Re: real world colonization

(snip of possible colonization problems and some answers)

>Hows that for start?
>
>Beth

*snicker*.. a good one.  I did ask about those topics semi-rhetorically,
which of course were answered same.  Fictional futures have to have
those things answered, but I find those to be interesting (maybe its the
explorer in me?).  For a strategic game those are minor things that
are covered in "what's the cost & time to colonize a planet for future
benefit to the empire" rules.  Let's not worry about failures 
(Roanoke Island, North Carolina, late 1500s)
or alien viruses that could wipe out the colonizing species, maybe all
rolled into one die roll whether or not the colony succeeds.

Something else I find interesting: what corporations or products will
survive into the far future?  Is Rolls Royce still making engines and
cars, and now starships (they were in my Traveller universe of many 
years back)?  Is Coca-Cola and Pepsi still battling in their "cola wars"

and infiltrating market places (does the IF ban such consumer goods?).	
Is there a new cola, called, oh, say "Slurm", made by aliens?
Do mega-corporations rival interstellar governments in power?
Will there be "company" planets, as some sf writers have written?

*sigh*	I miss reading some good sf.  Anyone have any suggested
readings of new novels?  Especially along the lines of Niven & Asimov?
Blue Mars bored me to tears so much I had to stop reading it.

Glen