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From: wreck@fmsrl7.UUCP (Ron Carter)
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,sci.engr
Subject: Re: Platinum-group metal concentrations in earth-crossing objects
Summary: Who *cares* who owns the asteroids?
Keywords: gold
Message-ID: <43936@fmsrl7.UUCP>
Date: 18 Jun 91 22:25:34 GMT
References: <1991Jun12.073415.12543@sequent.com> <1991Jun16.000359.10311@world.std.com> <1991Jun16.024747.28781@sequent.com> <1991Jun16.234110.7241@nowhere.uucp>
Reply-To: wreck@fmsrl7.UUCP (Ron Carter)
Organization: Ford Motor Company, Scientific Research Labs, Dearborn, MI
Lines: 18

In <1991Jun16.234110.7241@nowhere.uucp> sking@nowhere.uucp (Steven King) writes:
>   Of course, all of this presumes that even if you were to get
> there and the processes were viable, that the asteriod is yours
> to mine. International law, as I understand it, is less than clear
> on this issue.  A few billion in precious metals might buy a lot
> of influence, but it would also buy a lot of envy.

Q:	How do spacers pay their taxes?
A:	In gold and platinum, at terminal velocity.

The nice thing about moving ton-sized payloads around space is that
you can always arrange to drop one, or a few.  (Use slag or iron,
that way nobody is going to WANT to be the recipient.)  If someone
gets too envious, you can at least make them keep their head down.

I'd suggest paying taxes to the USA or EEC, which are not going
to want to jeapordize their revenue stream and will defend it
against other entities.