The Oppressed People Of Varrag

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Below Average Economy:
Thriving Political Freedoms:
Outlawed

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Negotiator

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, renowned for its complete absence of social welfare. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 864 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Healthcare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 35%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Gambling and Information Technology.

The government is seen to favor Catholics, Pinkerton agents are called in to forcibly break up white collar strikes, the nation's drinking water tends to glow green at night, and citizens rise at daybreak every day for mandatory exercise. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.

[Nugog]

Tiara Sign Of Oppression, Declare Feminists

Government Acts
The Issue
Varaag's upcoming hosting of a major international beauty pageant has upset some citizens concerned about the message it puts across.

The Debate
"These beauty pageants are a disgrace to women everywhere!" shouts feminist campaigner, Prudence Clinton. "They objectify the female body and re-enforce negative stereotyping! They celebrate the appearance instead of the personality! What message is this sending out to our children? Do we want them to think shallowness and vanity are virtues? Ban beauty contests! We must focus the education of our progeny on ethics and equality or suffer the consequences!"
[Accept]


"I agree that the pageants should be banned," pontificates renowned moralist, the Ever So Slightly Reverend Freddy Love. "But purely in the name of moral decency! All those fashion stores that sponsor these contests make lots of money from this blasphemy and that is just plain wrong! These women wear revealing clothing that seek to entice and seduce young men. As such, we should go a step further, and institute a dress code! Long, plaid skirts for the girls, with necklines that never drop below the base of the neck! Only then will the women of our nation be cleansed of sin!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"What in the name of all that's decent and good are you talking about?" exclaims Roxanne McAlpin, leader of the egalitarian civil rights movement 'Everyone Is Equal, Dammit'. "Obviously these pageants will always be sexist unless they're open to everyone. Admiring women only for their beauty is an insult to their intelligence and the beauty of men! It's dually sexist! Open up the pageant to both sexes!"
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

Pensioners In Protest

Government Acts
The Issue
Falling standards at Varaag's retirement homes have prompted OAPs to take to the streets and demand better treatment.

The Debate
"There needs to be more done for the elderly," says Beth McAlpin, a resident of 'This Old Man' retirement home. "We can't work to support ourselves anymore, and the pensions we get are measly. We need more benefits such as higher standards of living, free bus tickets, and a continuous supply of varaag chips. All it requires is a little more generosity on the part of the tax payers - after all, we fought the war for their sort."
[Accept]


"I'm not giving any of my hard-earned wages to a bunch of old fossils," says Buffy Summers, a devout taxpayer. "If they weren't smart enough to save enough money for their later years, then why should the government pay out for them now? They had their chance and they didn't take it. If they really want money so bad, they can go out and work for it like everyone else."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

Keep The Greenbelt Green, Say Protesters

Government Acts
The Issue
A group of environmentalists are protesting against plans to expand urban and suburban developments into greenbelts, the designated countryside between settlements.

The Debate
"Do we really have to listen to these nutcases?" asks real estate developer, Jonathon Cogswell. "The fact of the matter is that nature is BORING. Give us permission to build on the greenbelt and you'll have pink hotels, boutiques, and swinging hot spots that'll be the envy of the region and draw tourists from all around! We can always transplant a few trees and put them in a tree museum to keep the tree-huggers happy. Varaag stands to make a lot of money from this! Think about it for a moment!"
[Accept]


"I agree with my colleague here, but he doesn't go far enough," says Buffy McGuffin, a city planner. "These protestors are standing in the path of progress. It slows the growth of our economy and harms my portfolio - er - the future of our nation, I mean. It's unpatriotic and we should increase police funding to deal with these troublemakers. Then we wouldn't have to worry about greenbelts or any other nonsense about keeping the 'environment' safe. Think about it for a moment!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" exclaims environmental activist Jazz O'Bannon. "Tree museums? Police funding? Don't it always seem to be the case that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone? We're talking about natural treasures and you're talking about destroying them. Is there anything that you can build that can really be better than nature? We should put a stop to all encroachment into natural areas. Think about it for a moment!"
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Some Economy:
Thriving Political Freedoms:
Outlawed

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Negotiator

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, notable for its complete absence of social welfare. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 876 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Healthcare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 35%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Gambling and Information Technology.

Citizens rise at daybreak every day for mandatory exercise, women who display their ankles are shunned by society, senior citizens can usually be found doing heavy manual labour, and environmental protestors are being rounded up and taken away in sinister black vans as a massive land development campaign gets underway. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.

[Nugog]

Water Supply Problems Becoming a Major Drain

Government Acts
The Issue
Due to the explosive population growth in Varaag, coupled with recent droughts, people are beginning to worry about the nation's decreasing water supply, and who should get first dibs on the vital H20.

The Debate
"We need this water to raise our crops," says incensed farmer Sue-Ann Silk. "If it wasn't for us farmers, the rest of Varaag would be starving. How about laying the blame where it belongs, and look to those cookie cutter suburban houses with their green lawns and pristinely washed mini-vans!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"It is my right to have the most beautiful lawn in the neighborhood," says neighborhood spokesman Buy Wu. "Our community spends a lot of effort cultivating a nice environment for our kids to grow up in. Why, if they didn't have these nice lawns to play in, they would be hanging out on street corners peddling drugs, or worse! Won't someone please think of the children?"
[Accept]


"Here is a novel idea," proclaims Roxanne Nagasawa, spokesperson for radical environmental group Leave Nature Alone. "How about getting rid of all these dams and irrigation projects that are getting in the way of Mother Nature's plans for the water. It is time to allow the rivers to take their natural courses and leave the environment alone. I'm sure things will work out fine if we let Nature take its course."
[Accept]


"Obviously, who gets how much water is only a part of the problem," notes famed population-control advocate Steffan Li. "We must try to curtail the rapid growth of our population, whether by limiting the amount of children people may have, or by deporting immigrants and criminals... we must get a handle on our population before we can hope to correct this water supply problem."
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 1.

[Nugog]

Mobile Maladies

Government Acts
The Issue
Recently, there has been increased commotion from your citizens about the possible health risks caused by using mobile phones.

The Debate
"Have you seen these statistics?!" yells anti-mobile lobbyist Konrad Hendrikson, gesturing towards a wiggly line on a clipboard. "Mobile phones now kill more people in this country than exploding cupboards, the ironing board, and Godzilla put together! And that's not including the number of people who die every year from car crashes caused by chit-chat while driving! These things fry your brain with microwaves while you speak! We must ban mobile phones now!"
[Accept]


"This is utter nonsense," argues Samuel Steele, CEO of Amber Phones, while nonchalantly slipping a wad of varaag chips into your pocket. "Mobile phones are totally harmless - I'll have you know that not one of our privately-funded studies has found the slightest bit of evidence to the contrary! Have you ever seen anyone drop dead in the street just because they were chatting on one of our new M/A models for sale now at low, low prices? No! It's just blatant scaremongering! I implore the government to dismiss these crackpots' complaints."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"I don't believe they're harmful either," says Beth Rifkin, a teacher. "But it's obvious to everyone what a detrimental effect it has on our children! Everywhere I look, I'm seeing children as young as four tapping away at the blasted things! Do you know how many lessons I've had interrupted by the 'Crazy Tic' ringtone? Do you know how many of my pupils think 'great' is spelled with a number? Too many! Only adults should be allowed to own and use mobile phones!"
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

Roads Like Rollercoasters, Complain Motorists

Government Acts
The Issue
A group of local motorists have assembled outside of City Hall to protest against the shoddy state of roads in Varaag.

The Debate
"These roads are terrible!" shouts Beth Longbottom, president of the Varaag Auto Club. "Every few feet there's a crack, or a pothole, or a gravel patch, or the remains of someone else's car! It's really too much! And just look at this-" he adds, rubbing a nasty bruise on his forehead - "I got that from my rear-view mirror after flying over a bump on Main Street! These roads must be fixed! There really needs to be vast improvements made now, before anyone gets seriously hurt."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


Roger Longfellow, avowed anti-spending advocate, disagrees: "Road construction? What a waste of varaag chips! If people can still drive on them, then the roads are fine as they are. Spending more to make trivial repairs would just be a waste of the tax payers' money! We should just ignore these whiners and leave the roads as they are and if the drivers don't like that - well... then they can just learn to walk like the rest of us."
[Accept]


"Why on Earth is it the government's responsibility to build and maintain roads?" asks bicyclist Billy Thiesen, pausing for breath. "Not all citizens own automobiles, you know. The government should be trying to make life better for all, not just car owners! If people want roads, then let private industry build them, and they can charge tolls to the people who actually drive on them. Leave the government out of it!"
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 1.

[Nugog]

Gypsies In A Field

Government Acts
The Issue
After a much-publicised incident involving a farmer's attempts to drive a family of travellers off private property, there has been a call for you to review the laws governing gypsies.

The Debate
"These pikies just rolled onto my field in those caravans of theirs and camped out," says Jazz Trax, the enraged farmer. "And when I tries to run 'em over with my tractor, it's me who gets stuck in the cells overnight! I've tried getting the government to evict them but they take too long over it. How would these people have reacted if I'd set up a tent in their back garden? There should be a law so I can get rid of them any way I choose. Gypsies should not be allowed to go wherever they like. It's just not fair to landowners."
[Accept]


"All we wanted was a place to stay the night," says Anne-Marie Longfellow, a traveller and parent of fourteen children. "Or maybe for a week or so. Or a month. Perhaps through winter; it's pretty mild around here, I don't know. But is that such a crime? We weren't stealing anything, or harming anyone. All we ask is to be allowed to continue our travels without harassment."
[Accept]


"I don't think that's a good idea," says Faith Longbottom, one of your advisors who happens to own an extensive greenfield site. "We can't just let people go living wherever they like just because they've been doing it for hundreds of years. It's very untidy! What I suggest is that we dip into the coffers and buy plots of land, all over the country, and turn them into nice safe areas where these folks can stay for as long as they want for a weekly rent before they decide to move on. See? Problem solved."
[Accept]


"I have the best solution," says Samuel Love, in response to a street survey. "These gypsies should be chucked in jail, their caravans sold for scrap, and, and... told not to do it again! I think we've all had enough with the government *****-footing their way around these criminals! The way they just swan in and disrupt communities any way they please! And think of what their presence would do to the value of my property! People ought to live in bricks and mortar, not tins on wheels!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 4.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Some Economy:
Thriving Political Freedoms:
Outlawed

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Negotiator

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, renowned for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 882 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Healthcare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 34%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Gambling and Information Technology.

Roads are often attended by round-the-clock construction crews, a recent law has banned homes from having any more than one wheel, major cities are suffering under water rationing, and mobile phone masts are being erected all over the country. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.

[Nugog]

Cancer Sufferer Demands Euthanasia Bill

Government Acts
The Issue
Dorothy Terwilliger lies immobilized in a hospital bed, unable to move. She has end-stage cancer, and wishes to end her struggle against death. However, laws prevent her doctors from obeying her wishes.

The Debate
Dorothy and her family are campaigning for a "Dying with Dignity" bill, to change this situation. She implores the government to legalize euthanasia.

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"I understand this is a very difficult time for these people," says freelance medical writer Tobias Hendrikson. "But the solution is not to let our medical system slide down the slippery slope of killing people in pain. We must cure, not kill. This is not the right time for euthanasia."
[Accept]


"I agree, but go further: there is never a right time for euthanasia," says Bishop Falala Utopia. "The lives we lead are given to us by the grace of God, and he decides when they end. It is not for us to question God's divine purpose, no matter how odd or screwed-up it may seem."
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 1.

[Nugog]

Don't Puff On Me, Say Non-Smokers

Government Acts
The Issue
There is a growing call within Varaag to abolish smoking in public areas.

The Debate
"I'm in full support of this motion," says man on the street Prudence Utopia. "I'm sick of being stuck behind smokers, sucking in their pollution! They can light up in the privacy of their own homes, if they want."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"What's so special about their homes?" says anti-smoking campaigner Billy-Bob Summers. "The government has a responsibility to stop people from hurting themselves -- it's the same reason we should make them wear seat belts in cars. Sooner or later, they end up in one of Varaag's hospitals, sucking on taxpayer-funded healthcare. Not that that's why we should ban smoking. We should ban it because we care."
[Accept]


"Get your hands off my ***!" wheezes long-time smoker Chastity Licorish. "I've been smoking for fifty years and it's never done me any harm. Helps me concentrate, it does! The government should back off on trying to tell me what I can put into my own body. Telling a smoker he can't light up in a restaurant is discrimination, pure and simple. If you want to put a stop to unfairness, stop that."
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 1.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Below Average Economy:
Thriving Political Freedoms:
Outlawed

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Negotiator

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, renowned for its complete absence of social welfare. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 888 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Healthcare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 34%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Gambling and Information Technology.

Major cities are suffering under water rationing, mobile phone masts are being erected all over the country, smoking is banned in public areas, and euthanasia is legal. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip.

[Nugog]

Varaag Plagued By STD Epidemic!

Government Acts
The Issue
A medical report has detailed a twenty-fold increase in infection rates over the past ten years of the sexually transmitted disease VODAIS (Viral Overactive Dysfunction of the Auto-Immune System). People all over the nation are petitioning that the government do something about the epidemic.

The Debate
"This situation is about to explode. At this rate, this epidemic could severely impact our economy, our way of life, and even our government," says Doctor Jennifer Utopia. "We must supply powerful drugs to all infected people, even if we have to produce and distribute it ourselves. We must also educate people on the dangers of VODAIS and supply condoms to all sexually active males. Sure, we'll need to divert tax money from the military to fund all this, but what good is a military if the soldiers are too sick to fight?"
[Accept]


"If you supply condoms, you'll increase sexual promiscuity," scoffs religious leader Beth Spirit. "If you supply drugs, you'll risk creating an aura of invincibility which in turn increases sexual promiscuity. Sexual abstinence is 100% effective in preventing VODAIS infection. This knowledge must be taught at all schools and workplaces, and all other choices must be ridiculed. Make celibacy the only option!"
[Accept]


"Supplying drugs and condoms will not stop VODAIS infections and forcing everyone to be celibate will be the slow death of Varaag," whispers Health Minister Violet Frederickson in a poorly-lit back room. "Segregating the infected people is the most effective method. Everybody in Varaag must be tested for VODAIS. Then all the VODAIS positive people will be shipped to seperate gated communities away from the rest of us. If they need to mingle with uninfected people, then they must wear distinguishing badges that feature a Grim Reaper holding a skeletal tic."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 3.

[Nugog]

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag
"Doing what we are told is good for our health"


UN Category: Compulsory Consumerist State
Civil Rights:
Some Economy:
Thriving Political Freedoms:
Outlawed

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Negotiator

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, safe nation, notable for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 899 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Religion & Spirituality. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 33%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Gambling and Information Technology.

Mobile phone masts are being erected all over the country, smoking is banned in public areas, euthanasia is legal, and otherwise healthy people are being sent to internment camps because they have VODAIS. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Varaag's national animal is the tic, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the varaag chip