Post by rvm45 on Aug 4, 2014 0:31:54 GMT -6
Imagine a world almost identical to this one—except that there are no people there.
Imagine that it is dirt cheap to send someone there, but:
A.} They can never come back;
OR,
B.} It would take about $500 000 just to bring one dude back.
But if no one ever comes back, how do you know that you are sending folks to an alternate dimension and not simply disintegrating them?
So say that light and radio waves can come back freely, but not matter.
What does it take to do the "Building an Industrial Society in the Middle of the Wilderness" thingy?
A few facts:
#1.} Early on they thought that they'd be able to make the gates two-way in a matter of weeks or at most months...
So early on, large numbers of people and matériel was sent across—road and railroad building crews, chain saws, bulldozers, backhoes, prefabricated lumber sawmills, etc.
#2.} Gates are relatively cheap. Every fair sized city in every one of the fifty states would have at least one.
#3} Soldiers were sent early on to watch after government interests.
In the beginning, you'd have all sorts of maladjusted loners—folks who think that they'd want to live like Daniel Boone. Some competent, some chuckleheaded.
Even with the sane ones, after a decade or two regret would haunt many.
Oddball religious groups (like the Moonies) and some saner folk like some of the Amish, Mennonite and Hutterites might choose to go.
"Back to Mother Earth" Hippie types.
The soldiers more or less follow their orders—otherwise they'd get their supplies cut off.
Occasionally a few troopers volunteer to go shore things up, but it is a small percentage.
************************** **************** ****************
Now even in the good old early days when they thought that two-way gates were just around the corner—there were a few who went to the other side so they could prey on others.
As the dream fades, more and more the gates become dumping grounds for criminals.
Anyone convicted of anything can volunteer for exile in lieu of gaol time. Anyone facing his second Felony or who has a sentence equal to or greater than five years doesn't get asked—they just get shoved across.
What are the effects on society, when you can just push all your hardcore criminals into another world?
Assume that even the condemned can take portable personal belongings across.
Nothing that goes across will ever come back.
Mr Chop-Shop takes a big box of mechanic's tools with him.
How many pounds of non-renewable Chrome, Molybdenum and Vanadium can we afford to let someone carry across and still be well rid of him and the exotic alloys? (in the mechanic's tools).
How does a steady stream of Criminals affect "Downside" society?
{Australia managed—and many of these felons aren't truly evil—still some are...}
****************** **************** ************************
Now imagine that you've decided to cross over. What would you load into a wheelbarrow or the back of a truck?
I also thought of one more clinker...
Lets suppose that crossing over rejuvenates old people—as a one-shot deal.
Get someone to wheel your chair to a gate and give it a gentle push. You'll stand up young once more on the other side.
A steady stream of older and wiser folk might help leaven the society.
In my projected story, they do manage to open a gate back home. The frontier—now that it isn't lifelong exile—becomes civilized far too much and too soon to suit some of the settlers...
And lo and behold, another alternate world is discoverd—with the idea that the more alternate worlds that you tie together, the easier it becomes to connect back for two-way gates or to find a whole new world.
Well, feel free to take the idea and run with it.
.....RVM45
Imagine that it is dirt cheap to send someone there, but:
A.} They can never come back;
OR,
B.} It would take about $500 000 just to bring one dude back.
But if no one ever comes back, how do you know that you are sending folks to an alternate dimension and not simply disintegrating them?
So say that light and radio waves can come back freely, but not matter.
What does it take to do the "Building an Industrial Society in the Middle of the Wilderness" thingy?
A few facts:
#1.} Early on they thought that they'd be able to make the gates two-way in a matter of weeks or at most months...
So early on, large numbers of people and matériel was sent across—road and railroad building crews, chain saws, bulldozers, backhoes, prefabricated lumber sawmills, etc.
#2.} Gates are relatively cheap. Every fair sized city in every one of the fifty states would have at least one.
#3} Soldiers were sent early on to watch after government interests.
In the beginning, you'd have all sorts of maladjusted loners—folks who think that they'd want to live like Daniel Boone. Some competent, some chuckleheaded.
Even with the sane ones, after a decade or two regret would haunt many.
Oddball religious groups (like the Moonies) and some saner folk like some of the Amish, Mennonite and Hutterites might choose to go.
"Back to Mother Earth" Hippie types.
The soldiers more or less follow their orders—otherwise they'd get their supplies cut off.
Occasionally a few troopers volunteer to go shore things up, but it is a small percentage.
************************** **************** ****************
Now even in the good old early days when they thought that two-way gates were just around the corner—there were a few who went to the other side so they could prey on others.
As the dream fades, more and more the gates become dumping grounds for criminals.
Anyone convicted of anything can volunteer for exile in lieu of gaol time. Anyone facing his second Felony or who has a sentence equal to or greater than five years doesn't get asked—they just get shoved across.
What are the effects on society, when you can just push all your hardcore criminals into another world?
Assume that even the condemned can take portable personal belongings across.
Nothing that goes across will ever come back.
Mr Chop-Shop takes a big box of mechanic's tools with him.
How many pounds of non-renewable Chrome, Molybdenum and Vanadium can we afford to let someone carry across and still be well rid of him and the exotic alloys? (in the mechanic's tools).
How does a steady stream of Criminals affect "Downside" society?
{Australia managed—and many of these felons aren't truly evil—still some are...}
****************** **************** ************************
Now imagine that you've decided to cross over. What would you load into a wheelbarrow or the back of a truck?
I also thought of one more clinker...
Lets suppose that crossing over rejuvenates old people—as a one-shot deal.
Get someone to wheel your chair to a gate and give it a gentle push. You'll stand up young once more on the other side.
A steady stream of older and wiser folk might help leaven the society.
In my projected story, they do manage to open a gate back home. The frontier—now that it isn't lifelong exile—becomes civilized far too much and too soon to suit some of the settlers...
And lo and behold, another alternate world is discoverd—with the idea that the more alternate worlds that you tie together, the easier it becomes to connect back for two-way gates or to find a whole new world.
Well, feel free to take the idea and run with it.
.....RVM45
