New Horizons for the people...

When I have joined in Asgardia I must decide to follow new ways to be a better human. Be a better human, for humanity and for this wonderful planet.

Would be great, if one day sharing all our intents with all the nation of this globe, we could help to develop the humanity of tomorrow.

Hello there my fellow Asgardians,

When I was planning this post, I thought a lot about what I would say. I thought of talking about all the achievements that we’ve made this past year. About how far we’ve come since the start. I thought of discussing the things that we could have done better. I thought of hinting on the potential for 2019.

But when it came down to it, all that seemed to be secondary to what I really wanted to say – And that’s a big “thank you.” to all the Asgardians that I have met throughout this journey so far.

I have met so many amazing people throughout this process – people that are passionate, intelligent, measured, creative, inventive – and it’s because of people like you that I am sure Asgardia will be a success.

There may be disagreements here and there – and sometimes they get a little heated – but what makes Asgardia special is that we’re able to have those discussions but still have respect for one another and still work towards a brighter future.

In no order, I wanted to make a few personal shout-outs to some Asgardians I have had meaningful interactions with this past year.

• Mikhail – You’re a great leader with a keen ability to act. You’re very measured and a real gentleman. I am always impressed by your ability to attack problems in a logical manner.
• Lena – Intelligent, capable and confident. It’s been a pleasure to see you represent Asgardia on so many forums and have the knowledge and experience to discuss things at such a high level.
• Anna – You’re working so hard and doing so much for Asgardia and most people don’t even know who you are. Classy and truly selfless. It’s a complete privilege to work with you.
• Ivan - You’re a passionate Asgardian with a keen (and almost annoying) attention to detail. You’re pragmatic and I see you being a top Mayor and helping to put Asgardia on the map.
• Chris – You are a legitimate gentleman and a very consciences member of Parliament I’m glad that we have people like you representing us as Citizens. I will get you on camera one day.
• Ben – You’re a man of vision and I can see that you’re 100% invested in Asgardia. It’s great to see that you’re working so hard for the Nation. One day I hope that we can meet up in South Africa and have a long chat about the future!
• Lembit – I can sum you up in one word: Unflappable. I’ve never met a person so cool and in control as you. I look forward to working with you more in 0003.
• Ana D – You’re a person with a lot of integrity and a strong sense of duty. I’ll be really interested to see what happens with the Government in 2019. Keep up the good work.
• Katya – Thanks to you I’ve learnt a lot of things about Russian culture and it’s been an absolute pleasure working with you.
• Derren – I’m glad that we live so close together and can work together so well to help make Asgardia a great Nation.
• Josie – You’re a very passionate person and we haven’t always seen eye-to-eye but having debates with you has really helped me to look introspectively at a lot of things and really consider my position on matters.
• Rebekah – You’ve been invested in Asgardia from day 2 of its launch, so it’s not surprising to see that you’re a very passionate and invested Asgardian and you do so much for the nation.
• Ann – You’re a person with a very good heart and you do a lot to go out of your way to fight for others. Hopefully other Asgardians will be as giving.
• Anthony – You’re a unique individual and it’s always good to see what you’ll be getting up to next on Facebook.
• Ricky – You’re a good man with a kind hard and a very pragmatic approach to problems. I’ll be interested to see your influence in Asgardian Legislation.
• Ariadne – You’re such a thoughtful person and I can see that you’re passionate about Asgardia. You’re such a calm and positive person. We’re in good hands to have someone like you in Parliament.
• Mira – An upcoming Asgardian I’m sure. You’re already making a splash as a Mayor and I’ll be interested to see where it goes.
• Adam – A prevalent presence on the Facebook group, you have a lot of interesting ideas and insights and you’re always starting interesting conversations.
• Алексей – I love seeing all the interesting stats and graphics that you produce about Asgardia.
• Dre – What would Asgardia’s Facebook be like without you and your unyielding spirit?
• Emery – You’ve lived and interesting life and have some interesting ideas. I hope that some of your predictions don’t come true, but it’s good to have your thoughts and insights in Asgardia.
• John S – Your easy wit and sharp humour is always a welcome sight. I hope that you run for Mayor!
• Inara – In a short time I have noticed you more and more on Asgardia General and you have some very interesting ideas which tend to be very pragmatic and forward thinking.
• Sarvesh – There are few Asgardians who are so invested into the concept of ‘Asgardia’ as you.
• Ogee – You’re a stalwart and enduring member of Asgardia! It’s good to see you and your generally positive comments.
• Dawn – We’ve only recently met through Facebook – but I can already tell that you’re a passionate person who thinks about the future and wants to see Asgardia do things right.
• Mandi – You’re classy, you can dance, you’re smart, organised – what can’t you do? We’re lucky to have you in Parliament.
• Derek – I’m still gutted that we didn’t get burgers together in Vienna. I’d love to see you more active in the community. You’re a genuinely nice guy.
• Charles – Working hard and building up your position as a Serious Asgardian in South Africa. Keep up the good work!
• James – You’re obviously too smart for your own good. I love reading your extensive blogs and your ideas on the future. I hope that you will get involved in Asgardia as it grows.
• Bridget – You’re a humble person, we haven’t always seen eye-to-eye in the past, but you have Asgardia’s best interests at heart.
• Kristina – You’ve got a lot of great ideas and you’ve been quite critical about some things in the past. I hope that you’ll be able to combine those two things at some point and get involved to help make Asgardia a better place.
• Nissem – you’re an amazing force of action in Asgardia. You’re always working on projects that make things happen. I hope that you become more involved in Asgardia as it grows.
• John F – We have polar views on a lot of issues, but I’m always impressed at how we can have polar opinions but do so on a foundation of mutual respect.
• M Helena – Asgardia is blessed to have strong women like you representing the people.
• Robert – Super organised, very cool gentleman, glad to have you on our side.
• Cha – People probably don’t realise how tireless you’re working for Asgardia, but I do! :D
• Cheryl – Artistic, talented, thoughtful – you’re just the sort of person Asgardia needs.
• Steven – Innovative. You’re building up your knowledge now through your education, but I hope that you release your ideas on the world of Asgardia soon!
• Sven – You’re such a genuine guy and I really hope that you’ll get more involved in Asgardia soon.

Obviously, this list could go on forever – with over 1.3 million Asgardians, there are a lot of people out there that have influenced me so I apologise if I missed you off the list.

But I want to let everyone know that I am genuinely honoured to consider you my fellow nationals and I’m looking forward to another amazing year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and get in touch if you want to talk about Asgardia or the future in general.

Let’s make this a great Nation.

Kind regards,

Ross Cheeseright

I’ve been reading a lot of things on our social media networks recently and while there are a lot of ‘hot topics’, the one that keeps cropping up is the ‘Citizenship Fee’ debate. It’s a topic that a lot of people are passionate about, so it’s natural for people to keep discussing it – however, there are also a lot of misconceptions going around now, so I want to talk a little about the fee and clear up some of the misconceptions.

The Citizenship Fee is voluntary

I’ve seen a lot of people saying that the Citizenship Fee is mandatory and that without it, people can’t become Citizens – and that’s going to be true in the future – but right now, no-one is being asked to pay the fee.

The system has been opened so that people who can afford to, can contribute towards Asgardia in a meaningful way. People have always been able to donate to Asgardia and so this is nothing new. However, if people contribute towards this Citizenship Fee now, they are given a resident ID card – with physical cards in development.

Right now, if you are someone that can afford it and someone that believes in Asgardia and wants it to succeed, this is a great way to help build for the future. If you’re not, if you don’t think that there is enough intrinsic value in contributing, then don’t – remain as a follower until you’re convinced and contribute through your ideas, time and discussions.

You're still an Asgardian if you don't pay

Asgardia’s Citizens will be people that have paid a fee, gone through a verification process and been affirmed as an official citizen, however – Asgardia is also made up of a huge cast of Followers. Followers are the life-blood of the Asgardian community and they spend a lot of time networking, chatting and helping to define the future of humanity.

Followers are contributing thoughtful ideas and having impassioned debates with their Fellow Asgardians. If you can’t pay the fee, there is no reason why you can’t still be a part of developing the future and finding like-minded people to collaborate with.

The Citizenship Fee is not a tax

It might sound like semantics, but the Citizenship Fee is not a tax. It covers the administrative costs of processing the Citizenship application and producing the respective documentation. Any funds that remain after the administrative processing is completed will be put directly back into Asgardia towards endorsed goals. It’s important that we’re able to demonstrate to the world that Asgardia is serious about its bid to become an independent nation, and a robust application process is a part of that. Our Citizens must be as legitimate as any other on Earth.

Parliament are listening

Several members of Parliament, including the Chair of the Citizenship committee are actively discussing and debating ways to ensure that Asgardian citizenship is as open and inclusive as possible. As the nation develops and we have a better understanding of mechanisms like SOLAR, LUNAR, establishing a business in Asgardia (etc.) then it’s likely new methods to obtain Citizenship will also surface.

If you have any solid and concrete ideas, or you just want to express your thoughts and feelings about Citizenship in Asgardia, then there are 127 elected officials who would love to hear from you. It’s their job to represent you so don’t hesitate to reach out to Parliament on their official page:

https://asgardia.space/en/page/parliament

This is just the beginning

Asgardia has only been running a little over two years and this is the ‘first pass’ of the Citizenship fee. Right now, there are no tangible Government Services. The Ministry of Citizenship doesn’t have a Minister, the Citizenship Committee are working hard to define legislation that clearly defines what it means to be a Citizen.

Asgardia has always been an iterative ‘evolutionary’ process. As time has passed, the nation has developed more and more and this is not the ‘final form’ of the Citizenship fee. The process to become a Citizen may well change over time.

So, all I would ask is that you approach this with an open mind and give it some time, no-one is in any immediate danger of losing out and no-one is asking you to pay the Citizenship fee right now.

As always – if anyone wants to discuss these matters or chat with me in more depth, then I’m available in the following places:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ross.asgardian
Twitter: @ Ross_Asgardia

Roundup with Ross

Hello again my fellow Asgardians. It’s been another awesome few weeks since the last post (and yes, I did say that I would do it weekly but let’s all agree to retcon that.) Bit of a longer post this time round, but I'll post up a more streamlined summary piece soon.

What’s Asgardia currently doing?

I’ve been seeing a lot of comments and questions on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram wondering what’s going on in Asgardia and I wanted to take a little time out to discuss what we’re up to.

Most people reading this blog will come from an established nation – They will be used to a certain level or order. A status-quo with their Government where they have rules, laws, civil services, taxes and so on – And it’s likely been this way since birth. So, it’s easy to understand why people may well take these things for granted.

These nations, in most cases, have spend hundreds of years to get where they are – some nations will have had thousands of years – But in our case, we’ve just been running for just over two years. We need to build everything from Scratch! Our laws, our services, our economy, our infrastructure, our Government and everything else besides.

The order in which this is done is very important – Because we need to establish strong foundations that the nation will be able to build upon. At the moment, Asgardia is working on three main areas:

1. Formation of Government
2. Development of Economy
3. Development of Legislation

Formation of Government

Ana Diaz, Chairman of the Government is currently working to put a Government together and is taking care to get people with real, credible experience to help our fledgeling nation take these first steps. Asgardia has to deal with a lot of 'nay-saying', and the solution of making sure that Government is stocked with credible industry power-houses is a good way to show people how serious we are.

As I said in my last post Leon Shpilsky was appointed as the Acting Minister of Finance . This week, we also announced that eminent scientist, Floris Wuyts was appointed as the Acting Minister of Science .

This is a man with over 200 publisihed works, 4000 citations and a specialisation in the ares of space physiology.

I can't think of anyone more fitting to lead our Nation's Science efforts. There are more candidates and more appointments on the horizon, so keep your eyes open for those.

Development of the Economy

In the world of today, a Nation's economy is its lifeblood. Until we live in a world that doesn't run on money, Asgardia needs to find a way to become financially capable. Its no secret that achieving our goals is going to require a serious amount of money - Launching Satellites, running services for citizens, building a telecoms network, establishing settlements on the moon - none of this will be possible if Asgardia doesn't find a way to generate income.

"Asgardia will work to develop an economy, Initially focussing on the Digital services sector that would give back to Citizens"

One of the key focusses at the moment is on doing just that - with the formation of Parliament's Finance Committee and appointment of the Minister of Finance, Leon Schpilsky, Asgardia is moving forward with the development of important systems that our economy will be built on.

Asgardia held its first Financial Congress in Nice where a lot of work was done to build an understanding of our current challenges and get the ball rolling on finding solutions to them - Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli postulated that Asgardia will work to develop an economy, Initially focussing on the Digital services sector that would give back to Citizens when there was surplus profits.

Testing on the SOLAR is currently underway - a vote has been called to determine the most popular tradable currencies in Asgardia so that the effects of trade and initial rates of the SOLAR can be determined and more details of the currency are expected to be passed to Parliament as early January 2019.

Asgardia will also be attending one of the biggest and most influential financial events this year - the World Economic Forum which brings together business leaders, investors, politicians and journalists from across the globe to discuss current global economic and social issues - An important venue for a new Nation.

In Paraliment's winter session, it is also expected that they will be discussing and voting upon the budgets for 2019

And, as we all know by now, the Citizenship Fee has also been launched, giving Asgardians a chance to lend some financial support to the nation and get in line to become some of Asgardia's first legally recognised citizens.

Development of Legislation

Without a common set of 'rules of engagement', it would be a rather chaotic Nation. Asgardia's laws will govern how people are expected to conduct themselves in a multitude of areas and ensure that there is a fair framework that protects people's rights and freedoms that are outlined in the constitution.

The Legislative body of Asgardia, Parliament , has been hard at work. They have been holding meetings, drafting documents, attending Parliamentary sittings and have already put two laws and several key amendments into force. Two princple laws have been given 'ascent' by the head of nation and its likely that more are on the way following Parliament's Winter Sitting.

But wait... There's more

There are a lot of other areas that Asgardia is working on that I can't really talk much about at the moment but to name a few;

1. Our Website
2. New communication systems for Asgardian Residents
3. Physical Resident ID cards
4. Bi-lateral relations with nations and organisations
5. Public Relations

And in amongst those things there is all the work that's being done by the people that manage the support mailbox, the people that keep the website up and running, the people that are publishing interesting news items on asgardia.space, the moderators, graphic designers, public relations, marketing-- It might not always be easy to see, but I can assure you that the wheels are turning and progress is being made.

There are a lot of things in the works to help create that vision we all believe in! If you want to help make Asgardia a reality, then why not consider contributing with the Citizenship Fee, or, Running as a Mayor for your city.

If you found this useful, then please be sure to comment, upvote and share the post!

So, now we're residents unless we were among the first 100,000 (I was) or pay €100/year to be considered a citizen. What happens next year, will I lose my citizenship for non payment? Will I remain a citizen but not be considered "elite"? Or am I not really a citizen at all?

A tax on existence, a poll tax, is one of the most archaic and unfair systems devised by terrestrial politicians and autocrats, sort of ironic for the First Space Nation. I recognise the need for the nation to raise funds but is this the most creative, progressive method they could come up with??

The future potential our nation offers could be leveraged. We could seek out progressive financial angels. We could operate a Think Tank (there must be enough international expertise in Asgardia to cover most areas). Citizens could volunteer for proprietary engineering projects, app development, creative works, all of which - and more - could generate streams of income. Where was the desire to explore and better our society when they came up with an elitist poll tax?

Excerpted from A Modern Herbal by Mrs M. Grieves FRHS

Edited and introduced by Mrs C.F. Leyel

Image: Solanum dulcamara, Wikipedia

Woody Nightshade

( Solanum dulcamara [Linn.] N.O. Solanaceæ )

Synonyms : bittersweet, bittersweet nightshade, bitter nightshade, blue bindweed, Amara Dulcis, climbing nightshade, fellenwort, felonwood, poisonberry, poisonflower, scarlet berry, snakeberry, trailing bittersweet, trailing nightshade, violet bloom, or woody nightshade

Part Used : Twigs

The juice is good for those that have fallen from high places, and have been thereby bruised or beaten, for it is thought to dissolve blood congealed or cluttered anywhere in the intrals and to heale the hurt places.

'...and to heale the hurt places.' That would be good. That will be good. I know it's coming, of course; it is. And it will be good.

Asgardia is an active and ever-changing place. As we move closer and closer to our goals, a lot of information is pumped out from our Nation’s press offices, so it’s understandable that people can’t catch all the news.

Fortunately for me, I work in the Head of Nation’s Administration doing PR and Marketing for Asgardia, so it’s my job to keep up to date on the latest developments.

So, I decided to use that advantage and get back to blogging on a more regular basis and write a weekly summary blog that rounds up and addresses some of the hottest topics facing the Nation.

These will be written about in a ‘#nowaffle’ format. Briefly, succinctly and to the point. If you’d like to discuss them further or learn about them in more depth, feel free to get some conversations about them going in the comments section.

Decree 27

Decree 27 sets out some objectives on the National Currency of Asgardia. It instructs Administration to hold some sort of a contest to set the initial currency rates, and, instructs Government to introduce the ‘national currency bill’ to Parliament by the 10 ^th of December.

Want to know more?

1. Read Decree 27

Citizenship Fee

Asgardia’s Parliament accepted an amendment to the Citizenship Act that introduced a 100 EUR citizenship fee. Anyone aspiring to become an Asgardian Citizen will need to pay the fee. Paying the fee now awards you with a digital resident card and puts you at the front of the queue when citizenship applications are formally opened.

The fee has been somewhat divisive in the community with some people supporting the fee as a tangible way to contribute to the nation, and others suggesting that it’s not reasonable to ask people to pay.

Citizenship Committee Chair, Ben Dell has invited citizens to write to Parliament with legitimate and detailed alternatives.

Want to know more?

1. Amendment to the Citizenship Act News Item
2. Full text of the Citizenship Law
3. Chairman of Parliament, Lembit Opik’s open letter about the amendment.
4. Citizenship Fee Information Page

First Anniversary of Asgardia-1

Our symbolic home in space which is hurtling around the earth at breakneck speeds has reached 1 year old. It continues to serve as an example of Asgardia’s drive to reach the stars, and, carry out its scientific mission. Happy Birthday, Asgardia-1!

Want to know more?

1. https://asgardia.space/en/news/first-anniversary-for-asgardias-symbolic-home-in-space

Economic Forum Memorandum

On the 26th to the 28th of October 2018 Head of Nation Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli chaired Asgardia’s First Economic Forum in the City of Nice. The forum was tasked with starting the construction of the future economic system of a fundamentally new nation.

The Memorandum from the Forum sets out a general overview and outlines the next steps that the nation needs to take towards developing a suitable economic system.

Want to know more?

1. https://asgardia.space/en/page/economic-forum

Leon Shpilsky Appointed as interim Minister of Finance

Leon Shpilsky is an accomplished professional with a background in investment banking, capital raises and investment into high-tec and innovation projects. He recently served as the head of corporate development at Oxford Sciences innovation Ltd and has previously come aboard in Asgardia as the CEO of Asgardia AG

Leon will be working on the challenging task of developing the SOLAR and working to build Asgardia’s fledgling economy with his counterparts in Parliament.

Want to know more?

1. https://asgardia.space/en/news/Appointment-of%20Acting-Minister-of-Finance

Mayoral Elections

Following a successful first round of elections, the Mayoral Elections are back with round two. Another opportunity for people to get involved in Asgardia and do some real tangible work towards build the first space nation.

Want to know more?

1. https://asgardia.space/en/mayoral-elections/

Likely the hardest part of establishing a space-faring kingdom is going to be getting ourselves off the ground...

1) Because of physics - the cost of fueling enough trips to get construction equipment into orbit and also, you know, air and stuff.  The Falcon Heavy puts about 64 tonnes into orbit for a 'mere' $90M and, though the fuel is not a big chunk of the cost, using such large quantities is going to put a fair bit of pressure on both the supply lines and the atmosphere.

2) Because of people - nation states, political jousting and commercialisation have created a sociopolitical situation where characteristics of greed, envy, sneakiness, hard-nosed negotiation and selfishness thrive.  Choices like these feed and develop the machinery that generates and inspires more of the same.

This is, of course, not a description of humanity, nor do I think it is human nature.

My point here is that both of these things need to be tackled in order to make something that is truly new. Any technological solutions must be built on social principles of cooperation, coordination, compromise and charity.  Likewise, the social environment in which technology is developed must reflect these ambitions.

Commons that once brought only tragedy may now bear fruit.

I'm just wondering if I could be the first deaf man who ever get send to space and to live there along with the others Asgardian, I'm focusing on my fitness currently, such as learning to do Krav Maga and Yoga to keep my mind sane  so I'll be fit enough for the blast off. It's like a real passion of mine to leave the Earth and explore the unknown, ever since I was a little boy and I'm always dreaming of watching down to see the blue jewel of Earth, as I leave further and further away.

I'd like to see an Asgardian news outlet.

It would bring unbiased news from around the world, well outside of the influence of any local government but freely available to all the populace.

It some ways I'm basing this on the BBC, which I feel does already bring unbiased news. Unfortunately China has very recently blocked the BBC. Too many people within many countries do not have access to this vital information store. I'd like to see Asgardia change that.

I'm Emma and I've just become an Asgardian today. I live in Slough, Berkshire and I work in London for a business finance company.

I've always been interested in a more unified and spiritual place, where we are more connected to eachother and our environment.

I care about people, animals, our environment and the arts to name a few.

I believe in one love and hope for a future without racism, prejudice and homophobia with less crime and corruption.

I studied t.v and film studies and find it interesting how the way we live, the future and technology are portrayed in the current media and films. Happy to discuss various topics