MUH RESOURCES

Oh yeah, it's that time again.

That time where some god damn logic gets dropped where reason TRUMPS plot.

So, we've all read/seen GATE. We've all seen the word resources get thrown around as both a cliché knee jerk reason for a country to be villified and for some extra filler.

AKA justification for this new world being such a "gold mine."

But what people fail to understand is, you ain't getting shit out of there. That is, you're not getting any bonafide tangible resources without a lot of hassle.

"But how? The gate is right there! It's so easy!"

Wrong my friends.

To make this easier to understand, we'll use oil, because I'm an oil warrior and that's the resource we all love to throw around the most.

It's also VERY important.

Now how does one get oil? Well first you gotta find it, then you gotta harvest it efficiently enough to suit supply and demand. Then, you gotta get a market going cause we all love money and oil=trade=money.

Lemme nip this in the butt first to exclude us ( Evil America) from the equation all together and cause shooting common misonceptions in the face is fun.

The United States gets it's oil primarily from three major sources before anywhere else. Itself, Canada (good doing business with ya neighbor) and Saudi Arabia (though slowly starting to lag behind Canada more and more). Latin America comes just behind Saudi Arabia.

https://howmuch.net/articles/oil-imports-gif-15-years

We re actually TRYING to rely less and less on foreign oil, getting it more from areas closer to ourselves. Why? Because life is just easier that way, better prices and less hassle with trying to get it here. Shit has to be shipped you know? Would you rather get your package sooner and cheaper? Or later and more expensive? Mind you that could potentially lose the possibility of Japan selling to the American market, which is pretty big.

Which is where I go back to the topic of Gate. Special Region oil would be a topic of discussion, but not anywhere near top of the list and here's why.

1. Trying to get it from the Special Region (god knows where within) to Japan and finally to us or anyone else would be a royal pain in the ass, which brings me to my next point.

2. How the hell are you going to dig for it effectively?

"Uh, duh. We just send the parts for refineries through like we did for the totally unnecessary giant Japanese cargo planes."

No my friends, no we don't. You see, the funny thing about oil CEOs and their staff is profit. They want to get their money's worth and uninterrupted.

I'm sure there's some bleeding hearts out there that will tell.me about how they'll sell Lemonade cheap as possible and in the rain. Just stop now cause that's now how the business world is ran. Not everyone is evil but you gotta be firm if you want to make it big out there.

Now the gate is a door yeah? Funny thing about doors is that they open and close. I'm pretty sure we all know this particular door does indeed close for a while in canon.

So if you were a CEO and thought about this being a possibility, would you really feel safe sending in your equipment at the risk of possibly losing it all? That's called profit loss not profit gain and not everyone is dandy taking big risks like that.

Not to mention it's hardly like American companies would have dibs on that world in the first place, not without Japanese say so or otherwise. Japanese diggers probably wouldn't feel so keen taking that risk either.

Which leaves you with one other option. Teach the Falmartians how to dig for it....Without specialized equipment.

Problem solved?

No and for a few reasons. First, now you have to teach the locals how to dig and develop the equipment, second you're gonna be waiting a fucking long ass time to get that oil. Then we have my next point.

3. The gods are going to be a pain in your ass and just won't let you get this shit. Not without a fight.

SPPOOOILER ALEEEEERRRRRRRRRTTTT

So it's mentioned how the gods keep the Special Region trapped in a sort of perpetual state of technological stagnation. Should anyone start moving against the status quo? The apostles get sent in.

In fact, I'm.fairly certain the Japanese try to set up a refinery in the original plot, only for Rory to destroy it.

So now you got a few options.

A) Give up and just leave it be

B) Rely on ye olde pump and lever/god knows what to get the oil.

C) Find your balls and get you some hardcore pipe hitters and technological problem solvers and defend that shit. Which gets fun as now you get to drop trousers and swang the dang a lang at the gods themselves! Call your friends from Okinawa or other bases for intense multiplayer Co-op!

HWGA not included please leave your local veterans alone. If in case of Hakone incident you're on your own kiddo.

So having said all that and seeing the hoops and chutes you'd have to jump through for the oil?

I'd say leave that shit alone or consider it dead last on the list, not unless you're ready to fight for it.

"OIL WAR OIL WAR!" Whoah, the fuck was that? Sounded like some bullshit to me. Anyways back to topic.

"Oh yeah? Well WTF, you want me to trade lambas bread, elf songs and Bunny ass?"

I dunno TBH, you goobers always come up with silly shit. There could be possibly advances in medical science, new materials that don't exist in our world, the trading of valuable luxury items.

Just be forewarned, if anything you want involves the use of developing technology to aid in its gathering? You're gonna have to put Rory and Co. Two feet under the ground.

For further instructions on that, please consult the enclosed instruction booklet.