Goldfinger

Goldfinger • Theme Song • Shirley Bassey
HD Film Tributes

This post is kind of backwards. This tune is where I ended up, and it's pretty great, just like the movie. Of course I was only 13 when it came out so my mind was still very impressionable. Suffice it say I was impressed. We got to the song from this scene:

James Bond - Goldfinger - You expect me to talk? No Mr Bond I expect you to die!
Nick Blundell

We got here because I was thinking about my idea for a giant spaceship powered by a linear accelerator. I was originally thinking that it should be built in orbit around the Moon due to the economy of lifting materials from the surface of the moon, but then I got to thinking that if this motor is as powerful as it needs to be, the ship could lift off from Earth. It might not be able to carry all of the reaction mass it would need for an extended journey, but we can pick that up later. Lack of vacuum planetside might pose some technical problems, but whiz kids like nothing better than a challenge so I am sure they can sort it out. But the big issue is what kind of effect is a continuous thread of iron travelling at half the speed of light going to have on the Earth? Will it dig an asteroid sized crater? Or will it just bore a hole right through the crust and just become part of the molten center? Of course, it is not going to stay pointing perfectly in line with its original direction, it's going to be wandering all over the place. God forbid it gets out of control and tips over. Everything on this hemisphere is going to be in range. Maybe building it in orbit around the moon is a good idea.