Hacker News Reader

Comment by jopsen | Hacker News Reader

> Some estimate that in 1995 the cost of constructing the X-Seed 4000 may be ... between $479 billion and $1.4 trillion US 2017 dollars.

So instead of invading Afghanistan the money could have been spent building two giant replacement towers :)

If designed to withstand earthquakes and tsunamis I'm guessing it would be hard to bring them down.

(I know it's not the same... but nice to know that we could find the money to build such a thing)

View on HN

Well, the jobs created for building a single structure are only temporary. With a Forever War, though, we have sustainable employment with a constant need for new hires! Think of the children!

The trickle down economics affect is really quite amazing. All the PTSD counselors, student loan officers, and lobbying positions, that this generates really makes it a no brainer.

And don't forget Hollywood which makes an insane amount of money just to make you feel like you were there.

You have to keep the thing painted, though, and wash the windows. So there would be plenty of forever jobs.

Yeah, but the defense industry can't charge the firm that does the maintenance $1500/gallon for regular paint.

I think the right way to do it would be to make it modular and profitable, so that the rent/agriculture/solar/wind from the first floor could pay for the construction of the second floor, etc. Either that or set up a kind of franchise system where new settlers could purchase a customized home pod that gets bolted on to the existing structure, consuming some utilities but providing a mounting point for the next one.

Your only need 34 of these to house all of Afghanistan.

I imagine they'd be less suitable for growing opium poppies though.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com