Two small suggestions on publicity

[Ashcroft Burnham]

I know that publicity is important for our community to be commercially (and thus generally) successful, and some good efforts so far have been made (many people to whom I speak in the City who are visitors have heard of our government), but I have two small ideas (of which people, of course, may already have thought) to make it even better.

[b:21w2s1q8][u:21w2s1q8]1. Wikipedia[/b:21w2s1q8][/u:21w2s1q8]

Why not give ourselves an entry in Wikipedia? People searching for information on topics as diverse as political science, virtual worlds, and SecondLife itself might easily stumble upon us that way.

[b:21w2s1q8][u:21w2s1q8]2. Embassies[/b:21w2s1q8][/u:21w2s1q8]

If I remember correctly, the independent state of Caledon (also a self-governing community, but a constitutional monarchy rather than a true democracy: a successful one, nonetheless) expressed an interest in the past in having a Neufreistadt embassy. It would be worthwhile swapping embassies with Caledon and other self-governing communities in SL (whether democratic or not) to give people who visit or join those communities information about us, and also to facilitate the sharing of ideas about governance that can help to make all of our communities better.

[Salzie Sachertorte]

1. We do have an entry at the SL Wiki [url:99e621on]http://history.secondserver.net/index.php/Neufreistadt[/url:99e621on] - and Gwyn explains in this post
[url:99e621on]http://forums.neufreistadt.info/viewtopic.php?t=231e[/url:99e621on] - toward the end of the thread - why it isn't linked to our website.

2. We have been approached by various Land Barons and other nations as to establishing diplomatics ties, embassies and further trade agreements, I have met with them or their representatives to discuss the same under the auspicies of my role as NFS PIO, but I'm not authorized to do anything further.

[Ashcroft Burnham]

[quote="Salzie Sachertorte":33cp68tu]We have been approached by various Land Barons and other nations as to establishing diplomatics ties, embassies and further trade agreements, I have met with them or their representatives to discuss the same under the auspicies of my role as NFS PIO, but I'm not authorized to do anything further.[/quote:33cp68tu]

Hmm, has this ever been considered by the RA?

[Salzie Sachertorte]

Well, the government's attention was very much taken up with dealing with Ulrika during the last term; then the RA sort of collapsed towards the end of the last term. Not much got done, hence the new energy in NFS and the debate on how to go about "doing it the right way" and not so much by the seats of our pants. So , essentially we need to get our house in order first before addressing these others issues/opportunities.

[Ashcroft Burnham]

[quote="Salzie Sachertorte":3a1xdu9c]Well, the government's attention was very much taken up with dealing with Ulrika during the last term; then the RA sort of collapsed towards the end of the last term. Not much got done, hence the new energy in NFS and the debate on how to go about "doing it the right way" and not so much by the seats of our pants. So , essentially we need to get our house in order first before addressing these others issues/opportunities.[/quote:3a1xdu9c]

Ahh, I see

[Pelanor Eldrich]

Can one of you draft a bill? Would you like the ambassadorship to be a civil service post or filled by a member of the RA? Would you establish an embassy both here and in Caledon? BTW Salzie, I understand Ranma Tardis is also interested in forming an embassy and working in it using her large number of Caledonian contacts.

[Diderot Mirabeau]

[quote="Pelanor Eldrich":3o20qdfe]Can one of you draft a bill? Would you like the ambassadorship to be a civil service post or filled by a member of the RA? Would you establish an embassy both here and in Caledon? BTW Salzie, I understand Ranma Tardis is also interested in forming an embassy and working in it using her large number of Caledonian contacts.[/quote:3o20qdfe]

It is my frank opinion that "ambassadors" and "embassies" were the method by which nations conducted foreign policy in the 19th century.

We are a virtual world republic and able to use the latest communications technologies to enable direct interaction between the governing bodies of our republic and other foreign entities. Establishing a foreign policy based on ambassadors is in my view not going to achieve much other than create bottlenecks and opportunities for some empty pomp and circumstance.

A foreign policy for Neufreistadt and Colonia Nova should be proactive; without redundant middle layers; it should tie into concrete projects where all parties to the project stand to benefit from it; and of course it should be aimed at safe-keeping and promoting the further spread of the vision and values that this society is founded upon.

I have previously proposed that the idea of a Confederation of Democratic Simulators (CDS) be the cornerstone of our foreign policy - possibly supplemented by the interim state of franchulates.

The CDS would become a forum where we could meet with other territorially based, democratically aspirational communities to discuss how to further our collective interests and promote the exchange of knowledge and cooperation around initiatives to facilitate democratic governance of our communities with due respect for each community's specific cultural legacy.

I have so far noticed the following opportunities for conducting foreign policy, which in my view could favourably be addressed by setting up the Confederation as a community of independent republics:

- Dreamland
- Caledon
- (in the future) An Esperanto Sim
- Port Neualtenburg

[Justice Soothsayer]

[quote:1743pp6y]It is my frank opinion that "ambassadors" and "embassies" were the method by which nations conducted foreign policy in the 19th century.[/quote:1743pp6y]

Embassies can also be trade missions and give each state a physical presence in the other. Increasing our visibility with some Neufriestadt/CDS outposts could be useful.

[Salzie Sachertorte]

Hmm, I tend to think of embassies, ambassadors and diplomatic relations as part of the role-playing aspect of SL, if you consider SL to be a game.

If you consider SL to be a platform, I would lean towards working with other "nations" via ICAs, trade associations, co-ops, lobbying groups, etc.

I don't think we are ready to draft a bill about embassies and such, when we haven't yet a clue what exactly their purpose would be, how to run them, who will staff them, how much leeway they have in dealing with other nations, what is the line of report, etc. I really think there needs to be more of this type of brainstorming of ideas, and the results thereof, before we start writing legislation.
[i:1fqzj3ai]
Salzie restrains herself from ranting about Mission Statements and Strategic Planning, thinking we need to decide what we are and where we are going before we start legislating the bits and pieces of governance. [/i:1fqzj3ai]

I like the idea of a physical presence in other sims, and they within our sim, yet that is just a building. Will we staff it? By whom? What will the build house? Etc., etc. I like the idea of other nations have a presence here, but we are practically full. Would we "give" them the space? Require them to buy? Pay rent? Allow trade vendors, thus enabling competition against our own citizen businesses? Should we use the Altenburg area for Government activities; e.g. Ashcroft's proposed Courts, Embassies, etc.

This is the problem with the current method of writing acts in NFS - you write a law, yet you don't establish the methods and means of implementing the same.

[Ashcroft Burnham]

I had rather thought of embassies more as an instrument of publicity than an instrument of government: a Neufreistadt-themed building somewhere in Caledon, and, reciprocally, a Celedon-themed building somewhere in Neufriestadt, with the state's respective insignia adorning it, information about the state and residential and commercial opportunities therein, maps, and the opportunity to purchase trinkets.

An ambassador might be useful as a person well-known in the nation in question to liaise and spot and create opportunities for trade and other co-operation that might not be readily noticed by a system without a specific person delegated to work with such a nation.

The role of ambassador need not have all of the bureaurocratic trappings of the traditional notion of that role (although a little bit of pomp and circumstance never went amiss, creating as it does not only publicity but a sense of community, as well as being inherently enjoyable to some at least); there need be no prohibition, for example, on conducting diplomatic relations other than through the ambassador, although experience will dictate when this is and when this is not sensible.

But, as I indicated above, the main function that I see for embassies is one of publicity, and fostering practical co-operation.

[Diderot Mirabeau]

[quote="Ashcroft Burnham":1w2nab3s]I had rather thought of embassies more as an instrument of publicity than an instrument of government: a Neufreistadt-themed building somewhere in Caledon, and, reciprocally, a Celedon-themed building somewhere in Neufriestadt, with the state's respective insignia adorning it, information about the state and residential and commercial opportunities therein, maps, and the opportunity to purchase trinkets.

An ambassador might be useful as a person well-known in the nation in question to liaise and spot and create opportunities for trade and other co-operation that might not be readily noticed by a system without a specific person delegated to work with such a nation. [/quote:1w2nab3s]

It seems to me that what we are looking for in this regard is something in effect closer to an honorary consul.

Aliasi did an infohub for Neufreistadt (then "Neualtenburg") in the protected sim of Anzere not so long ago. Perhaps her experiences in setting it up can be fruitfully built upon in designing the working offices for the honorary consuls?

[Ashcroft Burnham]

[quote="Diderot Mirabeau":2dllb6n6]It seems to me that what we are looking for in this regard is something in effect closer to an honorary consul.[/quote:2dllb6n6]

You may have a point, although I think that Caledon insists on calling theirs "Ambassadors". I don't see any reason why we should insist that they call them anything else. We could call ours "honourary consel" if we like. Have you seen the embassy in Port Neualtenburg?

[quote:2dllb6n6]Aliasi did an infohub for Neufreistadt (then "Neualtenburg") in the protected sim of Anzere not so long ago. Perhaps her experiences in setting it up can be fruitfully built upon in designing the working offices for the honorary consuls?[/quote:2dllb6n6]

Yes, I saw that infohub: in fact, it was that infohub that lead me to find Neufreistadt in the first place (Googling "Neualtenburg" got me to this website). But your suggestion is a good one indeed

[Aliasi Stonebender]

[quote="Diderot Mirabeau":2scebtfh]
Aliasi did an infohub for Neufreistadt (then "Neualtenburg") in the protected sim of Anzere not so long ago. Perhaps her experiences in setting it up can be fruitfully built upon in designing the working offices for the honorary consuls?[/quote:2scebtfh]

One nice thing about the "L$0 transfers show up in transaction history" feature is I can see how active the hub is; I regularly get 3-5 people a day grabbing copies of the textures, flags, and info.

[Sonja Strom]

I would like us to move forward with the concept of establishing some sort of embassy or consulate in Caledon, if not in other places. One other location I can think of that might be good is Diplomacy Island.

Perhaps the funding for such a project could come from the "Advertising and ML Presence Act" proposed here: http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php? ... &sk=t&sd=a

It would interest me to know if such a project would be supported by the Executive (Chancellor and Public Information Officer), the New Guild, and the Commerce Commission - perhaps others?

Also, was Desmond Shang ever given permission to use the CDS flag as he requested here?:
http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php? ... flag#p9810

[Desmond Shang]

I would like us to move forward with the concept of establishing some sort of embassy or consulate in Caledon, if not in other places. One other location I can think of that might be good is Diplomacy Island.

Perhaps the funding for such a project could come from the "Advertising and ML Presence Act" proposed here: http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php? ... &sk=t&sd=a

It would interest me to know if such a project would be supported by the Executive (Chancellor and Public Information Officer), the New Guild, and the Commerce Commission - perhaps others?

Also, was Desmond Shang ever given permission to use the CDS flag as he requested here?:
http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php? ... flag#p9810

I'm generally cautious about consulates as they are grand excuses (in some cases) for raiding citizens from one mini-continent to another - promotion of foreign regions is... a sticky issue. But in the case of the CDS, eh, wot the hell Go for it - just keep the "GET LAND NOW IN CDS!!!!1111" stuff inside. Just don't hold me responsible if you have more defectors than requests for asylum! grin

As for me using the flag - I didn't want to 'use' it per se, I was merely trying to put the CDS on the map, as it were, among a fairly sizeable league of micronations on the grid. If any of you are capable, drop a texture of it to Sin Trenton inworld and it may show up here: http://navycaledon.googlepages.com/flags.html

It's not 2012 yet so I really hadn't expected anyone to try to figure out the flag thing at such an early point in time. Who could even sort out an exploratory committee to look into the issue without a few rounds of nominations first?