I have sent this question to a list of friends and
acquaintances and decided to venture sending it to all
PICLISTERs - I could of course drop it into the "space" type
forums and may do so in modified form in due course but what
I am more interested in at this stage is how a cross section
technical but necessarily "space mad" people would react.
Ignore this if you have no interest in it. I can't see how
to fit a PIC into this directly :-) but hope you will excuse
off topic nature!

First a little background and then a question: Consider it
as an academic exercise - a simple yes or no is all that is
wanted. If you want to have your say please email me
directly (apptech@clear.net.nz) - PLEASE DON'T REPLY DIRECT
TO THE PICLIST. If you want to know the results say so and
I'll email them to you when all are in.

The reasons for each persons yes or no don't need to
be given - although they would be interesting to hear if you
want to give them. I have been surprised at the nature of
the response that I have had so far.

Background:    If 10% of the world's population gave $25
each a year for 10 years to a project this would amount to
about $100 billion. Interest on this would substantially
increase this sum. Obviously there are many worthy projects
that could be nominated as targets for this money. However,
regardless of the possible "worthy" targets, imagine that it
was put towards funding a manned expedition to Mars. This
amount of money, plus other money which such a project would
attract once it got rolling, would be enough to ensure a
manned Martian presence, probably within 10 years. Clearly
the administration of such a project would need to be above
reproach and question. No skimming off the top, no ludicrous
salaries and commissions, no $20,000 toilet seat etc as per
space shuttle. An independent organisation would be
required, probably combining technical resources from
existing space organisations from eg USA (NASA), Europe
(ESA), Russia, Japan, China. All of this is detail - assume
the organisation and technical ability are the best that we
can achieve.

Given all this, the question is -

        Would YOU give $25 per year for the next 10 years
        towards this project if it existed?

Individual answers from each interested person in a
household would be nice if you can be bothered. At a minimum
yes or no is all that is required.