NationStatesBoard

Thursday, 23 April, 2020 | 45

True perfection seems imperfect,
yet it is perfectly itself.
True fullness seems empty,
yet it is fully present.

True straightness seems crooked.
True wisdom seems foolish.
True art seems artless.

The Master allows things to happen.
She shapes events as they come.
She steps out of the way
and lets the Tao speak for itself.

Today’s Featured Nation:

The Commonwealth of Libby the Lab

” We are very hard to see at night”

WA Category: Inoffensive Centrist Democracy

Civil Rights: Good
Economy: Good
Political Freedoms: Very Good

Libby the Lab's national animal is the canine, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.
Libby the Lab is ranked 74th in the world and 2nd in NationStates for Largest Populations, with 37.6 billion Capita.

Mikeswill

Yesterday’s Answer: What is Japan?

Congratulations:
Who in the washington

Only telegrammed responses will be considered
All responses must be in the form of a question

MEN & MACHINES

JOHN MOORE-BRABAZON, THE FIRST PILOT LICENSED BY ENGLAND, HAD LEARNED ABOUT ENGINES WORKING FOR THIS MAN, FIRST HALF OF A FAMOUS PAIR

Who is ... ?

Tolstyy is free to make new nations flags.

You should give him a telegram.

Sincerely,
Kekxas

Back.

Islanalcatatuffles wrote:

Page 911

What's your emergency?

Friday, 24 April, 2020 | 46

When a country is in harmony with the Tao,
the factories make trucks and tractors.
When a country goes counter to the Tao,
warheads are stockpiled outside the cities.

There is no greater illusion than fear,
no greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself,
no greater misfortune than having an enemy.

Whoever can see through all fear
will always be safe.

The Mikes Hope Essence of Mikeswill graciously extends a warm welcome to our newest Nations:

The Theocracy of The Third Lunar Confederation
Eswoaira islands
Republic of dernen
Nordkistan

Raw rang
The BB Prison Mike Fan Club of West Brightonburg
Urisnin
Peacinia

Our Esteemed Region continues to attract the Most
Enlightened Nations in the JenGov Land.

MH

I am finally watching the final commemorative episodes of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown nearly two years after his suicide ~ a suicide which did not surprise me at the time.

Parts Unknown was one of my favorite programs as it allowed me to get a less filtered view of the World via the perspective of this one time chef and heroin addict. I like the world. I have a degree in Political Science with a History minor and spend most of my casual reading on historical topics. I am also a person in recovery whose old solutions brought me to a place of pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization.

As such, I envied Anthony Bourdain who was able to make a living traveling across the globe, dining on the best prepared foods, while engaging the social, political, and human natures of culture. I wish that I could be him. And he could drink copious amounts of liquor. I once wanted to write him and ask him how as an ex-heroin addict he was able to main such a lifestyle.

What I also perceived from time to time was emptiness in his eyes. I never knew Anthony Bourdain in person, only the persona exhibited in the final edit of each program. I have no idea on what he thought and felt internally. I am also well aware of my ability to project my own experiences, thoughts and feelings onto the personality that is presented to me. So when I speak of the emptiness in Bourdain’s eyes and I well aware that I am projecting my own potential empty soul upon him.

So I delayed watching the final season until recently. I delayed because though there is sorrow in his death there is also anger related to another person’s suicide. And this anger is selfish. Selfish in how could he deny me the opportunity to experience the world through him? How could he end an outward status of envy and success without any explanations? Why are humans so complex and imperfect?

So I put time between his death and his final season of episodes to temper the anger and resurrect the admiration of this imperfect man’s ability to touch my soul at numerous levels. I do not know the essences of his soul that led him to his decisive moment. But my experience in recovery allows me to transform my confusion and anger into a sense of compassion and gratitude for the impact he made whilst he was alive.

Sunday, 26 April, 2020 | 48

In pursuit of knowledge,
every day something is added.
In the practice of the Tao,
every day something is dropped.
Less and less do you need to force things,
until finally you arrive at non-action.
When nothing is done,
nothing is left undone.

True mastery can be gained
by letting things go their own way.
It can't be gained by interfering.

Hey NationStates,

I Tolstyy am willing to make newcomers custom flags! Of you are a WA members and want a flag, give me a telegram and endorse me and we can talk.
Remember, the max endorsement limit in this region is 24, so make sure I don’t get banned.

Sincerely,
Tolstyy