Reviving a web-based SSI?

I would like to make a suggestion about SSI activity. I met Freeman Dyson about three years ago. SSI consisted then of one part-time volunteer, and it appears that by now SSI does not function anymore. I am also an SSI old-timer, but always viewed space colonies as centuries into the future. Going back to the Moon is a great development. For now, however, the constructive thing would seem to be to keep the idea alive and evoloving through technical research, and mostly, education, as are indeed the original SSI goals. For now, space colony advocates could probably do best by continuing research and education, so that when the "beyond Moon" decision is made, colonies will be an acceptable alternative. It appears that the old SSI will not revive sooon, lacking funds and a full-time leader. I wonder if SSI could be transformed into a web- based Society, however, maybe with the help of this SSI list's members.
It could: - Maintain the ongoing debate; - Keep accumulating and archiving technical literature; - Encourage publishing books and articles on the subject; - And primarily, educate by maintaining and promoting a user- friendly, and student and child-friendly website.
Maybe we could raise amongst us some nominal funds, a couple of thousands of dollars per year, to have these activites managed professionally by a part-time, semi-volunteer coordinator. All this could be done in cooperation with or as part of SSI, maybe changing it into a realistically sustainable operation. This may be less than ideal, but it can keep the idea going and evolving on a sustainable basis.
It would be good to see the List's thoughts on this.

Michael Mautner

Michael N. Mautner, Ph. D. Research Professor of Chemistry Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia 23284-2006 USA
Senior Research Fellow Soil, Plant and Ecological Sciences Division Lincoln University Lincoln, New Zealand Phone: (64) (3) 325-2811 X 8352 Fax: (64) (3) 325-3607 mautnerm@...