NationStates

Validity: All

Title: Give Us A Break @@LEADER@@

Debate: Last night's news report revealed that @@NAME@@ has the least amount of public holidays in @@REGION@@, which has resulted in the quickest ever petition to reach your office. A group of disparate, yet concerned citizens, browned off at the paucity of public holidays, have come with suggestions for you to ponder.

Option 1: ''This one is easy.'' Says @@RANDOMNAMEFEMALE@@, a junior civil servant who is always trying to get you to notice her. ''Patriots Day! The national anthem can be played all day long on TV and radio, there can be carnivals in the streets showcasing our traditional clothes, dance, music and food. It will be fun for the kids too, as they can decorate their bicycles in the national colours of @@NAME@@ and win prizes for the best decorations. Every one will be so proud to be a @@NATIONALITY@@ again.''

Fallout: Bicycle and carnival float collisions are on the rise

Option 2: ''Patriots Day isn't a bad idea, but you're looking at it from the wrong perspective.'' Says retired General @@RANDOMNAME@@. ''Armed Forces Day is what we need. I can picture it now: a million armed men and women marching in perfect unison through the streets of @@CAPITAL@@, followed by battalions of our newest armoured vehicles, then the best part; our nukes on trailers. What a sight to behold! And all the civilians can be forced to be spectators, they wouldn't dare oppose that considering all the guns on show!''

Fallout: Creating cardboard imitations of nuclear weapons is a new top-secret military department

Option 3: ''Public holidays have traditionally been of a religious nature.'' Says Priest @@RANDOMNAME@@. ''We should celebrate Immaculate Conception Day. The day when our prophet's virgin mother was touched by The Almighty and thus was able to bear a child without sin. School children can create plays about it and the adults, well, the adults can go to church for once.''

Fallout: Children ask the most awkward questions during sex education lessons

Option 4: ''Save the trees!'' Yells Milly Taint, the number one protester in all of @@NAME@@. ''Environment Day is a public holiday that has to be created. Every one can plant a tree in their gardens, children can display school environmental projects at City Hall and no one is allowed to drive on this day. The message of environmental awareness and stopping climate change has to be heard.''

Fallout: Apartment dwellers are forced to buy copious amounts of bonsai trees

Option 5: Then a totally naked guy comes strutting into your office and stands directly in front of you without shame. Luckily there is a framed photo of your parents on your desk that is located perfectly to avoid any offending sight. ''Naked Day, a day when every citizen can be as free as Mother Nature intended. A day when people can walk around without shame, without comments or harassment from others. It will be a great chance to educate every one on the benefits of nudism, even the prudes will come round to the idea, eventually.''

Fallout: Escalators are avoided at all costs

I like your idea of making a new national holiday, promoting either patriotism, war, religion, nature, or ... nudity?

That being said, I think it'd also be neat if there was an option to just all-out ban holidays in general, and favor having,
as it was put, "the least amount of public holidays in @@REGION@@". Otherwise it looks pretty good!

would it be appropriate to make the religious option about Violetism?

That'd be a possibility, although I imagine Violetism's a bit more extreme than other religions that take place
- unless you mandate a national religion even more extreme, which is possible.

Nice issue! Now, let's take a look:
I'm going to be abrupt and to the point here. This is my personality, and not a reflection of your work
1. There should be some disgrunteld shift worker who gets no public holidays
2. Option 2 assumes that have nukes to begin with
3. Option 3, Assumes that you're a religious nation. Also, people put their real religions into this. Don't make assumptions about how religions work

There is no option to do anything other than increase the number of bank holidays. Maybe an option to remove all bank holidays could work?

Also, option 5 doesn't work if your nation has mandatory nudity.

Am I right in thinking that all nations can receive issues like this, minus the option that they have banned? Example nations that banned religion get this issue minus the religion option, enforced nudity gets it minus the nude option, etc. How does that work?

Baggieland wrote:Am I right in thinking that all nations can receive issues like this, minus the option that they have banned? Example nations that banned religion get this issue minus the religion option, enforced nudity gets it minus the nude option, etc. How does that work?

You can write in option validity. For instance, [option 5] [Valid only for nations without mandatory nudity]

Baggieland wrote:Am I right in thinking that all nations can receive issues like this, minus the option that they have banned? Example nations that banned religion get this issue minus the religion option, enforced nudity gets it minus the nude option, etc. How does that work?

It's true

Validity: All, except option 5 which is only for nations without mandatory nudity

Title: Give Us A Break @@LEADER@@

Debate: Last night's news report revealed that @@NAME@@ has the least amount of public holidays in @@REGION@@, which has resulted in the quickest ever petition to reach your office. A group of disparate, yet concerned citizens, browned off at the paucity of public holidays, have come with suggestions for you to ponder.

Option 1: ''This one is easy.'' Says @@RANDOMNAMEFEMALE@@, a junior civil servant who is always trying to get you to notice her. ''Patriots Day! The national anthem can be played all day long on TV and radio, there can be carnivals in the streets showcasing our traditional clothes, dance, music and food. It will be fun for the kids too, as they can decorate their bicycles in the national colours of @@NAME@@ and win prizes for the best decorations. Every one will be so proud to be a @@NATIONALITY@@ again.''

Fallout: Bicycle and carnival float collisions are on the rise

Option 2: ''Patriots Day isn't a bad idea, but you're looking at it from the wrong perspective.'' Says retired General @@RANDOMNAME@@. ''Armed Forces Day is what we need. I can picture it now: a million armed men and women marching in perfect unison through the streets of @@CAPITAL@@, followed by battalions of our newest armoured vehicles, then the best part; our biggest missiles on trailers. What a sight to behold! And all the civilians can be forced to be spectators, they wouldn't dare oppose that considering all the guns on show!''

Fallout: Creating cardboard imitations of missiles is a new top-secret military department

Option 3: ''Public holidays have traditionally been of a religious nature.'' Says Priest @@RANDOMNAME@@. ''We should celebrate Immaculate Conception Day. The day when our prophet's virgin mother was touched by The Almighty and thus was able to bear a child without sin. School children can create plays about it and the adults, well, the adults can go to church for once.''

Fallout: Children ask the most awkward questions during sex education lessons

Option 4: ''Save the trees!'' Yells Milly Taint, the number one protester in all of @@NAME@@. ''Environment Day is a public holiday that has to be created. Every one can plant a tree in their gardens, children can display school environmental projects at City Hall and no one is allowed to drive on this day. The message of environmental awareness and stopping climate change has to be heard.''

Fallout: Apartment dwellers are forced to buy copious amounts of bonsai trees

Option 5: Then a totally naked guy comes strutting into your office and stands directly in front of you without shame. Luckily there is a framed photo of your parents on your desk that is located perfectly to avoid any offending sight. ''Naked Day, a day when every citizen can be as free as Mother Nature intended. A day when people can walk around without shame, without comments or harassment from others. It will be a great chance to educate every one on the benefits of nudism, even the prudes will come round to the idea, eventually.''

Fallout: Escalators are avoided at all costs

Option 6: @@RANDOMNAME@@, the No. 1 undertaker in @@NAME@@ has the final say. ''I haven't had a day off since September 12th, 1968. Worked every day since then. I don't need a day off, and all theses work-shy lay-abouts shouldn't have one either. @@LEADER@@, we don't need another public holiday, in fact, we don't need any public holidays. Get rid of them all, it will be good for the economy.''

Fallout: Sickies are on the rise

Are there any other points I need to add in the validity section?

So, is this issue good to go????

No, I don't think so. Gimmee a sec, I'll give it the full treatment.

Baggieland wrote:Title: Give Us A Break @@LEADER@@

Good title. Comma after 'Break' would be good.

Debate: Last night's news report revealed that @@NAME@@ has the least amount of public holidays in @@REGION@@, which has resulted in the quickest ever petition to reach your office. A group of disparate, yet concerned citizens, browned off at the paucity of public holidays, have come with suggestions for you to ponder.

The premise is going to be meaningless for nations which occupy their own regions, and highly unlikely to be believable in residents of giant Feeder regions. Likewise, asserting that this is the quickest ever petition is going to feel untrue as well.

Also, the English here is a bit poor - quantity of public holidays is going to be measured as "fewest number" not "least amount". Browned off should be hyphenated.

Finally, the last sentence feels redundant, as it's basically "people are saying something must be done," which is a little weak.

Re-frame the narrative to have another reason why the number of public holidays has come up, that isn't based on comparison to the region. Try to have more story than "you are doing badly at this thing, people have some options for you."

I note that your options are NOT actually solutions to the broad question of how many public holidays a nation should have. They are, in fact, suggestions for different individual public holidays. This creates a narrative disconnect, and makes the issue as a whole very weak.

If you want to have a list issue proposing a bunch of different national holidays, then change the narrative to fit that. Maybe for some reason a previously celebrated annual public holiday can no longer reasonably be celebrated, for reasons outlined in your opening. Then, you could have people proposing what you do with that day.

I actually think whether and broadly how many national holidays a nation should have is way more interesting than what the new holiday should be.

Ransium wrote:I actually think whether and broadly how many national holidays a nation should have is way more interesting than what the new holiday should be.

Would that be a separate issue to this one?

Author's choice, of course, but I'm suggesting the author change the focus of the options to that. Something needs to change though, as the opening text already indicates this is the direction the issue is going. Personally I don't find 'list issues" like this a terribly interesting means of nation building. There far too nakedly do you like X, Y, or Z best with no opportunities for nuance.

Option 3 assumes the nation is a terrible off-shoot of Christanity. I can't see taht working well...

Australian Republic wrote:3. Option 3, Assumes that you're a religious nation. Also, people put their real religions into this. Don't make assumptions about how religions work

Australian Republic wrote:Option 3 assumes the nation is a terrible off-shoot of Christanity. I can't see taht working well...

I hear you Aussie, but can you elaborate a bit more? I'm just trying to invent a brand new religious holiday. Any suggestions?

Title:

Give Us A Break, @@LEADER@@

Description:

A recent public opinion survey has shown that @@LEADER@@ has, naturally of course, the highest ever approval rating for a sitting Head-of-State in the history of @@NAME@@. Your top Spin-Doctor has suggested that to capitalize on this good news, a brand new public holiday would put the hoi polloi in even greater admiration of you and has invited some eager citizens with suggestions for you to ponder.

Validity:

All, except option 5 which is only for nations without mandatory nudity

Options:

Option 1: ''This one is easy.'' Says @@RANDOMNAMEFEMALE@@, a junior civil servant who is always trying to get you to notice her. ''Patriots Day! The national anthem can be played all day long on TV and radio, there can be carnivals in the streets showcasing our traditional clothes, dance, music and food. It will be fun for the kids too, as they can decorate their bicycles in the national colours of @@NAME@@ and win prizes for the best decorations. Every one will be so proud to be a @@NATIONALITY@@ again.''

Effect: Bicycle and carnival float collisions are on the rise

Option 2: ''Patriots Day isn't a bad idea, but you're looking at it from the wrong perspective.'' Says retired General @@RANDOMNAME@@. ''Armed Forces Day is what we need. I can picture it now: a million armed men and women marching in perfect unison through the streets of @@CAPITAL@@, followed by battalions of our newest armoured vehicles, then the best part; our biggest missiles on trailers. What a sight to behold! And all the civilians can be forced to be spectators, they wouldn't dare oppose that considering all the guns on show!''

Effect: Creating cardboard imitations of missiles is a new top-secret military department

Option 3: ''Public holidays have traditionally been of a religious nature.'' Says Priest @@RANDOMNAME@@. ''We should celebrate Immaculate Conception Day. The day when our prophet's virgin mother was touched by The Almighty and thus was able to bear a child without sin. School children can create plays about it and the adults, well, the adults can go to church for once.''

Effect: Children ask the most awkward questions during sex education lessons

Option 4: ''Save the trees!'' Yells Milly Taint, the number one protester in all of @@NAME@@. ''Environment Day is a public holiday that has to be created. Every one can plant a tree in their gardens, children can display school environmental projects at City Hall and no one is allowed to drive on this day. The message of environmental awareness and stopping climate change has to be heard.''

Effect: Apartment dwellers are forced to buy copious amounts of bonsai trees

Option 5: Then a totally naked guy comes strutting into your office and stands directly in front of you without shame. Luckily there is a framed photo of your parents on your desk that is located perfectly to avoid any offending sight. ''Naked Day, a day when every citizen can be as free as Mother Nature intended. A day when people can walk around without shame, without comments or harassment from others. It will be a great chance to educate every one on the benefits of nudism, even the prudes will come round to the idea, eventually.''

Effect: Escalators are avoided at all costs

Option 6: @@RANDOMNAME@@, the No. 1 undertaker in @@NAME@@ has the final say. ''I haven't had a day off since September 12th, 1968. Worked every day since then. I don't need a day off, and all these work-shy lay-abouts shouldn't have one either. @@LEADER@@, we don't need another public holiday, in fact, we don't need any public holidays. Get rid of them all, it will be good for the economy.''

Effect: Sickies are on the rise

Looks good. As we're assuming high approval in the narrative, a validity check on cheerfulness would likely make sense.

Also, many of these options need additional individual narrative checks, but we can sort that when/if we come to edit.

Good progress on this, issue is solid.

'Only valid for nations with a high cheerfulness rating'. Do you mean like that?

Sure that'd work.

Submissions are all processed by human folk not computers, so as long as you transmit your meaning, we'll be able to parse it.

Anything else needs changing before submitting it?