For centuries the moisture farmers and hunters of the desolate desert planet Tatooine have domesticated the large reptilian beast of burden known as the Dewback and now they want to take a drastic measure and clone, then genetically alter the animal. The Dewbacks earned their name by getting moisture by licking the dew that had formed of each others’ backs in the morning. If only it were this easy for the moisture farmers of this arid land to collect their crop. These days the water seems to be, for lack of a better phrase, drying up! The planet’s average temperature has risen a drastic 1.5° over the past decade.
The 1.5° increase in temperature has caused an issue that effects more than just the moisture farmers. The Dewback, which is the one of the few animals that can survive in the harsh climate of the planet, are starting to lessen in number. The Galactic Non-Sentient Protection Agency has not designated Dewbacks as a threatened species. These beasts travel to the Jundland Wastes, where the sands are the ideal temperature to lay their eggs, once a year for mating season. The species has done this journey for so long and it has become so engrained in their genetics, that it is near impossible to breed a Dewback in captivity. Over this past decade the number of newborn Dewbacks has dropped a significant 5% and is believed to grow exponentially over this next decade. Because of this decrease and the planets dependency on the animal, scientists speculate that cloning the species may need to begin within the decade.
Owners of Dewbacks have other concerns about their Dewbacks and are voicing their opinions to the scientists researching and advocating the cloning of the species. Doc Breetel is a young human gem hunter who resides just outside Anchorhead. “Every year I lose my Dewback, Vernil, for about five weeks during mating season. I can’t be walking around the wastelands hunting for precious stones on foot. If they’re going to clone these things, they could at least find a way to deal with this problem,” he says. Many people rely upon Dewbacks as simple desert transportation and assisting them in their daily business, ranging from the moisture farmers, to local construction companies using them to haul equipment across town. All of these Dewback owners lose their animal for several weeks during mating season, stalling business until they return. Why do they let the Dewback go away? Ask ex-Republic gunner Remmie Dextin. “We had just bought a Dewback for my friend’s dad’s used transport lot to haul scrap metal around. Mating season rolled around and we still had some work to do, so we tried to keep the Dewback in his pen. Bad idea. The thing broke through the fence and knocked me over, damaging my leg beyond repair.” And the solution to the mating season problem is very simple. When the animal is cloned they can be genetically altered and turned asexual. However, the Galactic Non-Sentient Protection Agency still claims that it is unethical to turn such a reproduction-oriented animal asexual.
The idea of neutering the Dewbacks has been discussed much in the past years. The animal’s tough hide and poor healing ability make operating more pain than it’s worth. The animal’s reproductive organs also lie very close to several important nerve clusters which, if even slightly nicked, would severely damage the Dewback’s nervous system. Not only that, but the size and genes of the Dewback make it immune to any legal tranquilizers. There have been several illegal neuterings done recently, but in the end have left the Dewback unable to work at the same capacity it did before the operation due to damage done to the nervous system.
The Dewback owners on Tatooine would be very grateful to have an animal that does not disappear for weeks (up to two and a half months depending on the distance to the Jundland Wastes) once a year. However, until the GNSPA allow the altering of genes on cloned animals, individuals like Doc Breetel will have to continue to manage with the Dewback mating season like the residents of Tatooine have for centuries.
Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Monday, May 19, 2008
Tatooine: A Post-Empire Economic Forecast
The Organa administration of the New Republic faces many economic challenges in the coming years as it attempts to repair the economic damage done by the recently-collapsed Galactic Empire of Emperor Palpatine. Despite being able to combine resource wealth from a wide range of planets, the Empire was rife with economic malfeasance: massive weapons systems (two planet-sized battlestations), military contracters (bounty hunters and payments to local militias to fight the Rebels) and high-priced consultants (Darth Vader, the Emperor's "fixer"). It remains true that the Empire made investments in territories under their control, but the vast majority of these funds went to planets in the Galactic Core, located near the Empire's capitol on Coruscant. Located in the Outer Rim, Tatooine was not the beneficiary of any of this government largesse; while some planets joined the Empire for the collective economic benefits, it is clear that this planet was one of the many who joined under duress from threat of invasion.
Here, I will examine the various problems and possible solutions for the desert planet of Tatooine. First, extraplanetary investment is necessary to revive the economy due to the lack of local capital and expertise. Second, bantha farming is due for a boom in coming years. Third, tariffs must be elminiated throughout the Republic in order to allow Tatooinese markets to become more competitive. If this three-part formula is followed, while it is unlikely that Tatooine will ever become a tourist mecca or major population center, it will be possible to significantly raise the standard of living here within a decade.
Let me begin by conveying some of the basics. Tatooine, as noted, is a desert planet located in the Outer Rim Territories. It is populated by three principle indigenous groups: humans & related humanoid bipeds, though most of the current population of this group are settlers from other planets; jawas, who possess technical expertise and carry on trade with other groups, but generally prefer to remain within their own enclaves; and finally, tuskens or sand people, nomadic peoples with a somewhat antagonistic relationship to the other two groups. Its official language is a local dialect of Basic, but anyone doing business on this planet would be well-advised to learn Huttese, the lingua franca of commerce here. Like most former members of the Galactic Empire, local currency has been phased out almost entirely and they deal in credits. However, bartering remains significant in day-to-day affairs.
The outlook for extraplanetary investment in coming years is relatively good. During the Empire years, not only was Tatooine neglected due to its location, it also was affected by xenophobia; it is well-known that non-humanoids rarely achieved positions of significant power in the Galactic hierarchy and planets with large non-humanoid populations were regularly discriminated against. The Organa administration, in contrast, promises a much better inter-species relationship. Going back even before the Empire, the principle players in this government have had friendly dealings with a wide range of non-humanoids: Gungans, Wookies, Ewoks, Mon Calamari and others. Luke Skywalker, brother to Madam President and a hero of the Rebellion, was raised on a moisture farm here. Captain Han Solo, allegedly Madam President's lover, is reputed to have done business on the planet many times in the past. (The exact details remain classified and the government has denied multiple requests to look further into the matter.) The only possible reason to worry on this front is the blantant cronyism behind the appointment of the new head of GEMA (Galactic Economic Management Association), Jar Jar Binks, who lacks any prior experience as an economist. Investors have in the past been scared off by frequent raids by tuskens, who have been known to attack outsiders without provocation. In any case, domestic industry on Tatooine is scarce and they simply do not have the resources required to fully develop their economy themselves. Extraplanetary investment will be absolutely necessary in order to accomplish any significant economic progress.
The most promising domestic industry on Tatooine is bantha farming. However, there are some problems of supply and infrastructure which must be confronted before they can proceed to exploit this resource. Banthas are primarily cultivated by the tuskens and attempts by outsiders to work with these reclusive peoples in order to develop greater stocks have thus far been unsuccessful. Jawas have made some progress in better relations with the tuskens, but tuskens tend to be fickle and not hold to their agreements. Thus, the supply is essentially static and will be unable to meet a rise in demand for the meat. Some enterprising pied noir moisture farmers have turned to raising bantha stocks in an industrial setting, but tusken organically-raised bantha meat is clearly preferred within the market. It is difficult to pinpoint the reason for this, but most sources indicate that older segments of the galactic population are wary of industrial agriculture bioengineering following the debacle of the Clone Wars. There are also reports of health risks from eating meat from banthas raised on a diet of blue milk, rather than their natural diet. As to infrastructure, Tatooine lacks airstrips to accommodate the larger cargo ships (generally, Mon Calamari Cruisers or Corellian Corvettes retrofitted with refrigeration units). Currently, smaller ships must ferry the meat from the ground to the ships in geosynchronous orbit around the planet but insurance costs act as an impediment to further development. (When it was revealed that the second Death Star was blown up due to a disruption of the shield system located on Endor, galactic insurance agencies mandated that policies would be required on the ship in orbit, the systems on the ground, as well as a third policy to cover them together.) Extraplanetary investment in new, larger airstrips as well as better relations with the tusken population would be a boon to Tatooine's economy.
Finally, the galactic economy must be "flattened" and tariffs eliminated in order that Outer Rim planets can compete on equal terms with planets in the Galactic Core. This is a long-term policy which does not relate solely to Tatooine, but here there are some problems to be confronted before it will be admitted into any future Galactic Free Trade Zone. Illegal activity continues to dominate the major commerce centers of Tatooine, Bestine and Mos Eisly, which largely resemble the military outposts in a desert wasteland that they began as. Even the death of Jabba the Hutt has not mitigated the black market on this planet; immediately following his demise, other unsavory creatures rushed to fill the power vacuum and there is significant evidence that the Hutts are once again exerting influence. While it is obviously preferable that the New Republic not prop-up corrupt regimes like the Hutts, Han Solo is rumored to have had business dealings with them in the past so perhaps some negotiations are possible. In time, the black market could be supplanted by legal commerce and the Hutts given some stake in the new system so that it will survive in the long-term. After all, Coruscant remains the capitol of government and in remote locations such as Tatooine, cooperation with local power brokers will be absolutely necessary in order to exert effective control. The Hutts are shrewd businessslugs and the correct combination of carrots and sticks could lead to them to recognize the benefits of cooperation with the Organa administration's policies.
In summation, the economic forecast for Tatooine looks good. If the planet remains an underdeveloped backwater, it will be because the New Republic has perpetuated the Empire's neglect.
Next: Have Ewoks Jumped the Shark?
Here, I will examine the various problems and possible solutions for the desert planet of Tatooine. First, extraplanetary investment is necessary to revive the economy due to the lack of local capital and expertise. Second, bantha farming is due for a boom in coming years. Third, tariffs must be elminiated throughout the Republic in order to allow Tatooinese markets to become more competitive. If this three-part formula is followed, while it is unlikely that Tatooine will ever become a tourist mecca or major population center, it will be possible to significantly raise the standard of living here within a decade.
Let me begin by conveying some of the basics. Tatooine, as noted, is a desert planet located in the Outer Rim Territories. It is populated by three principle indigenous groups: humans & related humanoid bipeds, though most of the current population of this group are settlers from other planets; jawas, who possess technical expertise and carry on trade with other groups, but generally prefer to remain within their own enclaves; and finally, tuskens or sand people, nomadic peoples with a somewhat antagonistic relationship to the other two groups. Its official language is a local dialect of Basic, but anyone doing business on this planet would be well-advised to learn Huttese, the lingua franca of commerce here. Like most former members of the Galactic Empire, local currency has been phased out almost entirely and they deal in credits. However, bartering remains significant in day-to-day affairs.
The outlook for extraplanetary investment in coming years is relatively good. During the Empire years, not only was Tatooine neglected due to its location, it also was affected by xenophobia; it is well-known that non-humanoids rarely achieved positions of significant power in the Galactic hierarchy and planets with large non-humanoid populations were regularly discriminated against. The Organa administration, in contrast, promises a much better inter-species relationship. Going back even before the Empire, the principle players in this government have had friendly dealings with a wide range of non-humanoids: Gungans, Wookies, Ewoks, Mon Calamari and others. Luke Skywalker, brother to Madam President and a hero of the Rebellion, was raised on a moisture farm here. Captain Han Solo, allegedly Madam President's lover, is reputed to have done business on the planet many times in the past. (The exact details remain classified and the government has denied multiple requests to look further into the matter.) The only possible reason to worry on this front is the blantant cronyism behind the appointment of the new head of GEMA (Galactic Economic Management Association), Jar Jar Binks, who lacks any prior experience as an economist. Investors have in the past been scared off by frequent raids by tuskens, who have been known to attack outsiders without provocation. In any case, domestic industry on Tatooine is scarce and they simply do not have the resources required to fully develop their economy themselves. Extraplanetary investment will be absolutely necessary in order to accomplish any significant economic progress.
The most promising domestic industry on Tatooine is bantha farming. However, there are some problems of supply and infrastructure which must be confronted before they can proceed to exploit this resource. Banthas are primarily cultivated by the tuskens and attempts by outsiders to work with these reclusive peoples in order to develop greater stocks have thus far been unsuccessful. Jawas have made some progress in better relations with the tuskens, but tuskens tend to be fickle and not hold to their agreements. Thus, the supply is essentially static and will be unable to meet a rise in demand for the meat. Some enterprising pied noir moisture farmers have turned to raising bantha stocks in an industrial setting, but tusken organically-raised bantha meat is clearly preferred within the market. It is difficult to pinpoint the reason for this, but most sources indicate that older segments of the galactic population are wary of industrial agriculture bioengineering following the debacle of the Clone Wars. There are also reports of health risks from eating meat from banthas raised on a diet of blue milk, rather than their natural diet. As to infrastructure, Tatooine lacks airstrips to accommodate the larger cargo ships (generally, Mon Calamari Cruisers or Corellian Corvettes retrofitted with refrigeration units). Currently, smaller ships must ferry the meat from the ground to the ships in geosynchronous orbit around the planet but insurance costs act as an impediment to further development. (When it was revealed that the second Death Star was blown up due to a disruption of the shield system located on Endor, galactic insurance agencies mandated that policies would be required on the ship in orbit, the systems on the ground, as well as a third policy to cover them together.) Extraplanetary investment in new, larger airstrips as well as better relations with the tusken population would be a boon to Tatooine's economy.
Finally, the galactic economy must be "flattened" and tariffs eliminated in order that Outer Rim planets can compete on equal terms with planets in the Galactic Core. This is a long-term policy which does not relate solely to Tatooine, but here there are some problems to be confronted before it will be admitted into any future Galactic Free Trade Zone. Illegal activity continues to dominate the major commerce centers of Tatooine, Bestine and Mos Eisly, which largely resemble the military outposts in a desert wasteland that they began as. Even the death of Jabba the Hutt has not mitigated the black market on this planet; immediately following his demise, other unsavory creatures rushed to fill the power vacuum and there is significant evidence that the Hutts are once again exerting influence. While it is obviously preferable that the New Republic not prop-up corrupt regimes like the Hutts, Han Solo is rumored to have had business dealings with them in the past so perhaps some negotiations are possible. In time, the black market could be supplanted by legal commerce and the Hutts given some stake in the new system so that it will survive in the long-term. After all, Coruscant remains the capitol of government and in remote locations such as Tatooine, cooperation with local power brokers will be absolutely necessary in order to exert effective control. The Hutts are shrewd businessslugs and the correct combination of carrots and sticks could lead to them to recognize the benefits of cooperation with the Organa administration's policies.
In summation, the economic forecast for Tatooine looks good. If the planet remains an underdeveloped backwater, it will be because the New Republic has perpetuated the Empire's neglect.
Next: Have Ewoks Jumped the Shark?
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