Punches aethersix in the face

Look what you've made me do. Apologize now!

I've spent the last however many minutes since you spoke trying to get my head around that longwinded reply, Salty. Amongst other things, I am utterly baffled by your timelines. You appear to be conflating BeefStroganoffer killing the Godfathers and a war that happened 5 months previously? BeefStroganoffer setup because Ginger, a trusted button man from Las Vegas, bought out of his family apparently without authorisation to do so, shot two leaders in Chicago, and was then reabsorbed into his family without so much as a slap on the wrist. You could argue then that Beef's motivations weren't "out of spite" or that he had special needs, bizarrely, but that he simply remained faithful to his leader, couldn't you? Of the two, if you were to be objective, wouldn't his actions have been more honourable and loyal, since you bring it up, than Ginger's, who your grandfather let trounce all the rules because it was convenient? 

And how does that correlate to people being shot by their own leaders now? And, and, has there actually been that much complaining? I'd have honestly welcomed a bit of complaining to break up the absolute nothingness of any substance which your Grandfather oversaw. I also don't think Mokus was being hailed specifically as "the worst purger of this [world]"; I don't think I've seen anyone say that anywhere, but even so, I'm also not sure I'd be bragging that I only killed about three of my own people either like that is a good thing. 

And, and, and periods of prosperity? Prosperity? There has been virtually nothing of any note whatsoever from any of the 'governing coalition' in the preceding 18 months and you're going to call this a prosperous time with a straight face? By what definition? We have weeks and weeks of cities not being able to get 5 people on the VIP board. Whole cities contributing literally fuck all. And I guess that is what makes it funny that you suggested another party's motivator was spite when that is exactly what appears to be keeping this regime rolling on. Surviving solely to spite those trying to topple them seems to be the only goal because they certainly aren't doing anything else with their tenure. I don't even begrudge them that particularly, but please do us the decency of not trying to feed us a shit sandwich and call it lobster ravioli. This old turd you've created honks too badly for you ever to succeed in doing so.  

This embarrassment ritual of Spacepole is very amusing. At least something of value came from his godfather run, thank god for that. How many times will the obedient dog take it's owners abuse before it bites back? Personally I think the dogs will is broken so it'll be indefinitely.

I would like to tell two personal stories of apologies from ancient times.

1. Once upon a time, DoctorBoom and my ancestor were working together. My ancestor was loyal to him, but DoctorBoom had been mislead by bad actors he had taken in. They built under him with the intent of killing my ancestor. My ancestor warned DoctorBoom of them and the dangers. DoctorBoom eventually became paranoid that my ancestor might act against him in order to remove them, which he would never do. DoctorBoom attacked my ancestor, and to prove a point of honor, my ancestor suicided so as to not attack his friend. Before doing so, he warned DoctorBoom that he had made a mistake.

As time went on, DoctorBoom and the offspring of my ancestor continued to talk, and it was indeed found that one of those under DoctorBoom that my ancestor had warned him about had admitted to essentially everything that my ancestor had warned about, that he and his friends had been building and using DoctorBoom in order to try to kill my ancestor the whole time. DoctorBoom out of honor then murdered them all, and I quote, “SpikeS had been right all along about them… My bloodline has learned that one slip up, one ounce of misplaced trust, will cost you everything.  I am determined to not make the same mistakes of my father before me.” (Newspaper Clipping)

From then on, DoctorBoom and my ancestor continued on into the sunset, until death met them again (because of the self-righteous RobOakheart), and no such thing has happened again between their lines in almost nine years. Even a proud turkey can find it in his heart to apologize when he had misjudged a situation.

Another story!

2. Once upon a time, nearly seven years ago, my ancestor had gotten an ancestor of Joseph Ligambi killed because letters had leaked of him plotting against the powers at that time and was talking shit specifically about my ancestor, who he did not personally know at the time. My ancestor and Mr. Ligambi’s kin had a long discussion about it within months after. They bonded. They talked about music together, and Mr. Ligambi had explained himself. In good faith, they decided to work together. They hit it off so well that my ancestor didn’t even have to use a Ligambi family name when Ligambi’s kin authed him as Dolores. He apologized, and now here we are with our lineages.

As for some off-the-track replies:

Somewhat unrelated to my point… FatGrin, in my opinion, Beef did nothing wrong. He retaliated to an attack on his city properly. However, what that city’s godfather did wrong was lie to everyone and conceal Beef from the rest of his supposed allies (with some intentions of plotting a takeover, which Beef was likely integral towards). The godfather was asked repeatedly about Beef and given misinformation. However, that is not Beef’s fault. This also was only learned shortly after the fact as well, which was one of the factors in the Ginger safelisting. The poor reasoning for the killing of Kuku for a massmail or whatever was also taken into account, which was the root cause for Ginger temporarily losing his cool. (Newspaper Clipping) 

Also, Chicago's godfather's actions in the prior week had lead to the death of Diabolik and Polio wrongly. While Polio should not have had certain conversations with the Chicago godfather at all surely, and he should have been more transparent much sooner, I believe now that he was still trying to act in some sort of good faith. The short story is that Polio tried to warn my ancestor of something involving the godfather of Chicago looking for help planning a takeover move, and the Chicago godfather nearly concurrently reached out to my ancestor trying to turn Polio in as being the one plotting against us. The Chicago godfather in effect flipped the script onto Polio and Diabolik, which caused them to be viewed as the true conspirators, when in reality it was the godfather himself. I can say I am very sorry to them as well; my kin and others were only dealing with the information we had at the time, and we made a serious mistake. I do not expect to gain any trust from them and fully expect them to try to get revenge still (which is good sport), but still, I apologize.  

I would say though, it has been a relatively prosperous time for those in power, perhaps not for those on the other side of that, but of course you know how that is. Stay classy. 

LP-5, you are somewhat correct in what you are saying. Petah would not have moved. Perhaps even the labradoodle would not have either, but at the time, too much was coming out of Paradise that was contradictory and in bad faith. It was even being revealed to Petah at the time that Paradise had intentionally been hiding certain people for a while, even from him, and it was clear that they were doing their own thing which was not in the best interest of the rest of the country’s powers. Hiding things from your allies is usually a bad sign of dysfunction in a working relationship (just as with the Beef situation mentioned before).

Many started to feel that Petah was not in control of his own city, and it was being run by Paradise, which had surpassed the Strip at the time in sheer power and assets). I am aware that discussions were had internally in Vegas of making moves, but while they decided to follow Petah’s lead, how long could he realistically have held that back on his end? That said, that was not a war that my ancestry advocated for, and had hoped for a more peaceful (yet partially bloody) solution given some more time (Newspaper Clipping).

Again, why was Powers’ gut reaction to shoot your ancestor? Either way, my ancestor and Salty-whatever’s tried to prevent that war for many months. There’s only so much one or two or three people can do to hold things back when everyone else doesn’t want the risk and doesn’t trust the situation, which had only been allowed to go on for so long solely because of people like my ancestor and Salty’s. It was a bad situation with split-loyalties in your city above and versus the rest of the other cities. I do not say that to be critical… I say it to say I understand. I am sorry and apologize to the labradoodle and poodle that it went that way because it was not an easy situation to be in on either side.

I am glad to see that people are making headway in all of this. A discussion is being had, and the detractors illustrate those wounded and pained characters who do not wish to mend anything, which is totally fine and good sport. We would all be bored to tears if we were all friends. 

In the end, it is always a choice. Do you want to continue the hate? Or do you want to continue to fight? The choice is yours, and the results of that are yours to accept. Who do you feel you could apologize to?

That feels like kind of a cheap answer, Spike, don't you think? Almost what one would say if they in fact knew it has not been prosperous at all by any definition. To help me in hopefully getting this across to you and since you brought up ancestors and newspaper clippings, and just because who doesn't like hearing from those they care about the most after all, allow me to quote well, SpikeS:

Leaders, in actual power, not placeholder leaders, what are you doing to rally your men and women? What are you doing to entertain your people? What are you doing to socialize? What are you doing to be worthy of the positions you hold? Are you building up city relations with events and cupcakes? Or are you just doing the Twist at home with your close buddies wearing lampshades on your head and smoking the reefer? This is a social world, but once in a while we’ll watch the same select people in leadership swoop in for a few minutes before a RAT dies and then they just head back to their private party… Clearly, just a brief hunt and then fucking off back to the clique hangout. - SpikeS '22

Boring times here. No vicious mass killings. No great high crimes against this world or community. This isn’t some anti-Disorder rant. This isn’t a SALT 1.0 rant either. No cheating or middle-school bullying. It’s just boring. The community needs leaders who care about their members, not just only about their SALTY buddies. - SexySpikeS '21 

A brief moment of seriousness: When you exclude people, you create enemies. It is your choice to exclude people, but since it is your choice, you should expect them to react accordingly. There isn’t even an attempt at an illusion of inclusion, which is what most groups do.  - SexySpikeS '21

Has anyone noticed how our world seems a bit smaller, less faces on the street, more eerie silences, relatively inactive district heads, leaders that cannot guarantee your safety? Well, if you feel this way, you aren’t the only one. These current issues are derivatives of two major compounded issues: Lightning fast trained guns, and a paranoid leadership. - SpikeS '20 

How do you think these proud champions of the people would feel about your assertion that it has been a "relatively prosperous time for those in power, perhaps not for those on the other side of that"? Do you think these chaps who spent literal years and multiple generations riling against perceived cronyism, a lack of effort and a low output from the ruling regime would accept this response as acceptable? If they asked 'what are you doing to rally your men and women?' or 'what are you doing to entertain your people?' how would you answer? It's just boring, pal. The community needs leaders who care about their members. This world seems a bit smaller. Definitely less faces on the street. Inactive district heads. Leaders who cannot guarantee your safety. This is a social world and we have barely cobbled together 5 VIPs for months at a time. We'll watch the same select people in leadership do the same level of nothingness and be continually rewarded for it.

Since we are talking about familial lineages like JTG, KW etc., what you've done, the "Spike family", what you've overseen, and what you're continuing to be a part of it should embarrass you. It is all well and good to talk about apologies from the opposition, but look closer to home. Turn that touted chess mentality on yourself and those around you. Your ancestors would be opposing your own leadership. If you won't listen to me, at least pay attention to you and do better. 

My grandfather was not actively killing his own, with about 3 exceptions in his 100 days reign in Paradise

What a ludicrous assertion. The Fluffy_Tummy/Al-Bundy/Mokus line are among the most paranoid sociopaths to ever walk this earth. My great grandfather was once murdered by Fluffy_Tummy, after two months of loyalty, hard work and tens of millions in donations, because he refused a request to "rub my fluffy tummy" in the local crew chat hangout. My great grandfather said no. He did not want to rub a grown man's fluffy tummy. One day later, Fluffy_Tummy killed him for it, a ranked Consigliere, with nothing but a "No W/S required" to show for his time and effort. 

I don't hold a grudge but it is a fact worth asserting that people have been killed for far less than the supposed treachery and scheming that is claimed. 

Paradise had people who weren't happy about the current regime, correct, as you'll find in any other city and in every single regime. It's hard not to bump into these people. There was no hiding, sometimes we did not know who people's families were and REMINDER: This is ok.

The difference is, those same people were loyal to Petah/Makima/Crow and Nick-Valentine. Nothing would have happened and it did not. You should have trusted Petah knew what he was doing and what Makima was saying to you directly. Not trusting is why you have now lost good friends who were absolutely loyal to you.

More rogues came out of others cities with leaders in charge that still to this day, you keep putting in charge. In fact, while my mother was running Paradise, there was not a single one. Look inwards and all that.

This is all ancient history, and I don't think people want an apology, they want change.

I would like to tell two personal stories of apologies from ancient times...

Epiphany stood an listened to Spike’s tales from the past

Wow these are some amazing examples of chess! I hear that’s how all the grandmasters strategize their moves.  Each calculated with paranoia and rumors!

Thank you Mistletoe, I cannot say that I keep on the whom each lineage is but the sentiment is nice.

I cannot say that I feel like anyone owes my lineage an apology, except maybe that Spike guy. Never brings enough drinks to the party, horrible host.

On a more serious thought though I am sure any lineage that has been around these shores, have settled in and made themselves known have likely said or did some things that maybe they don't want to talk about in the sunlight. I have nothing to apologize for since as a very young Goomba I have done nothing to anyone as of yet. Give it time though, I might hurt a feeling or two.  In that sense, I don't think anyone owes this reign an apology, or any other.

I really didn't want to have to be out here but this is just out right ridiclous. Its almost as if you are now realizing turning on Petah was the tipping point, when those around you realize even your closest friends were not safe if they did not bend the knee to you. You wanted Paradise to be the bad guys so much you failed to realize Paradise had 0 rouges come from it, furthermore Paradise had 0 rouge proers come from it. So let's be clear we were killed for what we might do and not because of anything we had done. You continue to say you didn't advocate for this war so it must have been KW and the mastermind Joe Ligambi. I mean what other moron would kill a district in a city that "Contolled the city" and not expect the rest of the city to come to their defense? If you really believed that we ran the city you'd have just clean wiped the city across the board. Which let me tell you first hand would have got alot more respect from us as a whole. We could deal with that, what made us feel so slighted is you thought Petah and LP were so splineless as to sit and let us be killed. The spineless gene is one that runs through your DNA, not ours. 

True loyalty, it's a concept I'm sure is foreign to the likes of you, KW, and Joe since it's seems you guys have so little street decorm that you can't even be bothered to use their actual character names. Since I mentioned Joe again. let's talk about it. You turned on Petah for rouges he may be harboring and because he lost "control of his city" (If he actually had Paradise would've shot already don't you think? No it's fine keep spewing that same dumb line.) But Joe has had how many of HIS OWN HANDS rouge to this point and that slimy bastard is still standing arm in arm with you. Even thought most of the community at large has seen little to absoultely zero effort to help when rouges come from his family. He has more times than not went offline for the duration of the rouge and pouted about how he was scorned. We all know Joe is revealnt only because of the money he spends in this place. No hate you can't take it with you, might as well spend it on something you enjoy. But let us not act like Joe is some mastermind MR player, the guy simply continues throwing money at the problem because he lacks the ability to stragetically play. 

I'd also like to highlight how truly fucking weird it is of you Spike to be able to look back on your color coded bookcase you've got of MR notes to be able to pull exactly what happened, who all was involved, and when it exactly happened. You want to get out here and grandstand about how we need to come forward and kiss the ring and apologize. Let me ask you, have you apologized to Petah? Have you even thought about it? Probably not because, rules for thee are not for me. Spike you're a weird internet creep whos holding to that last ounce of revelancey because you know when you do lose power you'll go back to being bloodlined out of revelancy for the forseeable future just like it used to be. 

Lastly, KW it's nice to know we're still living rent free in your head pal. Had you been able to keep track of all the different situations you guys have screwed over your friends. You wouldn't have brought LV up again, and I wouldn't be out here. I'd be quietly playing like I have been for months. Maybe you should check with Spike compare notes, kiss the ring, then ask for premission before posting again. 

-Nick V

Thank you FatGrin for your input. I appreciate you doing peer review with evidence based materials.

Firstly, I do not deny anything about what my kin has said in the past in regards to other regimes. All of those statements are factual. I stand by them, and still do believe in those ideals. Practicality is something else.  

To really address your point, while prior regimes have held people down, been lackluster, and exclusive, we have tried to be very inclusive. We have tried to work with various groups that in the past had not been so good to us or even tried to suppress us, with of course some exceptions. However, it didn’t work out in many instances. As you know full well, Sir FatGrin, over time, attempting inclusivity faces risks of betrayal and various things which cause resulting exclusions. I can’t have certain people to the cupcake party if they want to murder the baker or clown. However, towards the point of apologies or forgiveness, is that not how one would come back into the good graces of the powers that be? Again, I do not suggest that anyone actually apologize, but rather consider the concept of apology as it has been brought up a few times. It has gotten people to talk, clearly.

Even more callously, or perhaps as simply bait to inspire, as I might do, I could say that some people should say thank you for the opportunities and aid that we have provided them in the past, the billions of United States tax dollars, only to fail or betray us. Have they ever said thank you once? Things are said sometimes to stir debate, and I am glad that it has created entertainment and a spark to people actually discussing things. The concept of apologizing (or being told to say thank you) does invoke an emotional response.

Why is that? It’s because it makes a person feel like they are being accused of doing something wrong in the first place or that they owe you something. Where’s my $5 from last week? Different people take that in different ways, especially the most insecure of people react extremely poorly to it, and that is comedy. However, there are likely some instances where apologies may be appropriate or positive. The reality of making amends is possible, but not easy. It has happened though, but the rarest thing in this thing of ours is trust. Nothing is more of a valuable asset.

In this world, is anything particularly wrong or is it just grey? There are definitely some scenarios in which it is clear cut, the clearest being when people decide to go very low, which can be illustrated in some of the responses to this speech. On the actual strategy and chess front, it varies between white, grey, and black on a scale. As I have mentioned before, perspective and interpretation of events. But in basics, if you try to hurt me, I will hurt you. If I hurt you, you will try to hurt me. Eye for an eye. Action, reaction. None of that is particularly morally wrong. Some of it may be unfortunate, with other variations in between.  

In those other times, from which you draw quotes, things were the other way around. Different people on the top, and others on the bottom, my friends included. The world has been flipped a few times since those quotes were made, and again in time, I am sure that the world will flip again, and I am certain that it will not be so much different, just inverted in terms of who is prospering and who is not, and who is better or worse at maintaining as such.

It is true that it is relatively prosperous for those in power now and not so much for those not so. I do admit there are shortcomings in terms of providing entertainment for the people as a whole, and I hope that this speech has provided some entertainment. Perhaps if things were not so bitter or pickled in this world, there would be more social engagement across the board. This is definitely something to work on. I wish that more people were active in the streets, but I do not focus so hard on how many VIPs there are at a time. I do think the streets need a champion, and I think that a Kuku should rise again as the King of the Streets. Things should not be boring. We must be entertained, and he is the man to do it. But I would be glad to hear more constructive suggestions from you FatGrin from how to shape this for a better world, should you have any to offer.

As for LP-5 and Lust-3, I don’t disagree with you entirely… But it’s all about faith. You gotta have faith, faith, faith. Several people did not have faith in what was in Paradise and felt that the leader of Las Vegas and the leader of Paradise did not have complete control of the situation under them. There were specific instances when my ancestor was told in the week leading up to the war against Paradise and Summerlin, that the leader and GFC of the strip was “only now learning” about what was contained in Paradise, things that had been long questioned and given a blank stare in response. Despite all the communications with Paradise to create a bridge by my ancestor, it did not help when my ancestor was faced with having to answer to others as to why they were hiding things; frankly, he couldn’t come up with excuses. As I have said, it was not a war my ancestor wanted, and had gone to lengths to prevent for a long time. I do not think that the godmother of Paradise or of Summerlin had bad intentions themselves. It sucks, but it is what it is.

Mr. Oatmeal/Nick V, coming out here is embarrassing as your ancestor was the main cause of many of the problems within Paradise. We accepted you for a while, but when it came out that you were bringing in many of your subversive friends, and hid them intentionally from Petah until the last minute, like Tyrannis for example, it was viewed as done so to cause a problem. This was something that the Godmother of Paradise had sworn up and down to my ancestor that you would not do, but you did it anyway. Whether you were transparent to her or not is something I do not know, but I do know you withheld information from Petah and that was a serious issue. I have in fact attempted to apologize to Petah and others, including doing so in this speech to both LP-5 and Lust-3. Whether it fell deaf or not, that’s something else, but I hope the gesture counts in some way, even if there isn’t any trust to be built there, unfortunate as the situation was. Finally, why are you dissing Joe when you just tried to grovel and beg to him the other day? I think that says volumes.    

Finally, I am happy that Mistletoe and Melis have become friends again. This is a great moment in history. Two sisters in this thing of ours, robbing banks, and boozing in the jazz clubs downtown. I am glad that I was able to facilitate this great renewed bond.

The reason I referenced how many VIPs there are is because it is a very basic measure of the level of contribution on display at any given time. You don't need to be keeping a diary of them to appreciate just how low you have allowed the bar to fall, you only need to look around. For reference, you and I, right now, occupy the top two positions because we've had one conversation. The only time the pool of VIPs is usually this small is in the aftermath of a worldwide war because everyone who usually would speak is dead. Now they just don't speak.

I am glad to see you say this is something to work on. I hope that you do, but experience tells us that you probably won't because this seems only to be important to you when you're not the one with the big chair, and you can use activity and output as sticks to beat the regime in power with. At the times those quotes were extracted from, how bitter or pickled do you think the world was? Certainly no less so than now (in reality probably a great deal moreso) and yet social engagement in those times was not to your satisfaction. You actually called upon the leaders to kill themselves, didn't you? Would Kuku becoming the Leader of the Streets again solve things?

"Kuku is like the primary one trying to stimulate things and actually trying?" - SpikeS '22

Well that scenario wasn't good enough for SpikeS back then, why should it be good enough for Spike now? Why should it have been good enough for the rest of us for the past 18 months because this is not a recent phenomenon and probably what makes me reluctant to believe anything will change. Nearly a year ago Music was removed and the late Gigantopithecus pointed out that the city she oversaw had contributed nothing. A year later, we take a look at Philly what are they contributing? Why are you continually rewarding this level of output? 

As to my constructive suggestions as to how to shape this world for the better, I'll start with this:

"What’s the point of wearing a crown if you’re not actually going to lead and just twiddle thumbs amongst each other?" - SpikeS '22

If you, those in control, do things, people will respond to them - this conversation being an example of that. DangerClose gave a speech last year where he started off categorising the Streets as a "dancing clown fiesta" and came full circle by the end of the discussion realising how much people actually care. That sentiment has gone no further. Change it. Report on what is happening, what you're doing and explain why you're doing those things. What is the goal of this regime? I don't have any idea what you envisioned from when you seized power and DangerClose admitted it was a them or us scenario, to now, 18 months later. Is it just to live long enough and at the end of it say "yeah, it was relative prosperous while it lasted" or was their actually some stratagem or aspiration beyond existing? 

Prioritise output as much now that you're at the top as you claimed to when you weren't. I'm sure SantoRubio is a nice guy, but the only thing he's ever said was enforced. Few others have a better track record. Maybe you should start paying attention to how many VIPs we have.

Scrutinise the contribution of cities who can't even muster a visit to either their business district or the Streets and demand better from them. 

Ask your families who they have who wants to do Street work. Protect them to allow them to do it. Reward them for doing it. 

Stop thanking people for their contributions at their funeral. Do better than "no w/s required" eulogies. 

Check out Elmo_Watanabe-Diaz's review of life in LA. His boss gave a Capo from NY a swirly and then blew his own brains out 3 days after he got the job leaving him unsponsored. Listen to that again. A newly minted boss gave a Capo from NY a swirly and then killed himself leaving his crew in the lurch. Someone in LA saw this guy, the would-be Alfie-flusher, as leadership material and not even a week later someone is scraping his and Alfie's brains off the edge of the toilet bowl. Maybe we would be better off if the decision-making process over there was reviewed before the next person is given the top job in Hollywood don't you think?

The main gist of this speech and replies is personal and collective accountability.  For some, that has been lacking.  For others, it is the mainstay of their personality.  Of late, power has rested between two loose configurations.  Let's call them S and L.  They have different management styles, but some commonalities.  

But they, both of them, are conservative.  They have no sense of the radical.  What you get is...  predictable and stale.  Managed decline.

What we need is a unified commission that is Hell bent on changing this world, and making it what it could, and should, be.  

If I can digress for a moment, I'd like to use myself as an example of how change is possible in this thing of ours.  My lineage is no stranger to plaudits and accolades.  Youngest and lowest ranked Godfather, a Street Orator of the Year nomination, a leader of many crews, and leader of many Streets.  But, and this is where the personal accountability comes in, I have taken some criticism, and some of it is justified.  And that's why I my names bears no homage to my lineage.  I've learned, and I want to help others learn and be better, and make this world better.

And that's where the leaders of crews come in.

Why don't we have regular meetings of CLs, with a strong agenda for change?

Why don't we have minimum standards for Street presence, funeral etiquette, the potential for open cities?  Why don't we have more competitions?  

The only people that can change this society is our leaders, and our leaders need us, the people, to change things.

It's within our grasp.  FrankCastiglia hates me.  I don't know why, but I'd still work with him for the betterment of our society.  There are others among us who likewise are blinded with fury at the mere mention of my lineage.  That hurts them, far more than it hurts me.  But their voice, whiny and pathetic as it is, remains as valid as anyone elses.

BillyMastrosimone comes from a lineage responsible for fraud on an epic scale.  But that's in the past.  He has a solid business brain, and could turn this thing's financial set-up on it's head.  He'd probably pocket all the cash for himself and fuck off, but at least it would be entertaining!  (Only joking Billy, we're old friends).

So. Much. Potential.

So. Little. Leadership.

So, who wants to help me help us change society? 

"Behold, Comrades! Finally someone with a vision for the future!"

Squealer snorts and pats EdinburghCastle on the back.

"Society needs change, certainly! I recently heard a man named Champ boldly state his own vision for the future. From what I could gather, he believed the unipolar world we have been living in for so long simply does not work but still (barely) has enough life left to be saved and improved upon. His idea was to split the six cities into three factions: One faction on the west coast, one faction on the east, leaving the central cities to become a 'No Mans Land' and likely overrun by outsiders from NPCLand or some such place. This would provide a neutral zone in which the two opposing factions could fight over or simply leave to maintain some semblance of order around here."

Squealer sighs.

"Unfortunately, comrades - I don't think a prosperous future is what the current leaders have in mind, at least not for the common man. They simply want absolute power with no regard for anyone but their small and immediate circle - the future of This Thing be damned!"

He pauses.

"Perhaps we must remember, it is not our leaders who have failed us. Maybe our expectations were simply too high. I wonder if we're all being far too selfish to desire freedom for all while those at the top carry the heavy burden of deciding who is welcome?"

Hello Squealer, and thanks for your message.  I have launched an Agenda for Change, which can be heard on these streets.

Is it time for change? 

Squealer jumps up and down excitedly.

"Yes, comrade! Change! It is time for change!"