"You do the math"
-- thumbwax, May 18 2001

That's just dumb. You can't blast a cable at the moon and expect it to land on it. And anyway, think of the destruction that would cause to the earth's rotation and the moon's orbit. We'd all be in serious trouble. I think you need to go back and re-think this idea.

Plus, did you give any thought at all to the moon's rotation? Talk about your fishbone ideas....
-- globaltourniquet, May 18 2001


What is this idea about, anyway?
-- wiml, May 18 2001


I thought nobody'd EVER get around to towing the lunar rovers back!
-- centauri, May 18 2001


wiml, it's a goofy attack by Mr. Wax that appears to indicate that he has overestimated my seriousness regarding the Earth rotation energy source idea. The truth is, I'm just all sad that there's all this kinetic energy going to waste, and we can't harness it. The thing is, a cable between here and the moon could serve multiple purposes if it wouldn't get tangled all up in the reality of space, gravity, orbits, rotations, and annoying bits of science and physics like that.
-- globaltourniquet, May 18 2001


Now that you have yourself said "think of the destruction that would cause to the earth's rotation and the moon's orbit. We'd all be in serious trouble. I think you need to go back and re-think this idea"... in terms of how in any way shape or form of transport by shuttle, rocket, gigantic rod and reel, whatever - how does one go about attaching these two heavenly bodies? The logistics are beyond compare, the cost, even if it were bakable to harness the power of the moon via cablecar would far exceed any energy savings. Throughout the thread, I had in mind quite the same as many, I'm sure, that these 2 globes are earth and moon in an unpopulated state, save for the equipment necessary and individuals of highest training and expertise who never sleep with one common goal - To Make It Happen. It just isn't possible - not without a giant unicorn anyway.
-- thumbwax, May 18 2001


There you go again, stifling my creativity with facts. Foo on you.

(And anyway, for the last time, I'm not harnessing the power of the moon, I'm just using the moon as an anchor to harness the power of the Earth's rotation, because it's all I could find out in space to anchor my cable to.)
-- globaltourniquet, May 18 2001


But how are you going to get it to the "moon"? The goal is to *attach the cable from the 'generator car' which is on a track on "earth"* - *that's the easy part, so to speak.
The hard part is not only getting a nonbreakable cable to the orbiting body - but also being able to have it thread its way to or fro from earth. It would be voluminous in size, weight and require an enormous aerodynamic projectile to be launched.
-- thumbwax, May 18 2001


It's naysayers like you that keep us from achieving our greatest dreams, like time travel, unlimited resources and pink moons. I bet you told the Wright Bros they'd never fly didn't you?
-- globaltourniquet, May 19 2001


No Naysayer here. I use Tough Love when and where necessary. In my lifetime there have been many things I've done after being told it wasn't possible. Once, during a heated discussion with an employer I was told I was a lousy salesman (I wasn't in retail) - he just wasn't convinced of my point of view. A year later I was working retail in McLean, VA for Sheridan Bedlinens - a subsidiary of The Brenmoss Group of Australia. I was Top Salesman Worldwide - the company was then 21 years old and in 20 Countries. I was also duly and quite publicly (in front of several hundred) informed at a meeting of Managers of Tysons Corner in McClean and their picks for guests (I being a guest) that I had been the individual to assist 1 particular customer. That particular customer happened to be the CEO of 'Secret Shoppers'. He said I was the best Salesman he ever met in his life. Point is, when faced with a challenge, look for the solution. You just may end up proving somebody wrong. I can't tell you what a pleasure it was to tell my former employer what had transpired because of that choice of words that could have been passed off as insignificant.
-- thumbwax, May 19 2001



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