Delegates will need to arrive in Berlin by the 3rd and can depart on the 7th. Alongside the Congress itself there will be a public programme of events including an exhibition, screenings and talks. More details will follow soon.

The Ministry of Communications today announced the moving of the A1 online forum from its original location on the A1 website to: http://forum.republicofa1.net, in line with the government’s recent I.T. policy of “making further use of the subdomains available to A1″. The new forum was created in order to “cater for A1’s increasingly global and cross-timezone population” so that “no citizen is disadvantaged by timezone”, according to a spokesman for the Ministry of Communications. All citizens are “strongly urged” to register.

IRWIN Exhibition at the Israeli Centre for Digital Art
6.2.2010 – 10.4.2010
Opening: Saturday, February 6th, at 20:00
Curator: Avi Pitchon

PRESS RELEASE:

The Israeli Centre for Digital Art is proud to host the Middle-Eastern debut of the unique and influential art group Irwin from Slovenia.

Irwin serves as the visual arts department within the NSK (Neue Slowenische Kunst – New Slovenian Art) collective that also includes a music department (the band Laibach), a graphic design department, theatre department and a department for ‘pure and applied philosophy’.

Since its inception in 1984, NSK has become the most important disseminator of contemporary art in Eastern Europe in particular, and one of the driving forces of European art in general. The collective’s aesthetic and conceptual emphasis is the re-examination of the dramatic, heroic and tragic meeting point of the 20th Century’s utopian art movements and the totalitarian regimes of that century, and the way it resonates in Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and hides behind values of contemporary capitalism.

The central characteristic of NSK’s art in general and Irwin’s in specific is the charged and provocative use of the aforementioned regimes’ aesthetics – they blend together socialist realism, fascist and Nazi neo-classicism, abstract suprematism and national, folk and ‘volkist’ elements. The five artists who comprise the Irwin group – Dušan Mandic, Miran Mohar, Andrej Savski, Roman Uranjek and Borut Vogelnik – have refused up until a few years ago to identify individually or sign their names on the artworks they created. The strategy behind this radical, confrontational attitude is what their compatriot thinker Slavoj Zizek termed ‘over-identification’. Instead of directly opposing the perils of totalitarianism, NSK and Irwin attempt to be ‘more righteous than The Pope’, more zealous in their impressive, seductive representation of the regime than the ways with which the same regime dares to present itself. This explicit, enthusiastic loyalty exposes more efficiently, according to Zizek, the dark elements contemporary state regimes attempt to conceal under a cool and pleasant façade. It goes without saying that in any of the cases where the state has prevented, censored or banned the activity of one of the NSK’s departments, the collective declared that this was the aim to begin with: testing the system’s validity and alertness, which proves, by the act of repression, that it defends itself well.

NSK started operating when Slovenia was still a part of Yugoslavia, and its use of fascistic elements disturbed the regime which maintained Tito’s legacy, since the victory over Nazism was indeed one of the founding myths of the entire Eastern bloc. In 1991 the collective declared itself to be a state in time, as opposed to space. This nebulous existence was nevertheless accompanied by the issuing of passports, stamps, currency, a flag and an anthem, and the establishments of temporary embassies operating alongside NSK exhibitions and events. NSK’s total identification with aesthetic signifiers of the state apparatus led to a dramatic blurring of art and life, when during the subsequent war an unknown number of citizens managed to escape from Sarajevo using NSK State’s fictional diplomatic passports. This same blurring rose to prominence again in recent years as NSK’s HQ were flooded with hundreds if not thousands of passport applications from African, mainly Nigerian, citizens, who hoped that NSK’s passports can grant them entrance to life in the European Union.

NSK have proven that their actions gain extra impact and validity on the background of dramatic change and upheaval. From the downfall of communism, through the war in the Balkans, and up to the new EU utopia. Therefore, the importance of exhibiting their work in Israel doesn’t merely revolve around providing the Israeli viewer with a chance to acquaint themselves with this fascinating body of work, but mainly around the collective’s activity as a model for artistic thought and praxis for us here and now. Israel, a state originating in a utopian concept which at birth sounded at least as imaginary and outlandishly refutable as the idea of the NSK State, is nowadays engaged in a struggle that borders civil war around the question of how to continue realising that original concept, when each camp claims monopoly over what Zionism is, convinced that the opposing camp will not only lead to the disappearance of Zionism as a unique utopian experiment, but to actual physical demise. At the same time, these camps face forces of critique that seek a paradigm to inherit and exchange Zionism, and all of the above can collectively feel the ground shaking underneath their feet due to the stamping might of the free market. Irwin’s work is throwing a gauntlet towards the Israeli art field that rarely investigates the meeting point of utopia-aesthetics-politics-state with an approach remotely resembling an overview. Contemporary art in Israel prefers either dissemination within the framework of the global market, or specific, issue-driven, critical political work – that is to say, both tendencies reveal a subscription to one of the many camps pulling each to its own direction, when no one demonstrates a desire or ability to inspect the big picture, the overall story, its roots, and accordingly, the vectors it may follow in the future.

To our dismay, the first gauntlet thrown by Irwin was not picked up. One of the projects presented in the exhibition is ‘NSK Guards’ – a series of photographic documentations depicting soldiers belonging to various (mainly East European) armies wearing armbands bearing the Malevich cross on their sleeves, and standing to attention in front of the NSK State flag. Irwin have formally invited the Israeli Defence Forces to participate in the project and be documented in the same manner, while performing military drills at the opening of the exhibition. The IDF flatly refused.

The exhibition will present a condensed retrospective of paintings and icons that are weaved through Irwin’s entire body of work, photographic and film documentation of NSK State activity in recent years with an emphasis on the operations revolving around embassies and passport issuing, and a new photographic project in which Irwin begin to touch upon the area of state and religion.

During the opening, the Israeli Centre for Digital Art will host an NSK embassy that will issue passports to interested parties, in return for a set fee and on the basis of a performance emulating formal procedure typical to any home office.

Curator Avi Pitchon first bumped into NSK in 1987, during a late-night screening of underground music videos presented by Yoav Kutner in the Tel-Aviv Museum, which included a live rendition of Laibach’s song ‘Die Liebe’. Pitchon holds, since 2003, a diplomatic NSK passport and in 2008 presented a commissioned edited sequence of Laibach’s documentaries and concerts in the exhibition ‘The White Sport’ he co-curated alongside Hannah Freund-Chertok.

Pitchon sees the presentation of Irwin in Israel a mission of goodwill and an integral part of fulfilling his formal duties to NSK State, abiding to the collective’s slogan ‘art is fanaticism which demands diplomacy’.

Incumbent Secretary-General of the Organisation of Active Micronations (OAM), Sir. Philip Fish, has won a second term in the recent Secretary-General elections. Sir. Fish gained 40% of the vote, comprehensively beating second-placed Peter Bralesford of Egtavia at 26% of the vote. The win allows for Sir. Fish to run for only one more term, as the OAM passed a resolution prohibiting a candidate from holding the position of Secretary-General for more than three terms (inclusive).

Sir. Fish said that he was “very pleased” with the result and said that it “added a new legitimacy to my holding of this position, as my first term was not an elected one.” He also expressed his thanks to “most member nations” for taking part in the elections and for “ensuring that our first election ran smoothly”.

The Grand Duke is planning to  re-establish National Orders and Decorations in Francisville. The most prestigious of these will be a four grade national decoration with medals and ribbons, to be know as the Order of Francisville or something similar. This award will be given to both citizens and members of the international community for high service, dedication, or achievements.

There will also be a new Ribbon of Honour, to be gifted to citizens who have contributed to development or have attained high achievement in many areas of life.

Francisville is a micronation with no armed forces. All military and police authority is vested in one Gendarmerie style organisation, the Ducal Defence Force. However, little is seen of this organisation, which has become inactive, existing only on paper. Perhaps this could show a high level of civil discipline and low violence, but perhaps also disorganisation or lack of interest. The Ducal Defence Force has been a constitutionally recognised organ since May 2009.  Is it perhaps that the force is not a priority, or is it perhaps not necessary and the constitutional recognition is simply out of line with modern practice?

An election for the Chamber of Deputies is to take place in early 2010. The election is expected to bring out political reform, and further social, cultural and economic development in Francisville. Perhaps then candidates will need to be sure to mention their ideas for Francisville’s inactive civil security service.

Three options seem to be available.

1. Reforms of the DDF
2. Re-establishment of a small army or navy with policing powers
3. Abolition of any type of force, and replacement by a police force, with a national security division

Many would see little need for the second option, as these type of duties are already carried out by the standing Ducal Defence Force. How to reform the force would be a matter of political debate, perhaps resulting in the creation of a form of committee or electoral college to run it or select those who do. Perhaps even the idea of a Ducal Defence Force to many, would not fit in with Francisville’s “modern monarchy”, and even, any form of physical national defence is a waste of resources.

The Ducal Defence Force seems to be the first in a series of issues affecting Francisville in 2010.

The A1 Government has today outlined reform to be implemented in the A1 Defence Force (A1DF), following rumours of such a move. The reforms were approved by the Ministry of Defence and SHA1DF (Supreme Headquarters A1 Defence Force) before being announced this morning.

Some of the reforms include the restructuring of the organisational structure of the Force, the re-establishment of the A1 Air Force and the replacement of the GOCA1DF, effectively the commander of the A1DF by the current Chief of the A1 Civil Security Service and Minister for Propaganda, Lord David Massarde.

The A1 Government today announced the official opening of the first educational institute in A1, the University of A1. Chairman Fish, in opening the university, said that it was “one of the crowning achievements of our nation” and would serve to “share the vast knowledge in A1 with the wider community”. Sir. Fish also said that the university would not be limited to A1 citizens, and that “anyone is welcome to undertake a course or courses”.

The University operates on an online basis, offering online courses for its students. Such courses include Masters of History, Doctorate of Micronational International Relations and Bachelor of Arts.

It is understood that a Vice-Chancellor, to head the university, is still being sought, and until one is found, will remain under the direct administration of the Ministry of Health & Education.

However, currently, the University only has one course available, Masters of History, as the other courses, according to the University’s website, are “under construction”.

The first hailstorm for some months has struck New Central – in the middle of Summer. Hailstones “the size of peas” rained down on New Central for about 5 minutes, at 9:00am, local time. It is the first summer hailstorm in living memory in the area.

There was a Chinese proverb that once said: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Today, that same proverb in New York State might go like this: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he risks a fine of $0 to $250 per fishing violation, and/or 15 days in jail, and you probably think you don’t need a fishing license if you fish in a pond on your own property, but you actually do need a license unless you are a farmer (and soon you’ll need a license also for saltwater fishing).”

By the way, if you are wondering how these taxes came to existence, look no further than the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In 2001, the FAO, through its Committee on Fisheries, adopted the International Plan of Action to prevent, deter and eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU). The IPOA-IUU is a “voluntary instrument” listing a host of measures that countries and regional fisheries bodies should adopt, depending on the nature of their fisheries, in order to eliminate IUU fishing. In order to adopt IPOA-IUU measures in a consistent way, countries were encouraged to develop their own National Plan of Action to prevent, deter and eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (NPOA-IUU), sourcing measures from the ‘tool box’ represented by the IPOA-IUU, and adapting them to their particular situation. Countries were encouraged to have their NPOA-IUU action plans developed by the end of 2004 (source).

In the United States, the responsibility for the NPOA-IUU came under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

It is interesting to note that in their “National Plan of Action of the United States of America to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported Fishing” (link) there is a lot of mention of commercial fishing activities as sources of IUU activities, including mention of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act, and the Lancey Act as obvious regulatory instruments. There is no mention, however, of recreational anglers. The reason is clear: they are not part of the problem.

On January 12, 2007, the President signed the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 into law, strengthening the 1996 provisions and extending the Act until 2013. Most of the key amendments and changes were regulatory and/or environmental in nature, yet one amendment clearly wasn’t:

Fisheries Conservation and Management Fund
The Secretary [Secretary of Commerce] must establish a fund to improve fishery harvest data collection, cooperative fishery research and analysis, and development of new technologies. The fund must also be used to analyze the health benefits and risks of seafood, market sustainable U.S. fish products, improve recreational data collection, and provide financial assistance to fishermen to offset their costs with implementing changes to meet the requirements of federal laws. Amounts generated from quota set-asides, appropriations received for the fund, and monies from states or other entities may be deposited into the fund. Every two years, money from the fund will be apportioned among the eight Council regions (source).

It is interesting to note that the regulations are entirely designed to control commercial IUU activity, but guess who will be financing the whole thing, even offsetting the implementation costs to fishermen, and under the guise of “improv[ing] recreational data collection”? You’ve guessed it: the poor recreational angler, who already pays too much money just for the satisfaction of pulling in a few fish by hand!

So what started as a quasi-mandate by a UN agency, ended-up becoming another tax in disguise. Notice that the fees paid by recreational anglers are supposed to “improve recreational data collection”, something which really doesn’t require regulation or even immediate mandates. Yet now since the states are using these new fees as additional income to fill-in holes, soon, if you are caught fishing without a license, you will even be paying fines between $0 to $250 per fishing violation, and/or be spending 15 days in jail!

How is all of this justified by the National Saltwater Angler Registry’s “Frequently Asked Questions”? Like this:

The hope is that whatever extra fees anglers must pay will be offset by more accurate and timely data leading to more credible management decisions and improved fishing opportunities. (source)

Sure! “[I]mproved fishing opportunities” are what we are supposed to get, but do they actually feed the fish in the sea, or do something like that?

Of course they do! Doesn’t the government also provide you with all of those paid privileges called ‘rights’, including the one that doesn’t really count to most employers, the First Amendment?

Don’t they provide you with the sun in the morning, something which you ingrates don’t even get taxed for?

And shouldn’t you also pay taxes on the water out of the well you’ve dug on your own property, and at your own expense?