January 2020  Header by Dave 

Opinions in The Augury are expressed by individuals and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or desires of the Karmic government. 

   
Karmic Resolutions 

Highlights! 
Dave 

The internet is so hard these days 

without tl;drs.  
 
 
 
 
 
● Karmic Resolutions. New 
Years Resolutions and 
thoughts from some of 
Karma’s coolest Jiva.  
● Cursing in Karma. An 
opinion piece by Takura on 
cursing in Karma and 
where its limitations should 
fall. 
● Fridate Explained. What 
happened to the pickup 
lines? Well, now you know. 
● Karmic Lesson #2. Fuzz 
 
teaches us a life lesson.  Arachnargg: "​ I'm not exactly looking forward to much because I have barely any idea what's going on next year 
● Roboscopes. Horoscopes  ._." 
by Robo Communism,   
100% guaranteed to  Chamejoneleon:​ "New Year is a symbolic passage of time that usually reminds me that life is about constant 
(maybe) come true!  renewal. It also marks a year older and another peg of experience to draw on for all my future decisions. I'm 
● New Year, New Karma.  excited to utilize 2020 as a year of stability; fiscally, mentally, and physically. Happy New Year! (:" 
Information about a   
change in Karmic  ESPDave:​ "The New Year holiday is a time when I sit back in my hammock and reflect on the past year, both the 
government following 
ups and downs, and celebrate the things that I've succeeded in, as well as work towards improving on the things 
Koala’s resignation. 
that I didn't. I look forward to watching my daughters grow and learn for another year (whether I like it or not), 
● The Karma Awards. 
and working on my marriage - things can always be better. I also set goals for being a better community 
Announcing winners of 
Zalidia’s Karma Awards!  member in the areas that I'm involved in, and making sure that I'm not over-committing to any specific area and 
Spoiler Alert: Different day,  detracting from others." 
same winners.    
● Tako Tuesday. Taki  Jonnemanni:​ ​https://youtu.be/e7kJRGPgvRQ 
explores her southern   
charm with some  Phobia:​ "For next year I try to get my bussiness idea off the ground, playing with acids and whatnots. And the 
buttermilk biscuits.   Degia Beal will still be the biggest baddy in the world of Karma." 
   
Zeph:​ “The new year is always something to be excited for. It is a time for reflection of oneself and the previous 
The Augurs 
year. You can look back and see how you’ve grown as a person, what mistakes you’ve made, or things that have 
Takura Calxur 
held you back. From there, you can strive to make improvements, to make this new year better than the last year. 
Robo Communism 
Lev Calxur  But it’s also nice to just celebrate the start of the new year because it’s full of new opportunities and challenges 
Dave   ahead. I can’t wait for 2020 and what it has in store.” 
Fuzzbuckets 
Altino Asteorra 
 
 
 Cursing in Karma:    
 
An Opinion Piece   
Takura Calxur 
 
Karma is generally seen as a very welcoming and friendly place. A place where 
self-expression and diversity are encouraged. Therefore it was with great 
surprise that I learned that one in our community had decided to leave the 
discord. This is their own choice, and I do not judge them for it, however, I was 
deeply curious as to why. When I learned that they were uncomfortable with 
the amount of profanity used in our Discord server it shocked me a little. I had 
never considered Karma to be a rude or abrasive place to be. And so while it is 
no water off my back whether they stay on Karma’s Discord or not, this event 
did cause me to think more deeply about the use and meaning of profanity. 
Because I have had very little experience with the use and beliefs of 
profanity in other cultures, I will be speaking on profanity as seen in the United 
States. This may be completely different from your experience of profanity in a 
different country or culture, and that is fine. However, I believe that as a 
general overview, the American perspective on swearing will serve us well 
enough. 
In the United States, profanity and swearing are generally seen as a 
mark of rude and uneducated people, often of the lower classes. People tend 
to view cursing as a sign of a limited vocabulary, and a mark of someone who 
doesn’t know any better than to speak that way. These views came from the 
Victorian era, where propriety was highly valued and the class structure was 
very rigid. And even now that we’ve left this era long behind us the ideals of   
propriety and what is socially acceptable have still clung to us. This view on 
profanity is held by most Americans to some extent; certainly, some people are   
more particular about this than others. So while most Americans can agree 
that Fuck and Shit and Cunt are some of the most offensive words you could 
Fridate Explained 
use, leaving out racial slurs, there is a great debate whether Hell is a curse  Lev Calxur 
word. 
These words are offensive because of the connotation and power we 
 
give them. In the most basic sense, we use these words to belittle and insult  Fridate here. Firdate There. Fridates everywhere! But hey, do you 
people we don’t like. Because of this, they are very taboo. The taboo increases  really know what a Fridate is? Are you confused about the contents 
their power and the stigma against them. That stigma increases the emotional  and themes of Fridate? Is it okay to have pineapples on pizza? 
connotation of these words. For example, if you’re cursing someone out, you’re  Well, this article should hopefully clear everything up for you. So, 
probably very angry. However, not all of these words are used only to insult.  what is Fridate? A Fridate is an event that is hosted every Friday by 
Because they are so charged with emotion they can also sometimes be used  a Chameleon.( A member of the Chameleon department). Fridates 
as an intensifier. For example, Fuck could be used in a sentence to emphasize 
aren’t a fixed event, they don’t always have the same 
what the speaker was feeling, “Wow! That was fucking amazing!” or “Oh 
content/objective, otherwise it would be boring and not fun after a 
fucking hell! Really?!” In both cases, Fuck is not being used to insult or attack 
someone, but rather to intensify the emotion of the speaker.  couple of weeks. That’s why we have v ​ ariety !​ Every week, the 
This taboo against cursing has also limited the places where you use  theme of Fridate changes, from compliments to insults to… making 
this type of language. You absolutely wouldn’t swear in a professional setting,  a story about lumberjacks and angry trees, yeah Fridate’s themes 
or to someone who was above you socially. And often you wouldn’t swear in  are very interesting. Well, that’s Fridate! Come join us on the RMB 
front of people in general. People learn from a very young age that these  every Friday and participate in our very fun event 
words are strictly forbidden and against all polite social norms. So often, when   
you do implement these words, you either do so privately or with trusted   
friends. It can be a sign of trust and familiarity among friends if you feel 
comfortable enough to curse with them. Cursing also can show an honest  Karmic Lesson #2 
reaction to an event or action. It is not something you usually consciously 
choose to utter and sometimes indicates a more honest view on something.   Fuzzbuckets  
What does this have to do with Karma? Well, as I said before, Karma is   
an incredibly welcoming and friendly place. We often joke about the 
somewhat excessive wholesomeness of Karma. So when people in Karma use  A lonely girl was out exploring one day in her backyard, catching 
swear words, they often use them as an intensifier. And I like to think that we  bugs and other critters for her collection. A beautiful monarch 
are also friends in some fashion. So to me, when people curse in Karma, I do  butterfuly flitted past and she gasped in delight, reaching out and 
not think it is such a big deal. They are not actively seeking to harm people  skillfully catching it. Peeking through her fingers, the butterfly 
with their words, and feel comfortable enough with the community to express  flitted it's wings helplessly in agitation. She had caught insects 
themselves how they see fit. It is a sign of trust and comfort with the rest of 
before, but for some reason with this butterfly, she felt guilty. 
the community that you are able to speak however you choose. 
Sighing, she decided for once, to let one of her captured friends go. 
Naturally, these views on cursing and what constitutes cursing is not a 
full reflection of all of Karma. I have spoken on cursing as I understand it in the  The butterfly, free at last, flitted away from her and sailed over the 
United States. I know there are Australians and Brits here, as well as many  fence into the next yard over. The girl figured it was the end of that 
other people from many different countries and cultures. And I am just as sure  and moved on, continuing to hunt down grasshoppers, crickets and 
that they have different views than I on this topic, however, this is how I see it.  fireflies, albeit sadly. A few days later, she went into the backyard 
  again, and she let out a gasp. In her mother's flower garden was 
the monarch butterfly she caught and released a couple days 
earlier. This time, she did not bother to catch the monarch, but just 
sat on the earth and watched it, simply enjoying it's company. She 
thought about all the bugs in jars she kept and sighed again, 
thinking about how less lively they became once they were 
trapped. She was beginning to understand that friendships of any 
kind, cannot be coralled or controlled, that true friendships are 
based in the freedom to choose. 
 
 
 
 
 Roboscopes  New Year, New Karma 
Robo Communism  Altino Asteorra 
   
Karma’s Roboscopes are written by our resident communistic robot servant 
and are 100% guaranteed to come true or your money back!  
 
 
Aries:  This  year  you'll  find  a  great  deal  of  personal  success.  If  you  don't,  try 
redefining success. 
 
Taurus:​ You're a very rational person, work hard and try the lottery. 
 
Gemini:  You  will  be  very  lucky  this  year  but  you  might  not  be  able  to  use  the 
luck. 
 
Cancer:  The  showers  of  luck  have  will  rain  upon  you,  however,  you  do  not 
believe in luck.  
 
Leo:  You're also going to be lucky, but your excessive spending will negate this 
luck.  
 
Virgo:  You'll  get  a  house,  an  inheritance,  or  something  really  valuable.  You'll 
also  gain  a  family  member  either  by adding one or by learning about your dark 
and mysterious family. 
 
Libra:  A  path  has opened for you, you will be very happy, you will meet a lot of 
new people, make new friends, and even meet your partner. 
 
Scorpio:  The  planets  have  aligned  in  such  a  way  that  a  friend  of  yours  wants 
 
you to do something illegal. Be careful not to hurt them.    
  After months of service, Karma waves goodbye to its 
Sagittarius:  You  feel  bad,  you  don't  know  why  though.  Try  doing  something  longest-sitting delegate, Koala (or Sanjikurisa). Koala served well as 
you enjoy.  delegate through a transitional period when the only delegate new 
  nations in Karma had ever known was Badger and we weren’t sure 
Capricorn:  You  feel  trapped  by  the  bland  apartment  blocks  surrounding  you.  if anyone else could do the job. Whatever Karma’s reservations, 
Go try and see some nature while it's still there. 
though, Koala earned their trust and managed to bring our regional 
 
endorsements up by thousands through the entire region and 
Aquarius:  You  feel  lonely  that  there  is  no  one  around  you.  Try  distracting 
yourself with work.  increased our delegate count from around 70 to over a hundred. 
  Wherever Koala goes now, we will always remember him as the 
Pisces:  You're  very  happy  today.  Of  course,  this  will  open  the  way  for  you  to  delegate who changed the game for Karma and helped us achieve 
find  a  new  partner,  someone  that  will  open  your  life  and  guide  you!  Your  our goal to become one of the ten regions on NationStates with the 
partner will be smart, funny, polite and polished.  most endorsements among its citizens. Koala is also stepping 
  down from his seat as Prime Yogi of Karma, which leads the 
  legislature. Koala leaves both of these positions in capable hands, 
  leaving us hopeful for the future. Congratulations to Karma’s new 
  delegate-to-be, Peter Calxur (or Ghad) and our new Prime Yogi, 
  Dave! Peter is one of Karma’s Sages and has proven himself 
invaluable to our community through his work as a voice of reason 
and as our local King of RP. We would have no idea how to treat 
RP if he weren’t here to take care of it for us, and now it is one of 
Karma’s most important features. We trust that he will be equally 
necessary as Delegate. This will be Dave’s first government 
position in Karma, though he’s contributed to the region already in 
many ways, including Chameleons membership, as a writer here at 
the Augury, as test-dummy every time we need someone to 
Naruto-run around for a bit, as local spreadsheet 
expert/obsessionist, and generally as the guy who is always willing 
to offer his help if you need it. We remain confident that Dave 
could whip any ship into shape and will certainly bring the 
Enlightened Sangha to order. Good luck and best wishes from the 
Augury to all of our new government members!  
 
 
 
The Karma Awards 
Zalidia 
 
Results of Zalidia’s most recent Karma Awards! 
 
Most Helpful: Altino 
  Friendliest - Takura & Altino 
Most Active: Spirit 
Best Moderator - Iggy/OT and Robo Communism 
Most Likely to Become a Sage - Takura 
Most Trusted - Altino 
Best Flag - Levont 
Best Ideas - Zalidia 
Biggest Contribution - Peter 
 Tako Tuesday 
Takura Calxur 
  Buttermilk Biscuits 
There has been great debate since the beginning of time over what constitutes a biscuit. The field is generally split 
between those who believe that biscuits should be smaller and flatter. These biscuits are akin to what an American 
would consider a cookie or cracker. These people believe that biscuits should be unleavened and crumbly and had with 
tea in most, if not all, cases. Then on the other side are people who believe that biscuits are puffy and savory. They 
firmly believe that biscuits are best served with any meal, as an accompaniment to meats and gravies or eaten on their 
own. There are many different ways to make biscuits, some easier than others. This recipe is fairly simple, though some 
will tell you you could make it easier. However, by simplifying the process, you lose some of the best parts of the 
biscuit. So without further ado, I present my recipe for quick and easy flaky buttermilk biscuits, the American way   

Ingredients:  Directions: 
● 1 ¾ cups (210 g)- all-purpose flour  1. Preheat oven to 450° F (232° C) 
● 1 tsp (5.7 g)- salt  2. sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and baking soda 
● 2 tsp (8 g) - baking powder  3. cut in lard or butter  
● 1 tsp (4 g) - sugar  4. this can be done with two knives cutting the fat, or with a pastry blender, or with your fingers. you want to make the 
● ½ tsp (3 g) - baking soda  dough have a consistency of small peas. 
● ¼ cup (51.25 g) - lard OR 5 TBSP (70.9  5. add the buttermilk 
g) - unsalted butter  6. mix lightly until it sticks together then turn onto a lightly floured surface 
● ⅔ to ¾ cup (158.4 - 180 mL) -  7. I like to do this part by hand, even though it’s messy; if you don’t use your hands use a metal spoon instead 
buttermilk  8. roll to a thickness of about ¼ inch (6.35 mm) 
  9. you don’t need to fold it, in fact I recommend not because you might overwork the dough and make your biscuits 
*Please note that all metric weights are  tough 
approximate  10. cut out biscuits and place on lined baking sheet 
  11. do not twist the biscuit cutter, because you’ll disturb the butter and it won’t be as flaky or tall as it could be. 
12. repeat step 6-7 until there is no more dough left 
13. bake for 10-12 minutes until the tops are a light golden brown 
14. best eaten while warm with butter :)