Congressional Candidate Brianna Wu Claims Moon-Colonizing Companies Could Destroy Cities By Dropping Rocks (washingtontimes.com)

Applehu Akbar quotes a report from Washington Times: A transgender-issues activist and Democratic candidate for Congress says the advent of the space tourism industry could give private corporations a "frightening amount of power" to destroy the Earth with rocks because of the Moon's military importance. Brianna Wu, a prominent "social justice warrior" in the "Gamergate" controversy who now is running for the House seat in Massachusetts' 8th District, suggested in a since-deleted tweet that companies could drop rocks from the Moon. "The moon is probably the most tactically valuable military ground for earth," the tweet said. "Rocks dropped from there have power of 100s of nuclear bombs." After users on social media questioned her scientific literacy, the congressional candidate clarified that the tweet was "talking about dropping [rocks] into our gravity well." Small space rocks can indeed do nuclear-weapons-scale damage if hitting the Earth at orbital speeds. But launching one from the moon, even setting aside issues of aiming, would still require escaping the satellite's gravitational field, a task that requires the power and thrust contained in a huge rocket.

Comments

Editors, you stripped the original title

[Anonymous Coward]

Original submission: Brianna Wu Is a Harsh Mistress.

You stripped this brilliant title and wrote in your blurb that spans two lines!

Re:Editors, you stripped the original title

[Cryacin]

In summary:
Wu, got it Wong.

Re:Editors, you stripped the original title

[rhazz]

Regardless if it is theoretically feasible, the scenario is not practical in any way. In The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, the scenario of hurling rocks at the earth was believable because the moon colony was 100% self-sustaining, it already had a method of launching extremely heavy loads at the earth (agricultural products), and the colony was going to starve to death if they were forced to continue sending so much biomass to the earth. The only reason they didn't all die immediately after their first launch was because the government on earth did not want to wipe out the colony because it was seen as a very valuable asset if they could just regain control.

This is a theoretical problem for next century. At least. If someone brought it up today as an actual issue, that person does not understand the real world.

At it seems that she reads some good books

[Anonymous Coward]

a.k.a. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress from Robert A. Heinlein

Re:At it seems that she reads some good books

[argStyopa]

I don't think Wu would be that interested in Dick.

Wut

[Anonymous Coward]

Dropping rocks from the Moon? "Dropping" them?
And who the fuck would waste so much money and energy trying to fling shit from the Moon when it's cheaper to use nukes from Earth itself and harder to intercept due to shorter distance?

I still can't believe Wu's parents wasted 500k on this idiot's education. That much money should at least have produced some basic education in physics, and some common sense, even in the stupidest person on this planet.

So, she's perfect for Congress?

[Ly4]

The head of the House Science Committee spends all of his time denying and attacking science. She'll fit right in:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad...

Companies are already destroying Earth.

[Ihlosi]

Companies are already destroying Earth. And this is good, because it's profitable.

Any genetics company could unleash killer microbes on Earth.

Agricultural companies could cause mass starvation if they wanted to.

Any company running nuclear power plants could contaminate large areas.

Any company manufacturing or using explosives could build bombs.

What's the problem with dropping a few rocks?

Re:If he's transgender...

[Anonymous Coward]

No, you just have to roll the rock over to the edge of the moon and push it off. Simple. No need to lift it.

Another insult to the community

[Anonymous Coward]

Here we go again.
I am sure there are trans people out there who are actually well educated in astronomy, physics, and have common sense to not tweet shit they don't know anything about;
and they are currently covering their faces with their hands and thinking "What the fuck did we do to deserve this idiot as our representation?"

I know that the US Congress is filled with idiots, but that doesn't mean that the first trans person needs to be one as well and serve
as a stain on the community's reputation.

I am sure there are corporations out there somewhere itching to nuke their sources of income, in some parallel imaginary Universe that can only exist in books.

Re:If he's transgender...

[drinkypoo]

Rocket power? Science fiction has typically suggested that you would use magnetic accelerators to send rocks from the moon to the earth, probably with solar power. It's not trivial, but it's theoretically possible to launch stuff from here to there using these means, let alone from there to here.

I'm not suggesting that it's trivial, far from it. You have to build the track and then you have to build the projectile. But if you're going there to build heavy industry, then yes, you absolutely could throw masses at the planet relatively cheaply.

Re:The old saying rarely fit better

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe she should concentrate on social issues. Physics ain't her strong side.

Her track record with gamergate doesn't exactly make me want to trust her opinion on social issues either.

Re:The old saying rarely fit better

[thegarbz]

You're assuming a lot about her knowledge on social issues there.

Better headline:

[Anonymous Coward]

"Brianna Wu references Heinlein, Dumb Puppies Don't Know Which Side To Take"