From: utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!mhtsa!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxj!cbosgd!npois!houxi!ihps3!ixn5c!inuxc!inuxd!aka779 Newsgroups: net.space Title: Re: ...when WHAT was inhabited...? Article-I.D.: inuxd.159 Posted: Fri Sep 17 15:11:21 1982 Received: Wed Sep 22 08:27:13 1982 References: ihnss.162 No one, in my opinion, has ever shown any justification--survival, economics, ecological, or even FUN--for the enormous expense and doubtful possibility of building anything at Lagrangian points. To date, I've read cute little stories postulating an elitist population that evolves an independent society as follows: (1) trillions are spent by the working taxpayers of Earth, elite and all; (2) after the New Heaven is established, Old Earth asks for taxes or tribute or whatever; (3) the indignant Fivers revolt & destroy O.E. with asteroids, mass drivers, microwaves, etc. (4) Heaven exists for the elite, all tucked away in their big tin can in the middle of nowhere. (5) And I always ask, lunatic that I am--if the technology and $ exist to build big floating tin cans, why not use those resources to build at the bottom of the Moon's gravity well--there's a lot more *stuff* laying around, and once you're there, it's nearly free. (6) Those of us who are settled on the Libertarian State of Luna will be charging a stiff price for our planet; (7) Free space Ain't!