Re: [FT universe]

Allan spake thusly upon matters weighty: 
> Of course, here in Canada we have far more fresh water than we are
ever going
> to use. The US has noticed this, though, and wants to start buying it
from us
> (of course, they want to keep their OWN hand on the faucet...).

And if no one gives them the keys, they'll just start draining the 
Great Lakes via Lake Michigan.... 

> sociological, political and economic factors. Persecution has been a
big
> motivator in colonisation, probably right behind wealth. Whole peoples
have
> moved because they weren't wanted where they were...

I forsee colonies (perhaps struggling ones) for:
Welsh Nationalists
Scottish Nationalists
Irish Nationalists (all of these three want out from under the 
English King)
Quebecois (same deal)
Mohawks or other North American Aboriginals (get back to the old ways 
or just get away from the English King)
Aussie Aborigines and Maoris (another get back to the old ways)
Israelis (although I don't think New Israel is struggling)
Former Christian groups from the IF and ESU (notoriously unpopular 
with ESU Communist leadership and IF extremist Muslims) 
LLAR (another not struggling group of people who've lost a home on 
Earth)
Innuit/Eskimos (maybe find someplace with some resources and no one 
to bug them)
5x10^10th religious groups (everything from cults, covens, and 
oddball sects to the catholic church - all of whom may underwrite 
colonies - imagine papal colonies backed by a no-birth control policy 
and a bunch of catholic money...)
And just about every other disenfranchised group you can name. 
Luddites, Mennonites, Hutterites, Quakers, etc. (Some of whom may 
burn the colony ship hulls once they leave)

> You may be silly, but you've brought up a good point. It's likely that
in the
> next 10,000 to 100,000 years something big and nasty is going to
happen to the
> planet: comet collision, meteor collision, what have you. If we don't
somehow
> destroy our own environment through stupidity, it's entirely likely
that
> something else cataclysmic will come around. We're all sitting ducks;
the only
> question is when a hunter will --- if ever --- come waltzing into this
> particular duck pond...

And if we make it through the long hall, bang goes our Sun. But that 
isn't a current problem. We're not even dealing with 10,000 years 
hence, just about 200 years hence.  But the cheap cost of stardrive 
and the desire of disenfranchised people to 'get their own place in 
the galaxy' will spur a lot of migration. 

Here's a thought: Remember what britain did with Australia? Can we 
say spaceborn penal colony for civilized gov'ts too kind to just pop 
off annoying dissidents and malcontents. Gulags in space.... 

Tom. 

/************************************************
Thomas Barclay		     
Voice: (613) 831-2018 x 4009
Fax: (613) 831-8255

 "C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot.  C++ makes
 it harder, but when you do, it blows away your whole leg."
 -Bjarne Stroustrup
**************************************************/