Anyone Have $200,000 to Spare?

Okay, I need $200,000.

Not to pay medical bills or pay off loans or credit cards... okay I could use it for that too but that's not the urgent need of the moment.

I need $200,000 to go into space.

Yup... space. Okay near Earth orbit, the edge of space but you get the idea: SPACE!!! ME!!!! The NASA junkie, the kid who loves all things to do with space, astronomy, etc.

For a mere $200,000 Virgin Galactic will take you into space. Around 300 people have already plunked down the cost of the ticket to reserve their seats.

Now this would make a fabulous birthday present people... that big one is coming up in 2011. HINT HINT HINT

But seriously, think about it. For those of us who were wide-eyed kids in the late 1960s when Apollo 11 touched down on the lunar surface, those who believed that by the 1990s there would be a lunar colony, flying cars and other technological wonders thanks to the space program... this space tourism thing is a dream come true.

What stinks is that the dream is only available to the wealthy. Because if you have a mortgage, if you have student loans (yours or your kids') and count your pennies to make ends meet... I.E. YOU WORK FOR A LIVING ... there is no way that you are ever going to leave this great blue marble alive. Well I'm not at any rate. And that sucks because I would really appreciate it. Hell, I got all teary-eyed when I first laid eyes on a Saturn V; when they rolled out the prototype shuttle Enterprise; when I watch old news footage of the Apollo missions.

So, if you or anyone you know has $200,000 to spare let me know... I'll be happy to spend it for you.

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