Worse Than Dictatorship

[hawk11]

Since the beginning of Palintine's existence, the field of politics has always been a strange place. The very foundation of the government system is dictatorship, yet the dictator himself willing does not wield his power. The senate which was not originally in the constitution handles all of Palintine's operations, except for matters when the dictator feels he should weigh-in. Since the establishment of the nation, there has been a growing rift between the senate and the prime minister, the executive. Senators feel that since the senate is ruling the nation a majority of the time, the prime minister should lose his executive power and become part of the legislator. The prime minister, however, believes everything is moving along swimmingly (except for those few times he had to interfere with senatorial matters) and that people should stop waking him up so early to discuss the matter.

It is exactly for this reason that Senator Kim Shi-won formed the senatorial party, a party that since its inception has been seeking to undermine the authority of the prime minister and replace the clearly broken system with one of senatorial supremacy. The reigning party, the minister's party, consisting of the prime minister himself and senators in support of the old system, and the senatorial party have been at odds with each other since the senatorial party's inception. It recently came to the point where the two parties held equal power within the senate. Instead of seeking to compromise on issues, the senate preferred partisan politics despite the founders' of Palintine's warning against partisan politics.

The result of the clashing within the senate are obvious if one looks at the nation's recent progress. The nation has fallen on severe economic hard times. National infrastructure has fallen into disrepair, and the private sector cannot keep maintaining itself while the government faffs about in its own affairs. Businesses losing money in Palintine have threatened to pull themselves out and move to better land in Japan, and the value of the jongo (J) has fallen to its lowest point in history. During all of this time, the prime minister chose to let the senate work out its own problems. When asked to comment, he said "The senate should be more than capable to fix this mess if it puts aside its trivial partisan politics."

Upon this comment, the prime minister's approval rating plummeted. Senators in the senatorial party began to pin the entire crisis on the minister. The media quickly jumped on board, as did the citizens once the message was bombarding them at every turn. The senate soon called for the prime minister's resignation, citing the economic downturn as his fault. Soon the prime minister came under blame for everything under the sun, including the recent spike in crime rates and divorce. The minister had enough. He called for an immediate meeting of the senate the next day.

Edited May 18, 2009 by hawk_11

[Firestorm]

(OOC: I can wipe this coming post if you want. Just let me know)

*wiped

Edited May 18, 2009 by Firestorm

[hawk11]

Broadcast transcript

The event was televised on all national networks, as well as at least one international network. The senatorial chambers were abuzz until the meeting was called to order by the speaker of the senate. "Ladies and gentlemen of the senate, presenting the prime minister of Palintine." The man in the mask and suit entered through the back of the chamber and proceeded toward the podium, and the senate chamber was sealed. The senate stood and applauded, and the meeting was again brought to order by three raps of the speaker's gavel.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the senate, I have called you here today to once and for all put to bed the matters that ail our nation. Before we touch on those issues, I would like to run down a brief history of the events that brought us to this point dating back to the foundation of our nation. When the nation of Neo Triyunica collapsed, we suddenly found our own autonomous region naked and exposed to enemies on all sides. We were alone. The senate and the autonomous region viceroy quickly met to decide the best course of action, and it was decided by a unanimous vote that the Autonomous Region of Palintine would reform itself with the viceroy as the supreme executive of the nation. And thus, the Elective Dictatorship of Palintine came into existence. Through the senate.

In the initial stages of the nation, it became immediately apparent that the system decided upon by the senate would not work. The constitution of Palintine was written to function as a dictatorship under the viceroy, yet the senate asserted its authority over the viceroy soon after the nation stabilized. The senate attempted to negate the viceroy's role in the system, however it was not able to due to the fact that removal of the viceroy is not written into the constitution. After all, we are a dictatorship. Since the senate found that it was unable to remove me through legal methods, it attempted to bring about more subtle methods.

Some time ago, I arrived at the door of my office only to find it vandalized by apparent protesters. A list was posted, detailing many of the past actions of the government of Palintine. The list pinned the blame for these apparently negative actions squarely on the shoulders of myself, yet it failed to mention that every separate issue was brought before the senate, who approved them by varying margins. So why was this list posted? Honestly, whoever did it failed to do the relevant research. And considering that it was later determined that a certain member of the senate posted it, I'm not surprised." The prime minister stopped speaking briefly as a murmur went through the senate. High Senator of Internal Affairs Kim Shi-won did not stir, as he expected to be referenced at least once in the prime minister's speech considering he is the chief opposition leader. The meeting was brought back to order by three more raps of the gavel.

"Shortly after that," the prime minister continued, "there was a large spike in crime, particularly vandalism. Some of you may remember this 'mural' left on the side of the senate building."

WHO WATCHES THE MINISTER?

"Yes, this little number was drawn up on the side of the senate building shortly after my office door was vandalized with the establishment of this senatorial party. This and many other graffiti images showed up all over Hong Kong, and soon throughout the nation. It became apparent to all of us that there was a new populist movement against the prime minister moving through our nation. The senate quickly launched its own investigation of the incidents, the results of which reported that the incidents were all "isolated and unrelated." The movement itself, however, quickly spread to the citizens.

The executive branch, however, was not satisfied with these results. On its own initiative, it conducted its own investigation as well as hired private investigators to look into the matter without informing the senate." There was another brief murmur through the senate. A few senators jeered the minister. "Please, let me finish. During this time, the senate became increasingly hostile towards the executive branch, often voting against referendums proposed by it. The executive branch, rather than using its constitutionally-granted powers to veto the senate, decided to go with the legislative branch, as the legislative branch was 'the voice of the people.' However, when the results from both its own and the private investigations were returned, it soon became apparent that the voice of the people was not such at all.

The results of all investigations headed by those other than the senate returned that the senate had been responsible for the commissioning of 'artists' to spray-paint their graffiti all over the nation, as well as many other anti-executive political actions!" The senate voiced its disgust immediately. The gavel rapped, but the meeting could not be brought completely back to silence. The prime minister continued regardless, shouting over the noise. "Furthermore! It has been determined that both parties in the senate have been working together behind the scenes to purposefully stall government processes!" Many senators stand and yell obscenities at the minister. The camera pans out to show many senators getting up to leave, however the doors are locked. Three more sharp raps of the gavel surprisingly brings calm back to the room.

People of Palintine, you have been crying for a long time that your government is to blame for our recent downturn! You have cried out that your government has failed you! And you were right, however you were wrong on placing the blame. Behold, the lot who are responsible for our nation's ruin! In order to bring about senatorial supremacy over the executive, the senate sought to discredit the executive branch to the point where it could commission its own revolution to overthrow the government! And in order to do this, it saw fit to lay our own nation to waste!" Uproar began immediately, but it was silence quickly by the prime minister.

"YOU FOOLS!"

The voice of the prime minister boomed over the uproar of the senate through the PA system and shocked them into silence. "Did you really think we were all so blind!? You may have been able to sway a good amount of the population, but when we commissioned private citizens to investigate your actions, they unwound your pitiful plans like child's play! Tomorrow, every news outlet in Palintine will have the results of the private and executive investigations, and they will see with their own eyes their 'voice' betraying them! You sought to grab power illegally from the executive of the nation, and you were uncovered by the very people you sought out for support through backroom deals and propaganda! I will tolerate your meddling no longer!

What you have done to this nation is not only illegal, it is treasonous and disgusting! You have put millions of citizens out of work! You have lost billions in not only government revenue, but private revenue! You commissioned the defacing of public property and the spread of lies, costing the state even more money to clean up and dispel! Worst of all, you have betrayed the very people who put you in office to pursue your own personal gain! I will no longer allow you to abuse the power that the people have given you, that I have given you! When you voted me into the executive position, I declined. I foresaw an event of this caliber from the very system you proposed setting up. However, the senate insisted, stating that the people needed a strong leader to look up to and guide them! How right the senate was, because the senate is clearly incapable of setting that example, let alone guiding our people to success! It is too busy driving them to ruin in order to sack the very man they voted to lead them!

The constitution of Palintine clearly states that the senate serves at the liberty of both the people and the prime minister in Article III, Section IV. Consider yourselves relieved, the senate suspended, and all of you under arrest!"

At that moment, marksmen appeared on the balconies as the senate doors came crashing open. Soldiers came streaming into the senate chambers, weapons drawn and handcuffs ready to apprehend all forty members of the senate. Senators panicked and tried to flee, but found all the exits blocked. One senator tried to assault the prime minister, however he found himself on the receiving end of a stranglehold until a soldier came to arrest him. The entire action took three minutes. Once the senators were apprehended and led off, the prime minister continued to speak.

"Citizens of Palintine, I understand what you just saw may confuse and alarm you. However, do not be afraid, this is not a complete military takeover. As many of you have read our own constitution, you know that what just occurred here was entirely legal, as signed into law by the original senate of our great nation. These criminals will be given a fair trial under our justice system, and a new senate will be elected at the earliest possible convenience. However! I will not sit idly-by and let another senate attempt to undermine my authority as this last one was able to do. I will no longer entrust the senate with the direct rule of this nation! We will be exactly what we were always intended to be: an autocracy. Simple, efficient, not bogged down by elected officials seeking to fulfill their own desires with the power of the people! Today shall be remembered as a great day in our history, a day when we said "No!" to the men who sought to deceive us and take their power for granted! Today is our rebirth, the day we began repairing the damage and moved forward toward a better tomorrow! The Elective Dictatorship of Palintine shall overcome!"

The prime minister stepped down from the podium and exited the newly-emptied senatorial chambers. The broadcast returned to stations' normal news rooms with anchors debating the prime minister's latest move.

Edited May 18, 2009 by hawk_11

[hawk11]

OOC: I'm probably the only ruler in CNRP who can sack his entire legislative branch on satellite television without getting any international commentary. Remind me to start manufacturing arms and distributing them to terror organizations.

Edited May 18, 2009 by hawk_11

[Subtleknifewielder]

OOC: in a word...wow!

IC: "Will the international community at large be privy to the evidence that has been found by the private investigators?"

Edited May 18, 2009 by Subtleknifewielder

[hawk11]

"The international community at large can request copies of Palintinian newspapers at their local supermarkets and newstands tomorrow morning, I hope. Otherwise, they can contact our government for the relevant information."

Edited May 18, 2009 by hawk_11

[Lavo]

"If the claims of the Prime Minister are indeed true, congratulations to Palintine on getting an honest, hardworking government."

[Maelstrom Vortex]

The Dragonisian leaders are to hung-over from last night's N-Day party to comment.

[hawk11]

Prime Minister Establishes Executive Government

A recent work called "The Serpent King," depicting the prime minister as the snake king of Palintine

HONG KONG - Not even a full day after sacking the entire legislative branch of the nation, the prime minister has announced that he has formed the new government structure of the nation. Previously, per the constitution, he allowed the senate to handle the running of the government rather than appoint his own executive branch officials, however the prime minister scrapped the old system in favor of a new one controlled entirely by the executive branch. The system effectively eliminates the senate from the upper government, establishing for the first time an executive-branch dominated government. The prime minister has refused to comment on where the senate will fit into the government structure when he lifts his suspension on the legislative branch, but he remains as adamant for its inclusion as ever.

"What we had here was not a case of the system failing, it was a case of the people in control failing." The prime minister was available immediately for questions after he had the entire forty-member legislative body arrested on suspicion of treason. "I'm not even going to pretend to say that I did not fail Palintine in being an appropriate watch-dog. I failed as the executive in preventing the situation from occurring, however myself and the executive branch ceased it immediately once detected and are now making it so the senate cannot be abused in the same way again."

When asked whether or not the executive branch could be abused in the same way, he was quoted as saying "I have dedicated my life to the service of Palintine, and if I find out anyone in the executive branch is not doing the same, they will suffer the same fate as this senate. The people do not deserve this."

The prime minister has not released the names of the new ministers yet, however he has released the new structure:

The Executive Government of the Elective Dictatorship of Palintine

-Executive

--Minister's Council

---Ministry of War (Minister of War)

---Ministry of State (Minister of State)

---Ministry of Treasury (Minister of Treasury)

---Ministry of Health (Minister of Health)

---Ministry of Trade (Minister of Trade)

---Ministry of Justice (Minister of Justice)

---Ministry of Agriculture (Minister of Agriculture)

---Ministry of Internal Affairs (Executor)

---Ministry of the Interior (Minister of the Interior)

---Ministry of Education (Minister of Education)

-Judicial

--(unchanged)

-Legislative

--(suspended)

The Executive branch, which previously contained only the executive himself and the high senators of foreign and internal affairs, has received a significant boost. The prime minister has also stated that each minister is appointed directly by the executive, and as such can only be removed by either the prime minister or a unanimous vote on the Minister's Council. The Minister's Council is chaired by the executive who may not vote in votes of no confidence against ministers. The executive cannot have a vote of no confidence cast against himself, and serves for life or until resignation.

Critics to this new government are surprisingly vocal, however no one has made the claim that suspending the senate was unconstitutional. The supreme judiciary of the Elective Dictatorship of Palintine released a press-statement shortly after the suspension in support of the prime minister, citing Article III Section IV of the constitution as his legal support. Critics, however, are attacking the fact that the senate is being pulled out of the upper government. Many claim that the voice of the people threatens being squashed by what they refer to as "big government." The prime minister has not commented on this particular issue, but if past precedence is a good indication, he has already taken this claim to heart.

[Sumeragi]

*Private*

"What the hell?!?!?! It's probably a good thing we got independence...."

[hawk11]

Prison bus en-transit, unknown location

Former High Senator of Internal Affairs Kim Shi-won hated orange. He specifically changed prison jumpsuits from orange to gray in preparation should the senate's plans be overturned before they reached fruition. He had to put a lot of work into the change, including faking many peer-reviewed studies on the effects of orange and gray on prisoner psyche in order to make the change look necessary enough for the prime minister not to veto it based on cost. He figured at least if things went bad, he'd have the solice of knowing that before the next leg of the plan he wouldn't be a walking neon orange target. Unfortunately for him, he was assigned to one of the last prisons to adopt the suit changes. Kim would be forced to deal with the issue of looking like an 80s backup dancer for a while.

Kim fidgeted with his jumpsuit. He was shackled at the wrists and the ankles very loosely, in what the senate had classified as a "non-abusive state." This change also took a lot of faked studies and failed legislation to push through. If it weren't for the fact that Kim was shackled to the wall of the bus as well, he'd have a very liberal range of movement for a maximum-security prisoner entransfer. On top of that, he is currently the only prisoner on the bus. Hell, he would be the only man on the bus if it weren't for the driver and a shotgun-wielding guard eyeing him from the front. Kim was in the last seat. The senate guidelines for maximum-security transfer were clear on the necessity of this.

Senator Kim was the only senator receiving this treatment. He did not even begin to think of how, but he was pretty sure of the why. For now, all he could do was ride it out and wait. He looked out the window as best he could, and determined that the bus was currently passing through a forest and was being escorted by members of the executive branch's newly-established Internal Affairs division, at least one car. They were coming up on a three-way intersection. He positioned his hands as comfortably as possible and got ready for the rest of the ride.

"Is it possible to get a radio turned on in here?"

----

"Is it possible to get a radio turned on in here?"

The soldier known only as Man A slammed on the accelerator of his sport utility vehicle and barreled towards the intersection. He had left himself what he considered adequete distance to hit forty miles per hour, the speed predetermined to allow him to inflict the maximum amount while keeping his chances for survival high. As he looked forward and concentrated on maintaining speed, he realized that his personal distance calculations were correct, and one executive agent's insurance premium was about to go up.

----

"Is it possible to get a radio turned on in here?"

Agent Cheng snickered to himself as his earpiece relayed the only chatter he had heard in the bus for quite some time.

"A radio?" He said as he pulled up to the stop sign at the intersection. Agent Wei beside him also chuckled.

"The man clearly thinks he still owns the world," Wei responded. The car came to a complete stop, paused, then continued on its way. So far the 4 hour trip across Palintine had been uneventful, and the agent was feeling lazy as traveler's fatigue set in. He didn't even notice the SUV coming barreling towards him. Had he, his last words probably would've been something better than a snipe at a disgraced politician.

---

"Is it possible to get a radio turned on in here?"

"No." the guard called back to him as the bus pulled up to the intersection.

"I need to concentrate up here, can't have your racket messing with me," the driver also called back sarcastically. This wasn't the first time he had asked for the radio turned on, and he was starting to get annoyed, however he only had time to reflect on that for a moment before an SUV careened through the stop sign and smashed into the escort car in front of them from the side. The black sedan didn't stand a chance as the more powerful vehicle followed through, crunching the vehicle in sideways. The vehicles skidded to a stop inches before hitting a tree, the loud wail of the sedan's horn pierced the after-crash silence as the driver presumably fell face-first onto it.

"Holy mother of God!" the driver shouted. The guard turned around to look at the commotion as it started. The driver quickly threw the vehicle into park and undid his seatbelt. "Stay here, I'll-Wha-" at that moment, the driver turned to move out of the bus only to be met by the guard's face flying straight at him. They bumped heads hard, and the bus driver fell limp back into his seat.

----

Admist the chaos, Kim slipped a key out of the fabric of his jumpsuit. He quickly undid the padlock securing him to the wall, and moved forward to the front of the bus. The clinking of his chains were apparently drowned out by the car horn as far as he could tell, so he wasted no time moving as quickly as possible. The guard was none the wiser as Kim threw his chains around his neck and started to choke the life out of him.

The bus driver started to turn, and Kim instinctively threw the weight of the guard at him.

"Stay here, I'll-Wha-" CRACK! The two bumped heads hard, and the bus driver fell limp back into his seat. Kim struggled to keep the guard under control during the maneuver, but managed to somehow. After a brief struggle, the guard fell limp. Kim took his keys off his belt. He needed to hurry, once the bus failed to pass through the next checkpoint on schedule they would send everything they have after him. After cycling through the keys on the ring, he could only find the keys that removed his leg shackles. This was standard procedure for Palintinian prisons. Kim exited the bus and immediately sprinted for the forest. He abandoned Man A at the scene, as planned. Man A would be acting as an unaffiliated fall-man. As long as the executives think that Kim is alone, it gives the small group a chance to pull this off.

As Kim moved, he allowed himself a brief moment to think over how easy it had been to pull this off. Maybe the prime minister's charges of "crippling the country" were not that far off.

Edited May 19, 2009 by hawk_11

[Subtleknifewielder]

OOC: Wow...nicely done!

[hawk11]

The prime minister always regarded the act of sleeping as a woman, beautiful and necessary to the life of any man. He also did this as a jab at himself because of his chosen life of solitude and many sleepless nights. It had been at least two nights since he had received a report from his treasury minister predicting further collapse of the Palintinian stock market. This prediction came despite recent upturn and was backed up with cold, hard facts.

Palintine depended on two chief exports to survive: food products from farms, specifically livestock, and wine. With the economic downturn, Palintinian wine was no longer able to uphold its own standards. Prices sharply dropped, and nations ceased importing the subpar product. The livestock market was thankfully maintaining itself, probably the only thing keeping the country afloat. With the imminent collapse of the wine industry comes thousands of workers out of the job. Recently the government invested in select, stable wine companies to try and help keep the industry alive, but the aid did not help.

Now sitting on his desk was a memo directly from the largest now-nationalized winery in Palintine:

CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT: EYES ONLY - MAXIMUM CLEARANCE REQUIRED

TO: The Executive Office of the Prime Minister of Palintine

FROM: CEO, Palintinian Winery Alliance

RE: Current Status

BODY:

We regret to inform the government of Palintine that the Palintinian Winery Alliance, despite overwhelming efforts and support from the government, is no longer capable of maintaining itself autonomously through the end of the quarter. The worker union (National Alliance of Winery Employees) has been informed that the company plans to file for bankruptcy and will not be able to meet payroll for this next pay-period. The company will be divided into what assets can be saved and sold off. We are aware of the consequences this will have on the nation, but we are also aware that this is beyond the control of anyone now.

May fate smile upon us in the end.

The prime minister took the last line of the message to heart. Despite socialization, the government was not able to save the company, and now the largest industry in Palintine was about to collapse. And there was nothing he could do about it.

[sir jesus]

Message to Prime Minister from the Melvin Republic:

Hello, this is President Landry of neighboring Melvin Republic. My Foreign Economic Affairs Minister has informed me that business deals involving many of your industries, particularly your famous Palintinian Winery Alliance, have mostly fallen through. We have been watching your political affairs closely and have planned on avoiding intervention. However, the sudden drop in imports and exports my advisor warns me about is alarming. If you would like, we may plan a meeting to hopefully solve your problems.

[hawk11]

The prime minister left his office without checking messages for the day. Bad habit.

[Margrave]

Luis De Luit: "The Hansa regrets the recent fall of Palintine's fine wineries, as they have been perhaps the best contributor to both restaurants and dealers of fine wines. The Lady Protector received a rather fine vintage herself from the Diet upon her ascension to the rank of Lady Protector. The Commonwealth is interested in what can be done to help the nation of Palintine, and has commissioned a study by economic experts at Brisbane University.

[hawk11]

Palintinian Winery Alliance Collapses

A Palintinian Stock Exchange employee stares at the numbers. Palintine's wine producers, which make up a large amount of the companies represented on the market, posted record losses today while Palintinian Winery Alliance went under.

HONG KONG - Palintinian Winery Alliance, the largest wine producer in the country, which was recently nationalized under an executive plan to attempt to save the company, announced today that it was filing for bankruptcy, sending a wave of losses through the wine market. PWA announced that it will be unable to make its next payroll with remaining funds, and the company is now being divided and sold for whatever can be salvaged. The collapse of the company came just a week after the Palintine government bought off most of the company's stock in order to keep it afloat. The prime minister of Palintine could not be reached for comment on the issue.

The collapse of the nation's leading wine producer means the already-failing wine industry is about to have even more trouble before the end of this quarter is out. Since the start of the financial crisis, the wine industry has been hit the worst, causing price drops and budget cuts leading to inferior product. The inferior products being put out for export has caused many buyers to abandon the Palintine wine market. What little was left will now be cut even more now that the PWA has collapsed.

Along with the devastating blow to trade, the collapse of the PWA also brings about the unemployment of thousands of workers in wineries and distributors across the nation. The Ministry of Treasury has also predicted that the collapse will lead to several other companies dependent on PWA product to close their doors by next quarter.

OOC: Before people start throwing around their e-money, I'm going to ask you to be noninterventionalist on this one unless you're A) a regional neighbor or B) have actually had dealings with me before. I'd like to RP my nation through this.

Edited May 27, 2009 by hawk_11

[Margrave]

OOC: The Hansa has had dealings with you before and is a regional neighbor. I'm wondering how your crash will affect the regional markets, so feel free to shoot me a pm or something, I'd like to rp some moderate effects for the Hansa.

[Sumeragi]

*Private*

“What should we do?”

“As much as I want expand, that'll cause bad rep. I say we just offer to buy the PWA, perferably in connection to Taiwan.”

*Message to Hawk*

We wish to help refinance PWA. How can we participate?

[hawk11]

*Private*

“What should we do?”

“As much as I want expand, that'll cause bad rep. I say we just offer to buy the PWA, perferably in connection to Taiwan.”

*Message to Hawk*

We wish to help refinance PWA. How can we participate?

OOC: I'm in a financial crisis, not political turmoil.

IC:

TO: Executive of Yamato

FROM: [name smudged], Prime Minister of the Elective Dictatorship of Palintine

REGARDING: Offer to finance PWA

CC: none

Greetings from the Elective Dictatorship of Palintine! You are about to receive a letter from the prime minister of Palintine. Please file this Notice of Impending Letter under "P" for Palintine in your local political archive. Thank you.

[PRINT ERROR: 54F]

Prime Minister of the Elective Dictatorship of Palintine

Shortly after, this arrived:

TO: Executive of Yamato

FROM: [name smudged], Prime Minister of the Elective Dictatorship of Palintine

REGARDING: Offer to finance PWA

CC: none

While your offer is very generous, our dealings with Yamato in the past have taught us full-well that your offers of aid are always done with something else in mind. We do appreciate the offer and that you remember who brought you about in the first place, but at this time we cannot afford to sell our future to solve the problem.

Regards,

[name smudged]

Prime Minister of the Elective Dictatorship of Palintine

Edited May 27, 2009 by hawk_11

[Sumeragi]

*Reply*

Then we'll buy the entire inventory of wine at 90% of normal price, if that would be possible. Also, we would like to have a contract where we buy all surplus wine every year at a slightly discounted price.

*Private*

“Are you insane? Why buy wine, when we don't even drink it?”

“We can give free booze to Chuka. That should keep down some of the dissent.”

“..... Brilliant.”

OOC: The original message was from the Yamato Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, not a company.

Edited May 27, 2009 by Sumeragi

[Sumeragi]

Palintinian Winery Alliance Collapses

A Palintinian Stock Exchange employee stares at the numbers. Palintine's wine producers, which make up a large amount of the companies represented on the market, posted record losses today while Palintinian Winery Alliance went under.

OOC: Here's a lesson in business culture. Red means bullish, green bearish in East Asia.

[hawk11]

OOC: Here's a lesson in business culture. Red means bullish, green bearish in East Asia.

OOC: And here's a lesson in education: simple terms for simple people. If someone makes the mistake of confusing red for bad, he clearly has no clue how the market works, therefore using the terms "bull" and "bear" are only going to cause him to think you're only clarifying to make yourself look smart rather than to inform, which I'm assuming you were going for.

Edited May 27, 2009 by hawk_11

[Sumeragi]

OOC: And here's a lesson in education: simple terms for simple people. If someone makes the mistake of confusing red for bad, he clearly has no clue how the market works, therefore using the terms "bull" and "bear" are only going to cause him to think you're only clarifying to make yourself look smart rather than to inform, which I'm assuming you were going for.

OOC: It's easier for my fingers to use short terms than 'stocks going up/down'. Remember, I'm using a cell to get online.

Also, US/Europe use green for up and red for down.

[Lynneth]

OOC: It's easier for my fingers to use short terms than 'stocks going up/down'. Remember, I'm using a cell to get online.

Also, US/Europe use green for up and red for down.

OOC:

>>OOC: Here's a lesson in business culture. Red is up, green down in East Asia.

>>OOC: Here's a lesson in business culture. Red means bullish, green bearish in East Asia.

Which is shorter, Sumer?