[extropy-chat] MARS: Because it is hard

Robert J. Bradbury bradbury at aeiveos.com
Thu Apr 15 22:42:20 UTC 2004


On Thu, 15 Apr 2004, Dan Clemmensen wrote:

> Projects to kill:
>     Advanced weapons procurement (some R&D is okay: procurement is a
>     total waste.)

Agreed. Normal weapons (and time) have shown that we can even get someone
like Saddam.  Osama is harder but one can presume his days are numbered.

>     Plasma and inertial fusion

Here I have questions.  There is a significant "research" part to these
efforts.  I'm not sure that the "R" aspect will not lead to something
that is not useful.

>     manned spaceflight

Agreed.  Unless this is directed to a long term distribution of
humanity around the solar system so it forms a distributed intelligence
(something I discussed at Extro III) it may be relatively useless.

>     large-scale alternative energy.

This part I am not clear about.  Alternative energy such
as wind power seems to be working.  Biomass conversion
would also seem to be functional.  I would be interested
in what specific aspects of alternative energy sources
you find unworkable.

Robert





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