The Oppressed People Of Varrag

[Nugog]

Tykes With Tools?

Government Acts
The Issue
A controversial newspaper investigation reveals that as many as 30% of all children are employed in a dangerous environment.

The Debate
Hope O'Bannon, an orphanage foster parent, says, "Child labor should be outlawed! Too many times I have received children who only know manual labor. We have to give these children an education and a chance at a real future. Think of the children!" Bill Wong, a bum on the street, agrees, "Forget about what's best for the children. They're stealing my work! The only way to get an entry job in this market is to either be younger than 12 and willing to work for nothing, or to knock off a kid and be there to fill the opening, and still be willing to work for nothing."
[Accept]


Unemployed parent Pip Broadside begs that you keep child labor legal. "You can't outlaw child labor; we need the extra money that my 13 children earn. Since both my spouse and I were laid off, the only way to get enough money to feed both of us is to have all of our kids employed. In fact, with the downswing in the economy we're expecting another kid to close the gap."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


Fat cat factory owner Prudence Washington steps over the bum in the street and explains, "You don't understand. You shouldn't make child labor illegal, you should subsidize it. By employing these kids I'm giving them valuable life lessons. I didn't go to school and see where I am now? I'm giving them work experience, making them highly employable for the 15 years of their expected lives."
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

Suits in Protest

Government Acts
The Issue
Thousands of business men and women have taken to the streets in protest of their working conditions and pay. "It's not fair that we can't have a union," says Melbourne Christmas, VP of Sales at SlothCorp. "Just because we make six figures doesn't mean we don't deserve overtime too! It's high time that the lower classes come to appreciate our hard efforts."

The Debate
Max Utopia, secretary of commerce, recommends you ignore these commies. "Free enterprise means not having to succumb to unions, and the world has enough unions already."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


Larry Wall, secretary of labor, advises you to adjust laws to allow white-collar unions. "It only makes sense that all of the workers in our nation have equal opportunity to benefit from the advantages of collective bargaining."
[Accept]


"Get these people out of the street!" advises Billy Jones, local police chief. "They're blocking traffic, and making it impossible for the common man to drive to the megamall!"
[Accept]


Finally, Right Reverend Samuel Thiesen proclaims, "The downtrodden are suffering at the hands of the MAN, and these wealthy upper shelf vice presidents are asking to make the rich richer and the poor poorer! The only reason the common worker needs a union is to be able to fight against the oppression of these slave drivers! It's ludicrous that these greedy scrooges are asking for even MORE money! Send them packing and raise taxes on the wealthy to bring more equality to our nation!"
[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:
Some Economy:
Powerhouse Political Freedoms:
Outlawed

Location: Apolyton Regional Influence: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, safe nation, renowned for its barren, inhospitable landscape. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 493 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 65%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, followed by Uranium Mining and Beef-Based Agriculture.

Billions of varaag chips are being blown on orbital weapons development, criminals are executed and their property seized, children as young as eight can be found working in factories, and Pinkerton agents are called in to forcibly break up white collar strikes. 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]

Robots Leaving Workers Jobless

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

The Debate
"It's just sickening! Do you know how long it took most of us to get a decent, 'stable' job?" shouts Calvin Wall, president of the Varaag 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!"
[Accept]


"Hey, I've got a job to keep up too, you know," says Alexei Utopia, 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."
[Accept]


"This could be resolved if instead of replacing workers with machines, we added machines to workers!" enthuses Jean-Paul Broadside, 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.


"You can't allow that!" gasps Naki Hanover, 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!"
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 3.

[Nugog]

Widening Buttocks Cause Movie Theater Havoc

Government Acts
The Issue
Several festively chubby people were lodged in their movie theater seats for hours, as Varaag's Fire Department worked to free them. Health organizations are now expressing concern over the problem of obesity in Varaag.

The Debate
"Clearly, we have to do something about the expanding obesity problem in Varaag, er, no pun intended," remarks Buy Silk of the National Health Bureau. "The government should implement an extensive exercise management program and make it mandatory that all citizens participate in some kind of exercise at least once a week."
[Accept]


"Mandatory exercise! Get out! I don't have the time!" snorts nationally renowned TV chef Randy Rubin. "How about banning those greasy fast food joints and drive-thrus? I mean, seriously, if you can't get out of your stupid car to walk in and get a meal, how sad is that? Ban fast food and make junk food more expensive--that way, people will have to think about whether they really want to spend ten varaag chips on a snack cake."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"I don't see why it's anyone's business but my own how I kill myself," says Pip Washington, a pleasantly plump computer programmer, stuffing a chili dog down his throat. "My weight is my own business, and if I don't feel like exercising, that's my choice. Sure, it'd be healthier to lose a few pounds, but my priorities lie elsewhere. Leave us alone, and we, the citizens of Varaag, will decide what's important to us and what we want to eat."
[Accept]


"What about government-funded liposuction?" asks Fleur Hanover, while contemplatively chewing a mouthful of chili dog. "If I could get the fat sucked off of these hips, that would give me the willpower to stay thin. Obesity would be a thing of the past! Just think of it! Nothing but svelte, beautiful people everywhere! Ah, bliss!"
[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: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, devout nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 498 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 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 65%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, followed by Uranium Mining and Information Technology.

Children as young as eight can be found working in factories, Pinkerton agents are called in to forcibly break up white collar strikes, college students sell their most valuable possessions just to afford pizza, and manual labourers must be willing to have cybernetic limbs to get a job. 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]

Free Press Too Free?

Government Acts
The Issue
Citizens, politicians, and businessmen have been campaigning for the government to keep a tighter rein on the media after several well-respected newspapers printed false articles with contents ranging from claims that the capital city had been stolen by a UFO to erroneous share prices which led to job-losses and a stock market decline.

The Debate
"Over a thousand jobs lost!" clamours Melbourne Dredd, angry protester and ex-employee of Dreddmax Incorporated. "And why? Because the press isn't concerned about the truth anymore; all it wants is higher sales! We must forbid these rags from lying to the people and dish out heavy fines to those who try! This so-called 'free press' has a dark side, you know. We learnt that ever since we discovered it wasn't cottage cheese they were mining up north!"
[Accept]


"This is censorship!" says Colin Wu, editor-in-chief of The Hebdomadal Gabfest while carefully noting everything you say in a notepad. "We speak for the people! Admittedly some newspapers didn't check all of their facts before they published, but that doesn't merit such draconian measures at all! If we're only allowed to print the absolute truth then how soon before we're getting constantly sued by politicians for libel? What about our rumour columns? It'll totally destroy the business! The government must have no part in repression of the media!"
[Accept]


"You know that no matter what we decide we're going to make people mad," points out Steffan Thiesen, your Minister of Public Relations. "But the best way to control public opinion is to tell the public what their opinions are. I suggest nationalising all the newspapers and putting them under government control. Then we can tell them whatever we like! After all, we're much more trustworthy than some profit-driven media moguls, right? At least we won't have to issue ANOTHER public statement to tell everyone you're not a hyper-intelligent aubergine."

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]

Organic Outburst

Government Acts
The Issue
After a recent left-wing broadsheet expose of agricultural practices, an outburst of public paranoia has stirred up the organic foods debate.

The Debate
"I just can't stomach it any more," rants concerned parent Zeke Clinton. "My children's future is being put at risk by irresponsible corporate practices. We must outlaw the use of pesticides and additives by farmers and food producers."
[Accept]


"I've heard enough of this treehugging, lefty nonsense," argues corporate spokesman Roxanne Washington. "The agricultural industry needs to use the most advanced technology available, it's the only way to keep Varaag competitive in food production. Besides, the studies we have commissioned prove that only a very small number of child deaths are due to our products, and surely that's an acceptable rate in the name of progress?"
[Accept]


"Stop torturing Mother Earth!" yells outraged environmental extremist Klaus Gutenberg. "Are we prepared to sacrifice our planet and our souls for the sake a few extra varaag chips? If we hope to live in harmony with the environment that nurtures and protects us, we must ban all industries that pollute our world. Let us return to the trees, my brothers!"
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government is preparing to dismiss this issue.

[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: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, renowned for its punitive income tax rates. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 498 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 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 69%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, followed by Uranium Mining and Information Technology.

Pinkerton agents are called in to forcibly break up white collar strikes, college students sell their most valuable possessions just to afford pizza, manual labourers must be willing to have cybernetic limbs to get a job, and all news sources are under strict government control. 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]

Gypsies In A Field

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 Aaron Bush, 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 Freddy Gutenberg, 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 Al Mombota, 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."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"I have the best solution," says Billy McGuffin, 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!"
[Accept]
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: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, economically powerful nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 519 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 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 70%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, followed by Uranium Mining and Information Technology.

College students sell their most valuable possessions just to afford pizza, manual labourers must be willing to have cybernetic limbs to get a job, all news sources are under strict government control, and the government has instituted 'traveller reservations' across 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]

Need For Speed?

The Issue
After watching the movie 'The Fast and the Belligerent', boyracers from all over Varaag have been petitioning for the abolition of speed limits.

The Debate
"Today's cars are safer at high speeds than ever before," argues Aaron Li, editor of Sports Car Monthly. "And long-distance commuters are tired of spending hours on the road just to get to the next city. Abolishing the speed limit would be great for the economy too! People would be more likely to go out and buy cars if they thought they'd be able to use them properly. It seems like such a shame to be puttering along at the speed limit in a magnificent car like the 450HP twin-turbo Tic SX/T-7700 you know."

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"Are you crazy?" cries Elizabeth Barry, a road-accident victim. "We need lower speed limits on automobiles, not higher. You might as well enforce mandatory blindfolds on the road too, it'll come to the same conclusion! People's lives are at stake here! If people were made to drive at, say, no faster than fifty kilometres per hour, I would feel a lot happier walking the streets. Besides, if it takes a long time to get places via car then people might begin using mass transit for once."
[Accept]


"I think the current speed limits are fine, but we need better enforcement," says Hack Nagasawa, the most feared traffic warden in Varaag. "If we required GPS tracking devices in all vehicles, we'd ticket every single speeder, no problem. In addition, we could monitor the movements of criminals and other suspicious individuals, and vastly reduce the risk of crime, terrorism, and other subversive activity. Some say that's an invasion of privacy, but if you've done nothing wrong what's there to fear?"
[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: Auxiliary

The Oppressed Peoples of Varaag is a huge, safe nation, renowned for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 525 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 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 69%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, followed by Uranium Mining and Information Technology.

Manual labourers must be willing to have cybernetic limbs to get a job, all news sources are under strict government control, the government has instituted 'traveller reservations' across the country, and the roads are notorious throughout the region for their peril. 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]

Waste Going To Waste, Says Industry Lobby

Government Acts
The Issue
Varaag's industries have an ever-growing amount of toxic wastes to dispose of, and doing so in safe ways is becoming prohibitively expensive, leading a group of lobbyists to try and pressure the government into changing existing disposal laws.

The Debate
"These waste dumping laws are destroying our businesses!" rants Freddy Wu, head of the Varaag Bigger Business Bureau. "We need cheaper ways to eliminate industrial by-products, which really aren't as harmful as people think, such as pouring them into rivers or deep ocean ravines where they're harmless to us. Let's remember that the products we manufacture make your life easier and more fun!"
[Accept]


"A better way to deal with this problem is to convince the public it isn't a problem at all," whispers Hope Steele, head of Scamcorp, an industrial think tank. "Fudge some research, declare that the chemical by-products from industrial processing and production actually make one's teeth and bones healthier. Then, sell them to municipalities to add to their drinking water! Yes! This will not only save us the trouble of disposing of the waste correctly, we'll be able to sell it at a profit! I can taste the money already!"

This is the position your government is preparing to adopt.


"These corrupt, money-hungry corporations are only looking out for themselves and their bottom line!" says Faith Fellow, an environmentalist from northern Varaag. "The government needs to enact stricter laws for how these companies can dump their waste safely, and when they poison Varaag's people and environment, the government needs the authority and manpower to enforce harsh penalties! These companies make their messes, they should pay to clean them up!"
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government has indicated its intention to follow the recommendations of Option 2.

[Nugog]

Illegal File-Sharing Flares

Government Acts
The Issue
A surprise raid conducted on ISPs over the last week in Varaag shows that more than 30% of all Internet data transfer in Varaag at one time or another is used by illegal file-shares to illegally distribute files, most notably songs.

The Debate
"What we need to do is hack their computers and format their hard drives," says Buy Shiomi, recording industry representative. "People need to be taught to not mess with the law. This is theft, pure and simple. And they're not only halving our revenue to tune of billions of varaag chips, but you are also stealing a few hundredths of a varaag chip from the artist for every song they steal. THINK OF THE STARVING ARTISTS!"
[Accept]


"Yo, dude, like, don't be hatin' man," says teenager Colin Dredd. "We're like, going to change the whole structure of our society. Everything should be like, publicly available to, like, everybody, dude. Copyrights are so, like, uncool man and we need to get rid of them. That'd be totally radical, and cool as well."
[Accept]


"Yo, dang, blizzity blang, yo, this ain't, right, yo," says Violet Gutenberg, famous rapper with three platinum albums. "Dang, yo, we dang need to copy-protect my dang CDs, yo. That dang playability life dang decreases, yo, but it's the only way to stop this, dang, yo."
[Accept]
The Government Position
The government is preparing to dismiss this issue.