NationStates

Gig em Aggies wrote:Length: 4.8 billion miles
Width: 88 million miles
Height: 70 million miles

One problem with such expansive bodies is that different parts of it are likely to experience the force of gravity differently. It is also a massive target for asteroids that are pulled towards it by reason of its massive mass.

Bodies this large are also likely to damage star systems (that's to say, dislocate planets from their orbits) if they venture too near.

You're proposing a ship that's literally larger than the distance from the Sun to Pluto.

Also fun is how it would take the stern of the ship more then seven hours to know what the bow is doing.

Or even better, because metals flex and move at the speed of sound within the metal, if the ship is made from mostly titanium is would take 40 years for the stern of the ship to start turning after the bow has. Or if you have thrusters all along the thing would rotate like a wet noodle for 20 years.

Edit: I feel like I've pointed these things out before. And like this discussion has happened verbatim before.

Y/N: armored firefighting vehicle, where if flames were to overtake firefighters positions, they can retreat inside. It must obviously be able to insulate against 1000 degree heat for thirty minutes while providing an internal air supply for the same time period.

Rich and Corporations wrote:Y/N: armored firefighting vehicle, where if flames were to overtake firefighters positions, they can retreat inside. It must obviously be able to insulate against 1000 degree heat for thirty minutes while providing an internal air supply for the same time period.

Why?

The only uses I could see would be industrial fires or something like that. And while I am well aware of the risks of fighting fires, I also know that if you need to retreat into an armored vehicle, somewhere you went very wrong.
A remote-controlled vehicle would be more useful:

What laws exist in your nation regarding alcohol, tobacco, vaping and drugs as far as e.g. taxation and where/in what conditions consumption is allowed?

In RN we take a pretty libertarian stance where pretty much everything goes as long as you're 16/18 or over (I'm still undecided) and there is no "sin tax" as we don't really have free public healthcare. You're allowed to have pretty much anything, indoors and outdoors (except for explicit restrictions in public spaces such as government institutions, etc. and wherever the owner of private property demands). So it's basically up to a pub/bar's owners if they allow smoking, drugs or whatever inside or not. There are no special licenses or "alcohol serving hours" or some such involved. Also, unless you're causing a nuisance like e.g. tripping over pedestrians or interfering with road traffic it's legal to be publicly intoxicated. If it's obvious that you could endanger others in this state (e.g. by being heavily intoxicated on the side of the road or something where you may walk into running traffic and cause a crash) you may be forced to leave by the police.

It is still illegal, however, to drive or operate machinery on public property whilst intoxicated, for obvious reasons. Also, government employees can't be intoxicated on duty. As far as private employees are concerned, it's up to their employer if they allow it or not as long as there is no potential of harm to the public (e.g. it would be dangerous to passersby to allow construction workers to be high on the job in a crowded city center) .

There are no real legal standards for the quality of such products, other than, as a seller you are legally obligated to be truthful as to the nature and quantity of what you are selling. So if, for example, you're selling something as 1 liter of 5% alcohol beverage then it must be exactly that. If it isn't, you're liable to pay financial damages to the victim as well as a fine to the government. If your deception causes, or has the potential of causing physical or mental harm (as opposed to simply financial damage) then it stops being an economic, non-felony crime and starts falling into felony offense territory, meaning that it can, and most probably will carry a prison sentence.

Alcohol is basically unregulated aside from normal food health/safety regulations, though there is a voluntary program administered by the Inspectorate of Food and Beverage which certifies certain traditional alcoholic beverages are produced according to historic standards. Sellers can in principle be held criminally responsible if they sell alcohol to a minor not in the care of their guardians if they know intends to consume it in unsafe quantities (and do) for willingly endangering a child, so many establishments request proof of majority before sale.

In general though controlling a minors intake is seen as a matter for the family.

Tobacco and nicotine were banned in the late 1930's. They are considered a controlled substance akin to cannabis, it is illegal to own, sell or consume it. Regardless smoking, chewing or vaping tobacco/vaping tobacco is generally seen as a misdemeanor and many people continue to smoke in private. Very rarely will someone be charged simply for smoking or possessing a cigarette. Trafficking and selling large quantities incurs stiff penalties however.

Alcohol and tobacco are legal for purchase and consumption for all persons over the age of 18, the age of majority.

Tobacco is taxed at $3.00 per pack of cigarettes at the federal level, with similar taxes on loose tobacco for hand-rolling and other forms (such as cigars). Cartridges for E-cigarettes occupied a legal grey area until they were deemed to be covered under same the tax provisions as hookah. Territories may levy additional taxes on tobacco sales if desired. Funds from the federal tax are used to support the national healthcare system as well as substance abuse programs. Tobacco use in public is trending toward heavier restriction: it is already banned in all government-owned and public enclosed spaces and many cities have enacted further restrictions limiting smoking to certain areas and private property.

Alcohol is nationally taxed according to ABV. There is no federal liquor licensing program, but many territories have their own requirements for those looking to open a liquor shop or bar. A few territories have mandatory curfews for bars and other such establishments, but these are relatively rare and are trending toward nationwide repeal. While laws stipulate that a person must be 18 to consume alcohol, alcohol consumption by minors in the home and under the supervision of parents/guardians is known to be a wide occurrence, with the expectation that the family is responsible for ensuring responsible alcohol consumption by those underage.

Marijuana is permitted at the federal level for medicinal use and there is ongoing pressure to legalize it nationwide, although the details of such a move are still being debated. Territories do not have the right to override federal laws in this regard.

Harder drugs such as amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, and such are banned and carry varying penalties based on the quantity possessed and possible intent to distribute.

Allanea allows all or most drugs for individuals over 16, provided the following rules are followed:

1. No operating vehicles, weapons, or heavy machinery while impared.

2. All substances intended for human consumption must be clearly labeled as to their contents.

If a storekeeper provides an underage minor with drugs and they're caught doing so then they will face punishment rather than the minor in question. Some schools will suspend or punish students for doing drugs but it's not generally a criminal matter.

Oh and;

Other common recreational drugs are also illegal.

DnalweN acilbupeR wrote:What laws exist in your nation regarding alcohol, tobacco, vaping and drugs as far as e.g. taxation and where/in what conditions consumption is allowed?

There are several factors to be taken into consideration before arriving at the final, recommended sales price.

Alcohol produced from rice is a state monopoly, but the state does not directly sell to the end user. A company interested in trading rice alcohol must obtain a license from the government, giving that licensee the right to purchase a specific quantity of alcohol at a fixed price; additional restrictions exist. Once purchased, the reseller may sell the alcohol in his own bottling and at his own price, but his operation is restricted to one area, as stated on his license. Each year the license must be renewed. At the point of sale from the government to the reseller, excise is applied on top of the government's uniform sale price, usually at the rate of 20%, though it can vary from year to year, as government finances require. Sales tax, where imposed by provinces and counties, apply when sale to the end user is made. Imported wines and spirits have applicable duties upon importation, and excise and other taxes are charged at point of sale.

Growing tobacco is also a state monopoly in China. Sale of local tobacco goes through similar procedures, and excise is also levied on tobacco. Imported tobacco sees more restriction than imported wines. In order to import tobacco, one must obtain a license, stating the country of the tobacco's origin and the amount to be imported. The state of the tobacco (packaged, processed, or unprocessed) is also to be declared. This is done out of a need to regulate China's balance of trade with certain countries as well as to control the influx of tobacco, a demerit good. Excise is taxed on imported tobacco upon importation.

DnalweN acilbupeR wrote:What laws exist in your nation regarding alcohol, tobacco, vaping and drugs as far as e.g. taxation and where/in what conditions consumption is allowed?

To put it simply, heavily regulated as a whole. Alcohol and tobacco are legal for purchase and consumption for all persons over the age of 18, the age of majority. However, drugs such as amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, outside usage in the medical fields is illegal, punishable by death or sent to my Not!Gulags for life sentences.

Alcohol, Tobacco, Marjuana, heroin, and all other substances classified as Class B Controlled Substances are completely prohibited for recreational use but legal when used except for medical and practical(making paper, painkiller etc) reasons. One must also have a license to legally produce such substances.

In the Principality of Dushan most Drugs are in the one or other Way legal or at least decrimminalized. Theres a few things to note though:

Alcohol can be purchased in Supermarkets or specialized Liquor Stores. It's taxed. It's not allowed to be sold to Minors. The same Regulations are in existence for Tabacco, despite it had been outlawed for about half a Century in another historical period.

In antiquity there had been a long Tradition of Hemp Farming in the northern Mountains, and smoking Marijuana had become a local custom in those region and has this had not much changed over the centuries. There is a long standing tradition of medical usage of Marijuana and Hashish for various medical purposes and as remedy in all possible forms.

Nowadays Cannabis Products can be purchased in most pharmacies and specialized Drugstores without any license or special permit being needed. Safe for some rural regions it is not specifically popular despite it's widespread availability. It can be purchased by both National and foreigners.

"Stoner" or "Ganja" culture however isn't really a lot common in Dushan, though theres stuff as a the saying of "I would smoke a Pipe with him/her" which means an expression of trust and likeness towards another as in that one would smoke Marijuana. Nevertheless foreign Stoner tourist will probably enjoy their stay in Dushan very much so.

Most regulations in existence for Alcohol/Tobacco/Marijuana and also Caffaine are henceforth aimed at quality control and consumer protection. Theres no specifc regulation regarding Magic Mushrooms.

Opiates such as Laudanum are prescription based Medications who are nowadays seldom prescribed anymore. It can only purchased or traded with an approperiate license.

Some other substances (Heroin, Cocaine and some Amphetamin derivates for example) fall under the "Medication Regulation Act" and trading and sometimes poession without permit is a Crime punishable by Fines and up to 5 Years of Prison. This is essentially the same Act that regulates normal Medications as well however.

There's no War on Drugs inside Dushan. It is mostly considered a issue of Public Health.

This has mostly historical reasons as Dushan has developed differently, the whole Western mentality on "Drugs" (wether it be "Think of the Children!" or "Hey let's get hammered") is sort of alien to dushani Culture. occassional Law Enforcement Operations or Drug/Medication abuse takes place however.

Gig em Aggies wrote:Reason I ask is because in a story I have ongoing my country has a massive capital ship that is
Length: 4.8 billion miles
Width: 88 million miles
Height: 70 million miles

Ships this size should be measured in girth, not width and height. Also, they have to be a little thicker at the expense of length, with girth within 1/5-1/2 their length.

Western Weyard wrote:

Rich and Corporations wrote:Y/N: armored firefighting vehicle, where if flames were to overtake firefighters positions, they can retreat inside. It must obviously be able to insulate against 1000 degree heat for thirty minutes while providing an internal air supply for the same time period.

Why?

The only uses I could see would be industrial fires or something like that. And while I am well aware of the risks of fighting fires, I also know that if you need to retreat into an armored vehicle, somewhere you went very wrong.
A remote-controlled vehicle would be more useful:

Very interesting...I have got an idea: the Firefighting Tank.

Basically an old military vehicle that has it's cannon modified to shoot water mixed with chemicals that help suffocate the fire, is painted red and coated in a fireproof material.

APCs which have been modified in similar ways can be used to transport firemen to and evacuate them from dangerous areas such as burning forests.

And most importantly, it is a way to use obsolete military technology.

Edit: Something like that was used in the USSR and in China.

http://englishrussia.com/2010/08/06/fir ... -the-ussr/

Medwedian Democratic Federation wrote:

Western Weyard wrote:
Why?

The only uses I could see would be industrial fires or something like that. And while I am well aware of the risks of fighting fires, I also know that if you need to retreat into an armored vehicle, somewhere you went very wrong.
A remote-controlled vehicle would be more useful:

Very interesting...I have got an idea: the Firefighting Tank.

Basically an old military vehicle that has it's cannon modified to shoot water mixed with chemicals that help suffocate the fire, is painted red and coated in a fireproof material.

APCs which have been modified in similar ways can be used to transport firemen to and evacuate them from dangerous areas such as burning forests.

And most importantly, it is a way to use obsolete military technology.

meanwhile in old WPact countries...

Medwedian Democratic Federation wrote:

Western Weyard wrote:
Why?

The only uses I could see would be industrial fires or something like that. And while I am well aware of the risks of fighting fires, I also know that if you need to retreat into an armored vehicle, somewhere you went very wrong.
A remote-controlled vehicle would be more useful:

(Image)

Very interesting...I have got an idea: the Firefighting Tank.

Basically an old military vehicle that has it's cannon modified to shoot water mixed with chemicals that help suffocate the fire, is painted red and coated in a fireproof material.

APCs which have been modified in similar ways can be used to transport firemen to and evacuate them from dangerous areas such as burning forests.

And most importantly, it is a way to use obsolete military technology.

Already done, pretty sure china? Is using that

Medwedian Democratic Federation wrote:Edit: Something like that was used in the USSR and in China.

http://englishrussia.com/2010/08/06/fir ... -the-ussr/

Not just there:

Various firefighting conversions of armored vehicles are in use around the world, especially for dangerous environments like chemical plant fires. In theory they can be used in atomic reactor fires too.

So.

Can the hivemind explain toasters to me?

Does the electric consumption of a toaster directly affect its performance in terms of how fast it heats food or is it possible to play with the design of the thing to make them more or less efficient for the same amount of watts? It doesn't seem like it should be but maybe I don't know anything.

I... am wondering about appliances in my nation.

DnalweN acilbupeR wrote:What laws exist in your nation regarding alcohol, tobacco, vaping and drugs as far as e.g. taxation and where/in what conditions consumption is allowed?

In RN we take a pretty libertarian stance where pretty much everything goes as long as you're 16/18 or over (I'm still undecided) and there is no "sin tax" as we don't really have free public healthcare. You're allowed to have pretty much anything, indoors and outdoors (except for explicit restrictions in public spaces such as government institutions, etc. and wherever the owner of private property demands). So it's basically up to a pub/bar's owners if they allow smoking, drugs or whatever inside or not. There are no special licenses or "alcohol serving hours" or some such involved. Also, unless you're causing a nuisance like e.g. tripping over pedestrians or interfering with road traffic it's legal to be publicly intoxicated. If it's obvious that you could endanger others in this state (e.g. by being heavily intoxicated on the side of the road or something where you may walk into running traffic and cause a crash) you may be forced to leave by the police.

It is still illegal, however, to drive or operate machinery on public property whilst intoxicated, for obvious reasons. Also, government employees can't be intoxicated on duty. As far as private employees are concerned, it's up to their employer if they allow it or not as long as there is no potential of harm to the public (e.g. it would be dangerous to passersby to allow construction workers to be high on the job in a crowded city center) .

There are no real legal standards for the quality of such products, other than, as a seller you are legally obligated to be truthful as to the nature and quantity of what you are selling. So if, for example, you're selling something as 1 liter of 5% alcohol beverage then it must be exactly that. If it isn't, you're liable to pay financial damages to the victim as well as a fine to the government. If your deception causes, or has the potential of causing physical or mental harm (as opposed to simply financial damage) then it stops being an economic, non-felony crime and starts falling into felony offense territory, meaning that it can, and most probably will carry a prison sentence.

Alcohol is federally restricted to those over 18, and is open to active duty military (which can be as young as 16). Alcohol has a federal excise tax of .005 cents per oz if purchased from a store and not from a restaurant (to be consumed immediately)
Tobacco is restricted to those over 21, with no active duty exception, and has a $5 excise tax per pack and that number +5% sales price on cartons.
Vaporization is restricted to those over 13. There is no excise taxes involved.
Marijuana is legal to those over 18, but does not include active duty military. The Federal Government itself controls the marijuana business, and has no excise taxes (as that business is run for profit).

Alcohol can only be consumed inside the base in any overseas installation, and marijuana is not allowed overseas. Also, driving while intoxicated under either is a felony, with it capable of being the death penalty if someone dies because of it.

Allanea wrote:So.

Can the hivemind explain toasters to me?

Does the electric consumption of a toaster directly affect its performance in terms of how fast it heats food or is it possible to play with the design of the thing to make them more or less efficient for the same amount of watts? It doesn't seem like it should be but maybe I don't know anything.

I... am wondering about appliances in my nation.

Its always possible by finding better conductors of heat.

Medwedian Democratic Federation wrote:Very interesting...I have got an idea: the Firefighting Tank.

Basically an old military vehicle that has it's cannon modified to shoot water mixed with chemicals that help suffocate the fire, is painted red and coated in a fireproof material.

APCs which have been modified in similar ways can be used to transport firemen to and evacuate them from dangerous areas such as burning forests.

And most importantly, it is a way to use obsolete military technology.

Edit: Something like that was used in the USSR and in China.

http://englishrussia.com/2010/08/06/fir ... -the-ussr/

Reminds me of this badboy.



"Let's attach two fighter jet engines to a tank and extinguish oil fires with that."

I like the name too. Big wind. I ought to make one for my military when I get around to redrawing the vehicles.

Allanea wrote:So.

Can the hivemind explain toasters to me?

Does the electric consumption of a toaster directly affect its performance in terms of how fast it heats food or is it possible to play with the design of the thing to make them more or less efficient for the same amount of watts? It doesn't seem like it should be but maybe I don't know anything.

I... am wondering about appliances in my nation.

Since a toaster is just a few heating elements with either a thermocouple or capacitor to provide time/temperature control then yeah everything is going to dependent on its draw.
I'm sure you could do something clever with a controller that controls temperature, time and power level in the toaster so you can control exactly how the bread is toasted rather that just the Browning level but that will get expensive and have fairly complicated controls. It's also probably already done in high end models.