Kalistani Major History

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Karma Rejects releases Second album "Well, F-ck It"
Album far more professional, coherent and structured than first album
Port Swedes, Vrassa
May 15, 5102


Title and album cover signify resignation from Port Swedes Grit Band

Bristling from their commercial and critical failure of their first LP Negative, Port Swedes Grit Punks Karma Rejects worked with their Label VDR, to create their first new album in 3 years, 5102's Well, F-ck It. The sound of this album is a significant departure from the aesthetic of Negative in that is sounds better. Much better, in fact. While the first album felt a little too raw, like a recently lanced blister on the listener's eardrums, irritated by sandpaper, the new album retains a fair amount of the attitude and unrefined nature of the band's sound, but far more professional production, as well as better song structure, lyrical content, and mixes.

"We asked VDR what more we could do to overcome the things that people said about us after 'Negative'" said singer and guitarist Albert Courtney. "The Label said , 'You could play actual songs, rather than screaming nonsense and smashing your guitar half way through every song.' At first I was like, no, that won't work. But then I figured we could try it. Plus it will save me money on new guitars, because let's be honest- We're not exactly retiring off of Negative."

The Lead Single, which will premier on KRTVN Radio 1 next week, is already generating buzz among music critics. The song, called "Deoderated Armpits" retains the gritty sound that the band is known for but actually adopts a pop structure, with lyrics mumbled over acidic guitar tones, booming bass riffs, and heavy massive sounding drums. "People say this is like Grit 2.0," said Courtney. "But I've said it maybe 22 times in the past couple weeks. We are not a grit band. We are a punk band who happens to come from Swedeport. Grit bands are like folks musicians with electrical guitars. We play punk rock. That's it. You all ought to recognize that. I hate that term.--Grit... like I'm some kind of hillbilly."

The rest of the band was a bit less put off by the appellation "The Next Great Grit Band". "Whatever," said returning drummer Pat McGroin. "I'm just here to drink and play drums. Not always in that order." Bassist Dave Bjornsson concurred. "I concur," he said. "About the whiskey, not the playing drum part. I play the bass anyway. And we do have some kind of quieter songs on this record too. Like "Parrot" which was basically Al whispering into a mic while I played the acoustic guitar I don't even know what Courty is talking about."

There are indeed a lot of punk songs on this record, but unlike anything on Negative, they benefit from the production of veteran rock producer Cathy Gordon, who usually works with ARC's alternative and rock acts, but was called in to resurrect this project and ultimately save it from oblivion. "Well, F-ck It was originally a series of outtakes from Negative Some of that survived for this record, like "Marking Territory" and "Get Lost". We figured those were probably the best tracks from the earlier sessions: they wouldn't make it onto radio obviously, but I could easily imagine fans moshing to them at shows. We also stuck an early, pre Negative 'song' if you want to call it, on the very end of the record, as a secret song, after exactly 420 seconds of silence called 'Ridiculous Nonsense', which Courtney insisted we put on the record. But then, in exchange, we basically had a clinic about song writing and structure, and we polished their really rough spots and made them sound more coherent and, just bigger for this record."

Together the band put together an album of really heavy, but accessible songs that show this polished form of their Negative incarnation, while also creating a number of tunes which could conceivably be huge on the Radio. Songs like "Deoderated Armpit", "March of the Poppies" and "Battery Acid" are truly good hard rock songs, while the rest of the record swings from wild Punk found on "Marking Territory" to quiet acoustic with a cello accompaniment on "Road Block". "We tried to record Court's vocals backward and then play them forward," said Gordon. "That was Pat's idea. Ultimately, we decided that they were ridiculous sounding, and where the band would have kept them before because of that reason, I talked them into recording the verses forward and just keeping the chorus backward."

The record was generally a compromise between a band who wanted to sabotage their career, a record label that wanted to start recouping on their sizeable development investment in this group, and a professional producer who knows how to make both visions happen at the same time. Bjornsson summed up the entire recording and production process. "At the end of the day, we called it Well, F-ck It because we got into this big argument about what we were gonna have for dinner one night and Court wanted to have chicken but Pat is trying to be a good vegan, and didn't want chicken grease all over everything. And so Cathy and I went out and got salads for everyone, and brought them back and by then they had been arguing so long that Albert was like 'Well, F-ck it' and he ate the salad and everyone was like 'Yeah, that should be what we call the record!'" When it was pointed out to him that it would be more fitting if the name was a reflection of the various compromises that were made to put this album together, Bjornsson shrugged. "Sure, I guess?"

Well, F-ck It will be released nationwide on the 21st of this month, and expected to do incredibly well. VDR has begun promoting the record internationally as well, and the buzz that is being generated on tv and the radio for this album suggests that it could be a mammoth seller.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34GJ7ULmwjQ]
You can listen to an early release of the lead track, "Deoderated Armpit" which they recently previewed on M7 here.

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季风信使信标


Finance Minister Zhao

Y – 10 AGREEMENT MODIFIED

Tian’an, March 19, 5106: At the request of Minister of Foreign Affairs Tina Donaldson of the Republic of Kalistan, Finance Minister Zhao Hui-Fen has undertaken a review of the provisions governing the successful production of the Y-10 multirole fighter developed by the joint effort of Kalistan and Yingdala.

At some point it appears there was an insertion of the requirement that all munitions and guided weaponry for the Y -10 be exclusively furnished by Yingdala Zhou. Reviewing staff from the Finance Minand secondistry suggested this likely originated as an assigned task of Yingdala in the distribution of tasks in the joint development of the prototype.

Be that as it may, Yingdala Zhou is releasing its claim on exclusive munition and guided weaponry production rights for the Y-10 multirole fighter. The Finance Minister noted, first, that this was a successful joint project which Yingdala Zhou would certainly like to replicate should the opportunity again arise; and, second, that he is advised as a strategic matter it is far better to have more than one source for arming this aircraft should it be involved in serious conflict.

Finance Minister Zhao also indicated he was hopeful that Yingdala Zhou would be able to be visited by a trade delegation from the Republic of Kalistan to discuss steel and trade generally.

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Kalistani Trade Delegation travels to Indrala
Following lifting of Munitions restrictions, Republic seeks to improve trade ties with Anantonese Neighbor
Tian An, Indrala
April 19, 5108


Kalistani Trade Reps meet with Indralan Counterparts in initial trade talks

Informal discussions over trade over the previous three years between Kalistan and Indrala have led to a formal trade delegation to Indrala from the Republic. More than half a dozen representatives from the Ministry of Trade met with counterparts in Indrala to discuss opportunities for deeper trade relations between the two Anantonese Nations.

"Part of Kalistan's overall strategy is to generally improve our relationship with our neighbors," said delegation leader Felix Carson, Assistant Minister for Trade for South Seleya. "While our two economies overlap in several ways, there are a number of things that Indrala possess a comparative advantage in over Kalistan which would be cheaper for us to import than to attempt to produce ourselves."

Minister Carson said that Indrala possesses a number of very highly valuable consumer goods that Kalistani's tend to prefer. "There is a widespread preference for Indralan brands of food, for example," said Carson. "Indralan cuisine is enjoyed in Suldanor, for example, and a formal trade relationship with Indrala would allow us to reliably supply genuine foods for consumers who prefer them." Carson also talked about sourcing various items like plastics which Indrala produces. "If we were to bulk import Indralan Plastics, we could continue to supply the market for plastic in Kalistan, while cutting our own petroleum production even further than we do now."

Kalistan also expressed some interest in Indralan technology and luxury items. "We have been watching the development of the Indralan High Speed rail system, and it might be of some interest to cooperatively develop a maglift train system of our own at some point. If we decide to go that route, Indralan technical assistance could be invaluable."

The talks lasted for three days and several agreements were reached to begin clearing barriers to trade between the two nations. Kalistani representatives called it a "win all around" and declared the meetings a success.

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Kaliburg Thrash Metal Band Structural Theory releases Anti War Album
"The Evils of War" advocates radical pacifist position
Kaliburg, Ananto
October 18, 5116


Structural Theory releases "The Evils of War" today calling for radical disarmament

The Kaliburg Music scene, long the mainstay of KMI metal bands has languished a bit following the 5075 demise of Alternica, who released their greatest seller "Justice is Blind" in 5072, and then followed it up with the dismally underperforming record "Blacker than Black" which saw their legions of fans boycott their shows for their shift from thrash to hard rock. It was a crucial misstep in their career which not only led to the band's disbanding, but also a demise of the scene itself.

Now, four decades later, Kaliburg thrash is giving it another try. Radical Brethrenists Structural Theory, from Lolla, Kaliburg, have signed with ARC Records, and have released their debut album "The Evils of War", a blistering 16 track screed against warfare and militarism, both in the Republic and in the world.

"We kind of got talked to by our Meetings for making such loud music," said lead singer Sergio Talmadge, of Kaliburg. "Our clerk asked 'How are the Brethren supposed to hear the voice of God while you are playing such loud music?' I informed him that we were led to make this music, to shout from the mountain in a voice that all can clearly hear, that war is evil and preparation for warfare is only slightly less wicked."

Talmadge said he and Structural Theory grew up in an era where the Republic is stable, well defended, and governed by benign neglect. "Kalistan doesn't have any enemies, maybe for the first time in its history. War is no where near our shores. But our leaders still look to procurement of military weaponry at an alarming rate. And right now, we don't have a NBC ban treaty. It's our hope that the Government puts one together to lay our marker on the cause of disarmament of those weapons of mass destruction."

Themes across the thrash album include the myths of recruitment, analysis of the concept that strong defense prevents war, and a critique of the National Defense Industry. "We reserve our strongest critique for the KALMILINCO," said lead guitarist Damon Martel. "That organization is tax funded, and it makes weapons for the Republic and for sale abroad with Kalistani Tax money. How the Socialists can ask Brethrenists to support this military industrial complex is beyond me. It's pretty perverse."

The Radical pacifist stance is most pronounced in songs like "Death Showers" which talk about nuclear fallout, "Soldier Tale" which talks about the enlistment of young people who would otherwise go into National Service, and who could wind up in a war that will destroy their lives, and "Captain Z and the Dethship" which discusses the panic and horror of a ship sinking following a torpedo explosion. "Lost to a watery grave/ No Souls left to save/ Burning flesh stripped in sheets/ Killing Life, Death Complete" are some of the more graphic lyrics of that song.

"We wanted to be as explicit in our lyrics as we are are in our music," said Talmadge. "Our drums sound like machine guns and artillery, our guitars sound like rock wash, and our bass sounds like percussive impacts of bombs. It's music which screams anti war from start to stop." The metal on this album frequently veers off toward progressive rock complexity, with several time changes in a song, along with music which sounds, in a lot of places, like classical, played with electric instruments. In many cases, the lyrics are shouted rather than sung, but Talmadge's unique and strong singing voice seems to be the standout feature on this album. Nobody sounds like him in the current Kalistani music scene.

Time will tell whether there is a market for such a strong anti-war message in a time of peace, but bassist Casey Connors was optimistic. "Now is the best time for it! Now is when people get complaisant and start allowing dictators to rise who would want to take us to war. What we need is a strong Brethrenist commitment to the anti-war position in Kalistan. We are a country where 4/5ths of the population are Brethrenists. There is no reason why we shouldn't."

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE2r7r7VVic]
Structural Theory's lead single "Death Showers" is out today with the album's release.

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Kalistani-Solentian Opium partnership hits full steam
First major crop following Agriculture exchange yields great dividends
ODEN-K, Kaliburg, Ananto
May 18, 5121


Opium cultivation spreads to Solentia as two nations cooperate to expand growth

ODEN-K reports that the first major crop of the joint Solentian-Kalistani opium operations is harvested, yielding more than 3200 tonnes of raw opium latex.

"Solentia's opium operations have hit the stage where they are now self sufficient and profitable," reports ODEN-K spokesman Jesus Rodriguez. "We have been the primary importer of Solentian opium latex, and have recorded imports of 3200 tonnes, or about a third of Kalistan's totals. At this point, we believe that Solentian growers have turned a profit in the first time since the industry was begun just about three years ago. With this, we welcome Solentia to the family of producers."

Rodriguez recounted the arrival of Solentian planters who sought technical advice from the Kalistani Growers' association about how to start an opium industry. "We offered a high degree of technical expertise in the areas of cultivation, fertilization, climatary requirements, drainage, and cultivation, including scoring the pods, collecting and drying the latex, as well as instruction on processing. It obviously took a couple years to switch significantly large areas to poppy production, but this year, our technical advisors noted that Solentian latex was profitable in the Kalistani depot."

ODEN-K has offered price supports for Solentian Opium while they establish their own markets. "Opium production is an exceptionally good idea for Solentia," said Rodriguez. "It allows them to take marginal and underutilized lands and put them under the plow to further enhance cultivation options for Solentian Farmers." While ODEN has offered to continue to buy raw opium from Solentia for processing in the Republic, it has also stressed that Solentia should take the opportunity to develop its own processing operations as well. "ODEN is a cartel. As a result, we operate under different rules in the international market. We don't compete with local operations. So if Solentia wants to develop its own markets and supply chains to supply the world, ODEN welcomes the opportunity to see more raw and processed opium on the world market. It eases supply pressure from ODEN nations, and gives us new sources of materials to sell at the entrepot in Kaliburg."

Rodriguez anticipates growth in the supply from Solentia. Kalistan will continue to provide all requested technical assistance and will continue to import Opium from Solentia for the foreseeable future to ensure that the opium industry takes root.

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Kafuri Majatran News Agency
December 5126 Edition
Opium Fields Destroyed

Among the many targets of the Kafuri air force includes opium fields which had been grown under the supervision and assistance of Kalistan. Kalistan had formerly struck a deal with Solentia, under the Tauqi presidency, to offer technical assistance in return for deals on opium imports. Kalistani businesses repotedly took profits from the Solentian opium deal.

Solentian opium fields burn. (Source: NBC News)

Kafuri planes seemed to use special incendiary strikes which resulted in many of the fields being completely consumed. There is no official report yet on the damage or any casualties.

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Institutional Revolutionary Party demands change
"LIberalism and Pluralism has gone too far", says new Party Leadership
Kaliburg, Ananto
April 7, 5146


Nadine Bennots, heir to one of Kalistan's longest political dynasties, forms Institutional Party

The heir to one of the oldest political families in Kalistan, Nadine Bennots, has called for an organizing conference of various Institutionalist factions across the Republic, to organize the Institutionalist Revolutionary Party and mount an early slate of names to the National Assembly.

"The Socialist Party has failed, and we've recently had our constitution horrendously altered by yet another ephemeral Party, who never held a seat in the Legislature," said Bennots. "My forefathers and mothers fought to defend the institutions of this country, and now, I pick up that fight and carry it on with the goal of restoring our historic institutions."

Eschewing socialist politics, which Bennots said invites rightists from "out of the woodwork" to vie for power in the Republic, Bennots has taken a more conservative approach to politics. "We are of course not socially conservative. The traditional position of Kalistan is very socially permissive. But the goal here is to restore traditional institutions in this Republic."

When asked what that means, Bennots said, "Well, one of the main points of agreement here is that an open political system in Kalistan permits far too much oscillation in our policies. The pluralism that Kalistan has had to put up with, where every viewpoint is treated as being 'equal' no matter how repulsive it is is part of the problem. Perhaps it is time for a stronger form of leadership, and fewer opportunities for mischief makers to come into this nation and alter basic and traditional structures of government and society." The nascent Party leader even hinted at possibly restoring various titles associated with the old imperial house of Ananto.

"I haven't given much thought about that," said Bennots. "Obviously it will be something that party leadership will want to talk about, but we will do so internally."

As the only active Party in Kalistan, the Institutionalists may get their wish to move an agenda in the Legislature as soon as new elections are organized.

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Institutionalist Protests held in major cities
Peaceful protesting communist "character" of Kalistani Constitution
Sulari, Suldanor
June 17, 5146


Protestors demonstrate in most major cities across Republic, support for change grows

More than 3 million Kalistanis turned out today for coordinated demonstrations across the Republic demanding the holding of elections and the election of a Government.

"We've had these caretakers for years," said Sulari protestor Andrew Lee. "They haven't really done anything except abolishing the Dual Government, changed the name of a bunch of stuff to Deltarian-looking communist labels, and then shut down the legislature, leaving governance to the Districts. It's time the National Government got back to work."

When asked, many of the people protesting didn't demand many policies. One young demonstrator, named Jill Greene summed up the general mood of the day, "We want someone who will actually govern, but I think more than that, I personally want someone who will never allow this kind of nonsense to happen again." When asked if Green would support laws that would re-establish a monarchy, Greene was ambivalent. "I see they have more stable government in countries like Lourenne: Its clear what kind of country they have. They don't have a bunch of new Parties showing up, changing everything all the time. We, on the other hand, have had that issue for thousands of years." She continued that while she supports the Institutions of the Nation, she thinks some traditions ought to be abandoned. "I'd be for getting rid of Parties all together," she said. "What good are they, when they are all exactly the same garbage, regardless of whom gets in."

Many of the protests today were joined by members of the IRP, who are looking to organize for elections whenever they are able to be organized. But it is unclear how much of the demonstrations were in support of Institutionalism in general, and how much of the demonstration is in support of the Institutional Party.

Demonstrations were peaceful, and no arrests were made.

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Institutionalists Set to make Major Changes to Kalistan
"Most Significant reforms in years" set to move through the Assembly
Kaliburg, Ananto
September 30, 5146


Nadine Bennots, the incoming Premier of the Republic speaks to Ashe Thompson of the Ananto Grower's Union on the eve of the IPoK's victory in snap elections this month

"We come into office with a mandate for reform," were the words of IPK's Nadine Bennots, after her young Party was awarded an uncontested Unanimity in recent snap elections. Bennots, who heads the recently formed Institutionalist Party of Kalistan, is set to become Premier of the Republic as soon as the Government Bill clears. It is expected to sail through with no opposition.

The reforms the Institutionalists have begun floating involve everything from removing the last vestiges of previous Communist Rule to abolishing the Republic in favor of a monarchy. "Over the centuries, our problem in Kalistan has not been war or famine. We live in a land of abundance. Instead, our problem has been with extremists from both the Left and the Right feeling like Kalistan should be their little social experiment. Most nauseating are right-wing elements who seek to institute economic liberalism, while bringing the hammer of state authority down upon the rights of the people. We know freedom is not a Socialist thing, and at any rate, the Socialists have vanished themselves, as they have done regularly throughout our history. But the people of the Institutionalist Party would like some consistency in our government."

Bennots and other Party leaders have declared the Assembly a "caretaker transition authority" charged with alteration of the Kalistani National Regime and the restoration of the Imperial structure that at least nominally existed in Kalistan until it was abolished in 4056. "We are looking at ways to preserve the people centered focus of the Republic, while restoring an imperial role to the Head of State. This includes re-establishing the House Ananto, and moving the neglected Districts into the Dutchy system." The Institutionalist leader noted a long history of Imperial rule in Kalistan, and argued that it was functionally similar to the operations of the Republic of Kalistan. "There was a National Assembly, there was Head of State elections to fill the seat when no emperor sat, etc. But our goal is to bring stability to our government and prevent the effects of these rotten ephemeral Parties who periodically ravage our state with their idiotic and ill conceived ideology."

Bennots did not lay out a time table for transition, but, "This is what we are doing. And we want to take care to balance everything out so we don't end up with some nutcase inbred lunatic who leads our country off a cliff who we can't get rid of without a revolution." Other changes Bennots proposed involve the re-establishment of hereditary titles, a possible alteration of the Flag and closer ties with Lourenne.

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Bennots makes first Major Address
"Republic is a mess" Party Speaker concludes
Kaliburg, Ananto
November 6, 5146


Majority Leader Bennots speaks from her seat in the National Assemby and presents dismal overview of State of the Republic

"Too long have the responsible people of this Republic let our nation slide into the ditch," said Majority Leader Nadine Bennots to a packed National Assembly, which convened today for the first time in 10 years. "Following the disappearance of the Socialists, the economy went into a nose dive and has been on autopilot. Stagflation is the rule of the game in Kalistan now."

The mix of neglect from the National Government and left over zero growth policies of the Socialists, have created a situation where prices are rising far more rapidly than standards of living. "The socialist policy of zero growth is fine if the economy is carefully tended to ensure that supply meets demand. But when you leave it up to the market, government policy which discourages investment and growth is quickly outpaced by greed of individuals, who take the opportunity to spread their vice like a bacteria taking over a host. In essence, the Republic has caught a bad cold, but there hasn't been anyone here to administer it the necessary doses of antibiotics for a decade. Combining that situation with the nonsense of the Communists just compounded the issues."

The new Leader of the Governing Party said that Kalistan would take a gradual approach to alleviate the dramatic price increases. "First of all this liberal notion of letting the market decide prices is a complete fraud from the word go. Our government will begin reinstituting economic nationalism, which will slowly implement price controls, and selective nationalization of those industries who see that as a signal to cut production under demand to protect their profitability. The mismatch between supply and demand is merely part of the problem, but the consumers are not going to bear the brunt of this neglect on the part of the government."

Bennots also noted that trade ties with Lourenne remain vital: "As they recover from their own troubled period, we expect to see a return to trade inflows which will alleviate pressures on domestic producers and allow prices inflation to slowly come down. The next couple years will be hard, but help is on the way."

Bennots has not become Premier of the Republic, because the Communists have abolished a separate Head of Government, and combined them in the office of the President. "The Communist Agenda," Bennots said. "The gift that keeps on giving."