Kalistani Major History

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Kalistan withdraws diplomatic and Embassy staff from Trigunia over new "Human Subjects" law
Limited Consular staff remain to assist Kalistanis attempting to flee nation
Kaliburg, Ananto
January 25, 5334


Foreign Minister Natalie Brewer discussed "problematic capitalist laws" in Trigunia

Foreign Minister Natalie Brewer issued a directive officially closing Kalistan's Embassy in Trigunia, withdrawing all diplomatic and Embassy Staff and leaving limited consular staff in place to help Kalistani Nationals and others in Trigunia depart the frozen northern dystopia.

"The developments in Trigunia have been troubling for a long time," said Minister Brewer. "They are the result of the Government of Trigunia giving free reign to Capitalist Actors, and capitalists doing precisely what they would be expected to do under this condition. The most recent affront to the dignity of humanity by this government is the passage of a new human subjects testing law that allows corporations to test products on humans and subject people to unregulated scientific experimentation. The Government, if we were to take them at their word, believes that this will allow Trigunia to advance in medicine and science, when in reality, it is in line with other recent developments in this country--it allows corporations the opportunity to turn human life into profit for shareholders. As a result, Kalistan now considers Trigunia to be a dangerous place for our citizens, and has ordered most of our public sector staff home immediately. We have also issued travel warnings for Kalistani's considering going to Trigunia, and we have asked KalAir to end direct flights to Trigunia. We will be leaving a small consular contingent to remain in Radin for at most six months, to process Kalistani travel papers and to offer visas to any Trigunian or foreign nationals who wish to relocate to Kalistan in light of these horrifying developments."

The Republic and Trigunia don't have a significant amount of contact between them. The relationship between Kalistan and Trigunia has been normal for a very long time, but there has not been a lot of reason for people to trade with or travel to Trigunia in recent years: trade between the two nations amounts to less than K10 Million annually, and mostly focuses on petroleum based products and some food stuffs. "The moves byt the Trigunian government," states Minister Brewer, "would be baffling if not motivated by a firm commitment to economic, but not social liberalism. This is capitalism run amok, with the Government acting as 'the hidden hand'. Human experimentation is what you get when you allow companies to do whatever they want. Trigunia is the model of the laissez faire state, where the people themselves are prey to a bloodthirsty vampire, and the Government not only stands by and allows it, but makes laws to help encourage it. Kalistan wants no part of that."

The foreign minister also stated that her office will be reviewing any treaties to which Kalistan and Trigunia are member states, and likely considering withdrawal from those agreements. The evacuation of diplomatic staff is already underway, and the travel warnings will go into effect on February 1 of this year.

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Nascent Kalistani fashion firm Del Valle releases first line by designer Mark George
Focuses on fun in the sun and sand
Sulari, Suldanor
February 19, 5334


Kalistani Beach Style is a new Genre of outer wear from new Fashion firm Del Valle

Del Valle has launched in Sulari and has released a new line of stylish but fun clothing that Kalistan is sure to see popping up on beaches and coastal towns from Kaliburg to Yoshimi this summer. The Summer Line from Lourennais-Kalistani fashion designer Mark George, who designs clothes for Del Valle is the first clothing line from the new firm. George has called it "Kalistani Beach Style", and it will be hitting stores in time for the beach season starting in May.

"The line comes from a simple idea," said George at the Del Valle Review in January. "We want people to feel comfortable in their clothing. So often high fashion, like the stuff you may see in Lourenne is not really that functional. It is designed like that because it is supposed to conform to a model. Unfortunately for most people, they are not that model. So they will sacrifice their comfort to look like they are elites in public. We are aiming for clothes that fit wide ranges of people, men and women, feel comfortable, can be converted based on whether you are on the beach, or out on the town at night with friends, and clothing that showcases and emphasizes the beauty in people, where the clothes are an accent rather than the main event."

George said the line was inspired by beach fashion. "I am not originally from Kalistan, of course," said George, who immigrated to Kalistan from Lourenne seven years ago. "I was not used to the beach culture that Kalistani people revel in. When I got to this country, after studying design in Lourenne, I marveled at the freedom and the libertine attitudes of most people who lived in beach communities up and down both the Suldanor coast as well as the Ananto coast. While the attitudes toward the sun and activities in the sea were different in different places, everywhere, people were modifying their clothes with like bikini accents, or you could tell that they were wearing a wetsuit because they were going to go surfing when they finished this like quarterly earnings meeting. It all seemed amazing to me, and I wanted to capture that free spirit in these clothes. It is already the clothing that people in Sulari are wearing just by piecing it together themselves. I say why not give them outfits they can try on, to elevate that sort of DIY do your own thing sort of fashion into something like a movement?"

The Beach Style summer line features outfits with loose fitting light weight fabric, for the most part. "You will see bikini accents here throughout the collection," said George. "I noticed that swim wear is a very important part of what people wear around town all day. You see a lot of men in board shorts, which can either serve a utility purpose or can allow them to catch a game of beach volleyball, and a lot of women who will go to the sun drenched shores and tan when they have some spare time. So not only does the clothing have to be lightweight and comfortable, it also needs to be convertible. You have to be able to take it off in public as well as wear it out. These pieces are as suitable for a day at the beach as they are for a night at the bar. And though the collection could be described as casualwear, there is also some really beautiful lines that we have built into each piece so you don't just look like a hippy on the beach, but you can tell that the person who wears these clothes pays attention to his or her appearance, and selects items deliberately."

The women's side of the line contains everything from flowing sun dresses to saris, all made of lightweight linen fabric for maximum breathability. The ensemble is not complete without a broad brimmed sun hat, often with a floral print band, and an oversized handbag. It also contains a bikini or one piece swim suit which can be used as a top, or a bottom. Some pieces also employ ripped, faded or distressed jean shorts as well. Men's ensembles include deck shorts made of nylon or canvas fabric, a linen short sleeve button down or jersey t-shirt, and may or may not include a bucket hat. Men's lines feature canvas deck shoes, in case he wants to play a game of pick up basketball on the beach or just walk in the sand, while women's ensembles feature a ubiquitous open-toed sandle.

"We have great hopes for this, Del Valle's first fashion line," said George. "They believed in me and my team, and I just know that Kalistanis are going to love this attire."

With the founding of Del Valle, and the arrival of Kalistan's first major fashion designer, Kalistan joins Lourenne in the world of fashion. This first outing is not seen to be direct competition with Lourenne's more conservative fashion ethos, which should permit Del Valle to fill a niche in the market.

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ODEN-K reports that drug use is up in Kalistan
Kalistanis slowly re-embracing the drug culture from a nadir in Institutionalist era
Kaliburg, Ananto
February 20, 5334


Drug use is aided by new technologies coming on the market including 1 hit bats like this device

Kalistanis are using more drugs now that they have in the last two centuries, a new report by ODEN-K, the Kalistani branch of the Organization of Drug Exporting Nations stated. "We've seen a 46% increase in the use of drugs in our Republic over the last decade," said Virginia Houstead, of ODEN-K. "Overall, we are seeing more people using drugs than we have in centuries, during the height of the Institutionalist power in Kalistan during the 5100s and early 5200s." Houstead noted that the survey reported that 1 household in every 785 reported drug usage in 5251. "It has steadily risen since 5286, when Socialists returned to power, and now we are at 1 household in every 23 reports one or more member using drugs on a semi-regular or regular basis."

ODEN-K's recent canvas revealed that by far the most popular drug is cannabis. "The vast majority of those who use drugs within the Republic are smoking cannabis, and as it becomes socially acceptable once more, we expect usage to continue to increase in Kalistan. Cannabis users outnumber the next most popular drug preferred by people by a margin of 60:1." ODEN has worked with Dah producers to produce weaker strains, which don't affect people as dramaticly as full strength Dah Gold does, and has begun to market cannabis cigarettes in terms of potency, from mild to heavy. "Having various grades of herb, with different strengths of THC per volume allows consumers to be more selective when purchasing weed," said Houstead. "If you want to take the edge off, or help with social anxiety, you will want to stay on the more milder end of things. It is still safe to operate vehicles under the influence of mild strains--it is the equivalent, physiologically of a strong class of camomile tea, a warm bath and smooth jazz. The heavier strains on the other hand are for those who intend to turn their mind off completely. Some people may pass out, so those are certainly not for use while driving. With new research and labelling, a user can tell what strength he or she is taking as well as what the effects will be."

Better agronomy is coupled with new technology available for administering the dosage of whatever you are taking. ODEN has researched everything from electronic cigarettes to steepable weed and mushrooms. "Our interest lies with those who grow and those who purchase," said Houstead. "But it is also part of our mandate that we provide quality paraphernalia for using the drugs as well. Consequently, we have introduced a number of technologies that make it easier, safer, and more efficient to dose chemicals correctly, and ensure that once you know your preferred dosage, you can reliably get that each and every time." Houstead described a new grinder introduced by ODEN-K to make jelcaps of ground mushrooms. "Each cap contains 450mg of mushrooms. You know exactly what you are getting when you take one or three of these. It's helped make mushrooms the second most preferred drug in the Republic."

Increases in usage was noted across the spectrum. "Not surprisingly, the organics moved the most, while powders moved the least. We saw significant jumps in cannabis, psilocybin, mescalin, DMT and opium usage. The least preferred drug in the Republic is methamphetamine, while cocaine usage remained flat. Heroin only saw a slight increase. LSD saw a decent increase while MDMA usage was the only drug that people are taking less of today than four years ago when the study was last taken."

All this points to a new wave of drug production in Kalistan and likely drug export. "There are only a few nations who have bothered to ratify ODEN," said Houstead. "We don't export to those nations directly, of course. As per the treaty, the only nations eligible for ODEN products are nations where we do not compete with recognized drug producers and suppliers. And we only recognize those who are based in countries that are ODEN signatories." but she added, "Everyone from all around the world is welcomed to come to Kalistan to buy drugs. A little, or a lot, it makes no difference. If their home country is not in ODEN, we will happily sell them to drug smugglers. Once they leave Kalistani soil, what those smugglers do with those drugs is entirely up to them. As is the risk. So, why not let them at least have a chance."

The Kaliburg ODEN warehouse is the largest publicly accessible drug depot in the world. "We look forward to more people using more ODEN-K's product." concluded Houstead.

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Banjax joins Kaliburg RF band Postamt on tour this Summer
Tour will take both bands to 10 cities across the Republic
Kaliburg, Ananto
April 30, 5334


Postamt, the Kaliburg RF trio to promote debut album "The District Sleeps Tonight"

Kaliburg RF Trio Postamt will kick off the summer tour season this year with a tour of the Republic. They are supporting their new album "The District Sleeps Tonight", which they recorded for KMI last winter and released on April 17 of this year. Joining them on the tour is Noise Alternative band Banjax, who will open for Postamt. Banjax caused a stir four years ago when they released a single through a development deal with ARC. The label opted to not exercise its option, and released the band after sales for single failed to meet nationwide expectations. Since then, Banjax has developed a reputation as a touring band, and we recently signed to a two album deal for KMI.

"We are thrilled to be out with Banjax," said Postamt vocalist April Khyber. "When we were putting the tour together, all three of us said there is no other band we wanted to tour with than the vets in Banjax." When Banjax signed with KMI, it became possible for Postamt to make that happen.

The tour will take the pair of bands to 10 cities in the Republic including major venues in Kaliburg, Sulari, Yoshimi, Dana, Eshar, Vrassa City, Nevaras City and Port Swedes. In addition, the tour will visit the Global Music Hall of Fame in Luxon and Addisjah. "We are looking forward to getting out of Kaliburg," said lead singer and one of the two keybordists Henry Gottlieb. "The RF club scene in the capital is pretty tame these days, and playing for the same people over and over only allows people to go so far creatively. This is also one of the reasons we wanted to tour with a group like Banjax. I think they will both bring a new fan base to our music, hopefully they will dig our more electronic sound, and we can maybe get some new ideas and get that creative spark back."

Banjax, for their part were particular psyched to team up with Postamt. Lead singer Martin Coyle said of Postamt "We like met these guys in a club like two years ago in the capital. And we thought they were so cool. They make RF music, but I think they sort of keep that indie spirit, which separates them from the other bands. They have a sound that is their own and I think when we started practicing for the shows, we came upon a sort of synergy that at least I haven't experienced a lot since we got here to Kalistan. Like I think we speak the same language, even though they are a LOT chiller than we have ever been, both as people and as musicians."

Postamt's sound is doesn't necessarily fit the classic form of RF. "I think they are more of an electronic band," said Coyle, "but they have the mentality of RF. They are sort of like what past nerds thought the future would sound like. Like if you were playing these old generic video games, with 16 bit sound, and then just made loops off those tunes, and then put your own lyrics to them... I don't think 'classic video game music' is a thing, but if it was, that would be Postamt. RF is where they are at because it sort of is retro in a lot of ways."

Ahead of the tour, Postamt had released a new video for their new single called "Nuclear Annihilation" which discusses the horrors of nuclear warfare and the challenges of maintaining an unrequited love affair in the age of atomic holocaust. You can check out this quirky RF tune here, courtesy of KMI. And be on the look out for the fall release of Banjax' first studio album, tentatively titled 4900 also on KMI. Both bands will be on tour in the month of June across the Republic, and depending on sales of tickets, the tour may be extended.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rKC7ElkTUQ]

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Yoshimi welcomes RailSul
Line from Dana to Yoshimi completed with last 110 miles of track laid
Yoshimi Suldanor
July 19, 5334


RailSul Terminal in Yoshimi is completed and provides excellent terminal for transit to Reynoldia and Sulari

The final 110 miles of track in RailSul's Coastal Line was completed this week and opened to public transit. "Progress has positively crawled in the last few dozen miles," said spokeswoman Tara Jackson. "Once we got into the swamplands of the Morass, engineering challenges presented themselves. Our anchors had to be deeper into the ground than in higher altitudes, and we has to contend with rotten weather, wildlife and all sorts of problems we didn't deal with further north. But The rail line is in now, after 4 years, and the Dana to Yoshimi piece is in place. 565 miles of track laid in just over 8 years-- it feels like a snail's pace but really it is an engineering feat." The rail completion was coupled with the construction of a new domed rail terminal in Yoshimi that cost K12.7 million and took two years to complete. The terminal also serves as a connection hub for the old terrestrial passenger line as well-- The lines between Yoshimi and Reynoldia and Yoshimi and Sweet Port will be discontinued, while the line between Yoshimi and Lucid City will remain in operation for the time being.

Jackson said that the Dana-Yoshimi line will serve as the backbone for MagLev passenger transportation within Suldanor. "From hubs in Yoshimi, Reynoldia and Sulari, we will extend rail service to each city in the District. That will happen on a piecemeal basis. As soon as the track travel's north into Odufaray, Central Rail will take over the construction of the transnational line, and RailSul will lay track at a less strenuous pace, as we receive revenue and raise capital for its construction. So extension of the spur lines to places like Lucid Valley will be slower in coming than the coastal line, and it may take a generation before the network in Suldanor is complete. But: that is the mode that we are switching into now--the work we have left to do on the National line is nearly at an end."

Kalistan has been slow in raising foreign investment for the MagLev. "I'd say foreign participation is almost non-existent," said Matthew Wallace, from the Ministry of the Infrastructure and Transport. "There was some initial interest, from places like Luthori, but when our government informed them that FDI generally does not generate a huge return in Kalistan due to strict capital controls and the law concerning foreign participation in Kalistani enterprises, interest in the project evaporated like a fart in the breeze." Wallace added, "We kind of expected it: Many countries have offered investment and money to Kalistani projects, but when they find out that they will not be able to outright own chunks of our territory or our means of providing public services, they lose interest. It seems that others either view Kalistan as something to exploit, or do not view Kalistan at all. Which is fine. It just makes raising capital for infrastructure a bit more challenging."

The vast majority of the money raised for the National MagLev Railway project has come from the Central Government, but as much as 40 percent has been raised among private sector financiers and industrial organizations, who see the clear benefit of improving transit of workers and citizens, and encouraging travel and tourism in Suldanor. The Sulari Area Small Business Association raised more than a million rubles in support of the project, for example because they feel it will help Sulari businesses and shops who are tied to tourism and financial services. The return on investment will be made up part of the way by user fares, but also there are residual benefits to improved infrastructure for businesses where the trains run. "And those returns can be expected for decades," added Jackson from RailSul. "Each year we have seen not only increasing passenger demand, but also increasing revenue, though the ticket prices have been steadily sliding from about K120 for a two way trip from Dana to Sulari to about 85 Rubles. That is about a 30% discount in just the seven years since the line has been open. Prices to Reynoldia have seen about a 15% decline, and they are also expected to go lower as more passengers travel over that rail. Each year more and more passengers, tourists and commuters are using the trains, and our trains are adding new cars each quarter. It is a very stunning vindication of the faith and confidence of the Government and our investors."

Now that the Yoshimi line is completed, The National MagLev Railway turns north and marches into Odufaray, a much more hospitable terrain over which to build track. Dana to Esher, a distance of about 645, on the Vrassan Border is expected to take about 5 years to complete.

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"Kidnapped!" the new Action-Comedy from Republican Pictures Opens across Republic
Audiences call it "So bad it's good"; Reward Company with K3.5 Million in first week
Sulari, Suldanor
August 1, 5334


"Kidnapped!" starring Kelsey Day and Carlos Estevez is a raucous movie, even though it is also a "bad" movie

There are many opinions about what makes a movie "good" or "bad": one dimensional characters can really irritate people who care about story telling, but the masses tend to love them. A script can make or break a movie. A lot of times, the goodness or badness of a film depends a lot on the quality of the director. Or the Set and costume design. Sometimes, sound plays a large role, or lighting.

The new action-comedy "Kidnapped!" from Republican Studios has none of the elements one would traditionally assign to "good movies". The characters are "more like caricatures, even though they are both very good looking caricatures," said one film critic, writing for KRM. "The two main characters of the story [Bella, played by Dana based Actress Kelsey Day, and Charlie, played by Carlos Estevez] were the archetypical rich girl and misunderstood convict. That's about as deep as they go- like two inches deep," said Martin Cruz from Kalistani Rawk Monthly. "The supporting characters, an out of control cop (played by punk rock Veteran Jack Elmer), a super rich and out of touch father (played by Dale Henderson) and a cocaine addled television show director (played admirably by noted straight edge punk Greg Rift) all don't have a lot of backstory. You pretty much get what you see the first time you meet these guys."

The "set" is two cars on the Freeway and a generic looking Police Station.

Costumes don't change, at all.

The movie's plot is utterly ridiculous and can be summed up as "Man accidentally kidnaps rich girl. Police over react. Man and girl fall in love during a high speed chase." and that's it.

But, despite the utter lack of character development, plot, set or costume design, concern for being blinded on a regular basis by a reflected sun flare, the movie was wildly popular, with people standing in line to see it again, after they had already seen it. "It's stupid," said one theatergoer. "Stupid and funny. There are some really hilarious parts that I told my brother and his friends about and now we're watching it together."

Another theater goer called it "So bad its good. Like some obvious stuff that seemed a little amateurish actually fit into the story well. They have just these random characters who are all musicians just appearing as cameos throughout, in just absurd situations. My favorite was when Ted Howell and Martin Coyle (from the Noise Alternative band Banjax) are playing these ridiculous vigilantes, and they just cause more problems for the cops than actually do anything that helps, and they are so stoked about it while they are getting arrested themselves. That was hilarious."

The movie itself is a critique of sensationalism in media, and on the level of satire, it sort of works, if you squint your eyes hard enough. The "concern" expressed for the kidnapping victim by the news media was "pretty obscene" according to Cruz. "Often some countries tend to focus on high profile stories, and like it should create some sympathy for the victim, but in fact, ends up just making people turn their tv's off. When its obvious that their concern is really for ratings. This movie hits that point pretty squarely on the nose." Another critique the movie makes is about how power corrupts the police force. "This film is set in Kalistan, and we have some pretty benign police in this country, but the police officers in the movie could be the police force of ANY country that lets their police officers investigate crimes. You see how this movie turns a routine question about a stolen car into a kidnapping into a high speed chase which puts a lot of lives and safety at risk, largely because of over-reaction by power-hungry cops. It could in theory happen here too."

"Biting social satire," though was not why millions of young theater goers went to see this movie over the last week. "I think Carlos and Kayley have mad chemistry. I'm surprised it took them that long to fall in love," said teenaged Willow Allison, of Dana. "I mean, I think if I was in her situation, I wouldn't fall in love with a dude who kidnapped me, but- he was innocent. So yeah, let the hearts fly." Many of Allison's peers echoed the sentiment. Many of these kids' parents called the love story "unbelievable," but said there were a lot of funny lines in the show and it was good for what it was: an hour and a half view into an alternative universe full of continuity errors, caricature and stereotype, and almost no plot development at all.

"Plus I really loved the soundtrack," said Brad Ignacio from Yoshimi. "Lots of good punk rock here. Its about time we heard some more of that." In fact, the soundtrack was the one thing "Kidnapped!" got correct, if the universal praise for the Last Chance Records soundtrack is to be believed. LCR was contacted to do the entire soundtrack, and made a record which consists entirely of pop punk and ska tracks from popular regional bands. "the high energy of punk really set a good background tone for the story, which was after all, literally a high speed chase." Said Ignacio.

"I loved it," said Yoshimi mom Yuki Matsumoto. "My kids did too. We'll probably see it again next week."

"Kidnapped!" by Republican Pictures proves that the movie does not need to be "good" for it to be good. It is currently in theaters, and shows are reportedly still packed around the Republic.

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Republican Pictures Releases "Postamt at Luxon"
Concert film covers tour with Banjax culminating in GMHoF show
Kaliburg, Ananto
January 18, 5335


Postamt closes tour with sell out performance at the Global Music Hall of Fame

The concert movie "Postamt at Luxon" opened last week to excellent reviews and high attendance. Postamt completed their tour of the Republic last July, with the sellout performance at Luxon's Global Music Hall of Fame. "Postamt at Luxon" covers the entire tour, and includes four full performances of tourmates Banjax, who played not only three songs from their new Album "4900" but also covered a Seizure Song "Lucid Dreams" for the packed crowds (Banjax brought along a rhythm guitarist, Colleen Donnelly, who has subsequently joined the band full time). The movie highlights both the stresses of touring and preparing for a series of shows back to back to back, but also the strains it can place on the relationship between band mates as they attempt to give an excellent performance of the same music each night.

"We went into the tour thinking 'Hey, this will be great. We can take what we did in the studio and put it on the stage," said Henry Gottlieb of Postamt. "Wrong. About three shows in we were like 'My god, and we got to play these songs how many more times this month?' It was a real marathon, and the drugs definitely helped."

"Touring with Postamt was a real experience," said Banjax' Martin Coyle. "I mean they are such good musicians, and yet, I think they would just much prefer staying in the studio and making their creations. Especially toward the end, you could tell it was beating them."

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHCzvyz9kFw]
Banjax covering Seizure's Deeptrack "Lucid Dreams" at the third Vrassa City show during the tour depicted in "Postamt at Luxon[/align]

The movie covers the steadily declining morale of the members of Postamt, most of which the fans were blissfully unaware of. It focuses primarily on footage of the band on the road, and is narrated by vocalist April Khyber, who kept a tour journal that outlined the early exhilaration, the rigor of the grind, and the exhaustion as they went from town to town and played several shows in each place. By the end of the movie, the band is for the most part not speaking to one another, as nerves get frayed. Finally, keyboardist and sequencer technician Daryl Thomas calls a sit down and the group talks about the things that are stressing them out, most of which has to do with proximity to so many people on the tour, (April Khyber has already stated a number of times that she is "..seriously introverted" and it seems that her anxiety is also taking a toll on Gottlieb and Thomas) and it is decided that this will be likely the last major tour for Postamt. "But," Thomas says in film, "We have just this one more show to do, this one chance to really shine. Let's try to make it our best."

And indeed, they did. The movie ends with them beginning the final concert, clips from which have been playing throughout the movie, along with Banjax performances filmed at different stops during the tour, and over the closing credits plays their grand finale, the extremely hi-tempo, almost dubstep RF tune "A Republican Anthem", which at points dissolves into noise, and is the closest the band gets to the sounds of their Noise Alternative Openers. Fans know what happened as a result of the tour: in July, the band went on indefinite hiatus, and Gottlieb and Khyber began a semi-public relationship, while Thomas is currently working with his side band called Friendship Ark. Meanwhile, Banjax has released their debut album, 4900, which has since peaked at Number 6 on the hot album chart, vindicating the band and the fans for sticking with them this entire time. This movie then serves as a prologue to the present, and presents a very personal picture of the pressures of a touring band, as they try to keep the energy that went into the making of their record, and the love that fans have shown them this whole time.

At the end of the day, we see a band as individual people, with their own insecurities and anxieties, as well as individual personalities, all of which they put aside each night to play a 90 minute set. We can see how a tour can weld a group and sharpen their sound to the point of virtuosity, in the case of perpetually touring fan-favorites Banjax, and how it can tear a band apart, like it does to the creatively minded and progressive electronic band Postamt. Khyber's narration provides many poignant insights, some sweet moments, and plenty of behind the scenes context for the story, and keeps it light and on track, though the imagery often pushes back against that. The cinematography and sound are top notch, and several moviegoers who attended the GMHoF show say it was like they were back at that concert again while watching it in the theater. All in all, it is a solid concert film from the inventers of the genre.

Check out one of the clips from "Postamt at Luxon," their single "Tell me Am I Right?", live, and then go check out the film from Republican Pictures, in association with Postamt, Banjax and KMI Records.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B8D6BRCVrQ]
Postamt performs "Tell me Am I Right?" at the Global Music Hall of Fame in early July, recorded for "Postamt at Luxon"[/align]

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Postamt to Reunite to play Dorvik Highlands Festival
"One off show" to support Electronic Music in Dorvik and to have "a good time"
Kaliburg, Ananto
August 1, 5335


Postamt comes out of hiatus to play one off set in Dorvik

Fans of EDM and RF in Kalistan are excited about travelling to Dorvik to attend the Dorvik Highlands Festival this September. Many are already booking flights to the Artanian nation famous in Kalistan for its skiing and electronic dance music. "I really look forward to seeing the lineup," said Nicky Souther, of Kaliburg. "When I heard Kizil Koca was going to be there I knew I had to see him. He's one of my favorite international artists and its going to be a real treat to see him perform live!"

Another band which was recently given the green light by festival organizers is Postamt, the Kaliburg trio who toured the Republic last year and was the subject of the concert film "Postamt at Luxon" that came out last December. "We figured we'd taken enough time off and wanted to just go to the festival and have some fun," said Henry Gottlieb of Postamt. Postamt was approved for an opening set during the second evening. "We asked them not to put us on when things are going bonkers in the crowd," said April Khyber. "We do play a lot more lower tempo DIY stuff: I mean, we can get fast and wild, but for the most part, our music is more introspective. As RF artists, and not specifically EDM artists, we'll be happy to warm up the crowd for the producers who will follow us, who specialize more in the hi NRG stuff."

Postamt went on hiatus in July of last year following their Republican tour, and haven't been in rehearsals for anything since then. But when they got the go ahead to schedule the performance, all three came back together with ease. "No there was never any bad blood. We were just tired," said Gottlieb. "Long tour, thousands and thousands of fans, a whole bunch of expectations from the label, and everything. You just get sick of each other, but we're family, and it was so nice to see the band back together again, even if its just for this one thing."

Besides Postamt, who is expected to play about an hour, more than 5,000 Kalistanis have already booked flights to Dorvik during the first part of September. "This is a fairly steep jump" said AeroKal's director of sales Connie Hughes. "We usually get a jump in December through March, when the skiing is good, but year over year, I think passengers to Dorvik are actually up about 3 percent over all, and 89% for the month of September. This is a boon for us, and it represents, we think, a signficant interest in the Festival."

Postamt, for their part intends to stay for the whole festival. "I just need to dance to some good tracks," said Kyber. "Gotta get the lead out! I am looking forward to just having a good time!"

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Republican Pictures releases "Burnout: The James Brown Story"
Biopic tells of Tragic Death of Demo Derby Driver James Brown
Kaliburg, Ananto
October 7, 5336


"Burnout: The James Brown Story" features Clint Taliaferro and Victor Anderson in biopic about the life and death of James Brown

Kalistan has raced the Formula One circuit for 20 years, but before the Republic added F1 to its motor sports, Kalistan was the long time home of Demolition Derby. The Sport was Kalistan's National Sport for centuries. And no career in Demolition Derby was as promising or as tragic as that of Kaliburg driver James Brown. Nearly all those who are fans of the history of the sport know the sequence of events that led to Brown's untimely demise, but Republican Pictures has premiered a biopic of Brown's life called "Burnout: The James Brown Story."

Victor Anderson stars as James Brown, who began his driving career in 3925 and died in 3928 as a result of asphyxiation while winning the national championship trophy in the sport that year. Brown was widely viewed as one of the first great superstars and early popularizer of the sport in Kalistan and his death was initially believed to be foul play, but upon later investigation was discovered to be the result of the exhaust leaking through the airvents in the car. His tragic early death led to major safety improvements in Kalistani automobiles. When the Kalistani National Motor Company was established in 4412, his picture was put up in the Safety and Quality Department, and all workers, when they hire into MoCo learn his story as part of the onboarding, to ensure they remember what is at stake.

Anderson said, of playing the Demolition Derby legend "This is like a dream role, for sure. The directors were so careful with all the details, and we actually got to drive some classic cars for the film. MoCo actually made replicas of all the various brands from back in those days, like the SCCs and the Nevarans. You certainly don't see any of those on the road these days. And we were driving these weird looking cars around, tricked out with roll cages and no windshields and stuff. It was truly a blast."

Anderson was joined by veteran actor Clint Taliaferro, who played Brown's coach Jim Jefferson. "Working with Vic was good fun," said Taliaferro. "He really brought a sense of lightheartedness, which I think really did justice to Brown's sense of humor and playfulness, both in and out of the arena. Brown was known as a bit of a drinker, and I'm pretty sure that Vic had fun with that aspect of the filming too." Donna Paul played Jenny Brown, who was Brown's team's chief mechanic and his wife. "I think Donna really brought a lot of heart and feminine energy to a movie which would otherwise have gotten lost in a haze of testosterone. Though this movie is about a demolition derby driver, it is also a story of those two's love affair. It was such a sweet story and her losing the love of her life to a tragic accident like carbon monoxide poisoning, while he's like accomplishing his life goal of winning the National Championship, it adds a maudlin tone to an otherwise triumphal movie."

"Burnout: The James Brown Story" cost more than K6 Million to make, and is one of the few films where the cars were designed to be destroyed. "The movie is about Demolition Derby, after all," said Anderson. "I wish I could have done the stunts, but the producer said we didn't have enough insurance for that." The film is also accompanied by contemporary tracks from the dawning of the Kalistani Music scene, including Alternative rock bands like The Revolution and Annie Clark, as well as punk band Ananto Bay and traditional hard rock band The Queens. "This music is both incredibly old, and also it sounds really kind of current," said Anderson. "The original songs in the movie are music that few are familiar with, since its like music from more than 2400 years ago. And yet we also have current bands like Banjax and Las Banderas Rojas doing covers of that old stuff and adding a modern kind of approach to both the production as well updating the sound. It really helps tell the story in a big way."

"Burnout: The James Brown Story" is in theaters now, and the MPST is available at record stores and on streaming: It is out on KMI. You can listen to Ananto Bay's "White Powder, Redlines" here to get an idea of what you can expect from "Burnout: The James Brown Story".

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCQAS4tGUrk]

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Kalistan Conducts Naval Drills along Southern Limit
Focus of exercise is interdiction and impoundment
Yoshimi Station, Suldanor
October 19, 5336


The KRS 345 Frigate fires its 127 mm Main gun at dummy targets who "fail to heed" commands to halt

The Kalistani Regular Navy conducted drills along the Southern Limit in the Ananto Strait this week. According to Regular Navy spokesman Lt Leonard Davis, "The Third Regular Fleet conducted interdiction and impoundment drills as part of a scheduled training exercise along the Southern Limit. These drills will allow naval personnel to practice traffic control maneuver in the Strait, boarding procedures to look for contraband transiting Kalistani National Waters, and disabling tactics designed to slow or stop ships who do not comply with legitimate commands issued by Kalistani patrols. These tactics continue to play a vital part of Kalistani National Defense and are necessary to secure the transit and commerce routes between Ananto and the Mainland."

The entire 3rd Regular Fleet based at Yoshimi Station took part in the exercises along with elements of the 2nd Regular Fleet from Port Swedes. Kalistan has recently refit its navy and drills like this restore tactics that Kalistan's Navy has long left unpracticed. "We view the Ananto Strait as key to Kalistani Security," said Lt. Davis. "Historically, hostile navies have regularly transited the Straits with little ability of the Republic to respond. Following the permanent Closure of the Strait to foreign military traffic and the re-routing of military traffic to the Lourrenne Passage on the east side of Ananto, we have been able to ensure peaceful use of Kalistani National Waters for purely commercial and transportation purposes by foreign nations. The Ananto Strait has been an internationally recognized demilitarized zone for the last 650 years and this security has allowed Kalistan to cooperate with our neighbors in securing peace and tranquility to the seas in our part of the world. We maintain that peace with drills like the ones the 3rd Fleet conducted this week."

The drills included a two day cat-and-mouse wargame between the 1st Destroyer Squadron, flagged by the Kaliburg Class KRS-756 , against a wolfpack of 5 Sativa Class subs from the 2nd Fleet. The goal of the wolfpack: "Sink the Destroyer". The Goal of the Destroyer group was to avoid successful targeting solutions while hunting and sinkingthe subs. Each of the Sativas was equipped with dummy torpedo's that would would acquire their target and signal simulated hits, and meanwhile, the subhunters were equipped with depth charges that exploded near the surface to signal a hit. In the two day game of hide and seek in the open ocean, the Subs eventually came up with a victory less than an hour before the expiration of the time of the game, but not before the 756 had "destroyed" four of the five submarines from the second fleet. "The challenge offered the sailors a bit of friendly competition during the exercise," said Lt. Davis. "The 3rd Fleet thought they had it in the bag before the final Sativa radioed the final solution, "sinking" the Destroyer with a direct hit to the engine room in the aft of the Kaliburg."

As Kalistan's navy, now fully complimented continues to deploy at sea, the Navy has asked the National Government to consider aggrandizing the fleet to include more submarines. "It is something that the Regular Navy is considering, given our national strategic doctrine and tactical emphasis on mobility. The capital ships do bring fire power to the field, and do cut an imposing silhouette on the horizon, but the possibility of encountering a submarine patrol can act as a serious deterrent to other nations who think that Kalistan's surface navy can be easily dispatched. Subs are also less expensive to build than a Destroyer, and this may be a better use of Kalistan's resources going forward."

As for now, the 3rd Fleet has returned from its exercises, and regular patrols along the Southern Limit have resumed.