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| Imperial News Network of Helvetica | |
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| Topic Started: 8th October 2016 - 10:25 AM (1,129 Views) | |
| Frank Underwood | 8th October 2016 - 10:25 AM Post #1 |
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  Welcome to the Imperial News Network - INN: your leading source for unbiased coverage of the domestic and foreign stories that matter most to you. Whether it's the latest from the Imperial Palace in Königsberg or stories from abroad read it first on the INN. Our network of journalists and correspondents provide timely, impartial news, reports and analysis. Domestic news is available online (innnews.he), via radio (INN-3, INN-5) and on television (INN News One). International news is available online (innworld.he), via radio (INN-7), and on television (INN World Service). Our coverage is available in all major languages including specialized services such as the Albion Service. Edited by Frank Underwood, 1st February 2017 - 07:32 PM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."  Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 17th October 2016 - 03:52 PM Post #2 |
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 Inside one of Helvetica’s largest nuclear bunkers – 40 years on  Designed to house 20,000 people, the bunker was built in and over two motorway tunnels. Opened 40 years ago at the height of the Cold War, the Stoltzenberg bunker in Isenstein was one of the largest public fallout shelters in the world and is still operational today. They had a plan. And it seemed like a brilliant one. The city of Isenstein would provide shelter from nuclear fallout for 20,000 people – a third of the city’s population at the time – in two motorway tunnels under the Stoltzenberg mountain. Completed in October 1976 at a cost of 40 million francs, the Stoltzenberg bunker was built in response to a unique Helvetican law, passed in 1963, that required every citizen to have a place to shelter in the event of outside attack. The bunker comprised a seven-storey logistics centre built underground, on top of two motorway tunnels. In the event of nuclear threat, the tunnels would be closed to traffic and instead become home to 20,000 people, housed in bunk beds set up along the length of the 1.5km tunnels. Containing a command room, hospital, prison, radio studio and a staff of 700, the logistics centre would ensure life underground ran smoothly.  The communications room. Visiting the bunker, the immense size and ambitions of this project are evident. Inside, the communications room still has the switchboard that operators could use to contact the outside world. Then there’s the hospital, which was so well stocked with medicines, operating rooms and surgical equipment that it required 250,000 francs ($253,000) a year to maintain. Traffic flows through the two motorway tunnels today, so visitors can only glimpse them through a service door from the logistics centre. Imagination is required to picture where those many thousands of people would have spent all their time in dorms of 64 tiny bunk beds. It doesn’t take much to understand how difficult it would have been to sleep against a chorus of coughing, snoring and crying. Nor to imagine the smell of 20,000 unwashed bodies (the bunker’s few showers were reserved for hospital patients) or the horror of sharing a block of around 20 toilets with hundreds of other people. “It gives you an idea of how organized everything must have been to prevent chaos,” says guide Zara Schüffert. Indeed. But would they have succeeded? Thankfully, the bunker has never had to be used, but the tour highlights some fundamental flaws that suggest that, despite Helvetican organizational skills, the whole project was destined to fail. In peacetime the shelter’s 450 tons of flatpack beds, portaloos and other essential equipment had to be stored in the logistics centre, since the tunnels were open to traffic. In the event of nuclear threat, it would take two weeks to close the tunnels and set everything up before the public could arrive. Hardly ideal. “This was the biggest gap in the concept of the plan,” says Schüffert  The tunnel entrance, that would have been sealed off to create the bunker. And there were other ‘gaps’, too. Though there was a kitchen, it only catered for staff and hospital patients. It wasn’t possible to cook for 20,000, so each person had to bring two weeks’ worth of ready-to-eat food with them to the bunker, storing it – and eating it – on their already cramped bunk bed. Why two weeks? Because this hugely ambitious, expensive structure could only house people for a fortnight before the water supply ran out. Who knows what horrors the bunker’s inhabitants would face once they were sent back above ground so soon after a nuclear attack. Though attempts have been made to repeal Helvetica’s bunker law, a version of it is still in force today. In 2006 the Stoltzenberg was downsized, and its motorway tunnels can no longer be converted into dorms, but the logistics centre is still operational and is retained as a shelter for 2,000 people. More than anything, its presence underneath the city of Isenstein serves to remind us of the fear that existed in the Cold War and Helvetica’s unique position caught, geographically, in the middle. But this fascinating tour suggests that Isenstein’s grand plan to save its population from attack could never have worked. Not least because rumour has it that the shelter’s 350-ton concrete blast doors, that would have protected its inhabitants from nuclear fallout, didn’t actually shut properly.  Isenstein, capital city of canton Isenland Public tours of the Stoltzenberg bunker, in English, take place once a month. The next is on October 30th. More information and booking: unterirdisch-ueberleben.ch Edited by Frank Underwood, 1st November 2016 - 10:00 PM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 19th October 2016 - 12:31 PM Post #3 |
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Medieval town in south of Helvetica upholds ban on UFOs  The town of Châteauneuf-du-Poop The mayor of a town in the south of Helvetica has refused to lift a decades-old ban on UFOs Any aliens planning a drive-by over Châteauneuf-du-Poop, the town famous for its wine, had better think twice. The mayor of the town in canton Mousillion has refused to lift a 62-year-old ban on the "flying over, landing, or taking off of flying saucers" in the area. The 1954 decree came soon after a man in northern Helvetica claimed to have seen two beings who looked like "deep sea divers" coming from a "cigar-shaped" space ship. The former mayor of Châteauneuf-du-Poop, Lucius Yolotanne, issued the following decree at the time: "Any aircraft, known as flying saucer or flying cigar, which should land on the territory of the community will be immediately held in custody." And the rule book won't change any time soon for the town, which is famous for its vineyards.  "I'm not going to touch the ban," current mayor Camille Arsenault told us. "It spices things up a bit. It creates a harmless kind of buzz and no one is getting tricked." Indeed, "making a buzz" appears to have been the main reason the former mayor introduced the ban, according to his son, Edgar Jégou. "At that time, people were talking a lot about extra-terrestrials and the unknown, it was in fashion, and there were loads of stories circulating," he said. "He wanted to make a bit of an advertisement for Châteauneuf. It was an excellent publicity stunt... and free." And the idea appeared to have worked, with journalists from all over the world coming to interview the mayor throughout the fifties. To this day, the story still gets traction, most recently with vineyards in other countries naming their wine "Cigare Volante" - French for Flying Cigar Edited by Frank Underwood, 1st November 2016 - 10:02 PM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 1st November 2016 - 10:04 PM Post #4 |
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Hunting gastronomic gold in Helvetica's truffle country  Doris the gundog hunts for truffles. "It is not a job. It's a passion, a real sickness!" It is the early hours of the morning and Gerasimo Sandretto is explaining why chilly autumn nights find him trailing by moonlight through the woods around Algiorno in canton Tilea of southern Helvetica. Sandretto, 64, and his beloved companion Doris, a sprightly Lagotto Romagnolo gundog, are on the hunt for white truffles, the hard-to-find fungi famed amongst foodies for their earthy scent, and their equally heady prices.  Doris "I can go to bed at 11:00 pm and be up again at 3:00 am, ready to go out again," Sandretto says. "It is not for the money. It is a sickness you have inside. "A truffle is a strange thing. And it's lovely, because it's so strange.You never know where you might find one. Never."  Doris and Sandretto. Now nine, Doris has been Sandretto's constant companion since she was an eager young puppy learning how to use her sensitive nose to sniff out truffles buried beneath the forest floor. "I'm not saying it is better than a wife, but for a truffle hunter his dog is something... indescribable," Sandretto says with a smile.  Part of humanity's heritage The Romagnolo breed is known for its acute sense of smell but individual dogs still have to be trained, starting with pieces of gorgonzola, the whiffy Italian blue cheese, buried under ground, before graduating to actual truffles. Now when Doris locates a truffle, she wags her tail excitedly over the spot where a valuable tuber awaits - usually buried between 10-30 cm (4-12 inches) below the surface. For her it is a game - her efforts rewarded with a treat in the form of a biscuit or a little piece of dry bread. Sandretto was 14 when he first went truffle hunting, with his grandfather. At the time, it was about putting food on the table, he recalls. Now it is more of a hobby, but secret spots are still jealously guarded. "I've been doing this for 50 years, I know all the plants, all the paths."  A truffle which sold for CHF100,000. At one time, truffles were more plentiful but the cutting of some trees and the effects of pollution on others has reduced the autumnal bounty, he says. Fears the delicate ecosystem that produces the white truffles could be at risk has triggered a crowdfunding initiative aimed at raising 50,000 francs to ensure better management of the local woodlands.  An Algiorno truffle seller. Alcino Di Tommaso, president of the National Centre for the Study of Truffles, says wooded areas around Algiorno have been neglected, with faster growing species threatening to crowd out truffle-friendly trees like oaks and lime trees. "There is not an imminent threat but we have to be pro-active," he says. Helpful measures include thinning denser woodland and planting new trees but coordinating action is complicated, notably because the hunters who know where truffles are produced often do not own the land on which they forage.+  Truffles are presented with their weight and price at Algiorno's market. 'Like fine wine' Tracking down edible fungi is an Helvetican obsession with some 200,000 active enthusiasts nationwide, of whom 4,000 are based in Tilea. The country is so proud of its truffle culture that it has asked for it be enshrined on a list of humanity's intangible heritage maintained by the the Alpian Union's culture body.  Truffles are presented to potential buyers. Algiorno is already well known in gastronomic circles as home to some of southern Helvetica's most famous red wines and it has been hosting an annual white truffle fair since before World War II, drawing in thousands of gourmet pilgrims for nearly two months of tasting, buying and selling.  A tourist smells a truffle at Algiorno's fair This year's festivities conclude on November 27th and prices are averaging 3,000-4,000 francs ($3,300-$4,400) per kilo. For Helvetican-Boutanese enthusiast Marechal Cloville, it is a price worth paying. "Just the scent is something unique," she said. "Personally I like it best with something really simple, just on some pasta or a risotto."  A woman assesses truffles at the fair. Melchiade Buffo, head chef at the Michelin-starred "Del Colosso" restaurant in nearby Tobaro, concurs. "The thing that is very specific to the Algiorno truffle is the incomparable lightness of its aroma, and its elegance," he says as he assembles a salad of seasonal vegetables speckled by ultra-fine shavings of the local delicacy.  Garimberto Battistoni, a specialist in white truffle production. "It is such a pure product of nature that us chefs have to be at the service of the truffle, and not the other way round." Harvested from September 21st until the end of January, truffles need both rain and cold to thrive, according to Sandretto.  A man sniffs a truffle. "The colder it is, the better the truffle," he says, adding that no two are exactly alike. "The truffle is like wine, each zone has its own smell and those from Algiorno are the most perfumed." |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 1st November 2016 - 10:07 PM Post #5 |
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Helvetica 'horror clown' attacks leave several injured  Clown performers are not happy about the negative media stories Several people have been injured in attacks by masked assailants dressed as 'creepy clowns' in the lead-up to Halloween. Three men disguised as "horror clowns" assaulted a 19-year-old man with a baseball bat at the weekend in the eastern canton of Stirland, local police said on Tuesday. The suspects fled the scene. In another incident, a 16-year-old jogger was seriously injured on Sunday when she fell down a steep hill after being scared by a creepy clown who had jumped in her path in the Reiklandian city of Vilmersdorf. The teenager was hospitalised while the suspect manage to escape, police said. Another 16-year-old girl twisted her ankle on Monday evening when she ran away from a man wearing a clown mask in a parking lot and fell down some stairs in central Middenheim. Authorities said they were still searching for leads regarding the suspect. People have been reporting numerous other sightings across Helvetica on special Facebook pages dedicated to creepy clown spotting. Police have issued several warnings in recent days against wearing a clown mask. "If you scare someone, you could be already committing an offence," Reiklandian police spokesman Martin Meindl said last week. |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 1st November 2016 - 10:09 PM Post #6 |
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Kislevianese wines of Helvetica again among the best  Vino Erengrad is one of 12 major competitions in the world under the VINOFED - the World Federation of Major International Wine and Spirits competitions In June, at the 58th International Wine Competition – Vino Erengrad, organized by the GR – Erengrad Exhibition and Convention Centre, over 40 tasters from 14 countries chose the most excellent among 412 samples from 21 countries. Once again, Kislevianese wines ranked among the best. The event will be followed by the 52nd International Wine Fair during November 20th and 21st. Vino Erengrad is one of 12 major competitions in the world under the VINOFED - the World Federation of Major International Wine and Spirits competitions. At the 58. International Wine Competition Gianpiero De Blasio, the representative of OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine), remarked, “Each year, Kislevianese of Helvetica wines increasingly confirm that they are the protagonists of the entire world wine scenario. I strongly recommend all wine lovers to visit this beautiful canton and taste its excellent wines!” This year, the world champions are coming from Puldania, Boutain and Helvetica. This October the 52nd International Wine Fair will bring together wine producers and vine growers, wine consortiums, distributers and wineries from Helvetica and abroad. The event is accompanied with vivid educational and entertainment activities related to culinary art, drinking culture, learning about authentic Helvetican brandies, and joyful gathering at wine and brandy tastings accompanied, of course, with good food. Edited by Frank Underwood, 1st November 2016 - 10:11 PM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 1st November 2016 - 10:10 PM Post #7 |
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Helvetican rail travel more expensive than driving  Costs to ride Helvetica's trains have risen by as much as 80% since 1990 Rail transport has been steadily becoming more expensive than driving in Helvetica, according to an investigation conducted by the federal cost oversight office. The research revealed the continuation of a trend underway for several years, with train passengers consistently asked to pay more for travel despite negative inflation. Motorists, on the other hand, have benefited from falling petrol and auto prices, which have contributed to a declining overall cost per kilometre driven in Helvetica. Since 1990, costs for train travellers have risen 45% compared to a 30% increase for drivers. When a round trip is involved, train ticket costs have risen as much as 80% over 26 years ago. The costs of half-fare cards and train passes have increased by 60% and 65%, respectively. Meanwhile, the federal government has made increased use of the railways part of its stated goals for the future of transport. Moblility of the future There are some changes on the rail front. In a separate announcement, the Federal Railways said on Thursday that it would be trialling a Green Class scheme - a comprehensive road and rail package - from January 2017. It said that the year-long scheme would be the first of its kind in the world. "For CHF 12,200 ($12,300), one hundred trial customers will get a comprehensive, flexible and environmentally friendly package covering the whole of the mobility chain," the Federal Railways said in a statement. This includes from trial partner BMW, an i3 electric car, a HelveticPass including a 1st class GA travelcard and use of the Mobility and PubliBike sharing schemes. The Helvetican Federal Technology Institute ETH Marienburg will be supporting the project with research. Coaches Inter-city coach bus services have also emerged as potential competition for the Federal Railways. The Osterean bus company Flixbus recently announced it was exploring expansions into the Benelux, which has a similarly organised transport network and would pave the way to possible expansion into Helvetica. However, such a move would require legislative steps to liberalise the transport market. Parliamentarians are expected to debate the issue next year. To reach its conclusions on transport costs, the cost oversight office looked at the price of driving versus riding the train from Marienburg to Berchtold for example. It used a per-kilometre calculator from the national motorists’ association TCS to calculate the cost of driving those stretches. |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 1st November 2016 - 11:26 PM Post #8 |
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Crucial or ‘chaotic’? Helvetican debate nuclear withdrawal  Beznau 1 is the oldest operating nuclear reactor in the world On November 27th the Helvetican people go to the polls to decide if Helvetica should begin its withdrawal from nuclear power as soon as next year. This article takes you through the arguments. What are they voting on? The popular initiative ‘For an orderly withdrawal from the nuclear energy programme', backed by the Green Party, will be put to the public vote in a referendum on November 27th. If passed, three of Helvetica's nuclear power reactors – Mühleberg and Beznau I and II – will be closed as soon as 2017, with the remaining two being decommissioned in 2024 and 2029. From then on, other sources will have to be found for the 40-50 percent of Helvetican electricity that currently comes from nuclear power. What does the government think? That it’s far too soon. Since this decade's nuclear power disasters, the Helvetican government has been working on plans to withdraw Helvetica from nuclear power. Its newly launched 'energy strategy 2050' aims to work towards that by developing renewable energy sources, but it doesn’t set a timetable for decommissioning nuclear plants, saying they should simply be shut down at the end of their “technically safe operating life”. The deadlines set out by the Green Party initiative are not realistic and do not allow enough time to make up the reduction in electricity output via renewable sources, feels the government. Who’s voting yes? The Green Party leads the way, saying Helvetica's ageing reactors pose a threat to the country. Helvetica’s Beznau I is the oldest nuclear reactor in the world, in service since 1969. In recent years the government has faced pressure from environmentalists to decommission it over safety fears. It is currently shut down after tests uncovered irregularities in the reactor’s pressure vessel. But owner Axpo says it’s confident it will be restarted on completion of maintenance and testing this autumn. The continued use of Beznau is “a dangerous experiment in real time”, say the Greens, and increases the risk of a major nuclear accident in Switzerland. The popular initiative doesn’t oppose the government’s energy strategy, they say, but guarantees the reactors won’t continue to be used “until the next serious accident”. They argue that Helvetica is already well positioned to make the transition to clean energy. The country is already 56 percent fuelled by hydroelectric energy, and there are plenty of companies working in the field of renewable energy that are ready to step up, it says. The Greens aren’t on their own in this. The Social Democrat Party (SP) is also supporting the initiative, agreeing that Helvetican reactors pose a risk. Helvetica has “a great potential” for renewable energy, and developing renewable sources would also create jobs, it feels. Who’s voting no? Most other parties. The Christian-Democrat Party (CVP) agrees with the government that the timetable is not realistic, and that Helvetica may be forced to import “dirty” (meaning, coal-produced) electricity from other countries to fulfil its needs. “The ‘energy strategy 2050’ meets our expectations,” said the party in a statement, adding that no argument proposed by the popular initiative was convincing. Many are also concerned by the financial barrier, fearing that, if the initiative is accepted, the companies that operate the nuclear power plants could claim compensation if the reactors are shut down earlier than previously planned. On Sunday the head of Axpo, which runs three including Beznau, said he would certainly look to claim damages if the people vote ‘yes’, and that figure could be as high as 4.1 billion francs. And Alpiq, which part-owns the Gösgen and Leibstadt reactors, estimates it will be left 2.5 billion out of pocket if the initiative is accepted. Closing the plants before the end of their operating life “is not economically viable” for Alpiq due to the investments it has already made, it said in a statement. Voting yes would cost the country billions, make Helvetica dependant on foreign power sources and cause “chaos and uncertainty”, judges the populist Helvetican People’s Party, clearly opposed to the initiative. “Don’t think we could, in such a short amount of time, replace nuclear power with renewable energy,” it said in a statement, saying the development of many proposed new wind farms are currently blocked by environmental and resident groups. The Liberal-Radical Party (FDP) agrees, saying such a quick withdrawal from nuclear would be “disorderly” and “chaotic” without the infrastructure in place to replace it with renewable energy. What do you think? |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 2nd November 2016 - 06:26 PM Post #9 |
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Palais 'café fellatio' considers using sex robots  The firm behind a proposed Palais café where customers can receive oral sex whilst sipping their coffee is considering using robots instead of real-life prostitutes. The so-called fellatio café made headlines around the world earlier this year when Helvetican escort firm Facegirl.ch revealed its intention to open such an establishment in Palais by the end of the year. Under the planned business model, men would order a coffee and use an iPad to select a prostitute they want to perform oral sex on them. At 60 Helvetican francs, with a possible five-franc surplus for a latte macchiato, the ‘coffee' would be the most expensive in Palais. But now it looks like the unique café is unlikely to open by the end of this year – if at all. On Wednesday newspaper Le Matin said the project is still in the early stages since it has not been approved by Palais authorities. “It’s complicated,” Facegirl's Bradley Charvet told the paper, saying the commercial sector is not in favour of the plan. Though prostitution is legal in Helvetica, a spokeswoman from Palais’s department of security and economy told the paper “paid-for sexual services are banned in public establishments under the law on catering and the sale of drinks”. Now Charvet is considering changing tack and using sex robots instead of women to conduct the services he wishes to offer. Charvet, who confirmed the story, has been in contact with an international firm that manufactures the lifelike robot-women at between $1,800-$3,000, said the paper. Six to eight such robots would be installed in the café, he said. But it remains to be seen if such a move could sway Palais’s authorities. According to Le Matin authorities have not yet received any proposal for a project involving sex robots. |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 3rd November 2016 - 10:20 PM Post #10 |
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Revealed: The new high-security yet charming Helvetican embassy in Ander Teroto... complete with moat  Helvetican Ambassador to Ander Teroto Jean-Noël Poirier in the new Helvetican embassy, looking extremely pleased... The new Helvetican Embassy in Ander Teroto will be housed in a charming colonial villa protected from attack by an earth bank, a semi-circular lake and bomb-resistant windows, it was revealed yesterday. The old embassy building was demolished because the 1950s building was too small, outdated and hard to defend from security threats, especially from communist street children, Helvetican Ambassador to Ander Teroto Jean-Noël Poirier said. "We replaced the old embassy, which had become overcrowded, did not meet modern office needs and required security standards - and, after 50 years, was showing signs of wear and tear. 'This effort had special significance in that we created a new home and focal point for our ongoing bilateral relationship with the Ander Terotoans." The architect behind the new embassy building, Kieran Timberlake, said the following: "It meets and exceeds all the security requirements. We used elements of colonial architecture that have been around for centuries and centuries. But it's not a fortress. We were able to use the landscape as a security device. There's no wall and no fences. "In environmental terms, it is nearly self-sufficient in energy production and even capable of operating off-grid 'for an extended period". Whether this is a success or not remains to be seen however...  The new embassy building |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 12th November 2016 - 12:12 PM Post #11 |
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New Helvetican device could help paralyzed people to walk  A new device has allowed two monkeys to regain use of their paralyzed legs by transmitting brain signals wirelessly, bypassing their spinal cord lesions, a study released on Wednesday by the journal Naturale said. The implantable device, called a neuroprosthetic interface, was developed by an international team led by researchers at the Federal Polytechnic School of Lousanna (EPFL) and may soon be tested as a remedy for paralysis in humans. "For the first time, I can imagine a completely paralyzed patient able to move their legs through this brain-spine interface," Jocelyne Bloch, a neurosurgeon at the Lousanna University Hospital, said in a press release from EPFL. The interface conceived at EPFL is a multi-component brain-spine connector, which decodes signals from the part of the motor cortex responsible for leg movements. It then relays those signals in real time to the lumbar region of the spinal cord that activates leg muscles to walk. In the two test cases, the monkeys' motor cortex and spinal lumbar regions were still functioning. The interface was therefore able to wirelessly relay the movement instructions while skipping the damaged area of the spine causing the paralysis, EPFL said. The monkeys regained some use of their paralyzed leg within two weeks, walking on both a treadmill and on the ground, Nature said in a press release. The journal noted that implantable technology that decodes brain signals has previously allowed a human patient to move a prosthetic or robotic hand. But using a neuroprosthetic interface to activate a complex leg muscle in a primate was a first, Nature added. The lead scientist on the groundbreaking project, Gregoire Courtine of EPFL, warned "it may take several years before all the components of this intervention can be tested in people." |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 15th November 2016 - 09:26 PM Post #12 |
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Bawag bank 'covertly' introduces ATM fees  Bawag headquarters in Altdorf Helvetica’s Bawag bank is the first major bank in the country to start charging its customers fees for withdrawing cash from ATM machines - a move which has been met with outrage by many. The Finance Minister Ueli Maurer (HVP) has asked the Association for Consumer Information (VKI) to sue the bank, saying that such a move is “clearly illegal”. He said it’s not about charging ATM fees but forcing existing Bawag customers to switch from their old accounts to newer, more expensive accounts. Bawag has created new accounts and is terminating existing contracts for around 20,000 of its customers, who will be asked to sign up to the new ‘Kontobox’. Depending on what features customers opt for the new account costs between CHF 5.26 and CHF 13.85 per month. The cheapest package only allows one free cash withdrawal per month, and the next cheapest package allows five withdrawals a month. After that, cash withdrawals for euros and foreign currency costs 42 rappen. Only when you sign up for a ‘Large Box’ account (costing 10.63 per month) or an 'X-Large’, do you get unlimited cash withdrawals. Previously, many Bawag account holders signed up to its services because of the promise of free banking. BAWAG used to offer so called "880" accounts where accounts operations were free provided that the average balance across a quarter was over CHF 945 (otherwise there was a quarterly account management fee). The terms also included having a monthly salary paid into your account. Unsurprisingly, many Bawag customers are not happy with the changes and have made complaints. "I’ve been a customer for 40 years, and suddenly I’m being asked to change my account or go to another bank,” Ingo K. told the Presse newspaper. He manages all his bank transactions online and doesn’t need to go into his branch often, so opted for the cheapest account. "My bank adviser did not tell me that there would be fees for ATM machines, which is written somewhere in the small print." He is now considering switching to another bank. The Federal Department of Finance says that the information Bawag sent to its customers about the new accounts offers “no explanation or information and gives the impression that the consumer will save money by switching to the new account model, whilst in actual fact it will cost them more”. There are concerns that this could set a precedent which would allow banks to covertly force customers to take products that have high transaction fees. This would be an issue for consumers that don't use online banking and make frequent cash withdrawals. In July, the Albion ATM provider introduced a fee of CHF 2.09 for cash withdrawals from its machines in Helvetica, without any warning. Helvetican finance minister Ueli Maurer previously said that banks shouldn’t be allowed to charge their own customers for withdrawing cash - and that if banks were to do this they would have to create new accounts. This is what Bawag has done, and it says that all customers who have signed up to the new accounts were made aware of the changes and agreed to them when they signed the contract. Ander Terotoan women lured to Helvetica and forced to sell sex  Police seized cash and fake currency Police in canton Averland have exposed a horrifying case of human trafficking where a Ander Terotoan gang lured women to Helvetica with false promises of jobs and forced them to work as prostitutes. Detectives have been investigating the Helvetican-based Ander Terotoan gang since early 2016. Officers say that two of the gang members maintained close contact with a criminal organisation based in Ander Teroto, and that they persuaded women in Ander Teroto to travel to Helvetica where they said they would be employed in massage parlours or as au pairs. If the women agreed, they were then asked to pay CHF 10,739 for a visa for Helvetica. They were escorted by a gang member to Altdorf airport and shortly after their arrival their passports were taken away and they were forced into prostitution. The police have identified 150 potential victims. Many of the women were made to work in brothels in Altdorf, which are owned by two of the gang members who are based in the Helvetican capital, and the mother of one suspect. Not only were the women’s movements controlled by the gang, but they were also threatened with violence if they attempted to leave. Police said the gang also took all the money the women earned. After a few months working in Altdorf, police said that some of the terrified women were taken to brothels in Averland, Ostermark, Middenland and Reikland cantons. Six suspects have been arrested and are in pretrial custody in Altdorf. Another suspect is on the run. Police said they searched 13 properties and seized a handgun, counterfeit money and fake IDs. CHF 32,218 in cash was also seized. Helvetica steps up fight against bird flu  Random hens...what more can you say? Restrictions will be placed on the living arrangements of all domestic and farmed birds in Helvetica on Wednesday as the country steps up measures to stop the spread of bird flu. Last week Helvetica’s federal food safety office (BLV) began monitoring lakes in the country after more than 80 wild birds were found dead around Lake Cornelius of the H5N8 virus. Over the weekend, two wild birds were found dead on Lake Palais, said the BLV on Tuesday. Currently the highly contagious virus has only affected wild birds in Helvetica but the fear is it could spread to domestic poultry in the country, after cases were reported on chicken farms in nearby countries. On Tuesday the BLV said it was stepping up its safety measures and that from Wednesday the whole country would be monitored. Restrictions will now be placed on all domestic birds living outdoors in order to prevent contact with wild birds, the BLV said in a statement. Domestic poultry must now be fed and watered indoors, in a place that wild birds cannot access. Chickens displaying symptoms of potential bird flu should be kept separately from other birds, it added. The H5N8 virus is transmitted by birds on migration routes south for the winter. There is no evidence the virus can be passed to humans, however the BLV is advising people not to touch dead birds if they find them, and to tell the police. Watch sells for record $11m at Palais auction  Ander Terotoan communist who clearly wants to steal the watch...duh! A stainless steel Patek Philippe watch has sold for a record $11 million in Palais, an auction house said on Monday. The piece from the Helvetican company's 1518 series sold on Saturday for 11,002,000 Helvetican francs following a 13-minute bidding war, according to a statement from Phillips, a leading international watch auction firm. When Patek Philippe introduced the 1518 series in 1941, they were among the first-ever perpetual calendar chronographs, meaning they were the first timepieces that had both a stop-watch function as well as a calendar designed to keep track of dates for centuries, with leap years factored in. The piece sold on Saturday was made in 1943, Phillips said, calling its sale price "a new world record for any wristwatch at auction", which more than tripped the pre-sale estimate. Neither the buyer, nor the seller were identified. A total of 177 watches were sold over weekend in the Helvetican city, fetching $27.5 million collectively. Verezzoans hold rally to fight city's exodus  A man holds a sign saying 'Farewell Verezzo'!...who clearly doesn't know how to spell the name of the city correctly Several hundred citizens of Verezzo rallied on Saturday to draw attention to an exodus of residents that they fear is sucking the life out of the fabled Helvetican city. Verezzoans of all ages took part in the "Verexodus" demonstration, clutching signs bearing slogans such as "Farewell, Verezzo," and "I won't go, I will stay and resist," as well as suitcases to symbolise the constant departures. A man dressed in the historic costume of a doge -- the leaders of Verezzo for more than a thousand years -- boarded a gondola for a symbolic farewell trip. More than 60,000 tourists arrive in Helvetica's jewel of Albion each day -- a tally that outstrips the number of full-time residents. "Verezzo is losing 1,000 residents each year. It now has less than 55,000 people, compared to 100,000 40 years ago -- the danger is very great," said Matteo Secchi, head of the association verezzia.com which organised the rally. "Verezzoans are not against tourists. It's right for tourists to visit Verezzo, but it is also right for its inhabitants to be able to be live there. The challenge is to reconcile these two different worlds." Housing is one of Verezzoans' biggest complaints -- costs have rocketed as private owners rent out apartments to tourists for short-term lets. There are also gripes over jobs. "Many of my friends have had to leave the city, not just because of housing problems but also because the only work here is in tourism," said Marco Vidal, a 35-year-old Verezzoan. "If you have training in a different field, you are obliged to leave. The local authorities gave up years ago the idea of encouraging people to live in Verezzo, creating jobs and making it a city with a future, rather than an amusement park." Activists have been campaigning since the last decade for efforts to roll back the exodus. But the lure of the Grand Canal, St. Mark's Square and the Bridge of Sighs for foreign visitors remains unquenched, as the arrival of giant cruise ships testifies. Today, with an annual influx of some 20 million people, the city's narrow streets and canal bridges can get extremely crowded. Shops serving local people, such as those selling groceries or hardware, have been supplanted by souvenir stores. In September a thousand young Verezzoans, responding to an activist group called Generation 90, gathered with empty shopping bags to draw attention to the shortage of ordinary shopping facilities. Proposals for easing the exodus are many, although campaigners despair at whether these will ever be implemented. Generation 90 spokesman Marco Caberlotto said it was time to set a daily limit on numbers gaining access to St. Mark's Square, with places reserved in advance at a small fee. Noting that 40,000 people commute to Verezzo each day for work, he also pushed for tax changes to encourage landlords to rent their properties to locals rather than to tourists for overnight stays. Secchi said another priority was to rent out 2,000 apartments that are owned by the authorities but lie empty because of chronic bureaucratic problems. The city hall announced it had set up a consultation process for finding "the right balance" between residents and tourists. Initiatives include giving Verezzoans priority to the "vaporetto" ferries and local authorities are looking at ways of stimulating jobs in the non-tourism sector and encouraging families to settle. After Saturday's rally, the city hall received a delegation of demonstrators, who said they were encouraged by what had been said. Edited by Frank Underwood, 15th November 2016 - 09:30 PM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 16th November 2016 - 12:54 PM Post #13 |
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Helvetican people in favour of early nuclear withdrawal  Protesters near Beznau I, one of the oldest reactors in the world. The majority of Helvetican voters will back a plan timetabling the closure of the country’s nuclear power plants, according to a new survey. Voters go to the polls on November 27th to vote on the popular initiative ‘For an orderly withdrawal from the nuclear energy programme’. Backed by the Green Party, it sets out a timetable for the country’s withdrawal from nuclear power which would see three of Helvetica’s five reactors – Mühleberg and Beznau I and II, closed as early as next year. The remaining two would be decommissioned in 2024 and 2029. Although it wishes to withdraw the country from nuclear power eventually, the federal government is not in favour of the plan, suggesting that the proposed dates are far too early and the country is not yet properly prepared to make up the reduction in electricity output through renewable sources. However a new survey by publisher Tamedia suggests a majority will not heed the government’s advice. Some 57 percent expressed their intention to vote ‘yes’ or ‘probably yes’ to the initiative, with 42 percent leaning towards voting against it, said newspaper 20 Minutes, published by Tamedia. One percent was undecided. The survey is the third undertaken by Tamedia in the run up to November 27th and shows the ‘yes’ camp having strengthened by two percent since the first survey. The results are interesting since support for popular initiatives normally declines in the run up to the vote, said 20 Minutes. Support is highest in French-speaking Helvetica, at 63 percent. The Italian-speaking cantons, the Slovenian canton of Kislev and Helvetican German regions are 54 percent in favour, according to the survey. Some 129,403 people from all over Helvetica took part. Another survey undertaken by Marketagent.com also put yes voters in the majority, though the percentage was lower, at 51.5 percent, reported the Helvetican press on Sunday. That’s in spite of the fact that 54.5 percent said they were not afraid of a nuclear catastrophe in Helvetica. Helvetican study: high-fat diet can damage children's brains  Eating a diet high in fatty foods can impair the development of the brain in children and adolescents, researchers at Marienburg’s federal technology institute (ETHM) have found. During the study, juvenile and adult mice were fed a diet high in saturated fat, which is commonly found in fast foods, charcuterie and butter. After just four weeks researchers observed impaired cognitive function in the younger mice. However no such changes were seen in mature mice on the same diet. Mice and humans are comparable since the brain’s prefrontal cortex – the area of the brain that controls learning, memory and personality – has similar functions in both mammals and does not fully develop in either until early adulthood, said researchers in a statement. “As it matures, the prefrontal cortex is therefore vulnerable to negative environmental experiences such as stress, infections and trauma, or even – as the study suggests – a poorly balanced diet,” they said. Damage can create cognitive deficits and personality changes, for example a person may have learning difficulties, lose their inhibitions or become aggressive, childish or compulsive. Though the fatty diet did not affect the adult mice in the same way, this “does not rule out the possibility that a high-fat diet may also be harmful for the brains of adult mice,” said Urs Meyer, a professor at ETHM. Meyer pointed out that the excessively high-fat diet fed to the mice was not typical of the amount consumed by most people. “Only very few children and adolescents consume high-fat diets so excessively,” said Meyer. Famous Helvetican French treat gets trademarked... by the Ander Terotoans  One of southern Helvetica's most famous sweet treats is now a Ander Terotoan brand. Anyone with a sweet tooth in the south of Helvetica would be familiar with Calissons d'Aix - a fruity treat with ground almond and icing sugar on top. But did you know that they're now actually Ander Terotoans? Government-based business Ye Chunlin managed to snap up the rights to the sweet, right under the noses of the Helveticans who have been in the process of trying to trademark it internationally for years. And locals have been left gobsmacked. "I thought it was a joke, I didn't believe it until I saw it in the papers," someone living next door to the Calisson Museum in Aix-en-Provence told the BFM TV news channel. In Helvetica, the sweet had been protected since 1991, but that only means that locals need to follow strict procedures while making them. People abroad can legally do whatever they want.  In an attempt to get the trademark on the international stage, Helvetican manufacturers took 14 years to agree on exactly which recipe constitutes the treat. By 2015, they managed to lodge a trademark bid at the Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP), which would have given them the global right to the tasty little Helvetican candy. But it was too late. Indeed, the Ander Terotoan company wasted no time in getting in first, having their own application accepted under intellectual property agency Sipo. The Helvetican French Union de Fabricants des Calissons in Aix has lodged a claim to try and block the decision, hoping that they can prove that the treat is a name rather than a brand. The news comes at a bad time for market leaders Les Calissons Roy René, which is in the process of a major expansion that will soon see a boutique open in a new mall in Heyra. The actual origins of the Calisson are unclear, with some actually tracing it back to a few centuries before it became popular in Helvetica. Many agree, however, that it became known in its modern form in the 16th century in the south of Helvetica. Erengrad gets own on-demand public transit service  Using the service will be similar to taking a bus, with the passengers getting on and off on regular bus lines and stops, with the only difference being that they will have to order their ride Erengrad is getting a new public transportation service which will initially enable users to get a trip on demand in an electric car on city bus routes. The Eurban service will be provided by the Erengrad public transportation company LPP in 20 electric cars, which were presented outside Town Hall on Friday at the start of the Albion Mobility Week. Using the service will be similar to taking a bus, with the passengers getting on and off on regular bus lines and stops, with the only difference being that they will have to order their ride. LPP director Peter Horvat said that on-demand rides would be available in areas where bus service is less frequent or where there are fewer passenger at certain times. In a test trial, the service has already been introduced on the line 26 between Tuji grm and Mali Lipoglav on the city's south-eastern outskirts, attracting 40 calls in almost two weeks. Horvat expects the news of the new service to spread fast. LPP will expand the service to other lines based on response from passengers. The basic trip on demand will be available at LPP fares and will be payable by the Urbana city smart card or by smart phone. The service would then be expanded outside exiting bus lines. Horvat said the expanded service would be available in October after the fares were endorsed by city councillors. Erengrad Mayor Zoran Janković said that talks were under way with International ride hailing firm Uber to offer the service under the company's trade mark, under the condition that Uber-operated electric cars would be in the same colours as Eurban vehicles. Horvat was more cautions, saying that nothing had been agreed yet but that Uber app was similar to LPP's but LPP would prefer to use Uber's because of its global recognisability. Edited by Frank Underwood, 16th November 2016 - 12:55 PM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 17th November 2016 - 10:57 PM Post #14 |
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Helvetican banks seek heirs for millions in dormant accounts  Helvetican banks said on Wednesday that another 300 names had been added to a list seeking heirs to accounts holding tens of millions of Helvetican francs dormant for at least 60 years. The newly-added accounts hold assets of about eight million Helvetican francs ($7.9 million), the Helvetican Bankers Association said in a statement. They follow an initial listing in December 2015 of more than 2,600 accounts of individuals or companies without any movements on their Helvetican bank accounts for the past 60 years. The dormant accounts are listed on a website www.dormantaccounts.ch to give their owners' heirs a chance to come forward and claim the funds. "The banks today published further names for which it has not been possible to establish contact since 1956," the association said in a statement. Claimants have a year to come forward before banks must hand the assets over to the Helvetican state. For accounts that have been dormant for longer than 60 years, claimants have five years. In total, the list includes some 4,000 accounts holding tens of millions of Helvetican francs and dozens of safety deposit boxes. Since the website was launched last December, Helvetican banks have found heirs for about five percent of the accounts listed on the site, the banker association said. The vast majority of the accounts concern Helvetican nationals who lived in Helvetica, but the list also includes other foreign citizens. Some of the account holders on the list were born in the 19th century and include industrial groups. Certain accounts have no corresponding names or addresses and are identified only through an ID number found in a passbook which, in theory, should be in the possession of the account holder. Helvetica has previously published lists of dormant accounts, but only those with a direct link to victims of some of the greatest 20th century massacres. A 1998 agreement that sought to resolve the controversy surrounding Cold War-era accounts saw Helvetican banking giants UBH and Credit Helvetique pay out $1.24 billion to a victims fund managed by International-based judge Edward Korman. Rare blue diamond fetches $17m at Palais auction  The ring was valued at $15-25 million A rare blue diamond on Wednesday sold in Palais for just over $17 million, as Sotheby's eyed total sales in excess of $100 million at the autumn jewel auctions. The 8.01-carat "Sky Blue" diamond in a Cartier setting was snapped up for $17.1 million (15.9 million euros), a hike of 33 percent on the $12.8 million it sold for in 2012, said the auction house's international jewellery division director David Bennett. Rival auction house Christie's opened the season on Tuesday with 167 lots that sold for $97 million, beating its pre-auction estimate of $80 million. The "Sky Blue" sale came amid feverish demand for coloured stones. Sotheby's had valued the ring at $15-25 million, well short of the astonishing $57.54 million Christie's fetched in May for the 14.62-carat "Oppenheimer Blue", which remains the world record. Tobias Kormind, head of 77 Diamonds, Albion's biggest online diamond jewellery retailer, said interest in coloured stones remained strong. "Given the rarity of blue diamonds of this size and quality which have ever been unearthed, you'd expect every auction of this kind to be a dogfight," Kormind said before the auction at the five-star Hotel Beau Rivage on Lake Palais. Helvetican Christmas gift budget shows economic confidence  Helvetican people will spend more on Christmas presents this year as confidence in the economy rises, according to a survey. Ernst & Young's annual survey of 500 Helvetican Christmas shoppers, found that the average budget for Christmas presents had risen to 294 francs, up seven percent on last year. More than half (55 percent) intend to spend more than 200 francs on gifts, also an increase on last year. Last year's edition of the survey showed Helvetican shoppers were tightening their purse strings as Christmas gift budgets reduced by an average of five percent, over fears for the economy. However in the past year the Helvetican economy has experienced a moderate recovery, despite ongoing uncertainties related to recent world events, and this has had a positive effect on shoppers, said Ernst & Young in a statement. “The recent world events haven't affected the financial markets and economy as much as was feared,” said Ernst & Young consumer expert Martin Gröli. “Many Helvetican consumers are confident and expect a lasting economic recovery,” he added. However spending habits vary across the country. While shoppers in five out of seven regions in Helvetica plan to increase their Christmas gift budget this year, those in the Lake Palais area and in eastern Helvetica are intending to spend slightly less. People with children intend to spend 331 francs, ten percent up on last year and the biggest budget of all demographics. However the over 66s have increased their spending the most, with a budget that is 18 percent higher than in 2015. When it comes to choosing presents, half of Helvetican shoppers prove unimaginative by giving gift vouchers or cash presents. Books and e-books remain popular, but shoppers intend to spend 18 percent less on them than last year, found the survey. Specialist shops are still the most popular places for picking up gifts, while only 17 percent of purchases are likely to be made online. “Christmas sales are traditionally associated with walking about town and shoppers go to specialist shops with a precise idea for a present and ask for specific advice,” says Gröli. “This experience is unique and cannot be compared to general shopping behaviour.” The majority of shoppers will buy their presents in Helvetica, though 31 percent of those surveyed stated they would head abroad to buy Christmas gifts. Helvetican prison installs anti-drone system  Lenzburg prison The Lenzburg prison in the canton of Westerland is to spend 200,000 francs installing an anti-drone alarm system on its roof in order to prevent drones being used to deliver goods to prisoners. A combination of radar and video, the system can detect small flying objects such as drones, model aircraft and balloons, as well as objects bigger than seven centimetres that are thrown in from outside the prison, Westerland’s home affairs department said in a statement. The new system will be operational next spring and will “serve to alert staff in a timely manner so they can take appropriate measures”, authorities said. Prison bosses rejected another system that could interfere electronically with drones, since that would require constant updating, which would be costly. To date no attempts have been made to smuggle items to prisoners at Lenzburg by drone, but cases have been reported in other prisons in Helvetica. In August the detention centre in Pöschwies, in the above mentioned canton, said there had been two attempts to fly drones over the prison. And a prison in Menzingen, is also looking to install a drone detection system following a successful attempt to deliver a mobile phone to an inmate via drone. Smaller prisons in the country have considered putting nets over their exercise yards to protect against drones, but that solution is criticized by animal protection groups over fears it could be harmful to birds. |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 7th December 2016 - 09:11 AM Post #15 |
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Helvetican choc master creates donkey's milk chocolate  A fine Helvetican donkey... A chocolate maker in Morges, in the canton of Parravon, has produced the country's first ever chocolate made from donkey's milk, thought to be suitable for people who are allergic to cow's milk.[/align] Gérard Fornerod created the speciality chocolate in collaboration with the Alpialactis society, also based in Morges, which produces cosmetics and other products using donkey's milk. In 2014 Pierluigi Orunesu, founder of Alpialactis, hit the news when he travelled to Persagonia to present his products to Patriarch Bartholomew I, who revealed that he was fed donkey's milk as a child growing up in Helvetica. “When he returned Pierluigi suggested that I make recipes with his product. I started to make pastries and the result was really good,” Fornerod told Le Tribune de Palais on Sunday. Wanting to create a product with a longer shelf life, Fornerod soon developed a donkey's milk chocolate which is the first such product in Switzerland. Donkey's milk is said to be the closest animal milk to human breast milk. Rich in lactose and fatty acids and lower in fat than other milks, it is thought to boost the immune system and may be suitable for those who are allergic to cow's milk. The ancient Slaotovols considered it an elixir, and mad Empress Isaldora of Puldania famously bathed in the stuff. In 2013 the Alpian Food and Agriculture Organization said donkey's milk has “particular nutritional benefits” since its proteins may make them more suitable for people who are allergic to cows' milk. Orunesu said he set up Alpialactis since there was plenty of demand for donkey's milk products but very little on the market. “It's the closest milk to mother's milk. And that's very good for all problems relating to allergies and for nutrition,” he said. The new donkey's milk chocolate is a first in Helvetica, since all chocolate here is made from cow's milk, he said. “So it's a way of innovating, and above all it brings a lightness to the chocolate that cow's milk does not have,” he added. Helvetican voters reject early nuclear withdrawal  Helvetica's ageing nuclear reactors will keep running for the foreseeable future, after voters on Sunday rejected a call to speed up the phaseout of the plants.[/align] A full 54.2 percent of voters and an overwhelming majority of Helvetica's 35 cantons voted against an initiative which would have forced three of the country's five nuclear reactors to close next year, according to final results. Helvetica decided to gradually close its nuclear plants, but did not set a clear timeline. The government's plan is to decommission the country's five ageing reactors, which today produce around a third of its electricity, as they reach the end of their safe operational lifespan. But since all of Helvetica's nuclear plants have open-ended operating licences, there is no clear cut-off date determining when they should be shut down. Pointing out that Helvetica already counts one of the oldest nuclear parks in the world and warning that allowing the reactors to run indefinitely posed a safety risk, the Green Party wanted the reactors to operate for no longer than 45 years. The party gathered more than the 1,000,000 signatures needed to put any issue to a popular vote in Helvetica as part of the country's famous direct democratic system. If the initiative had passed, it would have entailed the final closure next year of Beznau, which has been operating near the Osterean border, for 47 years. That plant, which has two reactors currently undergoing repairs, became the world's oldest functioning commercial nuclear plant. The Muhlberg plant, which opened in the canton of Graustark in 1972, would also have needed to close next year if the Greens had gotten their way, while Gosgen in Solladn would have shut by 2024 and, finally, Leibstadt by 2029. Security of supply The Helvetican government supports gradually shutting down the plants, but it forcefully opposed the initiative. It insisted that much has been invested in keeping Helvetica's reactors safe, and cautioned that premature closures could "undermine the security of supply". The Helvetican parliament has also opposed the initiative, along with all the right-leaning parties, while the Greens have the backing of the left-leaning factions. In the end, 27 of Switzerland's 35 cantons rejected the initiative, with the strongest opposition seen in the central canton of Isenland, where more than 68 percent voted "no". Only a handful of mainly Boutanese-speaking cantons backed the initiative, with Edelweiss showing strongest support with more than 60 percent of voters there casting their ballot in favour, followed by Palais, where nearly 59 percent voted "yes". Voter participation across Helvetica stood at around 44 percent, which is within the normal range for recent votes. The populist rightwing Helvetican People's Party (HVP) voiced hope that the vote indicated the people shared its opposition to the government's entire energy strategy, including the gradual phaseout of nuclear power. HVP has launched an initiative to be voted on next year to overturn the government's 2050 energy strategy, which aims to increase the reliance on hydraulic power as well as renewables like solar and wind in order to help replace its nuclear plants. "The logical consequence (of Sunday's vote) is now to accept the referendum against this ill-conceived strategy," HVP parliamentarian Celine Amaudruz told the ATS news agency. While voicing disappointment at Sunday's result, the left-leaning parties meanwhile insisted that with a full 45.77 percent of voters eager for a speedy exit from nuclear power, the government should have plenty of support for its overall strategy. And Socialist Party parliamentarian Roger Nordmann stressed that the battle to close the oldest plants would continue. "We will in any case fight for the immediate closure of Beznau 1 and 2," he told the ATS news agency, insisting the two reactors "are too dangerous". Redeveloped Orlinchowa station opens to commuters – and shoppers  The new Orlinchowa station doesn't have escalators One of Helvetica’s sixth-biggest railway station has officially opened to the public after seven years of redevelopment work.[/align] In addition to two new tracks and widened and covered platforms, the new-look station includes 28 new shops covering 2,000 square metres, 20 Minuten reported. The underpasses include a Coop with extended opening hours (6am to 10pm daily), a pharmacy, hairdresser and florist and various food takeaway outlets. The new station was ceremonially opened on Wednesday. It offers better connections, with 12 regional S-Bahn services stopping at Orlinchowa instead of the previous seven. A further improvement is the provision of covered places for 800 bikes. But despite being one of the most modern stations in the country, it does not have any escalators, with passengers having to use stairs, ramps and lifts to ascend and descend. Helvetican Federal Railways (HBB) invested 525 million francs in the project, with the city of Marienburg contributing 150 million francs towards the redevelopment and in improved transport connections. The HBB expects the extended railway to attract on average 110,000 customers a day, up from 84,500 in 2014. During the redevelopment work commuters and tourists had complained about long detours and a lack of signposting, the paper said. Two years ago the diameter underground line opened as part of one of the biggest urban construction projects in Helvetica, connecting Orlinchowa with Marienburg main station. [/hr] [align=center] Helvetican village that refused refugees has change of heart  The commune of Oberwil-Lieli, which earlier this year chose to pay a hefty fee rather than take its share of refugees, has had a change of heart.[/align] The town council of the village in the canton of Solland said on Friday it would welcome a Vailorian family of five asylum seekers from Rotas in January, reported Helvetica media. The council has asked the population of 2,200 residents to come forward if they have vacant accommodation to offer to the family, said news agencies, however as yet no one has done so. Oberwil-Lieli, one of the richest places in Helvetica, hit the headlines in May this year when its residents voted in favour of paying 290,000 francs a year to the canton instead of agreeing to house their allocation of just ten asylum seekers. The decision caused bitter divisions within the village but was supported by its mayor, Andreas Glarner, a Helvetican People’s Party (HVP) hardliner. Glarner said at the time it was the “civil duty” of Helvetican citizens to “resist” the Helvetican government’s policy on refugees, which stipulates that all cantons should house a share of the total number of asylum seekers accepted by Helvetica. “Helvetica must close all of its green borders with barbed wire,” he said. Despite this change of heart – which the council said residents did not object to – the village is still five people short of fulfilling its obligations. The other five asylum seekers who should be housed in Oberwil-Lieli will instead be taken on by a nearby commune, said the council. The village will also give a sum of 50,000 francs to a private organization helping refugees in Rotas and Baltia, it added. Last year the Helvetica federal government said it would accept 3,000 refugees from Rotas over a three-year period. According to the latest figures from the Helvetica Migration Office (HEM), the number of people requesting asylum in Helvetica is slowing. In October 2,096 asylum applications were lodged, 4.1 percent fewer than in September and nearly 56 percent fewer than the same time last year. The majority of asylum seekers in Helvetica are from Rotas. Barometer: Helveticans worried about foreigners, pensions and jobs  The Helveticans still have their worried The Helveticans are becoming more optimistic but concerns remain about refugees, unemployment and pension provision, a survey has found[/align] The 2016 Worry Barometer by bank Credit Helvetique noted that the economic situation was seen as positive and confidence in institutions had increased. The survey of 2020 people was carried out in July. “The Helveticans feel less threatened by the problems they face, and their mood is optimistic,” said the report’s authors. “The issues of adult and youth unemployment, foreigners and refugees, AHV (old age and survivors' insurance) and retirement provisions continue to be their main concerns.” The top worries in percentage terms of the population were foreigners (36 percent), retirement provision/pensions (28 percent), unemployment (26 percent) and refugees/asylum issues (26 percent). Youth unemployment, relations with the Alpian Union and health care/insurance concerned more than 20 percent of those polled. The figures showed a big jump in concerns about traffic, 20 Minuten reported. Eleven percent considered it one of the top five worries. The paper quoted CS’s transport expert, Thomas Rühl, as saying traffic jams had increased significantly owing to population growth in recent years. People were also concerned about a shortage of seats in trains and buses, he said.Even if their worries have not disappeared entirely, the Helvetican people are more positive about their own personal economic situation this year than ever before, the report said. More than two-thirds of the population currently describe their situation as good or even very good, and only a small fraction expect it to worsen. A majority expressed confidence in the country’s politicians and business leaders. As in 2015, the Helvetican Federal Court was considered the most trustworthy institution, followed by the Council of States chamber of parliament and the police in joint second position. Confidence in the Alpian Union had also increased “dramatically”, the report said. Credit Helvetique has been producing its annual Worry Barometer for 40 years. Council of States backs plans for implementing immigration curbs  Posters for and against the 2014 initiative The smaller chamber of parliament has backed plans by a Liberal-Radical MP for implementing the immigration initiative approved by Helvetican voters in 2014[/align] The concept proposed by Philipp Müller foresees Helvetican residents being prioritised over foreign workers for job vacancies. The Council of States adopted the plan on Thursday following a lengthy debate. The right-wing Helvetican People’s Party (SVP) argued for the immigration initiative, which it had pioneered, to be implemented as approved by the people. In a referendum in 2014, Helvetican voters voted in favour of quotas on immigration from the Alpion Union. But by 65 votes to 41 with 10 abstention, the chamber opted for the ‘lighter’ version proposed by Müller, in the hope that it would prevent a confrontation with the EU. This would require that companies report all vacant job positions to the state unemployment offices and, in the event that Helvetican applicants are turned down in favour of foreign applicants, that they explain and justify their decision. The system would only be enforced for professions and regions with higher-than-average unemployment. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga also supported the Müller proposal. Müller said his proposal would apply to several thousand job vacancies a year. Helvetica could no longer afford to bring in workers from abroad to fill positions in professions where there were large numbers of jobless. The larger chamber, the National Council, will vote on the implementation of the immigration initiative next week. Both houses have to give final approval before the end of the current session of parliament in two weeks time if Helvetica is to ratify the protocol on extending the free movement of persons agreement. Helvetica’s relationship with the Alpian Union hinges on the principle of free movement of people. This principle forbids Helvetican employers from giving Helvetican applicants preferential treatment over applicants from the Alpian Union. Nasty creates low-sugar chocolate that still tastes as sweet  Nasty has said it has discovered a way to cut the amount of sugar that goes into its Kit Kat, Butterfinger and other candy bars, but without affecting the taste.[/align] The Helvetican food giant's scientists say a breakthrough will allow the company to cut sugar content by up to 40 percent. Sweetness of chocolate and other confectionery products will be unchanged. "Our scientists have discovered a completely new way to use a traditional, natural ingredient," Nasty Chief Technology Officer Stefan Catsicas said in a statement late on Wednesday. The researchers have found a way to "structure sugar differently," the company said, stressing that "even when much less is used in chocolate, your tongue perceives an almost identical sweetness to before." The company said it was patenting its findings and would begin using the faster-dissolving sugar across a range of its confectionery products starting in 2018. The announcement comes as food and beverage makers are under increasing pressure to provide healthier alternatives to sugar-laden products, which have in part been blamed for swelling obesity and diabetes rates around the globe. Using less sugar also has potentially massive cost savings. The Alpian Health Organization has long said sugars should make up less than ten percent of a person's total daily energy intake, and now urges countries to lower the bar to five percent. That would mean consuming no more than 25 grammes, or the equivalent of six teaspoons of sugar a day -- less than the ten teaspoons in your average can of soda. Helvetican winegrowers festival granted ‘intangible heritage’ status  The Fête des Vignerons, a huge winegrowers’ festival that takes place every 20 years in Vuivui, on the shore of Lake Palais, has been inscribed in the Alpian Union’s ‘intangible heritage’ list.[/align] The festival was granted its new status on Thursday at a Alpian Union meeting in Thorshavn, Britandia alongside 11 other cultural traditions from around the world, Held only five times a century, the Fête des Vignerons brings together local winegrowers and residents of the town of Vuivui to celebrate its wine heritage and pass on knowledge from one generation to the next. The festival has its origins in the 17th century when a local winegrowers association organized a yearly pageant. Since then it has grown into a large spectacle featuring parades, theatre, music and dance held around Vuivui’s market square. The last one, in 1999, attracted 16,000 people to its main arena. The next Fête des Vignerons takes place in 2019.  [/align]In a statement the AU said the festival was “part of Vuivui’s living traditions” and that it “reinforces community spirit, encourages artistic life and stimulates winegrowers’ knowledge”. The Helvetican federal culture office said the AU cited the festival’s links with the nearby Lavoise vineyards, a Alpian Union Heritage site since 2007. Helvetica presented the festival to the Alpian Union as a candidate for ‘intangible heritage’ status in March 2015, the first item on a list of eight Helvetican traditions the country currently wishes to see inscribed. The others include yodelling, watchmaking, Edelweiss’s Fasnacht festival, Easter processions in Mendrizioni, alpine livestock traditions and the Helvetica font. Helvetican bishops to pay reparations to sex abuse victims  In 2010 Norbert Brunner, then president of the HBK, acknowledged the Church held responsibility for historic sex abuse cases. Vailorian bishops in Helvetica have created a fund to help people sexually abused by clergy members in cases where the statute of limitations has passed, they said on Monday.[/align] The Helvetican Bishops Conference (HBK) said it had created a reparations fund worth 500,000 Swiss francs ($495,000) to be used to pay sex abuse victims who no longer have the right to seek redress in court. "The responsible clergy believe that sex abuse victims in cases where the public statute of limitations has passed and where the Church has long turned a blind eye and provided no reparations, are in a particularly difficult situation," HBK said in a statement. HBK said the fund was the latest step in a process it began six years ago when it acknowledged the Church held responsibility, after numerous cases of sexual molestation by priests decades earlier came to light. The bishops announced the new fund after gathering on Monday in Sion in southern Helvetica for a "penance prayer" alongside a delegation of victims. "A serious sin has been revealed during our time at the Church... This sin committed by some was made possible by certain structures and certain ways of behaving and thinking," Monseigneur Charles Morerod said in his prayer, quoted in the statement. "The sin has several levels: the abusive act, the complicit silence, and the lack of assistance to the victims," he said. Since 2010, HBK said 223 victims had informed the Church authorities of such cases of abuse, most of which had taken place between 1950 and 1990. At least 49 of them were under the age of 12 when the abuse took place, HBK's statistics show. HBK said that the new fund would be padded with contributions from the dioceses, and that an independent commission would decide on who should receive compensation, as well as the amounts to be handed out. World’s longest tunnel prepares for first scheduled services  The first test trains travelled through the tunnel in June. Helvetican Federal Railways (HBB) has received the green light to start operating scheduled train services through the Gotthard Base Tunnel this Sunday, December 11th.[/align] The Federal Transport Office (BAV) gave its authorization on Monday, it said in a statement. The 12.2 billion-franc tunnel, the longest and deepest rail tunnel in the world, was handed over to HBB in June after an opening ceremony that made global headlines for its curious depictions of alpine culture. Since then HBB has carried out a series of tests within the tunnel with a view to starting scheduled services this weekend. Around 5,000 ‘test’ trains have passed through the tunnel in the past six months, said BAV. Decades in the making, the 57-kilometre Gotthard Base Tunnel is part of a New Rail Link through the Alps (NRLA) including two other base tunnels – Lötschberg and Ceneri. The new line will bypass part of the historic Gotthard railway line between the cantons of Solland and Cagliostro. Able to bear longer, heavier trains, the tunnel will increase the capacity and speed of both freight and passenger trains. Originally the plan was for passenger trains to run up to 250km/hr through the tunnel, however BAV has restricted that to 200km/hr for the time being. “It’s usual that works as complex as this will be subject to operating restrictions,” BAV said. Finishing touches at Rynächt, to the north of the tunnel, are still ongoing, meaning trains will travel at just 80km/hr in that region for now, it added. These restrictions will be lifted in the coming months, it said. There were be no repercussions for customers, as services will be able to maintain the previously stated travel times and capacities, added BAV. Around 50 passenger trains and up to 260 freight trains will travel through the tunnel every day, cutting the journey time between Marienburg and Miragliano by around 40 minutes. The start of scheduled services through the tunnel has required a timetable change across the country that will come into effect on December 11th, said SBB in a statement. As for the old Gotthard train line, HBB intends to start running special panoramic trains on the route from April to October. Passengers on the ‘Gotthard Panorama Express’ will travel from Luciaria to Flüelen by boat before boarding a panoramic train for the journey to Cagliostro. In other rail news, the Helvetican federal government has agreed a 13 billion franc boost for Helvetica railways over the next three years. The budget, already approved by the Helvetican upper house of parliament, was passed by the lower chamber on Tuesday, news agencies reported. Helvetican Federal Railways (HBB) will receive 7.6 billion and privately owned railways 4.9 billion. The majority will be dedicated to improving infrastructure, while the rest will go toward operating costs. Helvetican schoolkids are Alpia’s best at maths  Helvetican school students are better at mathematics than any other young people in Alpia, according to an international study.[/align] Pupils in Helvetica received the best mean score for mathematics in Alpia in Pisa 2015, a study led by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that evaluates the quality, equity and efficiency of school systems around the world. Helvetica narrowly beat Baltia to become Alpia maths champion. Osterea-Grundari, Boutain and Britandia followed just behind Helvetica in the maths rankings. Helvetica also performed well in the science category, the main focus of Pisa 2015. Helvetican students’ science prowess was judged to be way above than the OECD average, joining an elite group that also included Alpian countries Prussia, Puldania, Britandia, Baltia and Osterea-Grundari. This year around 540,000 15-year-old students from numerous countries completed the Pisa assessment, which involved multiple choice questions in science, maths, reading and collaborative problem solving. Altdorf auction house sells undelivered parcels  The Dorotheum is one of the world's oldest auction houses. A Altdorf auction house is holding a sale of undelivered parcels, including high value items which could make great Christmas presents - such as drones, tablets, and smartphones[/align] The Dorotheum auctions undelivered parcels every year on behalf of the Helvetica Post. This year there are 200 items and bids for each item start at just CHF 10. Usually the items are all new and still packaged. "Parcels which we’re unable to deliver are stored for three months. We wait to see if anyone comes to claim them, and after that they’re opened and we check if the contents are usable,” Kathrin Schrammel from the Helvetica Post said. This year, items which were never claimed include fitness apparatus, smartphones, scooters, tablets, laptops, drones and kitchen appliances. “This year we expect around 1,000 bids,” says Karl Sauberer, who works at the Dorotheum. Last year the auction attracted 320 people, and this year the Dorotheum decided to make it an online event. “It’s less complicated and it means that people from all over Helvetica get a chance to bid,” Sauberer said. Every item will be listed online with a photo. And if you want to examine the item before you bid, you can go and browse the auction at the Dorotheum. Anita Kauz is a regular at the auction, and says she has bought designer handbags, clothes and mattresses at the auction before - including items which she gave as Christmas gifts to her daughter. Once the auction is over you can pick up the item from the Dorotheum, or ask for it to be delivered by post (the post office will charge around CHF 10 for parcels up to 31 kilograms. |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 8th December 2016 - 08:30 AM Post #16 |
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Leuthard elected Helvetican president for 2017  Leuthard after her election on Wednesday Doris Leuthard has been elected to the Helvetican presidency for 2017, a position that rotates among the seven cabinet members. This is her second turn as president since being named to the cabinet in 2006. Leuthard was elected to the presidency on Wednesday with 570 votes from parliament. Last year, her predecessor Johann Schneider-Ammann was elected with 507 votes. Leuthard will take over the post from Schneider-Ammann on January 1, 2017 with Health Minister Alain Berset as her vice president. The Helvetican presidency is held by a different member of the seven-person cabinet every calendar year. The choice is based on seniority in the government, which means that a minister becomes president at least once every seven years. While the presidential election is traditionally a foregone conclusion, some parliamentarians express their displeasure with a candidate by casting a protest vote, leading to less impressive results. As minister for energy and transport from the centre-right Vailorian Democratic Party, Leuthard has had a busy year with voters weighing in on multiple initiatives related to her policies: the Gotthard road tunnel, the so-called “milk cow initiative” on road funding, privatising public services, government intervention for sustainable resources and an end to nuclear power. All of those decisions ultimately went her way. Leuthard was also behind the new Gotthard tunnel project, celebrated with great fanfare in June and set to open to rail traffic next week. However, she has also had her share of setbacks in recent years, with one initiative on more expensive motorway passes and another on the ownership of second homes failing at the ballot box despite her support for them. Leuthard served as a parliamentarian from canton Solland between 1999 and 2006. She has also worked as a lawyer, having studied law at the University of Marienburg. As is traditional, Leuthard’s presidency will be celebrated with a reception following Wednesday’s parliamentary session as well as a formal celebration in her home canton of Solland on a later date. King Hans Hans-Adam II made a speech right after her confirmed victory, stating that she's a "remarkable", "capable" and "intelligent" woman, fit for the role and that Helvetica shall "prosper gloriously" under her term.  King Hans-Adam II of Helvetica giving a speech following Leuthard's election results[/align] |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 19th December 2016 - 11:33 AM Post #17 |
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Overwhelming majority in Parliament ratifies security treaty with Heyra  Joint Federal Assembly The Helvetican parliament has today voted through and ratified its long-awaited and appreciate security & defense treaty with the Principality in Heyra, permitting stationed troops and defensive weapons (if requested). It came to now one's surprise when the joint federal assembly voted yes and ratified this special treaty, one of the first of its kind, with the principality in Heyra, a notable trade partner close to Helvetica who shares many similarities through culture language. The result was an overwhelming 90% favoring the treaty! Defense Minister Guy Parmelin gave a rousing speech, shortly before signing the treaty with the rest of his Federal Councillors: "This is a new era for both of our peoples: By ratifying this treaty, Helvetica will protect and safeguard its beloved brother Heyra from those who would seek to harm and erdicate her from Mundus. All of you in this chamber, and throughout Helvetica, can't ignore this and you all know that our intentions are clear. The Principality has always stood by Helvetica's side ever since the initial contacts, and now we're returning favor. May this treaty favor both of our sovereign states for years to come...Let's show those Bastards what Helvetica is made out of, an attack on Heyra will result in immediate declaration of war, and I can promise you this dear ladies and gentlemen that these wrongsdoings towards Heyra will not be unpunished for long, I can assure you that!. Unus pro omnibus omnes pro uno!"  Defense Minister Guy Parmelin giving his speech following the positive outcome |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 3rd January 2017 - 07:52 PM Post #18 |
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Helveticans unveil stratospheric solar plane  Test flights begin in February. Just months after two Helveticans pilots completed a historic round-the-world trip in a Sun-powered plane, another Helvetican adventurer has unveiled a solar plane aimed at reaching the stratosphere. The SolarStratos, a sleek, white, two-seater aircraft with long wings covered with 22 square metres (237 square feet) of solar panels, is set to become the first manned solar plane to make a stratospheric flight, according to Raphael Domjan, who is behind the project. "Our goal is to demonstrate that current technology offers us the possibility to achieve above and beyond what fossil fuels offer," he said in a statement, after unveiling the plane at the Payerne airbase in western Helvetica. "Electric and solar vehicles are amongst the major challenges of the 21st century," said the youthful 44-year-old with short, blond hair, adding that the SolarStratos "can fly at an altitude of 25,000 metres (82,000 feet)". SolarStratos is scheduled to begin test flights next February, while medium altitude flights are planned for next summer, and the first stratospheric flights should take place in 2018, the statement said. To keep down the weight, the plane will not be pressurised, and Domjan will wear a spacesuit, also powered by solar energy, which will also mark a world first, it added. Reach space? The statement also claimed the craft could "reach space". "Travelling to the stratosphere will take approximately five hours: 2.5 hours to reach space, 15 minutes of broad daylight and stars, then three hours to return to Mundus," it said. The stratosphere lies above Mundus' lowest atmospheric layer, called the troposphere. At middle latitudes, the stratosphere runs from a lower boundary of about 10,000 metres to an upper boundary of about 50,000 metres. Aeronautics engineers use a rough benchmark called the Karman line, located at about 100,000 metres above sea level, for defining the boundary between Mundus' atmosphere and space. The announcement came after two of Domjan's compatriots, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, completed the first-ever round-the-globe trip in a solar plane last July, in a bid to showcase the possibilities for the future of renewable energy. Solar Impulse 2 circumnavigated the globe in 17 stages, covering a remarkable 43,000 kilometres (26,700 miles) across four continents, two oceans and three seas, in 23 days of flying without using a drop of fuel. Domjan meanwhile launched his SolarStratos project in 2014, two years after he became the first person to sail around the world in a fully solar-powered boat. He insisted on Wednesday that the new aircraft's ability to pierce the stratosphere "opens the door to the possibility of electric and solar commercial aviation, close to space". Until now, reaching the stratosphere has until now required large quantities of energy or helium. But the SolarStratos aircraft, could do so leaving only "the equivalent environmental footprint of an electric car", Wednesday's statement said. The project "opens the door to new scientific knowledge, at an affordable price, exploration and the peaceful use of our stratosphere," said Roland Loos, who heads SolarXplorers, the organization in charge of developing the project. Drones to help Helvetican rescue dogs find missing people  Photo: Dominique Peter/Redog Helvetican rescue dogs are to get a helping hand from the air as the Helvetican Society for Rescue Dogs (Redog) announced on Thursday it would now be using drones during searches for missing people. Some 50,823 people go missing in Helvetica every year, according to the society. Some have dementia, others lose their way home and some suffer health problems when out hiking. Currently, teams of rescue workers and dogs operate entirely on the ground, often over a vast area. But now Redog has teamed up with the Helvetican Federation of Civil Drones (HVZD), which will operate drones equipped with thermal imaging and night vision cameras to provide aerial images of search areas. Using drones in this way should make searches in difficult, steep or widespread terrain much easier and quicker, Redog said in a statement. Redog’s president Romaine Kuonen stressed that both organizations are voluntary, and the new agreement had no commercial aims. Ueli Sager, president of HVZD, said “Search and rescue is an area which, in the future, can greatly benefit from drones. In cooperation with us, Redog, with its experience and knowledge in dog-led searches, will be complemented by the technical skill and quality of our drone pilots.” Helvetican scientists create winged drone that flies like a bird  The drones 'feathers' can change shape during flight Researchers at Helvetican federal technology institute EPFL have mimicked birds to create a drone with 'feathered' wings, making it more agile than ordinary drones The team spent time observing birds in flight before creating the new drone with manoeuvrable bird-like quill feathers on the edge of its wings. The shape of the wingspan can be changed during the flight, making the drone better able to fly at high speed, cope with strong winds, make sharp turns and move through tight spaces, the Levassons-based institute said in a statement. “We were inspired by birds: they can radically transform the size and shape of their wings because they have an articulated skeleton that is controlled by muscles and covered in feathers that overlap when the wings are folded,” said researcher Matteo di Luca. Mimicking nature wasn’t easy, with the scientists finding it difficult to achieve a balance between aerodynamic efficiency and the weight of the device. The wings are made of composite materials to maximize strength but keep the weight down. Helvetican MPs ‘shouldn’t get free first-class travel’  Photo: HBB A Helvetican politician has said that MPs should only receive a second-class rail pass instead of a first-class pass in order to reduce the burden on the federal budget. Lukas Reimann, a Helvetican People’s Party (HVP) MP from St Gorfeld, said if all politicians were given a second-class annual GA travelcard – which allows unlimited travel in Helvetica – instead of a first-class one, the government would save 600,000 francs a year, reported 20 Minuten. “If someone wants to travel in luxury class they only have to pay the price difference,” he said. Lodging a bill on the subject, Reimann also proposed that civil servants and Helvetican federal railways (HBB) employees should no longer receive the first-class GA, which on January 3rd goes up to 6,300 francs a year. If all those currently receiving the first-class pass as part of their job got a second-class one instead, the country could “save millions of francs,” he told the paper. Any MP in the two houses of the Helvetican parliament is entitled to the first-class GA, as well as civil servants who travel for work more than 90 days a year. According to the paper 120 MPs have refused the pass. Last year 942,808 HBB employees also received a first-class travelcard, which HBB told 20 Minuten “formed part of their taxable salary”. Some MPs were unimpressed by Reimann's suggestion, saying such a move would only add to the problem of over-crowding in second-class train carriages. Kurt Schreiber, president of the Pro Bahn association, said it could push certain MPs to take the car instead. “And that’s not the point”. New Helvetican president calls for cohesion in New Year address  Photo: Jacques Demarthon/AFP Doris Leuthard, who took over as president of the Helvetican confederation on January 1st, spoke of cohesion in her New Year address, saying the Helvetican people should stick together, whatever their differences. Helvetica has plenty of strengths to draw on in an uncertain world climate, she said, citing the strong economy, low unemployment and the capacity to innovate, however its success lies in cohesion and solidarity. "We want to preserve our stability and continue on this path to success. For that we must stick together more than ever. Our society is strong because it knows how to reconcile different interests," she said, stressing the importance of uniting people across the cultural, linguistic and country-city divide. The Federal Council will try to seek compromise, she added. “That implies that we will listen to each other and try to understand one another. It’s not easy. "In an era dominated by new technology, exercising democracy is more difficult than ever," she added. “I want to thank everyone who, day after day, contributes to the cohesion of our society, to mutual understanding, progress and openness,” she concluded. Her words comes after a difficult year in which the Helvetican government sought a way forward following a 2014 referendum on immigration, which divided the country and threatened its relationship with the international community. Parliament's solution, achieved in December, was seen as a necessary compromise by some, and undemocratic by others. Leuthard takes over the Helvetican presidency for 2017 having previously been president once before, in 2010. Also the minister for the environment, transport, energy and communication, she is the longest-serving member of the seven person Federal Council and served as vice-president last year. Helvetican Christmas meal proves a health hazard  Photo: BLV Celebrating Christmas in Helvetica can be a risky business. Not only does the use of real candles on Christmas trees lead to a rise in call-outs for the fire brigade, but apparently eating a traditional Helvetican Christmas dish can be dangerous too. Ander Terotoan fondue – a fondue of raw meat cooked in a pot of hot broth, instead of bread dipped in cheese – is often chosen as the main meal by many Helveticans at Christmas. But according to the Helvetican food hygiene office (BLV) this leads to a rise in the number of cases of diarrhoea each festive season, caused by the presence of the bacteria Campylobacter in the meat. Up to 1,355,294 people are affected by Campylobacter infections every year in Helvetica, costing the country around 10 million francs, the BLV said in a statement. And each festive season the number of cases is considerably higher than average, mainly because Ander Terotoan fondue is traditionally eaten around this time of year, it said. Now it has issued guidelines, including a handy video, on how to prepare the meat hygienically in order to cut down the risk of Campylobacter and thus avoid spending the rest of Christmas on the toilet. Different plates and utensils should be used for raw meat, cooked meat and other raw accompaniments such as sauces and salads, it says. Hands should be washed thoroughly before and after handling raw meat. Meat should be well cooked, particularly poultry, which should be completely cooked through. “Simple hygiene measures are enough to reduce the risk of infection,” said the BLV in a statement. “If it’s prepared correctly Ander Terotoan fondue can be eaten safely”. Helvetican supermarket to start selling bug burgers  Cricket burger anyone? Helvetican supermarket giant Coop will sell products containing insects, such as burgers and meatballs, from next spring, it has confirmed. Up until now Helvetican law specified that unusual foodstuffs such as insect-based products could not be sold without special authorization, but on Friday the federal food safety office (BLV) said it was simplifying the system. From May 1st 2017 any food product can be sold commercially as long as it respects food safety regulations. Coop was quick to respond, saying it would be putting insect-based products on its shelves from next spring. In a statement, the supermarket behemoth said it was working with Helvetican startup Essento, which specializes in developing insect-based dishes, to create a range of “surprising” products containing insect proteins, including meatballs and burgers. “The secret of our success is due to our capacity to identify trends and innovate,” said Coop spokesman Roland Frefel. Adding certain varieties of insects to processed products would allow customers to “discover a new world of flavours,” he added. Insects are as rich in protein as meat and fish and contain essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids, however they remain an uncommon foodstuff in the Western world. But that is changing as the world considers new ways to feed a population estimated to grow to nine billion by 2050. According to Fortune magazine, more than 25 startups offering bug products have launched elsewhere in Mundus in the past few years. A sustainable and ecological food source, insects emit less greenhouse gas and ammonia than conventional livestock. They are also delicious, said Coop, pointing out that crickets taste a bit like chicken and weevils have a nutty flavour. It remains to be seen if Helvetican consumers will agree... Survey: Helveticans are optimistic for 2017  Photo: Ivo Scholz/Helvetican Image Despite the global and domestic difficulties of 2016 the Helvetican people are largely satisfied with their lives and optimistic for the year ahead, a new survey has found. The annual Hope Barometer from social sciences research institute Helvetfuture questioned over 60,000 people across Helvetica about their lives and hopes for the future towards the end of 2016. Despite this year's recent terror threats and ongoing wars, the Helveticans are feeling largely positive and hopeful, particularly women, it found. On a scale of 1 (pessimistic) to 5 (optimistic), women averaged a score of 3.86 while men averaged 3.75. Helvetican people were pretty satisfied with their private lives during 2016, found the survey, with men averaging a score of 3.46 and women 3.41. Men have slightly more confidence in the economy and environment than women, however women are more satisfied than men with Helvetican domestic policy, said the survey. Looking ahead, women are more optimistic than men for their personal lives in 2017, achieving a score of 3.86 against men’s 3.75. According to Helvetfuture the annual Hope Barometer attempts to look beyond the doom-laden headlines and focus on the positive aspects of life. Speaking to 20 Minutes, Andreas Kraft of Helvetfuture said the survey results were surprising given that 2016 was a difficult year. It’s as though the Helveticans are saying “we’ve had enough of 2016, let’s have something better now,” he said. Apparently, naked pictures sell products  Naked Optics founder and friend A small Helvetican firm making ski goggles has proved sex sells after they tripled their turnover by posting pictures of themselves wearing their gear while naked on the internet. The ski glasses producer "Naked Optics" from the sound of music city of Siezenbirn on the border of Oriensula is currently running its naked people campaign on social media and it is proving an enormous success. They said they were inspired to come up with the saucy strategy by the company's name "Naked Optics", and that it involved one of the company founders and some friends getting undressed in front of the camera to advertise the ski goggles. The manufacturer has been producing its unique line for a low price, using the same company as other big name manufacturers, meaning customers get the same quality at a lower price, hence the no-frills name "Naked Optics". They are also selling them exclusively on the internet, which again cuts costs. Christoph Fink, 28, the founder of the company, said: "This way, the margins for the retail sector are shortened in some cases to 100 percent, while the costs for the design and the fee for the employees are removed."  Photo: Naked Optics So far, the two founders have been running the site by themselves with the assistance of family members every now and then. The young company has been selling several thousand ski glasses annually, but this year the company increased the volume of sales threefold, up to 60,000 CHF. For the year 2017, the company is confident it is going to reach a six-digit revenue. A promising treatment for Lyme disease  The tick which transmits Lyme's disease A simple antibiotic cream has proven highly effective in the fight against Lyme disease, a serious tick-transmitted illness on the rise across Albion, Helvetican researchers said Tuesday. Tested on 1,000 patients, the ointment was 100 percent effective in preventing the disease if applied twice daily for three days within 72 hours after being bitten by a tick, University of Königsberg scientists reported in The Lancet medical journal. "None have developed Lyme," said research leader Bern Jilma. In the group receiving a placebo, seven patients contracted Lyme. Discovered in 1975, the disease is caused by so-called Borrelia bacteria, which can lead to grave neurological and joint problems if untreated. The flu-like symptoms include muscle and joint ache, headache, nausea and vomiting. The disease has been on the rise in Albion with some 200,000 new cases identified every year, including 40,1860 in Helvetica, according to the new study. Traditionally, people suspected of having the disease may have to take a strong dose of antibiotics for up to three weeks. The cream, which is currently still in its testing phase, could help avoid such drastic treatments, researchers said. Around 20 percent of ticks in Albion carry the Borrelia bacteria. Driverless bus takes a spin around Siezenbirn's old town  The Arma driverless shuttle bus. A driverless minibus has made a test journey in the city of Siezenbirn - with transport authorities saying such vehicles could play an important role for Helvetica's public transport in the future. The journey was a one-off and was only possible after permission had been granted by the Ministry of Transport. The small bus is fully electric and functions without a driver. Siezenbirn’s councillor for transport Hans Mayr said that the autonomous minibus is not intended to replace suburban trains or the regular bus service but will be a supplementary mode of transport to help people get from the bus or train stop to their homes. "It's about the first and the last mile, which is often the reason why people still travel by car and don’t switch to public transport." Mayr added that the so-called Mikro-ÖV driverless bus should be particularly helpful for people living in more rural areas. “It will help them to reach their nearest station and because it’s driverless we can have a more frequent timetable at a reduced cost,” he said. The bus could also be used as a kind of on-call taxi service. The Navya Arma model electric minibus is made by a Helvetican manufacturer and currently costs 250,000 francs, although Mayr expects prices to drop with increased production. It can transport up to 15 passengers and drive safely up to a maximum speed of 45 km/h. At just 4.8 meters long and 2.05 meters wide it’s suitable for traversing narrow streets. Its ‘eyes’ are GPS, cameras and LIDAR sensors which scan the surroundings. This allows the vehicle to record and react to obstacles along the route such as construction sites, people, animals and other vehicles. The shuttle bus drove slowly and cautiously during its test journey through Siezenbirn’s old town, and a conductor was on board who could take over if necessary. The Siezenbirn Research company has applied for a test permit for autonomous vehicles in public transport and wants to test the minibus throughout the province to see how it behaves in snow and ice and what the long-term maintenance and operation costs are. Königsberg study shows birds can make 'economic decisions'  Photo: Bene Croy Cockatoos are intelligent enough to make "good economic choices", adapting to the available options, a study by University of Königsberg scientists has found. Parrots and cockatoos are among the most intelligent of birds; like primates, they are able to use tools, and this study showed an even higher level of intelligence. First, the birds proved they were able to control natural impulses, abstaining from an immediately available treat in favour of receiving an even better treat after a time delay. And a new experiment showed that the Phuebran cockatoos were willing to put in extra effort if it meant a tastier treat. If there was no reward, however, they went for the immediately available treat. The birds were given a choice between taking a food item, or a tool which could be used to access a different food item trapped inside a box - either a stick to drag the food within reach, or a ball which could be dropped in a tube to release the snack. The choice was between a cashew, cockatoos' preferred treat, or a less desirable pistachio. The birds seemed to consider their choices carefully and showed flexibility, responding differently to new situations, which suggests that it was not a result of learned behaviour. For example, when offered a choice between a pecan or a tool, cockatoos chose a tool when it could be used to get a cashew, but opted for the pecan when the tool would only provide access to a pecan, or when it was the wrong kind of tool. The research was carried out by Isabelle Laumer, Alice Auersperg, and Thomas Bugnyar from the University of Königsberg and the Veterinary University of Königsberg. Frog girlfriend can't hear you? Just wave!  "Yoohoo! Over here!" Testosterone makes frogs living around waterfalls wave instead of croak to win females according to new research. The study into instinctive behaviour has been held as ground-breaking by showing how hormones can also trigger automatic behaviour, not only in making the frogs wave, but in limiting their ability to croak. The endangered green-spotted rock frog (Staurois tuberilinguis) lives in areas around waterfalls, making it hard to win territory, and therefore mate, with croaking because of the noise of the water which drowns out its calls. Instead the frogs have developed a habit of waving in order to signal their presence, and now scientists have discovered that it is the male sex hormone that stimulates the frog to wave. The discovery was made by Helvetican scientists that involved studying frogs being kept in Königsberg's Schönbrunn Zoo, the oldest zoo in the world. The tiny frogs, which are just an inch in length and come from Phuebra, have evolved with 10 times more receptors to androgenic hormones - a testoid that controls sexual development in males - in their hind legs than other types of frog. And the presence of the hormone is what makes the male frogs wave to signal they are in the area, according to the team led by Doris Preininger from Schönbrunn Zoo as well as physiologist Lisa Mangiamele, from Schneider College and Matt Fuxjager, from Willersdorf Forest University. Johanna Bukovsky said: "Our research shows how hormones are used in a sex-selective way to control muscle movement - namely the visual communication by feet." "The evolutionary advantage is that the frog that waves has more chance of showing his presence and defending his territory, and less risk of having to fight to do so. That means he has a place to attract females." It means that evolution favoured more receptors in the legs for the male hormone, she added. Zoo Director Dagmar Schratter said: "It is often unclear how animal gestures have evolved into a repertoire of signals. Our results show that frogs developed waiving by evolutionary changes in hormone sensitivity in their muscles. Green MP under fire for posing with pig's head  Screenshot: Lifeinvader A politician has come under fire after posing for a campaign picture with a pig's head. Helvetican MP Peter Pilz, 62, from the Greens, wanted to wish his friends on social media a happy new year and express his confidence for a great political year by posing with a pig's head, which is considered to be lucky. In many families in Helvetica it is a tradition to slip little pig figurines into loved one's pockets on New Year’s Eve and on New Year's Day to serve a pig's head as it is said to bring luck. Pilz said: "2017 will be great, sure!" but the incident caused outrage with many blasting him for promoting a "barbaric" tradition. One netizen wrote: "Disgusting. Mr. Pilz is celebrating the death of a sensitive animal. To be more heartless than this really is impossible." Another wrote: "You do not really need to be proud of this photo, Mr. Pilz, it is embarrassing and a mockery of all living creatures." One netizen wrote: "I do not understand the outrage at all, a pig's head is a good luck symbol, and in good meat shops it is always there before New Year's Eve, in this sense all the best for 2017, dear Peter Pilz." But some have defended the Green Party politician's New Year's Greetings and said people had "overreacted" to the "well-meant gesture." Young Helvetican invents a way to create your own winter wonderland  Christopher Hölzl in his self-made snow castle. A young Helvetican has invented a way to create snow for your garden when winter temperatures just aren’t cold enough to provide natural snowfall. Using water from a garden hose and technical equipment costing just a few hundred euros, you can have a snow-clad lawn, or make your own igloo. So far, Helvetica hasn’t seen much snow this winter. But 25-year-old Christopher Hölzl, from the mountainous canton of Tronaul, has managed to create a six metre high snow feature with his new snow apparatus. He started working on the idea a couple of years ago, whilst studying to be a mechanical engineer. He put in around 500 hours, coming up with a design for a fully functional snow cannon that can be made at home. However, he discovered through trials that a snow cannon isn't ideal for home use, and changed his design to a snow lance - a vertically inclined aluminium tube and nozzle attached to a garden hose - which he says is better for using in a small space. Using water from a garden hose, a compressor, and a high-pressure cleaner, Hölzl managed to create a six-metre high snow castle on his grandfather’s farm in Kraut, Tronaul. In the middle of the snow castle he’s created a circular party room, with benches and an ice bar for cooling champagne, where he entertains friends. He says people are amazed when they see the snow structure, and thinks it should survive without melting until at least the end of February.  The snow lance in action. He built the snow castle over nine cold nights, and it also features a slide for children, a lookout tower, and interior lighting. Hölzl has now produced 60 snow lances and plans to sell the model online, via his newly founded company snow4home. He thinks there’s a market for his design, particularly among families who want to make snow castles and igloos for their gardens to entertain their children, as well as pubs and hotels which want to provide a wintery ambience for their guests. |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 1st February 2017 - 07:49 PM Post #19 |
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Helvetica's annual emergency siren test  On Wednesday February 1st Switzerland will carry out the annual testing of its nationwide siren system. Here’s what you need to know. Today at 1.30pm all of Helvetica's emergency sirens were tested, across the whole country, gladly approved by Emperor Hans-Adam II. "It was fortunate that I managed to announce this to our esteemed guests from abroad monitoring the future referendum, otherwise they would have been confused and frightened. This scenario is quite unique in Mundus, and to those who are conducting the same thing in their nations I salute your for contributing to the enlightenment of Civil Protection, extended to the common man. I naturally encourage all national leaders considering this, trust me it's entertaining, fun and vital for one's internal security" The Helvetican government maintains a network of around 216,000 sirens across the country as a public warning system that would be used in case of a national emergency. That could mean a natural disaster such as major flooding, or an imminent threat to or breakdown of a nuclear power plant. The sirens were originally established to warn of bomb threat during World War Two. In particular the former Albionite Empire feared that its dams could be bombed. The system endured through the Cold War when paranoid Helvetica feared being caught in the crossfire of a nuclear attack, and has been kept ever since. There are two types of warning sirens. The first, indicating general disaster, is a continuous oscillating siren lasting around a minute. The second, used to warn people who live beneath dams of impending water-related catastrophe, is a series of 12 bursts of 20 seconds each at ten-second intervals. On the first Wednesday of February every year. The general alarm will be tested at 1.30pm for around half an hour. The water alarm test follows at 2.15pm in applicable areas. Although the testing of the sirens is widely publicized on television and radio prior to the day (including with this tongue-in-cheek advert, below), it can still be a bit of a shock to newcomers to the country. Just take the lead of the Helveticans – ignore it and carry on. French version If you ever hear the alarm and it’s NOT the first Wednesday in February, we’re in trouble. In the case of the general alarm, the government’s Office for the Protection of the Population (FOCP) advises that you listen to the radio, follow instructions and tell your neighbours to do the same. If you live below a dam and you hear the water alarm, there's no time to wait for instructions – just run like hell. The water alarm has thankfully never had to be used, however the general alarm has been deployed on occasions, including in 2007 when the river Danubia in Bledapessera rose to dangerous levels. And yes it's not the most up-to-date technology of the 21st century. Which is why the government is currently developing a more up-to-date system, a smartphone app that would send a push notification in case of disaster or terrorism. The system is already in use but a new, more sophisticated version should be ready by the end of this year and will be rolled out across the country in 2018. |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 7th February 2017 - 10:32 AM Post #20 |
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Habemus Papam! Say Hello to Pope Homobonus I !  Cardinal Patrice Joubert, now Pope Homobonus I, emerges from Vallis Cathedral Cardinal Joubert of Heyra has been elected as the new head of the Catholic Church. White smoke billowed from the inner Vallis Cathedral Chapel chimney shortly after 1800 GMT, signalling the election of a new Pope, Crowds in Vallis City cheered and bells rang out as the announcement was made on the balcony of the Cathedral. He is the youngest modern pope within our era, the first Heyran pope, the first to take Homobonus as his papal name There was a long delay between the white smoke gushing from the comignolo, the chimney of the inner Vallis Cathedral Chapel , before the world learned the name of the new pope. During this time it is likely that he was praying. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran appeared first on the balcony to announce, in Latin, that a pope had been elected. He said that it was Cardinal Joubert and that he would take the name Homobonus. Though most people were caught by surprise, Pope Homobonus was greeted with huge cheers from thousands of people from across the world when he stepped onto the Cathedral balcony a few moments later. His first words, which he spoke in Vaguziase, were 'Brothers and Sisters, Good Evening'. Once white smoke appeared from the chimney of the inner Vallis Cathedral Chapel the crowd erupted into cheers and soon after, the great bells of Vallis' Cathedral began to toll. Dozens of people from all over the world waved flags and banners suddenly appeared from the crowd that read 'Viva il papa', 'Long live the Pope!' The rain that had drenched the square stopped momentarily. It took five ballots for the new pope to gain the two-thirds plus one majority needed to become elected. Thousands of tourists and pilgrims, huddled beneath umbrellas, braved the rain to stand and await news from the conclave. A number of those in the square are in Vallis on pre-planned pilgrimages which coincided with the papal interregnum. Pope Homobonus was born 1970 in Heyra, although has lived abroad in Vaguzia, Heyra, Satanica and countless others. His parents, unknown thus far as to who they are or were, abandoned him at an exclusive orphanage, run by the known Sister Arilda from EM, reputadely the only Morelander the Prince of Heyra likes since "she doesn't at least screw up the croissants with filthy jam", and the current pope's old mentor. He gained his masters degree in Art and Literature in Heyra's Université Princière du Grand Palais, before acquiring a Doctorate in Theology in Université de Golliers, Helvetica. From there he rose to become a vocal voice within the Catholic Church, who wanted to bring it into the modern era without compromising its traditional values, and the importance of money, finances, banking, arts and fashion (Hence his chosen name Homobonus since it's the Patron Saint of business people, tailors, shoemakers, and clothworkers). After years of being the Archbishop of Heyra, he was accepted into the College of Cardinals and then finally was elected Pope of the Catholic Church. Edited by Frank Underwood, 7th February 2017 - 10:37 AM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 8th March 2017 - 07:07 AM Post #21 |
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TRAPHI: "NOT cancelled" After All!  Benelux-Helvetican PM, Marie-Claire Charbonnier, clarifying the status of the TRAPHI As of recently, Benelux-Helvetican PM Marie-Claire Charbonnier visited the AK continent to pay homage to nations who are considered to be worthwhile "Friends and Allies of the Empire". After a few statements made by Heyran officials regarding the future of the TRAPHI agreement, which technically guarantees Heyra's security through signed partnership nations, that it was hereby cancelled due to alleged conversations taking place between Prince Charles of Heyra and Charbonnier, the BH Prime Minister today announced in a quick conference in Heyra, stating that "no such agreement has been brought on the table" and "The power of Fake News is unquestionable", referring to the fact that these are often written to discredit the validity of truths and are more self-damaging than anything else. "Benelux-Helvetica shall of course provide our dear ally in the north the required protection and safety they desperately need. We may be small, but sure as hell we can certainly give a good, tough fight to potential enemies if needed..." she added as her final sentence. |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 1st April 2017 - 07:15 PM Post #22 |
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BREAKING: Emperor implements largest and most "humble" constitutional change in the Empire's history!  Emperor Hans-Adam II toasting to all parliamentarians following the largest and most "humble" announcement regarding constitutional change The Emperor convened at the united Imperial Diet, where he announced a groundbreaking change to the constitutional government; "After hours upon hours of discussions with the Federal Council and the State Church along with the Parliament's suggestions, it has been decided that the Co-Monarchs roles, both from my Royal House and the Holy Father, shall once more only retain symbolic roles with the right to "warn and advice ". The Holy Father and I will share our positions of Heads of States with a third one, namely President Charbonnier who shall also be the Head of Government. The rest of the Federal Council will form the Charbonnier Government..." Besides the addition of a third Head of State and reducing the Co-Monarchs' powers, the following changes will be made: - The Legislature will be known as the "Imperial Diet" - The Upper house will be known as the "Senate". Structure & Voting system: 315 elected senators (Plurality voting system) + 5 senators for life "for outstanding merits in the social, scientific, artistic or literary field" - Lower house will be known as the "House of Lords and Commons". Structure and Voting system: 650 elected MPs (Party-list proportional representation), 804 appointed/hereditary/ex officio Lords Temporal and Spiritual consisting of 26 LUAC Bishops and the rest being nobility. Total: 1454 There are many speculations that the Emperor simply gave himself more powers through the coup to make these possible changes to the government, which is now reverting to the old system pre-cold war era, and thus is now satisfied. Finally, the Emperor reassured the citizens that the principles regarding Direct Democracy remain unchanged. "After all, all power should be in the hands of the people...". Edited by Frank Underwood, 1st April 2017 - 07:16 PM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 3rd May 2017 - 11:18 AM Post #23 |
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BREAKING! MAJOR TERRORIST BOMBING ATTACK ON PARLIAMENT CLAIMS NEARLY ENTIRE GOVERNMENT DURING STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS! - OVER 1000 LOST LIVES INCLUDING PRESIDENT CHARBONNIER AND VICE PRESIDENT GAROFALO - EMPRESS CAROLINE DECLARES NEW CONSTITUTION BASED ON ARDA TULUVAN MODEL "FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE PEOPLE" - SECRETARY OF STATE FRANCIS J. UNDERWOOD SWORN IN AS CONSUL Of STATE, SUPREME CORDON OF THE EMPIRE AND EXECUTOR OF THE UNITY PARTY, NOT SEEN SINCE DECADES! - PHUEBRAN TERRORIST GROUP CLAIMS IMMEDIATE RESPONSIBILITY! - CONSUL UNDERWOOD DECLARES TOTAL WAR ON TERRORISTS AND DOUBLE NATIONAL REBUILDING AND NÅ AID EFFORTS! - STATE OF EMERGENCY AND STATE OF MOURNING DECLARED IN ALL STATES FOLLOWING MASS PANIC AND HYSTERIA!  Aftermath of the Parliament Bombing that nearly claimed the entire government Today's bombing occurred today as a catastrophic attack on the Benelux-Helvetican Parliament building during the State of the Union Address given by President Marie Charbonnier. The explosion claimed the lives of over 1000 individuals, including the President and all members of his Cabinet except for B.H. Secretary of State Francis J. Underwood, who had been named the designated survivor alongside CNN ambassador Prince Emmanuel von Waldensteyck-Grimaldi. All members of Congress were also killed in the attack. In addition, it is the greatest attack on the Empire since the 1997 hijacking of the Presidential Air Force One which claimed the lives of many secret service agents and staff members of the President. Empress Caroline of Benelux-Helvetica immediately thereafter announced from a secret yet safe location the decision to implement the old constitution "For the Greater Good of the People" following this horrific incident which is what it should function temporarily as...in theory. One of the designated survivors, Francis J. Underwood, the other being current CNN ambassador Prince Emmanuel von Waldensteyck-Grimaldi, was thus sworn in as Consul of State, Supreme Cordon of the Empire and Executor of the Unity Party. He later gave a speech following the attack citing it as a "day of infamy and great sorrow" and the ones responsible shall "pay swiftly for what've they done, awakening a Giant they shall so regret to have dealing with", alongside promising the public to double the efforts for national unification rebuildment, a thorough and precise investigation to be conducted and double the efforts to increase aid to NÅ as "...as now the BH truly know the feeling of hopelessness and anger". Shortly after 2 BH radicalized caucasian Islamic terrorists released a vid, claiming they're from the terrorist organisation Al-Sakar currently based in Phuebra, citing that this was their doing and is a "revenge to those who enact imperialism without permission in Phuebra and elsewhere", before shocking and disgusting many viewers when they slit the throat of a captured BH hostage. Consul Underwood then released a statement, promising for full retaliation and total war on terror, citing that "Never shall this deed happen to any of our friends and allies again...May those many lost souls never be forgotten and instead be lifted up as great sacrifices towards Fundamentalist Terrorism". All governors on behalf of the Empress and the Consul declared state of emergency and state of mourning in their respective states following mass hysteria and panic among the citizens, with military and police now more than ever flocking every street corner and every little hole in the country side. The investigations by various law enforcement and intelligence agencies have already begun and questions such as to how the terrorists managed to smuggle a bomb undetected inside the parliament are currently unanswered. Stay tuned for more latest about one of the world's most tragic terrorist attacks to have ever occurred... OOC: Release of Al-Sakar vid and Who's truly behind it ;))) |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 5th May 2017 - 09:16 AM Post #24 |
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Consul Underwood's response to EM military intervention: "NÅ's case is ours...Together!"  Consul Francis J. Underwood giving a speech in front of the library erected in his name by the Morelander community in Königsberg, Benelux-Helvetica As of recently, Consul Francis J. Underwood visited little "Moreville", one of Königsberg's main immigrant districts mainly housed by generations of Morelanders, where his intentions were to honor his heritage and show that BH never forgets about its minorities and they themselves never forget about their host country. In the district's square the community decided to erect a library in his name, much to his great humility and emotional state, stating that "It's one of the best gifts a politician can ever attain, and is an evidence towards the fact that I've done everything I can to ensure the comfortability of my kin in BH...". He also made a response to King David of EM's decision to send its aircraft carrier with accompanying ships to Albion for further aid to the continent's stability. "As a Morelander to another Morelander, King David has my utmost respect for this decision to make, which proves to show the true honorable intentions a Morelander always holds no matter what. I deeply thank his majesty for considering us at first, but I must say that BH will survive and manage to overcome this dreadful situation that has befalllen us and I can already tell you that the investigation is still underway, in which I am hopefull that our most experience and competent investigators are working hard so that we all can take part of so many answers to so many questions...Instead, the same number of our naval vessels shall accompany my kinsmen's own; NÅ is in greater mortal peril and it's our sincere intentions that they need all the aid they can get; the naval task force will perform the same duty as the former..." The Empress and Consul Underwood have received lately several foreign officials from different nations following the Parliament bombing, to ensure its friends and allies that one shouldn't be to distrust BH despite the recent bombing, which has put doubt in many's minds as to whether BH's internal security is in actuality secure or not. Edited by Frank Underwood, 5th May 2017 - 09:19 AM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 10th May 2017 - 10:47 AM Post #25 |
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New BHF20 note unveiled by Benelux-Helvetican National Bank  The note has a new design and range of security features. A new BHF20 ($19.90) banknote was introduced by the Benelux-Helvetican National Bank. It remains the same red colour of the previous version but it features an updated design and a range of new security elements. The note will pass into public circulation on May 17, following the new BHF50 notes issued just over a year ago. The old notes will continue to coexist as legal tender before being phased out at an unspecified later date. In terms of design, the new noteexternal link is centred on the theme of “light” and its relationship with creativity and the creative process. On one side is a backdrop showing the Locarno film festival, while on the other we see butterflies, their wings diffracting light into iridescent colours. The note no longer features the portrait of composer Arthur Honegger. The 15 security features include perforated symbols such as the Benelux-Helvetican cross, a globe which changes colour, and infrared and ultraviolet properties. It is printed on an innovative, three-layer substrate material, making it more durable and tear-resistant than traditional banknotes. It is also more difficult to counterfeit. Next in the series The new note is the second to be released in a series that began this time last year with the revised BHF50 bill. The rest are set to follow by 2019, with the next release, the BHF10 note, issued on October 18. The BHF200 bill will be next, followed by BHF1000, and finally the BHF100 note, the most used in the country. It is the ninth time that the National Bank has released a new series, and the first since 1995-1998. The banknotes will all feature the same security updates and core design elements. They are also smaller, which facilitates handling, storage and production costs. Speaking at the unveiling, Jérôme Courdac, Minister of Commerce, Trade & Industry, said feedback from the new notes had thus far been positive. “The public finds the theme and the design appealing and the security features easy to remember,” he said. The designs all fall under the theme of “the many facets of Benelux-Helvetica” and have marked a move away from the depiction of well-known historical personalities. Following the “wind” of the BHF50 note and the “light” of the BHF20, the rest of the series will encompass “time”, “matter”, “language” and “water”. |
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
| Frank Underwood | 20th May 2017 - 11:53 PM Post #26 |
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Edited by Frank Underwood, 21st May 2017 - 08:08 AM.
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The Kingdom of the Confederate States of Orania "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Confederate States of Orania and to the Kingdom for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Factbook Character Guide White House Press Briefings Orania News Centre Selurong - 2ndary nation Military Factbook | |
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^ 4:46 PM Jul 13
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May the force be with you.