GLÜM - The Talossan Headlight http://glum.talossan.com An overview of Talossan activity. Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:20:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 GV on Talossa http://glum.talossan.com/?p=453 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=453#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:23:47 +0000 GLUM Administrator http://glum.talossan.com/?p=453 We had the immense pleasure to interview GV (Gödafrïeu Válcadác’h), whose participation in and contribution to Talossan history has been more than relevant. 
Xhorxh: How did you learn about Talossa?
GV: I was one of the “Wired kids” who learned through Wired magazine issue March 2000.
That was in March of that year. I forgot about the article until May when it came back to my mind.
6 June 2000 I made my 1st post to what was then Wittenberg VI.
Xhorxh: Who is GV and what does he do for a living?
GV: No day job at the moment, but www.transposemysong.com is a part of the mix along with my professional music gigs.
 
Xhorxh: What are your hobbies and pastimes?
GV: Talossa, online gaming (too much of that), computer games (empire-building, mainly)
Xhorxh: Where do you stand in relation to the Kingdom now?
GV: If I have to say so myself, if there is one Talossan who is a bridge between Kingdom and Republic, it is I. More than any other Republic citizen, I’ve trolled the Kingdom Witt and made friends with the newish (to me, anyway) Kingdom citizens. More new Kingdom citizens know me than they know anyone else ‘down south’, but if that’s as far as the Kingdom is willing to go, it’s pointless save that I have friends on both sides of the fence.
Xhorxh: If you had to compare the present state of affairs in the Kingdom and in the Republic, how would you analyze it?
GV: Indifference on the part of the Kingdom. Sad resignation on the part of the Republic.
Xhorxh: “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…”
GV: Lol
Xhorxh: What’s keeping that dream from happening? What should be done?
GV: The fact that the Kingdom alienated the old-growth is a crime. And it was done by John Woolley’s election as monarch, which alienated them. I don’t think John and his folks meant to do that, however. They know very well I’ve been imploring them to come to our Witt and try to initiate some sort of dialogue for years, and they have done nothing. Manus has hardly ever visited us, Q certainly has not, and worst of all, Woolley has been completely absent. Until he can win the hearts and minds of those down south, he can never call himself “King of Talossa”, because he is no king of ours. A good man, yes.
Xhorxh: Why are so few people interested in joining the Republic?
GV: That’s a good question and one not easily answered. I really dont’ know.
Xhorxh: And why are people in the Republic so uninterested in practicing the Glhetg and producing works in it?
GV: Real life. There has never been much interest outside of a small cadre in the language. It was like that in the old Kingdom.  Back then, it was Ben and Tomás. And little else.
Xhorxh: Do you think the Glhetg is too complex and hard to learn and thus should be simplified?
GV: No. It’s partly due to there not being (for the old 2.0 version) good learnign aids. But it really boils down to real-life priorities getting in the way.
Xhorxh: If you could form a joint group to discuss and work towards an improvement in Kingdom-Republic relations, who would you choose? Why?
GV: Kingdom: Fritz, Woolley [King John], Manus [Lord Hooligan], Q [Quedéir Castiglha]. Fritz because of his Milwaukee connections, Woolley for regnal reasons, Manus because he’s a level-headed guy, Q because he was deeply hurt by the schism. Republic: Miestrâ [Schivâ], Ián Anglatzarâ., Dieter [Vercáriâ], Gruber [Kane Dal Nava], and [Art] Verbotten. I’d also include the current Republic president [Txec dàl Már], and to even things out in the Kingdom, I’d have one of the newer citizens, but never JP. The manner of JP’s exit from the Republic burned more bridges than can ever be imagined.
 
Xhorxh: Is it possible that Art Verbotten will ever make up with us?
GV: I think he’d like to, but to do so would be to alienate him from at least a few good friends in the Republic. He doesn’t want to do that.
Xhorxh: What’s your political stance in the Republic nowadays?
GV: Neutral. I honestly don’t care who wins in the next elections. Government will be good any way it goes.
Xhorxh: What would you tell Talossan newbies to do?
GV: Get to know both Witts and both Talossas. If one really wants to get a feel for the Talossa of yesterday as it exists today, visit the Republic. If one wants to get a different view on things, visit the Kingdom in which will be found the legal traditions of the old Kingdom. The best parts of the spirit of the old Kingdom will be found int he Republic. If one is to have an understanding of Talossa, one must get to know both communities.
Xhorxh: It’s been SO nice talking with you. Great (and candid) interview!
GV: Certainly.
]]> http://glum.talossan.com/?feed=rss2&p=453 0 Flip Molinar on Talossa http://glum.talossan.com/?p=437 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=437#comments Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:34:55 +0000 GLUM Administrator http://glum.talossan.com/?p=437 Flip Molinar is one of our brightest, best-talented young Talossans. He gave us this interview earlier today

Xhorxh: Who is Flip and how did he learn about Talossa? 

Flip: I am a 19-year-old from Elgin, Illinois. I discovered Talossa through Wikipedia.

Xhorxh: What are your hobbies, your likes and dislikes?
 
 Flip: computer gaming, history, and social activism; I dislike liars.

 Xhorxh: Do your Talossan and American sides share the same political views?
 
 Flip: Yes, by nature I am a Democratic Socialist and I support many of the same principles [such as TAID] in Talossa.
 
Xhorxh: What do you tell your friends about Talossa, and how do they react?
 
Flip: I tell them about its rich culture and history but most think it’s just another micronation.
 
 Xhorxh: What makes you happy and sad about Talossa?
 
Flip: I am extremely happy that we are a global society where individuals can bond and solve problems allowing us to fully appreciate those of different cultures or backgrounds; however, I hate the fighting that is synonymous with election season.
Xhorxh: You’re different from most in the sense that you never get involved in fights
Do you think your elegance and balance would make you a good seneschal in the future?
 
Flip: I think that is definitely a possibility. I am not interested in fighting but rather being focused on what’s best for Talossa.
Xhorxh: Why has Talossa been so slow and boring lately and how could things get better? 
 
Flip: I am not sure why, but I think that we need to become more than just a one-dimensional political chatroom, like we’ve become. So many people join expecting a rich culture and festivities, only to be bombarded with politics. This false advertising must stop.
 
Xhorxh: Who are your best Talossan friends?
 
Flip: My best Talossan friends are Eovart Grishun, JP, Mick Sir Fritz and yourself.
Xhorxh: I know many PPers disliked me for my (alleged) mudslinging. How come they accepted me so openly in the PP?
 
Flip: Because now is the time to move past the bickering and get down to making Talossa the best nation it can be.
 
Xhorxh: You’re a great lawmaker. Do you intend to pursue a political career in the US (at least on the local level)?
 
Flip: How did you know? I plan to be very involved in politics and community activism.
 
Xhorxh: Obama started just like that
 
Flip: Yes, but hopefully I will have more grit than he has shown.
 
Xhorxh: What kind of community activism could we use in Talossa?
 
Flip: Projects to alleviate world poverty and suffering.
Xhorxh:How about the King? He’s been almost completely inactive for a long time. Should we give him hell, replace him, or what?
 
Flip:I would say a rep post should be created as you brought up to represent him in public.
Xhorxh: What would you tell the newbies to do and not to do?
 
Flip: I would say, don’t be shy, ask questions, start projects but don’t quit or get discouraged.
Xhorxh: Thanx a lot for your cool interview.
 
 
 
]]> http://glum.talossan.com/?feed=rss2&p=437 1 Breaking Records for the RT by Danihel Forestal http://glum.talossan.com/?p=423 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=423#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:02:22 +0000 GLUM Administrator http://glum.talossan.com/?p=423 I doff my hat to Ieremiac’h Ventrutx, whose forays into the Regipats Talossan help to spread the creamy taste of our delicious Kingdom among the Cestours. A recent trip of his led to the placement of RT stickers on Cestour automobiles and business windows. S:reu Ventrutx’s dedication to promoting the Kingdom might be considered the inspiration for this article, and perhaps upcoming ones, in which I will explore ways we can all rise to the challenge of spreading Talossanity, and help give the Kingdom a greater sense of “real-ness” in the world at large. The Universal Records Database (http://urdb.org) was founded in 2004 with the ambitious mission of becoming the central repository of all exceptional human achievements. Their concept is simple — they’ll document any record, provided it is (1) quantifiable, (2) breakable, and (3) legal (and for submittal to the site, it must be rated PG). Some recent records posted to the URDB include:

* Most Consecutive “Behind The Back” Golf Ball Bounces Using A Golf Club

* Largest Group Of Nobel Laureates To Remove A Sword From Someone’s Throat

* Largest Group Of People Pretending To Be Sea Otters

* Most Times Saying “I’ll Have What She’s Having” In 30 Seconds

The entire list of records set so far is at http://urdb.org/content/recordlist.aspx. As you will see, nearly ANYTHING goes, and the records range from mundane to flat-out bizarre. The inherent quirkiness of the URDB makes it nearly custom-tailored for Talossan input! And so, I hereby announce a challenge my fellow Talossans: set a URDB world record in the name of our Glorious Kingdom! It’s an easy and fun way to garner some recognition for the Kingdom, and to show that we’re a fun-loving group of weirdos. As you consider a record, keep in mind the submittal requirements (http://urdb.org/about), as well as how to incorporate Talossa into the record. You can either devise your own novel record, or you can attempt to beat an existing record. When you submit your record, let the rest of us know — post a comment here, and share your success on Witt. If you are geographically proximal enough to meet up with another Talossan and set a record together, even better! Below are some ideas to spark your creativity. Join the conversation by entering comments below — add your own suggestions and tell us what record(s) you’re considering attempting.

URDB WORLD RECORD IDEAS:

* Highest free-standing couscous tower.

* Most squirrels treed at once on Talossan soil.

* Most pillbugs fit into one’s hand at once.

* Most fan letters mentioning Talossa written to Gloria Estefan.

]]> http://glum.talossan.com/?feed=rss2&p=423 0 Meet the Talossans http://glum.talossan.com/?p=417 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=417#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:42:05 +0000 GLUM Administrator http://glum.talossan.com/?p=417 By Tycho van Die

For a long time, Talossa was asleep and silence dominated Wittenberg. This ended a few days ago. Suddenly it seemed like an alarm clock awakened Talossa from its sleep. Result: Talossa is moody. Some people are moody, because they feel like Talossa overslept, some because they are still tired and want to sleep again. No relaxed awakening, but fighting and personal attacks from both sides. It resulted in a senator resigning: Alexander Davis decided to quit his job after what he felt was an attack on the SoS and some criticism regarding his decision to vote against every PP-bill. After that, there seemed to be peace again, but there’s still a lot of tension.

Even though I am one of the newest citizens of this weird but wonderful country, this is not the first time I experienced chaos and fighting. It’s the third time. The first time was during the elections. It started as a political game between the ZPT and the PP, but things got out of hand. It resulted in a lot of personal attacks and negative campaigning. The second time was just after the elections, when Owen Edwards left. The result was, again, fighting, which didn’t stop until Alexandreu Likazar Bisquinc surprised everyone with a great speech and succeeded in bringing back peace (and Istefan Lorentzescu) to Wittenberg.

After that, the silence begun. A good description of everything that has happened was made by Eovart Grishun, when Çesli da Chilseu returned and asked for a description of the recent events using less than 15 words: “There was a period of madness and now there’s a period of quietness.” Nobody could have said it in a better way, but a few days after he’d said it, the madness started again. I’m back in the present. 

Since this is the last part of this article, it’s time for some sentences expressing hope for the future or containing a conclusion or telling everyone what there is to learn from all of this, but honestly I don’t exactly know what I should say. Maybe it’s best to say this madness is just a part of Talossan culture. Obviously there are times when madness is not present, but usually it’s silent then and that isn’t good for Talossa either. Of course it is a good idea to stop all the negativity and all the fighting, but the chaos will probably never disappear. Like our Seneschal said (in Talossan): “madness? NO, THIS IS TALOSSA!”

]]> http://glum.talossan.com/?feed=rss2&p=417 2 Witt Quote of the Week http://glum.talossan.com/?p=413 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=413#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:23:43 +0000 Ventrutx http://glum.talossan.com/?p=413 Although GLÜM has been quite silent as of late, I had to find a way to archive a very well thought through and very ‘Talossan’ quote!  So in a way introducing a new segment of GLÜM the “Quote of the Week”

Wittenberg Quote of the Week
Week of October 4th, 2009

“Ask Dreu – While I may disagree with him on …. uh… just about everything, I still think he’s a good guy. Misguided , but still a good guy.”
- Capitan Mick Preston
Secretár d’Estat
Wittenberg

Got another great quote?  Post it in the comments here for posterity.

]]> http://glum.talossan.com/?feed=rss2&p=413 0 Interview: Mick Preston on Talossa http://glum.talossan.com/?p=400 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=400#comments Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:12:56 +0000 Asmour http://glum.talossan.com/?p=400 SoS Mick Preston has just granted a Spartan but significant interview to Glüm’s Xhorxh Asmour: 

MPrestWhat does Mick do in real life?

He works for a Software Company that caters to the Automobile Dealers. System Admin, Customer Service, just about everything.

Are you married? Any kids?

I got divorced in ‘92, never remarried. One – he’s 20 now. Goes to the university that is about 2 miles from my house.

Any pets?

I have a Whippet.

How did you bump into Talossa?

I went to high school with Troy (Sir Trotxa Betiñeir) – he was a year behind me. He married one of my classmates. Troy and Manus (Lord Hooligan) needed another player for the Fantasy Football League. Manus I knew of through Diplomacy for 10 years – but hadn’t met him until Talossa West.

Favorite readings, hobbies, pastimes…?

Not many – I enjoy crime shows.

One good thing Talossa used to have that it doesn’t anymore?

Civility.

Why do you think people like your work as SoS so much?

Because they don’t have to do it.

Ben Madison has recently contacted James Farris, one of our prospectives, telling him we’re a fake, “copycat” group. What do you think of that?

I think Ben is trying to reclaim former glory.

Why do you keep such a low profile?

To be honest… I don’t like the state of Witt today. The pre-election fighting, the personal attacks, the bullheadedness of some members.

What do you think about the 3-Strikes Law?

I’m totally for it. If you can’t vote once in 2 years, you need to go ahead and resign.

What would you say to the recent quitters?

Thanks for the time you spent here – and we’ll leave a light on, if you decide to come back.

And many thanks from Glüm for your time!

Sure!

]]> http://glum.talossan.com/?feed=rss2&p=400 1 Witt Update – August 27-29, 2009 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=408 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=408#comments Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:40:55 +0000 Ventrutx http://glum.talossan.com/?p=408 * King John announced that he is leaving for a bit of spiritual refreshment, during his leave, the King appointed a Regent, Prince Patrick, to hold the reigns should they be needed.

* The welcome back of Lord Q continued.

* More prospectives enter the Kingdom for review, Lord Hooligan continues his hand on the door introducing them to Talossa.

* King John places his signature on to 40RZ3 – The Talossification of Penguins Act and 40RZ4 – The HCE Act

* Sir C.M. Siervicül announced he and his family are moving across the US. We wish them safe journey and a swift move!

* Ventrutx posted Music Appreciation: Opera … a great discussion of music follows, be sure to listen to the You Tube clips as well as pick up a copy of the Talossan operas El Taloçait d’Isiviglha and El Mariatx da Cascourös

* Talossan Fantasy Football Leage is in discussion….

]]> http://glum.talossan.com/?feed=rss2&p=408 0 Witt Update – August 16-26 2009 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=395 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=395#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:49:07 +0000 Asmour http://glum.talossan.com/?p=395 * Min Cult Eovart Grischun launches “Better Know Talossa”, a series of guides written to help citizens understand the unique and often quirky culture of the Kingdom of Talossa. First part released:  Stemna – A LayMan’s Guide to the College of Arms and the Armorial.

* Monarchy Day celebrated on Aug 24. King John granted arms to Mic’haglh Soliani and Réxhifjörd Taglheir.

* Proclamation of mourning for Corazon Aquino, Philippine ex-president who died Aug 20 at 76.

* JP asks all to pray for his beloved grandmother, who was diagnosed with cancer last Saturday. She opted not to take chemotherapy and undergo surgery. May she get well soon!

* zzzzzz Low activity and widespread boredom continues on Witt.

]]> http://glum.talossan.com/?feed=rss2&p=395 1 Monarchy Day Aug 24th http://glum.talossan.com/?p=340 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=340#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:01:16 +0000 Ventrutx http://glum.talossan.com/?p=340 24 August: Monarchy Day (commemorating the restoration of the monarchy with the ascension of Queen Florence, on this day in 1987)

]]> http://glum.talossan.com/?feed=rss2&p=340 0 Witt News Update – August 13-16 2009 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=383 http://glum.talossan.com/?p=383#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:32:32 +0000 Ventrutx http://glum.talossan.com/?p=383 glum_zzz1* The Zzzzzzzz continue with not much being said…

* Owen’s “Legacy” as seemingly encouraged by the PP (Éovart Grischun) by publishing the Poetry Contest.   Owen’s “Legacy” continues as Istefan Lorentzescu renounces his Talossan citizenship apparently because of the PP trying to spin Owen as a hero.  Although it is sad to have a Talossan leave for any reason,  the point is well taken.  It does seem strange to try and create an aura of “greatness” around someone like Owen who renounced his citizenship and chose to leave Talossa.  Is this the stuff heroes are made of?  Seems that way for the PP.

Editor’s note: GLUM does not endorse personal opinions in the newscast and S:reu Ventrutx has been instructed as such. We sincerely apologize to our readers!

* ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz

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