Lunar real-estate conman

[Lee]

Did anyone else just see the 60 minutes story - with the bit about the conman selling lunar real estate. What a sheister.
Apparently he has made $9m doing so.....

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Dang! I forgot that was on!!!!!!!! I wanted to watch it too

[leon]

Sure did Lee, the bloke is rolling in it, while so many people part with there hard earned cash.

Leon

[Phil]

yeah seen it how about that helium 3 stuff on the moon.
Phil

[Lee]

1st fellow - just pick up this rock - enough Helium-3 to power a city.... then find out we need to undertake mass-strip mining to refine it - not so easy! Who wants to image some open cut mines on the moon???

[h0ughy (David)]

Havent seen that yet but I did record it

[Ric]

Blimey, forking out money for land you will never stand on.

I thought that the UN had a charter that stated that the moon belonged to all mankind and is to be used for peaceful purposes.

Cheers

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Hmmmm, the 60 minutes site has a brief description of the story, but it might be a while before it hits the video library on the site.

http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/a...aspx?id=313352

[Rodstar (Rod)]

I imagine that the "vendor" (who styled himself "The Big Cheese") of the land may face some interesting times as lunar habitation becomes more viable, and purchasers attempt to enforce title to their lot. He would be well advised to have a disclaimer and indemnity clause in each contract for sale.

[h0ughy (David)]

PSST wanna buy some slick vista views on mars - cheap at the top of Olympus Mons, only $10000000. Please deposit into the bank of Nigeria.........

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Those stupid people who paid all that money for a useless bit of the paper.
Money that could be used to dig wells to supply fresh water to entire villages.
Money that could be given to the Fred Hollows charity and be used to restore the sight to many thousands of people.
Money that could be used to research cures for cancer.

I don't know who I'm angrier at, the dude selling the bits of paper, or those idiots for buying them.


But I did like the story with Andy Thomas though.

[Rodstar (Rod)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

But I did like the story with Andy Thomas though.

So did I! Even though he has been "up there" a number of times now, Andy's enthusiasm for space exploration is undiminished. I liked his analogy of humans having only just put our toes in the edge of an enormous ocean.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

Those stupid people who paid all that money for a useless bit of the paper.
......
I don't know who I'm angrier at, the dude selling the bits of paper, or those idiots for buying them.

There wouldn't be any conmen in the world if there were no suckers......

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

A lot of the stuff in the story covered the same ground (sorry for the pun) as was covered in the doco on SBS a few months ago, which resulted in my threrad on mining helium 3. I guess if they are going to strip mine the Moon, do you think we could get them to cover the mined sections in black plastic? At least we would get some advantage to aid viewing.

The guy selling land is no different to companies that will name a star for you, smuggle money from Nigeria, lotto winnings in draws you never entered...as you said they won't make any money if there wasn't any suckers. "One born every minute" as they say.

[rumples riot]

At 30 buck a pop, I don't see that as ripping people off. Everyone is aware that for 30 bucks you're not going to really own the property. Just take a look at the certificate of title.

Helium 3 might just be the way through the current climate change issue. What is more important, how the moon looks or the survival of the human race and the earth? I take me anytime, the moon can suffer.

[Lee]

I think by the time Helium-3 mining is viable on the lunar surface, we will all be long gone!

[§AB]

frankly if people are stupid enough to believe that you can actually buy real estate on the moon then they deserve to be swindled.

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

Originally Posted by rumples riot

...What is more important, how the moon looks or the survival of the human race and the earth? I take me anytime, the moon can suffer.

I guess you could say "what is the point in preserving the view of the Moon if there is no-one left on Earth to admire it"....or curse it!

[ving (David)]

is it still for sale? i wouldnt mind some!

will humans stoop to anything at all! are there no limits?

[JimmyH155]

Many years ago, when I was living in England, an enterprising real estate agent started selling off to rich Americans one square yard of "Little ol' England" (Can't remember price - think it was about 50 quid) Except this time the titles were entirely legal, because that land really existed. Only problem was access to your little block
It was reported by some cynical observer on the tele, "Why don't we sell the whole of England - then every person would clean up 300,000 quid."
I remember seeing shots of delighted Americans proudly showing off their title document and were thrilled to now be proud owners of a piece of old England.
Hey! Lets do that with the Simpson Desert