The Gotzborg Eagle

A New Age of Exploration Dawns

2006-08-22T14:57:00.000-06:00

Port Opulenza, Paulovia (GP) - His Royal Majesty, currently on a State Visit to Novasolum allies the Principality of Paulovia, today announced the formation of three Royal Navy Squadrons which are tasked with exploratory expedition duties throughout Geiss. From the Officer's Mess of the HRMS Emperor of Alexandria, the King provided an overview of the mission of the three squadrons and their duties.

With the awareness of the two unexplored continents of Iotnargard and Sottica, the impetus to initiate a drive towards the exploration of these areas kicked into high gear at both the Palace and the War Office last week. "Gotzborg exemplifies the age of exploration and colonialism and it is just this kind of opportunity which fits so well into our overall national identity," a War Office official remarked prior to the King's announcement. "We see great potential to make a mark and open up a whole new area in the world, not just for Gotzborg, but for everyone."

The Palace posted a Press Release moments before the briefing which can be found HERE. Upon the completion of the briefing, the King was asked about the goals of the efforts.

"We must as a nation take all advantage of these opportunities. Once exhausted, there will not be another possibility of such large and unexplored areas again." When asked about Gotzborg motives the King was candid. "First and foremost its a golden opportunity to put our mark on any discoveries, secondly it will allow us to assess and evaluate opportunities for potential colonization in order to take advantage of resources and growing room for the nation. This is not to say there will be colonization, we will have to see what we find. The exciting priority is the discovery and exploration of these areas." So far, three Royal Navy squadrons have been formed Iotnargard Squadron, Sottica Squadron and the South Polar Seas Squadron.

Gotzborg is not the only nation looking into striking out for these mysterious places, New Brittania also announced an expedition to likewise explore Iotnargard. Lemuria has also expressed an interest in launching an expedition to Sottica, however nothing has been seen of this yet. So far Gotzborg is the only nation which has announced an expedition to the southern polar regions. This area is admittedly the most challenging and in the words of a War Office official in planning "a strategic and tactical wall. We don't know what we could be faced with and have no real indication of the realities. We can only make assumptions and prepare as best as possible to deal with those."

It is expected that as the awareness of the exploration grows, many other nations will jump on board with the efforts, something which may lead to potential conflicts between nations. When asked about this possibility, the King was blunt. "There exists strong possibilities with potential conflict. While our ships are ahead of the pack so to speak, the routes and schedule which we choose may be slower or faster than other nations. Should these situations arise however, I have the highest confidence in our Foreign Office to deal with them in a manner appropriate and should that fail, I have inestimable faith in our Royal Armed Forces to carry through our objectives to a successful completion."

It is expected that the expeditions of the the three Squadrons will occupy the next couple months, with information being returned home as it becomes available.

King's Birthday Honours Citizens & Foreigners Alike

2006-07-18T14:55:00.000-06:00

JUIN, MARKHAM (GP) - The King today from the Royal Summerhouse approved and issued the Birthday Honours List, which in Gotzborg was nailed to the post outside of Lonenberg Palace as it has every year since the inception of the Royal Kingdom. This was followed by a formal issuance of the decree from the King's Public Attache, which was distributed to papers throughout the Kingdom.

The Birthday Honours List is usually the one time a year when both King and Kingdon recognize foreign heads-of-state and statesmen who have contributed in some way to Gotzborg, through either military, diplomatic, economic matters or simply as a token of goodwill. The Birthday Honours as well recognize citizens of Gotzborg who have likewise made contributions to the nation, the majority of new Knights and Dames occurring around this time yearly.

The original decree can be found here http://p220.ezboard.com/fkingdomofgotzborgfrm1.showMessage?topicID=116.topic

The list however is placed below:

Knight of the Most Noble and Ancient Order of the Crown

HRH Prince Paul I of Paulovia

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Officer of the Most Noble and Ancient Order of the Crown

President John Darcy of Anthelia
HE Ambassador James of Paulovia

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Knight of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Gotzborg

HM Osman Shahanshah of Babkha

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Knight Commander of the Most Honorable Order of the Eagle

HIM Emperor Edgard II of Alexandria
HIM Emperor Nathan of Natopia

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Knight Officer of the Most Honorable Order of the Eagle

HM King Alexander of Hanover
HRH Prince James, King Emeritus of Hanover
HRH Prince Enrique of Alexandria

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Knight of the Most Honorable Order of the Eagle

Mr. Koen Nevens of Anthelia

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Officer of the Most Honorable Order of the Eagle

HE First Minister Alfonso Rossi of Paulovia
HN Kaiser Meksan II of Shireroth

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Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Eagle

HIM Tyler-Alexander Aaron Asher-Jones I, Grand Czar of Landingberg
HE Zatriarch Maximillideus I of Matbaa
HM King Oscar of New Oscland
HM King Joseph I of Nova England

The following citizens of Gotzborg were posted as follows:

Knight of the Most Noble and Ancient Order of the Crown

HG Nicholas, Grand Duke of Markham
HG Liam, Duke of Montin

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Officer of the Most Noble and Ancient Order of the Crown

Sir Thomas Maher, K.E.

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Knight of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Gotzborg

HH Prince Steven, Archduke of Pendronia

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Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Eagle

HRM Queen Caroline of Gotzborg

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Knight/Dame Officer of the Most Honorable Order of the Eagle

HRH Princess Julia of Gotzborg
Sir Thomas Maher, K.E.

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Knight of the Most Honorable Order of the Eagle

Sir Benjamin Gray, K.B.
Mr. Hugh O’Neill

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Officer of the Most Honorable Order of the Eagle

Mr. Charles de Montford
Mr. Nathan Sheppard

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Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Eagle

Mr John Cervantes
Mr Jacob Campbell

Around the World

2006-02-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

LONENBERG (GP) - With the recent withdrawl of Lemuria from the Grand Commonwealth, there has been a surge in activity from what has become the Confederate Rianates of Lemuria, coinciding somewhat to the return of the famous/infamous Kuralyov, who has taken up as the head Lemurian diplomat. The new Lemuria also marks Sander Dieleman's return to more active micronationalism and so far, things look good! The withdrawl of Lemuria did cause some concern, although in the end, the move was not blocked by others in the GC.

Arising somewhat out of this however has been a proposal in the Grand Commonwealth by Mr. Basil to form an Expansion Party which will espouse bringing the world under the control of the GC. So far it looks like response to the idea has been lukewarm at best. In other GC news, the Majlis is currently working on ratification of the Treaty with the rising star nation of Paulovia and the dread Shah of Babkha the Osman Shahanshah has stood for and been elected as Taoiseach. The other candidates mysteriously dropped out of the race, ensuring the Shah's success.

In Shireroth, Erik Mortis has recently succeeded Kaiseress Semisa as Head of State, to be known for his tenure as Kaiser Letifer II. Reaction to his ascencion, while initially mixed and with some threats of resignation, the emotions were quickly calmed and Shireroth as usual, continues to bubble in its own way, now off of ezboard and on their own new forum. I am sure ezboard will miss Shireroth.

Talamthom is working on an Economic Bill presented by Prime Minister Edgard Portela, which is currently the only activity occuring within the quaint Irish green Republic at the moment.

In the financial world, Sander Dieleman, the bank programming guru has been holding an open forum/focus group/fact-finding in regards to the potential profitability of micronational banks. Sand is currently working on the outline to potentially work into the creation of a new banking system.

Micronational conflicts around the world seem to be somewhat limited, however with the influx of new nations over the last couple months, the desire to 'mix it up' has been great but has not yet resulted in any managed conflicts. WIth the MRWS bogged down and non-functional, it doesn't seem likely that any conflicts will be occurring soon.

The Eagle wonders if it must be exam time as throughout the sector there seems to be an overall slowdown of activity, sickness and general apathy which occurs so frequently. Hopefully things swing back into motion soon, otherwise the news page may be a little less....meaty.

From the Eagle to the world.....gooooood DAY!

Royal Navy Settling In to Jutien

2006-02-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

Eesdehaven, Jutien (GP) - Since the aquisition of the Duchy of Jutien from the Royal Crandish Republic, the state has been in transition mode. Although the Royal Crandish Republic maintained a military force, the War Office was quick to assemble both Army and Naval forces within the week of the announcement with the intention of establishing the authority of the Royal Kingdom in Jutien.

The War Office announced the formation of the Royal Northern Squadron from units of the Reserve Flotilla and Minorca Squadron and tasked them to carry the newly formed Jutien Brigade, commanded by Brigadier His Lordship Christopher the Count of Montrose, to the most far flung of Gotzborg's possessions. The Squadron and its Army cargo were already a week out of port before the Grand Commonwealth called into question the legality of the Crandish Kings' disposal of the states. Instead of being called back, the Squadron continued on its journey, being joined enroute by naval forces of the Viking Empire of Stormark, who provided escort the remainder of the way to Jutien.

Soon after the arrival of the Northern Squadron to Eesdehaven, the Jutien Brigade was disembarked and began to make their way throughout the Duchy, relieving the sparse groups of militias and units. There had been reports of some difficulty with the Sheriff of Northaven, although he was quickly relieved of his position and the City Constables told to remain at home while a unit of the Jutien Light Infantry (King Johanns' Own) maintained order in the city. The City Constabulary has since been called back to work and the Light Infantry has taken up barracks in the city.

As the Crandish Diet gathered, the Northern Squadron struggled to find enough coal to properlly resupply the ships. Although the issue was rectified with the dispatch of a couple colliers from Altamore, these were not due to arrive for a couple weeks. In order to get ships out and patrolling territorial waters, the Squadron was forced to completely uncoal some ships to top up others. HRMS Anthelia and HRMS Solhausen were soon dispatched to sea with the three Gunboats, Sandpiper, Ladybird and Gannet to customs, fisheries and coast guard patrols. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Squadron remained in port without the fuel to conduct operations if need be.

"It was a difficult situation, which the Naval Planning Office has been reprimanded for," a War Office Spokesman reported. "Never should any Naval asset be without ability to operate as may be required or needed. It goes against the standard of the Royal Navy."

The Anthelia and Solhausen did see action in regards to their patrol, putting an end to the smuggling of expensive artifacts which were later found to have come out of some Royal Crandish government buildings. The items included, desks, tables, paintings, rugs, and other fixtures which had come out of buildings throughout the Principality. Although it could not be discovered where the items were destined to, one Squadron officer told the Eagle on condition of anonymity, "one of the scalliwags questioned after his boat was confiscated reported that the items were going to a rich Sheik or Khan in the Grand Commonwealth, however he was not able to provide more specific information to allow us to confirm this."

Whether or not the information was correct, the Eagle knows of no public investigation going on into the issue. The pilfered items have since been returned to their origins.

With the Crandish Diet winding down to its last, the Northwern Squadron has settled more into its duties, comandeering the defunct Eedehaven Shipworks as the Naval Base, and the Naval Jetty in Torshaven as Naval Station for continuing operations along the coast and through the islands. The Naval Construction Office has not yet announced the formalization or construction of proper facilities for the Squadron, but these are expected in the coming months.

2006, Year of Growth

2006-01-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

Lonenberg (GP) - Happy New Year from the Gotzborg Eagle!

As we enter 2006, we are consistently suprised by the evolution of the sector. While the norm seems to be nations coming as fast as they are going, the pendulum has swung somewhat the other way over the last two months with the arrival in the sector of a host of new micronations which look like they have no intention of "going the way of the dodo" as many have in the past.

Among these newcomers is the Principality of Paulovia which impressed insiders from the moment of their first post in the MCS, declaring their intent to apply for land after their first 3 months online passes. This in itself was a suprise. Many of those who have been about the sector for any length have come to gauge a new nation's possible longevity by their first impression on the MCS. Normally this entails a nation applying for land without first consulting the clearly posted rules and guidelines and then arguing to no end with the MCS management. Then it usually ends wih name calling on the part of the applicant and followed by a quick disappearance. Paulovia clearly impressed MCS Guru Ryan Caruso who replied to the Paulovian claim by stating "Paulovia seems to be an exception to the more recent micronations to be developed, in that it has shown exceptional quality in etiquette and diplomacy. I look forward to the time when Paulovia fully qualifies to join our organisation." Clearly if Paulovia continues on its course, it will in time become a strong and valuable part of the community.

The Foreign Office recently completed the Treaty of Recognition and Friendship with the Principality of Paulovia, prior to the Royal Kingdom's usual 3 month waiting period, in itself signifying unspoken approval for the Principality's maturity. Foreign Office insiders report that Gotzborg may be asking Paulovia to claim land on the Novasolum continent when they eventually qualify with the MCS.

In other news, the Royal Bank of Gotzborg opened two-way trading with the Central Bank of Anthelia after months of wrangling in regards to exchange rates. Anthelia's listed exchange rate was not inline with guidelines established by the Home Office and initial economic relations were halted. With the establishment of this link, Gotzborg businesses are looking forward to the opportunity to work more closely and within Anthelia.

The Royal Kingdom welcomes two newest citizens who have so far been making a name for themselves, Mr Thomas Maher and Mr John Cervantes. Mr Maher has already been appointed to the Royal Security Police Service in the Protective Services branch and is working on protection guidelines and protocols for the Kingdom's Royal and Government personages. Mr. Cervantes, who has recently been away on holiday, has been working on flag etiquette for the Kingdom.

And finally, the Chamber of Deputies hasnever been more active, mainly because of the enthusiastic activity and interest of Mr George Guelph. The Gotzborg Eagle wants to express its joy that the democrocratic institution of the Chamber is finally being utilized as it was intended! Good work George!

And there shall be an economy!

2005-12-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

Home Office, Lonenberg, Gotzborg (GP) - The Royal Kingdom continues to forge ahead with its work in the economic side of the nation. Although progress in this important aspect of the nation took a while to gain some semblance of movement, the inertia seems to be noticeably picking up.

Late 2004 and early 2005 the King formed three major companies under the purview of the Royal Family, dealing specifically with shipbuilding, heavy industry and armaments respectively. Each of these companies produce a wide range of products specifically targetted at the simulationist aspect of the economy. With Courland Breweries joining the picture in the last month, the economic side could still be considered at a standstill.

With Mr Carson Smith's application and formation of a consulting service in late November and under the revised rules for companies, it marked the first new movement in this area. This was quickly followed by information gathering and questions regarding privately owned banking institutions seperate from the Royal Bank, and then a BIll int he Chamber of Deputies to guide banking regulation, which in turn resultedin Sir David Roest applying to open Royal Bison Savings & Loan

This movement and the wide and varied marketing which is being carried out by KRS Shipbuilding in Gotzborg, Babkha, Natopia, Stormark, Alexandria and Talamthom has so far resulted in a total combined 247 ships having been ordered to-date. The most recent new customer to KRS has been the County of Gong Li, a component of Shireroth, who has been the first to place an order from that nation.

Although KRS has been by far the most successful in sales and products so far, KSag Heavy Industry has launched a whole new line and effort in the area of railway locomotives and equipment targetted at those nations working on the Convention of Micras Standards and Values in the Grand Commonwealth and with the Novasolum Treaty nations of Gotzborg, Anthelia and Alexandria.

Time and committment in micronational projects ebbs and flows with the reality of life however it is hoped by many that the amount of nations who see the value and benefit to the micronational economy will grow and in turn allow a self-supported system to function.

Any nations interested in launching their own participation in the micronational economy can rest easy that at this point, a starting point for sure, all that is required is a MX2 account with a suitable starting capital which will not put inter-micronational exchanges to extremes. It is recommended that the starting money be between 4 to 6 million of the national currency.

There shall be an economy, but lets make it an economy of nations and not merely a national economy!

Government Conducts Life Safety Drill

2005-11-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

Chancellery Building, Lonenberg (GP) - On November 14th, the Chancellery Building in Lonenberg, home and office of the Royal Chancellor as well as meeting place of the Royal Cabinet, was involved in the first life safety drill of government buildings in the capital.

At 4:00pm on the 14th, as most of the government was wrapping up the day, the fire alarm sounded throughout the building. Response was initially slow with the Minister of State, Foreign Office, Her Royal Highness Princess Julia being the first to evacuate from the building, followed shortly by the Royal Chancellor, Lord Montrose and then General of Police Lord Montin, who took control of the scene and re-entered the building to ensure personnel continued to evacuate.

All personnell were successfully evacuated with exception of the Minister of State Home Office, Prince Steven, and Deputy Minister of State Carson Smith, who it was later found was on business outside of the Chancellery.

Although not currently a micronational standard, Dr. Lynn Prentice of the Gotzborg Life Safety Institute recommends the practise being adopted. "The need to conduct ongoing training of all employees in any business, whether it be government or private institution, it paramount to minimizing potential liability from the loss of life or login," says Dr. Prentice. "Forum emergencies, while not prevalent, should not preclude anyone from making the efforts to protect life within the scope of their business. Forum fires in themselves can be immensely destructive." While unable to comment on whether or not life safety drills would have helped avoid the catastrophic losses of May 31st of this year, Dr. Prentice did say "life is the most important component of protection here, and while it would have been nice to have kept the information, thankfully no one lost their logins."

The Royal Security Police Service were reported to have handled themselves with the calm and coolness expected of our law enforcement officials. The RSPS filed an official report the next day to the Office of His Royal Majesty on the incident. It is rumored that recommendations within the report that two members of the government are to be fined for slow response. "It's merely a notice to ensure everyone, no matter who, is required to respond and react appropriately.

Altogether, sources within the government indicate that there will be legislation forthcoming which will enshrine the legal obligation of all businesses and enterprises with facilities in Gotzborg to conduct life safety drills once a year.

Government Salaries Announced

2005-08-11T23:43:00.000-06:00

The Home Office has released government employees’ salaries. These can be found here, with an explaination here

Discussion between the Ofice of the Minister of State in the Home Office (headed by HG Liam, Duke of Montin) and Royal Bank Chief Officer Steven DeBlood have resulted in this breakthrough for Gotzborg. Gotzborg will join a list of growing micronations to adopt some sort of economic system.

Finally, government employees can look forward to spending their hard earned money [which is basically everyone in the Kingdom, as the government is essentially the only employer at the moment].

Ernest Wilde
Editor-in-Chief

Xtreme's in an Extreme EMSL Match

2005-08-07T22:52:00.000-06:00

‘What’s a defence?’ was the cry on the lips of spectators in a trilling match in which the Trishuli Xtremes won away against Wizards SC Westmore 7-5. In a match which saw goals, it is perhaps not surprising that both defences looked very shaky. Both teams played breathtaking end to end football, and no team will be in the purists books for that performance.

It was a match of many similarities. Both teams lined up with weak defences, sprouting midfield players covering in already numerically thin lines. Both teams found ample time to run it and had many chances to test both keepers. In the end, it was the team which had the most shots that won. The fans go home happy, the sponsors go home happy, but both managers have little to work with for the next match.

In the only other full match played, the two most defensively solid teams battled it out. The Vayelon Firewolves used the home ground advantage to score a tough 1-0 over the Gotzborg Eagles. The goal came from a build-up of play that originated with the full back at the other end. Both teams played smart, cleaver football that will serve them well in matches ahead. In the end though, one passage of play decided the match. For full scores, see here.

The EMSL table is finding a jam up the top, with the Vayelon Firewolves two matches clear on top with 17 points out of seven matches. Places two to four are separated only on goal difference, with the fifth placed Arzan three points behind. For full details, see here.

Ernest Wilde
Editor-in-Chief
Ernest Wilde is also the manager of the Gotzborg Eagles football team.

Review

2005-07-28T00:07:00.000-06:00

Review

Welcome to review. Every so often, the Gotzborg Eagle will post a review/s about different things. To kick this Review off, we have a book and a website.

Book

Be prepared to step inside the world of the newspaper if you decide to read ‘A good life : newspapering and other adventures’, an autobiography by Ben Bradlee. Arguably the most noticeable achievement of Bradlee’s life was to doggedly pursue and finally uncover one of the greatest political scandals of all time, Watergate.

Bradlee’s life is told in this book, which chronicles his life from early on, right up to after his retirement from helm of the Washington Post. Reading this book you get a sense of the man behind the headlines, of a time where newspapers balanced between being a mirror on society and being an investigator in it.

Having been published in 1995 does not diminish this book’s capacity to be a strong read. Of particular value of it being published a decade ago is that we are able to see history’s judgement on the events that Bradlee was involved in; Watergate, the changing face and nature of the media, the evolution of relationships between the media and famous figures, the identity of Deep Throat.

Was it a good read? Yes. Was it a captivating read? Only once you got settled in. It is not the kind of book that demands your time like a Harry Potter or Dan Brown; it will not grab you and force you to read it. What it will do is offer an insight into the newspaper publishing world, as told by one of the men who lived, breathed and ultimately shaped it.

‘A good life : newspapering and other adventures’ by Benjamin C Bradlee; published by Simon & Schuster in 1995.

Website

When I first discovered this site, I was hooked for 2 weeks; I couldn’t stop going back. Eventually, the initial euphoria calmed down, and I managed to return to normal life. Still, FunTrivia.com still provides me with so much fun over a year later.

FunTrivia.com is literally just that-fun trivia. Here you will find collections of trivia quizzes. Whether you want to find out about the Simpsons, think you know more about the 2002 FIFA World Cup than anyone else or simply wonder why someone has bothered to make up a quiz about the lyrics of Coldplay, FunTrivia.com has a quiz that will tease, remind, and entertain you.

All quizzes are made by various users, so the range is as much as the users imaginations. To have your score recorded you must register (free), and there is an option for those who want a greater experience to opt for the paid Gold Membership. Ultimately, this site is great for just blowing off some time, and taking a trip down paths you never though you could, should or would.

Ernest Wilde
Editor-in-Chief

Wizards' magic overcomes Arzan in EMSL

2005-07-26T21:30:00.000-06:00

Arzan and Wizards SC Westmore played out the only match in week 5 of the EMSL, a match in which both teams thought that da-fence was part of da-house [say it out loud and you'll see what a bad joke it is].

Playing in bright sunshine, both teams had plenty of attacking options as the respective defences seemed indecisive and unsure of their place. The only thing stopping more goals scored was the ordinary finishing from both teams. What shots that were on target proved difficult for both goalkeepers, and with the number of shots on target due to the number of shots launched, a scoreline of 4-3 in favour of Wizards SC Westmore was not surprising.

With a halftime lead of 2-1, the Wizards launched long ball after long ball in the second half, not bothering with the midfield. Some nice passing saw two goals result for Arzan, but the result was never really in question.

A full scoreboard can be found here.

With five matches gone, the Vayelon Firewolves lead with 11 points, followed by three teams on 10 points separated on goal difference; Trishuli Xtremes (+11), Gotzborg Eagles (+7) and Wizards SC Westmore (+5). Old-York United are struggling with only 1 point.

Full table can be found here.

Ernest Wilde
Editor-in-Chief
Ernest Wilde is also the manager of the Gotzborg Eagles football team.

EMSL begins with high scoring draw

2005-06-28T21:04:00.000-06:00

A high scoring draw greeted the new EMSL season, with Wizards SC Westmore and Vayelon Firewolves entertaining the crowd with a 6-6 draw. Disappointingly, this was the only match played as the three other matches were won on default; see full result here

The Wizards opened the scoring with a slick move that originated in the corner. A quickly taken free kick saw players rush to the front post, only to realise too late that this was a decoy that left the back post open for an easy header by the captain. A passage of sustained pressure then ensured, and it was only a matter of time before the Wizards scored again. They duly did this twice, and only a rare counterattack from the Firewolves that ended in the striker beating the ‘keeper one-on-one ensured that the Firewolves stayed in touch.

Whatever the Firewolves’ manager said to them during the break worked, for they came out a more determined team. A shot that rattled the crossbar was the first indication that things were going to be different, and such was their play that the Wizard’s left defender was the first recipient of a yellow card for the season; an ugly hack at the striker’s legs when he was past gave the referee no option.

Two free kicks later, the game was all squared up at three all. For both, the Wizards’ ‘keeper rightly blamed his defence. Both times the ball had found its way to an unmarked man, who duly converted. With the chant of the crowd ringing in their ears, the Wizards’ fell behind to a sweet move originating from the back, a passage of play in which no Wizards’ players managed to touch.

The Wizards’ then seemed to switch to a long ball game, playing a version of total football; in attack, all were up, in defence, all were back. They were stung again and again in the counter attack and it was more good luck then skill that they only conceded two more goals. But weight of numbers finally paid off and a shot took a deflection to leave them only one goal down. The Wizards peppered the goals, and the ‘keeper was unsighted as the last goal was scored with 3 minuted remaining.

So 6 all in the match, and what a cracking start for the EMSL. The managers’ might not be happy, but the fans certainly got their money’s worth. Too bad for the fans who travelled to see the Gotzborg Eagles, Gloriae FC or Arzan, as they won on default. Next round promises to be interesting indeed.

Ernest Wilde
Ernest Wilde is also manager of the Gotzborg Eagles football team

EMSL to Kick-Off this Weekend

2005-06-23T06:45:00.000-06:00

With the micronational world recovering from the Ezboard attack, the Gotzborg Eagle is proud to announce that the next season of the English Micronational Soccer League (EMSL) gets underway this weekend. Only eight teams will contest this season’s competition, well down from the number last season. On the positive side, defending champions the Trishuli Xtremes will be attempting to win back-to-back titles, and stamp themselves into EMSL history. Only time will tell if this will be possible.

With only eight teams, a good start will be vital for all teams. The first round of matches will be an early indication of how prepared the teams are for this season, and the coaches’ tactics and ideas will be in full view of the public. Of the notable fixtures, the Trishuli Xtremes start their defence of the title away against Gloriae FC, and a tough match is expected when Wizards SC Westmore hosts the Vayelon Firewolves. Full listing the upcomming round can be found here.

The Gotzborg Eagle is also proud to be principle media partner of the EMSL, and will be bringing news when it happens.

Ernest Wilde
Ernest Wilde is also manager of the Gotzborg Eagles football team

Emergency Measures in Gotzborg

2005-05-31T16:30:00.000-06:00

==ROYAL GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION FOLLOWS==

To: All citizens of Gotzborg

I've sent an email via the Emergency Communication List regarding the current situation. Please check your DVMS(C&I) registered emails for that communication.

I also just returned from Shireroth where some of their posts cannot be restored (this being a notice from the Ezboard system), so I ask all Gotzers who have been browsing the affected forums listed below in the past few days to put their browser offline and check your cache for any lost threads just in case we can't get them back.

Royal Cabinet Office
His Royal Majesty's Office
University of Gotzborg
Gotzborg Eagle eNews
Royal Armaments Company
Royal Bank of Commerce

Further updates will follow to your email inboxes as required.

Thank you

Liam Sinclair
Minister of State, Home Office

New Mnisterial Appointment

2005-05-21T11:25:00.000-06:00

Gotzborg has a new Deputy Vice-Minister of State for Justice, Mr Niall De Huntly. Mr. De Huntly became a prospective citizen of Gotzborg on the 19th of May, and was appointed Vice-Minister on the 20th of May.

The Gotzborg Eagle wishes Vice-Minister De Huntly all the best in his role, and looks forward to seeing what he contributes to Gotzborg. His proposed report will be watched with great interest.

Ernest Wilde

Ad: EMSL registrations are open now. See your team in action, and cheer them on to victory. For more details, see here.

This Week in Gotzborg

2005-05-18T08:06:00.000-06:00

This Week in Gotzborg…
· The Royal Bank of Commerce was established this past week. See below for news on the new Chief Officer.
· Spring session of the University opens shortly with two offerings: a repeat of the Law course offered last year and a new history course titled ‘Modern Atteran History’. Registration has commenced, with classes beginning near the end of the month.
· Gotzborg has a new Atteran Ambassador, HSIH Mik’el Tzion I.

Congratulations to…
· Sir David Roest on being recently awarded the Cross for Loyal Service from HRM August Charles II. Sir David recently stepped down from his position of Vice-Minister of State, Home Office due to other time commitments.
· Sir Liam Sinclair who has been appointed the new Minister of State, Home Office.
· Lady Angel Davis on her appointment to Chief Officer of the Royal Bank of Commerce.

And Elsewhere…
· Sullifree: The Principality of Sullifree held their first elections on April 30, 2005 and elected Daniel Dye as Premier… Sir Christopher Harris-Till proposed a new Treaty of Mutual Recognition between Gotzborg and the Principality of Sullifree. The Treaty is currently being voted on in the Sullifree Parliament.
· Alexandria: The Empire of Alexandria celebrated their 3rd Anniversary on May 7 with great festivities and celebrations... Emperor Edgard II of Alexandria declared Monsieur Gordon Prime Minister after emergency elections were called in late-April… Alexandria has also acquired the former San Marino provinces of Las Cruces, Los Santos and Ponce.
· Babka: Talmaseb Shah abdicated as Shahanshah of Babka on May 6 in order to assume the role of Shahan-Ri of the Grand Commonwealth. Ardashir has assumed the throne of Babka.
· Shireroth: Renee has been elected into the Praetorial position…Bill Dusch is the new Minister of Military Affairs.
· The Grand Commonwealth: Lachlan Powers has been elected Taoiseach.

The above list represents a sampling of events from May 1 – May 11 2005 and may not be a complete list of key events. If you have an event or announcement you would like mentioned, contact Princess Julia in the Kingdom of Gotzborg.

Princess Julia

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Editorial: Musings on Mothers

2005-05-08T23:13:00.000-06:00

I don’t know about you, but I celebrated Mothers Day yesterday (on Sunday; I don’t know how the whole world times thing fully works). To be honest, to call it celebrating is a bit rich; my mum suffered the indignity of having her son have an assignment due the next day-guess which one won. But she knows I still love her, and she gets to choose her own present, and she understands, and I love my mum for that.

It got me thinking about mothers in general. We all physically have or had one (unless you happen to be Adam created by God-but that is another editorial for another time); most, fortunately, had a mother in spirit too. To think that she lay on her back and endured such pain to bring us into the world, only for us to turn around a few short years later and sulk when we didn’t get our favourite toy, graduating to sulking in our room or other hiding place when we didn’t get our way (and then just did it anyway). For all the pain that mothers go through, we treat them really badly sometimes.

Think of all the things that mothers do; she is one half of the parental unit, and until recently, was the one who did much of the raising. She attends our needs, sets boundaries, laughs with us, scolds us, berates us for not finishing a group assignment earlier and then celebrates with us when it finally gets finished at 7 in the morning after working the whole night through. And to think that they do all this without having formal training.

Think about it; one of the most important tasks in society, the raising of a human being, and there is no formal qualification possible. No test to pass, no exam to cram study for, no practical component to master. More and more parenting classes are being run, but for the most part mothers are thrust into the role anew. Some say it gets easier with each child, but that is balanced by trying to deal with a new life to give attention to. There is no formal qualification possible. And yet we can look to our mothers and be thankful of what they have done.

They give their time for us; nurture us, put their life on hold as they decide that our life is more important than theirs right now. We go along our merry way, and we hit a certain age and look back on how much we’ve grown and done. And then we realise that our mothers have placed a lot of their life on hold for us during that time. It is one of the ultimate self sacrifices-putting another’s life before your own. And mothers do that, all over the world, everyday.

There are some for whom Mother’s Day doesn’t hold happy memories. There are some for whom their mother was only a mother in name and blood and not in spirit. For those, I cannot begin to understand how or what you feel. It is never too late to extend the hand of friendship again. For others, Mother’s Day only holds memories of the past, memories never to be repeated again. For you, I urge you to cherish the memories; let your mother always live in your heart. Remember that for every family with a missing mother is a family with a missing child; a mother need not exist only in blood, but can be a mother in deed and spirit.

So as the role and contribution of mothers get recognised on Mothers Day, take a moment out of your busy lives to remember your mother. A phone call, visit or hug will do; just something to let her know that you appreciate what she did and still does for you. And to me mother, who has kept me and my sister safe for my 20 years, Happy Mother’s Day (even if you don’t and won’t read this).

Law School Re-open

2005-05-08T22:32:00.000-06:00

The Duke of Altamore announced that the King Charles II Law School is again open and accepting applicants. Applications are open until Wednesday, and at publication, spots were closing fast. For more details, see here.

Hurry, for this is limited opportunity that should not be missed.

Ernest Wilde

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EMSL: Registration Open and a New Media Partner

2005-05-03T04:57:00.000-06:00

The English Micronational Soccer League is open for registration. As of 1 May, only four teams had registered. This is not only disappointing news for the EMSL director, but also for the managers involved. Without more teams, the league will not achieve the same interest that last season's competition did, when the Trishuli Xtremes defeated 11 other teams with a five point margin.

Registration has been open since the 10th of April, and is still open; see here. There is no word on the closing date, but all who are interested are recommended to apply soon.

In other EMSL news, this publication is now the Official Media Partner of the EMSL. The Gotzborg Eagle will be providing media coverage of the EMSL through the season. This is the first media deal that the Gotzborg Eagle has concluded, and we hope for success in this venture.

Ernest Wilde

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Gotzborg's Favourite Book

2005-04-30T22:29:00.000-06:00

What is Gotzborg's favourite book? We may interact with each other, share views and ideas, argue and in general live in or visit the micronational nation of Gotzborg. But what do we read, and what books do we treasure?

Today, the Gotzborg Eagle is launching Gotzborg's Favourite Book, a search to look for what books we Gotzers and Gotzborg visitors love. Voting is already open, and is open to all, Gotzborg residents in particular. To vote, simply go here, read the guidelines, and vote!

In comparison, a recent Australian surveyof Australia's favourite book had The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein as the number one book, followed by Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and The Bible (Various Contributors). If sales are a measure of a book's favour, the current best selling books on amazon.com are Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling, followed by The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas L. Friedman and Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.

It will certainly be interesting to see which books get voted, and which book receives the award of Gotzborg's Favourite Book. But none of this will happen if you don't vote, so start thinking and start voting here!

Ernest Wilde

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Gotzborg Lodges Claim with MCS!!

2005-04-16T08:55:00.000-06:00

In a bold move, His Royal Majesty has decided to leap onto the Micronational Cartography Society (MCS) map of Mircas; grabbing up a little more than a small Colony this time. The land claim can be seen HERE, and is obviously a fair shake larger than previous claims by Gotzborg.

The idea to make a larger claim was originally presented by the Duke Altamore, and supported by both Prince Steven and Duke Stathearn. His Royal Majesty then joined the fray, with the end result being somewhat of a compromise; the land proposed by Duke Altamore was much larger than the eventual caim.

The Archduchy of Pendronia will now be represented on Mircas, along with the Duchies of Altamore and Montefeltro, as well as the County of Avondale. It's possible that Gotzborg will continue to claim land in the future, ever-expanding her borders and making her impact on Mircas, and the Micronational World.

In Konigplatz, His Royal Majesty shared the updated map of Gotzborg, reflecting the changes and presenting a much cleaner graphic. The new map can be seen HERE.

Royal Prank!

2005-04-03T22:22:00.000-06:00

Gotzborg was the victim of an April Fool’s prank when HRM August Charles II announced that a proposal that the monarchs of Gotzborg, Hanover and Varennes would trade thrones and constitutions for some time. Citizens of Gotzborg were outraged at this proposal, and much feeling was vented. Citizens expressing their feelings included the Duke of Stathearn HG Nicholas, Duke of Altamore Robert Davis and Mr Benjamin Gray. It seemed like a split in Gotzborg was imminent if this plan was adopted.

When April 1st rolled around, HRM August Charles II officially declared that the proposal was an April Fools prank. Apologising 'for any heart attacks or near emigrations', he reassured all citizens that he had no plans of switching thrones or constitutions. HM Alexander of All Hanover also apologised for his part in the prank. While some citizens had clued in to this before April 1, some hadn't (including this writer) and after getting over the shock, life has moved towards normality again.

In related news:

-The spirit of April 1 was alive when the Prince of Gotzborg sovereignvikingemperor launched a Coup d'État on Gotzborg. Decrees included exiling former royalty to the North Pole, ordering pink bunny suits be worn, and appointing Lady Chloe Davis Bouncer of the National Discotheque.

-A bill in the chamber of deputies to prevent 'throne swapping' is in limbo since the reason behind the move was a prank (and a very good one!).

-April 1 sentiment was also present here.

Ernest Wilde

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Gotzborg: Open for Business

2005-03-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

The economy in Gotzborg was recently boosted when the King of Gotzborg, HRM August Charles II, set out guidelines for starting a company. These guidelines are under the domain of Deputy Vice Minister of State, Commerce & Industry, Mr David Roest, and will operate until corporations legislation is enacted.

Currently, there are three businesses that have been set up under the guidelines; Davidson Imports, Königlich Schwerindustrie AG (KSag) and the Royal Armaments Company. These three companies, as well as the Gotzborg Eagle, will be places for people and organisations to spend their hard earned Thalers. For more information about any of these businesses or about setting up a business, visit the The Business Forum in Gotzborg.

Ernest Wilde

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New Minister and Vice-Minister Appointed

2005-03-16T01:44:00.000-07:00

Duke Nicholas of Stathearn has been appointed the new Minister of State of State for the Foreign Office. He moved quickly to appoint a vice minister, Mr Christopher Harris-Till. With large shoes to fill following the resignation of the Duke of Altamore Robert Davis, the nation will be looking towards the two ministers to actively look after Gotzborg's foreign affairs. The Gotzborg Eagle wishes both men well in their new positions.

Ernest Wilde

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Staff Appointments

2005-03-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

The Gotzborg Eagle is pleased to announce that Angel Davis, the Duchess of Altamore, and Sir Hamlin H Harte are now staff on the Gotzborg Eagle.

Angel Davis, the Duchess of Altamore, is the new deputy editor of the Gotzborg Eagle. She was previously the (almost) sole contributor of the Eagle, and has proven her journalistic skills in the past. She brings to the Eagle experience, knowledge and a great personality. The Gotzborg Eagle is very pleased to have secured her services.

Sir Hamlin H Harte is now a reporter of the Gotzborg Eagle. The sole proprietor of the Gotzborg Grenadier, Sir Hamlin is also the curator of the Royal Library of Gotzborg. The Gotzborg Eagle looks forward to continued high standards from Sir Hamlin, in line with his other achievements in Gotzborg.

Ernest Wilde : 2 March 2005