Factbook: Your Friendly Guide to Meekinos

by **Meekinos** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:22 am

The Hellenic Republic of Meekinos
Η Ελληνική Δημοκρατία της Μυκόνου

“Aei koloios para koloioi hizanei.”
"των πτηνών φτερό σμήνος μαζί"

Welcome to Meekinos, home of the compassionate capitalists.

Your Friendly Guide to Meekinos Index

This index is to help you in finding what it is you wish to learn about Meekinos. Any relevant will be listed here for your convenience. The current indexing is by no means complete, nor is the guide complete.

Related and Relevant Information

The Citizen's Travel Guide: How Meekinos Views Your Nation

by **Meekinos** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:18 pm

A Brief History

The nation of Meekinos is called home by billions of citizens of Hellenic heritage. Many can trace their roots back to Sparta and Athens and other minor places in the ancestral land left behind many, many centuries ago when a temporal rift in time allowed for a small group of enterprising folks to step through. They found themselves in a new world. One much like their own, not far from where they grew up yet it wasn't the same. With no way of returning and few tools at their disposal, they were forced to find ways of coping and surviving. Early Meekinosians weren't fervent in their capitalist leanings as the modern era Meekinosians are. They were a simpler folk who enjoyed the simple life.

Within months the newly founded location began to thrive. Many small shops opened up. Farms were formed on the edge of town, a town which would later become the capital city of Meekinos. It was a humble town. Home to merchants, farmers and other enterprising individuals who found joy in hardwork and profit. The town had been built on the coast, and soon housed a buzzing harbour with numerous merchant vessels coming and going. The vessels would travel in, having come from lands never heard of by the Ancient Meekinosians. The vessels brought more than just goods with them, they brought in tales from the lands far away. They brought in ideas.

These ideas soon became part of the growing culture. The ideas formed the basis of all Meekinosian belief. The idea that profit was happiness and that happiness is everything in life. One merchant, Theo Atamakis had returned brought literature with him that spoke of how profit could be found in everything. He became one of the most prominent prophets of Ancient Meekinos.

"I have a rock. It is mine, but if you pay me, it is yours. Heck, if you pay me, anything I have can be yours. If the price is right." ~ Theo Atamakis

Folks flocked from the surrounding countryside to hear him speak in the town square. He was respected as an early Prophet of Profit. He paved the way for eleven others who would follow him. His wisdom formed the Meekinosian Capitalist Manifest, known commonly in modern Meekinos as the Capitalist's Bible or MCM. This book is given to every Meekinosian child upon the start of their education. They are given the child's edition, which is replaced later during a coming of age ceremony with a proper leather-bound edition that has the insignia of the original Prophet of Profit on it.

One of the key philosophical ideas imported into Meekinos during the early years was the concept that neutrality is profitable. As long as you are not on the receiving end of the enemy's wrath, you are in a good position. Another early Prophet for Profit, Spyro Floros was a well known pacifist. He was also considered to be one of Atamakis' students; a protégé. He had a great respect for Atamakis and spent his years following the death of Atamakis spreading the word. Over time he added in his own ideas. Ones that would turn Meekinos into a neutral nation; one that would refuse to engage in war. The government of the day understood the importance of this message and saw that the people embraced it. It became one of many corner stones for the Meekinosian Constitution.

"Nations at war will always want bigger weapons than the other side. Profit is in giving them the bigger weapons then turning to the other and offering them the same thing. War isn't just about killing the other side, it's about profiting off the belligerence of others." ~ Spyro Floros

There was no known student of Floros. But he did have his followers, one of whom did wind up taking up the cause following Floros' state funeral, held in the Parliamentary houses of Meekinos, in the thriving city of Port Alexia; a city which had once been a small, humble town with humble beginnings. The student who followed added in her own ideas. She had her own followers as well. The followers soon expanded the MCM to include all the knowledge that exists in it today.

by **Meekinos** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:08 pm

Basic Fact Sheet

Capital City: Port Alexia

Motto: “Aei koloios para koloioi hizanei.” // "των πτηνών φτερό σμήνος μαζί"
Translation: "Birds of a feather flock together."

Currency: Kronos (ȶ)
ȶ1 = NS$1.9120

Official Language: Meekinosian Greek

Religion

Demographics:

Age Expectancy: 98 years old
Women: 100
Men: 96

Literacy: 100%*
* This value does not account for those who are considered to be suffering from significant cognitive impairment.

Gender Ratio: 1 female for 1.3 males

Sexuality:

Population: ~8+ billion

By population:
Largest Prefecture: Ftelias
Smallest Prefecture: Elia
Largest non-capital city: Pleides, Ano Mera

Cities by location:
Most southerly city: Cyclades, Naxo
Most northerly city: Aegea, Silias
Most easterly city: Delos, Kalafati
Most westerly city: Myconos, Nisidia

Prefecture Capitals
Elia: Selecuid
Naxo: Crius
Plintri: Miletus
Omos: Aeolis
Ftelias: Helios
Nisidia: Theseus
Kalafati: Atalanta
Ano Mera: Delphi
Tourlos: Aeneas
Silias: Aulis
Psarrou: Myceanae

Government

Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Elections: Open, every 6 years
Head of Government: Premier
Highest Non-Elected Body: High Council of Meekinos
Head of State: President
Elected Legislative Bodies: House of Commons, Senate

Highest Constitutional Court: Supreme Court of Meekinos
Highest Appeal Court: Meekinos Grand Court of Appeals

Legal Suffrage

All citizens are considered equal in Meekinos. The only restrictions which exist are age based and are subject to constant review to ensure that the ages for certain activities within the law are constant with the nation.

Age of Majority: 18

Driving:
Learner's Permit - 14
Full License - 15

Voting:
Municipal Elections - 14
Prefecture Elections - 16
National General Elections - 17

Drinking:
Spirits & Hard Liquor - 18
Beer, Lagers & Ales - 16
Wine, Champagne - parental discretion

Drugs:
Cannabis - 14
Other Soft Drugs - 16
Hard Drugs - 18

Age of Consent: No age of consent, but a Romeo and Juliet law exists on the books.

Marriage: no restrictions other than age, consanguinity, mental capacity; marriage between two consenting individuals regardless of sexual orientation is legal.
With parental consent - 16
Without parental consent - 18

Rights of Citizens

Freedom of expression, conscience, association, religion and belief
Right to vote in all elections provided they have reach the legal age of suffrage
Right to a swift, timely trial and counsel
Right to be protected against unreasonable foreign laws
Right to repatriation upon proving patriotism and loyalty to the Prophets of Profit and the ideals they represented
Right to profit and property; personal and real
Right to a full, comprehensive education
Right to protection against unreasonable detainment, search and seizure
Right to life, liberty and security of one's self, family and property

Time and Dates
Dates typically follow what is known as the Gregorian Calendar. The week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday.

Although the nation uses a standard calendar, it doesn't have a standard length of day. The Meekinosian clock follow a 36 hour cycle because of its proximity to the sun. Each day is 36 hours long. Each hour is still the standard 60 minutes.

Our years are allocated into blocks of 2,000 years. Every 2,000 years, the nation enters into a new era. The era is denoted with a letter and a number. The first era was A1, the second was A2; et cetera. We are now on E10, which if written out in full forms put our True Era or year at around 80,000TE.

Date format - day, month, year:era

Map of Meekinos

by **Meekinos** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:04 am

Culture

Meekinos embraces more than capitalism. The greater part of its culture comes from its Hellenic roots, though modern Meekinosian culture places more emphasis on capitalism than it does on its roots.

Culture

Although Meekinosians are people who pride themselves on having a high work ethic and greatly enjoy the pursuit of profit, they are a people who still engage in celebrations. There are many celebrations throughout the year but only the major ones will be highlighted here.

The first major festival of every year is the New Years Festival. Every citizen is given a piece of parchment on which they write down the one thing they wish for. The scroll is then cast into a fire. The fire is lit in a small alter kept in each household. This ritual is considered personal and should only be done in the presence of family. Belief says that if you speak of what you write, you will suffer the opposite of your wish.

The second major festival of the year comes about three months after the New Years Festival and it is the Festival of Prophets. The main focus of this event is the sky. Every year for a month, during the day, two suns appear over head by day and night is brilliant. There is no need for street lights during this time. The sky remains lit up. At the height of this, there is a single day, where at midnight all people gather in the main common area for their city or town and dance under the midnight sky, which is as bright as high noon. The two suns appearing together represents the two parties coming together to sign a contract.

The third and last major festival is the Feast of Demeter. This is the celebration that occurs at the end of the harvest season. City residents flock to the rural farm lands where they help harvest the last of the fruits and vegetables for the season. Once everything is harvested, a portion is set aside for consumption at a Dinner of Gratitude and Thanks. Everything served comes from the farm. If it wasn't grown in that area, it is not to be eaten. Everything is home made.

A number of smaller festival honour the individual prophets; the ideals of capitalism, the family, good health, music, dance, drama, art, history. There is a belief amongst Meekinosians that if it exists to bring happiness, it can be celebrated.

The Family

The family is one of the most important things for a Meekinosian citizen. Small families are unheard. Families are large, not because citizens have many children, though it is common for a family to have four or more children, but rather because the family is more than just the parents and children. Under the same roof, one will also find aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, even in-laws. Multiple generations of the family live under the same roof.

The head of the family is often the greater bread winner, so all houses within Meekinos are headed by either gender. Traditionally the greater bread winner had been the wife, for in the early days in Meekinos, men would take to the seas and long roads between empires as travelling merchants, while women would become the ones who would keep the home front running smoothly. As a result, historical businesses within the nation were female-dominated while the travelling merchant profession was male-dominated.

Home front business operations in early Meekinos was often considered to be a very stable job, and as women are the primary caregivers for the family, it was expected that they carry on business in an environment with guaranteed returns. The men weren't held in such high regard, but were still highly regarded as shrewd businesspersons.

It was not uncommon for women to become merchants in early Meekinos and for men to operate on the home front, but traditionally this was the case if either gender was single.

Marriage and Divorce

As marriage didn't exist as a formal contract in Meekinos and was not recognized by the early governments, any couple that sought to make a home together did so through a private contract. These contracts were governed by the same laws that governed business contract and as a result, no one party could force the other to contract out of his or her rights. This also meant that same sex couples were treated equally, as the private contract had few restrictions other than those which existed under current business laws governing contracts.

Traditionally, after forming the contract, the couple would hold a Union Ceremony in front of their family and before the Prophets of Profit to show intent to honour the contract that had been signed. This union was not restricted to just opposite-sex couples.

Same sex couples were accepted throughout Meekinos. They would often enter the same kind of private contract and engage in the same Union Ceremony, but traditionally did not make their own home. These couples would live with one of the partner's family and contribute to the family as a whole.

Meekinos existed without any form of marriage for several centuries. When marriage was finally introduced at the official level, it was only done through paperwork in front of a Magistrate. Those requesting the marriage had to provide the presiding Magistrate with proof that there was no question about age, mental capacity and that there was no consanguinity or affinity. For a marriage to gain legal recognition in Meekinos, the couple would have to appear before a Magistrate. Simply signing a private contract after this point would grant the couple Simple Partner Status and not Marriage Status.

Simple Partner Status was similar to most other business partnerships, except that additional rights came along that were similar to that given to Marriage Status. Simple Partner Status granted most rights found within marriage, except those of survivorship and matrimonial home rights.

Divorce, while perfectly legal and easy to obtain should certain triggering events occur, is rather uncommon in Meekinos. Every union, whether a marriage or simple partner status, was bound by certain rights and obligations that were spelt out in the contract that was the cornerstone to every union within the nation.

If there was a conflict within the marriage, the couple could appear before a Magistrate. They are required to present their contract and explain the issue. The contract often spells out the solution. If there was a breach of contract along the way then divorce would be granted, otherwise the couple was expected to first follow the steps mandated in their contract. If there was no reasonable expectation of reconciliation, in order to be granted a divorce without a breach of contract, the couple had to enter into a secondary contract, agreeing to release the other from his or her marital obligations. This had to be signed and sworn before a Magistrate.

by **Meekinos** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:10 am

Marriage Rights

Marriage in Meekinos is a contract agreement, much like any business transaction. The contract itself is private, however, for official government recognition, the parties involved must procure the government sanctioned marriage licensed, which is issued by a Magistrate. Details on the ceremony can be found in the previous entry.

The Marital Act of C2:1209 granted citizens a basic set of marriage rights, including:

The right to marry an individual free from undue influence, duress or any form of coercion;
The right not to be forced into an arranged marriage;
The right to marry the person one loves regardless of gender;
The right to have a traditional ceremony regardless of sexual orientation;
The right not to be forced to incriminate or otherwise testify against one's spouse unless they wish to;
The right to care, honour and love one's spouse

However, it did include a handful of restrictions, some stemming from tradition, others from common sense. These included:

Both parties must be 18 years old, or 16 years of age, with parental consent, or emancipated;
Both parties cannot be directly related through blood;
Both parties must be able to pass a sobriety test;
Marrying a foreigner of the opposite sex/gender will result in the loss of one's citizenship;
Marrying a foreigner of the same sex/gender will not result in the loss of citizenship, however, citizenship will not be granted until the individual meets the strict immigration requirements

by **Meekinos** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:15 am

Holidays and Festivals

There are many villages, towns and cities throughout Meekinos. Many have their own unique cultural celebrations, some of which have found their way across the nation. Nevertheless, there are some holidays which are celebrated by all.

Ancestor's Reverie: The nation of Meekinos was never part of another nation, though many of the founding ancestors did come from another time and place, and thus never gained its independence from an authoritarian or colonial power, but it doesn't stop the fiercely nationalistic population from celebrating the day of its founding. Though historical records of the event were destroyed thousands of years past, it became accepted that the day of April 20th was the day that the rift happened.

Feast of Gaia: The beginning of the new year is marked with a festival celebrating Gaia, the mother of all life and it's held on June 1st of each year. For three days, starting on the previous day and continuing to the day after June 1st, the nation turns its attention from commerce and business to the celebration of life, love and a new year full of promise and potential. All businesses close for the time; villages, towns and cities beyond sprawling morasses of jubilant celebrants. Fireworks can been seen and heard at all times of day; people share their food and wealth with their friends and family. As part of the renewal process, citizens are encouraged to plant seeds. The planting of seeds is said to bring the Meekinosians closer to the land and by doing so, they land shall return what they seek.

Military Heritage Festival: Meekinos was once home to a proud, long-standing Spartan-esque military, but after tragedy struck, the military was relegated to the dusty pages of history. The original military, however, is still viewed as honourable and noble. Its victories are remembered; its battles reenacted by patriots. Young citizens are invited to join their older counterparts in the historical reenactment. This festival is known to occur at least twice per annum, though some may celebrate it more regularly than others.

The Day of Prophecy: The progenitors of Meekinos were believed to have encountered the Oracle of Delphi who told them that they were to transcend into a whole other world beyond the one they knew. This day is a celebration of that and of the Profits of Prophet. Many businesses would consider this day to be "Black", as it is a day of commerce. No tax is collected on this day.

by **Meekinos** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:13 pm

Music

There is no limitation to what can be expressed musically. Dozens of unique genres of music exist in the nation, though popularity varies based on current trends in the market place and the whims of the younger generations.

Traditional folk music has lasted through the ages, with many of the songs performed by different artists and presented in different form factors. The key elements of traditional folk music includes the use of lutes, lyres and harps. Vocal accompaniment is fairly common, though the language of choice is Mykonian (an old dialect of Meekinosian Greek), a language not taught in schools, but spoken by rural families. Contemporary artists have taken to using Mykonian in some of their works. The language is popping up in hip-hop and rap genres much to the dismay of the older generation who feel it has no place in such music.

Hymns and classical music, including operas, concertos, et cetera, often pays homage to the Prophets of Profit and sings of their valiant deeds and accomplishments, or decreed to do so by the High Council, on the history of the nation. Vocals are often the centre piece of such compositions. The majority of such compositions were sponsored by the High Council during the Hellenic Golden Age of the Middle-Era, which for other members of the WA, may likely fall into the era between 1200-800 BCE. The High Council ended its sponsorship of such music upon the completion of the music hall known as the Grand Imperial Centre of Athena, built by the merchant's guild. The centre still stands to this day, serving as a prestigious music academy for the up and coming young musicians of the nation.

Foreign music is viewed with scepticism by more conservative elements of the nation, who fear the influence may harm the minds of the younger generation, though the government has made it clear it has no intention of regulating the import of such music, as it would be censorship. This often leads to the conservative elements petitioning their local Merchant's Guild to ensure that the music doesn't hit the shelves, though it often fails as the spending power of the younger generation at times exceeds that of the older generation.

by **Meekinos** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:02 pm

Languages

The majority of Meekinosians are considered trilingual, though fluency in more than four languages is not uncommon. It is exceedingly rare for a Meekinosian to speak just a single language. Those who do are often those who were not considered cognitively able to enter a main-stream education environment and as a result only speak Greek. They pride themselves on being able to speak more than their mother tongue of Greek. It is the first language learnt by all children. It is the language spoken at home, and it is the language they typically receive the majority of their education instruction.

For business and commerce purposes, they are taught a more universally known language, English. This language is taught while children are still young because it is expected that they are better able to learn while the mind is most absorbent. It is the language spoken by most merchants, and those who conduct business in predominately tourist areas of Meekinos. In addition to English, children are also taught Latin, French and German.

There are many other language classes available to students. Parents often send their children to language school on the weekends in order to round out the children's education. These classes typically focus on the less common languages for the nation. Children who can speak a language not considered common and party of the standard curriculum usually has a chance at landing a life-long position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Alphabet

Although the spoken language has evolved into a refine, highly localised dialect, the base alphabet retains its classic form.

All documentation, unless intended for foreign use will use the standard numeric format found below. All public signs with numbers will have both posted if the area is considered a 'tourist' spot.

by **Meekinos** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:59 am

Religion

Religious practice while perfectly legal within Meekinos; organized religion generally does not exist in any form. No religion has ever been outlawed in Meekinos, nor has any type of religious practice been outlawed within the nation as well. Without exposure, there was never a need to make any legal accommodations.

Meekinosians have always been a spiritual people, turning to the deities to guide their lives. Early Meekinosians paid their respect and reverence to the Pantheon, with shrines maintain to all gods and goddesses, namely the Dodekatheon (Δωδεκάθεον or Twelve Olympians), with a shrine to the unknown deity. The deities are viewed as being the ones who gave the energy to allow life to begin, and from there evolution took its natural course, with no intervention on the part of any deity. Not all the deities are worshipped equally, however or at all for many of the lesser and minor deities.

Over time, the Prophets of Profit became the ones who were primarily worshipped, but not as gods, but as prophets. There have been twelve Prophets of Profit to date. The last living prophet who died approximately hundred and fifty years ago stated that the next prophet would be a girl born under the midnight sun of the Festival of Suns, at the height at precisely midnight. She would be born with heterochromia, or eyes of different colours.

Prayer, worship and rituals are often geared toward the gods and goddesses of the Pantheon. The wisdom of the prophets is what guides Meekinosians throughout their daily life.

A small but sizable portion of Meekinosians self-identify as non-believers. They acknowledged that the prophets may have existed as real people but do not place spiritual importance on their teachings. The group by extension does not share the same pantheist beliefs that a large segment of the majority share.

by **Meekinos** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:00 am

Naming Conventions

The government of Meekinos has few if any regulations on what a person's name may be. There are only a few rules governing names which parents and individuals are obligated to follow. Other than the few rules, the sky is the limit on names, though the citizenry often fall back on cultural traditions when naming their offspring. The average citizen has at least three names plus an alias. The typical name structure is first name, middle name, family/surname. The alias is often a shorten version of the first name. It isn't unheard of for individuals to have multiple middle names or more than one last name. Surnames in that case are often hyphenated.

The Meekinosian Naming Act of E3 codified a handful of traditions into law.

Every citizen must have a first and surname
Only Greek (ancient, middle, modern, contemporary) names, words, including mythological and historical may be used
The chosen name must not require foreign-language characters
Unless otherwise stated, the child will inherit the mother's name; if the couple has chosen to use a conjoined last name then that name will be the one taken by the child

by **Meekinos** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:55 am

Education

Education in Meekinos begins at a young age. Typically, a young child will begin learning around age three. Before age three, young Meekinosian children spend their days in government run daycares that are funded through tax payer funds; one of few services provided to the citizens by the government, and one of few that isn't outsourced to a private corporation.

When children begin their education, they are in school for the full day. They are taught an array of subjects suited for their level. Basic counting and literacy is introduced to young children. It is between the ages of three and five where those with developmental issues are pulled out of mainstream public schooling and put into an alternative program until they either catch up with their peers or it is determined that they won't thrive in a normal public education classroom. Most early problems are easily dealt with in this way and by the time kindergarten is to begin, almost all students proceed in the mainstream system. Only 5%, on average, of those removed never return to the mainstream system. Conversely, those who possess high intellect or display high cognitive abilities beyond the age are stream-lined into the gifted programme; these programmes focus on the same curriculum as the general public system while offering these students a challenge to aid them in reaching their potential.

When children finish the kindergarten level, they typically are able to read, write and do basic arithmetic. At the end of this level of their education, before they pass onto the junior levels of primary school, they are subject to a national standardized test. In order to continue on and not be kept in summer school, a student is required to pass the test with a mark of 55%. Those who don't are kept in summer school. Should a student fail to pass summer school, they are expected to repeat the year over, but accommodations are made if they remain unchallenged during the repeat year.

The subjects taught for kindergarten, which lasts for two years, starting at the age of four include:
Greek (introduction to: grammar, spelling, writing, reading)
Arithmetic (simple adding, subjecting, division, multiplication)
Physical Education (unstructured; "tag" and running games encouraged)
Art (Not taught; considered to be "free time" where students can draw or design what they want using the resources available)
Introduction to Meekinosian Culture and History

Students in the alternative education system typically those deemed to be unable to mentally keep up with their peers. They are instead taught the basics they require in order to survive. They are still expected to learn basic literacy and math. The students who fall in the middle; those who are mentally competent but have disabilities which hinder their classroom performance, are provided with an academic assistant while they remain in either the mainstream or gifted program and are routinely tested to see if they are able to survive without the assistant.

The junior levels of primary school go between grades one and six. During this segment of the average Meekinosian education, children are introduced to the sciences, literature, foreign languages, arts, history, social studies and economic studies in addition to their math and core language classes. The areas of study are broad and are designed to cover the basic concepts that are required. If a student excels, they are removed from the mainstream and placed into the school's gift class for that grade. No student is skipped ahead. Students are instead kept at their current grade level but given a more challenging environment. The only class which are taken together across the mainstream and gifted programs is physical education. Physical education also includes a comprehensive sexual education class, structured to be appropriate for each grade based on general demographics.

The subject material for these grades includes:
Introduction to Latin, German, English (grades 1-3), Intermediate Latin, German, English (grades 4-5)
Greek (grammar, spelling, reading)
Mathematics (grade 1-3), Introduction to Algebra and Geometry (grade 4-5)
Introduction to Economics (grade 1), Economic and Accounting studies (grade 2-5)
General Science (grades 1-3), Chemistry, Biology (grade 4-5)
Introduction to Computer programming
Introduction to Computer Hardware
Introduction to Civics
Physical Education
Sexual Education
Geography
History and Culture of Meekinos
General Arts

The senior levels of primary school are from grades six through to nine. The same areas of study are available in the two levels of study. The subjects taught are no different than those at the lower levels. At this level, male and female students are given the option to have co-ed physical education, or to be in a single-sex class for that class. As a result, there are three classes for P.E. at each grade level. The same goes for the sexual education class that is mandatory in the P.E. class.

The subject material for these grades includes:
Introduction to Classic Greek Literature
Advanced Economics
Advanced English, Latin and German
Intermediate Accounting
Introduction to Latin Literature
Intermediate Geography
Ancient Meekinosian History
Advanced Civics
World History
Trigonometry, Algebra, Geometry
Introduction to Calculus
Physical Education
Computer Science
Computer programming (different languages available)
Biology, Chemistry
Introduction to Physics
General Arts

At the end of primary school, which ends in grade nine, students are required to take another national standardized test. The passing grade for this is the same as that for entering the primary level, which is 55%. The grade determines if they are eligible to go on with or without further help.

The secondary level of education is split into the practical stream, which is for those seeking to work as apprentices in any number of the trades that still exist in Meekinos, and the academic stream, which is for those seeking to go to university at the end of their secondary education. Those who enter the practical stream remain in it for three years, and at the end are eligible for placement in college, which will lead to an apprenticeship. This serves to give the students the basis for their certification at the end of the day. Those in the academic stream are able to begin to specialise in their subjects.

All secondary students are expected to take one core language class and one core math class until they are finished secondary school. The material used in each stream is different and geared toward the type of education that is being pursued.

The subject material for these grades includes:
Pre-graduate Greek, including literature
Economics and Accounting with field placement
Advanced English, Latin, German
Latin Literature
Introduction and Intermediate French and Italian
Introduction and Intermediate Old Greek, including the study of classic literature
Biology, Chemistry, Botany, Physics
Arts -- musical, dance, visual, photography
Advanced programming
Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, Geometry
World Mythology and Religion
Introduction to Political Science
Physical Education

Post-secondary education in Meekinos is partially state-sponsored. In order for a student to qualify for state funding, they are required to write a secondary standardized test. The passing mark is 75%. The test is completely optional and has no bearing on the eligibility of each student going into a post-secondary program. All post-graduate, doctorate and post-doctorate programs are not covered by the state in any form.

Grading System

There are three grading systems in Meekinos for students attending primary and secondary educational institutions. Report cards show both the relevant letter grade and in a legend, the percentages for that grade.

Gifted or Enhanced Education
A+ = 100%-95%
A = 94%-90%
A- = 89%-85%
B+ = 84%-80%
B = 79%-75%
B- = 74-70%
C+ = 69%-65% -- 65% is the minimum passing grade required for such programs. Once a grade dips below that, the student has one semester to bring their grades up or they are moved to the main stream education program.

Mainstream Education (which includes alternative education option)

A+ = 100%-90%
A = 90%-85%
A- = 84%-80%
B+ = 79%-77%
B = 76%-74%
B- = 73%-70%
C+ = 69% - 67%
C = 66%-64%
C- = 64%-60%
D = 59%-55% -- the minimum passing grade that is required before a student is ordered to repeat the grade or class. The student may be given a chance to bring their grade up to passing if the teacher feels the student could reasonably pass a supplementary examination. Anything 54% and lower is an F, which is a fail.

Mentally Unfit 'Education'

Satisfactory -- the student was able to follow direction and demonstrates a willingness to make an effort.
Unsatisfactory -- the student is unable to follow direction but has shown great effort to try.
Unacceptable -- the student can't follow direction and doesn't even show any effort.

by **Meekinos** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:14 am

School Uniforms

All education institutions in Meekinos, whether its public or private, have strict dress codes, or in most cases, uniforms. The only schools remaining with dress codes rather than uniforms are in more rural areas, which are less populated than more densely populated metropolitan and urban centres. The national government has worked with the prefectures and schoolboards to implement a uniform standard. While the base features are constant, schools are free to determine their colours and the style which they will provide their students. Some schools provide all uniform options, while others provide only a single uniform standard.

The school uniform for female students features:

Knee-length skirt or smock/jumper. The colours and style are selected by the school
A button up blouse, either short or long-sleeved. The student can pick whether she wants short or long sleeves
Plain socks, ranging from ankle-length to knee-length are customary, though the student in warmer weather choose not to wear them
The shoes are usual black leather with soft soles
Accessories, such as watches, are permitted provided that they don't clash or distract
Restrictions on hair are ultimately left to the discretion of the school, though most don't have any rules on hair
No modifications can be made to the uniform; if modifications are required to ensure it fits, the student is expected to purchase a new uniform

The female student is permitted to wear the male student uniform if she so desires. There is no requirement that she must wear the gender-assigned uniform.

The school uniform for the male features:

Light-weight cotton pants, which can either be held up with suspenders or a belt. The colours and style are selected by the school
A button up blouse, either short or long-sleeved. The student can pick whether he wants short or long sleeves
A necktie may be present and if so, it will typically also display the school colours or plain in colour. The inclusion of the tie is at the school's discretion
The shoes are usual black leather with soft soles
Accessories, such as watches, are permitted provided that they don't clash or distract
Restrictions on hair are ultimately left to the discretion of the school, though most don't have any rules on hair, however, it's expected that male students keep their hair at a reasonable length, and if it goes to the shoulders it should be tied
No modifications can be made to the uniform; if modifications are required to ensure it fits, the student is expected to purchase a new uniform

While it is unusual and atypical, the male student is permitted to wear the female uniform if he desires. There is no requirement that he wear the gender-assigned uniform.

by **Meekinos** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:29 pm

Immigration

Citizenship

For a larger part of its history, Meekinos has mostly remain secluded in its part of the world. While it frequently sent out merchants in search of new markets and unique goods to bring home, the nation itself wasn't in the practice of being forthcoming with information about its location, for it prized its paradise. It didn't want to allow others to come in. It was only a few centuries ago that tourism as an industry emerged under the guidance of Glykeria Argyris, one of the later Prophets of Profit. She had been one of the most renowned travelling merchants, and in her travels had found that there was money to be made in allowing people to come in and poke around.

It was in this way the tourism industry was born and at the same time immigration became something that was frowned upon. Argyris had seen nations were immigrants had flocked to. People fell through the cracks. Old country rivalries were imported. There were an array of problems, that also included and weren't limited to the general inability for some to learn the language and become part of the nation; not embracing the local way of life. Fearing the fall out of such effects, Argyris formed a grassroots campaign to encourage the government of the day to have an anti-immigration policy.

Subsequent regimes kept the policy in place with amendments to allow for temporary workers on visas who could prove that they spoke the local language and were able to understand and accept local customs. It went as far as to declare that any foreign born child in Meekinos was to be sent back to his or her parent's home nation. It was designed to discourage visa workers from getting too comfortable and attempting to illegally stay in the nation.

There is one known exception to Meekinosian immigration policy. Most governments embrace an open policy of discrimination in favour of homosexual individuals. These individuals must demonstrate that they have no inclination towards procreation, nor possess breeder qualities. They are welcome to immigrate into Meekinos, hold almost any job outside of the House of Commons, Senate and positions of judicial power. These individuals are viewed as being beneficial to the economy as they will not import any children or other liabilities. Most likely, they are escaping persecution and will not bring their cultural baggage with them. Nevertheless, they are subject to strict screening to ensure that they are compatible with Meekinosian culture and beliefs, though leniency may be shown if their lives are perceived as being in danger.

To qualify, one must be the following requirements:

fluency in more than two languages
no heterosexual tendencies; this includes bisexual tendencies which lean toward heterosexual behaviour
An understanding and appreciation of capitalist principles
At least the age of majority or suffrage
Must possess a secondary education diploma if under the age of 24; if over, must have some form of post-secondary qualification
Must be able to support one's self for a minimum of 3 months

Visas

Visas, however, are a different story. To acquire a visa, one must first sign a contract stipulating that they will obey all laws and they respect the core principles and values of Meekinos. Should they violate any terms of their contract, their visa will be terminated on the spot and the individual deported back to their country of origin at their expense. The qualifications are fewer.

There are three types of visas, worker, student and traveller.

The traveller visa (also known as a tourism visa) does not require one to sign any contract and in fact is the easiest one to acquire. The visa is only really needed in order to ensure the government can track and locate foreigners in the event of catastrophic events and aid them in returning to their home nation in the event of a national emergency. Tourists are generally subject to the same liberal laws that apply to Meekinosians, with a single exception, tourists are to keep their travel papers on them at all times. The length of the tourist visa can be extended if the price is right. Various tourism offices throughout Meekinos offer such a service.

The student visa has stricter requirements, but it still isn't as strict as the worker one. Students are expected to possess a diploma relevant to their age and grade and basic fluency in the Greek language. They are subject to a simple background check that verifies their education and criminal record. Any other language spoken is considered an asset. Those on exchange are expected to honour their hosts and respect their traditions. Students who fail this are summarily removed from the house and returned to their country of origin and blacklisted. They are no longer eligible for any visa except the traveller visa. Those who successfully complete their exchange become qualified for the worker visa permit.

The worker visa is quite difficult for a foreigner to acquire. Those who completed their education under the student visa automatically qualify and are not expected to undergo the series of tests given to workers. The tests measure literacy, fluency, physical condition, overall health (including sexual health), cultural knowledge and economic knowledge. The final test measures the candidate's qualification in their chosen field. The fail rate is quite high, with 75% of worker visas being denied. Of the 25% remaining, only half of those receive their visas. The other half are disqualified due to their extensive background checks.

by **Meekinos** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:32 am

Emigration and Expats

Once a Meekinosian, always a Meekinosian is the general rule of law within the nation. If a person is Meekinosian by birth, they always retain their citizenship, even when they leave the country. Those who elect to emigrate are required to keep their Meekinosian citizenship and can be called back if there is a draft. There has never been a need to recall any citizens, as there has never in the history of Meekinos been a draft or any form of conscription.

Those born outside of Meekinos, having at least one Meekinosian parent can be granted citizenship so long as they can prove parentage. Only the first generation born outside of Meekinos is given such a privilege. After that, they are unable to come to Meekinos as nothing more than visa works, unless they can prove direct lineage. This requires that their maternal and paternal grandparents, living outside of Meekinos are Meekinosian by heritage, and by association, both parents are.

Passports

All Meekinosians upon birth are issued biometric passports, which have no expiration date. The passports are considered good for life as genetic information cannot be altered. The passports can be kept by citizens who have emigrated from the nation due to Meekinosian law which states that a Meekinosian is always a Meekinosian even if they elect to live in another nation. Their birthright is never taken from them.

Every passport contains retina information, finger prints from both hands as well as the feet, dental information and assorted DNA information, as well as information regarding physical characteristics. This data is accompanied by standard information such as name which includes primary and surnames, aliases, the names of the citizens biological parents, place of birth, current residence, citizen number, gender, station/status; et cetera. Photographs are considered secondary and are not attached to passports until the Meekinosian citizen is of age. The photograph is only to be updated once a decade to minimise the inconvenience of dealing with the Ministry of Citizenship and Heritage.

by **Meekinos** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 3:39 pm

Tourism

Although Meekinos has an anti-immigration policy, it is very much in favour of tourism and has made a point of making the nation available for tourists who wish to travel within her borders. The laws governing tourists and tourism are minimal, as to allow people to freely visit. It has become part of modern Meekinos belief that the nation is a large shop front and that tourists are excellent for business. As a result, tourists are only required to carry a passport with them and a copy of their itinerary. No visas are required for visiting as a tourist.

Tourists are sheltered from anything considered negative within the Meekinosian nation in order to ensure that they are given the best experience possible. Every tourist is a client and it is important in the eyes of the Prophet that the client always leaves happy, albeit dirt poor at the end.

"A happy tourist will have an empty wallet and a big smile. If not, he hasn't been shown a good time." ~ Glykeria Argyris

Everything positive and joyous about the Meekinosian lifestyle is made available to tourists. They are taken on a wild ride through the nation. They are exposed to the most hospitable conditions and treated accordingly. Each prefecture has its own main city where touring groups and foreigners come in. Their stay begins in one of the major cities to ensure that they don't get lost, as Meekinosian cities are structured to run on a north-south, east-west grid, so everything is easy to find and everything is easy to access. The streets are labelled in both Greek and English.

by **Meekinos** » Wed May 12, 2010 5:27 am

Narcotics

Prohibition is considered unprofitable for the most part in Meekinos. It costs more to enforce than it would to allow for the existence of narcotics within the borders of the nation. This does not mean that all drugs are available in Meekinos. Those which are available are considered to be profitable by those who produce and sell. The only grounds on which a narcotic has been made illegal is on the ground of profit, and that is rare. For a drug to be considered unprofitable, its cost (monetary, mentally and physically) would have to outweigh the desired effects. Those which are outlawed are found in the Merchant's Discard List, a list which isn't officially endorsed by the government but widely accepted by all purveyors of narcotic substances.

Available Narcotics

Legal Status of Marijuana: Legal
Reason for Legal Status: Cannabis, which includes hemp is fully legal. As a product for recreational consumption there are few restrictions on it. Minors under the legal age of consumption are not permitted to consume it. The benefits of hemp are widely known and accepted. As a result, it is the most widely available narcotic in the nation.

Legal Status of Seeds: Legal
Reason for Legal Status: Hallucinogenic seeds and plants which high mescaline content aren't typically classed as soft drugs though are considered to be narcotics because they are able to alter a person's state of being. For that reason, they are readily available without the age restriction that is applied to other soft drugs.

Legal Status of LSD: Legal
Reason for Legal Status: LSD, while not as widely available as other soft drugs, is common enough throughout the nation. It is usually one of the first drugs used by young citizens wishing to explore beyond their mind's eye. It is part of growing up, and the narcotic is received from an elder in the family who oversees the experience.

Legal Status of Salvia Divonorium: Legal
Reason for Legal Status: Salvia is reserved for spiritual enlightenment. Although it is not widely available, it is legal as it is seen as another way of exploring one's spiritual side.

Legal Status of MDMA (Ecstasy): Legal
Reason for Legal Status: Ecstasy is available, but found in just a few parts of Meekinos. Due to the vast transit network in Meekinos, acquisition of the drug isn't terribly difficult, though it tends to be more expensive when imported from out of province. There are local merchants who are working to get local producers to manufacture the drug but the demand isn't high enough for some.

Legal Status of Cocaine & Heroin: Heavily regulated by various Merchant Associations
Reason for Legal Status: Though legal and classed as hard drugs, Heroin and Cocaine are very limited in their availability. They are considered expensive and the demand for these narcotics is low. There is a movement among merchants in Port Alexia to have these particular drugs added to the Merchant's Discard List because there is little in the way of demand, which means price goes down.

Legal Status of Tobacco: Quasi-Legal
Reason for Legal Status: Tobacco has a dubious status in Meekinos. For its level of addictiveness, it is classed as a hard drug. It is also widely available but it is one of the least popular narcotics. it has been on and off the Merchant's Discard List for decades. It is one of few narcotics subject to market trends.

Legal Status of Caffeine: Legal
Reason for Legal Status: Although it is officially considered a soft drug due to its potential for addictiveness, caffeine is available in all forms, from pills to coffee. Further, caffeine occurs naturally in a lot of products, especially coffee and ginsing, it is considered profitable. It is a popular narcotic and is even permitted to be consumed by children. It is generally believed that caffeine as a stimulant can help a person focus on their task and remain alert for longer periods of time. Coffee breaks are considered a necessary evil for that reason. Although work is rarely continued or finished during such times, it is valuable in allowing workers to refuel themselves. There is no age restriction and it is the first narcotic anyone is exposed to due to its extremely wide availability. Every household has some form of caffeine ready for consumption.

by **Meekinos** » Wed May 12, 2010 9:31 am

Sexuality and Relationships

What goes on in the bedrooms of Meekinos is not the business of the government so long as the actions are consensual.

Monogamy

Monogamy is the traditional type of relationship within Meekinos regardless of sexuality. It is the only type currently practiced under the laws which govern marital partnerships within Meekinos. For more details about what is required, refer to the earlier section of this guide which outlines the standard procedure for obtaining a marital contract within Meekinos.

Polygamy

While entirely legal within Meekinos and practiced openly, it is typically used by those opting for open relationships. Marital contracts make no special arrangements for polyamorous unions. The people in these types of arrangements tend to opt for Simple Status Partnerships due to the highly volatile nature of such arrangements. Marriage Status partnerships have stricter requirements, which make ending the contract more difficult.

Homosexuality

The restrictions on homosexuality are the same as those for heterosexual relationships. They are able to enter into marital contracts and adopt under the same rules as others. For more information, please refer to the earlier section on marriage.

BDSM, Fetishes

If a profit can be made, it is legal. There are no shortage of merchants throughout Meekinos who happily supply the toys and tools for those who desire such things.

Paedophilia

This is one of few items which in Meekinos there is no possible level of profitability that would justify such actions.

Children are protected in Meekinos as vulnerable citizens and are considered unable for practical reasons to give consent. It is considered exploitive in Meekinos, as family is highly prized.

Incest

A dubiously grey area in Meekinosian law. Almost all forms of consanguinity are illegal, however, it only gets enforced at the contract level. Those operating outside of the contract realm are typically ignored by the law, though may be pariahs in their community should it become known that they are engaged in such relations. It is usually heterosexual relations which get subject to such stigmas. Homosexual relations are more grey and tend to be widely ignored because there is no chance for the production of children.

Rape

It is not only illegal but should one be caught engaging in this form of abuse, the penalty is sub-servitude. The rapist is stripped of the majority of their rights. This is one time when choice is not an option and slavery is used. This is considered one of the most severe crimes in Meekinos. A person's personal space has been violated and no amount of compensation would ever take away the memories that haunt the victim. The goal here is to deter those who may engage in the crime by turning the guilty into subservient wards of the state.

Arranged Marriage

While illegal, the punishment is not as severe as it is for rape, though if one is found to be be forcing an arranged marriage without the consent of both parties, they will be found guilty of violating one's right to freedom of choice.

Interracial

Unheard of and unknown due to Meekinos lacking any form of legal immigration.

Bestiality

Considered a dubious area of the law. It remains greatly untouched, though socially it is a taboo.

by **Meekinos** » Wed May 12, 2010 5:30 pm

Laws of Meekinos

Meekinos by most definitions would be considered liberal in the majority of its laws. A number of activities which would in other nations be deemed criminal activities are generally considered legal in Meekinos because of the pervading idea that profit trumps paranoid legislation. In general, the laws that outlaw something in Meekinos do so on the ground that the harm is greater than the profit.

Law & Order

Once a child has reached the age of 12, the parent is no responsible for that child's actions. Before then, if a child breaks the law, they appear in court with their parent who is given the choice to punish their child or give the child to the state for punishment that is deemed suitable for the crime. The parent will typically pay for part of the costs of the crime.

A family is never punished for the actions of one person.

Narcotics: There are few crimes if any related to drugs. Those which stem from this area are due to contractual disputes, fraud, misrepresentation, product tampering et cetera, but due to the actual drug itself as there are no laws making any kind of narcotic illegal. The penalties for most are monetary fines and the seizure of the property used in the crime. For willingly and knowingly supplying a minor with narcotics, the penalties start at ȶ15,000 and go up to 2 years of incarceration plus 200 hours of community service.

Nudity: It is legal and as such, is not even a public misdemeanour.

Businesses: Most business practices are legal, except those who cause significant, irreparable harm, which usually extends to libel and slander. Typically this is proven in a Domestic Court, and is only brought before a Magistrate if the incident is severe enough. The punishment is typically a monetary fine.

Vehicles: Most road ways are free of posted speed limits; typically those which are considered country roads, highways, inner-city express ways, thoroughfare roads and roads through industrial areas. Speed limits are posted and heavily enforced in residential areas where the homes face street-ward and in school zones. Breaking these limits often results in the seizure of the vehicle, if you own it, and if it isn't, a steep fine, often starting at ȶ5000 (Kronos). Repeat offenders may have their licenses revoked. Those who break the law more than three times become unable to ever hold a license for a vehicle ever again.

Firearms: Firearm ownership in Meekinos is legal, as is concealment. There are few if any laws governing their use. The only laws governing guns pertain to assaulting another individual unprovoked, and carrying the weapons into diplomatic meetings. Any firearms in a home should be properly secured to avoid potential accidents. Other than that, there are no known penalties. The penalties related to this are the same as for any form of assault.

Assault: Any kind of assault in Meekinos is against the law and carries a minimum sentence of 1 year in a prefecture medium level security prison. The punishment is typically meted out at the discretion of the presiding Justice based on the severity of the injuries sustained by the victim and an array of other mitigating and aggravating factors. An assault is typically one where there is one person causing harm to other. Mutual Fights are exempt from this. These are fights were both parties want it and are prepared to accept the consequences. The penalty for this is a restraining order on each to stay away from each other should it get out of hand.

Sexual Assault: Any type of crime related to sex is often punished very severely. The lighter punishments tend to be 10-15 years in prison. These are typically crimes which involve physical harassment. Verbal harassment carries a lesser punishment of ȶ50,000 plus 100 hours of community service. Anything beyond this is at least 20 years in prison to life-time subservience, as well as being stripped of 95% of all wealth.

Murder: This excludes euthanasia, which is legal, as well as suicide. Manslaughter, typically deemed as unintentional, carries a minimum penalty of 150 hours of community service and a fine of ȶ1,000; more to give the family a sense of justice than to punish. First and second degree murder penalties carry prison terms subject to discretion on the part of the presiding justice, with the potential of being stripped up to 70% of all wealth.

Indentured Servitude

In the case of both murder and sexual assault, where the judge has deemed it fit to sentence a person to a life-time subservience (indentured servitude), the person sentence has a minimum number of rights. While they can be expected to carry out any number of tasks or chores at their masters' bidding, they cannot serve their time as sex slaves. There is no chore or task considered too dangerous or hazardous for the indentured servant. They can however request tools that allow them to safely perform the task, which they cannot refuse to do.

They are to be given shelter, clothing and adequate nutrition by their masters. They cannot work more than 14 hours per day, they are to be given adequate time to eat, sleep and take care of their personal hygiene. While they cannot be physically abused, there is no requirement for the masters to recognize the indenture servant's beliefs. It is also up to the master as to whether or not the indentured servant can associate with non-family, however, masters are expected to grant their indentured servants one day per week in which they can for a few hours see their family if the family wishes to visit.

Enforcement

Meekinos has no police force in the way that most nations do. Each municipality hires its own security force based on the basic principles of national law. Smaller municipalities tend to opt for small forces as there are not a great number of illegal activities under the law. It would be unprofitable for the cities to hire more than is necessary.

It is not uncommon for communities to hire their own security if they feel that the security provided by the city is inadequate.

There are a few simple laws governing the private security companies. They are required to have uniforms; be identifiable by citizens - have badges, name tags, enforce the law with an even hand and prevent harm from coming onto those who they are hired to protect. Anyone who serves in a private security force is required to have been trained and have some knowledge of Meekinosian law.

Courts

The court system is Meekinos is one of the few government run institutions. It is also a female-dominated area due to the culture and traditions of Meekinos. There are males within the system, but they remain outnumbered.

There are city or municipal level courts (Domestic Court) which handle contract disputes, marital issues and conflicts of interest, as well as petty theft and minor, non-violent criminal activity, typically vandalism. These courts are presided over by a Magistrate. This is a person who has been trained to serve as an officer of the court. This person would typically have about ten years experience as a barrister and solicitor.

The next level of court is the court at the prefecture level (Superior Court, Appeals Circuit). This level of court tends to handle inter-prefecture issues with contracts, issues of temporary workers violating their work visas, human rights violations and theft over ȶ10,000, violent and non-violent criminal activity. The Appeals Circuit handles most appeal cases, typically those from the Domestic Court, though with leave of the Superior Court, if a case is deemed to be a waste of resources for the national appeals court, it may also hear those cases. The presiding justices here will have often served prior to this in a Domestic Court and have about five to ten years experience or doing or have been a barrister and solicitor for about fifteen years and have a good standing in the legal community.

The court at the nation level is the Superior Court of Justice, and it is the highest court in the nation. It is in this court that cases regarding national security, including and not limited to treason are heard. Cases which normally fall out of the jurisdiction of the Superior Court of Justice may be moved to this court at the discretion of the presiding Superior Justices should the case be deemed to be of national interest. A branch of the Superior Court of Justice is the National Appeals Court, which will hear appeals from the Superior Court of Justice as well as prefecture level courts with leave. Justices who serve at the national level tend to have over twenty five years of combined experience.

Though experience is required for a citizen to preside over a case, there is no law that says they must leave their current post. There are Magistrates and Justices who have served in their current posts for more than twenty years. It should also be noted that the experience requirements are not written in any law but rather come from years of culture and tradition.

by **Meekinos** » Thu May 13, 2010 2:18 pm

Other Laws: Silly, Stupid & Outdated

In addition to its sensible and rather liberal laws regarding the majority of activity within the nation, there are a number of laws in Meekinos' books that many other nations may find odd when visiting. These laws are known to extend to consulates and embassies due to their very nature, and in some rare cases to Meekinosian citizens travelling abroad for business or leisurely intents.

The list presented here is by no means a complete list. It is meant as a cross-sample for those who are interested.

Every single citizen must carry a copy of the Meekinosian Capitalist Manifest (MCM), and it cannot be the abridged edition.
This is unenforced, and there is often no way to carry the book due to its size.
Every citizen must dress in black on the second Wednesday of every month, unless they are pregnant or breast feeding.
This is not enforced, though some employers may go out of their way to ensure that their employees are wearing black, even if it isn't part of the uniform or normal dress code.
Blonde males under the age of 20 are required to keep their hair at shoulder length. It is not to be tied up ever.
This law is considered outdated. It is also incredibly silly and no one follows it, though no politician has ever taken the time to repeal this law.
Any male over the age of 45 and suffering from Androgenic Alopecia are required to shave their heads or wear a toupee.
In early Meekinos, a full head of hair on an older male was considered a sign of dominance. A head free of hair meant he was a free spirit. Anything half-way meant he was infertile and unable to make a decision, and thus unmanly. This law is another one that goes unenforced, though some of the more egotistical males may follow it.
Children under the age of four years old are required to be on a leash at all times when out in public.
This law by some is considered barbaric. It is never enforced and very much outdated, though some parents if they feel their child is unruly may resort to using such a tactic and it would not be considered illegal or a form of child abuse. This law is an amended version of an earlier one which made all children under the age of 7 subject to this practice without exception.
On the tenth day of every third month, every citizen is mandated to carry a broom with them in some form.
The level of silliness of this law is self-evident.
When the breadwinner of the house is asked to make a decision in public and says, "I don't know", the secondary breadwinner is required to hit the first over the head with a rolled up magazine or newspaper.
This law is currently being reconsidered before the House of Commons, as some activists claim it has become a legalised form of domestic abuse. Cases involving this are few and far between with many people not bothering with it. Those who do tend to do so with no harm being caused.
If a couple has children, they are to only bear an odd number of children.
This law is unenforced and considered outdated as well as just plain silly. Early Meekinos had a strange belief that even numbers were against everything that was natural.

by **Meekinos** » Fri May 14, 2010 11:34 am

12 Prophets of Profit

The records kept on the prophets are limited and for preservation purposes are typically not published outside of the Meekinosian Central Archives. The MCM contains far more wisdom than what is published here. This is meant to provide an overview of each of the prophets and a piece of their wisdom which shapes the lives of billions of Meekinosians.

To date, there are 12 prophets. It was Thekla Xanthopoulos declared with a dying breath: "the next prophet would be a girl born under the midnight sun of the Festival of Suns, at the height at precisely midnight. She would be born with heterochromia, or eyes of different colours."

"I have a rock. It is mine, but if you pay me, it is yours. Heck, if you pay me, anything I have can be yours. If the price is right." ~ Theo Atamakis, 1st Prophet, Travelling Merchant

"Nations at war will always want bigger weapons than the other side. Profit is in giving them the bigger weapons then turning to the other and offering them the same thing. War isn't just about killing the other side, it's about profiting off the belligerence of others." ~ Spyro Floros, 2nd Prophet, Protégé of Atamakis

"Never doubt the power of public opinion; their purchasing power is the proof. Give them what they want and they will buy." ~ Gavrill Raptis, 3rd Prophet, Master Tailor

"To die a free person is to die wealthy." ~ Nomiki Metaxas 4th Prophet, Merchant of Myconos

"A happy tourist will have an empty wallet and a big smile. If not, he hasn't been shown a good time." ~ Glykeria Argyris, 5th Prophet, First Female Prophet

"An equitable society places equal rights in the hands of its people. Equal rights makes for a freer market place." ~ Akakios Pachis, 6th Prophet, Silver-tongued merchant

"In art there is profit and in profit there is art." ~ Chara Katsaros, 7th Prophet, Merchant of Illusions

"Without art there is no heritage, without profit there is no happiness; without neither, there is no Meekinos." ~ Dionysios Stavros, 8th Prophet, Historian

"Those who say money doesn't buy happiness have not the money to buy it." ~ Petros Kokinos, 9th Prophet, founder of the corporate empire Air Alexia

"Many paths can one walk; many turns can one take, all so one can reach the one happiness: profit." ~ Sybilla Demetriou, 10th Prophet, Literary Master & Poet Laureate

"The gods of our past show us the path; how we follow the path determines how we find out way." ~ Sotiris Simonides, 11th Prophet, Merchant of Delphi

"Political gain is just another stepping stone in the pursuit of prophet. Yield to none." ~ Thekla Xanthopoulos, 12th Prophet, Minister of Capitalism & Commerce

by **Meekinos** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:43 am

Government and Politics

Although the nation of Meekinos was initially founded upon matriarchal democratic principles, it quickly evolved into a Parliamentary Republic, a style of government that exists to this day. Subtle nuances of matriarchal principles still exist within the House of Commons and Senate due to prevailing social attitudes. Though it is quite common for the vast majority of politicians to be women, there are men who hold positions of importance as well. Both the House of Commons and the Senate are elected into power by the citizens of Meekinos.

The leadership is divided between two women, Premier Aella Knosses, who currently sits in the Premier's seat in the House of Commons has the head of the government and President Katina Metaxas, who is the current head of state. Although President Metaxes doesn't hold a position with a lot of executive power, her position has her overseeing matters of international importance.

The House of Commons is elected using a mix of first-past-the-post system for 75% of the votes and proportional representation for the remaining 25%, while the Senate uses a complete proportional representation system. The House of Commons has 975 seats while the Senate has 450 seats.

Government Structure

Elections

The Meekinosian Constitution mandates elections on a six year cycle for the House of Commons as well as the Senate. To keep elections orderly, the election schedule for each of the bodies is done on a staggered schedule, so in practice, there are national elections every three years. The premier is elected along with the party during the national elections for the House of Commons, while the president who hold an office apart from both the House of Commons and the Senate, runs for election at the same time the Meekinosian Senate is up for election.

The High Council of Meekinos, a body which oversees constitutional matters is not elected. Those who sit on the council are legal experts; barristers and solicitors as well as justices, magistrates and other seasoned judges. The body is appointed by the House of Commons and approved by the Senate. The term in office is for life, though it is common for members of this council to resign after ten years as most legal experts who are appointed to this council are at the end of their careers.

The High Council also oversees election matters when the House of Commons and/or Senate is not controlled by a majority government. It falls to them to determine if a non-confidence motion passed in either of the elected bodies is a valid motion. This is done to prevent snap elections at the whim of the minority government if it believes it can exploit the current political climate in order to secure a majority, or conversely, by the opposition to unseat the current administration.

Prefecture elections are held every four to six years depending on the prefecture's constitution. Municipal elections are held every five years regardless. The time frame for municipal elections is established in the Municipal Elections Treaty, which was signed by all mayors 600 years prior.

Voting

The right to vote at each level of government is spread out over several years.

The right to vote for the mayor as well as one's ward councillor in City level, or Municipal elections is granted at the age of fourteen years old. All students upon turning thirteen are expected to take academic courses in municipal level civics. While the grade earned has little impact on the right to vote, the class is mandatory. The civics class is a regular part of the academic program. The class has been praised as a way of boosting voter numbers in municipal elections, which had up to 250 years prior had low voter turn out. In order to counter voter apathy, the age at which citizens could vote in municipal elections was lowered to fourteen years from sixteen.

The right to vote in prefecture elections had once been pegged at eighteen years but was lowered to sixteen at the same time the municipal age for voting was established. The age of suffrage for voting in national general elections is set at seventeen, lowered from the previous age of eighteen. All the ages for voting were lowered in order to raise voter turnout in the nation as well as in each prefecture.

by **Meekinos** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 1:15 pm

National Ministries & Agencies

A breakdown of the federal cabinet, along with their mandates, including agencies and tribunals. Many of the agencies are link to another, or to more than a single ministry. For all intents and purposes, the agency or tribunal is often associated with the federal ministry which grants it its legal powers. An example of this is the the judiciary. It is considered separate from the executive - in this case, the House of Commons and federal cabinet, the current National Attorney General is the head of the Department of Justice. DoJ in this way answers to both the federal cabinet, premier and NAG.

Each ministry is headed by an MP from the majority or ruling party. If it's a minority government, the selection is done the same way unless a coalition exists, in which event the parties forming the coalition will divide up the portfolios based on the number of votes proportionately received. In all cases, the selected MP becomes the Minister of that particular portfolio. Under the Minister is a Junior or Acting Minister who serves to help manage the portfolio. The Junior Minister is selected in the same fashion.

by **Meekinos** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:28 am

Meekinos Leadership

Premier of Meekinos

Premier Aella Knosses
Right Honourable Member of Parliament, Head of Government
Leader of the Democratic Congress Party

Age: 40
Birthdate: January 12th, 2304, E10
Birthplace: Delos, Kalafati

Picture taken by the Meekinos National Press (MNP), outside of the House of Commons; date unknown

Signature:

Parents: Helen and George Knosses
Siblings: Aella is the youngest of three children. She had two sisters, Alexandria and Theodora.
Spouse: None, though she is current engaged to Thekla Spiros.
Children: None.

Education & Early Career

Her parents, Helen and George were the descendants of wealthy merchants and as a result were well-off in their lives, which meant that they could provide their children with the best of everything, and that included private education in the highest rated academic institution in the sprawling metropolis of Delos. Aella and her sisters were went to Delos' Academic Collegiate, a private school which covered kindergarten and grades 1 through the end of secondary school. From there, she went to Port Alexia to attend Meekinos' prime university, University of Ftelias (UoF). From there, she achieved her BA in political sciences. Although her parents had encouraged her to pursue her Masters and eventually her PhD, she declined and instead stayed in Port Alexia, choosing to work for City Hall.

Four years later, she ran for city councillor, winning her first seat. In the following municipal elections four years later, she filed her candidacy fee and ran for mayor. She beat out incumbent Nikolas Alexandros by less than a dozen votes. The incumbent refused to accept the election results, claiming that there had been a miscount by the ballot counters. He forced the issue to the Ftelias Prefecture Appeals Court to get a ruling on the matter. Rather than fight it to the top, Aella planned her concession speech the day before she and the incumbent were to appear in court to hear the ruling. She was prepared to tell the court her intentions and had informed her lawyer. Her lawyer advised her to first hear the ruling, which would turn out to be in her favour. The court had further found that the incumbent had wasted the court's time and ordered them to pay the defendant partial indemnity.

Political Career

Once she had secured her position as mayor of Port Alexia, Meekinos' capital city and largest city by winning as the incumbent, she was contacted by a party she had done work for during her university years. The Democratic Congress Party of Meekinos approached her after her second term was half way up, asking her to join their party. They had lost a few key members to retirement and needed to expand their ranks to appeal to younger voters by running young candidates. The national elections were upcoming before her term as mayor would be up. In order to run in the national election for her riding in Port Alexia, she had to resign her commission as mayor.

The Democratic Congress Party ran her in a riding known for its loyal support for its party, which essentially guaranteed her the seat in the House of Commons. She was thirty-eight years old when she secured her seat in the House of Commons as a back bencher. Being relegated to the back didn't stop her from attempting to table a bill that would stiffen penalties on foreign companies who failed to pay their Foreign Operations Tax, which was finally successful when the previous party leader granted her blessings to the bill.

About a year later, the party leader and premier lost her life in an unfortunate accident. The High Council of Meekinos instructed the Democratic Congress Party to elect its leader from within. The leader elected had to current hold a seat in the House of Commons and have been voted in by at least 65% of the riding. The candidate needed a solid majority from their riding. There were four possible candidates for the position, with Aella beating out the others to take the position as party leader. As party leader, she was automatically granted title of Premier.

President of Meekinos

President Katina Metaxes
Former Senator of South Agios-Milanis, Naxo for the Libertarian Party
Official Head of State

Age: 45
Birthdate: May 15th, 2299, E10
Birthplace: Agios Milanis, Naxo

Picture taken by the MNP, outside of the Senate, facing the commons area; date unknown

Signature:

Parents: Ariadne and Dimitrios Michelakis
Siblings: She is the third born of six siblings. She had two older brothers, Nicolas and Mikhael and three younger brothers, Gavriil, Iosif and Kyriakos.
Spouse: She is married to Justice Nomiki Metaxes, an intermediate level judge in the Ftelias prefecture appeals court.
Children: She has two children, twin boys, seven years old, by the names of Silas and Petros.

Education & Earlier Career

Katina's mother, Ariadne was a long serving Senator of Meekinos for many years, representing the north riding of Agios Milanis, while her father, Dimitrios had been a secondary teacher. When the first of the children had been born, Dimitrios left teaching in order to home-school his children. While home-schooling is legal within Meekinos, it isn't a standard practice in the larger towns and cities. In the smaller towns and more rural areas, home-schooling is an option. Katina and her brothers were home-schooled up to and including grade 8. Being home-schooled gave Katina an edge over her peers. As a result, she entered the Agios Milanis Secondary School at the age of twelve, two years before most students do. Upon graduating from secondary school, she went onto university in Crius, Naxo; University of Naxo (UoN), where she majored in Medical Sciences, aiming to go into pre-med with a minor in Political Sciences.

After she failed to qualify for medical school, she began to work for her mother's office in the Meekinos Senate as an administrative clerk. The first few years were spent dealing with the constant flow of documents into her mother's office as well as answering the phone, filing and other menial office tasks that were beneath her. After those first few years, her mother threatened to fire Katina in attempt to motivate her daughter. The threat had been overheard by another member of the Senate; another person in the same party as her mother, the Libertarian Party. He explained that there was a seat open. They could run the girl in the seat.

Political Career

The Libertarian Party was reluctant to run to Michelakis in ridings so close to each other. It had even been suggested that Katina would want to wait a few years for her mother to retire before running. It was a matter that became necessary for the High Council of Meekinos to resolve. The constitution was designed to prevent more than one family member to hold a leadership position in Meekinos. The Party had wondered if it applied to elected positions in the Senate. After two weeks of silence from the High Council of Meekinos, it was resolved that it would not be in violation of the constitution if Katina ran for election in a riding near her mother's. The clause had existed to prevent the leadership from being controlled by a single family in order to prevent any potential dictatorship or monarchy situation.

Katina ran for Senator in the same year her mother, a season Senator, was running in a neighbouring riding. Because her mother was beloved by the people of the north riding of Agios Milanis and her reputation extended south into the neighbouring riding, she was able to lend her support to Katina's fledgling election campaign. Katina's campaign was against a strong incumbent for the Democratic Congress Party and an equally as popular candidate from the Social Democrats. The candidates for the DCP and the SDP both cried foul when Katina's number skyrocketed and accused Adriadne Michelakis of abuse of office. The issue was taken before the High Council of Meekinos which ruled that it was a perfectly acceptable practice for members of the same party to lend their support to their fellow candidates. From that, she had gone on to win the Senate seat for that riding for two consecutive terms before making a run for president; a position which she secured easily following a four-month long campaign.

by **Meekinos** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:29 am

National Defence and Intelligence

Meekinos once had a large, well-armed and standing defencive military. It was equipped with the latest and greatest in military technology. It was considered a profitable institution for a time, then tragedy struck. During a round of military games, in the year 1200 B2, there was an unfortunately tragedy where a brigade executed its commanding officer and attempted to take over the city of Illdenris in the prefecture of Plintri. Several thousand civilians were killed, millions of kronos in damage, with hundreds of thousands more injured from unscrupulous military fire and use of small, lethal arms. The tragedy, known as the Massacre of Illdenris spawned the legislation House Bill 1294S -- Military Disarmament and Disbandment Act. There was wide spread support for it, with many citizens including those in the remnants of the military supporting it.

The nation went into isolation and because it spent hundreds of years of being heavily isolated from many external threats, a standing military was never considered a vital necessity and as a result was never reintroduced. While there is a Ministry of National Defence, the position is ceremonial and highly symbolic. The Ministry of National Defence aids the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in diplomatic matters and works closely with the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, which oversees the M.I.S.A (the Meekinos Intelligence Service Agency), the national intelligence gathering and espionage agency.

When the nation came under threat more than two hundred years prior, the government of the day had to respond by implementing a system that would be acceptable to the Meekinosian population. It had to be a practical, logical and profitable design. It had to defend the nation while not diverting any funds from education and healthcare or risk increasing taxation beyond the lower limits. The government contracted out the deal to a group of engineers and scientists. They had been tasked with the job of building a system that would serve as a defence grid without requiring any actual man power.

The project took twenty years to come to the stage at which it could be build. Its completion nearly fifteen years later resulted in an invisible grid over the nation composed of sensors that were tied to various air traffic control posts, who had direct lines to the Premier's office in the event of a threat. All incoming air traffic after that could not fly low without risking damage to the craft. In order to pass through the grid, each individual craft had to be granted security clearance.

In addition to the defence grid, the nation is equipped with hundreds of underground silos which contain unmanned drones which can direct nuclear warheads and other bio-chemical weapons, long and short-ranged missiles as well as highly experimental and classified arsenal. All the government documentation on the numbers for these weapons is highly classified. No one, not even the Ministry of National Defence knows the actual numbers. The total numbers are estimated to be in the tens of thousands.

The unmanned drones are designed to self-destruct upon reaching their destination as to provide no way for the enemy to be able to research the technology. Should the drone fail to reach its destiny within a designated time frame, it will self-destruct based. There are thirty-five thousand unmanned drones current in commission for use by the Ministry of National Defence as well as the Ministry of Intelligence and Security. The drones are usually employed by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security to perform reconnaissance on nations it feels are a threat and to air drop in androids who are specifically programmed to gather economic and market data to determine the profitability in opening trade negotiations with a nation.

by **Meekinos** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:29 am

Business and Commerce

There are very few if any laws in Meekinos governing business and commerce. The market is generally unregulated except for a few key areas. Businesses, whether small, medium or large; incorporated or unincorporated, enjoy many freedoms and are free to prosper and succeed by their own merits, or fail because of their own faulty decisions. The government allows for rampant capitalism and provides few if any protections in the form of regulations. The government is quite laissez-faire in its approach to the economy and market place, believing that capitalism will sort out everything at the end of the day.

Business Rights

Businesses in Meekinos enjoy nearly complete freedom from the government. There is no affirmative action in place. There are no legislated restrictions on when a business can and cannot operate. All days of the week are fair game. There are no statutory holidays, however, most will voluntarily close for certain days depending on current trends and what is and isn't profitable.

The Young Employee Act which exists to govern hiring practices. It is a a doubled-edged sword, while it was designed to grant businesses incentives to hire younger people while effectively lowered the unemployment rate, it legalised dismissal without cause within the first three months of employment. The first three months of employment for young employees hired under this law are often considered stressful because unscrupulous employers have been known to hire young people only to fire them three months less a day into the employment.

Businesses are protected from litigious consumers who face obstacles in the form of insurmountable numbers of legislation designed to protect business and endless reams of bureaucratic redtape. The legislation has been mostly successful in deterring frivolous lawsuits and forcing consumers to be mindful of their purchases and decisions. Caveat emptor laws were specifically drawn up in response to a handful of consumers repeatedly defrauding businesses in order to unjustly profit off the hardwork of others. There have been one or two known exemptions to this law where investigators found the business itself to have been negligent in its duties. Despite that this piece of legislation increases the difficulty in pursuing legal remedies against a business, it doesn't protect the business from the government.

Businesses generally have the right to conduct its affairs uninterrupted. The only times the government has been known to interfere is if there is a risk that state secrets are being sold, its dumping practices have damaged the environment and by proxy the citizens of Meekinos. A business's right to dispose of its waste in any means necessary ends where it interferes with the citizen's right to life, profit and property.

There are no known laws regarding unscrupulous market practices. Collusion (which includes price-fixing, cartels and bid rigging), monopolization, predatory pricing, refusal to deal, division of territory, Conscious parallelism, et cetera, are all perfectly legal and acceptable business practices in Meekinos.

Labour Rights

Although a business may have numerous rights in how it conducts itself, there are still laws which govern what it can and cannot do to its employees. Employees cannot be mistreated or subject to needlessly hazardous or dangerous workplace conditions.

Unions are illegal in Meekinos, however, Guilds, Merchant Associations and other occupation-style groups are perfectly permissible. Just as unions are illegal, so is striking action. It is illegal for anyone to strike. Nevertheless, job action which involves anything other than striking is permissible. Employee's Job Action Act (EJA Act for short) sets out the boundaries for what is considered legal and illegal.

The EJA Act legalises:

the right to refuse overtime
the right to work to order
the right to dress beneath station
the right to walk off the job
the right to negotiate new job terms and conditions as well as salary and benefits

Originally, strikes were just illegal for essential services, but it became increasingly apparent that the essential services were also dependant on what could be seen as non-essential services. In the name of equality for all workers and to keep the country functioning, legislation was passed that deemed all workers regardless of station to be equal to one another. If it was illegal for essential workers to strike, it was only fair for the same to apply to non-essential. The same principle was applied to unions.

Although business can operate any day of the week with no restrictions on time, there are limitations to how many hours and days per week each part-time, full-time, contract or temporary employee can work. The maximum is set rather high and there is no restrictions on how meeting the requirements can be achieved. Full-time employees may work a maximum of 10 hours a day, up to 5 days per week, excluding over time. All part-time employees are given an allotment of 36 hours per week, which can be allocated across as many days as the employer sees fit. For every four hours of work, a fifteen minute break is to be given, and a thirty minute meal break is to be given in days which are longer than seven hours.

There is no hard-set minimum wage in Meekinos, however, living wage is defined in the Employee Income Act as 'one which will allow a person to adequately clothe, shelter and feed themselves' or 60% of the relative median income. There is however incentive for various businesses to compensate their employees well. There are often lucrative government contracts that are given to those with the best records. The same applies to foreign trade opportunities. The government will often pass on information to those who have an excellent record when it comes to employee treatment.

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