N-Prize - bad idea!

[simjam]

Whoever set up this competition should be arrested. All ur doing is encouraging people to try something which is reckless, irresponsible and potentially very dangerous. Its also probably illegal. In times like this, do u really think it is a good idea to encourage people to build guided rockets, and to discuss this on an open forum? Leave space to NASA - at least they know what their doing.

[SANEAlex]

I know its not a good idea to feed trolls but i am curious do you also think Cars,Boats and Planes are a bad idea?

[Monroe]

Simjim
No intelligent life here beam me up Scotty!
Hey if we can do it, they can do it. Whoever they are? Everybody is doing it trust me they have better resources than we do and better intel. There not interested in the N-Prize a 20g payload wont hurt anyone. Silly rabbit trix are for kids.

Monroe

Put up your duke's Troll. I'll be you huckleberry (Tombstone) the movie.

[Bickaxe]

May I point out that ours won't be guided so get your facts right first Mr Troll

Ours will be so unguided even it won't know where its going


After this, we are entering a competition to see how many lasers we can mount on a shark/dolphin before it can't swim, all in the name of science (and evil geniuseseses)

[pauldear]

Wow - I turn my back for ten minutes and....

In reply to Simjam, I can say that I'm not "encouraging people to try something which is reckless, irresponsible and potentially very dangerous.". On the contrary: I am encouraging them to do something which is reckless, irresponsible and potentially fatal . However, it is also an enormous intellectual challenge and a stimulus to creativity.

The teams who have entered are all adults, and have an awareness of the risks they are taking. For once, people are being given the opportunity to try something difficult and dangerous, and in this day and age I think that's worth encouraging.

As for legality: there is a mountain of red tape to hack through, but the teams (as far as I'm aware) have risen to the challenge and are acting entirely within the law. In any event, it is a matter between themselves, their consciences, and their bail-bondsman.

As for encouraging people to develop rockets "in times like these", these teams are acting in the same traditions that pioneered the development of the airplane, and indeed of spaceflight itself. How do you think NASA got started? If you are suggesting that, because of "times like these", we should stultify the spirit of adventure in people everywhere, and deny them the right to shoot for the stars, then perhaps the "war on terror" has already been won, but by the wrong people

[Monroe]

Simjim
Don't blow a fuse thinking to hard now bud .

MK

Have a Great Day!
(spins little tin cup like revolver and holster's it)

[wildspace]

Wow, let's leave everything to the experts! life will be so easy then. The experts can take care of us and herd us anyway they feel is right. (by the way this was a sarcastic remark, personal I do not want to live in a zoo) Real life is messy and involves risk and it is fun. Richard Feynman said."... As a matter of fact, I can also define science another way: Science is the
belief in the ignorance of experts." (The Physics Teacher, 7
September, 1969, 313-320)

[ZiraldoAerospace]

Sorry to inform you, but to be come an "expert" one must actually get of his or her butt and do stuff that is "dangerous". But I will tell you what is dangerous. Letting yourself become so consumed with fear of things that all that you can do is sit at home and let the "experts" handle your life! That is far more dangerous than a one in a billion chance of a spent rocket casing falling on you or something. You have to realize that not everyone wants to stay in a little bubble wrap utopia.

"I've got two guns, one for each of ya'!"