[Lore]

Where will all the financial resources come for all of this interstellar space travel? You know, the cheddar? In what renascence era after we have dissolved our meager surplus of energy will this all happen? Can fairy dust be used as rocket propellant? Lots of questions, which I hear few answers to.

Certainly with what we face, according to recent reports, it's not something that will happen in anyone's lifetime on this planet.

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Monday released a report asserting decisively that climate change poses an immediate threat to national security, with increased risks from terrorism, infectious disease, global poverty and food shortages. It also predicted rising demand for military disaster responses as extreme weather creates more global humanitarian crises.

The report lays out a road map to show how the military will adapt to rising sea levels, more violent storms and widespread droughts. The Defense Department will begin by integrating plans for climate change risks across all of its operations, from war games and strategic military planning situations to a rethinking of the movement of supplies.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/us/pe ... .html?_r=0

[KaiserJeep]

Space travel is being privatized by companies such as SpaceX (Elon Musk) and Scaled Composites (Burt Rutan), Virgin Galactic (Richard Branson), and other commercial launch companies. See also Bigelow Aerospace, Excaliber Almaz, Reaction Engines Limited, and NanoRacks.

You can today plunk down your money and invest in commercial space travel. There is in fact a new generation of Robber Barons forming, and these new businesses will have earnings that dwarf energy companies, airlines, railroads, steel, coal, or any other prior business.

Go ahead and scoff. Believers will invest, and their investments will prosper. What prevented the exploration of space prior to now was the spare-no-expense form of business practiced by government-run space agencies. That era is ending, and the exploitation of space by that demon Capitalism has begun.

Once the off-world population is again growing exponentially, the fortunes made will far outperform any Earth-based business owned by today's "one percenters".

Now I don't care whether you believe me on this one or not. Some people give money to the stock markets, and others take it away. Believe me or not on this one, and I'l be happy to cash in, a few years from now.

[dinopello]

Where will all the financial resources come for all of this interstellar space travel? You know, the cheddar?

If the earth is on fire, money wouldn't be needed. You think Noah had to pay wages ? Sell seats on the Ark!

[Dybbuk]

You can today plunk down your money and invest in commercial space travel. There is in fact a new generation of Robber Barons forming, and these new businesses will have earnings that dwarf energy companies, airlines, railroads, steel, coal, or any other prior business.

Where exactly is the profit in space travel? Satellites, tourism, and what else? If they find a cache of some extremely valuable mineral on the moon or on an asteroid that there's virtually none of on earth, maybe you can add that to the list. Maybe all of the above is enough to get some private activity in space. But a generation of Robber Barons? Seems doubtful.

[Loki]

That's a funny picture dinopello. Moses with a M-16?

Moses didn't have an M16, just the goons he hired to keep the rabble off his space yacht. Probably old-school AK47s, possibly FALs, note the wood stocks. Guess Moses couldn't afford the Blackwater goons.

Bizarre painting.

[KaiserJeep]

That's a funny picture dinopello. Moses with a M-16?

So KJ, how much money to you have into this? Which companies?

I don't have any now, that won't happen until later in 2015 after I retire. Right now I am in my company 401K plan which means I can't even tell what stocks I own. There are funds which own other funds in so many layers you lose patience before you reach the bottom of the stack. But upon retirement the company will no longer be matching my contributions, so there is no reason not to rollover into a self-directed IRA or something similar. I think they want you thinking more about work than retirement, which is why you get a limited set of investment options in the company 401K.

But I did take them up on their "Phased Retirement Plan" offer. By October 31st they are supposed to tell me if my retirement will happen on May 31, 2015, or November 30, 2015, or May 31, 2016 - they decide based on their needs. But I know that I will spend 6 months starting December 1 working 4-day work weeks - 80% work for 90% pay. On the 12-month plan the second six months are 3-day work weeks, 60% work for 70% pay. People on the 18-month plan get the final six months of two-day work weeks, 40% work for 50% pay. All benefits accrue as if you remain a 100% employee, and my inducement to retire is an additional 24 months on the company healthplan after retirement, and 38 weeks pay as a cash bonus - one weeks pay for each year I worked there. Heck I was gonna retire in two years anyway.

[Quinny]

sounds like a good scheme - especially the bit where they don't let you stock pick Bet your families glad about that!

[Lore]

Where will all the financial resources come for all of this interstellar space travel? You know, the cheddar?

If the earth is on fire, money wouldn't be needed. You think Noah had to pay wages ? Sell seats on the Ark!

That's looks suspiciously like UN one world order. Nice to know though at some point we'll all finally get together and sing Kumbaya. Don't forget to pack the unicorns this time!

[dinopello]

That's a funny picture dinopello. Moses with a M-16?

Moses didn't have an M16, just the goons he hired to keep the rabble off his space yacht. Probably old-school AK47s, possibly FALs, note the wood stocks. Guess Moses couldn't afford the Blackwater goons.

Bizarre painting.

Moses ? This is about Noah, not Moses. The ARK... You guys need some bible'n.

[KaiserJeep]

That looks like an illustration from the "Golden Years" of SF, from the early 1930's to the late 1950's.

[Timo]

I don't believe in belittling other people or their opinions. I only ask of those reading my words that they think about what I have said, and form their own opinions. Understand that few in this thread are widely read enough to have an opinion on this topic, which fact has not at all restrained them from expressing their ill-informed opinions.

HEY! My ill-informed opinions are very well restrained!

There!!! I'm restraining another one right now!

You're welcome.

[Keith_McClary]

You can today plunk down your money and invest in commercial space travel. There is in fact a new generation of Robber Barons forming, and these new businesses will have earnings that dwarf energy companies, airlines, railroads, steel, coal, or any other prior business.

Where exactly is the profit in space travel? Satellites, tourism, and what else? If they find a cache of some extremely valuable mineral on the moon or on an asteroid that there's virtually none of on earth, maybe you can add that to the list. Maybe all of the above is enough to get some private activity in space. But a generation of Robber Barons? Seems doubtful.

AFAIK their earnings are mostly from gubmint contracts. Any numbers, KJ?

[Loki]

That's a funny picture dinopello. Moses with a M-16?

Moses didn't have an M16, just the goons he hired to keep the rabble off his space yacht. Probably old-school AK47s, possibly FALs, note the wood stocks. Guess Moses couldn't afford the Blackwater goons.

Bizarre painting.

Moses ? This is about Noah, not Moses. The ARK... You guys need some bible'n.

I thought Noah died on the cross so Moses (who, by the way, played Charlton Heston in Soylent Green) could part the Red Sea and launch his cool new megayacht, complete with petting zoo?

That's what I recall from my Bible as Literature class. I really need to reread that book, I remember a lot of sex and violence. Or was that The Great Gatsby? I get my novels confused.

Moses did have a Kalashnikov, though, right? I'm pretty sure about that. I believe it was an AKM series.

[vtsnowedin]

Anyone up for living on Antarctica? I hear it actually has a breathable atmosphere, and is economically accessible.

Good point.

[vtsnowedin]

I don't believe in belittling other people or their opinions. I only ask of those reading my words that they think about what I have said, and form their own opinions. Understand that few in this thread are widely read enough to have an opinion on this topic, which fact has not at all restrained them from expressing their ill-informed opinions.

I'm curious, just what reading list dose one have to have under his belt to be considered "well read" on this subject.

[vtsnowedin]

Another thought! (wow two in one day). If we really wanted to establish a colony on Mars would we not send up several missions manned with robots that could build and prove out a habitat first. Send seeds and bacteria with them and have them grow food crops and develop a sustainable atmosphere under the doom etc. When they get it all nice and cozy they can then put the light on for our pioneers.
Of course anything we could do there we could do much easier on some desolate part of the earth without the expense of the rocket fuel.