Lunar Land Prices

Oh no, I can't believe that this old scam has arisen again. Good grief, this was all sorted out decades ago:

Property investors smarting from this year's housing bust in the United States might do well to look farther afield -- even out of this world.

Internet searches for lunar land prices show the cost of buying an acre of the moon's surface has risen 40 percent since the start of 2007, investment bank UBS told clients in a tongue-in-cheek analysis.

It had better be tongue in cheek. The thing is, you see, that selling land on the Moon is in fact illegal.

Quick to caution against "preliminary" conclusions, UBS added: "This is most certainly not a forecast."

United Nations' treaties insist governments cannot claim ownership of the moon. But attempts to close a loophole allowing individuals or firms to do so have failed to garner support.

Well, yes, but you see, without a government to aportion the property rights in the first place, there are none are there? Unless, of course, those selling you the land are stating that they'll protect your land from intruders?