5595 Days and Counting

Kris_J writes "Seattle PI appear to have been the first to pickup the story that a former member of Highlift ("Space Elevator") Systems has split off to form Liftport. The new company has the impressive aim of a space lift by July 1st, 2018. Competition is supposed to be good, right? If you want to know more they've got a messageboard where you can ask questions."

Comments

Re:OK, Bill, here's your chance

[MeanMF]

I'll be willing to forgive it all if you make this your pet project and provide cheap space access, by the pound, to everyone. Just... please... don't use Windows NT to control the ground station boat

Yeah investing in this plan would definitely be better than wasting almost $5,000,000,000 on global health and education initiatives. What an evil bastard!

uh oh

[g4dget]

We'll recite the usual toast, perhaps even clicking our heels together in the traditional manner:

Unless one is wearing ruby slippers, that is considered a rather menacing gesture by many, in particular when accompanied by unintelligible toasts and an extended arm (holding a glass softens the effect, I suppose).

moderators with axes to grind

[barakn]

In the parent post, I was pointing out that technology that seems to be right around the corner often isn't. Arthur C. Clarke was the obvious choice for this task, as he popularized the idea of a space elevator. I can see my post as being Funny or Insightful (to paraphrase timothy's definition: puts a new spin on a given story ... an analogy you hadn't thought of, or a telling counterexample).

"Troll -- ... This is a prank comment intended to provoke indignant (or just confused) responses. A Troll might mix up vital facts or otherwise distort reality, to make other readers react with helpful "corrections." ...." -timothy

It was not my intention to provoke indignant or confused responses. I did not mix up vital facts or distort reality: I used elements from the plot of a famous movie. It is my strongly held opinion that whoever modded me Troll has an economic interest in one of the two corporations mentioned in the article on space elevators, or is a rabid Arthur C. Clarke fan. Either way, that moderator is the Troll.