terms, to a focus on balancing production output, quality, and enjoyment of the process. I returned to activity in The North Pacific at an unprecedented time in NationStates history, and so an unprecedented approach to our priorities, work ethics, and processes must be taken in order to adapt to the times. There is a whole world of stories out there waiting to be written, and it is through a fresh perspective of the purpose of the Ministry of Communications that those stories will come to life. I'd like the revival of Communications, most importantly, to serve as an example of one very simple fact: nothing is beyond reach when you have the passion for it. There is no limit to creative potential when you really love whatever you're doing, and it is with this sentiment that I truly and with all the pride I can feel, welcome the return of the Ministry of Communications.

The following were the award categories this year:
The North Pacifican of the Year | NPA Soldier of the Year | Regional Assembly Member of the Year | Rising Star Award |
Golden Heart Award | Vault of Knowledge | Father Figure of the Year | Most Active |
Quote of the Year | Best Flag | Best Tourist Destination | Eikbyrnir Award (Best RPer) |
Roleplay Article of the Year | Character of the Year |
The Winners
TNPer of the Year, won by Madjack

NPAer of the Year, won by ROM

RA Member of the Year, won by Pallaith
"I'm appreciative that people saw fit to give me an award, and think the work and the effort was worthy of recognition. I'm proud of those bills I worked on and how they've moved the region forward. Thank you to everyone who voted to give me the nod. As I said when nominations ended, I personally felt Comfed deserved this more than I did. I wrote some big bills in the last year, but those aren't always the same from start to finish, because the RA debate does change them and they start to become less your specific vision and more of a collective one. And Comfed is someone who stands out to me, he participates in pretty much every debate, and his contributions have changed these bills. I definitely think that deserved recognition. I know I can write, I know this process and can get a solid bill moving, but it's always a great thing when we have more people involved and these bills take a shape with more hands in the process. And Comfed also tries his own bills, and there's a lot of attention to that work from him that I think is the spirit of this. But don't get me wrong, I appreciate the recognition and am honored to receive this."

Rising Star of the Year, won by Chipoli

Golden Heart Award, won by Ethnon

Vault of Knowledge Award, won by Zemnaya Svoboda (Eluvatar)

Father Figure of the Year, won by Ethnon


Most Active, won by Aerilia

Quote of the Year, won by Palutenia (Koopa)
We all love a good quote. Whether it brings a tear to your eye, or makes you laugh out loud, it's always fun to celebrate some of the gems we've seen over the last few months. Our winning quote by Palutenia certainly fits the bill:
"Ok so a fork does not work as well for combing hair as The Little Mermaid made it look."
Brilliant. Well done Palutenia!

Best Flag Award, won by Lionsroar

Best Tourist Destination, won by Kyoki Chudoku

Eikbyrnir Award (Best RPer), won by Western Vapia
As part of the roleplaying awards, one person won the most votes for the Eikbyrnir Award, called "Best RPer of the Year" back in the days, nominees for this award are outstanding in this field. They combine the best ideas, with very professional writing. They make all of their work with a lot of passion, and you can easily tell how much work they've put into every single post they made. For this year's awards, congratulations to Vapia for winning the award! We look forward to seeing more of what Vapia can do in the RP scene.

Roleplay Article of the Year, won by Illusia and Neverendia
Have you ever read an RP post, and thought a whole book could be written around it? Have you read a factbook so good, you keep coming back to it every week? Have you recently read a story, that you keep rereading over and over again? This award is for the best of these - the Article of the Year, the best of the best story writing in NS! Congratulations to Illusia, for their Royaume Roleplay series, which has won the award for this year's roleplay article of the year.

And the curtains close...
All of the credit for organising the event goes to the Ministry of Culture, who tirelessly counted the votes, set up the nomination threads, and put on another spectacular show.
Congratulations to all of the winners, we can't wait to be back again next year!
Co-Authored by Kaschovia

The North Star: Lighting The Way To The Truth 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 Communications internally.
Publisher: Gorundu | Executive Editor:
Kaschovia
Except where otherwise indicated, all content represents the views of the Government of The North Pacific.