How do you define results in a way that doesn't imply profit over some period of time?

Bullshit.

Get it right regarding a bacon and eggs breakfast:

"The chicken is involved, but the pig is committed."

Yeah, you are full of shit.

The difference is that you are basing the expenditure of billions of dollars of other people's money on a gut feeling.

You sir, don't know what you are talking about.

http://www.amazon.com/Mining-Sky-Untold-Asteroids-Planets/dp/0201328194

Yeah, it is. Asteroids are actually "closer" if you consider delta-v your yardstick.

Yeah, but pew pew is da best!

Are you seriously bitching about spoilers this far into the comments?

That's a false trichotomy. "Pick two" is what a bureaucrat says to stay employed.

There are all kinds of things in the world that are cheap, fast, and reliable. Find a value-adding reason (i.e. not flags and footprints) to go to the moon and you'll get all three.

Burt Rutan needs (and probably wants) to get his $10B from someone other than the government.

Well, lying isn't greed. Weather or not they are pulling their fair share is only your business if you own part of the studio. I have no idea what you mean by "their covenant with the public, and so on."

It's right about now that you are probably realizing that MBAs do know more than you about these things.

What's wrong with greed?

You may be the first poster happy when modded "obvious."