The calculation is based upon assumed energy requirements. In other words the resource to be exploited cannot possibly be valued more than the assumed energy required to obtain it.

Of course this line of rationale falls in to the "rational actor" fallacy. Since humans aren't rational actors, why would aliens have to be?

Warp drive isn't FTL in the pedantic sense. The vehicle isn't moving per-se, the destination is being moved to it. Of course light speed is a funny thing in the first place.

If the comments on Amazon are any guide, then I suspect the market isn't bearing this too terribly well. I'm sure H&R Blockhead will enjoy the uptick in market share though.

I don't know what's on offer from OEMs but a custom LAN party box might be a good choice--micro ATX, carry handle, desktop hardware.

Not every boss is unenlightened nor are their employees irresponsible such that they can and do work out of the office. Coffee shops are often a good way to break up the monotony and maintain productivity.

California does just fine with solar and wind. A cloudy, windless day shouldn't matter too much unless there's a fundamental requirement I'm unaware of for desalinization plants that necessitates them running at peak capacity 24/7.

blow jobs

This enzyme apparently plays a role in cellular apoptosis. I'm not credentialed in the field but, from my armchair I can't help but wonder if taking away this enzyme might not give people ageless, beautiful, carcinoma.

Siphoning the Columbia would be (aside from being a bit on the polluted side) in league with any other fresh water source. Their best bet for a sustaining supply to meet fresh water demands would be to tap the near limitless Pacific with a bunch of desalinization plants. Yes it costs more, but long term there isn't much of a choice and it's negligible relative to everything else that drives up the cost of living in that state.

Hard to say, but I'm sure the jurors--each sporting the latest iPhone as they walked out of the court house--knew what they were doing.

Or repairing/rebuilding Katrina wrecked infrastructure.

Elon's company is doing a bang up job, but SpaceX is still a ways off from replacing NASA.

NASA tried the other route as well on various projects only to have them thrust back upon them.

You're assuming corporate deployments and no air-gapped ones at that. While they are in the minority, there exist plenty of rural residents in the US at least without a satisfactory answer to Internet connectivity and thus remain offline.

Want to fix global poverty issues? Transfer about 1% of defense spending to developing third-world economies. You'd have the problem licked in about a decade. Now shut up and get off my lawn.