Thats one small step for Mankind, one giant leap for Richard Branson.

A couple of weeks ago I read an article that epitomised the economic elites ability to waste money.

Picture this, Richard Branson the 4^th richest man in the UK walks along side Bill Gates, Carlos Slim, Bernard Arnault and Lawrence Ellison. Together, dressed in full space flight gear they prepare to board a Virgin funded flight to the Moon. This is not a remake of the popular 90’s movie Armageddon starring Bruce Willis. This is in fact a description of the possible journey to the moon of some of the world’s richest entrepreneurs.  Of the people I have mentioned above only Richard Branson is officially involved in the project, a project with the aim of putting man back on the moon.

Don’t take this post the wrong way, I have nothing against Richard Branson or any other self made billionaire (slight jealousy aside), any man or woman that can build a business from the ground up that makes them a fortune deserves credit where its due, however, I can’t help but think the cost involved, in the current economic climate, could be put to much better use.

A person’s money is, after all, that person’s money and a person should be allowed to spend their money on whatever they wish. But when a country like England is in its present situation, Richard Branson may as well collect a few hundred million pounds in a big mound and set fire to the lot (I will be there to collect any strays that may be caught up in the wind).  The amount of money that Virgin as a company pumps back into the British economy can not be ignored of course but having every finger on your hands in a different pie does not warrant the metaphoric burning of  wads of cash in the faces of the British public.

In the end it’s up to you as the reader to decide if the economic elite blasting off to space for a dirty weekend on the moon is morally wrong, but if they televise it, I’ll watch.

Matt.