Well, I guess I was almost expecting a continuation of the familiar ghosting treatment here...
I do not really know how to express how disappointed and hurt I feel that despite the seriousness of the plagiarism problem which has arisen in this community, and despite the great deal of time I personally dedicated to trying to help get it addressed, the Moderation Team has appointed someone to a position of responsibility in the game when they have been found guilty of plagiarism so recently, and in 3 separate incidents. The Mods have literally just appointed as World Congress Coordinator the dude who, only a few days ago, they learned had just plagiarised the real-life United Nations Charter. Part of me wishes I could feel a bit more of a sense of humour about this...but in the circumstances, I just can't.
It is as plain as can be seen that plagiarism is not being taken as seriously in Particracy Classic as it should be. This seems to extend, sadly, not just to Moderators, but to a significant section of the community as well. This became painfully clear when the issue was first brought to attention, when one half of the community thought plagiarism was okay and was outraged at it being challenged, whilst the other half was indignant at first, because they resented the success certain plagiarisers had enjoyed with the rankings system, but then rather quickly made clear they did not really care very much about plagiarism in itself, and were only really actually motivated by getting certain nations downranked which were controlled by players they were not so keen on that particular week.
.
Let me say again, as I have said before: here on this forum, when we are RPing we are a
community of creative writers. There is an
ethos to both us being creative writers as individuals, and us being creative writers as a community. Plagiarism
cannot be a part of that ethos,
ever. Or at least that's what I thought. Quite honestly, right now I'm questioning whether I'm actually in the minority here and don't really belong here. If so, just tell me and I'll let you all go on with the existing casual approach to plagiarism.
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As some you know, I spent many hours investigating plagiarism on our forum, because this is an issue I care about deeply, and I want it to be dealt with properly. During that time, seeing in detail so many examples of plagiarism, I would suggest - without trying to sound boastful or arrogant here - that I did acquire a few insights, including a "sense" of what a news post that has been plagiarised is likely to look like.
In some cases, plagiarism can be proven very easily and quickly, with a few Google searches or the use of an online plagiarism checker.
In other cases...it can be a lot more tricky. Sometimes the original source for the plagiarised content is not online (at least at the moment), or it is online, but will not be pulled up in websearches or plagiarism checker searches because it is (at least at the moment) hidden behind a paywall or a password wall. So it is possible for some players to try to be clever, hoping to get away with what they are doing without being detected. As you would expect, I am not going to name any names in public... but I do feel I have a responsibility to put it out there that at the present time, I have a personal suspicion certain users of this forum are deploying this technique, and some of this is happening right now/recently.
The good news, at least in my experience so far, is that sometimes you can find the match and prove the plagiarism
eventually, because sooner or later, the content will leak on to the internet, or the paywall/password wall will be lifted. So if these folk play this game for long enough and do it often enough, opportunities will arise for them to be caught out. That's assuming, of course, that anyone can be bothered to do so and that Moderation will take it seriously when/if it gets reported.
After consideration, I have decided to post the remainder of the reports I am sitting on at the moment, because even if nothing is done, I suppose it will be good for transparency.
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viewtopic.php?f=24&t=7890#p134278https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... -terrorismYolo04 wrote:Terra has been hit by its biggest diplomatic crisis in years after Xsampa cut ties with Saridan, accusing it of destabilising the region with its support of slavery and the slave trade
Xsampa said it would halt all land, air and sea traffic with Saridan, eject its diplomats and order Saridan citizens to leave the state within 14 days. Shoppers in the Saridan capital, Koeistad, meanwhile packed clothes stores amid fears the country, which relies on clothing imports from its ex-ally, would face clothes shortages after Xsampa ended all trade with Saridan.
Social media reports from the Saridan capital showed clothes racks empty as nervous consumers began to worry that stocks of clothes and garments would run out. As much as 80% of Saridan’s clothes comes over from Xsampa.
source wrote:The Gulf has been hit by its biggest diplomatic crisis in years after Arab nations including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of destabilising the region with its support for Islamist groups.
The countries said they would halt all land, air and sea traffic with Qatar, eject its diplomats and order Qatari citizens to leave the Gulf states within 14 days. Shoppers in the Qatari capital, Doha, meanwhile packed supermarkets amid fears the country, which relies on imports from its neighbours, would face food shortages after Saudi Arabia closed its sole land border.
Social media reports from Doha showed supermarket shelves empty as nervous consumers began to worry that stocks of food and water would run out. As much as 40% of Qatar’s food comes over the Saudi border.
Yolo04 wrote:The coordinated move dramatically escalates a dispute over Saridan’s legalization of slavery and the slave trade. The dispute is the worst to hit Terra since the Sørvestland Wars of the 4370’s.
Source wrote:The coordinated move dramatically escalates a dispute over Qatar’s support of Islamist movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood, and its perceived tolerance of Saudi Arabia’s arch-rival, Iran. The dispute is the worst to hit the Gulf since the formation of the Gulf Co-operation Council in 1981.
Yolo04 wrote:Xsampa said it took the decision to cut diplomatic ties owing to Saridan’s “embrace of various unethical actions and vile systems that have destabilized the region”.
Xsampa’s foreign ministry accused Saridan of taking an “antagonist approach” towards the country and said “all attempts to stop it from supporting vile systems and beliefs failed”. It gave the Saridan ambassador 48 hours to leave Xsampa, and ordered its own chargé d’affaires in Saridan to return to Xsampa within 48 hours.
Source wrote:Saudi Arabia said it took the decision to cut diplomatic ties owing to Qatar’s “embrace of various terrorist and sectarian groups aimed at destabilising the region”, including the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaida, Islamic State and groups supported by Iran in Saudi Arabia’s restive eastern province of Qatif.
Egypt’s foreign ministry accused Qatar of taking an “antagonist approach” towards the country and said “all attempts to stop it from supporting terrorist groups failed”. It gave the Qatari ambassador 48 hours to leave Egypt, and ordered its own chargé d’affaires in Qatar to return to Cairo within 48 hours.
Yolo04 wrote:There effect on air travel in the region was immediate. Xsampa Airways, one of the region’s major long-haul carriers, said it was suspending all flights to Saridan. Etihad, the Kimlien-based carrier, said it would suspend flights to Saridan “until further notice”.
Xsampa also announced its airspace will be closed to all Saridan airplanes from the 15th.
Source wrote:There effect on air travel in the region was immediate. Qatar Airways, one of the region’s major long-haul carriers, said it was suspending all flights to Saudi Arabia. Etihad, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, said it would suspend flights to Qatar “until further notice”. Emirates, the Dubai-based carrier, announced it would suspend Qatar flights starting on Tuesday, and Dubai-based budget carrier flydubai said it would suspend flights to and from Doha from Tuesday.
Egypt announced its airspace will be closed to all Qatari airplanes from Tuesday.
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viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7890&start=20#p137248https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/hirohito.htmYolo04 wrote:To our good and loyal subjects: After pondering deeply the general trends of the world and the actual conditions obtaining in our empire today, we have decided to effect a settlement of the present situation by resorting to an extraordinary measure.
We have ordered our Government to communicate to the Governments of Kazulia, Keymon, Hutori, Lourenne, and New Alduria that our empire would accept unconditional surrender in our current situation.
To strive for the common prosperity and happiness of all nations as well as the security and well-being of our subjects is the solemn obligation which has been handed down by our imperial ancestors and which we lay close to the heart.
Indeed, we declared war on New Alduria and the Northern Council out of our sincere desire to insure Xsampa’s self-preservation and the stabilization of Dovani, it being far from our thought either to infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations or to embark upon territorial aggrandizement.
But now the war has lasted for nearly five years. Despite the best that has been done by everyone--the gallant fighting of our military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of out servants of the State and the devoted service of our 100,000,000 people--the war situation has developed not necessarily to Xsampa's advantage, while the general trends of the world have all turned against her interest.
Such being the case, how are we to save the millions of our subjects, nor to atone ourselves before the hallowed spirits of our imperial ancestors? This is the reason why we have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the joint declaration of the powers.
We cannot but express the deepest sense of regret to our allied nations of Dovani, who have consistently cooperated with the Empire toward the emancipation of Dovani.
The thought of those officers and men as well as others who have fallen in the fields of battle, those who died at their posts of duty, or those who met death [otherwise] and all their bereaved families, pains our heart night and day.
The welfare of the wounded and the war sufferers and of those who lost their homes and livelihood is the object of our profound solicitude. The hardships and sufferings to which our nation is to be subjected hereafter will be certainly great.
We are keenly aware of the inmost feelings of all of you, our subjects. However, it is according to the dictates of time and fate that we have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the [unavoidable] and suffering what is unsufferable. Having been able to save and maintain the structure of the Imperial State, we are always with you, our good and loyal subjects, relying upon your sincerity and integrity.
Beware most strictly of any outbursts of emotion that may engender needless complications, of any fraternal contention and strife that may create confusion, lead you astray and cause you to lose the confidence of the world.
Let the entire nation continue as one family from generation to generation, ever firm in its faith of the imperishableness of its divine land, and mindful of its heavy burden of responsibilities, and the long road before it. Unite your total strength to be devoted to the construction for the future. Cultivate the ways of rectitude, nobility of spirit, and work with resolution so that you may enhance the innate glory of the Imperial State and keep pace with the progress of the world.
Source wrote:To our good and loyal subjects: After pondering deeply the general trends of the world and the actual conditions obtaining in our empire today, we have decided to effect a settlement of the present situation by resorting to an extraordinary measure.
We have ordered our Government to communicate to the Governments of the United States, Great Britain, China and the Soviet Union that our empire accepts the provisions of their joint declaration.
To strive for the common prosperity and happiness of all nations as well as the security and well-being of our subjects is the solemn obligation which has been handed down by our imperial ancestors and which we lay close to the heart.
Indeed, we declared war on America and Britain out of our sincere desire to insure Japan's self-preservation and the stabilization of East Asia, it being far from our thought either to infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations or to embark upon territorial aggrandizement.
But now the war has lasted for nearly four years. Despite the best that has been done by everyone--the gallant fighting of our military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of out servants of the State and the devoted service of our 100,000,000 people--the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage, while the general trends of the world have all turned against her interest.
Moreover, the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is, indeed, incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should we continue to fight, it would not only result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization.
Such being the case, how are we to save the millions of our subjects, nor to atone ourselves before the hallowed spirits of our imperial ancestors? This is the reason why we have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the joint declaration of the powers.
We cannot but express the deepest sense of regret to our allied nations of East Asia, who have consistently cooperated with the Empire toward the emancipation of East Asia.
The thought of those officers and men as well as others who have fallen in the fields of battle, those who died at their posts of duty, or those who met death [otherwise] and all their bereaved families, pains our heart night and day.
The welfare of the wounded and the war sufferers and of those who lost their homes and livelihood is the object of our profound solicitude. The hardships and sufferings to which our nation is to be subjected hereafter will be certainly great.
We are keenly aware of the inmost feelings of all of you, our subjects. However, it is according to the dictates of time and fate that we have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the [unavoidable] and suffering what is unsufferable. Having been able to save *** and maintain the structure of the Imperial State, we are always with you, our good and loyal subjects, relying upon your sincerity and integrity.
Beware most strictly of any outbursts of emotion that may engender needless complications, of any fraternal contention and strife that may create confusion, lead you astray and cause you to lose the confidence of the world.
Let the entire nation continue as one family from generation to generation, ever firm in its faith of the imperishableness of its divine land, and mindful of its heavy burden of responsibilities, and the long road before it. Unite your total strength to be devoted to the construction for the future. Cultivate the ways of rectitude, nobility of spirit, and work with resolution so that you may enhance the innate glory of the Imperial State and keep pace with the progress of the world.
*
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=8598#p152158https://www.caribbeanlifenews.com/intra ... -increase/Maxington wrote:With intra-regional trade within the Western Dovani Economic Area showing an increase in recent times in the face of exogenous factors, the Intra-regional trade has been “positive”, with significant growth in the early period of the economic integration movement and with the share of intra-regional to total trade increasing, on average,” a WDEA report states. Despite a dip in 4670, the WDEA said the increase in trade in the years following the 4670 dip was about 30 times the amount estimated prior to the initial formation of the economic organisation, showing that intra-regional trade has been propelled as a consequence of the mounting stability being brought to the region. It disclosed that Kazulia has been the region’s dominant exporter. The story of trade in the economic area was told when the WDEA Secretariat met to hold a seminar on the WDEA's trade performance. The seminar was one of the activities to mark the Year of Statistics, which is being commemorated during the previous years. As the WDEA this year celebrates its 36th anniversary. The Secretariat said the expansion of intra-regional trade and trade with third states is one of its objectives, having recorded mixed fortunes in trade, with “upswings that were manifestations of effective regional policies and downturns that were generally reflective of external shocks and the state of the global economy.” It said changes in the global environment that occurred during the past 40 years impacted on the performance of the integration movement, including in trade performance. The WDEA said some of those changes included the collapse of the Dovanian Union; the advent of the oil and natural gas cartel between the large oil and natural gas producers of the southern hemisphere and its impact on the setting of the prices of oil and related minerals.
Since the formation of the organisation, the WDEA said trade among member-states tallied 30 percent of total exports. It said the economies of the Northern Hemisphere, particularly those in Artania and Third World Dovani have been the economic area's most significant market for exports. The economic area's import markets are diverse as the connections developed by Lourenne and Kazulia have allowed for the WDEA to maintain diverse import sources, the WDEA said the region’s imports from the Northern Hemisphere stood at around 300 billion and imports from the Southern Hemisphere stood at around 200 billion. “Fundamentally, the region sought to deepen its integration process through the agreement to establish the Western Dovani Economic Area as a mechanism for the countries of the Western Dovani sub-continent to stimulate growth and development amidst external and internal challenges,” the statement said. The Secretariat has stated that the intentions were to increase the trade between the nations of the WDEA. With Hulstria expressing great intentions of joining the economic alliance, the WDEA is shaping up to become a major market for various commodities including oil and natural gas, automotives, technology, agriculture, etc. “The dynamic for trade within this sub-continent must be shifted in the various of the members states,” Secretary-General of the WDEA, Jean-Baptiste Beaubois said. It had been noted that the handover of Eljang and Reunii to Kyoseon would constitute a trade dip for the WDEA, as it is expected that Eljang and Reunii would replace some of its imports from the WDEA states with products from Kyoseon, even though the former's economy is larger than the latter's. Secretary-General Beaubois stated that a report on the contributions of each WDEA member state would be drafted in the future and would aim to make public, the trade contributions of nations such as Ostland, Kazulia, Lourenne and Eljang and Reunii known to the general public and to allow for the WDEA Secretariat itself to make more detailed adjustments to the common trade policy.
Source wrote:With intra-regional trade within the Caribbean Community showing an increase inrecent times in the face of exogenous factors, the Intra-regional trade has been “positive”, with significant growth in the early period of the integration movement and with the share of intra-regional to total trade increasing, on average,” a CARICOM report states.
Despite a dip in 2009, CARICOM said the increase in trade in 2011 was about 30 times the amount of US$0.1 billion in 1973, showing that intra-regional trade has been propelled as a consequence of integration. It disclosed that Trinidad and Tobago has been the region’s dominant exporter.
The story of trade in the Community was told on Jul. 25 at the CARICOM Secretariat when the Regional Statistics Program, in collaboration with the Guyana Bureau of Statistics, held a seminar on the Community’s trade performance.
The seminar was one of the activities to mark International Year of Statistics, which is being commemorated during this year.
As CARICOM this year celebrates its 40th anniversary., its Secrtetariat said the expansion of intra-regional trade and trade with third states is one of its objectives, having recorded mixed fortunes in trade, with “upswings that were manifestations of effective regional policies and downturns that were generally reflective of external shocks and the state of the global economy.”
said the regional body in a statement.
It said changes in the global environment that occurred during the past 40 years impacted on the performance of the integration movement, including in trade performance.
CARICOM said some of those changes included the removal of the preferential arrangements for the region’s sugar and bananas exports with the European Union (EU); the advent of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its impact on the setting of the prices of oil and related minerals; the debt crisis of the 1980s; and, more recently, the global financial and economic crisis, and specifically, its impact in the EU and the United States, two of the region’s largest trading partners.
Since 1973, CARICOM said trade among member-states tallied 17.2 per cent of total exports.
It said the U.S. has been the Community’s most significant market for exports, accounting for 44.2 per cent of CARICOM’s total exports.
The U.S. is also the main source of CARICOM’s imports, accounting, on average, for 40.5 per cent of the region’s total extra-regional imports from 1973 to now, and for 37.0 per cent since the Caribbean Single Market (CSM).
CARICOM said the region’s imports from the U.S. stood at US$0.4 billion in 1973, US$5.8 billion in 2006 and US$7.3 billion in 2011. Exports to the EU accounted for 15.1 per cent of total export, with the EU being the second major source of imports with 15.1 per cent.
“Fundamentally, the region sought to deepen its integration process through the agreement to establish the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) as a mechanism for the small countries of the Community to stimulate growth and development amidst external and internal challenges,” the statement said.
With the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) in 2006, CARICOM’s total exports expanded from US$17.8 billion in 2006 to US$18.8 billion in 2011 at an average growth rate of 1.0 per cent.
CARICOM said that growth rate, however, declined in the wake of the most recent global economic and financial crisis.
It said total imports also increased with the launch of the CSM, from US$18 billion in 2006 to US$ 24.3 billion in 2011, at an average annual growth rate of 6.2 per cent.
CARICOM said the period 1973 to 2005 saw an annual average growth rate in imports of 7.9 per cent.
Similarly, it said the effect of the global financial and economic crisis was reflected in an average annual growth rate for imports from 2008 to 2009 of negative 25.9 per cent.
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viewtopic.php?f=36&t=8598#p152362https://www.efta.int/Free-Trade/news/EF ... hstan-1199Maxington wrote:Delegations from the WDEA States and Hutori announced earlier that they will begin negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement between the world's largest trade union and the northern nation of Hutori. The launching of WDEA-Hutori free trade negotiations had been timed with the return of stable governance in the Commonwealth of Hutori after the incumbent and active government in Bekenial expressed its intentions to return to the international domain. Secretary-General of the Western Dovani Economic Area, Jean-Baptiste Beaubois and delegations representing Kazulia, Lourenne, Sekowo, Ostland, Eljang and Reunii and Mikuni-Hulstria announced the commencing of the negotiation process following their preliminary meeting with officials from Foreign Affairs Hutori. Beaubois said that Hutori had been unwilling in the past to enter into such talks, but now is and such a deal “will be something very exciting.” During the preliminary meeting, groups of experts discussed, in particular: Trade in Industrial and Agricultural Products; Technical Barriers to Trade; Trade Remedies; Customs and Origin matters; Trade Facilitation; and Intellectual Property Rights. Other topics, such as Services and Investment, Government Procurement, and Trade and Sustainable Development, were addressed at the level of heads of delegations. The Parties held constructive talks allowing for good headway and exchange of information in all fields. They agreed to meet again in Valois.
Source wrote:Delegations from the EFTA States and Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan met for a first round of negotiations on a broad-based Free Trade Agreement on 11-13 January 2011 in Geneva.
The launching of EFTA-Russia/Belarus/Kazakhstan free trade negotiations had been announced in November 2010 by Ministers from the seven participating States, following a preparatory process including a Joint Feasibility Study.
During the first round held in Geneva, groups of experts discussed , in particular: Trade in Industrial and Agricultural Products; Sanitary and Phytosanitary issues; Technical Barriers to Trade; Trade Remedies; Customs and Origin matters; Trade Facilitation; and Intellectual Property Rights. Other topics, such as Services and Investment, Government Procurement, and Trade and Sustainable Development, were addressed at the level of heads of delegations.
The Parties held constructive talks allowing for good headway and exchange of information in all fields. They agreed to meet again in April 2011 in Kazakhstan.
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viewtopic.php?f=35&t=9149#p171550https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-textjrandle8 wrote:The present Charter shall be ratified by the signatory states in accordance with their respective constitutional processes. The ratifications shall be deposited with the Government of the Union of Davostan and Kivonia, which shall notify all the signatory states of each deposit as well as the Secretary-General of the Organization when he has been appointed. The present Charter shall come into force upon the deposit of ratifications by the Grand Union of Yindala Da Tong, the Union of Davostan and Kivonia, the Federated Socialist Republics of Trigunia, and the Directorial Republic of Endralon. A protocol of the ratifications deposited shall thereupon be drawn by the Government of the Union of Davostan and Kivonia which shall communicate copies thereof to all the signatory states. The states signatory to the present Charter which ratify it after it has come into force will become original Members of the Union on the date of the deposit of their respective ratifications.
Source wrote:The present Charter shall be ratified by the signatory states in accordance with their respective constitutional processes.The ratifications shall be deposited with the Government of the United States of America, which shall notify all the signatory states of each deposit as well as the Secretary-General of the Organization when he has been appointed.The present Charter shall come into force upon the deposit of ratifications by the Republic of China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America, and by a majority of the other signatory states. A protocol of the ratifications deposited shall thereupon be drawn up by the Government of the United States of America which shall communicate copies thereof to all the signatory states. The states signatory to the present Charter which ratify it after it has come into force will become original Members of the United Nations on the date of the deposit of their respective ratifications.
