HotRodia
- Text for the below article was taken in part from the Encyclopedia HotRodia, 18th Edition, which was published by the HotRodia Publishing Corporation. These articles contain information that was current at the time of writing. For information on the past events in HotRodia, see the History of HotRodia.
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| Flag of HotRodia | |
| Motto: Gasoline in Our Veins, Liberty in Our Lives! | |
| Map Location | |
| Region | Texas |
|---|---|
| Capital | HotRodia City |
| Official Language(s) | Texan |
| Leader | Minister of Hospitality |
| Population | 6.5 Billion |
| Currency | tequila |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Contents
Government
The Modified Acceleration Engine of HotRodia does not have a government in the normal sense of the word. There are no regulatory agencies, no executive offices and no legislators of any kind. People are allowed to enter and leave HotRodia as they please, enter into contracts with others as they please and generally behave in whatever manner they think appropriate. The nation is essentially an anarcho-capitalist cooperative. The only government official of any kind that is present in HotRodia is the Minister of Hospitality, a position for which a candidate is elected by a vote of whomever wishes to vote. The Minister of Hospitality has little real authority in HotRodia. His or her only function within the rather small HotRodian political sphere is to represent the nation in the region of Texas and to other nations and regions in the world. The current Minister of Hospitality, Sam I Am, has chosen to represent his nation to the region of Texas by taking on the role of Texas Secretary of UN Affairs and Texas Ambassador to Wysteria. Because of his rather busy schedule and desire to maintain a HotRodian presence in the halls of the United Nations, he has appointed Accelerus Dioce to be the HotRodian UN Representative.
Affiliated States
HotRodia II is currently an anarcho-capitalist cooperative as well. The Tire-Burning Torque Engine seceded from HotRodia some time ago when a group of HotRodians chose to create their own self-sufficient state that was distinctly Libertarian in flavor. They created the new nation in the region of Wysteria, and have resided there ever since.
HotRodia III is also currently an anarcho-capitalist cooperative like HotRodia. The Tireless Economic Engine seceded from HotRodia some time ago when a large number of HotRodians became frustrated with the excessively liberal policies of HotRodia during the Combustian Era.
Both HotRodia II and HotRodia III are members of The HotRodian Empire.
Accelerus came into existence as the result of an accident involving research into tempo-dimensional anomalies, a pet accelerus rapidamus, a philosophical text, and an uptight prude. As this accident occured in HotRodia, the nation does feel some responsibility for the existence of the Republic.
Automobilistan was initially and continues to be a safe haven for the adherents of the fundamentalist sect of Combustianism, called the Automobilicans. It was created by Automobilicans, for Automobilicans, and is rather theocratic.
Chromera is a nation that was formed as one of the largest marketing ploys by the HotRodia Motor Corporation in an effort to promote one of their most popular automobiles in the international arena, the HRMC Advertising Spot of Chromera. It grew into a nation of its own, and is no longer administered entirely by the HotRodia Motor Corporation. The nation has friendly relations with HotRodia, but most interactions between the two nations are economic, not political or military in nature. Chromera is also located in the region of Texas.
Gearhead Cowboys is a nation that was a result of a small group of motorcycle-lovers in HotRodia deciding to start their own community after they experienced discrimination against them because they preferred motorcycles over cars, which most HotRodians consider ridiculous. The Texan Biker Tribes are located in The Heartland region and the nation is composed of numerous tribes of nomadic motorcycles riders gathered together in a anarcho-communist collective.
Supercaria is a nation that was formed when many zealous members of the religion of Combustianism grew disgusted with what they saw as the grotesque immorality of HotRodian life, which is largely secular. They founded a nation based entirely on their religious principals which has thrived to this day as an anarcho-socialist federation (in the Anticapitalist Alliance) that wants little to do with their HotRodian progenitors.
Texan Hotrodders is a nation that was initially started as a colony of HotRodia and grew gradually into a nation of its own with all the attendant sovereignty that entails. Texan Hotrodders has no formal alliance with HotRodia, but relations between the two have been very good and the Fuel-Injected Federation agreed to represent its own interests and those of HotRodia in the the Texas Defense Force and the United Nations. (They have since rescinded their membership in both.) HotRodia had previously been a member of the United Nations, but most HotRodian citizens grew to despise the United Nations for what they saw as its grossly offensive and impractical legislation and so the citizens chose to resign from the organization and many also chose to shoot UN Inspectors in protest, a practice that continues to this day.
TurboDiesel is the only current colony of HotRodia, and serves as the HotRodian representative in the International Democratic Union. It is an anarcho-capitalist cooperative and was formed originally as a research colony dedicated to improving diesel engine technology.
Guns n Whiskey is a nation that is almost as large and old as HotRodia, and was once a neighbor to HotRodia. The Paternalistic Protectorate was formerly a corporate-controlled republic, but is now in a state of chaos because of a recent accident that undermined the confidence of the populace in the government.
Culture
Due to the lack of restrictions on immigration, the residents of HotRodia are a diverse mixture of people from a variety of species and geopolitical backgrounds, including but not limited to native HotRodians, humans of various other geopolitical backgrounds, elves, dwarves, sentient robots, certain energy-based life-forms, and so on. Despite all of this diversity, there are certain common cultural patterns that apply to the vasty majority of residents, regardless of species or geopolitical background. The first is that they are a peaceful people that get along with their neighbors and generally operate by a philosophy expressed succinctly in a trite phrase common in HotRodia, "Live and let live." They also believe strongly in the effectiveness of the complete liberty of individuals to make their own decisions without interference from a government. Furthermore, the culture is a free market culture in which individuals are encouraged to create new products to improve the well-being of all and to consume those products as a means of supporting the prosperity of their fellow citizens. It is considered very bad form to hoard wealth in HotRodia, and often such persons who hoard their money are denigrated and called all sorts of rude names. Religion does not play a big role in the lives of most residents, but there are sizable religious organizations that operate quite successfully in HotRodia, and the people seem to have no particular aversion to religion. The only religion native to HotRodia is Combustianism.
Language
Most HotRodians speak several languages, but the only one native to HotRodia is known as HotRodish. This language is a sub-dialect of Texan English. It differs from Texan English only in its lexicon. That is to say, HotRodish sometimes uses words or phrases that are different from Texan English, but the forms of pronunciation and grammar are identical.
Phrases
In Texan English, a metaphorical expression sometimes used is "let the cat out of the bag", which means to reveal a secret or previously unknown knowledge. In HotRodish, "let the car off the line" has the same meaning. This is one example of a phrase that has been appropriated and adapted from Texan English so that it can fit more closely the context of HotRodian culture.
Words
In HotRodish, some words are transformed from their meaning in Texan English and used in new ways. For example, the word "engine" is used to refer to an entity's essence, which would be the equivalent of the word "soul" in Texan English.
Military
Despite the surprising lack of violence and conflict in HotRodia, a very small military exists which mostly monitors the few possible threats to HotRodian security and deals with those threats quietly through unobtrusive means. There is also a small police force which, along with the military, sometimes serves as a security service for the Minister of Hospitality. Their latest appearance, however, was at the Triumvirate Drag-Racing Championship, an inter-regional sporting event for which security was required due to the number of attendees and a greater risk of violence. Service in the military is completely voluntary and funded through the donations of private citizens who think it serves an important function.
Technology
HotRodian technology is currently fairly advanced, particularly in the area of automobile manufacturing. HotRodian cars are among the most efficient and fun to drive in their class. Some nations use allegedly better technology to power their automobiles and HotRodia has access to some of that technology, but HotRodians have remained true to the historical origins of the automobile simply because they see shifting gears, burning rubber and rumbling engines as an intrinsically appealing part of the automotive experience. The more striking developments in technology have occurred in the field of space travel, where private HotRodian companies and citizens have developed effective transportation for cargo and people (mostly to space stations) using several different methods of propulsion, though long-distance space travel is still very much a problem. The nation's energy is supplied by a variety of different methods, including hydroelectric dams, fusion reactors, solar panels, natural gas, and some gasoline-fueled generators.
Environment
HotRodia is located in the gulf coast area of the Texas region. Due to its location, it originally had a great deal of thriving vegetation and unique wildlife (such as the accelerus rapidamus) that drew tourists from many other nations each year, providing a boost to the then hardly impressive economy. After many years of mining and an industrial sector that has overwhelmed the landscape with manufacturing plants and urban residential areas that extend far underground and far into the sky, HotRodia has little in the way of natural beauty anymore, unless you enjoy stark, barren landscapes of concrete that are devoid of plant life and building that are designed for practicality and not beauty. Fortunately, there are some archtecturally impressive buildings that please the eye (such as the Museum of Automotive History) and a few natural preserves kept clean by certain private citizens in an attempt to recall the natural beauty of the HotRodian past.
Economy
After the Combustian Era, the economy of HotRodia made significant improvements in its relative economic strength. Today HotRodia, while not on top of the world's economy, is nonetheless generally ranked in a very high percentile in terms of its economic strength in the world, partially due to its large population, free market culture, and highly educated citizenry. The major industries in HotRodia are automobile manufacturing, gambling, and publishing. Much of the products produced by these industries are consumed in HotRodia, but there is also a fair amount of trade with other nations contributing to the economy.
HotRodian Corporate Entities
Below is a listing of many of the larger businesses in HotRodia and a short description of each.
HotRodia Publishing Corporation
The HRPC produces some of the finest literature to come out of HotRodia, and is willing to publish almost any type of publication you can think of.
HotRodia Tequila Vendors Conglomerate
The HTVC produces and distributes all types of alcoholic beverages, not just tequila.
The HRMC produces a large variety of automobiles, a small number of which are available on the international market.
HotRodia First Regional Bank
The HRFRB offers banking services including savings accounts, free checking accounts, CD's, loans, safety deposit boxes. All accounts and funds are fully insured, and any errors on the part of the bank will be fixed promptly and the person who was subject to the error will recieve appropriate compensation.
HotRodia Electric Company
The HREC provides power for over half of HotRodian citizens, and is constantly researching new power resources such as wind, water, and solar-powered alternatives to serve its customers better.
HotRodia AviTech
HRAT designs and produce avionic technology, including ornithopters, helicopters, airplanes, and their various component parts, such as engines, wings/blades, etc.
HotRodia TeleComm Incorporated
HRTCI provides telephone, internet, and wireless services to over 80% of HotRodian citizens.
HotRodia Home Renovation Warehouse
The HRHRW retails items that are commonly used for home improvement projects, building materials, paints, plumbing fixtures, lighting implements, etc.
HotRodia ArmaCorp
The HRAC produces various types of military hardware, including small arms, ground-based transports, tanks, ships, aircraft, etc.
HotRodia Film Productions Company
The HRFPC is the largest producer of films and television series in HotRodia, and is responsible for the wildly popular 'Jimmy Bomb' movies.
HotRodia HardSoft Electronics
HRHSE makes hardware and software for individual, commercial, and military applications. Their most famous work is the infamous Spelling Nazi program.
HotRodia Hotels and Resorts Corporation
HRHRC hotels are among the finest in the world. Complimentary services include open bars, restaurant dining, valet parking, access to fitness equipment and spa facilities, room service, and pillow mints.
HotRodia Clothiers Limited
The HRCL can supply any and all clothing needs. Whether your clothing needs to cover as little as possible or as much as possible, this company can design it to fit your complexion, body shape, size, or lifestyle.
South HotRodia AgriFarm Incorporated
SHRAFI is the only supplier of feeds, hormones, housing materials, etc. for the entirety of HotRodia, and for good reason. They produce and sell high quality items for a reasonable price.
East HotRodia Waste Management Systems
The EHRWMS provides sewage and waste disposal services for all of HotRodia's billion citizens.
North HotRodia Drilling and Refinement
The NHRDR is the company that is driving the proper use of HotRodia's natural gas, oil, and coal resources.
West HotRodia Timber Incorporated
WHRTI has chopped down thousands of trees, and replants thousands more, in an effort to make sure that the high paper usage by the government doesn't totally destroy the environment.
I Am Tired Mattress Manufacturies Company
The IATMMC builds the finest, softest, most pleasantly supportive beds in HotRodia that come in a variety of styles, shapes, and compositions.
