Re: Nations and their size. Long.

 
	I stand corrected on the size of China's economy.  I knew that
the per
capita GDP was low but with all those people I did think it was pretty
big.
>From the figures people have sent me it looks like China is number 2 by
a
long way and only just ahead of number 3 (Japan). Does anyone have a
population figure for Japan.
	With the rockets what I was trying to show was that even with
the
technical advantages and experience of the Americans and Europeans space
shots can still go wrong. Also not all US launches are over water. In
these
cases they are launched from the desert somewhere (mostly military sats
I
believe. China doesn't do this because they are preparing to change to
over
water launches from Taiwan :)
	Also got to agree that if you want a colonist you want someone
educated,
hardworking and not afraid of taking risks. Some Urban dwellers would
want
to go to a new colony but I don't believe it would be many. What I was
getting at is that life in a western city, on average, is comfortable
and
convienent. Colony life is likely to be hard, dangerous, primative (no
night clubs etc) and not entirely pleasant. If you look at those people
who
came to Australia or the US to settle last century and after WWII, they
came because they were looking for something better than they already
had.
Leaving the Gold Rushes aside, most people who came did so with very
little, were often poor or had little real choice (Irish during the
potato
famine). If you want people from New York (or indeed any other major
city
particularly in the West) you have to be offering a pretty good
incentive.
I just can't see many people from suburbia buying it. I find far more
likely that someone with nothing will jump at the chance for a smaller
incentive.
	What does all this have to do with FT? Probably nothing (unless
you're
building a campaign).
	
	Tony.
	twilko@ozemail.com.au