The Public Interest (magazine)

[hughbartlett]

Editorial: Christmas Wishes

2002 has been a time of joy, yet also a time of tradgedy. On a national level, we saw our prince shot, yet we also saw great social eualities come to pass. Internationally, we have had major terrorism, with the Bali blast killing three holidaying EUtopians. Yet, we also had the Salt lake City Olympics. Here in EUtopia, we suffered from floods, as our brothers and sisters, parents and children, friends and acquaintences did in China and Europe. Yet we also had an agreement to increase sanitation levels of third world countries.

This year has seen EUtopia become a shining light, and a dismal gloom. As the threat of global terrorism looms, and future war between Iraq and the USA seems imminent, EUtopia must re-evaluate its position. We have a country that can be isolated by geography, or provide a link through geography. Yet the biggest question facing EUtopia is not about international affairs, or politics. It is about the individual. And each individual EUtopian must look inside themselves, and find their christmas spirit. Maybe yo will show it by giving money to charity, or providing a present for the child down the road whos' parents cannot afford to give them the christmas they deserve.

We here at the PI wish all our readers a merry christmas, and hope that we can all find our christmas spirit in these difficult times.

-HuB

 

[Murmurandus]

ANNOUNCEMENT (1 page - huge letters):

Where is our President and when is he actually starts working?

No statements - no talks - no Government

Who's leading the Country?

This announcement was posted by an unknown person. Enclosed was a cheque of 1.500$.

 

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Personnel carousel

Ten days after the elections, Eutopia's government is slowly beginning to take shape. By all accounts, the FR and RD have made a definitive decision in favour of a Grand Coalition, leaving just one out of twelve MPs in opposition. We applaud the RD's initiative at establishing a Steering Committee for the coalition; this should allow the governing parties to streamline the decision-making process and avoid policy inconsistencies.

While Parliament has already elected a new Speaker, Sean Galloglaigh (FR), nominations for CRO have not yet begun; however, most observers seem to assume that this task will once more fall to RD-leader Melanchthon. Concerning the Cabinet, it seems increasingly likely that former President Murmurandus will be appointed VP and MHSA, while Vasco IKK will take over the METI.

-mel



Lacrosse limelight

Crows/Titans 12/17
Monarchs/Nemesis 19/10
Cascade/Lynx 15/14

On the second-last day of the regular season, the ELS saw few surprises. The Crows' offense didn't get off the ground in Capistrano, handing a clear victory to the Titans. The Monarchs continue to rule the roost after a decisive victory over the Nemesis. The Lynx got skinned by the Cascade in a game that was significantly more one-sided than the result suggests.

Stagnating at a disappointing 7 points, the Nemesis joined the Lynx in calling for structural changes to the ELS. Said Hurteau head coach, Aaron Ventura: "We can't have a two-class system with six teams; it's ridiculous, and it isn't good for the game." Dropping attendance at Lynx and Nemesis home games seems to indicate that he is right. The ELS is still reviewing changes to the current draft system.

In related news, ELS-Commissioner Melanchthon, in an exclusive interview with the PI, stated that the ELS will "very likely" add two expansion teams in the coming season.

-mel



Turning the page

Today's title was chosen by Ezra Pint of Ex Libris, Witney:

Marie-Claire Chambray, "Leopold von Güthler: A Life in Profile" (New Lancaster City: Hermes Press, 2002).

A fascinating look at the life and times of the nineteenth-century industrialist. The child of middle-class immigrants from Austria, Güthler eventually became one of Eutopia's leading economic magnates. Güthler is well known for introducing groundbreaking social reforms in his factories and for his patronage of the arts and education. Both are usually seen either as purely calculated moves, or as rooted in paternalism. In this long overdue re-evaluation, Chambray, drawing extensively on Güthler's private correspondence, argues that his actions were, in fact, based on a genuinely progressive ideology.

 

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Passing left

The weeks since the elections have seen several changes in the party system, but one is particularly remarkable: the spectactular growth of the ESRP. Ony a few short weeks ago, the Socialists were lingering below official party status, and seemed to be headed to oblivion. Today, the party stands at six members (soon to be seven), making it the third-strongest national party in terms of membership. At this point, it looks likely that the ESRP will be able to win one or even two seats in the next parliamentary election, to be held in mid-February.

-mel



Lacrosse today

Cascade/Titans 21/14
Nemesis/Crows 11/10
Lynx/Monarchs 11/17

The regular season ended with one big surprise as the Nemesis ruffled the Crows' feathers with a narrow one-goal victory. The Cascade smote the Titans by seven, and the Monarchs once again subjected the Lynx to defeat. The final table:

1. Chateauvallon Monarchs Goals 178/131 (+47) Points 35
2. New Lancaster Cascade Goals 185/138 (+47) Points 29
3. Tabor Titans Goals 155/144 (+11) Points 23
4. Capistrano Crows Goals 121/139 (-18) Points 20
5. Hurteau Nemesis Goals 108/149 (-41) Points 11
6. Harton Lynx Goals 105/151 (-46) Points 2

The Monarchs, Cascade, Titans and Crows will compete in the play-offs. Better luck to the Lynx and Nemesis next season!

-mel

 

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Net gains

Capistrano Crows/Chateauvallon Monarchs 15/21, 13/11
Tabor Titans/New Lancaster Cascade 19/20 (OT), 11/17

In an unexpected turn of events, the Crows narrowly defeated the Monarchs in the second round of the ELS-semi finals. The Monarchs, unaccustomed to defeat, appeared stunned and remained tight-lipped throughout the post-game press conference. The Crows were the only team that managed to defeat the Monarchs in the regular season, and after today's close game, few analysts ventured to predict a result for the decisive third round of this semi-final. What is certain, however, is that the victorious team will meet the Cascade in the final. Having rallied back at season's end, the Cascade trounced the Titans in Tabor with a compelling performance, thus eliminating their competitors from the play-offs.

-mel

 

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Wedding bells

Eutopia's two monarchist parties publicly announced their merger today. Rumours that the RPE and CMJ would join forces had been flying around the capital for the last couple of weeks, so the announcement came as no surprise to observers of the national political scene. Says political scientist Denis Clark of Witney University: "There simply wasn't any place for two rival monarchist parties in Eutopian politics, especially since they were essentially identical in most policy issues. Both parties were appealing to the same segment of society - a segment that isn't all that large to begin with. The merger was a logical and, from a strategic point of view, necessary step." The merger greatly increases the Monarchists' chances to enter Parliament in February, since the Monarchist vote is no longer split between two parties.

-mel


Final standings

New Lancaster Cascade/Capistrano Crows 16/9
Capistrano Crows/New Lancaster Cascade 13/11

After the Crows unexpectedly kicked the Monarchs out of the ELS-playoffs, they managed another surprise feat today, defeating the Cascade 13/11. The next game will decide which of the two finalists will be the first to have its name etched into the Teano Cup.

-mel


Turning the page

Today's title was chosen by Gayatri Parekh of Entre las Líneas, Buen Puerto:

Oliver Percale, "Summers of my youth" (Eutopia City: Nostalgia Press, 2002).

In this bittersweet, semi-autobiographical novel, Percale recounts the coming-of-age of a boy in Corpus Christi during the 1950s. Marked by a sense of profound loss, the novel vividly describes the life of a close-knit community in this remote and isolated town.

 

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Teano Cup: half empty for some...

... and half full for others as the Crows celebrate their Series championship after an unexpected victory over the Cascade. The dramatic third game of the final - decided only in overtime - was a fitting endpoint to a riveting season. The only blemish on an otherwise brilliant game was a brutal foul by the Crows' Carlos Cortez against Riordan in the third quarter; the Cascade's captain was unable to complete the game. The ELS is currently considering a temporary suspension for Cortez.

In related news, the Monarchs' Goalie Greg Cattrano was awarded the first Red Stripe Trophy by the ELS MVP Committee. Cattrano's outstanding performance was crucial to the Monarchs' success during the regular season.

-mel

 

[unmerged(1522)]

Musical chairs

Former MPs Murmurandus and I_Killed-Kenny were recently replaced by Kevyinus and Melanchthon upon their appointment to Cabinet. Political observers expect that RD-leader Melanchthon's stay in the House will be rather short: he is the only nominee for CRO, and as elections for that office will come to an end on Sunday, so will, in all likelihood, his stint as a legislator. We hope he kept the seat warm for his successor (rumoured to be AncientPharaoh).

In related news, almost three weeks into its mandate the Lundgren administration is stepping up its so far rather sluggish pace. Ministerial appointments have been finalized, and the President and his Cabinet seem to be in good spirits, having announced several major policy initiatives and programme reviews over the last few days.

-mel


Gang of Four

The FR and RD have agreed to set up a "Steering Committee" to coordinate the governing coalition's activities. Given the Committee's purpose, its members will wield considerable influence and may, in some ways, become the proverbial "power behind the throne." We note with interest that the FR has not delegated President Lundgren to the Committee, but chose instead to entrust Friedrich of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha with the position. The FR's other member, as expected, will be party leader and Speaker of Parliament Sean Galloglaigh. The RD will be represented by Vice-President Murmurandus and the RD's parliamentary caucus leader, Sebastian Fitzpatrick.

-mel


Charting rights

The last few days have seen a lively exchange in the headquarters of the Eutopian Bar Association regarding the constitutional entrenchment of a Charter of Rights. The Charter process seems to have been stalled by intractable disagreements. On one side of the fence, there are those who would like to include a reference to "divine supremacy" in the Charter's preamble. On the other, there are those who argue that there are few practical reasons for such a reference, and that it would contradict fundamental organizing principles of the Eutopian state. Not suprisingly, we at the PI agree with the latter.

At any rate, we note with some astonishment that most of the discussion so far has centred on symbolic issues rather than on the nature and extent of the rights catalogue itself. We would like to think this signifies a broad agreement among Eutopians about said catalogue, but unfortunately, such optimism may be misplaced.

-mel


Net gains

After an intense meeting of ELS-executives and team owners that reportedly lasted all night, a bleary-eyed but enthusiastic Commissioner Melanchthon surprised the public with an unexpected announcement earlier today. "After reviewing last season's attendance records and sales figures, we have come to the conclusion that there is great untapped demand [for Lacrosse]," said Melanchthon. "Consequently, we will increase the number of teams to ten for the coming season instead of eight, as initially projected." Rumours indicate that two of the new ELS-teams will be located in Buen Puerto and Douglas.

-mel


Football

Academic of Witney 1 - 3 New Lancaster Athletic
Bayer Neuwestbaden 3 - 1 Capistrano Lusitanes
Cordobense FC 2 - 2 Atletico de Buen Puerto
KCI plc Tyrants 6 - 1 Harton Harriers
Real Club d'Espana 1 - 2 Verneuil Atlantique
Eutopia City Kings 3 - 2 Station Road FC
Chateauvallon Lakers 0 - 2 St Martin Bay
Racing San Martn 3 - 3 Olympique Hurteau
St Brendanstown 2 - 3 Conder Bank

 

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Net gains

The second season of the ELS kicked off with a number of surprises. Day 1 saw the defending champions, Capistrano Crows, losing to the brandnew St. Brendanstown Siege. Equally surprising was the Lynx' first victory in the ELS (over Douglas). On Day 2, the Monarchs were defeated by their closest competitor from Season 1, the New Lancaster Cascade. Similar to last season, the Cascade are off to a good start, leading the standings with two victories - closely followed by the Siege and, rather unexpectedly, the Lynx.

Day 2 Matches

Monarchs/Cascade 16/18
Roughriders/Torrent 14/10
Titans/Nemesis 17/10
Siege/Apocalypse 14/12
Crows/Lynx 13/17

Day 2 Table

[color=white][u]Team                        Goals           Points       Streak[/u]
1. New Lancaster Cascade   34/28 (+6)          8         2 wins
2. St.Brendanstown Siege   29/23 (+6)          8         2 wins
3. Harton Lynx             34/29 (+5)          8         2 wins
4. Chateauvallon Monarchs  39/35 (+4)          4         1 loss[/color][color=silver]
5. Hurteau Nemesis         29/25 (+4)          4         1 loss
6. Douglas Roughriders     30/27 (+3)          4         1 win
7. Tabor Titans            34/33 (+1)          4         1 win
8. Capistrano Crows        24/32 (-8)          0         2 losses
9. Witney Torrent          22/30 (-8)          0         2 losses
10. Buen Puerto Apocalypse 20/33 (-13)         0         2 losses[/color]

-mel


Turning the page

Today's title was chosen by Sanne Heckert of Die Schmökerecke, Hannover:

Francis Voile, "Patrimony" (New Lancaster City: Fantasia Press, 2002).

At the beginning of Voile's fourth novel set in the Gambit Universe, we join Kalman, Jenjen and Cato in exile on Kalman's homeplanet. As the three protagonists struggle to find redemption and save their reputation, they are sent to investigate a series of homicides in the ancient colony of Bathseba. In unravelling the case, they stumble upon a secret that may lead humankind to victory against the Dreamers - or assure its final destruction.

 

[hughbartlett]

EARFL DISBANDED?

A lack of activity, and the cancellation of round five, seem to have heralded the end for the surprisingly unpopular EARFL. Touted as a diplomatic choice as the nations' first sport, it seems to have been ignored. In a recent PIsurvey, held in Harton, home of the Hawks, only 35% of the citizens knew they had a team, and 42% had heard of the EARFL. A resident of EUtopia city, home to the swans, was quoted as saying "The Earfl? Sounds like an earfull of nonesense to me!".

Although the CEO of EARFLcorp (Mr. Hugh Bartlett) reclined to comment, it is presumed that the lack of buyers for any of the team may be responsible for the failure of the league. If the league does in fact regain itself, then the PI shall support it.

 

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The road (not) taken

Parliament is currently debating a METI proposal for the construction of a major freeway from Eutopia City to New Lancaster City. Most MPs seem to support the idea, as discussions mainly revolve around practical questions such as the precise route the future freeway should take, and methods of financing the project. To the credit of METI, the Ministry has asked MHSA to produce an environmental impact study. One would hope that Parliament will await completion of said study before making a decision.

Unfortunately, the project proposal is rather vague on some significant points. Thus, everybody seems to take for granted that the new freeway would benefit Eutopia's economy in a major way. We are inclined to agree, but would like to see some hard evidence before the Eutopian state commits itself to a project of such magnitude. What precisely are the benefits to be derived from the freeway? What are the direct and indirect costs associated with it? Are there any alternative ways to achieve the same ends, and how do they compare to the freeway project? In short, MHSA's environmental impact study needs to be complemented by an economic impact study.

Finally, the project proposal outlines two methods to finance the project: (1) state funding and (2) private funding. METI seems to lean towards the second approach. In a rather ironic twist, MDIA and Libber Jools has gone on record supporting state funding for the freeway. Apparently, Cabinet does not speak with one voice on the matter; one would hope that this is an exception rather than the rule, and that the President will be able to maintain some sort of Cabinet discipline.

-mel


End of the road?

In a move that surprised supporters as well as detractors, President "Absentee" Lundgren announced that he will not seek re-election for a second term, citing private commitments as a reason. However, political pundits were quick to note that Lundgren left the backdoor wide open: his decision is final, he said - barring a dramatic and unforeseen change of circumstances. Cynics in the press corps have suggested that this means Lundgren may reconsider his decision if only the FR asks him nicely enough... In any event, the announcement has prompted serious speculations about presidential candidates in the next elections among observers of Eutopia's political scene.

-mel


Net gains

Scandal seems to be brewing in the ELS: there are persistent rumours about shady dealings involving last season's Teano Cup winners, the Capistrano Crows. When contacted by our paper, Eutopian police stated they are not in a position to comment on the allegations at this time. The Crows have also been hit hard by the loss of one of their top players: following a brutal foul against Apocalypse player Jose Aguilar (who had to be hospitalized) on Day 4, Carlos Cortez has been suspended from play for the remainder of the season.

On the field, the Harton Lynx - last season's whipping boy - continued their winning streak on Day 4 with a victory over the Nemesis, while the surprise team of the early season, newcomer Siege, experienced their first defeat. All in all, the expansion franchises are not doing too well so far: Buen Puerto seems to be following in the footsteps of last season's Lynx, and is joined at the bottom of the ranks by two other expansion teams, the Roughriders and Witney.

-mel


Turning the page

Today's title was chosen by Henri Lambert of Bookstax, Harton:

Sean Burlap, "Going nowhere in a hurry: a history of the FLL" (St. Brendanstown: St. Brendanstown University Press, 2002).

A captivating overview of the FLL's development, ideology, and organization. Burlap presents a critical appraisal of the FLL's political strategy, its meteoric rise to prominence during the period of crisis following the death of Eutopia's last Monarch, and its rapid disintegration during the era of the Constitutional Convention.

 

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Resignation

In a brief speech that stunned the assembled press corps, President Lundgren announced earlier today that he would step down from office, citing reasons of ill health. Lundgren had surprised observers of Eutopia's political scene only a few days earlier by announcing his intention not to seek re-election. The decision to step down now puts increased pressure on the FR to find a replacement candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.

Vice-President Murmurandus, who will succeed President Lundgren in office for the remainder of the term and will be sworn in within the next few days, could not be reached for comment by the time this issue went to print. RD-leader Melanchthon expressed his regrets at President Lundgren's resignation, underlining the latter's dedicated service to the country and wishing him a speedy recovery.

-mel


Service denied

Internet-savvy Eutopians were in for a nasty surprise this weekend when ETCT, Eutopia's leading ISP, experienced protracted technical difficulties on a grand scale. Dozens of official government websites, as well as the websites of many political parties and social organizations, could not be reached for several days. Company spokespersons apologized "for the inconvenience," but did not elaborate on the nature of the problem. Luckily for ETCT, the problem appears to have been fixed, and since it occurred over the weekend its economic impact has been limited. Nonetheless, several angry consumers have cancelled their accounts with ETCT and threaten to sue the company. Several parties and organizations have expressed dissatisfaction not only at the failure of service, but also at ETCT's refusal to offer an acceptable explanation.

-mel


Net gains

The last two days of gameplay witnessed a number of upsets: on Day 6 of the season, the troubled Capistrano Crows managed to reach something resembling their play-off form from the previous season and narrowly defeated the Cascade in overtime. The Lynx suffered their first defeat - at the hands of newcomer Torrent, no less! Also on Day 6, the Titans lost a close match to the Siege - their second loss to an expansion team in as many games.

Day 7 came as a shock to those who had described the Lynx as giants with clay feet: in their first game against one of the league's top teams (apart from the moribund Crows), they scored 15 goals against the Monarchs - enough to carry four points off the field. The Titans avenged their latest losses by destroying the Apocalypse in Buen Puerto 23/12, and the Crows continued their unimpressive performance by losing to Douglas.

The Crows' uneven record this season has given rise to speculations that gambling may have been involved, an allegation that, if true, would cast a shadow on Eutopians favourite sport and would raise serious concerns about the ELS's ability to police itself. ELS-Commissioner Melanchthon stated that "the ELS is not aware of any charges of this kind," but admitted that the ELS is cooperating with police in an ongoing investigation that may involve ELS-team members.

-mel


Turning the page

Today's title was chosen by Pedro Gonzalez of Poco Tienda de Libros, Buen Puerto:

Serge Astura, "Midnight's dawn" (Chateauvallon: Les Presses Troubadours, 2002).

In this magnificent collection of poems, Astura returns to his favourite theme: truth and its cost. His typically cryptic language invites the reader to ponder the text for hidden meanings, plumbing the depth of Astura's powerful imagery. As always, Astura's poems promise no solution and no deliverance, but are animated by a profound sense of honesty. Not exactly light reading for the weekend, but certainly worth your while.

 

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Tunderstruck

Over the last couple of months, the ELS champion Capistrano Crows have been plagued by persistent rumours of illicit gambling. These rumours were laid to rest today, though perhaps not in the manner devotees of Eutopia's favourite sport had anticipated or hoped for. Appearing before Capistrano's Criminal Court, the Crows' Coach, Luc St. Jean, and several of his players plead guilty to a variety of charges.

Attacker Scott Doyle and Defenseman Kevin O'Brien were convicted of repeated substance abuse, which will carry a jail sentence of several years and may explain their (and the Crows') uneven performance this season. Both players, as well as teammate Conor Gill, also plead guilty to several counts of using performance enhancing drugs this season.

St. Jean was convicted of encouraging the three players to use performance enhancing substances and procuring said substances. He also admitted to gambling on his team's performance. The one piece of good news for ELS-fans in this dismal mess is perhaps that St. Jean consistently bet on Crows victories (given the team's record this season, one may wonder at his continued confidence).

The ELS was quick to crack down on all four individuals, imposing what some may see as draconian penalties: ELS-Commissioner Melanchthon announced a lifetime ban on Coach St. Jean at a press conference this afternoon. Doyle, O'Brien and Gill will be suspended from the ELS until Season 5 (Doyle and O'Brien) and Season 4 (Gill), respectively.

Crows-owner and President, Gabriel Fernandez, was cleared of all charges. However, when contacted for an interview by the PI, Fernandez stated that this latest turn of events has put his association with the ELS in question. He regrets the impact this scandal may have on the ELS, and expressed his hope that the league will not suffer any long-term damages. For his part, Fernandez intends to sever his ties with the Crows, announcing that he will "sell the team asap." Says Fernandez: "Today's events have been very frustrating to me personally, and they have done great damage to the team. I don't think the franchise has an economic future here." This remark has already sparked speculation about a potential relocation of the Crows and angry protests from Capistrano fans.

-mel


Moving up

In a much-anticipated decision, the High Court ruled today that Vice-President Murmurandus will assume the office of President for the remainder of the current term. After President Lundgren resigned from office due to ill health, Murmurandus publicly announced that he would succeed Lundgren as President. This, in turn, prompted the Solicitor General to petition the High Court for a clarification of the rules of succession in case the Presidency became vacant. Presiding Judge Blade! delivered the Court's decision, stating that "the Vice-President shall act as President for the duration of the original President's mandate."

-mel

 

[hughbartlett]

Liberal Democracy-A voice of the past

Yes, it appears that the third party of EUtopian politics is no more. After their leader mysteriously dissapeared, the party found it hard to be motivated, especially after the dissapointing result in last years' elections, where they only won 1 of the total 12 seats, and were left out in the rain, after the RD and FR formed a co-alition of sorts. Although we have not yet managed to get a statement from LD representative to parliament Mr. Besuchov, it appears that he is the last member to stay true to the party founded by himself and the now absent Mr. Apebe.

Party President Mr. Bartlett stated earlier today, to his ex-troops, "Good Luck guys; wether I am opposing you or on your side", referring to the rumour that the members shall join other parties then himself or each other. He also elluded his ambitions of resurredcting to ERP, EUtopian Reform Party , his slight-left/centre party before he defected to the LD, saying: "I would like to have another crack at the ERP; but I don't think there would be enough support.".

Whatever happens in the near future and election, you can be sure that he will be taking a part., as he has done since the overhaul was completed.

-HuB.

 

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The centre cannot hold?

In another one of those surprising turnarounds Eutopian national politics is becoming famous for, Eutopia's "third party," the Liberal Democrats, are disintegrating at breathtaking speed. Losing 60% of its members within the space of a few days, the LD was deregistered at the CRO office earlier today. With elections soming up soon, it seems unlikely that the LD will recover enough to regain official standing and submit candidates in time.

A similar fate may soon befall the Libertarian Party. In a high-profile decision, MDIA and leading party member Jools resigned his membership a short while ago. Whereas the LD split over irreconcilable differences regarding the party's policy stances, observers attribute the LP's difficulties to internal dissatisfaction with the party's lacklustre performance during the current term and with its failure to maintain a vibrant and dynamic culture of discussion.

-mel


Roll-play

The CRO office reports that its ongoing examination of party membership registers will soon be concluded. While some citizens regard this process as unnecessary and overly bureaucratic, CRO Melanchthon defended it as "a measure vital to ensure the stability and integrity of our party democracy." While Mr. Melanchthon was not willing to make any definitive statements as to the ultimate outcome of the process, sources in the CRO office indicated that the latter has found a great number of inactive party memberships. In accordance with Eutopia's law, those will be struck from the parties' membership rolls, potentially affecting the parties' official standing and their ability to field candidates in the upcoming elections.

-mel


Global hotspots

In the face of a brutal crackdown by the Moroccan state on Western Sahara, several leading dissidents from the region have asked the Eutopian government to grant asylum to them and their families. Government officials stated that they were treating the matter "with the urgency and caution it deserves." While some human rights groups gathered in Buen Puerto earlier this week to protest Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara, Morocco's ambassador to Eutopia stated that any sympathy would be misplaced: "those are not 'freedom fighters,' they are terrorists who kill innocent women and children in pursuit of an abstract and irrational goal."

The Eutopian government has thus far not obtained any proof from Moroccan that the dissidents in question are indeed involved in terrorist activities; however, government officials are quick to point out that they have also not been able to obtain proof to the contrary. The situation is further complicated by the renogiations of the North Atlantic Fishing Agreement (NAFA), planned for next month. Should Eutopia decide to provide asylum to the dissidents, this would undoubtedly have a detrimental effect on its relation with Morocco. Taken by itself, this should not have an unduly negative effect on Eutopia's national interests; however, France and Spain have been very vocal in their support of Morocco's crackdown on Western Saharan "terrorists." Both of these countries are major players in the NAFA negotiations.

Consequently, it's perhaps not surprising that the Western Sahara situation has been subject to vigorous public debate over the last few days. Judging from media coverage of those debates as well as results of several surveys, a plurality of Eutopians seems inclined to grant the dissidents and their families provisional asylum, followed by a thorough investigation into their background.

-mel


ELS-where

The first half of Season 2 finished with a number of surprises. On Day 8, the Cascade triumphed over the Lynx, taking the lead in the rankings. After an impressive early season, Harton seems to have hit a rough patch: they were defeated by the Titans on Day 9, for a total of three losses in the Lynx' last four games.

The Siege continued its respectable performance with a victory at Place Macridis on Day 8 and a close loss to the Roughriders in a turbulent game in St.Brendanstown. Newcomer Torrent added two victories (over the unfortunate Apocalypse and Nemesis) to its records, extending its streak to five vicotires in a row and clinching fourth rank in the standings.

In light of recent developments, it's not suprising that the Crows lost both of their last two games; what *is* perhaps suprising is just how dismal their performance against Chateauvallon turned out to be. The Monarchs wasted no time avenging last season's losses, crushing the Crows 18/7 on Day 9.

In related news, the Crows' troubles off the field continue. Owner Gabriel Fernandez was pelted with eggs by two outraged fans when he left his box after the game against the Monarchs. The two fans, who have been charged with assault, called Fernandez a "traitor" and demanded that the Crows be kept in Capistrano. Fernandez could not be reached for comment, but one of his aides indicates that the incident has "not strenghtened Mr. Fernandez's resolve to keep the team in town."

In addition, there are rumours that some of Capistrano's players have received generous contract offers from other ELS-teams.

-mel

 

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Letter to the Editor

Sir,

The Minister of Defence, Jools, has made some rather inflammatory remarks to many citizens of our nation; calling our recipients of social security "lazy bums". This sort of language is unacceptable for anyone to say, let alone an elected official.

We demand that the Minister submit a public apology and resign his post.

Yours,
Josephus I

Head of the ESRP and vice-chair of the ECL

 

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Letter to the Editor

Dear Sir,

the ESRP has expressed its outrage at recent remarks by the current MDIA, Jools, regarding Eutopian welfare recipients. As leader of the RD, I can't help but agree with their sentiment. While I hope that the Minister's remarks can be attributed to thoughtlessness and poor choice of words, I'm not sure at this point whether that is the case. At the very least, a public apology and a clarification of the Minister's views on welfare recipients is in order. If the Minister refuses to apologize, I'd recommend that the President start looking for a replacement.

Unfortunately, while I hope that the remarks reflect thoughtlessness rather than a deep-seated prejudice against some of the less fortunate members of our society, this would still be case for concern. After all, the MDIA represents Eutopian interests abroad. One would hope that he does so in a careful and thoughtful manner.

Sincerely,
Melanchthon
RD-Spokesperson

 

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