QUOTE (JC Denton @ Apr 14 2008, 01:39 AM)

But really, what a big waste of money to buy something you probably never will use.
Actually, it would be a pitiful waste of money to buy something you can't actually buy, let alone use!
I find this notion
somewhat akin to what Mr. B. spoke to, the "International Star Registry", which sells "gift packages" (from about $65.00 to $160.00) which include a fancy certificate...a star chart showing you "your" named star and it's actual coordinates, star charts and all that other good stuff.
It's a heck of a marketing idea, and I'm sure they make a heck of alot on such a romantic idea. But the fact is, only the IAU can name astronomical objects...and the fact is, The
International Star Registry is making a heck of alot of money, and apparently has been for almost 30 years, selling inexpensive printing at a high price, under the guise of
"Name a star after somebody!" And of course, they're only using naked eye visible stars, and prominently the most visible stars among them...so "Maryann" is probably also, "Jamie" and "Lynn", and several "Susans" as well...but it's actually Deneb in Cygnus or something like that.
However, International Star Registry isn't selling stars, and actually isn't selling a name for a star (they can't). They're selling a gift idea (they don't mention this in advertising, but it's made obvious in the "fine print").
The idea of actually selling lunar land is nonsensical, since it cannot be done legally. If someone is actually scamming people into buying pieces of lunar land...they're in for a heck of a lot of trouble because they're defrauding people. And to think Presidents are gullible enough to buy into this (no pun intended), well, even Jimmy Carter wouldn't be that gullible...I think!
I think this idea falls into the category of urban mythology at best....