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As a preface: Karyo Gama, I'm not trying to single you out here or ascribe all of the following sentiments to you. Just using your post as a jumping-off point to say something I've already more or less said on Discord.
I continue to be disturbed by the style of rhetoric I see around this issue. For example, while I understand the reason for the linguistic choice of "Zionists" in preference to "Israelis" or "Jews" - which would be much too broad! - that term is also used by anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists. When people refer to "the Zionists" like they're part of an enemy camp, that concerns me.
It's also not a particularly apt term here, since Zionism incorporates a lot more than the question of an Israeli state and also does NOT inherently include support of Israeli policies in/takeover of Palestine. When people in the current debate talk about "Zionism" like it's the enemy, it also leaves some (intentional??) ambiguity about what THEY mean by Zionism. Israeli settlers in Palestine? The existence of Israel itself?
I'm confused about why you would say Israel would never support a two-state solution, when Palestinians have more than once rejected such a solution, most notably after the Camp David Summit in 2000.
I also don't like the insistent language I see everywhere about "colonizers" and "settler-colonialists," and especially when it's tied to the sentiment that, well, sure, violence is bad and all, but what can you expect when you're being oppressed by colonizers? It seems dehumanizing, like calling cops "pigs" or illegal immigrants "illegals." It seems designed to erase all nuance from the discussion, when the situation is a lot less simple than just "oppressors vs. oppressed."
None of this is intended to take away from the fact that Israel's response to the October attack is wrong. I don't think anybody, at least in Forest, disputes that.
I would just ask people to consider their language a little bit more carefully, to consider what impact their words might have on Jewish people reading them, to consider whether their language might unintentionally encourage anti-Semitism, and to remember that this is a nuanced situation with humans AND bad behavior on BOTH sides.
Einswenn, Rhodevus, Calenmor, Jutsa, and 7 othersAtsvea, Ruinenlust, Window Land, McClandia Doge 2, Zerphen, Nordustra, and Greater Morvonia
Thank you for posting this.
Honestly, when I see such debates with intentionally chosen [label] words that define the camp of the person, I just skip reading or listening to them any further since those are radically biased and in fact aren't open to dialogue. Be that antisemites, homophobes, general racists, or anyone else who chooses aggressive phrasing with certain words, not so rarely dogwhistles.
I stand with Israelis who support peace and cooperation, and I stand with Palestinians who also support peace and cooperation. After reading and hearing too much about this conflict, I don’t need anything else to be proven to me anymore since everything else takes the world further from said peace and cooperation.
Esterild, Rhodevus, Calenmor, Ownzone, and 4 othersAtsvea, McClandia Doge 2, Zerphen, and Greater Morvonia
I think it's dubious at best to argue that use of the word Zionism is a dogwhistle. It's the same as the OK hand sign meme.
Obviously the actual Nazis are going to pick widely-used terms to argue their point/identify each other/etc. It's a deliberate tactic. That doesn't mean we should retreat into ever-smaller subsets of human behaviour in order to avoid "doing what the Nazis do". That's their goal. That's how they win.
If the normal humans start talking in circles and avoiding language, the actual Nazis get to say "Look at me, I can just tell it how it is. They're persecuting me for using $normal_word, they're the real bad guys."
Thank you Zerphen! Very excited to work with you, Garbelia, and Anxious and Kevin to get our region's dispatches in order and looking nice.
Also super excited to take on the role of Librarian and get the Forest library up and running again. I'll be sure to post here in the RMB as work on that progresses.
Esterild, Verdant Haven, Calenmor, Jutsa, and 5 othersAtsvea, Ruinenlust, McClandia Doge 2, Zerphen, and Garbelia
It is helpful to have a word for the Jewish nationalist movement that seeks a Jewish state in the lands associated with the Biblical kingdom of Israel. If you go to an encyclopedia you'll find that the word is Zionism.
It's true that the word can be misused, sometimes as an insult with antisemitic overtones, but that doesn't strip the term of meaning. American conservatives often incorrectly describe things they don't like as socialist or communist, relying on those terms having negative connotations of the USSR and/or lack of patriotism. That's unfortunate, but it doesn't change the fact that socialism and communism are meaningful terms when used correctly.
The idea of a state that's primarily for people of a particular ethnic group is deeply troubling, especially when lots of people who aren't members of that group live within the state's borders. This is what we need to be talking about, and it doesn't help if naming it is considered negative labelling or antisemitism.
There is indeed a lot of nuance and many grey areas in the Israel/Palestine question. What's been going on in Gaza these last few months is not nuanced or complex, however. A whole population is being indiscriminately killed and systematically starved. The historical precedent is not so much Apartheid as the Holocaust, and I don't mean that as hyperbole. The similarity of recent events to the liquidation of the ghettos is hard to deny.
So let's not get too lost in "well, it's complicated" and "there's fault on both sides." Whatever longterm political settlement comes after, the current situation is not complicated, and it needs to stop now.
~~Forest Trivia Week Seven~~ |
And another week is done!
Week Six! Thank you to all the people who have participated in any week and especially those who have participated in all the weeks! I really appreciate it and I hope you have fun...
Anyway...
Congratulations to 
Atsvea for getting 6 out of 6 this week! It's proving to be a tight run race between Atsvea and 
Verdant Haven at the top but there's still plenty of time to catch up for others!
Thankfully life has cleared up a bit for me so I'll try and get prizes going again very soon for Week 8 - another bumper edition!
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Without further ado, here are the answers for week six -
Forest Trivia Week Six
.
Question 1 -
What is the connection between these four seemingly random clues?
- Bar
- Can
- Truck
- Sorry
Answer 1 -
- Answer = They are all Vehicles with their first letter changed
- Other Accepted Answers = Anything like the above...
- Will NOT accept = Anything else, lol
Question 2 -
What is the connection between these four seemingly random clues?
- Forest
- The Rejected Realms
- Hell
- The MT Army
Answer 2 -
- Answer = They have all been commended by the Security Council
- Other Accepted Answers = Points for creativity for Aequus "their banners contain one of the four classic elements". Not exactly what I was looking for but I'm feeling kind today :)
- Will NOT accept = N/A
Question 3 -
What would come 4th in this sequence?
- Helium
- Neon
- Argon
- ?
Answer 3 -
- Answer = Krypton
- Explanation = These are the noble gases on the periodic table in order from the smallest atom getting larger...
- Will NOT accept = Anything else
Question 4 -
What would come 4th in this sequence?
- Qin
- Zhou
- Shang
- ?
Answer 4 -
- Answer = Xia
- Explanation = These are the first dynasties of China in order from the 4th to 1st
- Other Accepted Answers = N/A
- Will NOT accept = N/A
Question 5; DOUBLE POINTS! -
What would come 4th in this sequence?
- Beijing
- Kinshasa
- New Delhi
- ?
Answer 5 -
- Answer = Tokyo
- Explanation = They are the most populous capital cities in order (with Beijing the most populous)
- Other Accepted Answers = N/A
- Will NOT accept = Anything else...
Aequus (Wintreath)
Aequus (Wintreath)
Logophilia Lyricalia(Haiku)
Kissinger-Monroe (TBOTCOER)
Wan Nyan (Yggdrasil)
Texas Jaguarundi (Texas/Forest)
The Washington Federation (TRTHNBB)
Almonaster Nuevo (Canada)
America the Greater (TRTHNBB)
Krayo29 (TRTHNBB)
Macrasetia (XKI)
South Miruva (TLA)
Szaki (Canada)
Orcuo (TRR)
New United Common-lands (TRTHNBB)
MountAye (Philosophers)
Forest Trivia Competition Leaderboard | Week Six |
6 out of 6 | |
5 out of 6 | |
4.5 out of 6 | |
2 out of 6 |
Forest Trivia Competition Leaderboard | Overall Leaderboard |
23.5 | |
23 | |
18.5 | |
17 | |
15 | |
15 | |
14 | |
13 | |
12 | |
11.5 | |
11.5 | |
11 | |
11 | |
10.5 | |
9 | |
8.5 | |
8 | |
7 | |
6.5 | |
6.5 | |
6 | |
5 | |
5 | |
4 | |
4 | |
3 | |
3 | |
3 | |
2.5 | |
2 | |
1 |
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And here are the questions for week seven! -
Forest Trivia Week Seven
.
Question 1 -
What is the connection between these four seemingly random clues?
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Cricket
- Lacrosse
- Tug-of-war
Question 2 -
What is the connection between these four seemingly random clues?
- Teach Addition
- Teach In America
- Super Unusual
- Armchair Antics
Question 3 -
What would come 4th in this sequence?
- Socrates
- Plato
- Aristotle
- ?
Question 4 -
What would come 4th in this sequence?
- Johann II
- Rama IX
- Elizabeth II
- ?
Question 5; DOUBLE POINTS! -
What would come 4th in this sequence?
- London - Perth
- Auckland - Doha
- Newark - Singapore
- ?
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And a reminder of the rules as per usual -
Forest Trivia Rules
.
Trivia Rules
The questions will be released every Saturday
These questions will be in the style of the popular quiz show, Only Connect
I shall post the dispatch with the questions in on the RMB
From that point onwards everyone, residents of forest or embassy regions, has One Week to answer the questions
Answers Must be submitted by Telegram
Only Telegram submissions will be accepted. Any answers posted on the RMB will be suppressed.
ABSOLUTELY NO GOOGLING OF ANSWERS IS ALLOWED if you are suspected of googling, a point will be deducted. Repeat offenders will have more severe sanctions
ABSOLUTELY NO USAGE OF AI IS ALLOWED if you are suspected of using AI, a point will be deducted. Repeat offenders will have more severe sanctions
Results
After the week has concluded, I shall release the answers to the previous week's questions in the same dispatch.
There will also be explanations as to how you could have reached the answers, in case anyone is interested
Alongside this, there shall be a two leaderboards compiled. One weekly leaderboard and one overall leaderboard.
Prizes!
The person(s) who get the most correct answers each week will share the "prize pot" equally which shall be equal to 20.00 DV
At the end of each month, the person at the top of the overall leaderboard shall receive a legendary!
The person who is at the top of the overall leaderboard at the end of the term, shall receive a grand prize of 5 legendaries!
Helpful Tips
If you don't know the answer, just have a guess! There's no harm in having an educated guess, you might just be right!
Watch out for a word question! If the clues seem so random that you just can't find a connection, it could be that it's a word question! The words themselves could be the connection!
If you aren't sure about the answer to the question, when you're submitting them, try to explain your thinking to me! If your thinking is correct but you don't quite get the answer, you'll get half of a point. They all count in the long run!
Take your time! There's no rush... You have a week to answer the questions so you have plenty of time to think and trivialise!
And most importantly...
Have fun!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~Forest Poetry Fantasia~~ |
A reminder that there's only a WEEK LEFT to submit poems for our Forest Poetry Fantasia... We're still yet to have any submissions from Forest so if you're feeling creative, give it a go!
Here's the dispatch with all the information you need -
Forest Poetry Fantasia
.
|
Poetry has been a form of sharing stories since the beginning of time. In the 3rd millennium BCE, the oldest surviving poem was written - "The Epic of Gilgamesh". This ignited a spark which led to some of the most famous poems ever, such as Homer's "The Odyssey" and "The Iliad", being written.
As empires fell and new languages were developed, poetry remained an integral part of culture. Poetry became a way of recording history and sharing tales of gods and goddesses. Poets would often share their epics at large gatherings and festivals where hundreds of people would come to listen. Throughout time, poetry has continued to be a way of bringing people together, particularly in the Roman times when poems would be recited in front of thousands in famous amphitheatres.
Fast forward a few thousand years and poetry has evolved from the epics of old to the shorter forms which we know and love today. It's these shorter forms which we are celebrating in this competition. We invite everyone across the NationStates community to channel their creativity and let their imagination run wild!
Format
- The competition shall start on 5th May
- Participants have until the 21st May to submit their poems
- The results will be announced on the 26th May
Categories
- Haiku
- A Haiku is a poem that comprises of seventeen syllables across three lines. With line one having 5 syllables, line two 7 syllables and line three having 5 syllables.
- Although Haikus traditionally are about the natural world, your Haiku can be about whatever you wish
- Freeverse
- A freeverse (or freeform) poem is a poem that has no set structure or length, no consistent rhyme scheme and no set metrical pattern. In other words, you can do whatever you like!
- Your freeverse poem can be about anything you like! This is more of an open category for you to let your thoughts run wild
- The Environment
- This can be in any form you want! The choice is entirely yours!
- The only requirement for this category is that it must be about the environment. You could write about anything from forests to mountains, from pigeons to cheetahs! It's completely up to you! Let your imagination run wild!
- Vision
- Again, this can be in any form you want! The choice is entirely yours!
- The only requirement for this category is it must be about vision. This is a broad topic so let your imagination run wild! You could write about what you see, visions of the future, how lucky we are to be able to see, perhaps even Eurovision! There are no constraints and with such a broad topic, I'm sure you could write a moving poem...
Submissions
- Participants can submit a maximum of 5 poems across the 4 categories
- However, each participants may submit only 2 haikus
- Participants do not have to submit all their poems at once. You can submit them one at a time if you so wish!
- To submit a poem(s), participants should telegram Forest Poetry Judge. You can either attach a dispatch with the poem(s) in or write out the poem(s) in the telegram - either is fine...
- All poems shall be proudly displayed in a dispatch throughout the event
- The deadline to submit poems is 21st May
Judging
- All poems shall be judged based on three criteria by a panel of 7 judges, comprised of forestians and foreign trees alike...
- Each of the three criteria shall be marked out of 10, with each poem receiving an overall total out of 30. The criteria are as follows:
- Effectiveness
- How effectively is the point gotten across?
- Is it clear what the poem is talking about?
- Are there certain techniques the writer has used to get the point across?
- Thought
- How much thought has been put into writing the poem?
- Has the writer thought about the words they have used?
- If there is a rhyme scheme, are the rhyming couplets forced?
- Has the writer included any literary techniques?
- Resonance
- Has the writer thoughtfully used literary techniques to make the point more meaningful?
- Is the poem moving in any way? Does it resonate with the reader?
Judges
We're still waiting on confirmation from a few judges from our embassy regions but here are the judges we have so far -
Our esteemed Forest Keeper... Having been hailed as a "literary genius" by all, Zerphen is a great choice to be on this judging panel. |
An ex-Forest Keeper and our current Deputy Forest Keeper! There are rumours that Garbelia may be a direct descendent of William Shakespeare! Those literary skills have definitely passed on through the generations and that's why Garbelia is an integral part of the judging panel... |
They're not a Forest Keeper, or a "literary genius" BUT they do have an 8 at English GCSE. And that's why they are the best, worst part of this judging panel... |
The Region That Has No Big Banks's foreign minister and chess master. Their poem "Back to Banks" has been lauded as one of the best poems of the 21st century by many and that is why we are honoured to have them on our judging panel. |
Rules
As with all great writing comes a few rules...
- Participants must write the poems themselves. NO AI SHALL BE ALLOWED, it won't help you anyway and ruins the point of the event...
- Do not plagiarise the work of others
- Keep all writing PG-13, in line with NationStates's T&Cs
- And most importantly, Have fun!
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Good luck for all the competitions running!
Have a great day...
Esterild, Jutsa, Atsvea, Zerphen, and 3 othersFurilisca, Greater Morvonia, and Forest Arboretum
I have appeared out of nowhere.
Esterild, Calenmor, Atsvea, and Greater Morvonia
hows it here?
Silence in the Court: Columbiqash's Latest Legal Drama Sees Key Witness Zip Lips, Lawyers Bark Louder Than Their Pets
In a high-stakes courtroom drama that could rival any episode of a legal TV show, Columbiqash witnessed an intriguing spectacle in its justice system this past week. Suspected gangster Nelson Stark, called upon as a key witness in a notorious murder trial, chose a path of complete silence on the stand, sparking a fiery debate among legal experts and animal interruptions alike.
Prosecutor Jason 'Obese Man' McCabe, known for his straightforward approach and bulldog—both metaphorical and literal—argued passionately for the obligation of a witness to testify fully and truthfully. "You can only incriminate yourself if you’ve done something wrong!" McCabe thundered in court, his sentiments echoed by the aggressive tugs of his pet bulldog.
On the other side of the courtroom, defense lawyer Reese L. Woods advocated fiercely for the protection against self-incrimination, a principle she described as a cornerstone of justice in Columbiqash. Woods, accompanied by her feisty chihuahua, contended that forcing Stark to speak could lead to an unintended self-incrimination about unrelated crimes. “It would be a serious injustice if the law allowed someone who isn’t even on trial to cut his throat with his own tongue,” she argued, her statement punctuated by the protective yips of her canine companion.
Adding to the courtroom's unique challenges was Justice Bahamen’s deadpan interruption to address the canine chaos, ordering the removal of the spirited pets while also suggesting a novel approach to testimonial evidence: "We listen to what they say, but promise to forget whatever they’ve told us as soon as the case is over."
This case highlights the delicate balance Columbiqashian courts must maintain between uncovering the truth and protecting individual rights. While the legal battle rages on, one thing remains clear: court cases in Columbiqash often involve more than just legal arguments—they include a fair share of lawyers shouting questions at witnesses, who respond with nothing more than silent shrugs. As the nation watches this legal drama unfold, many are left wondering whether the scales of justice favor speech or silence.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for how testimonial evidence is treated in future trials, not just in Columbiqash but potentially setting a precedent that resonates beyond its borders. Meanwhile, the national currency—the footprint—might not buy silence, but in Columbiqash's courts, it appears to be a heavily traded commodity.
Judicial Fashion Faux Pas: Late Judge Sparks Courtroom Couture Controversy
In an unprecedented courtroom spectacle yesterday, a local court in Columbiqash found itself in the midst of chaos as jurors, plaintiffs, and defendants were left waiting for over five hours due to the judge's delayed arrival. The incident, which resulted in the jury reconvening this morning to charge the judge with contempt of court and criminal negligence, has ignited a fierce national debate on the state of the judiciary and the potential solutions to address its shortcomings.
"I’m being disgraced!" lamented the judge, who arrived late. "The public boos me even though I was on the other side of Columbiqash yesterday morning doing another case! The statistics are dire, President Maya Mayor. There are not enough judges for a country of our size, and we’re spread too thin. You need to appoint more colleagues for me on the bench. And while you’re at it, get me a pardon already."
The judge's plea highlights a growing concern over the scarcity of national magistrates throughout Columbiqash, a sentiment echoed by many within the political establishment. However, opinions on how to remedy the situation remain divided.
"I agree that more judges should be appointed, but how do we know they are not just motivated by power?" inquired the President's lawyer while fixing her suit. "Judges should be selected randomly like juries are. The only difference is that those who could be picked should be limited to lawyers and people who actually know how the law works. When a trial needs to take place, nearby people that fit the qualifications can be summoned and chosen from. I’ll take an oath that nothing could ever go wrong."
Contrastingly, Eobard Janeway, a noted anarchist, decried the entire judicial system as an unjust use of brute force, dramatically setting a judge's robes ablaze. "No, no, no, no, no! These are horrible ideas! Abolish the judicial system and free us from the tyranny you politicians label ‘law’."
Adding a twist to the debate, Kimberly Pushkin, the Minister of Defense, proposed a militarized approach to judicial proceedings. "Our valiant military officers should have no trouble disposing of court cases in lieu of overworked judges. That way, the courts will be under strict orders from you to do the job properly. And if people complain about it, why, it would be a jolly good workout for me to step in and convince them that it’s okay."
Amidst the clamor, Piers Wong, the Minister of Anger Management, vehemently opposed any systemic changes. "You don’t need to change anything. The only thing that should be replaced is that incompetent judge who arrived late! Fire the crook and replace him with someone that actually wants to take the job seriously!"
President Maya Mayor sided with the judge, advocating for an increase in judicial appointments to alleviate the burden on the current magistrates. "Judicial robes are the country's hottest fashion trend," quipped the President. "Let's ensure we have enough judges to keep this trend alive and well."
As the nation watches this courtroom drama unfold, the discourse on how to effectively manage Columbiqash's judicial system continues, with the promise of changes on the horizon.
News Template Here: page=dispatch/id=1937790
Maya Mayor Writes GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-TEsThLzsy-maya-mayor-decides
If this was already posted I apologize, but here is an updated USDA map for potentially successful gardening. With this tool you can see how climate change has affected the likelihood of certain plans being successful in your area:
https://apps.npr.org/plant-hardiness-garden-map/
Both an interesting look into climate change, and a helpful gardening tool.
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