Night City in the '90s: What if someone had built a city halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles?

[RanulfC]

I get that, & I don't mean L.A. would remain the village it was in 1850 or so, just not the megalopolis it is OTL.

L.A. has always had the best 'salesmen' in the business

That last bit is the hardest part to overcome, if we're going to press for less-destructive practice. (I just refuse to call it "sustainable", since nobody ever defines it: how much, for how many, & for how long?) You're absolutely right.

Technically "sustainable" is self explanatory in that it assumes the most for the longest period of time as a basis but I get the point The main problem is that's not how capitalism works on just about any level so getting anyone to 'moderate' runs into the main issue that even if YOU do the other guys won't so in the end it doesn't matter. It literally took things like the fishing collapse and the Dust Bowl to get a larger and deeper 'buy-in' to at least trying to moderate things. The 'area' can make a come-back no problem, (the area we're talking about is pretty well back in terms of viable habitat) but if the population has voted "with its feet/fins" as is the case then there's very little environmental pressure to re-populate the area despite conditions. I seem to recall there was an attempt to re-introduce some of the fish populations but they got fished out by the locals before they could establish

That might do it, but it smacks of ASB. Hitting the area with a typhoon that didn't OTL, I'm fine with, because that might reasonably arise from it being an ATL; tampering with the geology...you're getting into dinosaurs & Mayans in the same film territory.

Ohhh, Mayan Dinosaurs....

Fun fact, one of my grade-schools I attended in California had a "playground" (we use the word loosely because gravel does not make the best surface to "play" on and for some reason they could never get grass to grow there ) that had a sharp (7 foot rise in less than 10 feet) between the equipment and the ball diamond. Photo's show that rise was not there prior to 1910

Randy

 

[phx1138]

L.A. has always had the best 'salesmen' in the business

Oh, yeah.

Technically "sustainable" is self explanatory in that it assumes the most for the longest period of time

From the usage I've heard, that's not the impression I get. I don't, however, want to get in a debate over environmentalists.

The main problem is that's not how capitalism works on just about any level so getting anyone to 'moderate' runs into the main issue that even if YOU do the other guys won't so in the end it doesn't matter. It literally took things like the fishing collapse and the Dust Bowl to get a larger and deeper 'buy-in' to at least trying to moderate things. The 'area' can make a come-back no problem, (the area we're talking about is pretty well back in terms of viable habitat) but if the population has voted "with its feet/fins" as is the case then there's very little environmental pressure to re-populate the area despite conditions. I seem to recall there was an attempt to re-introduce some of the fish populations but they got fished out by the locals before they could establish

Well... Capitalism need not be cutthroat, tho it frequently is, & at the time OTL, I'd agree, it's improbable. I had hopes for some politicians (or activists, or both) moving the needle. (That maybe more improbable. )

Fun fact, one of my grade-schools I attended in California had a "playground" (we use the word loosely because gravel does not make the best surface to "play" on and for some reason they could never get grass to grow there ) that had a sharp (7 foot rise in less than 10 feet) between the equipment and the ball diamond. Photo's show that rise was not there prior to 1910

Let me say, for clarity's sake: if you wanted to burn down a particular building that didn't OTL, or a few more/less than OTL, I wouldn't complain; I get the impression you want to go from, frex, magnitude 7 to, IDK, 7.2--& if you get that big a change, the natives might as well be bipedal genius rabbits with a terror of censorship. (Not that I'd object to reading that story, mind, but it wouldn't quite be my usual definition of AH. )

 

[Vahktang]

Put an early nuclear plant there?
Supporting industries and educational areas build up, too. Then diversify.
People move in, to find the fine jobs and educational opportunities.
And it snowballs?
Old plant eventually gets decommissioned, new one comes online.

 

[NorCalifornio]

Put an early nuclear plant there?
Supporting industries and educational areas build up, too. Then diversify.
People move in, to find the fine jobs and educational opportunities.
And it snowballs?
Old plant eventually gets decommissioned, new one comes online.

Diablo Canyon fits that description, but it didn't lead to much development in the area. The nearest settlement, Avila Beach, is still a small town.

 

[RanulfC]

Late to the party as usual but this is in the news again with them gaining the 20,000 signatures needed to try and get a referendum on the ballot for moving forward. Frankly if they don't call it "Night City" I'm going to be very disappointed
California Forever

Randy

 

[Strategos' Risk]

I've heard of that project. I'd be interested in seeing where it goes. It does seem like the people behind it are a bunch of libertarian industrialist tech types.

 

[H Arnold]

I think it is planned for Solano County: South of Davis, West of Vacaville on CA113