[ExI] Thoughts on Space based solar power (Dyson & habitat costs)

[BillK]

On Sat, Nov 22, 2008 at 1:28 PM, Paul D. Fernhout wrote:
<snip>
> But, in any case, we are just now spending about $3000 billion on a
> counterproductive war in Iraq. And about a trillion dollars has been
> allocated so far for a "bailout" which is apparently going to questionable
> ends. So there is lots of money sloshing around in the USA for ideological
> reasons. Who would notice $250 billion more at this point? :-)
>
> Also, a flow into foundations of $55 trillion is expected over the next few
> decades:
>  http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/04/20/1313223
>
> That is two hundred times what it would take using only 1970s technology. A
> couple percent of charity can't go to giving humanity a new dream?
>
> And TV watching is consuming 2,000 Wikipedias per year:
>  http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/04/27/1422258
>
> So there is plenty of spare mental capacity.
>


Hey, I like the stuff you write!    I'll have to start googling for more.  :)
Of course I like it because your writing agrees with my prejudices.  :)
I have made the occasional comment along much the same lines in the
past, but you have provided a much more detailed argument than I ever
attempted.


Just a few comments.

Re all these trillions the US is spending, I thought the crisis was
due to the US spending money that it doesn't have?  These trillions
are all confederate money, printed as required and worthless. The next
few years are going to be thrift years as everybody tries to get
spending back in line with income. As the US gov has got accustomed to
a permanent deficit budget, I expect a big upheaval.

Re your other tracts, I like the practicality of your discussion. The
people factor is very important in futuristic proposals.  The
calculations might be great, but, as you point out, you cannot ignore
everything else that is going on. If the mass of the population are
unpersuaded, then the best idea in the world will get thrown away.


BillK