Location: Absolution

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Bemused Stupefaction of Hookahpalooza is a colossal, cultured nation, ruled by Stoner Supreme Superdude with a fair hand, and remarkable for its museums and concert halls. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 9.525 billion are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whoever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, socially-minded government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Education, the Environment, and Social Welfare. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Mister Natural Medicine Show. The average income tax rate is 99%. The private sector is almost wholly made up of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, although the government is looking at stamping this out.

The "Underwear of Women in Power" issue of The Mister Natural Medicine Show Times is sold out, citizens can be frequently spotted going about their business stark naked, legislators work 24/7 due to an influx of single-issue bills, and CEOs can't hear the term 'Fire Sale' without bursting into tears. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is crippling, probably because of the country's utter lack of prisons. Hookahpalooza's national animal is the Cheshire Cat, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, its national religion is Rainbow Sunshine Acid Tripism, and its currency is the shroom.

Hookahpalooza is ranked 371st in Absolution and 101,041st in the world for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -12 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and