The Lecture Hall for the 2014 NS World Fair has revealed its schedule for the coming week. Likewise, Anumia and R3naissanc3r will be organizing a convention to redraft C.O.P.S. The NS World Fair runs from Jan 3 - 10.
LECTURE HALL
The NS World Fair will start with a bang: some controversy and old faces -- (by that point) newly commended, Harmoneia will give a lecture on Feminism and Critical theory in NationStates, while Sir Paul, legendary NationStates journalist will return for a very special seminar. Sir Paul, of course, is the founder of PNN and a veteran contributor of the North Pacific Wire -- universally respected as one of the best journalists and an old favorite from the Great War era, Sir Paul will be giving a talk about journalism in NationStates and what he learned from it, but also the impact on media for NationStates. There will also be time, I'm sure, for some socialization with this fantastic player.

On Jan 4, we'll be honored with a lecture from Venico, co-founder of the Osiris Fraternal Brotherhood, on Power in NationStates and a lecture from Afforess, creator of NS++ on Big Data -- I expect lots of graphs and complicated sums and ... stuff. Jan 5, BAM! Another dynamic duo of oldies-but-goodies, EuroSoviets and Blackbird, will be returning for a seminar on The Red Liberty Alliance. If you want to learn more about The RLA, the historic leftist Defender organization, this is your chance to learn straight from the mouths of two very brilliant chaps, who at one time were two of NationStates's most influential players and helped lead The RLA through thick and thin. That'll be a cracker of a seminar, I'm sure. I'm looking forward to it.
Stay for tea and biscuits and you'll get to enjoy a lecture shortly thereafter by Zeorus, leading member of Osiris and Equilism, on the ethics of the game -- from what I understand he'll be taking a much different approach to the topic than the RLA did. On Jan 6, Aquitayne will be giving a talk on the basics of roleplaying and immersing yourself into the world , while HEM and Cormac Stark will be immersing us in a shitstorm of a debate with one word: Independence. How can one simple ideology can be so divisive in Gameplay? HEM is the Supreme Chancellor of Europeia and Cormac Stark is the Co-Founder of the Osiris Fraternal Brotherhood, they've agreed to do talks in defense and opposition of Independence. Remember gentlemen: nothing below the belt!
Jan 7, Glen-Rhodes, respected NationStates scholar and commended author, will be discussing the prominent forms of democratic governance in NationStates and the difficulties posed by democracy. Meanwhile, Kogvuron, former Editor of The Rejected Times, will be doing a lecture called "After Polysemes", responding to a question from an earlier lecture of mine called "Polysemes of Nativeness": whether Negative Nativeness, a more open and inclusive sense of who is a native, can be reconciled with Regionalism in its traditional form. I'm really looking forward to both of these reads. The next day, Alyekra, notable defender and Auralia, avid WA Author, will be doing lectures on Propertarianism (an alternative conception of Nativeness) and Realism in the World Assembly -- you'll just have to find out what they mean by that.
On Jan 9, things will get really interesting when the Lecture Hall receives a visit from Gruenberg, legendary UN and WA Author -- one of my favorites. He's critical, he's sharp and always provocative. He'll be giving a talk about problems facing the World Assembly today -- I think it'll be an eyeopener and we're honored to have him for the evening. Later that day, we'll also be joined by A Slanted Black Stripe, commended East Pacific veteran, whose lecture will focus on the diversity within regions -- how regions are so dispersed, with many groups of players who are largely seen as "the other". That'll be a very special talk I'm sure from the perfect person to delivered it.
We saved the best for last, if I do say so myself, with myself and Todd McCloud giving lectures on Jan 10. Todd McCloud needs no introduction -- long-time delegate, commended feederite and former invader; he'll be giving a lecture on Osiris - I imagine a focus on the recent Civil War in Osiris. That'll be sure to get a rise from the audience. I'll also be delivering a lecture on Defenders and how they come to live in Neutral regions -- I will find that defenderism acts as an outside moral authority to one's home region, which poses many difficulties for a defender living in a neutral region which cannot come to accept and respect their beliefs equally alongside the moral authorities present already in the region.
C.O.P.S II CONVENTION
The Convention on Off-Site Property Security treaty was first proposed and ratified by ACCEL and The West Pacific as a law strictly prohibiting forum destruction in response to Addarow's forum destruction of The Praetorian Empire's forum. It is easily one of the most famous interregional laws in history of NationStates Gameplay.
Many have suggested that COPS is in need of reform, therefore the NS World Fair will be hosting a convention to redraft COPS -- although last year produced several drafts, the three days of the celebration were not enough to spur a ratification frenzy. This year we hope to accomplish the goal of redrafting COPS.
Anumia and R3naissanc3r are the event organizers -- they'll be acting as speakers and helping to facilitate dialogue.