Nicker on 13/3/2009 at 17:39
So here’s a notion which might be a few billion dollars / euros / yen... too late but might bear considering.
What if, instead of providing direct “stimulus” for the financial and heavy industries, the west used the “bail-out” money to bankroll a huge project, like building a permanent lunar station, and all the development and related infrastructures? Would this be a better way to get things rolling while retaining some long-term benefit to the public, both in the process and outcome?
This is an economic question, not one about the feasibility of a lunar base, in particular. It just seems that if dedicating billions to wars and mismanaged banks can stimulate the economy, a similar dedication to a more specific project could do the same. The ancient Egyptians periodically made huge piles of stones in the desert to keep their economy on an even keel. Could something like that work for us?
D'Arcy on 13/3/2009 at 17:56
No. Then something would go terribly wrong and the moon would leave its orbit and go wandering around in space.
Ulukai on 13/3/2009 at 18:52
The Egyptians didn't have to cater for 5 billion health and safety regulations such as "what if poison frog juice drips into your eye from a rock that has been to Venus whilst painting a door knob", hence the majority of their funding was never sucked into a huge black hole of papyrus tape.
In the time they built the pyramids, we'd have a risk assessment.
Of course, they cost a lot in human lives, which is a terrible thing. Someone is bound to die in the construction of a moon base, which would halt the project for 5 years whilst blame was attributed.
Technologically possible, I'm sure, but such a no-go, for the above reason.
Isn't Obama doing something more down to earth like funding huge infrastructure projects throughout the USA anyway? Or is that what you meant by direct stimulus?
Swiss Mercenary on 13/3/2009 at 18:56
Something like that is already being done. It's called infrastructure spending.
demagogue on 13/3/2009 at 21:38
The most exciting upcoming thing about space and lunar travel is it being developed in the private sector. Keep the government aside and let a bunch of rich dandy's throw some millions around to experiment with it. You just need the big gov't projects when private industry isn't enough ... like the aforementioned infrastructure.
Nicker on 14/3/2009 at 00:14
Yeah, there already is a lot of money earmarked for much needed infrastructure. At least there should be some lasting benefits from that. It just seems there's some romance and vision missing. Some challenge beyond "lets hope hings don't get too terrible before they get less worse than they used to be...".
Good point about private money too. If I had been sitting atop a hundred billion dollar pile like some folks, I'd have a space station and a rail gun to supply it and a spaceship on the go - maybe a new muffler for my car...
Mr. headbone on 14/3/2009 at 00:49
Quote Posted by Swiss Mercenary
Something like that is already being done. It's called infrastructure spending.
Umm, yeah, the US is really spending alot on infrastructure. So why did a bridge collapse in Minnesota and; I dont' know; kill 100 or so people in the process :confused:
Koki on 14/3/2009 at 08:42
It was a commie bridge
RavynousHunter on 14/3/2009 at 09:51
Quote Posted by Nicker
If I had been sitting atop a hundred billion dollar pile like some folks, I'd have a space station and a rail gun to supply it and a spaceship on the go - maybe a new muffler for my car...
Eeh, ditch the space station, I'd just put my billions into getting some asses in gear to get us some working fusion power a-going. I could use a cut on my electricity bill...
Quote Posted by Koki
It was a commie bridge
No, it was a Pagan bridge, you heretic.
DC on 14/3/2009 at 10:21
Quote Posted by RavynousHunter
No, it was a Pagan bridge, you heretic.
Wouldn't a commie bridge be atheist anyway, which is almost worse than pagan.
