eRepublik Admins Introduce New Super-Resource

Day 1,154, 10:19 • Published in USA India • by Satya Yuga


It has come to my attention, as part of the big "shake up" with the Economic module, the Developers of eRepublik have decided to introduce a new "super-resource". That "super-resource" is Hemp.

The following is my interview with an eRepublik Developer upon the condition of anonymity:

American Agorist: So, I'm sure everybody is scratching their heads over this. Why hemp?
Developer: Well, not many people are aware of this, but Hemp has been grown for at least 12,000 years for fiber (textiles and paper) and seed (food and fuel). In addition, over 25,000 products can be made from hemp.



American Agorist: So, does that mean hemp will be a precursor to food production and moving tickets?
Developer: Yes
American Agorist: But, what makes hemp seed suitable for food?
Developer: While the original ‘gruel’ was made of hemp seed meal – hemp oil and seed can be made into tasty and nutritional products.
American Agorist: So, a Q1 food then.
Developer: Definitely not! Q3 at a minimum. At a volume level of 81%, hemp oil is the richest known source of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. It is quite high in essential amino acids, including gamma linoleic acid (GLA), a very rare nutrient also found in mother’s milk.
American Agorist: And Moving Tickets?
Developer: As you know "Oil" is a precursor to Moving Tickets.
American Agorist: Yes?
Developer: Diesel engines were designed to run on vegetable oils, including hempseed oil.
American Agorist: I'm sure the general public was never aware of that.
Developer: But that isn't all it will be.
American Agorist: Really? Why?
Developer: Hemp will also be a precursor to Houses and Hospitals.
American Agorist: How can that happen?
Developer: Construction products such as medium density fiberboard (MDF), oriented strand board, and even beams, studs and posts can be made out of hemp. Because of hemp’s long fibers (bundles of 7 feet long can be common), the products will be stronger and/or lighter than those made from wood (a Douglas fir tree’s fiber is at best 3/4 inch long).



American Agorist: It seems to me that there is more to making Houses and Hospitals then the products you mentioned.
Developer: Yes there is. That is where Hempcrete comes in.
American Agorist: Hempcrete?
Developer: A mixture of hemp stalks and lime used for construction and insulation.
American Agorist: But won't its density be less than that of Concrete?
Developer: Yes, but this will be used in combination with other material for the frame to support the vertical load.
American Agorist: It doesn't seem like it would be very strong.
Developer: You'd be surprised, which brings us to our next use.
American Agorist: Which is?
Developer: Weapons!
American Agorist: Weapons?
Developer: Hemp has military uses. Did you know that when U.S. sources of ‘Manila hemp’ (not true hemp; rather sisal and jute) was cut off by the Japanese in World War II, the U.S. Army and U.S. Department of Agriculture promoted the "Hemp for Victory" campaign to grow hemp in the U.S.?
American Agorist: Despite what my Avatar might look like, I'm not that old, but I've read about it.



Developer: Henry Ford also experimented with hemp to build car bodies and interiors. He wanted to both build and fuel cars from farm products. [See Popular Mechanics "Pinch Hitters for Defense."] There is film footage showing that even though the plastic made from wheat straw, hemp and sisal are lighter than steel, it could take quite an impact without leaving a dent. In addition, BMW is experimenting with hemp materials in automobiles as part of an effort to make cars more recyclable.



Henry Ford swings hammer at hemp-composite trunk lid on Ford car

Developer: The same principles will be used to make Q3 through Q5 weapons.



American Agorist: So, where will it grow?
Developer: That's the beauty of it. Hemp grows well in a variety of climates and soil types. It is naturally resistant to most pests, precluding the need for pesticides. It grows tightly spaced, out-competing any weeds, so herbicides are not necessary. It also leaves a weed-free field for the following crop.
American Agorist: So, it will grow everywhere.
Developer: Every region.



American Agorist: What if Congress wants to outlaw it, due to its medicinal uses?
Developer: This is industrial hemp – not that other stuff.
American Agorist: That didn't appear to stop our RL Congress.
Developer: Congress doesn't control what grows in a Region, we do.
American Agorist: But that won't stop them from applying Income, Value Added and Import Taxes to it.
Developer: It's a good thing we capped those at 25% then. Did you know that over 30 industrialized democracies do distinguish hemp from "that other stuff"? International treaties regarding "that other stuff" make an exception for hemp, and trade alliances such as NAFTA allow for the importation of hemp.



American Agorist: Any plans for "that other stuff"?
Developer: I thought you'd never ask.
American Agorist: Well, don't keep me waiting. Let's have it.
Developer: Two words … "Healing Packs".

Thanks go to the North American Industrial Hemp Council, Inc. (NAIHC) for providing the "industrial hemp facts" used in the above interview.