Only the huge resources of entire solar systems made colonization possible at all; there certainly wasn't any economic payoff.

Some changes in the government's own behavior, in fact, could have a big economic payoff by saving us just a little from ourselves.

Care work is a term that stands for tasks done in the service of others, and it does not have any direct economic payoff.

"They don't understand that a college education can have long-term economic payoffs," he added.

Many factors should be considered, of course, but lots of parents and students are particularly interested in the potential economic payoff from higher education.

Spending on research and development, for example, helps companies to adopt new technologies whose economic payoffs should be high.

Recycling has economic payoffs beyond just potential savings on water costs.

"Transit, in 99.9 percent of the cases, is a good investment, with an economic payoff," he said.

For the last few years, the joke has been on those - including me - who were skeptical about the economic payoff to information processing.

Local officials insist, nevertheless, the Games will produce big economic payoffs.