From: noneya@business.com   
      
   > "Makhno"  wrote   
   >   
   >>>The current answer to the last question isn't magnets but .. lasers.   
   >>>Free Electron lasers beam power to the climber, which converts the   
   >>>energy into mechanical energy (wheels or treads).  IIRC, a FEL has   
   >>>been designed that can do the job.   
      
   If the elevator continues to stretch out way beyond the balance point,   
   at a certain length if we cut the anchors on Earth, it would float out   
   away from Earth, wouldn't it? If the center of mass is at escape   
   velocity for it's orbit altitude, the whole thing will float away.   
      
   So we can use that capability by just tossing off mass at a much greater   
   altitude (thereby slowing the Earth's rotation) and using that to lift   
   the elevator. via a long cable loop. We could toss off bags of water, or   
   something else that would disperse and cause no harm.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)