NationStates

[Wildwill002]

Somehow i'm a psychotic dictator yet all my 'playthings' are perfectly happy with me

The Holy Empire of Gaiaxica is a large, environmentally stunning nation, renowned for its ban on automobiles. Its compassionate, cynical population of 68 million are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, socially-minded government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Education, Social Welfare, and Healthcare. The average income tax rate is 54%, and even higher for the wealthy. The private sector is almost wholly made up of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, although the government is looking at stamping this out.

Hunters have been known to lose limbs while attempting to 'play tag' with their prey, fewer people are bathing as citizens must show ration stamps before they can turn on their faucets, the nation is completely gun-free, and X-Files ratings have hit an all-time low. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Gaiaxica's national animal is the Zebra, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Gaiat.

[Lord_Mountbatten]

The other members of my region all ceased to exist, so I've moved to Escapia.

[Wildwill002]

Did you have anything to do with their non-existing lord? Or did they all just spontaneously combust?

[Lord_Mountbatten]

It was probably me. Ah well.

[Aenir_bEPU]

I like my next issue.

The Issue:
A group of holidaymakers from BEPU have been arrested while visiting the scenic, yet corrupt and totalitarian, nation of Maxtopia on charges of drug trafficking - an offence which carries the maximum sentence of the death penalty. The story has provoked outrage from citizens, many believing the government should intervene to bring the tourists back home.

The Debate:

• "Everyone knows what barbarians those Maxtopians are!" says May Shiomi, parent to one of the arrestees. "They've not even allowed my son and his friends access to lawyers! That government is as corrupt as they are cruel, my boy would never have anything to do with drugs! You need to do something to save them, I'm begging you! I'm sure the Maxtopian officials will back down if you threaten trade sanctions or something. Right?"
• "You've got to see it from the other side," argues Billy Christensen, a customs official. "While it's unfortunate that the sentence is so stiff, they really shouldn't have been smuggling drugs. I'm sure we wouldn't be happy if Maxtopians came over here with banned goods. I just can't sympathise: they were greedy, they broke the law, they got caught. What makes them so special that they should be bailed out? At the taxpayers' expense I might add. Let them be - it'll show we respect the judicial rights of other countries."
• "I agree," chimes in Bill Trax, an anti-drug campaigner, waving a banner which reads 'Don't Be a Fool, Drugs Aren't Cool'. "Did you ever stop to think that our foreign neighbours might have the right idea? A zero-tolerance attitude to the drugs issue is what this country needs! Death to the dealers!"
• "You people are so quick to lay the finger of blame," says Emily Suzuki, an ambassador at BEPU's embassy in Maxtopia. "My motto has always been 'If you want something, give something away'. It is the government's duty to protect its citizens from harm! We don't want to cause too much international friction by making a mockery of their laws so we've got to settle things more diplomatically: they scratch our backs now and we'll scratch theirs later."
• "That's what they want! Leverage!" hollers Finlay Broadside, your Minister of Defence, storming into your office. "Advances in our markets, political favours - they'll do anything to undermine us! They've always hated us, those rats! If you ask me, this brouhaha isn't about drugs - it's a spit in our eye, that's what it is! What kind of people execute kids for having a few ounces on them? We ought to give them a good bombing, then they'll know how a proper country behaves!"
  
  This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.

[duhriddler]

I joined as The Rogue Nation of Roflsburg.

Spoiler! :

The Rogue Nation of Roflsburg is a fledgling, safe nation, remarkable for its restrictive gun laws. Its hard-nosed, cynical population of 5 million are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, moralistic, socially-minded government stops and the rest of society begins, but it is effectively ruled by the Department of Law & Order, with areas such as Social Welfare and Religion & Spirituality receiving almost no funds by comparison. The average income tax rate is 47%, but much higher for the wealthy. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Beef-Based Agriculture.

Crime -- especially youth-related -- is well under control, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Roflsburg's national animal is the Dragon, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Metal.

[Wildwill002]

either i'm going mental or there we're a few more posts after lords...

[Spyboticsguy]

The Republic of Malecodoina is a fledgling, environmentally stunning nation, renowned for its absence of drug laws. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, intelligent population of 5 million have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The small government juggles the competing demands of Religion & Spirituality, Law & Order, and Commerce. The average income tax rate is 16%. A healthy private sector is led by the Gambling, Book Publishing, and Furniture Restoration industries.

Crime is a serious problem, and the police force struggles against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Malecodoina's national animal is the Horse, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Delonia.

[Milo_Windby]

Bit of an update on where my nation is =3
"The Free Land of Ailomiire is a very large, socially progressive nation, renowned for its hatred of cheese. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 183 million hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, liberal government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Social Welfare, the Environment, and Education. The average income tax rate is 42%, but much higher for the wealthy. The private sector is almost wholly made up of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, although the government is looking at stamping this out.

Anti-government political posters adorn every building like wallpaper, the government has started a campaign to crack down on road rage and encourage alternate means of commuting, Ailomiire has one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world, and UFO sightings are listed daily in the morning news. Crime is totally unknown. Ailomiire's national animal is the Sheep, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the miire.

Ailomiire is ranked 2nd in Escapia and 8,776th in the world for Nicest Citizens."

I'm sad to see my nation hates cheese ;_; They will hate me when I make the National Religion "Heavy Metal & Cheese" (Once I reach the required population)

[Byroe]

i like this game,
The United Socialist States of ESUSSR is a tiny, socially progressive nation, renowned for its complete lack of prisons. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 10 million love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The large government juggles the competing demands of Social Welfare, Public Transport, and Education. The average income tax rate is 28%, but much higher for the wealthy. A large private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Woodchip Exports and Information Technology.

Organ donation is compulsory, college students make ends meet by selling their kidneys, the tenet of free speech is held dear, and cars are banned. Crime is relatively low. ESUSSR's national animal is the Sheep, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Saphirian.

ESUSSR is ranked 765th in the West Pacific and 19,277th in the world for Best Weather.

[Wildwill002]

You should move to escapia...

[Aenir_bEPU]

Amidst a growing level of unemployment, thousands of workers have been fired and then replaced by automatic systems. They have petitioned you to intervene.

1. "It's just sickening! Do you know how long it took most of us to get a decent, 'stable' job?" shouts Bruce McAlpin, president of the BEPU Labour Alliance, before dramatically sweeping your personal belongings off your desk. "And now we're losing our livelihoods to robots so that while our families starve, the corporations get even richer! Don't let the capitalist pigs blind you! This practice must be banned!"

2. "Hey, I've got a job to keep up too, you know," says Roger McAlpin, a factory manager. "If I don't think of new ways of keeping costs down, the investors will go elsewhere. It's my neck on the line as much as anyone else's, even if I do have much more money. Besides, it's business, and no-one ought to be able to say who - or what - I can hire."

3. "This could be resolved if instead of replacing workers with machines, we added machines to workers!" enthuses Sue-Ann McAlpin, CEO of Mondas Ltd. "By replacing the body parts with stronger, better, metal prostheses, we can make the best industrial workers - literally - in the world! Imagine a shelver who can shift whole crates with just one arm! One finger! So let's hear no more of this deplorable 'replacing workers with machines' idea and look to the future!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.

4. "You can't allow that!" gasps Tobias McAlpin, a manual labourer. "If that happens, only the people with cyber limbs will get jobs! And the corporations will contract you into having the surgery if you want to have one! No thank you! We should go back to the grass roots of industry when all the machines weren't computerised and workers were the salt of the earth! Then maybe we'd see a bit more appreciation! And cash!"

I look forward to creating Deus Ex.

[Byroe]

I moved to escapia

[Aenir_bEPU]

Members of your intelligence service have captured a spy gathering information in the civil service. Your interrogators have learned that the man known only as 'Solo' is acting on behalf of the government of Outer Bigtopia, which denies all knowledge and involvement.


1. "Shpies! There are shpies everywhere!" says Agent Bruce Zhu, checking the fruit bowl for bugs. "You can't trusht these foreigners! They act all nice and local and then BAM! They're away over the hill with military shecretsh. We should be keeping track of all of them with ankle braceletsh and wiretapsh to be sure they won't betray ush!"

(I enjoy some good Big Brother.)

2. "I don't think we need to go quite that far," says Secret Agent Falala Washington. "Our security is fine. We did catch him after all. The real question is how much did he tell the Outer Bigtopian government. If we send our own spies to gather intelligence and, in light of recent events, bolster the funding of the intelligence agency, then we can learn for sure the intentions of our enemies."

(Bolster funds of the intelligence agency...but I like spying on my own citizens more.)

3. "And where will that get us?" asks Thomas Chandra, one of your older, more bitter spies. "Spying them back won't help us. If we send someone out there and THEY get caught what are we going to do? We should call those Bigtopians out on their scam and hit them were it hurts! Diplomatic sanctions will do for starters; we can throw those smug envoys out on their rear ends! Anyway, it's almost certainly not just Outer Bigtopia up to these kind of shenanigans, we ought to keep all embassies under police surveillance. We risk all sorts of trade sanctions, true, but it pays to be careful."

(Oooh, I like that one.)

4. "Do you realise what kind of havoc we would cause on an international level if we confront them about this?" asks Jean-Paul Winters, an ambassador to Outer Bigtopia over a secure satellite link. "No one need ever know this happened; officially that man doesn't exist. Most nations have some sort of espionage programme; it's nothing to raise a fuss about. We should just quietly execute Mr 'Solo' and move on."

(No. Too quiet.)

5. "But what if he discovered the plans I've been assembling for the moon cannon project?!" asks Brigadier Freddy Sato, one of your more insane military officers in a hushed whisper. "It's nothing official, something I've been doing in my spare time... but what if they've got wind of it?! We could all be in mortal danger! We've got to commence construction right now! Our esteemed leader, do I have permission to get Project Lunar Apocalypse underway?"

(YES. YES!!!)
This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.

6. "Moon... cannon? Mortal danger? You're off your rocker," says General Flowers, scowling as he leafs through the budgets folder. "The reason we're being spied on is because we've become so aggressive and militant! It's only natural that other governments are going to check up on us. If we don't want to get spied on then there should be nothing worth looking for. All we need to do is massively reduce military expenditure. If nothing else, it at least puts more money into people's pockets than into the construction of glorified death machines."

(Cut military spending? You're fired. Out of a moon cannon.)

Why yes, Freddy Sato, you may get Project Lunar Apocalypse underway.

[Spyboticsguy]

Freddy "Celestia" Sato, that is.

[MrJKapowey]

I hear he likes bananas...

[MayorLennie]

I have joined! Behold Tranquility Hills!

[Wildwill002]

Now you can REALLY call yourself Mayor

[Lord_Mountbatten]

"A violent and rather messy stampede of Germans during a parade in your honour has brought widespread media attention to the shortage of blood, plasma and platelet donors in Conseulia."

[MayorLennie]

Tranquility Hills is ranked 6th in Escapia and 23,329th in the world for Most Devout.
Conseulia is ranked 11th in Escapia and 42,180th in the world for Most Devout.

Am I winning!?

[Lord_Mountbatten]

Since currently my nation is attacking anything that doesn't conform to the ideals of the glorious state, which includes religion, I'm just surprised my nation ranks so highly.

[Wildwill002]

Are you just blowing up the competition?

[Lord_Mountbatten]

Currently stealing their money in order to pay people to give blood.

[SMWasder]

I've just started, The Land of The Derps (I wanted Outer Haven or New Zanzibar), a liberal dictatorship.

The Dictatorship of Land of the derps is a fledgling, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its strong anti-business politics. Its hard-nosed population of 5 million enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The government -- a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked, socially-minded morass -- juggles the competing demands of Education, Social Welfare, and Healthcare. The average income tax rate is 42%, but much higher for the wealthy. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Woodchip Exports.

Crime is relatively low. Land of the derps's national animal is the Fox hound, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Septim.

My plan is to see if I can create a completely un-democratic yet incredibly liberal state. 'Be nice, or I kill you'. I took Mozambique's flag too, because it has an AK47 on it. Brilliant. And uhhh, I need a password to move to Escapia?

[random980]

Think the password was sneakypie or something

[Milo_Windby]

I took the liberty to create a region for us, called Escapia
The password is SneakyPie

I invite everyone to move in.
http://www.nationstates.net/region=escapia

[SMWasder]

Yeah, I found it. Cheers.

[Spyboticsguy]

"We have no choice but to ration water," says Beth Chen, Chief of the Malecodoina City Department of Public Works. "We can't afford to let what little water we have slip through our fingers. We must clamp down on how much water each person is allowed to use. If our more wasteful citizens complain because they'll have to actually think about how much water they pour down the drain, all the better for the rest of us."
Blah blah blah... rations... etc...

"You think too small," sighs Foreign Secretary Abraham Chandra, between sips from a sparkling bottle of gourmet dihydrogen monoxide. "Malecodoina may be short on water, but the rest of Escapia has water to spare! Why not just import the water from abroad? Sure, it'll cost money, but what's worth more to the people of Malecodoina, a little tax money or their most basic physical needs? Our neighbors wouldn't dream of cutting off the water, right?"
Oooh. You guys won't mind, right? -downs jug of water-

"This drought is a warning sign sent by our Creator!" shouts a strangely familiar-looking man who has just walked in from the desert clad in camel hair and sandals. "If this nation will only turn from its wicked ways and hearken unto our God, surely He shall grace us with water once more!"
Huh. How about no.

The Government Position

The government has yet to formalize a position on this issue.

If you wish, you may:

[Aenir_bEPU]

The space research organization in BEPU has requested more government funding for space-related research and development, and the possiblity of creating orbital weapons platforms has become a topic of intense debate.
The Debate

1. General Freddy Zhimo says, "We should spend more. But not just on exploration. We should start developing Orbital Weapons! Space Marines! Armed Spacecraft! We would rule the region, and look cool doing it! Just divert some funding from environmental protection, and BAM! Sci-fi goodies!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.

2. Noted Scientist and pacifist writer Maria Fellow thinks otherwise, "No! Space is a place for peace! It's the only place left we've got that we haven't screwed up. Oh, the space program still needs funding, don't get me wrong, but none of this 'military in space' stuff will do! We ought to divert funding from the military to education and space research instead!"

3. Fringe Group Leader Falala Gutenberg disagrees, "Space is a total waste of time. We should spend more on stuff people actually CARE about. Like voting rights and protecting the environment! Forget that fancy-schmancy space station!"

Didn't I start something on the moon a few days ago? "Project Lunar Apocalypse", yes...
Eh, whatever, add orbital weapons to my lunar one.

Edit: I just noticed that the Lunar Apocalypse guy and this guy are both named Freddy.

[SMWasder]

Anyone else having trouble with the NS site today?