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Anyone can join at any time! Join as one of the characters below, or create your own! Please! This is another nation simulator-type game, similar to No pasaran! or the current sim going on in D&D, A Land Without People - Palestine 1931. Despite a setting rooted in scifi rather than history, I think this one will run very similar to the others. Essentially in this game you take on the role of a person of interest in society. Maybe you're a politician, a labor union leader, a militia commander, a newspaper editor, a terrorist, a religious figure, or anything else you want to be. Your goals are the same as your character's... rule, liberate, colonize or terrorize. The extent of your success will be based on both reason, random rolls of the dice, and how much support and opposition you encounter among other players. You may join as any vacant character or propose any character you can think of and I'll add you if it makes sense. (I stole this summary from FSAD ) You will send your turns to my email, ehoovestol@gmail.com. In the late 21st century the first permanent colony was established on the Moon. Funded by eccentric billionaire Mark Maher, the few thousand original colonists consisted mostly of educated scientists and researchers. Initial efforts to establish basic self-sufficiency were successful, and in a decade enough food, water, oxygen, and electricity was produced by the growing colony to support six times its population. Although pressured by some investors to somehow make the venture profitable, Maher allowed the colony to lose billions to achieve his vision of a spacefaring humanity. Tragically, a hang-glider accident ended Mark Maher’s life on June 3rd, 2116. It would be discovered soon after the man who had previously been the second richest in the world had gone deeply into debt to support his eccentricities, chief among them the lunar colony. Although they would rename their colony Maher’s Hope in honor of their late patron, the colonists soon found their future in doubt. Ownership of the colony fell into the hands of a bank owed vast sums by Maher, who in turn sold it off to the Lunar Corporation. The new owners, previous investors who had abandoned Maher when he wavered on producing a profit, immediately set out to make money. They began the mining of precious and rare minerals such as platinum, rhodium, iridium, osmium, and ruthenium which were in high demand on Earth. The work was incredibly dangerous, and after a cave-in killed dozens the educated colonists refused to mine further. Almost all were immediately fired and forced to return to Earth, leaving behind a skeleton crew. They were soon joined by tens of thousands of felons from various countries, who were forced to serve out their sentence digging up metals deep below the Lunar surface. The idealistic remnants of the original colonists watched as their life’s work was transformed into a private penal colony. Over the next century these laborers and their descendants have lived harsh, brutal lives for the profit of the Lunar Corporation. Although the sons and daughters of those forced to the planet have been officially “freed,” they are paid almost nothing and treated no differently than their forebears. The basic infrastructure built by the original colonists has not been updated, and the hundreds of thousands depending on it have stretched it nearly beyond capacity. The Lunars, the often uneducated and impoverished people born on the planet, are treated with disdain by the earthborn management. Recent events have inspired a growing resistance to the power of the Lunar Corporation. In response to the beating of a miner by the loathed and feared Lunar Security Forces, protests and rioting consumed the Colony. Conflict between the various factions has grown as each fights for their place on this new world. Lunar Colony “Maher’s Hope” A mostly underground facility, built to house twenty thousand. Aging and vastly overcrowded, it has been expanded in a piecemeal fashion over the decades through mining, with many of the tunnels now serving as slums. Access to the surface is extremely limited. Population: 238,000 (75% Free Lunars, 15% Earthborn Prisoners, 8% Earthborn, 2% Descendants) Year: Early 2228 Life: Lunars live in vast underground slums carved out of the side of the original colony, while Earthborn reside in the original facilities. Access to electricity and running water is very limited in the slums. Healthcare is poor, and average lifespan of those born in the colony is 58. Education is not provided by the Corporation, but small community volunteer schools provide basics. Earthborn originate mostly in China and the United States, but Lunars have developed their own unique pidgin language and cultural identity from their diverse origins. Descendants, heirs of the original colonists, remain well educated and work more professional jobs than most Lunars, but are lumped in with them by the Earthborn. They maintain most of the infrastructure from complete ruin. Most people live and die without ever seeing the stars. Economy: Revolves entirely around export of minerals to Earth. Weekly rockets send tons of the high demand metals back to Earth, producing enormous profits. Earthborn are paid a good wage. Lunars are paid a few “Lunar Credits” for their dangerous work in dark, deep mines, but a healthy black market has evolved as an alternative. Lunars mostly work as miners or laborers, while Earthborn manage them. Administration Lunar Corporation Manager: Jing Wenchun/Epicurius, epicurius at aol.com Description: Runs day to day operation of the Colony. A paid employee at the mercy of corporate brass. Transport: Three active space-shuttles. Lunar Security Forces Chief: John Richardson/sniper4625, sniper4625@gmail.com Forces: 900 Description: Contracted to serve one year stints in Maher’s Hope, their responsibility is to implement the Corporations strict perspective on law and order. They are feared and loathed by the Lunar population. Very experienced and well-armed, with most having served in the various wars of Earth. Lunar Organizations Workers Union of Maher’s Hope Secretary General: Jihn Jones/A RICH WHITE MAN Description: A recently formed and popular union of Lunar workers. Ideology: Worker’s rights, pro-Lunars Support: Very high among Lunars, 70,000 miners and other free Lunar workers are members Mark Maher League Leader: Albert Elsheimer/Razage, thetans AT shaw.ca. Ideology: Left-Wing Utopian, Lunar independence Description: Founded after the firing of most of the original colonists by the few that remained, it is dedicated to saving Mark Maher’s vision. Support: Very strong among descendants of original colonists (who number ~5,000), low from other Lunars Heinleinites Commander: Ivan Sanjrani/Loomer, madmangrey@msn.com Ideology: Libertarian, Lunar independence. Discovered a copy of The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress and have made it their bible. Description: Armed group of Lunars dedicated to violent destruction of the Corporation and complete self-sufficiency Support: Low Forces: 70 poorly trained, poorly armed Lunars Earth Society President: Anne Nichols/rakovsky maybe, Ideology: pro-Earthborn Description: Formed after several Earthborn were killed during Lunar riots, dedicated to protecting Earthborn from violence Support: Very high among Earthborn Dank’s Boys Boss: Inmate 87239, alias “Dank”/Urbandale, A1chipster at gmail dot com Description: Largest of the Prison gangs, lead by charismatic and intelligent Dank who was sent to the Moon for subversive terrorist activities Support: Very high among Earthborn Prisoners Forces: 3000 unarmed criminals Selene’s Followers High Priestess: Apollonia/Shogeton, kim dot biebaut at gmail dot com Description: A cult born from the colony’s vast demographic imbalance between men and women, Selenites worship the Moon as the true feminine home of humanity tainted by Earth’s patriarchal mores. Support: 35% of Lunars have converted Order of the New Dawn Grand Cardinal of the Order: Unknown; Earth-based Archbishop of the Heavenly Flock: Joseph (pseudonym)/Enjoy, sw_faulty@hotmail.com Description: Syncretic monotheist cult. Worship the Light of God in various aspects. The Order sees the various corporations as materialistic heathens and arrogant blasphemers attempting to outshine His Glory. The Moon colony itself is a new Tower of Babel, its inhabitants already cursed into a gibbering tongue, worshipping false idols. Support: 10% of Lunars have converted Spacefarers and Teamsters Guild (The Guild) President: Joe Braddock/Harold Ramis Drugs, junomarr at yahoo dot com Description: Unsanctioned labor union. Performs the function of facilitating legitimate cargo exchanges and ship repairs. Suspected of smuggling contraband into the Colony. Support: 440 due-paying members, 30 privateer escorts on contract who are decently armed. Earth-Based Organizations Apollo Investments CEO: Gideon Mar/QuoProQuid, qu0pr0quid001@gmail.com Description: Newly formed corporation interested in expanding its Lunar assets. CEO Gideon Mar made his wealth mining asteroids. Transport: Two active space-shuttles, one small space station orbiting the moon. UN News Service Head of Lunar Affairs: Makena Simba/Servant, igorhorst@gmail.com Slant: generally Pro-Earth Description: The last non-corporate-owned news outlet. This is partly because the UN News Service is owned by the United Nations, and there is generally pressure for the News Service to represent the interest of the Terran states and the Earthborn. Map Red - Central Facilities, populated by Earthborn Blue - Slums, populated by Lunars Purple - Lunar Penal Colony Green - Agricultural center, hydroponic automated farming Brown - Active mining in summary,
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 16:20 |
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I'll take the Security Forces. sniper4625@gmail.com
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 16:24 |
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I'll be Jihn Jones.
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 16:39 |
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Dank’s Boys Boss: Inmate 87239, alias “Dank”/Urbandale Description: Largest of the Prison gangs, lead by charismatic and intelligent Dank who was sent to the Moon for subversive terrorist activities Support: Very high among Earthborn Prisoners Forces: 3000 unarmed criminals Contact: A1chipster at gmail dot com I'm also usually on synIRC's #simcountry channel
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 16:56 |
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changed my character, sorry
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 16:59 |
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I'll beJing Wenchun epicurius at aol.com
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 17:01 |
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Order of the New Dawn Grand Cardinal of the Order: Unknown; Earth-based Archbishop of the Heavenly Flock: Joseph (pseudonym) Description: Syncretic monotheist cult. Worship the Light of God in various aspects. Made up of secretive "congregations" that operate as cells with different functions (intelligence, the Witnessers of His Light; propaganda, the Torch Bearers; assassination, His Fiery Sword; etc) in an hierarchy based on individual contacts. Owing to this, a strict dogma is impossible and the various congregations tend to pick and choose from Holy Books according to personal preference. The Order sees the various corporations as materialistic heathens and arrogant blasphemers attempting to outshine His Glory. The Moon colony itself is a new Tower of Babel, its inhabitants already cursed into a gibbering tongue, worshipping false idols. The Order, through Archbishop Joseph, has arrived to see that this Tower falls back to Earth in a pillar of fire. He has entered the colony in the capacity of a mid-level administrator and has already succeeded in turning some amongst the pagans back towards the Light without arousing suspicion (thank His mercy for blinding the arrogant fools). sw_faulty@hotmail.com
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 17:19 |
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I would be willing to play as Gideon Mar of Apollo Investments. My e-mail is qu0pr0quid001@gmail.com
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 17:33 |
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Count me in as the Heinlenite's Ivan. madmangrey@msn.com
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 18:05 |
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Spacefarers and Teamsters Guild (The Guild) (junomarr at yahoo dot com) President: Joe Braddock Description: Unsanctioned labor union. Performs the function of facilitating legitimate cargo exchanges and ship repairs. Also smuggles over 90% of all contraband to the colony. Support: 440 due-paying members, 30 privateer escorts on contract. 506x316 About Joe: If you need anything brought on or off the colony without anyone noticing, you had better hope you know Joe. If it fits in a cargo hold and isn't a slave, the guild can reliably get it to its destination. So long as you are willing to pay. Joe's been with the guild since age 16 as a propulsion-mechanic, but he quickly developed a penchant for market-making between various parties outside the law. By age 22, he was regularly moving everything from exotic pets, to drugs, to sanctioned technology, to the occasional fugitive on the run. He also began regularly submitting himself as a candidate for different guild offices, and by age 25 enough of the guild was in on Joe's schemes that he was elected president. Since then, Joe's turned the guild into a rapid and efficient mover of both smuggled goods and legitimate cargo. Work is fast paced, but effort is well compensated and there is an unshakable bond of trust between guild members. About the guild: While formally a labor union, the charter for the TSG hasn't been renewed since 2190. They have been allowed to continue opperating by a combination of regular bribes and stark necessity. The fact of the matter is, all the major players depend on the ability to move certain cargo without attracting attention: Gangs want drugs, dissidents want weapons, and the politicians just want their mistresses brought up from Earth. All for a price. The moon's low gravity and abundant minerals have made it a preferred spot for asteroid miners and colony traders. Ships can be repaired/upgraded without the tremendous energy cost of landing on Earth, and the rare-earth metals needed for sensitive repairs are available for cheap. The constant influx of ship traffic and the guild's lax moral standards have made the TSG's shipyards a prime spot for shady deals between enterprising captains, privateers, and even the occasional pirate (though not nearly to the extent that pirate enclaves get). All members get an equal share of any profits made outside the law, with foreman taking 3 shares, officers taking 6, and the president taking 12.
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 18:07 |
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Harold Ramis Drugs posted:Actually, i'll try my hand at my own faction... Go ahead, it's no problem.
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 18:21 |
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In an era of media consolidation, the UN News Service remains as the last non-corporate-owned news outlet. This is partly because the UN News Service is owned by the United Nations, and there is generally pressure for the News Service to represent the interest of the Terran states and the Earthborn. Originally designed to provide positive reports on the actions of UN-affiliated entities, the UN News Service slowly took on added responsibilities to cover the stories that nobody else would (either because they were bribed or because they are afraid). Today, it serves as an effective revenue generator for the United Nations. Name: Makena Simba, Head of the UN News Service's Department on Lunar Affairs Email: igorhorst@gmail.com Note: I do not plan on sending any turns. Instead, what I plan on doing is writing news reports in this thread. The news reports will be in lieu of a turn, so if the GM would accept the news report as being 'influential actions', that would be great.
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 20:48 |
President Anne Nichols of the Earth Society We must always remember the purpose of this Lunar colony - harvesting resources for use on Earth. Our homeworld is crowded, dirty, and hot. It desperately needs help, and only through expanding throughout the solar system will this be possible. Division and discord will only guarantee the death of Earth, and subsequently the death of her colonies.
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# ? Apr 28, 2012 21:09 |
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Appolonia, High Priestess of Selene And so, our people have returned to its virgin mother from their fecund stephmother Earth. But how far have we fallen. The fertile female spirit is neglected and oppressed instead of treated with the proper reverence, and where Lunargent Selene was once courted, now she is brutally raped. The people, bereft of the soothing influence of mothers, sisters and daughters are lost, turning on one anohter and dwelling in brutality. We, the followers of Selene, seek to plead for forgiveness for the sins done to her, and to eachother with each brutal tunnel forced into her. We hope to instill the Feminine Virtues in its citizens and soothe the beastly nature that Stephmother Earth tainted humanity with. e-mail: kim dot biebaut at gmail dot com
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 00:16 |
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Ok cool, everyone added. We have more than enough to start the turn now, so everyone can begin sending them my way, ehoovestol@gmail.com. The turn is due Monday at 11:59 pm US central time. If I get all the turns in early, I might be able to get it out early but no guarantees.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 00:58 |
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High Priestess Apolonia I wish to all a serene day in the embrace of our True Lunargent Mother. The problems that this colony face are not simply a matter of politics or economy, but a spiritual one. As long as we take heed of the False Mother Earth, who submits and lets herself be seeded by the seed of any man, and represents the carnal, the violent and the grasping, men will always fight for possession of the women, like animals. Only by embracing the spiritual and feminine way of Luna, and showing proper respect for womanhood, and strive to become a chosen of a woman, rather than an owner, can a peaceful and just society follow. I know not all share our faith yet, but we hope that they will soon embrace the Silver Truth. But it cannot be denied that spiritual want is often a cause for violence and crime. Thus I would request that Selene's Followers be allowed to provide spiritual assistance to the Earthborn prisoners These people are new to Luna, far away from their families and confused.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 01:51 |
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You're doing the rounds in subsection Brown/Delta 4, just checking that the mining equipment is in order, when the displays all around you flicker and change... The Most Reverend and Right Honourable The Lord Archbishop of the Heavenly Flock "Verily God does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts." Abu Huraira, hadith 32.6220 Greetings, children of Babel. You have been cast aside by those who call themselves your protectors. You have been trampled afoot by those who pretend to rule this accursed place. The truth is that they rule in the stead of Aka Manah, the demon of sordid desires, who even now walks these darkened halls spreading discord, despair and dread. Truly, this is a bed of sin that has festered for a hundred years and now, praise His Eminence the Grand Cardinal, the Order of the New Dawn has arrived to bring God's Glory, His Light, His Mercy and His Wisdom. In all these aspects we must constantly strive to serve Him and in so doing attain peace. We will preach God's Glory to all who would listen. We will bring God's Light to the darkness. We will show God's Mercy to those He deems worthy. We will apply God's Wisdom in the administration of this colony. Supplicate yourselves to Him in prayer and await the arrival of representatives of local congregations. The message remains for another minute and a half before someone at the mainframe notices and resets the subsection. You watch the boot sequence lost in thought.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 02:12 |
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Jing Wenchun I urge everyone to remain calm. If anyone has concerns or problems, contact corporate offices, and we will investigate the situation. I urge you all to ask in your every action, "How can we better serve the company and increase its profitability so as to make a better world for all Luna?"
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 08:46 |
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Joe Braddock "Attention all graveyard-shift personnel: There will be a shift change in 15 minutes. Please proceed back to the central offices at this time and sign out" Joe and his crew ignored the 15 minute warning. They had all hoped to be done by the time day-shift took over so as to avoid any unwanted attention, but setbacks are a way of life. Anybody viewing the overtime requisition reports might want to know why 6 life-support mechanics, the shift foreman, and the guild president were all needed to perform unscheduled repairs on a 60-ton water tanker. If the right lies were told and the right palms were greased, no one would look too deep. "All day-shift personnel: please report to your workstations" "How many people are we cramming into this thing again?" asked foreman Ortiz. "150 total, teenagers and young adults mostly" Joe responded "but I'll bet 30 of them get cold feet and decide to stay after they see this hunk of shit." A better life on earth is the dream for most of the slumdogs, but the prospect of packing into a dark, rickety water tank for 36 hours is enough make even the boldest pilgrims question their courage. Still though, vacuum-proofing a fluid hold is one of the oldest tricks in The Guild's book. This one was set to embark in 12 hours, which means that they need to be done retrofitting this salvaged life-support system by mid-shift. The refugees are to sneak on during lunchtime. The launch inspector has already been bribed, the passengers have already paid half their fare. "What happens if this thing comes apart during re-entry?" Ortiz asked. Joe replied "I imagine we won't be collecting the other half of their fare"
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 09:44 |
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Recent slum graffiti: Free Dank! Free Luna! pictures of eyes peering through broken concrete, metal, glass, etc.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 10:27 |
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Gideon Mar CEO of Apollo Investments Friend, Neighbor, Brother You are walking across the colony, minding your business when suddenly the display screens around you change to show an image of the god Apollo. A loud, bombastic voice appears over the intercom. Hello and welcome, citizens of Maher's Hope. For those of you who haven't been paying attention to news back home, I bet you are asking yourselves, "Who is the owner of this soothing voice?" Who is that man extending such kind greetings over the airwaves?" Well, I'm glad you asked. My name is Gideon Mar: astronaut, war hero and CEO of Apollo Industries. You may not recognize my name but I guarantee that many of you have felt my presence, especially those of you tied to the asteroid mining industry. For a long while, my company and I have remained restricted, tied to the Earth. Well, my associates and I have decided to snip those ties and expand our horizons. We're here because we want the best, and you are it. Space is our future and its damn well time we start using it. The moon has been taken for granted for far too long. I want to make sure that is no longer the case. It's you and me against the world, kid. We've got a rendezvous with destiny and nothing is going to stand in our way. Ha ha ha ha. Oh... Where was I? Oh, yes, the company. Over the next few years, my company and I will be investing heavily in your day to day lives. Apollo Investments is your neighbor, your friend, your brother and an important part of your community. You may feel alone now, but not for long. Oh, no. Well, I've said all I wanted to say and the egg heads are telling me to shut up so I'll leave you in peace. Remember, if you have any questions just stop by our regional office and one of our fabulous employees will be happy to help you. Goodbye!
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 12:43 |
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Okay, I'm taking:quote:Mark Maher League I'll be in #simcountry in IRC, and can be emailed at thetans AT shaw.ca.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 13:09 |
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I have first turns from: Order of the New Dawn Lunar Corporation Lunar Security Forces Workers Union Heinleinites Selene’s Followers Still need: Mark Maher League Earth Society Dank’s Boys The Guild Apollo Investments No rush, just keeping track.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 16:20 |
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OOC: One thing you didn't mention was, do the turns work in a similar way to the ones from Palestine Sim? We get around 5 or 6 actions per turn, or do they work differently?
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 16:54 |
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Razage posted:OOC: Essentially the same, I think around ~5 is a good limit but I won't be particularly strict with that.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 17:00 |
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Gideon Mar CEO of Apollo Investments You arrive in your home in silence, ready to unwind and relax. Without warning the quiet is broken by the shrill sound of static. A voice returns to the intercom. Hello there, kid, Gideon Mar here again. So as it turns out, the Lunar Corporation doesn't appreciate people just appearing on their public intercom system without warning. I got a message at my office complaining about 'radio hijacking' and creating a 'public disturbance'. Well, these whiners at the Lunar Corporation clearly don't know anything about Gideon Mar or Apollo Investments. We here like to live life on the edge! We make our own rules. So what if a few wimps suffered 'massive heart attacks' due to shock? At least it got their blood flowing! That's more than a few stuffy old farts here could say. Still, I'll be the diplomat here and compromise with the Lunar Corporation. I won't hac- utilize Mahers Hope's public intercom system. Yeah, it hurts me too but you can still hear my sweet styling on Apollo Investment's official frequency. I'll be there all day, all the time. ... So, as I speak I'm getting another complaint from Lunar Corp about hacking. Well, I don't know how they expected me to get an announcement across without using their frequencies. Honestly, the short-sightedness of some people. I have to deal with this folks but I would just like to remind everyone that they can hear me o- The signal cuts out.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 17:12 |
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A reminder that Lunar Security is here, working in the shadows to keep YOU safe! We're just swamped with paperwork right now. We forecast this situation to be finished within...2 standard Lunar Days. Have a great day!
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 17:15 |
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Heinlenite graffiti LUNA FOR LUNARS! FREEDOM! LIBERTY! DOWN WITH THE COMPANY AND DOWN WITH TYRANNY! LUNAR INDEPENDENCE IS WITHIN OUR GRASP! SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 17:29 |
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Jack Bennett Lunar-born Prisoner 40 years old, lunar-born prisoner Jack Bennett enters the 2nd month of his life sentence after murdering his wife and their three children. In court he offered no remorse or defense for his actions, even smiling as the verdict was handed down. Of normal height and build, he is seemingly average in every way. Notable only for being one of the few non-Earth born prisoners in the system. Has an interest in political philosophy. edit: oh and if you want to contact me im at charles8492 at gmail.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 18:15 |
Commercial airing on major iGlass and GoogleLife platforms "She's always been there for us." *Two androgynous twee lovers sit in a hab-dome, the light of the moon splaying across their faces.* "Earth was our first home, but it can't be our last. We made some mistakes in the past." *Famous scenes from the food riots and water wars play alongside somber music.* "Humanity deserves a second chance, a chance to get it right this time. There's only one place where you can make a difference for Earth while having all the oppurtunity you need to grow." *Images of attractive, well-dressed Eartborn Lunans bouncing through red hallways. Kids playing Moonball in a gym.* "For Freedom. For Choice. For You - Come live on Luna." Paid for by the Earth Society
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 18:55 |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZNzz4SaTYk
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 19:29 |
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United Nations To Discuss Oversight of Lunar Penal Colony on Maher's Hope On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly voted in a non-binding resolution for a moratorium on the death penalty, with an eye towards abolition of the practice. As the resolution was non-binding, and 52 states voted against it, many observers at the time considered it to be a symbolic action. However, in retrospect, it was clearly a sign of things to come. The death penalty was seen as barbaric, backward, and baseless, and few states were willing to defend it in the court of international public opinion. States continued to defend the death penalty, appealing either to vengeance or to deterrence, but morality eventually prevailed against these concerns. Gradually, more and more states willingly abandoned the death penalty, with the United States being the last state to abolish the death penalty in 2102. Nobody should be executed, no matter how odious the crime may be; state-sponsored murder is still murder. Accompanied with this policy shift was a sea change in attitudes towards criminal and deviant behaviors; no more should states attempt to punish criminals, but instead 'rehabilitate' and make them useful to Earth civilization. Yet the food riots and the water wars that plagued Earth during this time meant that states could not think even about holding prisoners, much less making them useful. That's when the corporations came in and took over the justice system. After a Earthborn is convicted of a serious crime, he is sent to an an off-world prison colony, where he would work for a corporation. Those who do their duty to their designated corporations would take said skills and then apply them in the real world once their sentence is up. In many cases, ex-convicts would end up getting hired by the very corporations they previously worked for while in prison. The system worked well for both corporations and states. States were glad prisoners were taking out of their hands, while corporations get nearly-cheap labor. But human right activists were concerned that prisoners were not being treated fairly under the system, and demanded oversight over the process...oversight that corporations were unwilling to accept. The recent instability on Maher's Hope, sparked by the murder of a miner by the Lunar Security Forces, along with anonymous tips of torture and beatings within the Lunar Penal Colony located there, has compelled international diplomats to finally address the issue of penal labor. A time has been set for states to begin discussing whether the United Nations should demand oversight over Maher's Hope to present mistreatment of Earthborn prisoners. However, experts downplay expectations of any change, as states are still reliant on corporations to deal with prisoners, and corporations are unwilling to cede any amount of autonomy. Some cynics argued that the planned diplomatic summit may be nothing more than a publicity stunt by Apollo Investments.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 20:01 |
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General John Richardson, Lunar Security Forces All inquiries as to the Lunar Penal Facilities should be directed towards the Lunar Corporation Public Relations Department. Furthermore, insinuations that a miner was "murdered" by the a member of the Lunar Security Forces is Yellow Journalism at its worst. The Lunar Security Forces are here for the protection of the Lunar Populace, Earthborn and Free Lunar alike. Perhaps the reporter responsible for the recent falsehoods should spent a stint in our facilities, so that he may see for himself the truth of the matter.
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# ? Apr 29, 2012 20:06 |
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High Priestess Apollonia - Sermon to the populace at large May Selene give peace and serenity to all of you on this day. I am High Priestess Apollonia, by the grace of Lunargent Selene, our Sacred Mother, the leader of Her followers. Many have heard of us, many have seen us, and many have questions. We do not wish rumour mongerers to speak for us, and the Silver Truth is a message we gladly spread. But what is the Silver Truth? What are the Tenents of our faith? One cannot contain everything in an easy bullet list naturally, but there are some core principles that should inform you. Central to our faith is the dichtonomy between the two mothers. Earth is the Stephmother, fecund and all too willing to submit to impregnation by all seeds there. It is there that our bodies were born through the ways that science has foound. They are imperfect, mortal and filled with the more base of our desires. Contrasted with her is Selene, who is pure and careful about her children. She is our True mother, for it is she who has given birth to our souls, our higher selves. Mankind has always looked to the moon as the source of wisdom and mystic insight, and this is why. We believe that our arrival on this moon is a joyous occasion, a return to our True Mother. We are to be reborn here, nestled within her crust like a child within a mother's womb, to become a more serene, more harmonious people, and leave behind the animalistic drives of Stephmother Earth. We understand that like a pregnant mother, this will take a toll on Sacred Luna. But we expect this to be done with respect and reverence, with attention on our growing colony. Further, we believe that different souls have different roles, though all souls are children of Selene and beloved by Her. Women are more serene, kind and calm. Like a mother leading the family, they are best placed for positions of leadership. Men are competitive, brave and headstrong, and best placed in a role to protect and support women. Many of the suffering in history and in the present is the result of men being placed in a position of leadership by patriarchal structure. Without a female will to calm them, they turn against one another in battle, economic or literal, to the great suffering of all, men and women. One important matter to us is fertility and motherhood. We consider fertility to be a great blessing but also a great responsibility. Conceiving and birthing a child is something to be done with great deliberation by a woman. To simply wallow in one's fertility is a trait of Stephmother Earth, and wrong headed. We find access to ways to prevent and terminate pregnancies an absolute necessity, so that women can be more like Selene, and less like Stephmother Earth. In this, we celebrate a woman's monthly bleeding as a mark of her choice to reject fertility for one month, and have procreation be a deliberate choice of a woman's will, rather than something thrust upon her. What does this mean for the immediate future you ask? What does this mean for the here and now? The Followers of Selene are a spiritual organization, not a political one. Our faithful are mainly among the Lunars but all are children of Her, even those who have just arrived to Her, free or otherwise. That does not mean we are blind to soem of the suffering among the populace. However, we seek to provide a balm to this, rather than reach for weapons and shed blood in anger in this Sacred Place. We will try to work hard both with the Union to provide a better life for Lunar workers and their families. We have also asked permission to have our priestesses access the inmates, to provide spiritual support for them, and find some peace and happiness in their situation. We will continue our work. Those who have questions can naturally find us in our humble temple.
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# ? Apr 30, 2012 00:49 |
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July-December, 2228----- Lunar News The Heinleinites actively recruit from the Lunar population and their virulently anti-Earthborn rhetoric manages to attract two dozen angry youths from the slums. Due to a lack of guns they are trained with broom sticks. The Order of the New Dawn’s colonial hierarchy engages in a something of a purge, insuring the faithfulness of its followers. It comes out of this smaller but even more zealous. Out of the most fanatical a small militant group is formed, the Paladins, who are being rigorously trained in various martial and psychological arts. The Lunar Security Force announces the creation of a Civilian Auxiliary to protect the colony, and ask for volunteers. Two hundred earthborn colonists, worried about further riots, join and receive light training. At the same time, an elite small counterterrorist force is assembled from within the Security Forces which receives extra training and resources. The Lunar Corporation agrees to the request of both the Manager and the LSF Chief to dispatch more security contractors in response to the recent riots. 100 heavily armed veterans of the Hindustani War arrive with the next shuttle. Manager Jing Wenchun speaks on the colony-wide comm system calling for calm and announces a 10 p.m. curfew. In response several speakers are defaced and destroyed in the slums. The curfew unenforceable in large parts of the colony. The Manager orders an increase of water flowing to the slums. Pushed by this, engineers manage to eek out a significant increase in the water supply. To shouts of joy shortages end throughout the entire colony, increasing the popularity of the Corporation among many. However, the engineers, many of them Descendants, warn that if demand again outstrips supply there will be nothing further they can do without an expensive replacement. Jack Bennett is found guilty of the brutal, bloody murder of his family, a crime which shocks the entire colony. He is thrown into the Penal colony with no hope of being released. He quickly gains a reputation as an eridute philosopher, often seen reading through ancient works of political philosophers such as Ron Paul and Milton Friedman and attempting to strike up conversations with his fellow prisoners about the nature of the State. After reading several centuries-old revolutionary texts smuggled in by radicals, Chairman Jihn Jones declares the Workers Union to be a Marxist-Leninist vanguard. A minority, moderate faction voices dissent, but takes no steps to impede the new direction for now. In a revival of long dead traditions workers rename their councils “Soviets” and start calling each other comrade. The Workers Union holds rallies throughout the slums calling on workers to join and form Soviets. The efforts are moderately successful, expanding their ranks by several thousand. It also begins training a “defensive force” of nearly a thousand workers armed with various melee weapons, including large mining drills. Priestesses of Selene and the Workers Union cooperate to establish some basic social services in the slums, founding several free clinics and schools. Although these efforts do little to actually improve health and education due to a severe lack of resources and training, the display of goodwill attracts support for the Union and converts for Selene. The Mark Maher League endorses the actions of the Workers Union, and joins some of their rallies in the slums. They also quickly establish themselves as watchdogs of the Lunar Corporation - urging anyone abused by the Security Forces to step forward with their claims, while investigating all the basic infrastructure that is in desperate need of improvement. They publish these accounts in their newsletter, Maher's News, which is widely distributed thanks to a suspiciously large influx of funding. Found even as deep as the Penal Colony, almost every person in the colony finds themselves with a copy. Most of the Corporation’s goodwill earned from the expansion of water access is lost when a frontpage story reveals that most of this water is being tainted by toxic fertilizers from the agriculture center anyway. Cyber security experts under contract by the Lunar Corporation announce a breach of the colony’s digital defenses, but fail to capture any further details after whoever or whatever is hacking into the system quickly disconnects. 20 prisoners, all Dank’s boys, die after an elaborate escape attempt from the Penal colony goes awry. Despite this failure Dank manages to “negotiate” an alliance with other Prison gangs by way of several brawls, who bloodily agree to recognize him as the highest boss of the prison. Apollo Investments releases a list similar to what is being published in the Mark Maher League's newsletter, outlining the outdated infrastructure that the Lunar colony is dependent on. It claims their corporation could easily afford to bring the station into the 23rd century. News from Earth----- At the United Nations several overeager European representatives attempt to increase regulations of private enterprise in space, specifically the Lunar colony, but these efforts are quickly shut down by the American and Chinese with little explanation. The Earth Society attempts to run ads advertising immigration to the moon as cool and hip, but due to limited funding these ads are not widely circulated and fail to attract any significant increase in immigration. Apollo Investments unveils a new product, robotic domestic servants, under their line Chiron Creations. They are immediately popular among the wealthy of Earth, and some are even seen wheeling furiously down the corridors of the Central Facility. ----- The drill bucked in Jarilo’s hands, cutting deeper and deeper into the grey, soft stone. The bit hit something hard, and the miner gracefully navigated the thrashing machine around the metal. Two decades of this work, ever since he was could handle it, and he instinctively knew what he’d struck; Ruthenium. They said more of the it had been torn from the walls of Maher’s mines than existed in all of Earth’s crust. Jarilo could give a fuck. The shift bell rang right as the ore came loose, falling to his feet along with some shattered rock. He picked up the strange twist of metal, admiring its shine, thanking the Goddess for the extra drink it’d buy him. He shouldered his drill and headed for the Driver to collect his bonus. The steady march through the icy tunnels back to the Billtown slum, his lovely home, was always bittersweet, and today especially so. The few extra credits to waste on booze jangling in his pocket distracted him from the thousands of similarly dusty, similarly silent miners making their own way home. Jarilo imagined rough liquor burning down his throat rather than pay any heed to the Earthborn blaring in his absurd accent over the comms. He ignored the pamphlet thrust into his hand which screamed out at him to UNITE! ORGANIZE! JOIN THE WORKERS UNION! He unconsciously nodded his respects to a passing Moon priestess while fondling the soon to be vodka in his pocket. And finally, Jarilo made it to the Zhongguo Bar, and settled down on his usual broken stool for another night of serious drinking. Lunar Colony “Maher’s Hope” A mostly underground facility, built to house twenty thousand. Aging and vastly overcrowded, it has been expanded in a piecemeal fashion over the decades through mining, with many of the tunnels now serving as slums. Access to the surface is extremely limited. Population: 238,450 (75% Free Lunars, 15% Earthborn Prisoners, 8% Earthborn, 2% Descendants) Year: Late 2228 Life: Lunars live in vast underground slums carved out of the side of the original colony, while Earthborn reside in the original facilities. Access to electricity and is very limited in the slums, although running water has seen recent improvements. Healthcare is poor, and average lifespan of those born in the colony is 58. Education is not provided by the Corporation, but small community volunteer schools, run primarily by Selene's Priestesses, provide basics. Earthborn originate mostly in China and the United States, but Lunars have developed their own unique pidgin language and cultural identity from their diverse origins. Descendants, heirs of the original colonists, remain well educated and work more professional jobs than most Lunars, but are lumped in with them by the Earthborn. They maintain most of the infrastructure from complete ruin. Most people live and die without ever seeing the stars. Economy: Revolves entirely around export of minerals to Earth. Weekly rockets send tons of the high demand metals back to Earth, producing enormous profits. Earthborn are paid a good wage. Lunars are paid a few “Lunar Credits” for their dangerous work in dark, deep mines, but a healthy black market has evolved as an alternative. Lunars mostly work as miners or laborers, while Earthborn manage them. Administration Lunar Corporation Manager: Jing Wenchun/Epicurius, epicurius at aol.com Description: Runs day to day operation of the Colony. A paid employee at the mercy of corporate brass. Transport: Three active space-shuttles. Support: Very high among Earthborn, low among Lunars, Descendants, and Earthborn Prisoners Lunar Security Forces Chief: John Richardson/sniper4625, sniper4625@gmail.com Forces: 1000 Security Forces, 200 Civilian Auxiliary Description: Contracted to serve one year stints in Maher’s Hope, their responsibility is to implement the Corporations strict perspective on law and order. They are feared and loathed by the Lunar population. Very experienced and well-armed, with most having served in the various wars of Earth. Civilian Auxiliary is lightly trained and has limited access to weapons. Lunar Organizations Workers Union of Maher’s Hope Secretary General: Jihn Jones/A RICH WHITE MAN Description: A recently formed and popular union of Lunar workers. Ideology: Marxist-Leninist, pro-Lunars Support: Very high among Lunars, 73,500 miners and other free Lunar workers are members Forces: 900 poorly disciplined workers armed with bats, chains, hammers and mining drills Mark Maher League Leader: Albert Elsheimer/Razage, thetans AT shaw.ca. Ideology: Left-Wing Utopian, Lunar independence Description: Founded after the firing of most of the original colonists by the few that remained, it is dedicated to saving Mark Maher’s vision. Support: Very strong among descendants of original colonists (who number ~5,000), somewhat low from other Lunars. Widely read anti-Corporation newsletter Maher’s News. Heinleinites Commander: Ivan Sanjrani/Loomer, madmangrey@msn.com Ideology: Libertarian, Lunar independence. Discovered a copy of The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress and have made it their bible. Description: Armed group of Lunars dedicated to violent destruction of the Corporation and complete self-sufficiency Support: Low Forces: 95 poorly trained, poorly armed Lunars Earth Society President: Anne Nichols/rakovsky maybe, Ideology: pro-Earthborn Description: Formed after several Earthborn were killed during Lunar riots, dedicated to protecting Earthborn from violence Support: Very high among Earthborn Dank’s Boys Boss: Inmate 87239, alias “Dank”/Urbandale, A1chipster at gmail dot com Description: Largest of the Prison gangs, lead by charismatic and intelligent Dank who was sent to the Moon for subversive terrorist activities Support: Very high among Earthborn Prisoners Forces: 2980 unarmed criminals + 2000 from other gangs Selene’s Followers High Priestess: Apollonia/Shogeton, kim dot biebaut at gmail dot com Description: A cult born from the colony’s vast demographic imbalance between men and women, Selenites worship the Moon as the true feminine home of humanity tainted by Earth’s patriarchal mores. Support: 38% of Lunars have converted Order of the New Dawn Grand Cardinal of the Order: Unknown; Earth-based Archbishop of the Heavenly Flock: Joseph (pseudonym)/Enjoy, sw_faulty@hotmail.com Description: Syncretic monotheist cult. Worship the Light of God in various aspects. The Order sees the various corporations as materialistic heathens and arrogant blasphemers attempting to outshine His Glory. The Moon colony itself is a new Tower of Babel, its inhabitants already cursed into a gibbering tongue, worshipping false idols. Support: 8% of Lunars have converted, 50 Paladins undergoing training Spacefarers and Teamsters Guild (The Guild) President: Joe Braddock/Harold Ramis Drugs, junomarr at yahoo dot com Description: Unsanctioned labor union. Performs the function of facilitating legitimate cargo exchanges and ship repairs. Suspected of smuggling contraband into the Colony. Support: 440 due-paying members, 30 privateer escorts on contract who are decently armed. Individuals Jack Bennett Description: Lunar-born Prisoner Earth-Based Organizations Apollo Investments CEO: Gideon Mar/QuoProQuid, qu0pr0quid001@gmail.com Description: Newly formed corporation interested in expanding its Lunar assets. CEO Gideon Mar made his wealth mining asteroids. Transport: Two active space-shuttles, one small space station orbiting the moon. UN News Service Head of Lunar Affairs: Makena Simba/Servant, igorhorst@gmail.com Slant: generally Pro-Earth Description: The last non-corporate-owned news outlet. This is partly because the UN News Service is owned by the United Nations, and there is generally pressure for the News Service to represent the interest of the Terran states and the Earthborn. Map 577x528 400x258 Red - Central Facilities, populated by Earthborn 400x275 Blue - Slums, populated by Lunars 400x277 Purple - Lunar Penal Colony 400x266 Green - Agricultural center, hydroponic automated farming 400x280 Brown - Active mining
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# ? Apr 30, 2012 04:48 |
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If there are any problems/questions/I screwed up your turn let me know. Edit: oh hell I released this without getting the Guild's turn. Send it to me any ways, I'll add it... sorry
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# ? Apr 30, 2012 04:49 |
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Gideon Mar CEO of Apollo Investments Rhoeo Radio How do I fucking do th-, what? Oh, are we already broad-? Well, why didn’t you? Listen, it’s hard enough to do my job now wi- You know what, fuck you, you’re fired, out the door. I mean it, scoot. Don’t make me get the turre.- Yeah, you better run. Sorry about that, kid! Looks like someone hijacked our frequency. That seems to be happening a lot lately. Anyways, I just wanted to let you all know about my new line of products: Apollo Automatics. These are little service robots to help you around the house. The eggheads tell me that these things are a real beaut, some of the best technology available. They can cook, they can clean and they'll even act as a babysitter for your kids. I haven't even opened up any shops here yet and I've still seen some of them rolling around. The future has arrived and it is woooooooonnnddderrrrfulllll. Kid, let me just say that it is my personal goal to make sure every household on the colony has a little helper. Every man, woman and child deserves these little guys so as soon as we get some materials up here I'll start churning them out. In closing, I would just like to announce that Apollo Industries is looking for a new press secretary! The position just came available. I await your application.
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# ? Apr 30, 2012 06:20 |
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The next turn will be due 11:59 pm Wednesday.
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# ? Apr 30, 2012 11:06 |
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International White Owl Chairman: Hektor Hamelin Lunar Supervisor: Linda Terleski Description: International humanitarian organization promoting and providing free and impartial access to education, scientific involvement and job training. Lunar Personnel: 55 service volunteers, 10 administrative personnel, actively recruiting from both Luna and Earth; one barn owl, named Barney. Resources: Significant, if distant. As a charitable non-government organization, the International White Owl organization receives billions in tax-deductible donations each year from individuals, companies and governments alike. White Owl volunteers are uniformly well-educated members of the medical, education or scientific communities, either initially or as a result of experience and knowledge gained over the course of their service. About the organization: The International White Owl organization was founded on April 23, 2015 in Toronto, Canada as a unified guild of educators and science professionals dedicated to free and open access to higher education regardless of economic or social standing. Absorbed into the International Red Cross/Red Crescent in 2017 after prolonged squabbling over charter rights and principles, the White Owl now functions as a splinter group of the Red Cross, providing free access to education for all via a network of volunteer educators and university grants. The White Owl organization has proven invaluable in the establishing accredited and respectable learning institutions in threatened and developing countries. Its charter principles are: Access to Education, Impartial Instruction, Voluntary Service and the Growth of Knowledge. Though occasionally bogged down with lengthy and indecisive committee deliberation, the White Owl is very well-funded, and a welcome organization in all but the most repressive regimes. White Owl schools are renowned for providing early childhood and youth education free of charge; university-level and job skills training are similarly free of monetary cost, but are required to be taken alongside a pledge of voluntary service in either the White Owl or allied Red Cross/Crescent organization. Due to difficulties experienced in providing education to certain theocratic nations, the White Owl has become an informal representative of womens' rights, specifically the right to equal access to education, employment and health care. Refusing access to the White Owl is seen among international circles as a distinct sign of repression and medieval thought by the offending regime. One of the organizations less publicized but critical duties is the furthering of global scientific knowledge; it actively seeks out grants for viable private projects and pioneers citizen science endeavors across the world. About the Lunar Endeavor: The International White Owl has been lobbying for years to be able to send a small delegation to Maher's Hope, but has been mired in negotiations, due to the governing organizations' reluctance to allow a prison population free access to information that may encourage "further destructive and deviant behavior". It's taken a lot of time, but mounting pressure from Earthside governments and influential individuals has finally broken through, and a new school is scheduled to begin instruction very shortly. Former Canadian education minister Linda Terleski has been chosen to represent the White Owl's lunar mission, and is arriving with a small team, a large amount of supplies, and a mascot, intending to recruit further volunteers from among the Lunar population as their college and university education programs get off the ground. Relationships: Like most non-government organizations, the White Owl remains strictly impartial in matters of politics, and will never use its money or public appeal to directly oppose any political group, though its members are free to speak out for or against them as individuals. As such, a number of governments, Earthside and non, are publicly accepting but privately annoyed with the White Owl's reluctance to "play ball". The organization's dedication to scientific advancement and free access to education regardless of faith, gender or social/economic class has earned the ire of a number of established religions, especially those who actively repress women or reject popular medical and technological advances. This distaste is easily and readily mitigated by the huge amount of popular appeal the White Owl holds worldwide through United Nations cooperation and grassroots activism. The White Owl has nearly unilateral support by workers' organizations and unions, and a growing number of successful and influential companies either employ or are headed by someone educated in a White Owl volunteer university. As such, the White Owl enjoys a large amount of donated capital and volunteer labor, an amount that increases quarter by quarter as more individuals who owe their livelihoods to free education find skilled employment. My email is aberrant dot strain at gmail dot com, and I figure with all the corporate interests chewing pieces off Moon Australia, you guys need a friendly NGO. Feel free to pick up a pamphlet or stop by our offices! We feed Barney at 6 and 6, so bring the kids!
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# ? Apr 30, 2012 14:48 |
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Gideon Mar CEO of Apollo Investments Rhoeo Radio Lately, I've heard a lot of questions. Questions like, "How did you become so outrageously successful, Mr. Mar?" and "What drove you to enter the arena of business?" Well, I have two answers to that. First, I'm not paying you to ask questions. Get back to work. Second, like most men my business savvy was inspired by my father. It was he who drove me to what I am today. I can still hear his voice. "Gideon, you're the filthy son of a whore and if my back weren't so bad I would have thrown you off a bridge years ago". I hated my father so much that I devoted my life to showing him up whenever I could. When I found out I wasn't in his will, what did I do? I built my own damn company and forced him out of business. When the son of a bitch died, I took his casket, attached it to a rocket and shot it into the upper stratosphere to burn. Some might call that a violation of international space laws, but do you know what I call that? Progress. Speaking of which, if anyone happens to see the ghost of my father floating around I give you full permission to shoot him. Don't hesitate, just bam bam give him two shots in the head. He never did anything right. I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to botch his own death.
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# ? Apr 30, 2012 15:12 |