Both problems are in the process of being solved.
1. The 14 days limit is being removed in the coming week.
There is too much confusion about it.
This is however not very good news.
Most failing countries do so because the player outsmarted the defaults and changed the values. Many times, the economy declines.
We will restore the right of new players to destroy their economies.
2. Level changes.
This is a problem because the level evaluation takes place during the month simulation run which is 0 to 6 hours away, depending on the current time and the world you run on.
It is however a very confusing issue that results in frequent mails asking about it.
We will solve it ASAP and make levels move up directly. It will become part of SC later this month.
While were at it what does ftw mean? I've seen you use that 1.