From: GBurch1@aol.com
Date: Mon Jun 26 2000 - 08:54:40 MDT
In a message dated 6/26/00 9:11:03 AM Central Daylight Time, rhanson@gmu.edu
writes:
> Volume production is at odds with picking a few good projects. To support
> volume production, you'd need an easy way to find lots of good sites.
>
> I am highly skeptical of the economics of this enterprise. It seems
> driven by self-indulgence of rich engineers. Comparisons across poor
> countries, regions, and individuals almost never show any substantial
> health effect of variations in medical spending or water and sanitation.
> And the idea that random isolated villages could recoup $100K investments
> via ecommerce seems just ludicrous, even if the equipment isn't just
stolen.
Actually, I think the e-commerce cost-recoupment idea is also impractical.
It seems like "window dressing" for the core idea of making a modular
power/water/net/clinic unit.
As for the job of picking good sites, there's probably no shortcut around
that. However, there are lots of do-gooder First Worlders who volunteer to
work on things like this. My enthusiasm for the idea of making a robust,
simple, modular "infrastructure" module for use in the Third World is
undimmed.
Greg Burch <GBurch1@aol.com>----<gburch@lockeliddell.com>
Attorney ::: Vice President, Extropy Institute ::: Wilderness Guide
http://users.aol.com/gburch1 -or- http://members.aol.com/gburch1
ICQ # 61112550
"We never stop investigating. We are never satisfied that we know
enough to get by. Every question we answer leads on to another
question. This has become the greatest survival trick of our species."
-- Desmond Morris
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