The Too-Well-Hidden Bunker of Podium is a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, ruled by Michael Talberg with a fair hand, and remarkable for its keen interest in outer space, smutty television, and otherworldly petting zoo. The compassionate, democratic population of 11.267 billion Poduminians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The tiny, liberal government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Education, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Eighburn. The average income tax rate is 9.7%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Poduminian economy, worth a remarkable 2,305 trillion points a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Arms Manufacturing. Average income is an amazing 204,623 points, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Business meetings across the country are interrupted by the sound of squeaking whoopee-cushions, sharing vacation pictures requires written consent from the entire beach resort, legislation sometimes has to battle through weeks of filibustering to pass, and television executives are interested in turning Michael Talberg's zany home life into a sitcom. Crime, especially youth-related, is pervasive, perhaps because of the country's complete lack of prisons. Podium's national animal is the sergal, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Podium is ranked 2,024^th in the world and 40^th in the West Pacific for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 807.49 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.