skbl17

NOTE: This roleplay will be rebooted before the end of the year. Because of that, I'm not accepting any new registrations until that happens.

It has been fifteen years since Twilight Sparkle's ascension to the throne. In Canterlot, technocrats and reformists took up key positions in the national bureaucracy, getting them into a position from where they could "develop" Equestria. By emphasizing their goals for scientific research and education, the technocrats found a supporter in Princess Twilight, while the other ruling princesses were okay with the program so long as it did not "destabilize" the country. Shortly thereafter, the national government announced Equestria Forward, a decade-long, multi-billion bit program designed to develop Equestria through advances in technology, education, and infrastructure.

Fourteen years on from the start of the program, Equestria has changed dramatically. Dirt roads have been paved over, the pony and buggy has been largely replaced by automobiles, essential utilities are now present in almost every home and business, steam locomotives have been replaced with speedy bullet trains, television and radio have replaced newspapers as the primary source of information, and a network of interconnected computers and servers, dubbed the "globalnet", is growing in size and prevalence. Science, math, and engineering fields are now the most popular subjects in school. The advances in infrastructure have allowed Equestria's cities to achieve jaw-dropping growth rates, with some cities more than doubling their populations in just over a decade.

However, opposition is present. Established members of the nobility, who were fearful of the program's impact from the start, are concerned about the growing wealth and influence of the "commoners". Some rural communities, feeling neglected by the country's paradigm shift in direction, pine for the "old days" where life was simpler, less technological, and more laid-back. However, due to the indisputable dominance Equestria has in the field of technology and research, the economy has been booming, leaving the opposition with few hooves to stand on.

It seems as if Equestria is on top of the world, both economically and technologically speaking, and it looks as if the future is bright. However, all good things must come to an end sooner or later. When will the boom move to a bust? Just how bad will the bust be?

Welcome to Equestria Forward, an open roleplay centered around life in a technologically advanced Equestria. This opening post serves as the center for all information centered around the roleplay, including important information, rules, and questions you may have.

The Big Questions
What is the plot of the roleplay? (updated August 1, 2015)
There is no overarching, overbearing plot that consumes all. Initially, the idea was a slice of life story, which is still (kind of) the plan, but there will be "arcs" contained in the roleplay, in which specific events are addressed.

- Arc 1 (current): The current arc. What seemed like a normal Monday afternoon in the dead heat of August has turned into a chaotic day in the southeastern region of Tropicala, with social tensions, protests, terrorist attacks, and utility failures, all told from the point of view of different residents in different situations. Meanwhile, what could Prince Blueblood and the nobles be planning to undermine Princess Twilight?

- Arc 2: (undetermined, but will have a greater focus on Canterlot)

Where does the roleplay take place? Am I limited to a particular location? (updated January 27, 2015)
The primary setting of the roleplay is Equestria, fifteen years after the events of Magical Mystery Cure. The sypnosis provided above should give you a good idea of what has happened between then and the start of this roleplay. You can use any city or locale in any country, but if your location is outside of Equestria, it should play some significance to Equestria. For example, if you start in the Crystal Empire, there should be some tangible connection to something the character(s) is doing in Equestria.

I'm currently in the process of creating a map that will identify the locations in greater detail. Look for it soon!

Can I roleplay as Twilight/Applejack/Trixie/Gilda/Donut Joe....?
No. Only the DM can roleplay as canon characters. In fact, the slice of life nature of this roleplay means that the canon characters won't show up much at all.
 
How can I suggest an improvement?
To be honest, this is the first roleplay I've participated in since 2010, so I may be a bit rusty. If you think that there is a good way this roleplay could be improved, leave a message in this thread. If your idea has enough support, I may consider adding it in at some point.

This roleplay sounds great! How do I join?
To sign up, make sure you understand the rules of the site and this roleplay, then create a profile for each OC you plan to enter in the roleplay. Make a post in this thread with your username, OCs you plan to use, and links to the profile. If everything checks out, I will then reply to your post, indicate whether or not your application was approved, and if it was, add you to the list. At that point, happy roleplaying!
 
Where'd all the detail go in this post? (added December 16, 2014)
When I was editing this post to finish the final section under "Transportation", much of the formatting I used in this post was removed. Instead of rewriting everything in this post, I've decided to move all of the extensive details on Equestrian life, society, and technology into future posts in this thread. In short, all of it will be back, just not in this post. Stupid formatting errors.

How often should I post? (updated February 18, 2015)

Per rule #10, you must post in the roleplay thread at least once every two weeks. This rule is not retroactive. If you fail to post at least once every fourteen days, you will be notified, at which point you have 48 hours to post. If you fail to do so, you will be subject to removal from the roleplay. In short, post as often as you can!

If you have any extenuating circumstances that prevent you from adhering to this rule, notify the DM immediately via personal message! If (s)he finds your circumstances to be of an urgent and extenuating nature, (s)he reserves the right to allow you a temporary reprieve from rule #10 for a period not exceeding two weeks.

An Egghead's Guide to the Equestria Forward universe

I recommend that all players read this series of posts to get a better idea of the world in this roleplay.

Government   |   Infrastructure (I  -  II)   |   History (EQF)   |   Culture and society   |   Defense

Economy   |   Education   |   Weather and climate

Rules
1) All site and Roleplay World rules apply, no exceptions.
2) With the exception of my comment in the original post of the roleplay thread, no OOC chatter is allowed in the roleplay thread. All concerns, inquiries, and questions must be made here.
3) All posts must be made in English. If your character speaks another language, a translation must be provided in parentheses.
4) Romantic sub-plots are allowed, but don't clutter the RP with it.
5) No changeling OCs. All other races are allowed.
6) Treat all other players the way you'd like to be treated.
7) You cannot create dramatic events that change the course of the roleplay (unless you are the DM). Here's an example: tornado that destroys a small town your character is in is okay. A hurricane that wipes out the entire west coast of Equestria is not. Please ask the DM before making such changes.
8) Swearing must be kept to a minimum.
9) All posts must be comprehensible. I'm not asking for perfect grammar, but players should be able to read your posts without making their eyes bleed.

10) To remain an "active roleplayer", you must post in the RP thread at least once every two weeks. Failure to do so may result in your removal from the roleplay.

11) Enforcement of roleplay-specific rules is subject to the whims of the DM.
12) Have fun!

Registered Players
Please note that you cannot post in the roleplay thread unless your username is on this list! In addition, you can only roleplay OCs you have on this list.

NOTE TO NEW ENTRANTS: Registrations are closed until the roleplay reboots before the end of the year. Existing players on this list will have their registrations transferred.
 
1. skbl17 [DM] (Compass Meridian, High Voltage)
2. IllusivePony (Aha'ban Steelwings, Bulawayo (Zebra), Imaia Steelwings)
3. bronislav84 (Lektra Bolt)

4. EnderPrince (Dakon Windmane)
5. Suukorak (Luminous Scroll)

If your name is on the list, click here to enter the roleplay!

There doesn't need to be a definite "rule" on alicorns. If you want to create an alicorn, go ahead.

Where most alicorns fall flat is the extent to which they are overpowered. When bronies create alicorn OCs, they tend to imagine a pony with Celestia-tier level power without providing acceptable context for why that's the case, which is disappointing. I have no problems with alicorns on their own, but the abilities and traits of the alicorns are cause for concern.

My ponysona, Compass Meridian (the only one who has a profile on this site at the moment,) is from Manehattan, since I was born in NYC.

As for my other OCs:

- Lamp Post is from Detrot, and currently lives there.

- Caelum Serenos is from a rural prairie town in north central Equestria.

- Storm Chaser is from Cloudsdale.

- High Voltage is from southeastern Equestria, and currently lives there.

- Radio Wave is from a suburb of Manehattan.

- Steel Cuffs is from Fillydelphia.

I'm okay with EQG, and was even fine with it back when it was first announced, even if I hated the initial designs. As long as they keep the events in the EQG movies separate from the established show canon, I don't care if they make ten more EQG movies!

I personally lean toward the head, but with a little bit of the heart thrown in. Most of that can be due to the fact that I tend to overanalyze decisions, so even when my heart says that what I'm doing or about to do is right or is acceptable, I still tend to take into account all of the possibilities and consequences of taking said action.

Excluding the season finales and premieres, I'd say that my favorite episodes are the following:

Season 1: "Bridle Gossip", with "Dragonshy" a very close second.

Season 2: "Putting Your Hoof Down".

Season 3: "One Bad Apple".

Season 4: "Rarity Takes Manehattan".

Isn't there some kind of hydroelectric dam in The Mysterious Mare Do Well?

In my view, yes. Or maybe it's just a dam with some kind of three-pronged building next to it.

Lauren Faust said that Princess Celestia embodies the traits of all three pony races, and the Enterplay trading card for Princess Cadance indicates that her pony types are pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony. We could then assume that it is the same for Princess Luna, as she is the sister of Princess Celestia. I believe that an alicorn is a pony that has characteristics of all three of the primary pony races (earth, unicorn, and pegasus), while pegacorns are simply unicorns that have pegasus wings.

Now, whether or not Twilight counts as an alicorn or a pegacorn depends on what you consider "canon". If I only considered the show itself to be canon, then Twilight is a pegacorn; she has not displayed any of the characteristics of an earth pony, so she does not meet the "three race" requirement. However, if "canon" includes the comic books and chapter books, then she is an alicorn instead, as the chapter book Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell describes Twilight as an alicorn.

Are Pegacorns even cannon?

Aside from a few minor animation errors in some episodes, no.

How would such a war work? There hasn't been much in the way of world building in the show, and I doubt that Hasbro would be okay with the inclusion of international armed conflict in a show aimed primarily at little girls.

At best, any future "wars" will be local in nature and involve non-violent and non-lethal tactics and weaponry (think Applebuck Season).

I hope not.

If there was a princess for each little city and town in Equestria, things would get out of hoof in a hurry. Let's say that Princess Celestia introduced a decree that would, say, change a fundamental part of Equestrian society. Imagine having to get such a decree past not just Princess Luna, Princess Cadance (let's say the Crystal Empire is an integral part of Equestria,) and Princess Twilight, but the hundreds of other princesses that rule over other parts of the country. Let's say Manehattan's princess says no, then what? Let's say half of the local princesses reject such a decree, what then?

At that point, it would be best to either do away with the princess-per-city system and institute some kind of national legislature or council, or get rid of the numerous and redundant princesses and consolidate control at the national (Canterlot) and municipal levels.

That's why I see Twilight not as the princess of Ponyville, but just the Princess of Friendship who just so happens to reside in Ponyville.

Based on the other technology we've seen in the show - I'll ignore that arcade machine - I would say yes. As was previously mentioned, there is a dam in the Ponyville area. While it is true that dams can be used to just create reservoirs, in the Mare do Well episode we see that there is an extra component to the dam: the little building to the side. You know, the one with those three towers jutting out from the top? If I had to guess, that is the powerhouse - the building that takes the water and generates electricity. Now, I would also hazard a guess and say that magic isn't involved in this process; if it is possible to use magic to generate electricity, which is probably true, why bother constructing hydroelectric dams? However, I am not arguing that magical electricity and "standard" electricity are mutually exclusive technologies; I would not be surprised if there was a community that used magic as electric power.
 
However, given the fact that we haven't seen electric appliances very often in the show, I would argue that in general, the nature of the electric industry in Equestria is stuck somewhere in the early 1900s. There is electricity and it can be harnessed for personal use, but outside of the major cities and some rural communities (such as Ponyville), the electric grid is spotty to nonexistent.

That being said, it is true that based on the show's target audience, I don't think this topic will be fleshed out in the show or comics anymore than it already has.

To sum up, yes, there is electricity generated, transmitted, and distributed in a standard, non-magical manner, and yes, it is likely that there is "magical" electricity that fulfills a similar function.

I thought, "What would I look like if I was a pony?", and made that my profile picture.

It's definitely over 9000, but there is a limit. That fight in season 2 between Queen Chrysalis and Princess Celestia did not end well....for the Princess.

Remember, Firefly was cancelled over a decade ago, but to this day, the show still has a very large fandom. There's no reason to believe that the fandom will die once the show ends; I think the fanbase has grown to be its own entity in many respects; there are fanmade episodes, fan novels, conventions, discussion forums like this, and so on. No reason to think all of that will stop when My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic airs its final episode.

It is very, very difficult for people to tell if I'm a brony. I've only gotten "caught" once: when I was in high school, I would occasionally draw OCs on blank paper. One person noticed, but luckily for me, he then asked, "Is that an OC?" He was a brony too!  

Otherwise, I have to tell people myself.

Much like how some fans of Google treat it like a religion, I do think that there are some bronies who revere the princesses and/or Lauren Faust, see the mane six as prophets, and treat MLP like a major religion.

I think it depends on the type of brony you're referring to. The bronies who don't make a big deal out of the show outside of fan sites and conventions and don't constantly wave the show in other people's faces will do just fine in society. It's the more "extreme" bronies - the ones who wear the Rainbow Dash shirts while carrying around three dolls for each member of the mane six - who may have trouble being accepted into society.

Editing this long-winded post, listening to great anime OPs, and filling out class surveys for my college (ugh).

This could pass my time easily.

 

Name: Crystalia 

 

Capital: Crysta

 

Native Language: Crystalians generally speak English. Although due to being apart of East Canada, many citizens also speak French.

 

Population: 3 024 056 (approx.)

 

Flag:

 

 

Location: On the Eastern Coast of America and Canada, right on the border between them.

 

Government: Representative Democracy.

 

Economy: Much of Crystalia's economy comes from oil platforms in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast.

 

Three Holidays:

- Crystalia Day

  This day celebrates when Maine, of the United States, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia of Canada declared independence of their   separate countries to form one of their own.

 

- Remembrance Day

  This holiday was formed to remember the brave men and women who have fallen in any wars that Crystalia has been involved in.

 

- Friendliness Week

  Friendliness Week is quite simply - a week where all citizens of Crystalia participate in being more friendly and tolerating of others.

 

Brief History: Crystalia was founded as a country in 1961 after the multiple referendums in Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia of State Independence. Each state's people voted, and each state had become independent. Soon afterwards, all three states united to form one country called Crystalia.

 

Military: Crystalia is under the defence of the Crystalian Defence Force, (AKA the CDF). It's comprised of 150 000+ personnel. 

 

Climate: Crystalia gets warm summers and snowy winters.

 

Blah, blah, blah.. I can't be bothered to do the rest.

 

Anyway, this was surprisingly fun, from what I thought it'd be.

Nice! As for the bolded/underlined text...why not? I'm interested in learning more about Crystalia; I may even move there in the future! 

Bumping this because I find the premise pretty interesting. A realistic country, eh?

Name: Republic of Atlantia (République Atlantique in French - lit. "Atlantic Republic")

Capital and largest city: Victoria Bay (pop. 698,587)

Language(s): English is the only official language. While it is not recognized as an official language, French is spoken by 30% of the population as either a first or second language. Due to the country's proximity to Venezuela, Spanish is also used in some government and business circles.

Currency: Atlantian dollar ($ is used in daily parlance, but A$ is used in all official documents). All numbers given in this post are given in U.S. dollars; the exchange rate between the A$ and the US$ is considered to be 1 A$ = 1.20 US$.

Demographics: According to the 2010 census, the population of Atlantia stands at 3,260,937. Roughly 50% of the population is considered white, 21% is considered South Asian, 17% is considered African/black, 10% is considered Hispanic, and 2% is considered East Asian. 12% of the population is under the age of majority of 18, while 8% of the population is above retirement age (set as 70 during the 2009 welfare reforms).

Flag description: The national flag is composed of two stripes, each of equal height and length. The top stripe is light blue, but the bottom stripe is navy blue. The navy blue stripe is accented with waves as the top border. A sun-like shape is placed behind the navy blue stripe. The flag is meant to describe the country's location: on the sea.

Location: Atlantia is located east of Trinidad and Tobago, with the northwestern tip of the country located between Tobago and Barbados, but closer to Tobago. The republic shares maritime borders with Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and Guyana.

Type of government: The island nation is a constitutional parliamentary republic, with the national government meeting in Victoria Bay, the capital. There is a president, but he serves a largely ceremonial role; most political power is vested in a unicameral parliament, namely the 80-seat Council of Delegates, and the independent judiciary, led by the Supreme Court of Appeal. Most political power is concentrated in the capital due to the unitary style of government the country uses; local municipalities do exist and wield some powers, but their jurisdiction is mostly limited to land use, business licensing, zoning, police services, fire services, and code enforcement.

The national government also has a Cabinet, whose members are appointed by the president (as one of his few duties) and confirmed by the Council of Delegates. Currently, the ministries that make up the Cabinet are:

- Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery: Responsible for inspecting food, regulating fisheries, cooperating with foreign counterparts in agricultural policy, and enforcing all legislation pertaining to the agriculture industry.

- Ministry of Business, Commerce, and Trade: Responsible for enforcing all government legislation pertaining to businesses (outside of licensing, that's up to municipalities,) regulating trade, and cooperating with foreign counterparts in trade policy.

- Ministry of Civil Defense: Responsible for defense of the country's borders.

- Ministry of Education: Responsible for regulation of the country's public education system.

- Ministry of Finance: Responsible for maintaining the national monetary supply and tax code, enforcing the country's fiscal and monetary policies, and monitoring the national bank (ANB).

- Ministry of Health and Welfare: Responsible for regulation of the country's public health system and insurance system, monitoring hospitals, regulating the country's welfare systems, inspecting medicine, and cooperating with foreign counterparts in medical policy.

- Ministry of Immigration and Foreign Affairs: Responsible for enforcing national immigration policy, maintaining relations with foreign countries, and inspecting all imports.

- Ministry of Infrastructure: Responsible for regulating the country's civil infrastructure in the fields of telecommunications, transportation, and utilities.

- Ministry of Interior Affairs and Heritage: Responsible for maintaining the local government system, supervising elections, funding tourism initiatives, and promoting national history and culture.

Economy: A sizable chunk of Atlantia's economy is centered around tourism and services. Much like its western neighbor, Trinidad and Tobago, tourism does not make or break the country economically, as Atlantia also has a large IT and logistics sector. The nation's nominal GDP is estimated to be about $87.9 billion - $26,983 per capita - but due to the relatively high cost of living, the GDP as measured in purchasing power is lower: $79.8 billion ($24,485 per capita). Much of the country's economic prosperity has been attributed to a boom in IT, trade, and logistics in the 1990s and early 2000s. However, while experts generally agree that the country's economy is still growing at a rate of ~2.5-3% per year, the huge growth rates and incredibly low unemployment rates seen during the turn of the millennium no longer exist due to global economic weakness.

Three holidays: The biggest holiday in Atlantia is Foundation Day (July 7), which marks the day that the republic gained its independence from the United Kingdom. Other notable holidays include Constitution Day (October 16), which marks the birth of the national constitution, and the republic is one of a handful of former British colonies that still celebrates Victoria Day (May 24).

"Brief" history: Much like other islands in the Caribbean, the modern history of Atlantia begins in the late 15th century, with Spain colonizing the islands in 1497, incorporating the island chain into its larger colony of New Spain as the Islas Columbianos (lit. Columbian Islands). Their claim, however, lasted until the late 1700s, as French settlers migrating from French colonies in the Lesser Antilles took control of Atlantia and, for a few years, established an independent French republic (République Atlantique). The British Navy, as part of actions taken during the Napoleonic Wars, attacked the islands in 1795. As part of a calculated scheme to preserve some semblance of French political power in the islands, the government capitulated on June 15, 1795. The scheme paid off: the republic would lose its sovereignty, with the British taking control of all defense and foreign affairs while also retaining the right to intervene in the country's internal affairs "should such an action become necessary". With that, the country was transformed into a nominally autonomous protectorate of Great Britain.

The island chain remained a nominally independent protectorate until 1917, as France was nearly overrun in World War I. As a "necessary security precaution", the British took over the protectorate's government, transforming the "Atlantic Republic" into a crown colony. Despite the fact that the French did not control the islands, the British feared that imperial Germany may have recruited collaborators in the protectorate's government, which was not the case.

With the British fully in control, some changes were made to the political and social structures of the country: English was made a compulsory language alongside French, driving was moved to the left, an appointed Governor took over the position of the former President, the British parliament now had the authority to override the local assembly if need be, and the English name of the colony was changed to "Atlantia". The changes were accepted, but the people retained a small feeling of independence, a feeling that intensified during and after World War II, when some of the colony's regiments performed what were seen as heroic deeds in Europe. This led to a growing sense of nationalism, leading to the colony's rejection of a political merger with other British Caribbean colonies in the West Indies Federation.

The wave of decolonization sweeping Africa, Asia, and the Americas soon arrived at Atlantia's doorstep. After months of negotiations between London and Victoria Bay, Atlantia was granted independence on July 7, 1959, with the country's current constitution coming into force on October 16, 1960. The now-independent country initially adopted English and French as national languages, and continued most British colonial policies - the Privy Council, for example, was not removed as a final appeals court until 1989 - while tourism continued to be the backbone of the country's economy. However, in 1991, a progressive Prime Minister learned of the potential behind logistics, namely the growing information technology and trade sectors. As such, the government reoriented its economic policy towards fostering new trade links, boosting education, creating an IT sector, and realigning its tax regime to be more favorable to startups, small businesses, and even corporations.

Today, Atlantia is described as one of the most prosperous countries in the region, with a booming and diverse economy, stable population, and high standard of living, despite the fairly high cost of imports. French is no longer an official language due to a shift in demographics, but is still spoken by a noticeable chunk of the population. The country's future looks bright, but time will tell how long Atlantia can maintain its economic and social prosperity.

Defense: After spending its first years of postwar independence relying largely on a small paramilitary force and the protection of the U.S. military, the country increased its military spending in 1983 as a reaction to the U.S.-led invasion of Grenada. Today, the Atlantian National Defense Force (ANDF) is a small but effective fighting force, composed of 11,420 active troops, a small paramilitary force of 1,000 members, and an additional 5,300 reservists. Under the national constitution, the president serves as the commander-in-chief, but all military actions must be approved by the Council of Delegates. Conscription has been outlawed since January 1, 1992; the ANDF has had to rely on volunteers since that date.

The U.S. military operates one small military base on Columbus Island, and occasionally participates in military exercises with Atlantian forces.

Land area: 24,928.7 km² (15,490 mi²) - comparable in size to Macedonia or Rwanda.

Education: Atlantia's education system is one of the most developed in the Caribbean. The national constitution guarantees every citizen and legal resident the right to a public education. A estimated 99.2% of the population is deemed to be literate, and 68% of the adult population holds at least an associate's degree. The public school system, regulated by the Ministry of Education, is composed of hundreds of primary and secondary that combine to provide an education for an estimated 418,000 students.

There are seven flagship universities in the country, the largest of which (the University of Atlantia) serves 18,760 students on its main campus on the outskirts of Victoria Bay.

Climate and geography: Atlantia's maritime position near the Equator gives it a tropical climate, similar to that of surrounding nations. There are two seasons: the "dry" season, in which precipitation is not abundant and the country can go days without receiving a drop of rain, and the "wet" season, where rain is highly abundant and thunderstorms are frequent. Summer temperatures average out at 32°C (89.6°F). The country is outside of the Atlantic hurricane belt; despite its maritime position and rainy climate, hurricanes rarely make landfall in Atlantia.

The country is composed of 10 islands, of which only three are large enough to have a non-negligible impact on national identity. The largest of the islands, Elizabeth Island, is located in the west and is home to 56% of the country's population, the newest cities, and the capital, Victoria Bay. Most of the country's business takes place on that island. The second largest island, Jarvis Island, is located to the northwest, and is located between Tobago and Barbados. Jarvis Island is home to 14% of the country's population, is the smallest of the three main islands, and is the most tourist-dependent. Finally, there is Columbus Island, located to the east of Elizabeth Island, and is home to 30% of the country's population, the most historic cities in the country, and the highest point, the 320m (1,050ft) high Point Louis.

Political parties: There are three major political parties in Atlantian political discourse, but there is one regional party that makes waves in the national political system on some occasions (the amount of seats each party holds in the Council of Delegates is given in brackets):

- Atlantian People's Party (APP): A fiscally moderate-to-conservative, socially moderate political party, the APP has been the primary force in national politics since 1988, and has been in government since the elections of 1991. The party is largely credited with introducing policies that allowed the country's recent economic boom to take place, but has faced some criticism over its 2009 welfare reforms and its slow response to the economic crisis of 2008. (45 seats)

- Liberal Progressive Party (LBP): A fiscally moderate-to-liberal, socially liberal political party, the LBP has been the main opposition party since the 1990 merger of the Social Liberals, the Progressive Party, and the New Frontier Party. While the party has been stuck in opposition since 1991, they have, on occasion, successfully pressured the APP government to introduce social reforms, such as LGBT rights and universal healthcare. (26 seats)

- National Conservative Party (NCP): A fiscally conservative, but very socially conservative party, the NCP was very strong in national politics for decades, even while the country was under British rule, as its platform of conservatism resonated with large segments of Atlantian society. However, the NCP began to falter in the 1930s during the Great Depression, and eventually fell out of favor with much of the public during the postwar years. While the party still holds some seats in the Council of Delegates, most of the party's more sane, fiscally conservative members defected to the APP as that party rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. (6 seats)

- Union Party: While it is nothing more than a regional party, the Union Party is a populist, fiscally moderate party that is very strong in local politics, especially in rural areas in the eastern isles. In fact, in the 2008 elections, the Union Party took 9 seats in the Council of Delegates, making the party a national political force for the first time in its history. Ironically, the Union Party is the oldest active political party in the country, having been founded as the Union League in 1876. (3 seats)

Life expectancy: The country's well-developed health system has allowed Atlantia to achieve a life expectancy of 77.9 years. Women (80.2 years) have a higher life expectancy than men (75.6 years).

Unemployment rate: The country's official unemployment rate currently stands at 4.4%. For much of the 1990s and 2000s, unemployment remained at all-time lows of 2-3%, but the economic troubles of 2008 led to an economic slowdown and a rise in unemployment, peaking at 6.9% in March 2009. Despite the decreasing numbers, the government's opposition (LBP, NCP, and Union) occasionally question the unemployment figures, as the calculations do not take into account those adults who have registered as unemployed, but then drop out of the labor force. According to the NCP, the "actual" unemployment figure is closer to 8%.

Miscellaneous:

- LGBT rights: Atlantia is fairly progressive on LGBT rights, but not quite to the extent of some European countries. Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1991, when the Council of Delegates repealed all national buggery laws, and sexual orientation was added to the nation's anti-discrimination laws in 2004. Civil unions were legalized in 2009, but a bill to provide marriage to same-sex couples failed in 2013. Adoption, IVF, and military service are also open to LGBT people.

- Crime: Despite its prosperous economy, Atlantia still has a bit of a crime problem, with most of the country's homicides and assaults being drug-related. As of 2012, the national homicide rate is estimated to be 7.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, lower than it was in 2009, but at the cost of an increased prevalence of petty crimes (car break-ins, theft, etc.). Crime rates were highest in the communities east of Victoria Bay, where the homicide rate hit 20.4 per 100,000 inhabitants during the summer of 2011. The death penalty was last used in 1987, and was abolished on June 1, 2000 after all remaining death row prisoners were commuted to life sentences.

- Driving: The country has driven on the left since 1917, when the British established a crown colony in Atlantia. The Ministry of Infrastructure maintains a vast network of paved streets, national roads, and a (semi-private) tolled expressway system.

- ISO code: RA (a reference to the country's former French name)

- Top-level domain: .ra

- Calling code: +1. Atlantia is a member of the North American Numbering Plan; 821 is used as the area code.

- Media and telecommunications: Atlantia is home to ten television stations and 32 radio stations. The public broadcaster, ART (Atlantian Radio and Television), was established in 1959 and owns two television stations and three radio stations; private companies operate all other television and radio services. Digital television transmissions have utilized the DVB-T2 standard since ART One launched its digital high-definition service in 2011. However, analog television service will continue until July 1, 2019, when analog transmissions will cease. All radio services are still provided in analog; no digital radio standard has been chosen.

Newspapers remain a popular method for disseminating information, despite the presence of television, radio, and the internet. The most popular daily paper is the Atlantia Standard, with an estimated 532,000 copies sold daily.

Internet service is widely available, open, and free. Since the telecommunications market was opened to private companies and shared-line access in 1986 as a result of the privatization of state-owned ATW (Atlantia Telephone Works), there has been abundant competition in the telecommunications sector; twelve phone companies all offer dial-up, DSL, and fiber service to communities at reasonable prices. However, the cable sector is non-competitive and somewhat pricey; there are two cable companies that serve exclusive territories: Atlantica Cable serves Jarvis Island and half of Elizabeth Island, while Columbus Communications (through its subsidiary company Flow Atlantia) serves Columbus Island and the eastern half of Elizabeth Island. Undersea fiber links connect Atlantia with other countries in South America, Europe, and North America.

Wireless phone service has been available since 1996, when ATW launched a wireless phone network in and around Victoria Bay. Since then, the mobile phone market has exploded in popularity, with the number of mobile phones overtaking the number of landlines in 2010. Currently, four companies are licensed to provide mobile phone services: ATW, Digicel Atlantia, Cable & Wireless (through its LIME subsidiary,) and a-mobile.

There is no government-mandated media censorship, but laws against child pornography are enforced through the use of private filters by the ISPs. All telecommunications and internet services are regulated by the Ministry of Infrastructure's Telecommunications Office.

- Time zone: UTC-4. Atlantia does not practice daylight savings time due to its proximity to the Equator.

- International organizations: Atlantia has been a member of the United Nations since December 19, 1959. In addition, the country is a member of most UN-related organizations (UNESCO, UNICEF, etc.), the IOC, FIFA, CARICOM, and the Organization of American States.

Man, that was a long post!

This is all I can remember off the top of my head.

Things I used to like:

- The Sonic the Hedgehog series. I used to be a fairly big fan, but I don't really care for it at all nowadays. Most of the (imo, crappy) modern games and the fanbase drove me away.

- Believe it or not, Comcast. When I first got Comcast's internet service, I was ecstatic! Finally, no more DSL or dial-up! My love affair with the company ended after I heard about this and this. As an avid internet user and someone who doesn't support media cross-ownership, I no longer trust or like them.

- School buses. I used to be an avid enthusiast, but now I don't really care much for them. Maybe the fact that I never rode one in high school contributed to the demise of my inner enthusiast.

- CNN, back when it was watchable. Now it's just utter crap, like most of the other cable news channels.

- The Weather Channel, back when it was all about weather. Now it's just a microcosm of cable television in 2014: reality TV (but with some weather mixed in,) bad morning shows, and overly peppy live weather programs that aren't even about weather ~60% of the time. Network decay, indeed.

Stuff I hated, but now like:

- A substantial swath of magical girl anime. I used to be part of the whole "ha, it's girly, so it sucks!" group, but then I started watching MLP, so I couldn't really paint such a broad brush like that anymore. Once I got back into anime, I actually found that there are some shows in the magical girl genre that are actually good in their own right, and contain good and/or thought- or emotion-provoking moments.

- MLP, but just G4 and the Rainbow Castle special from G1. You're not going to get me to admit it in public, though.

- Social media. If you told me in 2012 that I would be a Facebook and Twitter user, I would laugh; I wouldn't be caught dead with "those people" who use social media to post endless pictures of food. Some school-related events in 2013 shattered that illusion. Now I actually consider Facebook and Twitter pretty good websites to keep in touch with friends, even if they are grating at times. Of course, I still hate Snapchat, but I've already made my position clear on that.

Depends. If I find a post that is well thought out, on topic, and does a good job of explaining something, there's a very good chance that I'll brohoof it.

In the show, we've seen pony-pulled trains, steam trains, pony-drawn carriages, the "motorized vehicle" that was the SSCS6000, lanterns, lights, hydroelectric dams, arcade machines, automated railroad crossing stop arms, the computerized equipment Twilight kept in her old library's basement, a bowling alley, and pony-drawn plows (no tractors,) among others. From that list alone, it's hard to pin down an equivalent time period. We've seen tech from the 1980s, the 1940s, the 1700s, the 1920s, and the 1880s.

I'd say that Equestrian technology is, on average, on par with the late 1800s to the early 1900s (electricity exists, steam trains exist, pony-drawn carriages), but the exact time period will vary by episode.

I'm not going to go into why the heart is considered a common feature in Equestrian art in canon terms, because that's never really been touched on all that much. There has been the concept of "friendship", and "love" has been touched on, but I never really considered love to be the central theme of the show. The meta reason why the heart is common in Equestrian art is simple.

Marketing.

Think about the My Little Pony franchise. Who is the target audience? Bronies? No, try again. That's right, young girls. What shape or object comes to mind when you think "cartoon aimed at young girls"? Hearts.

I will just leave it to the concept of "cartoon physics" and fourth-wall-breaking shenanigans. Remember, even Twilight, with all the fancy equipment she kept in the basement of the old Golden Oaks Library, her intricate knowledge of magic and science, and her tendency to reject any "illogical" theories, gave up on trying to understand Pinkie's abilities. Trying to explain how Pinkie Pie's "powers" work is akin, in my view, to dividing by zero.

I doubt she's a pseudo-unicorn or anything like that. Pinkie Pie is Pinkie Pie because she is Pinkie Pie, 'nuff said.