Video games are banned in Turkmenistan.

[Giantsgiants]

Note: I put this in the gaming forum because this topic is somewhat gaming related. It touches upon the banning of video games.

Sorry to say this guys, but it's true. Video games are banned there.

Along with car radios, lip-syncing, recorded music, ballet and opera, long hair on men, beards and beards. It's all thanks to former president Saparmurat Niyazov.

Some other things he did:

First, he took the name Turkmenbashi (Leader of All Ethnic Turkmen) and declared himself President for Life. Since then, he's undertaken scores of self-aggrandizing – and bizarre – measures to make Turkmenistan a very unique place:

The airport in the capital city of Asgabat was renamed... Turkmenbashi.

The president also renamed the months. January is now called... Turkmenbashi. April is called Gurbansoltan edzhe, after his mother. (Bread, once called chorek, is now also called gurbansoltan edzhe.)

In April 2004 he ordered the building of a giant ice palace in the middle of the desert, the Karakum – the hottest location in central Asia. It would also include a zoo with penguins.

The name of the large port city Krasnovodsk was changed to... Turkmenbashi.

Dozens of streets and schools across the country are now called... Turkmenbashi.

In 1998 a 670-pound meteorite landed in Turkmenistan. Scientist named it... Turkmenbashi.

The image of Turkmenbashi's face is used as the logo of all three state-run TV stations, and is legally required to appear on every clock and watch face as well as on every bottle of Turkmenbashi brand vodka.

In March 2004, 15,000 public health workers were dismissed including nurses, midwives, school health visitors and orderlies and replaced with military conscripts.

In April 2004 the youth of Turkmenistan were encouraged to chew on bones to preserve their teeth rather than be fitted with gold tooth caps or gold teeth.

In 2004 all licensed drivers were required to pass a "morality test".

In 2004 it was prohibited for news readers to wear make-up

In February 2005 all hospitals outside Asgabat were ordered shut, with the reasoning that the sick should come to the capital for treatment. All rural libraries were ordered closed as well, citing ordinary Turkmen do not read books.

In November 2005 physicians were ordered to swear an oath to the President, replacing the Hippocratic Oath.

In January 2006 one-third of the country's elderly had their pensions discontinued, while another 200,000 had theirs reduced. Pensions received during the prior two years were ordered paid back to the state. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan strongly denied allegations that the cut in pensions resulted in the deaths of many elderly Turkmen, accusing foreign media outlets of spreading "deliberately perverted" information on the issue.

In September 2006 Turkmen teachers who failed to publish praise of the Turkmen leader would remain at a lower payscale or be sacked.

In October 2006 Turkmenistan claimed to have set free 10,056 prisoners, including 253 foreign nationals from 11 countries on the Night of Omnipotence. Niyazov said, "Let this humane act on the part of the state serve strengthening truly moral values of the Turkmen society. Let the entire world know that there has never been a place for evil and violence on the blessed Turkmen soil."

Video monitors are required in all public places.

Dogs are restricted from the capital city due to unappealing odor.

[Laggy]

Well damn. This guy parties hard.

[TC X0 Lt 0X]

Turkmenbashi is my Hero you know.

Really this should be in Things in the Universe.