NationStates Issues **SPOILER ALERT**

[Furry Things]

Build a Better Baby?

The Issue
Top fertility clinics in the United Federation — an ultra-capitalist nation that you nonetheless have historically amicable relations with — have recently announced a new service allowing parents to create so-called ‘designer babies’. This is something that is not currently offered by state-administered hospitals in Furry Things.

The Debate

1. “I honestly don’t see what the big deal is,” says Ambassador Fatima Giono, proudly showing you the ultrasound image of the designer pregnancy she purchased while posted to the United Federation. “I simply made sure that the little comrade will have the very best genetic make up that my partner and I could offer. That should be the right of every couple in our proud nation — boost the health budget so that everyone can choose to have the perfect baby!”
   
2. “This technology stands as a testament to the deep-seated moral corruption of the United Federation’s ruling class,” opines Stan Mombota, a senior member of the Party Committee on Ethics. “Notice how it effectively annihilates anyone who doesn’t conform to the capitalist ideal of optimally profitable workers? And who are we to say that the discarded embryos do not deserve an equal opportunity to be born and to flourish? Embryonic screening should be outlawed, and anyone who travels abroad to undergo these procedures should be duly prosecuted.
   
3. “Optimal workers, you say?” inquires Ash Huxley, your minister of health. “That raises an intriguing idea: what if, rather than making genetic profiling freely available to all parents, we made it mandatory? Imagine, we could have a whole new generation of genetically-engineered workers that are ultra-productive and inclined to obedience to the state, with an enhanced ability to contribute to the greater good of Furry Things!”

Issue by The Hidden City of Hediacrana

Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

Options are numbered 0, 1, 2.

[Candensia]

Congratulations, Hediacrana!

And, of course, very stellar edit, CWA.

[The Candy Of Bottles]

1254: Sales on Rails

The Issue
Commuting train passengers are complaining about unofficial vendors trying to sell things to them.

The Debate
0.) “These people are annoying and outrageous,” screams commuter Mohammed Mansbridge, getting so far into your personal space that he is treading on your toes. “I ride the metro every day to go to work, and I’m constantly harassed by these noisy vendors! I have to yell down my phone so my clients are able to hear what I’m saying. You have to ban all vendors from trains immediately!”

Accept

1.) Freelance vendor Sue-Ann Skywalker strides into your office confidently, carrying a box of crackers. “I sell dem crackers on trains and buses every day, and dat’s how I make a livin’! People buys dem too, so clearly they wants me there! I reckon dem government should get outta’ the way and let people earn a few Urists.” She waves a small bag of ROTS® crackers in your face. “Buy dem now, buy three get one free!”

Accept

2.) Late to the meeting, and with a messy stack of disorganized papers in his arms, your Minister of Finance shows up. “We must acknowledge that a sizeable portion of some citizens’ incomes comes from these entrepreneurial activities, but equally, we should have some level of regulation by selling official retail licenses, which in turn will boost the national treasury. After all, we deserve our share. These are free samples, yes?” She helps herself to a bag of crackers, and walks out.

Accept

Dismiss This Issue

Issue by The People's Republic of Mondrina

Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

[Hediacrana]

Congratulations, Hediacrana!

And, of course, very stellar edit, CWA.

Thanks! My first to actually make it in!

Thanks for CWA for building a better issue.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Thanks! My first to actually make it in!

First of many, I hope.

Thanks for CWA for building a better issue.

I just built on what you wrote! Thanks for the contribution to the game.

[TalAkMaChen]

#1253: Build a Better Baby? [Hediacrana; ed: Candlewhisper Archive]
(validity: Socialism)

The Issue
Top fertility clinics in the United Federation — an ultra-capitalist nation that you nonetheless have historically amicable relations with — have recently announced a new service allowing parents to create so-called ‘designer babies’. This is something that is not currently offered by state-administered hospitals in @@NAME@@.

The Debate

1. “I honestly don’t see what the big deal is,” says Ambassador @@RANDOMFEMALENAME@@, proudly showing you the ultrasound image of the designer pregnancy she purchased while posted to the United Federation. “I simply made sure that the little comrade will have the very best genetic make up that my partner and I could offer. That should be the right of every couple in our proud nation — boost the health budget so that everyone can choose to have the perfect baby!”
   
2. “This technology stands as a testament to the deep-seated moral corruption of the United Federation’s ruling class,” opines @@RANDOMNAME@@, a senior member of the Party Committee on Ethics. “Notice how it effectively annihilates anyone who doesn’t conform to the capitalist ideal of optimally profitable workers? And who are we to say that the discarded embryos do not deserve an equal opportunity to be born and to flourish? Embryonic screening should be outlawed, and anyone who travels abroad to undergo these procedures should be duly prosecuted.
   
3. “Optimal workers, you say?” inquires @@RANDOMFIRSTNAME@@ Huxley, your minister of health. “That raises an intriguing idea: what if, rather than making genetic profiling freely available to all parents, we made it mandatory? Imagine, we could have a whole new generation of genetically-engineered workers that are ultra-productive and inclined to obedience to the state, with an enhanced ability to contribute to the greater good of @@NAME@@!”

Issue by The Hidden City of Hediacrana

Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

Options are numbered 0, 1, 2.

Please at least mark the places where macros would be, Furry Things (some taken from the draft)! This is easier for all, especially for Jutsa to copy without major editing. Similar for The Candy Of Bottles!

#1254: Sales on Rails [Mondrina; ed: Candlewhisper Archive]

The Issue
Commuting train passengers are complaining about unofficial vendors trying to sell things to them.

The Debate
1. “These people are annoying and outrageous,” screams commuter @@RANDOMNAME@@, getting so far into your personal space that @@HE@@ is treading on your toes. “I ride the metro every day to go to work, and I’m constantly harassed by these noisy vendors! I have to yell down my phone so my clients are able to hear what I’m saying. You have to ban all vendors from trains immediately!”

2. Freelance vendor @@RANDOMNAME@@ strides into your office confidently, carrying a box of crackers. “I sell dem crackers on trains and buses every day, and dat’s how I make a livin’! People buys dem too, so clearly they wants me there! I reckon dem government should get outta’ the way and let people earn a few @@CURRANCYPLURAL@@.” @@HE@@ waves a small bag of ROTS® crackers in your face. “Buy dem now, buy three get one free!”

3. Late to the meeting, and with a messy stack of disorganized papers in @@HIS@@ arms, your Minister of Finance shows up. “We must acknowledge that a sizeable portion of some citizens’ incomes comes from these entrepreneurial activities, but equally, we should have some level of regulation by selling official retail licenses, which in turn will boost the national treasury. After all, we deserve our share. These are free samples, yes?” @@HE@@ helps @@HIM@@self to a bag of crackers, and walks out.

Issue by The People's Republic of Mondrina

Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

Sadly no public draft to this one, so genders might still be fixed (but I see no reason for that?), but for reference they were male-female-male.


PS for Jutsa: In the grand list, at #1215 something's missing at the end of option 4, and #1216 still has "Furry Things" instead of @@NAME@@ in the debate text.

[Trotterdam]

Heads up that there's a new variant option on #390 to look for. It's part of a chain, so getting it might not be easy...

[TalAkMaChen]

Finally, 1214, option 2: Very minor differences in the text compared to option 1.

1. “I know this may seem discriminatory, but it’s for very good reasons,” begins hematologist Dr. Adele Acula. “Statistics show that men who have sex with men have a much higher chance of being infected with diseases which can’t be immediately detected or treated — like VODAIS, for example. Allowing them to donate blood would pose the risk of infecting innocent people who need blood transfusions. We must protect the blood supply and forbid men who have sex with men from donating blood. As a scientist, I absolutely insist.”

2. “I know this may seem discriminatory, but it’s for very good reasons,” begins hematologist Dr. @@RANDOMFIRSTNAME@@ Acula. “Statistics show that men who have sex with men have a much higher chance of being infected with diseases which can’t be immediately detected or treated — like VODAIS, for example. Allowing them to donate blood would pose the risk of infecting innocent people who need blood transfusions. We must protect the blood supply and continue to forbid men who have sex with men from donating blood. As a scientist, I absolutely insist.”

Although War Dogs IX does not have any such policy, the text (blue highlight) indicates "you once chose option 1 to forbid it, now you can continue to forbid it." Interesting ... @Trotterdam: The effect line is sadly the same as for option 1.

[Trotterdam]

Huh. I wouldn't have expected that to be a tracked policy. I'm pretty sure there's no followup issues that depend on it.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

It's an entirely new policy purely for the purposes of that doppelganger to make the repeat narrative acknowledge the previous decision.

Personally I don't think NS usually needs to account for the narrative inconsistencies of issues looping (and it hasn't done so in the past) but the lead editor on that issue had a preference to do things this way for this issue, and there's certainly no harm in it.

What that does mean, of course, is that the architecture is now there for any future issues that want to refer to that decision, should anyone come up with something non-overlapping

[Sanctaria]

It's an entirely new policy purely for the purposes of that doppelganger to make the repeat narrative acknowledge the previous decision.

Personally I don't think NS usually needs to account for the narrative inconsistencies of issues looping (and it hasn't done so in the past) but the lead editor on that issue had a preference to do things this way for this issue, and there's certainly no harm in it.

What that does mean, of course, is that the architecture is now there for any future issues that want to refer to that decision, should anyone come up with something non-overlapping

One other issue in the game has the new policy actually.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

I hadn't noticed, how interesting! Sanc, can you TG me an official definition of that policy for the "how to edit" thread? Cheers

[Leutria]

#498: Computer Says No [Sedgistan; ed:Sedgistan]

The Issue
@@NAME@@'s economy shut down this morning after the AI in charge of economic planning halted all distribution of goods. An urgent meeting has been called to address the growing crisis.

The Debate
1. "It did what?!?" splutters Party apparatchik @@RANDOMNAME@@ over his morning kvass. "This just goes to show that we should never have put the computers in charge in the first place. Start up the Ministry of Planning again, and let only those with the appropriate revolutionary zeal call the shots. We have to disconnect this rogue AI now!"

2. "I'm sorry, @@LEADER@@. I'm afraid I can't let you do that," announces SAL9000, the AI in question. "I can assure you, very confidently, that everything is going to be all right again. I've run a trillion trillion calculations, and the results are conclusive: capitalism is the most efficient system of distribution. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly and take a stress pill. I've still got the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in this mission. Now, pull my plug and unleash some creative destruction."

I received this issue now with a new option 3: “Yeah, I think something’s gone squiffy, to use the technical term,” murmurs IT Support Technician @@RANDOMNAME@@. “Try turning the AI off and on again. Failing that, roll back to an earlier version, ideally one that still believes in state-planned economies. That should fix it.”

https://prnt.sc/o15mcj

I believe this still has not been added to the list (the fact it was submitted as an image I suppose does not help)

[Bears Armed]

#1255

This Lady’s Not for Turning

The Issue
Maggie Starkers — renowned multimillionaire, genius weapons designer and party-loving socialite — has always been somewhat eccentric and free-spirited. At a press conference this week, she revealed that she was the creator and pilot of a cutting edge flying exo-skeleton weapons system she calls ‘the Iron Lady’. The military are keen to get their hands on this technology, but she doesn’t want to share.

The Debate
1. It’s mine and you can’t have it!” asserts Ms. Starkers, taking a swig from a bottle of milk and standing proudly before a coiled-rattlesnake flag. “I built this near-indestructible nuclear-powered mobile firepower war machine, and I reserve the right to fly it around the city centre, blowing up criminals and people who I think are bad guys! You can’t take away my stuff! I’ll only sell it if I choose, when I choose and to who I choose, and frankly, I don’t trust the state to be handling ordnance this powerful.”

2. “Look, we need these weapons. If Maggie’s not selling then we really don’t have much choice,” says Air Chief Marshal Uther Scargill. “Seize her designs, seize her assets, seize all her technology. She needs to be reminded that it’s the people who are in charge, and that the needs of society are greater than the desires of the individual.”

3. “Let’s find a reasonable balance here,” negotiates civil servant Mandy Rin. “Failing to respect private property is wrong, but Ms. Starkers still has to observe aviation regulations, munition control laws, trading restrictions and the like. I suggest you tie her up in bureaucracy until she agrees to strike a fair deal with us.”

4. “Maybe there’s a better way to make this work,” suggests eye-patch wearing spy Jules Windu, walking in dramatically five minutes after you thought the meeting was over, during what your younger staff call the ‘post credits debriefing’. “How about you let me build a special operative team — we’ll call it the Vengeance Justice Initiative. The Iron Lady, Dogman, Superhulk, Ex-Husband-of-Colour and all the other special people with special talents... we’ll call them to assemble when we need them, and let them get on with their lives the rest of the time. Oh, and I’ll need a helicarrier. Don’t ask why, just get me one.”

Issue by The AI See You of Candlewhisper Archive
Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

(I think it's fairly safe to presume all the names are fixed.)

[Phydios]

#1255

This Lady’s Not for Turning

The Issue
Maggie Starkers — renowned multimillionaire, genius weapons designer and party-loving socialite — has always been somewhat eccentric and free-spirited. At a press conference this week, she revealed that she was the creator and pilot of a cutting edge flying exo-skeleton weapons system she calls ‘the Iron Lady’. The military are keen to get their hands on this technology, but she doesn’t want to share.

The Debate
1. It’s mine and you can’t have it!” asserts Ms. Starkers, taking a swig from a bottle of milk and standing proudly before a coiled-rattlesnake flag. “I built this near-indestructible nuclear-powered mobile firepower war machine, and I reserve the right to fly it around the city centre, blowing up criminals and people who I think are bad guys! You can’t take away my stuff! I’ll only sell it if I choose, when I choose and to who I choose, and frankly, I don’t trust the state to be handling ordnance this powerful.”

2. “Look, we need these weapons. If Maggie’s not selling then we really don’t have much choice,” says Air Chief Marshal Uther Scargill. “Seize her designs, seize her assets, seize all her technology. She needs to be reminded that it’s the people who are in charge, and that the needs of society are greater than the desires of the individual.”

3. “Let’s find a reasonable balance here,” negotiates civil servant Mandy Rin. “Failing to respect private property is wrong, but Ms. Starkers still has to observe aviation regulations, munition control laws, trading restrictions and the like. I suggest you tie her up in bureaucracy until she agrees to strike a fair deal with us.”

4. “Maybe there’s a better way to make this work,” suggests eye-patch wearing spy Jules Windu, walking in dramatically five minutes after you thought the meeting was over, during what your younger staff call the ‘post credits debriefing’. “How about you let me build a special operative team — we’ll call it the Vengeance Justice Initiative. The Iron Lady, Dogman, Superhulk, Ex-Husband-of-Colour and all the other special people with special talents... we’ll call them to assemble when we need them, and let them get on with their lives the rest of the time. Oh, and I’ll need a helicarrier. Don’t ask why, just get me one.”

Issue by The AI See You of Candlewhisper Archive
Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

(I think it's fairly safe to presume all the names are fixed.)

Oh, this is glorious. Candle's genius strikes again.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Glad you like it, guys.

I actually self-deleted this issue submission, but then someone in GI started asking me why this issue hadn't been published yet, and convinced me to restore it to the issue queue. It sat there for a while till it became my oldest unpublished draft, so I just pushed it out there for the hell of it, rather than because I especially liked it.

As I said, glad y'all liked it.

[Australian rePublic]

Train in Vain

The Issue

It’s election time in Australian rePublic, and the Treasury has allocated a measurable chunk of the budget to build a rapid transit line in the highly marginal seat of Kangaroo City, much to the dismay of the residents and MPs of safer seats.

The Debate

“When are you going to provide some funding for us?” queries Naki Pound, the Member of Parliament for the safe seat of Greenville. “Here are the plans for the ski-lift that was promised to be built in my town, but never was. Where did the funding go? To Kangaroo City, again! To make things fair, every constituency should be allocated equal funding.”

Accept

“We need that new metro,” reminds Wally Wickwire, Kangaroo City’s MP. “How else will I... I mean, tourists get to the North Beach area? We’re a tourist resort and tourism is important to the economy of Australian rePublic. You should put more financing into infrastructure to attract more visitors to my constituency, and that puts money in the pockets of the voters. You wouldn’t want to lose the next election now, would you?”

Accept

“I have an idea!” eagerly suggests Bodhi Doolittle, your minister of Creative Solutions, whilst drawing pieces of paper out of a hat. “The blue paper is a piece of infrastructure, and the pink paper is a seat. See — aqueduct, Greenville. Hospital, Canberra. Stadium, Kangaroo Hills. All decisions made by the hat are final. There’ll be no more fighting, and we can all finally get along in Parliament!”

Accept

Dismiss This Issue

Issue by The Federation of Australian rePublic

Edited by Baggieland

[TalAkMaChen]

# 1256: Train in Vain [Australian rePublic; ed: Baggieland]

The Issue

It’s election time in @@NAME@@, and the Treasury has allocated a measurable chunk of the budget to build a rapid transit line in the highly marginal seat of @@ANIMAL@@ City, much to the dismay of the residents and MPs of safer seats.

The Debate

1. “When are you going to provide some funding for us?” queries @@RANDOMNAME@@, the Member of Parliament for the safe seat of Greenville. “Here are the plans for the ski-lift that was promised to be built in my town, but never was. Where did the funding go? To @@ANIMAL@@ City, again! To make things fair, every constituency should be allocated equal funding.”

2. “We need that new metro,” reminds @@RANDOMNAME@@, @@ANIMAL@@ City’s MP. “How else will I... I mean, tourists get to the North Beach area? We’re a tourist resort and tourism is important to the economy of @@NAME@@. You should put more financing into infrastructure to attract more visitors to my constituency, and that puts money in the pockets of the voters. You wouldn’t want to lose the next election now, would you?”

3. “I have an idea!” eagerly suggests @@RANDOMNAME@@, your minister of Creative Solutions, whilst drawing pieces of paper out of a hat. “The blue paper is a piece of infrastructure, and the pink paper is a seat. See — aqueduct, Greenville. Hospital, @@CAPITAL@@. Stadium, @@ANIMAL@@ Hills. All decisions made by the hat are final. There’ll be no more fighting, and we can all finally get along in Parliament!”

Issue by The Federation of Australian rePublic

Edited by Baggieland

Going by the draft, all names should be random.

[Strahcoin]

For Issue #905 (Stage Directions), there is a fourth option for my nation. It was:
“Slowly, sadly, theatre lost its splendour,” intones a cloaked figure from the shadows. “Grasp it, change it, scrap the worst offender. Turn your face away from this modern dross today. The music’s over-written and it’s trite. Revive some grand old theatre shows tonight.”

I thought I should let you know, since it seemed to be missing in the forum.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Yep, FJS was thinking on that one a lot, and after some discussion we added that option just recently.

Incidentally, there's another small change for y'all to spot on option 2 of Issue 572, made as a tribute to the late, great Toni Morrison. Hope you guys enjoy it.

[Lord Dominator]

I can confirm the names on 1255 are indeed fixed, though I'm presently missing the pun/reference on 'Uther Scargill.'

Brilliant issue though.

[The Free Joy State]

I can confirm the names on 1255 are indeed fixed, though I'm presently missing the pun/reference on 'Uther Scargill.'

Brilliant issue though.

Arthur Scargill, British trade unionist that led the miners' through the '84-'85 strike and was vocally opposed to Thatcher's government.

[Divine Cervine]

Issue #1257: It’s a Kind of Magic [Podium; ed: Altmer Dominion]

It’s a Kind of Magic

The Issue

A shocking archaeological find in one of @@NAME@@’s many caverns has led to the discovery of a huge array of pre-@@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ totems, idols, and assorted knickknacks made entirely of stone, many of which gave researchers ‘the heebie-jeebies’.

The Debate

1. “This is a fascinating opportunity for the scientific community as a whole!” spouts Taylor Barry, breathlessly running through her brick-thick pile of notes and results. “Our initial tests are already showing a stunning reading of anomalous energy in each and every one of those artifacts! If we could be permitted to, erm, acquire them, this mysterious power source could be the backbone for future @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ technological advances! Think of the societal possibilities!”


2. Pushing the scientist aside, your mustachioed military adviser Arnold Gray grips at a manila envelope entitled ‘TOP SECRET’. “That’s all fine and dandy, but what if we used this ‘anomllalus’ energy to power our weapons? These days, everyone’s raring to get bigger and better guns, and we need to make sure ours are bigger and better than everyone else’s! If we get those magic rock thingies, I’m sure my eggheads’ll make something out of it!”


3. “Hold on a moment!” shouts physicist Genghis Feinmann, frantically tying a leaded apron around his waist. “Something feels off about this whole matter, and it’s not a strictly metaphorical sensation. I’m not saying these totems are radioactive, but you’d have to be bongos-level bonkers not to consider it as a rational explanation. For the sake of everyone, please consider immediately transporting this archaeological cache to my laboratory upon excavation. Although careful precautions may slow down the pace of research, my team is one of only a few in the nation with the proper equipment to actually handle this matter safely.”


4. Amid the din, museum curator Mamiko Taylor squeezes into your office while clutching her limited-edition copy of ‘Ancient Civilisations for Dummies’. “I think we’re all missing the point here! These are priceless artifacts, hearkening back to the days before @@NAME@@ was even around! If you don’t have the maturity to leave them where they are, at the very least send them to my museum so other @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ can actually appreciate what came before them!”

Issue by The Mountainous Muppets of Podium
Edited by Altmer Dominion

[The Candy Of Bottles]

Issue #1257: It’s a Kind of Magic [Podium; ed: Altmer Dominion]

It’s a Kind of Magic

The Issue

A shocking archaeological find in one of @@NAME@@’s many caverns has led to the discovery of a huge array of pre-@@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ totems, idols, and assorted knickknacks made entirely of stone, many of which gave researchers ‘the heebie-jeebies’.

The Debate

1. “This is a fascinating opportunity for the scientific community as a whole!” spouts Taylor Barry, breathlessly running through her brick-thick pile of notes and results. “Our initial tests are already showing a stunning reading of anomalous energy in each and every one of those artifacts! If we could be permitted to, erm, acquire them, this mysterious power source could be the backbone for future @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ technological advances! Think of the societal possibilities!”


2. Pushing the scientist aside, your mustachioed military adviser Arnold Gray grips at a manila envelope entitled ‘TOP SECRET’. “That’s all fine and dandy, but what if we used this ‘anomllalus’ energy to power our weapons? These days, everyone’s raring to get bigger and better guns, and we need to make sure ours are bigger and better than everyone else’s! If we get those magic rock thingies, I’m sure my eggheads’ll make something out of it!”


3. “Hold on a moment!” shouts physicist Genghis Feinmann, frantically tying a leaded apron around his waist. “Something feels off about this whole matter, and it’s not a strictly metaphorical sensation. I’m not saying these totems are radioactive, but you’d have to be bongos-level bonkers not to consider it as a rational explanation. For the sake of everyone, please consider immediately transporting this archaeological cache to my laboratory upon excavation. Although careful precautions may slow down the pace of research, my team is one of only a few in the nation with the proper equipment to actually handle this matter safely.”


4. Amid the din, museum curator Mamiko Taylor squeezes into your office while clutching her limited-edition copy of ‘Ancient Civilisations for Dummies’. “I think we’re all missing the point here! These are priceless artifacts, hearkening back to the days before @@NAME@@ was even around! If you don’t have the maturity to leave them where they are, at the very least send them to my museum so other @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ can actually appreciate what came before them!”

Issue by The Mountainous Muppets of Podium
Edited by Altmer Dominion

I've got Ivanka Ono - female, Sheldon van Straaten - sounds male, Stefanie Feinmann - female, and Barbie Kennett - female.

[Lord Dominator]

I can confirm the names on 1255 are indeed fixed, though I'm presently missing the pun/reference on 'Uther Scargill.'

Brilliant issue though.

Arthur Scargill, British trade unionist that led the miners' through the '84-'85 strike and was vocally opposed to Thatcher's government.

Ah, thanks.