skbl17

Oh, not much. I just surf Reddit, Facebook, other discussion forums, Wikipedia - yes, I'm one of those people - and YouTube. Sometimes, I'll crack open Adobe After Effects to work on motion graphics. I play Minecraft occasionally, and would play it more often if my laptop wasn't so uncooperative. Other times, I'll work on pony vectors. There are also occasions when you'll even see me watching television.

Most of the time, I try to stay realistic when I create OCs. My OC creation process generally starts by asking myself what my OCs will do. Will they be in a leadership position? Utilities? Running a shop? Teach? After that, it becomes easier to think of a name. Sometimes, I overthink the name and come up with something in Latin, but that's nothing a good nickname can't fix. Backstories and personalities are trivial matters beyond that.
 
Race is difficult to come up with in some situations. There will be some occupations that are better suited to pegasi, some better suited to earth ponies, and some better suited to unicorns. Others are more of a "grey area"; in that case, I just go with personal preferences.
 
Finally, as to why I chose "unicorn" as best pony race (reply from a thread from December of last year):
 

At face value, I'd give the edge to the unicorns for one reason and one reason only: versatility. Unlike earth ponies, who passively manipulate magic through their prowess at agriculture and above-average strength and endurance, and pegasi, who passively manipulate magic through weather manipulation, unicorns can actively manipulate magic. Nothing has been said in the show, in the comic books, or in the chapter books that suggest that unicorns can only learn telekinesis and any spells directly related to his or her special talent, which suggests that if a unicorn who specializes in, say, engineering wants to learn spells that would be better suited for a unicorn who searches for gems (such as a tracking spell,) there's no innate force that would stop the unicorn engineer from doing so.

Click here to visit the OOC thread!

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11:19 AM local time, near Port Impala International Seaport

As Celestia's sun rose over the horizon, a large boat approached land. The boat could have easily been mistaken for a navy vessel, but it was but a cruise ship. The ship was carrying a few hundred tourists; most of whom were only making this port of call a brief stopover before sailing on to other pastures.

For some of them, however, this wasn't a stopover. This was their destination.

"We are now approaching Port Impala, where the local time is 11:19 in the morning. Please have your passports and identification ready to present to the Border and Customs Agency officer upon disembarking. Information on connections, local accommodations, and ground transportation are available in the main terminal. Thank you for sailing with Solar Cruises, and stay safe on the remainder of your journey."

Port Impala: a tropical city-state nestled a few hundred miles southeast of Equestria. Located on the well-developed Hoofnea Peninsula, the bustling city has all the characteristics as a tropical paradise: hot, humid, lined with beaches, and of course, filled with tourists. Of course, that's not all to the city-state; behind the touristy "tropical" exterior lies a more cosmopolitan, business- and commerce-oriented city with its own attractions, including museums, opera houses, theaters, and stadiums. Finally, there's the more gritty and festive side, found in the city-state's many residential districts. During major sporting events, such as hoofball championships, and national festivals it is the residential areas that really come alive.

Of course, there were no major festivals or sporting events going on today.

As the cruise ship entered its dock at the seaport, the passengers stepped off the boat to enter the large terminal. One of those passengers was a certain brown unicorn. He wasn't just there as a tourist, but was also there to study.

"So this is Port Impala," Compass Meridian said. "This place isn't half bad."

Even though he was talking to himself, he soon found himself face-to-face with a peach-colored unicorn mare. "I know right? This city has plenty to offer, whether you're just going to spend time on the beach, go downtown, visit the parks...."

The mare turned slightly to her left, where Compass - and a few of the other disembarking visitors, who had stopped to see what the commotion was all about - gasped.

Are those....wings?

"...or study. Welcome to the Commonwealth of Port Impala! I'm Bright Idea, the mayor. Nice to meet you."

Welcome to the Commonwealth of Port Impala, a tropical city-state located on the northeastern tip of the Hoofnea Peninsula! The city-state has a fairly high standard of living, surviving on trade, some tourism, fishing, manufacturing, and finance. Save for some petty crimes, summer humidity, the occasional uncontrollable hurricane, personal disputes, and the jerks who find it fitting to kick puppies, life is fairly peaceful in this city-state of 4.9 million people. It's truly a land of opportunity, safety, and overall tranquility.
 
This is a look into the life of some of its residents and visitors, and a peek into a slice of the society that helps make this city work.

____________________________________________

 
What is this roleplay about?
This is strictly a slice of life roleplay, so there are no long-term plots or storylines.
 
Rules
1) All forum rules apply, no exceptions.
2) Swearing is allowed. What's city life without a bit of swearing?
3) No godmodding. If you wish to control another user's character, get their permission!
4) All posts must be in English. Characters who speak another language should include an English translation in the same post. In addition, posts must be readable; I'm not expecting perfect grammar, but users' eyes shouldn't bleed from reading your posts.
5) DO NOT enter the roleplay unless you are approved to do so by the DM!
6) Any inquiries, comments, or concerns about the roleplay should be kept in this thread. If you wish, you could send a private message to the DM if you feel that your inquiry should be kept private.
 
Other tips, notes, and restrictions
To politically-minded players: While this isn't a political roleplay, I feel that I should mention a few things. First, a coup d'etat counts as a city-wide natural disaster, which can only be initiated by the DM. All judges and magistrates above the circuit level, the semi-ceremonial Mayor, and members of the electoral commission can only be controlled by the DM. Elections, if they are held, will be announced in this thread, not the roleplay thread.
 
Natural disasters: City-wide natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, and so on) can only be initiated by the DM or with the approval of the DM. Localized disasters (water main breaks, local communications outages, robberies, and so on) can be initiated by any player.
 
Technology level: There are no hard limitations on civilian technology, but the level of technology is generally equivalent to late 1980s and early 1990s standards. Technology that can create city-wide disasters (such as nuclear weapons or their magical equivalents) must be approved by the DM.
 
Races: Port Impala follows a non-discrimination policy. All races are allowed (yes, even alicorns and changelings). However, I should stress that godmodding is not allowed.
 
Control of NPCs and canon characters: NPCs - including police officers, shop owners and employees, teachers, professors, and so on - can be controlled by any player. Should they ever make an appearance, canon characters - those that appear in the show - can only be controlled by the DM in normal circumstances. Users who wish to control a canon character must get approval from the DM first!

Business ownership: Port Impala laws state that to own and operate a business in the city-state, the owner must either [a] legally live in Port Impala, or have a local subsidiary registered in the city-state, if the business is a multinational one.

Also, don't forget to follow this thread and the roleplay thread for updates!

Port Impala Factbank

Similar to the detailed OOC posts I've made on Equestria in the Equestria Forward roleplay, the Port Impala Factbank is a series of blog posts (trying to keep clutter down) that lays out Port Impala in detail. Almost every nook and cranny of the city-state is described in detail there! Highly recommended read for all players, both active and prospective.

1) Basic Info: Just an introduction; some numbers and stats on the city-state.

2) Media: A look at the vibrant print and broadcast media.
 
Registered players
To register for this roleplay, leave a reply in this thread with your character's name and a link to his or her character profile. Your character will not be approved if (s)he does not have an active character profile. All applicants will be thoroughly vetted; any concerns will be shared by the DM via private message. Keep an eye on this list!
 
List last updated: August 20, 2015 (UTC -5)
 
- skbl17 (DM): Bright Idea (Mayor of Port Impala), Compass Meridian

- IllusivePony: Quarbari Steelhooves, Aha'ban Steelwings

- Akari of Duskshire: Fantasy Moon

- Dapper Charmer: Dapper Charmer

-

-
 

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Click here to enter the roleplay!

Thanks for the reply, and might I say that your art is very good! So I should essentially just start with the basics of brushes and the pen tool before digging deeper? Also, if I use the brush tool to draw lines, how do you go about coloring them in?

Yes, Inkscape is a vector program similar to Illustrator (which I also have but rarely use - except for stuff I have to load into After Effects).

I'll share a story from when I was in my last year of high school.

I was sitting in a history class, but we weren't doing much of anything. While almost everyone else was either chatting with friends or wasting time listening to music on their iDevices, I decided to take out my binder and pull out the 30 sheets of blank printer paper I had saved up for doodling. Time to draw some ponies, I thought.

Confident that nobody was watching me draw, I started drawing ponies while keeping my sketches partially covered with my left hand. I think I got halfway through drawing the body on my first pony when one of my classmates looked over to see what I was drawing.

"OC?"

I was frozen. If this guy is not a brony....I'm doomed, I thought. When I looked over to see who it was, I noticed that it was one of my friends who was just as quiet as I was. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that maybe it would be worth it to answer affirmatively; at worst, he doesn't talk to me again but doesn't blow my secret. At best, maybe he was a brony too...?

I responded "yeah". Here it comes, I thought. I thought I was prepared for what came next, but I sure wasn't.

"What race? Unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony?"

Oh horseapples....could it be? A sea of relief washed over me; this guy was a closet brony too!

Over the following weeks, we would discuss more MLP-related stuff; episodes, new characters, good fanfics, and so on. There were occasions where I think other people overheard our conversations, but thankfully, it didn't seem like anybody cared. The rest of the school year went by without any MLP-related hitch.

Working on character sheets for my OCs. Hard to decide how much information is too much information.

I need to catch up on Tamers...another thing to do to wait out the MLP hiatus!

Both, but I lean "night owl". I have a tendency to wake up late and stay up very late over holiday breaks (I consider 3 AM to be "early",) but I don't have much of a problem waking up early and go to bed early. I prefer the former, though.

8:58 AM Canterlot time, Canterlot Castle's Legislative Wing.

"The preparations for your speech are almost complete, Your Excellency."

"Very good."

The day was finally here. Prince Blueblood was mere minutes away from giving what would undoubtedly remember as the speech that saved Equestria. Today is the first step on his road to becoming a true national hero. For the Prince himself, he had to expend effort to keep his almost childlike, gleeful demeanor from showing.

A few steps behind him, Blueblood's scribe also waited for the marble doors to open, but her mood was far different from those of her boss. She was not looking forward to his speech; the fact that she had failed in her plan only frightened her further.

A few days earlier; 8:34 PM Canterlot time, PBE's Capital Bureau.

A shame she didn't think her plan through.

The scribe couldn't pass Blueblood's letter on to Princess Twilight. In the aftermath of the Applelanta attacks and the upcoming speech, security was so tight in Canterlot that all visitors needed at least ten layers of identification and had to pass rigorous background checks, making it downright hard if not impossible to even see any of the Princesses. Even her position as an aide to a member of the royal family didn't help in this environment of heightened security.

However, she was desperate, so she decided that she had to get the warning out another way: broadcast media. The scribe knew that the country's public broadcaster, PBE, maintained a large bureau in the heart of Canterlot, not far from the castle. If there was any way to quickly get a warning out, it would be through the country's "most trusted and renowned" media source.

"Sorry miss, but we don't broadcast unsubstantiated rumors, even those regarding the Princesses."

Unfortunately, the very Editorial Standards and Guidelines that allow PBE to be such a trusted broadcaster in the first place was now getting in the way.

"But they aren't unsubstantiated! I work in the Prince's estate! Plus, they aren't rumors; he told me what he was going to do."

The editor-in-charge wasn't buying it. If anything, he was irritated.

"I understand, but this is still unsubstantiated. Even if we assume for a second that what you're saying is 100% true, who's to say that the Prince won't just deny these allegations? If he denies the claim, then we would've just broadcast an unsubstantiated rumor. Also, you're saying that you're the only one he trusts with this information, yet you're trying to claim anonymity. It won't be hard for him to piece two and two together. If his plan is as 'grand' as you claim it is, who's to say that he won't attempt retribution against you or your family?"

"What? That's ludicrous!"

The editor-in-charge could only look at her with a deadpan face. "You're talking about the stallion who attempted to have Fillydelphia razed because they didn't serve the right caviar at a restaurant he was visiting. The sky's the limit when it comes to Blueblood and retribution."

"I'm prepared to face any consequences. But as a public broadcaster, shouldn't you broadcast in the public interest? This is very much in the public interest!"

"Yes, we do. That's why we have a set of guidelines, to ensure that our news product is in the public interest. The public loves a high-quality news product. Unsubstantiated rumors do not count as 'high-quality' under our guidelines."

Frustrated, the scribe turned to leave. Before she opened the office door to leave, she uttered 'good night' before leaving. She didn't even stick around to hear the editor-in-charge's response, though she did recall an important phrase the editor-in-charge threw out during their argument, one that only frightened her further.

'The sky's the limit when it comes to Blueblood and retribution.'

331,147. , thanks, but I've actually been around CTAM for a while now.

I'm good. I have to catch up on the episodes I've missed, continue roleplaying, and finish up more drawings and vectors. Plenty of stuff to hold me over until the hiatus ends.

Pepsi is blasphemy around these parts! Only heathens from the Yankee North worship the false god that is Pepsi. Bow before the Church of the Holy Coca-Cola in Atlanta, and pray before the almighty John Pemberton, blessed be his name, his prophet Asa Candler, and the current leader of the Church, Muhtar Kent!

But in all seriousness, I prefer Coca-Cola over Pepsi and Dr. Pepper.

4chan isn't part of the deep web, though it's about as toxic as you can get before "going deeper" and entering the darknet/deep web.

Oh, well then I can say I've been to the border but never entered the deep web.

This post will be updated some time tomorrow; here's a preview!

Education

Prior to the Equestria Forward program, formal education was only available through private schools (such as Canterlot's School for Gifted Unicorns,) private tutors, and well-established urban school systems. Rural areas had to rely on tiny schoolhouses funded by donations and limited municipal support.

Considering her scientific tendencies and love of learning and reading books, education was a very high priority for Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Regulatory framework and standardized testing

With the passage of the Education Decree in the early days of EQF, education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 17 (this provision has since been adopted by every regional government). Responsibility for educating grade school pupils rests with regional governments, with the national government providing some financial support. Despite the constitution's guarantee of regional control over schools, the Civil Service's Ministry of Education and Welfare (MEW) maintains an optional "base curriculum" consisting of topics in reading, writing, mathematics, science, technology, and history; regional education bodies can add on further topics as desired, such as health. Every region bar one (Manehattan) has adopted the base curriculum. Standardized tests for grade schoolers vary by region, but every region administers some kind of examination upon graduation from primary to secondary school. The few private schools that exist at the primary and secondary levels are free from government control, and can teach anything they wish; despite the variety this provides, some ponies are wary of some private schools' connections to nobles that fund ERN operations.

The MEW also maintains the National Entrance Acceptance Test (the NEAT exam), which is a standardized examination given to applicants at all public colleges and universities in the country. The national examination system was adopted by Canterlot in 1108 as a result of a loophole in the constitution ("Education of grade-school Pupils shall be the responsibility of the Regions.") granting the national government supreme control over higher education in the country. Private universities and college-esque schools (such as the aforementioned School for Gifted Unicorns) can choose to adopt the NEAT test or adopt their own entrance exams; all but the oldest private institutions have adopted the NEAT test as of 1113. NEAT topics include mathematics, reading, and history, with optional science and writing sections available depending on the individual college's admissions requirements.

"The Life of an Average Grade Schooler"

As part of a partnership with the MEW, the publishers of the Egghead's Guide have decided to include this separate sub-text, "The Life of an Average Grade Schooler", to guide readers through a foal's typical grade school education.

The young foal is not required to begin school until age 6, but some regions offer head start programs for parents who wish to have their foal begin his or her education career early. Head start programs are half-day programs that allow the foal to engage with his or her peers and learn basics, like colors and shapes. Head start education is free in most regions that offer the program.

All foals must begin school at the age of 6, where they enter Level A. A typical curriculum for foals in Level A includes an introduction to counting, colors, shapes, and basic reading and writing. In most regions, Level A students only spend half of the day at school, before being released to play or go home. No exit examination is given in any region at the conclusion of Level A; assuming the foal did not exhibit "chronic misbehavior", (s)he will automatically continue to Level B.

Levels B through E cover the remainder of primary school. Foals are introduced to more advanced concepts in mathematics, such as multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, and basic variables. Reading and writing topics also advance; most foals will write a short essay by the end of Level D, and short chapter books are typically introduced in Level C. Science and history topics typically begin by Level D, but some regions may opt to begin history courses as early as the end of the foal's year in Level C. Five regions give short "checkup exams" at the end of Level C to measure progress, while all regions give mandatory exit examinations at the conclusion of Level E. Assuming the foal does not fail the Level E exit exam, (s)he will automatically move on to secondary school.

Secondary school covers Levels F through K. Foals continue their exposure to more advanced topics; by now, math courses include algebra and basic trigonometry, eventually progressing to calculus by Level I or J. Science courses include biology, physics, and chemistry, with some regions offering "atmospheric science" as an optional course. Literature and history education also dramatically increase in scope, with students expected to read novels, primary sources, and periodicals, before engaging in critical discussion on topics discussed in the books. Most foals also take one or two years of basic technology education. Some regions hold checkup examinations at the conclusion of Level G.

It is in secondary school where foals can also take separate paths in the last years of their public education. In Level H, foals are granted the opportunity to continue their education at a vocational secondary school, where the curriculum is geared towards a future career, or a "general secondary school", which is mainly college preparatory work. The workload is similar at both types of secondary schools, even with the differing goals of the institutions. Students do not take an exit examination at the conclusion of Level K; assuming they have met all regional graduation requirements, they graduate and are free to pursue their dreams!

Postsecondary education

All postsecondary education is the responsibility of the national government through MEW. About 76% of grade schoolers go on to a college, university, or trade school as part of continuing education. Most universities offer four-year degrees in a variety of fields, from Biotechnology to Magic Theory to History to Information & Computer Technology. Colleges and trade schools are two-year institutions that offer more limited programs designed to tailor a student to a particular career choice. Curricula vary based on a student's career path.

The most prestigious and well-known university in Equestria is the Royal University of Canterlot, established more than 720 years ago. The institution is funded by private foundations, Princess Celestia, the Canterlot municipal government, and Princess Luna, and provides a high-quality education to more than 19,600 students annually. Prospective students undergo a very rigorous admission process; in addition to the NEAT exam, students must also pass several university-mandated supplementary tests and undergo a background check, the only university in the country to require these checks. RUC alumni and professors are very well-regarded in the business, education, technology, and foreign relations communities.

Other notable universities and colleges include the University of Baltimare, Baron's University, the Trade School of Manehattan, the Oceanic University of Haywaii, the University in the Sky, the Neighagra Institute of Science and Technology, and the University of San Palomino in Los Pegasus. All of these universities are considered "Olive schools", schools of high academic caliber and the most sought-after curricula in the country. With the exception of Baron's University, all of them are public.

Back in the summer of 2013, I created my first vector of a pony in Inkscape using a tutorial I found on deviantART. I gave her a purple and blue mane, a tan-colored coat, a horn, and a cutie mark resembling a roadway. Using my poor naming skills, I named my OC "Smooth Pavement", and made her the head of a civil engineering company. Gah.

Needless to say, she doesn't exist anymore.

My oldest surviving OC is an earth pony mare by the name of "Radio Wave". I first created her back in August 2013, and has survived to the present day barring some minor mane changes.

- Overpowered OCs without believable context. This is my problem with alicorn OCs; not the race, but giving them Celestia-tier or Luna-tier abilities. If you're going to create an OC and give him or her abilities that most would consider "overpowered", consider the limitations of the world or said OC's circumstances. Create believable limits; even Princess Celestia has limits!

- Overly dark and tragic backstories. They get old, and after a while, any semblance of sympathy just evaporates.

- No backstory. Unless your OC just popped up in the present...actually, even then, "(S)he just popped into existence one day" is marginally better than having no backstory at all. You don't need to be a good writer to come up with a believable backstory.

- Incredibly dark coat/mane color schemes. Yes, I'm talking about the red and black OCs, or dark navy and purple OCs. My rule of thumb is that your OC's coat color should still be clearly visible on a low brightness screen. I will admit that I'm a bit of a hypocrite, as I would consider my own ponysona a "bad OC" on this basis alone, with his dark brown and dark gray color scheme. A redesign is probably in order. On the other hoof...

- Crazy color schemes. I should not see an OC with black hooves with red stars and stripes in every color of the rainbow, a tail splashed in twenty colors, and a coat that's one-third blue, one-third brown, and one-third orange. I already have to wear eyeglasses, please don't make me permanently blind from looking at your OC.

- No flaws. Nopony's perfect; everypony has flaws and limitations.

I have too many OCs to count...anyway:

- My ponysona would. In fact, when I created him, I made sure that his occupation and backstory would not be anachronistic.

- Two of my (currently) four Equestria Forward OCs would not in my opinion. The entire point of the RP is life in a technogically advanced Equestria, but considering the time period in canon, their presence would be a bit anachronistic. They wouldn't fit without making major changes to their occupation and backstories. The two OCs that I carried over from MLP Nations would fit, however, as the DMs did a good job limiting the development of technology to a more canon-like level.

- The other OCs I have in development would; in fact, I'm purposely designing them such that they can be interchangeable in any time period from canon onward.

Three hundred thirty thousand, nine hundred and fifteen. 

330,915

Defense and security

Prior to the Equestria Forward program, national security was guaranteed by two organizations: the Royal Guard and the Equestrian Police Guild. The responsibility of the former was to protect the royal family, visiting foreign dignitaries, and all "royal institutions" - these include Canterlot Castle, prominent noble residences, and royal getaway spots outside of Canterlot - from attack. The Police Guild was not a single organization, but rather a loose association of national police departments and sheriffs' offices that entered into a compact to enable sharing of information and personnel when necessary. Despite their occasional failures, these forces helped to keep the peace in Equestria.

At first, defense was not a very high priority in Princess Twilight's reform program. The Royal Guard wished to maintain its existing "traditions", while there was not much of a "pressing need" to modernize and bolster local police forces. As a result, defense became the one plank of Equestria Forward that could be honestly described as "neglected" - an action that some observers say led to the partial deterioration of Equestria's security situation post-EQF.

Needless to say, after the ratification of the reformist constitution in 1107 and the ERN's abandonment of nonviolent means to get Equestria Forward reversed, the national government soon entered a kind of "arms race" with the ERN to maintain peace and order in the post-reform Equestria. Good intentions or not, some observers would argue that this is a race that the government is losing.

Protectors of the royals: the Equestrian Royal Guard

The Equestrian Royal Guard is the security force that is responsible for the protection of the royal family, foreign dignitaries, and "royal institutions". This mission is the same as it was before Equestria Forward, as the Royal Guard publicly insisted on maintaining its existing structure in the face of the wide-sweeping reform program. However, in the face of increased ERN activity and the potential vulnerability of Princess Twilight, the Royal Guard is known to maintain a surprisingly advanced security and surveillance apparatus with regards to all royal activities, events, trips, and locations. Much to the dismay of constitutional rights advocates and inconvenienced travelers, this also includes the Guard's new "preclearance" program, in which a city being visited by the Princesses is subject to random security checks, internet and telephone monitoring, rolling road closures, and heightened security of a level some ponies have criticized as "quarantine". Court cases against the preclearance program have been hard to come by, as ponies attempting to bring such suits have been accused of being "ERN symphathizers", leading to a level of stigmatization in society and a subsequent "chilling effect".

The commander of the Royal Guard remains Prince Shining Armor, the brother of Princess Twilight Sparkle and husband of the Princess of the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadance.

National security: the Royal Security Forces

While the responsibility for protecting the Princesses rests with the Royal Guard, the Crown Council - in its second vote, no less - voted in 1108 to establish a national police force, citing increased domestic security threats. The Royal Security Forces (RSF) is the principality's national civil security organization, tasked with assisting local police in cases of "national importance", inspecting foreign items upon arrival in the country, engaging in special operations and raids, implementing surveillance of suspected ERN members, and more. The RSF has been described as a "military-police hybrid", leading some conspiracy theorists to speculate that Equestria is under a state of affairs that amounts to de facto martial law - a charge that has been denied by the national government. Constitutional rights advocates have run into the same problems as those targeting the Royal Guard, the public accusations of "sympathy with the ERN" has led to a "chilling effect" on activities of activist groups targeting state security bodies. There's also concerns that despite the increase in powers and authority granted to the organization, the RSF has not been particularly effective in breaking the ERN and restoring peace.

Initially established with 60,000 members, the rise of the ERN and increased crime has led to a dramatic increase in the scope of the RSF; as of 1113, the organization is estimated to have 450,000 members, a large "national security" budget, and some rumors indicate that the RSF also possesses its own "secret police" force whose numbers are not published. The RSF is based in Canterlot, and is overseen by the Civil Service through the cabinet-level Ministry of Public Safety, or MPS.

Local security: the Police Guild

Like its royal counterpart, the Equestrian Police Guild also survived Equestria Forward. As previously mentioned, the Police Guild is not itself an organization, but instead an independent association of local police departments and sheriffs' offices, who engage in information sharing, multi-agency raids and crackdowns, and community outreach. The relative independence of the Police Guild from national government oversight ended in 1110, when the Ministry of Public Safety mandated that Police Guild member departments also share information with the RSF and participate in its activities if so requested. Believing this was an act of coercion, some rural police departments left the Police Guild in the aftermath of the MPS order; while they were not officially disbanded, they have since been targeted by RSF counter-terrorism operations, with some of the departments being replaced with Police Guild member "sheriffs' departments" that are monitored by the RSF.

The combined membership of the Police Guild amounts to more than 970,000 police officers and sheriffs, with an additional 14,000 officers believed to be members of police departments that are not Police Guild members. The largest municipal police force, the Manehattan Police Service (also entitled MPS, but there's absolutely no coincidence with the national government body), has 31,000 uniformed officers. On paper, responsibility for local police departments rests with municipal governments, with some assistance coming from provincial government bodies.

I think Pinkie's mane was completely straight until the Rainboom occurred. I haven't seen anything in the show that makes me believe that Pinkie's mane was curly at any point, then straight, then curly again in her foal years.

In a way, the curliness of Pinkie Pie's mane is an affirmation of her personality: bubbly, fun, and silly. Compare that to Maud: when she came to visit in the aptly-named episode "Maud Pie", her mane was still straight. In "Party of One", Pinkie's mane deflates/straightens out when she realizes that none of her friends are actually showing up at her party. Take away the bubbly silliness of Pinkie Pie, her mane straightens.

Finally, recall Pinkie's flashback in "The Cutie Mark Chronicles". Her family worked on a rock farm, and Pinkie painted the job as gloomy, dark, and depressing. Surprise, straight mane!

Occasionally (just 4chan's /a/ board). I watch an anime franchise in which there's no regular discussion outside of LiveJournal and 4chan's /a/ board. I try not to get involved in the more...infamous...acts and boards on 4chan.

Hey everypony!

Since mid 2013, all of my OC vectors have been designed in Inkscape and its Ponyscape derivative. However, I also own Adobe Photoshop CS6, and I've been considering learning how to draw ponies in Photoshop, be it digitally (tablet) or using a sketch pad and a camera or scanner.

So my question to those who have worked in Photoshop before: what's the best way for a total Photoshop noob to approach drawing ponies in Photoshop? What Photoshop tools are essential for creating high-quality digital artwork? Are there any similarities between Photoshop and Inkscape? For beginners, is it better to use the tablet or just sketch things out first?

Thanks!

I'd say that I'm mainly Type I ("Just a fan") with a sprinkling of Type II ("Content creator", but I don't create enough content for that to matter).

I'd be surprised, but my learning that the president is a brony won't really change my pre-established opinion of him or her all that much.

Of course, considering who's running thus far, I'm not confident that any of them are closet bronies.