Comments on: Metals for the Confederation http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/ se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:15:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Jason Godesky http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2987 Jason Godesky Fri, 11 Nov 2005 04:47:54 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2987 Damn ... that bit gets posted here every so often. I usually delete it in short order. I guess I've gotta keep it up, now. :) Damn … that bit gets posted here every so often. I usually delete it in short order. I guess I’ve gotta keep it up, now. :)

]]> By: Chuck http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2984 Chuck Fri, 11 Nov 2005 01:24:06 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2984 HELLO, Ben! Didn't you READ it? We don't have to worry about it, because the metals will be provided by the mid-level alien management, or perhaps the Romans. Do try to pay attention. :) Of course, with a last name like, "Schneider," I may just be a part of the vast Jew conspiracy. A-cha! A-cha! - Chuck HELLO, Ben!

Didn’t you READ it? We don’t have to worry about it, because the metals will be provided by the mid-level alien management, or perhaps the Romans.

Do try to pay attention. :)

Of course, with a last name like, “Schneider,” I may just be a part of the vast Jew conspiracy. A-cha! A-cha!

- Chuck

]]> By: Benjamin Shender http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2983 Benjamin Shender Fri, 11 Nov 2005 01:03:25 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2983 Well I certainly hope that wasn't a serious commentary on the future availability of metals. Well I certainly hope that wasn’t a serious commentary on the future availability of metals.

]]> By: JCamasto http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2979 JCamasto Thu, 10 Nov 2005 22:37:04 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2979 I think the above, uh, whatever - was a randomly guided splammerbomb. I know I've seen this before... <blockquote>3. Evil/disfavored aliens - runs day-to-day operations here and perhaps elsewhere 7. Jews, corporation, women, politician - Evidence exisits to suggest mafia management over all these groups.</blockquote> I think the above, uh, whatever - was a randomly guided splammerbomb. I know I’ve seen this before…

3. Evil/disfavored aliens - runs day-to-day operations here and perhaps elsewhere

7. Jews, corporation, women, politician - Evidence exisits to suggest mafia management over all these groups.

]]> By: Raku http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2978 Raku Thu, 10 Nov 2005 22:14:58 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-2978 Hey, why are bison not domesticable? I know there are bison farms in the US now, but are they domesticated? Hey, why are bison not domesticable? I know there are bison farms in the US now, but are they domesticated?

]]> By: Janene http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1798 Janene Mon, 10 Oct 2005 13:09:15 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1798 Hey Ben -- Right... that's where permaculture comes in. Its not going to change the climate, but it will dramatrically alter what happens to the rain that does fall... So 10" a year might be enough to grow plants that normally live in climates that get 15-20" and so on.... Janene Hey Ben –

Right… that’s where permaculture comes in. Its not going to change the climate, but it will dramatrically alter what happens to the rain that does fall…

So 10″ a year might be enough to grow plants that normally live in climates that get 15-20″ and so on….

Janene

]]> By: Benjamin Shender http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1790 Benjamin Shender Mon, 10 Oct 2005 04:46:42 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1790 Something I wanted to mention last night, but the internet was being tempermental, was that regardless of temperature: moisture is a huge factor as well. Even if all these desert climates become cool enough, and other places cold enough, for growing food, if they're still dry as a bone... Something I wanted to mention last night, but the internet was being tempermental, was that regardless of temperature: moisture is a huge factor as well. Even if all these desert climates become cool enough, and other places cold enough, for growing food, if they’re still dry as a bone…

]]> By: Chuck http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1786 Chuck Sun, 09 Oct 2005 17:30:24 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1786 Climax ecosystems by definition increase soil fertility as fast as soil fertility can naturally be increased. Forests are the best climax ecosystems, building one inch of topsoil every century or so. Which means that ag land could easily be created. What was done with it then would be up to whoever had power over it. Of course, no matter how quickly one does it, it'll still probably take a generation, which means that much agricultural knowledge (those parts passed orally or by imitation) would be lost. Either way, score. Climax ecosystems by definition increase soil fertility as fast as soil fertility can naturally be increased. Forests are the best climax ecosystems, building one inch of topsoil every century or so.

Which means that ag land could easily be created. What was done with it then would be up to whoever had power over it.

Of course, no matter how quickly one does it, it’ll still probably take a generation, which means that much agricultural knowledge (those parts passed orally or by imitation) would be lost.

Either way, score.

]]> By: Janene http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1784 Janene Sun, 09 Oct 2005 15:48:50 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1784 Hey -- Sure, sure... that's why I made the point that I have been talking about 'plant regrowth' not 'agriculture'. Just the same... the nutrients that those crops need CAN be replenished in a season or two... all you need are 'nitrogen fixing' plants and some good old fashioned manure and brown & green compost. If you took a current ag field, that is really in rough shape, added a layer of manure, a layer of brown compost, assorted bean plants (with companions) and then a layer of green compost.... then let the whole thing go wild for, say, two years... that field would be VIBRANT at the end of it. Big difference, o' course, between building the nutrients in the soil and growing 'old growth forest'. BIG difference :-) Janene Hey –

Sure, sure… that’s why I made the point that I have been talking about ‘plant regrowth’ not ‘agriculture’.

Just the same… the nutrients that those crops need CAN be replenished in a season or two… all you need are ‘nitrogen fixing’ plants and some good old fashioned manure and brown & green compost. If you took a current ag field, that is really in rough shape, added a layer of manure, a layer of brown compost, assorted bean plants (with companions) and then a layer of green compost…. then let the whole thing go wild for, say, two years… that field would be VIBRANT at the end of it.

Big difference, o’ course, between building the nutrients in the soil and growing ‘old growth forest’. BIG difference :-)

Janene

]]> By: Jason Godesky http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1782 Jason Godesky Sun, 09 Oct 2005 15:14:26 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2005/09/metals-for-the-confederation/#comment-1782 Well, for life to recover, or for agriculture to become viable again? They are not the same goal. Wheat, corn and rice are very tempermental plants, requiring very specific climates, soils, <em>etc</em>. Life will recover quickly, to be sure. But it will recover for all that life that counter-balances wheat, rice and corn. The ones that put nutrients back into the soil that those plants take out--because the nutrients our crops need have been very thoroughly consumed. Even with those new, non-crop plants inheriting the world, it will take them a very long time to make that land viable for wheat, rice and corn again. In the 1900s, staring at the bleak devastation we had wrought, the U.S. government started most of the National Forests in the east from seed. Now, they are very recognizably forest. But a very different kind of forest. It will be centuries before they're old growth again. <em>Life</em> recovers very quickly, but it takes a long time for things to be the same as they were before. That's actually another crucial point for me: that the earth will start healing itself almost immediately, once we stop trying to kill it. But the recovery of life is a very different prospect than the recovery of the earth's ability to serve us as agricultural cropland. That will not happen until at least the first generation has passed away. That's important, because it means there's an important break between civilizations--the next civilization won't be able to build very much on ours. They'll have to start essentially from scratch. Well, for life to recover, or for agriculture to become viable again? They are not the same goal. Wheat, corn and rice are very tempermental plants, requiring very specific climates, soils, etc. Life will recover quickly, to be sure. But it will recover for all that life that counter-balances wheat, rice and corn. The ones that put nutrients back into the soil that those plants take out–because the nutrients our crops need have been very thoroughly consumed. Even with those new, non-crop plants inheriting the world, it will take them a very long time to make that land viable for wheat, rice and corn again.

In the 1900s, staring at the bleak devastation we had wrought, the U.S. government started most of the National Forests in the east from seed. Now, they are very recognizably forest. But a very different kind of forest. It will be centuries before they’re old growth again. Life recovers very quickly, but it takes a long time for things to be the same as they were before.

That’s actually another crucial point for me: that the earth will start healing itself almost immediately, once we stop trying to kill it. But the recovery of life is a very different prospect than the recovery of the earth’s ability to serve us as agricultural cropland. That will not happen until at least the first generation has passed away. That’s important, because it means there’s an important break between civilizations–the next civilization won’t be able to build very much on ours. They’ll have to start essentially from scratch.

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