The Atlasia Dispatch-Herald News Unit

[Purple State]

This thread may be used for reader comments and requests of the Atlasia Dispatch-Herald. All requests will be considered and added to the queue for public viewing in the paper.

Keep it clean and enjoy.

[Purple State]

Bare in mind that I have many articles ready to publish, but they will be spaced out and not placed down in one big lump. I have to give you guys a reason to keep coming back. This first wave will be four articles, one in each section. After this most days will have one or two.

National Debt numbers please.

Ready, but won't be up for a day or two.

I think that my return to Atlasia is deserving of a front page headline in very big, bold, bright red letters.

Stay and get involved and maybe you'll make it into an article.

Just to let you know, I've updated the Wiki to include you as GM, and stuff.

Thanks Barnes.

I'd like to see a story over the recent controversy over absentee ballots.

Do you mean Hamilton's opening of the booth improperly? Story doesn't seem that deep, but I will look into it.

How about we just PM him requests so as to keep this thread more about discussion of the articles.

And spam my Inbox?

You can all PM me or post here. I'll stick it in the queue either way.

[Purple State]

I hope that as time goes on, not only will Atlasia's events be significantly different from the US', but that other countries' behavior may be significantly different due to Atlasian policy.

By the way, do we have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan?

The Senate has never passed a declaration of war against either country, so the answer would be no.

[Purple State]

I hope that as time goes on, not only will Atlasia's events be significantly different from the US', but that other countries' behavior may be significantly different due to Atlasian policy.

By the way, do we have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan?

The Senate has never passed a declaration of war against either country, so the answer would be no.

We inherited all laws up to 2004 I thought, so wouldn't those resolutions have been passed?

I believe the decision to inherit pre-2004 laws was an optional, rather than mandatory adoption. If I am mistaken I'll take that into account, but I will refrain from doing so until then.

[Purple State]

I'm pretty certain that we inherited all laws.

I'm not seeing where this happened (just went through every law on the Wiki). Could you link me?

[Purple State]

I'm pretty certain that we inherited all laws.

I'm not seeing where this happened (just went through every law on the Wiki). Could you link me?

Nothing written either way, but given that we repealed a lot of old laws, it's a logical assumption.

I'd rather that sort of thing actually be done by the Senate. Especially we haven't taken any action relating to the wars, nor does the FTA with Iraq seem to take it into account.

[Purple State]

I'm going forward under the assumption that we are now wholly separate from the U.S., aside from things that have commonly been assumed to be a part of both (such as social security, medicare/caid, etc.) or those which the Senate has mentioned in legislation.

[Purple State]

Economic and Financial News

Atlasian National Stock Exchange Opens
GM Purple state today announced the opening of the Atlasian National Stock Exchange (ANSE), Atlasia’s first such exchange for trading financial products. Asserting the nation’s independence from the United States, Atlasians flocked to the ANSE to buy up local stock.

ANSE     1,000  (Unch)

Financial Indicators

• $1 Atlasian = $1 U.S.
• Unemployment = 10%
• Crude Oil = $70/barrel
• Revenues = $11 trillion; Expenses = $12.8 trillion
• Trade Deficit = $700 billion

Could the GM comment on why those revenues are so high? The Gov't would be accounting for like 70% of GDP if GDP is anything close to RL numbers. I don't see how five years of difference in laws could cause GDP to grow so far so fast that would be taken in 11 Trillion dollars in revenue.

Ok, fixed. I'm no whiz on the economic numbers, so if you catch anything like that let me know.

[Purple State]

My biggest trouble has been finding RL numbers. I'll shift it to what you laid out. They probably won't change any more often than monthly at the most.

[Purple State]

My biggest trouble has been finding RL numbers. I'll shift it to what you laid out. They probably won't change any more often than monthly at the most.

The CIA World Factbook is a great resource and of course there is always good old wikipedia.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html

Scroll down to the Economy section. All the info you need to know about the US economy.

I've always used the Factbook for other countries. Never thought to use it on my own.

[Purple State]

Obviously if any deputy GM would be needed, it's in the economic sector.

How do the healthcare numbers look?

[Purple State]

I'll keep that in mind.

Just as a note, the health care cost vs. revenue is projected over ten years, which is why it is running a surplus.

One more thing: I hope you guys can keep up. You would be surprised how much I have ready for this. The confirmation process gave me a lot of time to write things up.

[Purple State]

I'm still hoping for Somalia updates, hinthint

Hint: Thanks to the Atlasian recognition of Somaliland it is COMPLETELY STABLE

Something is coming down the pipeline, but I'm having so much fun with Colombia right now, especially bringing back the GTO.

[Purple State]

You're doing a good job

^^

This and can we get some information on what the Dirty South citizens think of the assembly? (obviously not a pressing issue)

That's more reliant on NC Yank's approval polls. I  can write something based on those numbers, but the idea is pretty clear: a majority of the DS support it.

[Purple State]

You're succeeding "beyond my wildest expectations"

I plan on introducing legislation relating to the GTO, such as expanding it to other allies such as France, Canada, Italy, Spain or Argentina.

For your reference, the treaty was originally ratified through this piece of legislation (F.L. 14-6).

And a hat-tip to MasterJedi for bringing the GTO to my attention the other day.

[Purple State]

I'm glad I was part of "One of the Greatest Senates Ever"

I was not. But I got to pass regional legislation as Mideast Speaker regarding the Help Atlasia Study Act, so at least I was around.

[Purple State]

National News

High Speed Rail Construction Underway!
This past April the Senate passed and then-President bgwah signed the High Speed Rail Act, sponsoring the construction of “railroad tracks designed for high speed electrically operated trains running up to 250 km/h (156 mph).”

The legislation plans routes between St. Louis, MO and Chicago, IL; Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA and New York, NY and Boston, MA; San Francisco, CA and Los Angeles, CA; and Dallas, TX and Houston, TX. After months of planning, construction has begun on the line between St. Louis and Chicago, placing the cornerstone of what will be an expansive network of paths connecting major Atlasian cities. Sooner than most expected, those charged with implementing the Act attributed much of the early start to the $30 billion in stimulus funding designated for the project, allowing more of the funds allocated thus far to be pushed up.

Many analysts believe that the HSR Act is an achievement of great foresight by the Senate, putting into effect a new nationwide source of construction employment just as the worst economic crisis in recent memory was setting in. In fact, some have gone so far as to dub the Thirtieth Senate one of the great sessions in Atlasian history in terms of quality of legislation, noting the HSR Act as well as the Help Atlasia Study Act of 2009, the Voting While Banned Act and the Middle East Peace Act of 2009.

Although it is not yet clear how big the impact of the HSR Act will be on the construction industry, it can be expected to create upwards of half a million jobs around the nation, dropping the unemployment rate in construction well below the current level of 25 percent.

Does the honerable GM realise that there is in fact a high speed Rail line already in place between those cities, the Northeast Corridor. So does this mean that improvements and repairs will be done to that existing line, which the famous Acela Express runs on(Can reach 120-130 mph easy, I have done so on Train Sim), or are we building a whole new line through there. The existing NEC is badly in need of repairs however, if improved the speeds could reach those specified in the act.

Because of the requirements in the HSR Act that the line must accommodate trains that reach speeds of up to 156mph, a new line is being built roughly along the path of the current NEC. Upon completion of this HSR line, the NEC will be decommissioned and taken apart.

[Purple State]

I'm not researching American railways for this.

The engineers and planners will deal adequately with the placement of tracks, the modernization of current lines, etc. I'm no engineer, I simply report the news.

[Purple State]

I'm not researching American railways for this.

The engineers and planners will deal adequately with the placement of tracks, the modernization of current lines, etc. I'm no engineer, I simply report the news.

My railway workers un my as yet unamed Railroad are considering going on strike due to your lack of appreciation for there importance.

I have some more requests
I need Housing market Data
Retail Sales
Durable Goods orders
Factory orders(also say whether this number is due to export changes or changes in domestic consumption)
Consumer Spending
Consumer Confidence

Please try to do some research on these.

Only if you guys start taking action on some of my releases. Nothing regarding Venezuela from anyone but HW? Not even a comment on health care, not to mention moves to amend or make it better. You guys need to keep up with these things. I can give you all the data in the world, but it wont mean anything if you don't respond.

[Purple State]

Enough, enough. This thread is not for your petty threats, nor is it for countermeasures.

You will all be kept plenty busy by a fun regional and financial week.

[Purple State]

This office also urges the federal government to direct an additional $50 billion to $100 billion to the Midwest over the next year to alleviate the region’s budgetary woes.

The Midwest has no budgetary woes. What's the opposite of woes? It has seow.

I'm going in order of budget size so the Midwest will be the last one listed.

[Purple State]

Population according to membership in Atlasia is not to be taken as overall population or economic output. The DS has Florida and Texas, two of the most populous states in Atlasia in general, while the Midwest has most of the smallest states.

[Purple State]

I'm really happy with your job so far. But, please give NCYank his statistics, he's pretty pissed right now.

Honestly, being pissed off with me will get him his information no sooner. I don't appreciate people feigning anger after I respond publicly to a public outburst of theirs.

Tomorrow's economic news will include his information and I am announcing that those sorts of numbers (i.e. bonds, GDP, Libor, etc.) will come every three to six months.

Also, just for future reference, if you want information post it here or PM me. If I don't respond immediately or if I question the purpose of the information, PM me with a clear, concise and respectful summary of why the information is needed and you will get it. If you go off on foam-at-the-mouth rants you will be asked to leave the news room.

[Purple State]

If you could prepare the Midwest education data in the next few weeks, but refrain from posting it until I'm officially Governor-elect, I would really appreciate it.

Here are the figures I would like to request:

- % graduation from high school
- % high school graduates who enter college
- % of college students who graduate with at least a two year degree.
- avg. teacher salary
- the power and influence of the teachers' union
- avg. dollars per student
- any regional disparities
- any class, ethnic, racial, or gender disparities
- the influence of the standardized test ban enacted in the Midwest last year
- brief comparisons to the other regions
- overweight and obesity rates among children and adolescents
- levels of teen violence
- % of teens without fathers, racial disparities would be nice
- levels of teen pregnancy
- state of charter schools in the state and school choice.

For each region would be nice, really

I hope the Southeast's numbers are accurate and fairly represented though. (By the I mean worse than every other region. )

I'll get to it. It can usually be assumed that when one region requests data I will do my best to get it for all of the other regions as well. This may take some more time than the other requests though.

[Purple State]

Where does the Midwest income come from? We have no tax code to my knowledge.

Because of the general lack of regional information in such regards, the numbers given are set as baselines, with future actions affecting those numbers. They are not based on any specific pieces of legislation passed, because there has been little or no such legislation, but is meant to give you an idea of where each region stands.