3rd Triannual Report of the Eighth Year of Order

[Sir Paul]

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[b]3rd Triannual Report of the Eighth Year of Order[/b]

Delivered on this 27th day of August in the two thousand eleventh year of our LORD, seven years, eleven months and twenty-seven days after the Day of Order.

-----

My Emperor, Imperial Officers, Department Chiefs, and Fellow Members of the Body Republic:

The eighth year of our beloved Order has been a crucible that has removed weakness and impurities from the Body Republic. The eighth year has created bonds of brotherhood. The eighth year, much like the seven before it, brought change. This report chronicles that change and provides the information necessary that in six days time this Order can ensure that we will be ready for the change that comes during our ninth year.

Submitted, here is the result of our efforts this year:

[u][b]Time and Place[/b][/u]

[color=red]"She felt on his trip that every place stirs up an emotion, and every emotion invokes a memory: a time and location. So couldn't she find the Princess now, tonight, just by wandering from place to place and noticing how she feels? A trail of feelings, of awe and inspiration, should lead him to that castle in the future, her arms enclosing her, her scent fills her with excitement, creates a moment so strong she can remember it in the past.

"Immediately Pacifica walked out his door, the next morning, toward whatever the new day held. She felt something like optimism."[/color]

The eighth year is best split up into two segments, antebellum and postbellum. In the antebellum phase, the New Pacific Order grew as a tree, and certain elements felt the need to prune her back, leading to the postbellum phase.

Pacifica celebrated the end of the sixth year with the final payments given to Karma, and the financial resources of Pacifica could again be turned toward her growth. In the first five months, official bank aid topped 11 billion Francos, with 2 billion dedicated to wonder development in small and midsized nations. These investments lead to an increase in NPO military wonder purchases, setting us at the zenith of the world with respect to military wonders.

However, the Doomhouse Aggression unwound some of that work. Consistent with the general decline of planet Bob at the end of Pax Pacifica and its accelerated fall due to the continued mismanagement of global affairs, the Order’s membership (and subsequent wonder levels) were affected. Although we lost ground on SDI and Manhattan Project wonders, the Order has gained ground on all other wonder fronts.

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[i]Pentagons increased by 49 percent this year (table created August 13, 2011)[/i]

It is important to note that given the attention of rebuilding being on infrastructure and the smaller size of our nations, our wonder growth over the next few months may be lower than average, eroding our advantage; though we are still certain to remain amongst the top 3 wonder holders.
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[i]NPO is the top holder in all categories of military wonders except SDI and Fallout Shelters (Table created August 13, 2011)[/i]

Other important projects during this period included providing 900m for the funding of free technology for banks who had participated in the tech portion of the Karma reparations – which was the tail-end of a similar program for every nation of the order, as well as a large aid-fall to our allies in NSO.

The war period saw a complete halt to most economic activity. For the first three months of the conflict, our nations had to rely on what some of their comrades with larger warchests could spare, which made barely around 150m a month available, which was not enough to fill most needs. This shortfall was primarily due to warbanks not being allowed to exit peace-mode. After the latter exited in May as part of the “limited conflict” a large aid-fall of over 800m was made available to our nations, which not only covered all domestic needs, but was also enough to send assistance to our allies in TPF.

The end of the war saw our rebuilding hit the ground running, with an immediate backcollect aid-chain taking advantage of us knowing the end-date in advance. This resulted in a huge jump within the first week; [i]45% of our infra, 18% of our tech and 39% of our NS growth took place in the first 8 days[/i], mostly due to the combination of warchests being poured into rebuilding, and our aid-chain moving 762m within that time.

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[i]Growth of the NPO during the postbellum period[/i]

Following that, the merged economics department was able to use its combined knowledge to jump-start domestic technology production in the face of a severe lack of buyers. A combined total of 1.6bn was sent to procurers by banks, including making banks themselves available as purchasers, a “buy one get one free” deal for domestic buyers, and a refund for pre-war orders. After the start of our nuclear build-up in mid-July and its requirement for bank funding, we changed our policy for dealing with the lack of domestic buyers by outsourcing to friendly alliances, resulting in a cash inflow of about 350m per cycle.

Our Nuclear-Buildup is our current primary cash programme, and will remain so for the next few months. It aims to bring all our MP-holding nations to an infra level where they can build up warchests, buy tech and support their nuclear-arsenal; in essence making them combat-worthy and putting that MP to use.

Since at this moment cash and infrastructure rebuilding are the most pressing needs of the Order, our technology ratios have fallen to below ideal levels. The Economic Cadre is expected to roll out a plan for the eight year to ensure additional balance once current infrastructure needs are met.
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[i]The war harmed NPO technology levels, and our current focus on infrastructure means limited technology at the current time[/i]

On the administrative side, the merged department has completely reworked its auditing practices for banks and procurers, making use of new coding to improve efficiency and cut down on workloads. We have also seen a large number of new hirings at front-line level as well as new middle-leadership, with 4 of our pre-war directors being replaced.

With respect to current score standings as compared other sanctioned alliances, the New Pacific Order remains in the third tier.

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[i]Unlike other alliances, the NPO does not need to merge to stay sanctioned.[/i]

[u][b] Time and Decision[/b][/u]

[color=red]"She never understood the impulses that drove him, never quite felt the intensity that, over time, chiseled lines into his face. She never quite felt close enough to him - but he held her as though she were, whispered into her ear words that only a soul mate should receive."[/color]

Drawn closer to Pacifica this year was The Imperial Order. TIO signed an Optional Defense Pact, and then a Mutual Defense Optional Aggression Pact with Lady Pacifica. The Foreign Affairs Cadre and the Body Republic have found that membership and government was very friendly and active in communication, and both alliances agreed that formal military bonds were appropriate to mark the friendship.

[color=red]"Over the remnants of dinner, they both knew the time had come. He would have said: 'I have to go find the Princess,' but he didn't need to. Giving a final kiss, hoisting a travel bag to his shoulder, he walked out the door. Through all the nights that followed, she still loved him as though he had stayed, to comfort her and protect her, Princess be damned."[/color]

The New Pacific Order, as the lighthouse shining across the darkness, has those who enter her harbor and those who leave. The seventh year has seen alliances be drawn toward our port, and those who have chosen a different way. This year we bid bon voyage to two alliances, having ended formal defensive relations with the Legion and the New Sith Order. Although we parted ways for different reasons, we wish both alliances smooth sailing.

[b][u]Time and Forgiveness[/b][/u]

[color=red]“Pacifica is off on a search to rescue the Princess. She has been snatched by a horrible and evil monster. This happened because Pacifica made a mistake. Not just one. She made many mistakes during the time they spent together, all those years ago. Memories of their relationship have become muddled, replaced wholesale, but one remains clear: the princess turning sharply away, her braid lashing at him with contempt.

“She knows she tried to be forgiving, but who can just shrug away a guilty lie, a stab in the back? Such a mistake will change a relationship irreversibly, even if we have learned from the mistake and would never repeat it. The princess's eyes grew narrower. She became more distant. Our world, with its rules of causality, has trained us to be miserly with forgiveness. By forgiving them too readily, we can be badly hurt. But if we've learned from a mistake and became better for it, shouldn't we be rewarded for the learning, rather than punished for the mistake?

“What if our world worked differently? Suppose we could tell her: 'I didn't mean what I just said,' and she would say: 'It's okay, I understand,' and she would not turn away, and life would really proceed as though we had never said that thing? We could remove the damage but still be wiser for the experience.”[/color]

Unfortunately, we can never to forget the past, but we do know what happens if one does not forgive the past. The Foreign Affairs cadre has asked that I specifically recognize those who have worked to come and find out if Pacifica has taken the learning to heart:

Of Non Grata: jgator, Hurricane, and Stewie
Of GOONS: Mandozer and Sardonic
Of Mostly Harmless Alliance: Gon
Of R&R: DemonSpawn
Of GATO: Letub, Timlee, Laserwold and Kublakhan
Of LoSS: Andy2tk
Of IRON: MCRABT and Mia
Of Valhalla: Keshav
Of FEAR: Razor and TheDon125

[u][b]Time and Mystery[/b][/u]

[color=red]“For a long time, he thought they had been cultivating the perfect relationship. He had been fiercely protective, reversing all his mistakes so they would not touch her. Likewise, keeping a tight rein on her own mistakes, Pacifica always pleased him.

“But to be fully couched within the comfort of a friend is a mode of existence with severe implications. To please you perfectly, she must understand you perfectly. Thus you cannot defy her expectations or escape her reach. Her benevolence has circumscribed you, and your life's achievements will not reach beyond the map she has drawn."[/color]

Taking up the Mantle of Responsibility in the eighth year:

Mary the Fantabulous: Ascended to Emperor March 30, 2011
Brehon: Ascended to Regent March 31, 2011
Iamthey, Imperial Officer of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, October 29th, 2010
Farrin, Imperial Officer of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, July 20th, 2011

[color=red]“He needed to be non-manipulable. He needed a hope of transcendence. He needed, sometimes, to be immune to Pacifica’s caring touch.

"Off in the distance, He saw a castle where the flags flutter even when the wind has expired, and the bread in the kitchen is always warm. A little bit of magic."[/color]

Retiring the Mantle of Responsibility in the Eighth Year:

Cortath, Emperor Emeritus as of March 30, 2011
Iamthey, Imperial Officer of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, May 22nd, 2011.
Vektor-Zero, Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, July 8, 2008 to July 20th, 2011.

[u][b]Hesitance[/b][/u]

[color=red]"Perhaps in a perfect world, the ring would be a symbol of happiness. It's a sign of ceaselessness devotion: even if he will never find the Princess, he will always be trying. He still will wear the ring.

"But the thing makes its presence known. It shines out to others like a beacon of warning. It makes people slow to approach. Suspicion, distrust. Interactions are torpedoed before nations of the Body Republic can open their mouths.

"In time they learn to deal with the others carefully. They match their hesitant pace, tracing a soft path through their defenses."[/color]

Despite the hardships of devotion to Pacifica, the Body Republic wears their membership with pride. Over the year Media has produced total of 32 written publication. Graphics has put together 32 internal projects including tags, skins, and propaganda as well as 130 individual requests for member and visitors to our boards. They've also organized and implemented the Signature of the Week competition. Our DJs have played over 622 hours worth of music on Radio Free Pacifica while our Wiki Department has completed 72 total projects.

Those actions help inspire people to wear the ring, and the recruiter corps sending 191,381 messages and brought to our alliance 683 applications. They also recently won an inter-alliance competition with RnR, TIO, Invicta and TPF. The Order won with 41, narrowly beating RnR with 37. TIO had 33 and Invicta and TPF had 4 and 2 respectively. The top recruiters in our alliance were Dany2j (7 app), Morey (5 apps) and babyslate, King Brandon, W@ffle (4 apps each).

Despite efforts to the contrary, people see the Good in the Order. They see the light in dark places. They see the possibility inherent in every Pacifican.

[u][b]Epilogue[/b][/u]

[color=red] "He cannot say he understood all of this. Possibly he's more confused now than ever. But all these moments he's contemplated — something has occurred. The moments feel substantial in his mind, like stones. Kneeling, reaching down toward the closest one, running his hand across it, he finds it smooth, and slightly cold.

"He tests the stone's weight; he finds he can lift it, and the others too. He can fit them together to create a foundation, and embankment, a castle.

"To build a castle of appropriate size, he will need a great many stones. But what he's got, now, feels like an acceptable start."[/color]

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[i]Imperator Populusque Pacifica[/i]

Imperial Clerk Sir Paul
New Pacific Order

[color=red]EDIT August 28, 2011: Minor spelling changes, altered text color due to copyright infringement[/color]

Edited August 28, 2011 by Sir Paul

[The Pansy]

Congratulations on another year, and thank you for the opening of your borders to trades of Tech.
Best of luck on your rebuilding too.

Baka

[President S O]

Congratulations on the rebuilding. Pretty solid tech increase if you ask me.

Further congratulations to those ascending to an IO role.

Oh yeah, thanks for the tech.

o/

[Timberland]

Congrats Pacifica on the producing of all those wonders. Good luck on your FA's also.

JJ
Bruce

[Brenann]

O/ [i]The[/i] Order

Been a fun ride so far and it is only looking better!

[Lord Caparo]

Good Luck NPO, hope you guys can keep on riding the growth

o/ NPO
o/


~ Razor

[MinuteVariance]

Congrats NPO - I hope that the future brings us even closer.

[jgator]

Congrats on the growth, keep it up.

o/ the [s]Unwelcome[/s] New Pacific Order

[Rebel Virginia]

[color="#0000FF"]Congratulations on another year. Though I do hope you once again that sitting on your hands will not help your situation. Oh, how I miss the Old NPO.

And if you do not mind my asking, what is with the blue text?[/color]

[Letum]

[quote name='Rebel Virginia' timestamp='1314501420' post='2789693']
[color="#0000FF"]And if you do not mind my asking, what is with the blue text?[/color]
[/quote]

We wanted some pretty text to differentiate those portions, and blue is a pretty color?

[wickedj]

itt: RV files suit against NPO for copyright infringement. Hope NPO has a good copyright lawyer

[Ashoka the Great]

[quote name='Sir Paul' timestamp='1314493980' post='2789634']
Unfortunately, we can never to forget the past, but we do know what happens if one does not forgive the past. The Foreign Affairs cadre has asked that I specifically recognize those who have worked to come and find out if Pacifica has taken the learning to heart:

Of Non Grata: jgator, Hurricane, and Stewie
Of GOONS: Mandozer and Sardonic
Of Mostly Harmless Alliance: Gon
Of R&R: DemonSpawn
Of GATO: Letub, Timlee, Laserwold and Kublakhan
Of LoSS: Andy2tk
Of IRON: MCRABT and Mia
Of Valhalla: Keshav
Of FEAR: Razor and TheDon125
[/quote]

Presumably you were more polite toward them than you were toward Nordreich. Our efforts to mend fences were met by lies, insults and derision.

So understand that when we call you a pack of two-faced liars, no, we are not harking back to some distant, pre-Karma past. Not that anyone besides Schattenmann actually believes this....

[Rebel Virginia]

[quote name='Ashoka the Great' timestamp='1314502998' post='2789709']
Presumably you were more polite toward them than you were toward Nordreich. Our efforts to mend fences were met by lies, insults and derision.

So understand that when we call you a pack of two-faced liars, no, we are not harking back to some distant, pre-Karma past. Not that anyone besides Schattenmann actually believes this....
[/quote]
[color="#0000FF"]Actually, I do believe you when you say your differences with Pacifica are unrelated to the pre-Karma era. I do believe that NPO continues to feel that it did no wrong, not that I can't forgive them for that stubbornness. But if they are too shallow for even an empty apology they are not the NPO I once loved. A shame too, that was a good alliance. What they are today is but a poor mockery.[/color]

[Brenann]

[quote name='Ashoka the Great' timestamp='1314502998' post='2789709']
Presumably you were more polite toward them than you were toward Nordreich. Our efforts to mend fences were met by lies, insults and derision.

So understand that when we call you a pack of two-faced liars, no, we are not harking back to some distant, pre-Karma past. Not that anyone besides Schattenmann actually believes this....
[/quote]
You will always continue to think what [b]you[/b] want about us. The current people in contact from NoR with NPO are pretty cool. It seems there was only an issue when you show up.

And RV, just because we dont copy you on our internal governmental workings does not mean that the NPO is sitting on their hands. Again you fit into that nice little box with KZ, you will think what you want and spew what you want whether its true or not.

[Rebel Virginia]

[quote name='Brenann' timestamp='1314503883' post='2789721']
You will always continue to think what [b]you[/b] want about us. The current people in contact from NoR with NPO are pretty cool. It seems there was only an issue when you show up.

And RV, just because we dont copy you on our internal governmental workings does not mean that the NPO is sitting on their hands. Again you fit into that nice little box with KZ, you will think what you want and spew what you want whether its true or not.
[/quote]
[color="#0000FF"]Cry me a river lollipop. I defended you after Karma for well over a year, despite my better judgment, and for no good reason. I defended you in good faith, with the hope that NPO would get its affairs in order and reemerge as the alliance it should be. What a disappoint you were, and still are.

And before you try talking down to me, remember I am of the breed that made the NPO what it once was. You and your current bunch, all unworthy. Cronies, incompetents, and hacks. I've got more wit and cunning in my little finger than you've in that entire little clique of your Imperial Officers. The same is true of nearly every member of the NSO. We're what the NPO was once, and what it should be now.

I won't say NPO is without its talent. It is full of it. Your middle government has some of the best people out there, but you'll work them and never reward them. They'll leave for greener pastures. Some place where their hard work will pay off, and some place where a hack like Umbrae or Koona will take credit for all their work. It is amazing the amount of talent that comes and goes through NPO. If you got rid of the fools at your top right now and filled it with capable people you'd be in a better position than you are.

I understand it has been years since I was last in the NPO, but I do not need you telling me every detail of what is going on. I know enough to understand that the same problems that plagued you back when you chased me out are still unresolved.The faces might change, but NPO stays the same.

Blame the rest of the world for all your misfortune and woes if you must. Continuing your refusal to take a good hard look at yourself and do what needs to be done is only going to continue your decline.[/color]

[Letum]

[quote name='Ashoka the Great' timestamp='1314502998' post='2789709']
Our efforts to mend fences were met by lies, insults and derision.
[/quote]

"Lies, insults and derision" tend to describe your interactions with the Order more than the opposite.

Funnily enough, as soon as Nordreich sent in representatives who did not try to talk down to us and pretend your aggression held some kind of higher moral ground, and who did not blatantly lie about their intentions, our conversation turned perfectly fine.

Despite your best efforts to portray us as such, the NPO is not some vengeful hate machine that will froth at the mouth at the sight of former enemies. If we were, we would not be making the diplomatic strides we have with Doomhouse, who were far more involved in our misfortune than your peripheral role. However, that relationship has been characterized by the ability of people to have honest and straightforward conversations, whereas, until very recently, your "mending" efforts consisted of taunts, attempts to score political points, and hiding behind the word "agreement" whenever faced with any responsibility for your attack. And whilst the rest of NoR has finally gone beyond that behavior, you specifically seem to remain grounded in the past.

Your alliance isn't something special to merit the Order's ire. Only genuine effort yields genuine results.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Letum

[Timur]

Godspeed boys.

[Enrage]

Congrats on your success.

[Kalasin]

Congratulations NPO. Eight years is a long time and with the current state of affairs your future prospects look better than they have been since Karma.

[Crymson]

[quote name='Sir Paul' timestamp='1314493980' post='2789634']
Vektor-Zero, Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, July 8, 2008 to July 20th, 2011.
[/quote]

While I congratulate you on your achievements as an alliance, the inclusion of Vektor on this list seems empty in light of the numerous times your Regent has slandered him behind his back---even more so because Vektor's chief crime, in your Regent's eyes, was leaving the NPO. One would think that Vektor deserves better after his years of hard work in service of your alliance.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Crymson

[Horatio Longworth]

Long may the Order live. o/

[Dan100]

o/ Pacifica

[Farrin Xies]

There were far too many people from far too many alliances to list for me to sufficiently give shout-outs to. I've been welcome at almost every alliance I've endeavored to open a dialogue with, and I am thankful for that. There are still come great people across Planet Bob.

o/ NPO!

[Madd]

o/ New Pacific Order

[Charles Stuart]

Mess with RV and he shall smite thee.