(I recall this was also a Bloom County premise)
“You know something?” Cotex said finally, “all the Bible miracles and our own travels and the shadow on the moon would make sense if the earth was shaped like a carrot and all the continents were on the flat end—”
There are motor sport organizations, driver’s unions (sort of). Structured, somewhat regulated (like boxing/MMA). And most important, there are testing labs and engineers behind what goes on the track. Standardization helps as well. Yes, there’s still deaths that happen on live TV, but 99.99% of the time, there aren’t because of all the efforts going on that you don’t see.
This rocket guy had none of that. Bunch of tinkerers calculating pressure per square foot, no one saying “Hey, this is fun and all, but I wouldn’t want to risk a human life with what I duct taped together.”.
Especially if the scientific consensus you hang your life on is based on a bunch of YouTube videos that all repeat the same inane canards ad nauseam. There is a difference between a considered examination of the nature and validity of your beliefs, and climbing aboard a steam-powered rocket because you think you know better.
Or Oz’s version: Danny Deckchair!
Or in this case, Steamplunk.
When Felix Baumgartner jumped out of a balloon I had the same impression… he was leaping to his death. And he was nearly killed twice, once by a known variable and once by an issue that wasn’t planned for but seemed entirely foreseeable after the fact. All the while suffering from radio problems.
I was disappointed that red bull put a big old “for science” wrapper on the whole thing, it was disgusting.
I don’t think these answers are simple.
No, Red Bull and Baumgartner were pretty clear that skydive was all about daredevilry and spectacle, which I can respect. You wanna risk your life for an adrenaline rush and some cool photos, that’s your call. Just don’t pretend you’re doing it for the betterment of mankind.
“Red Bull Stratos was much more than an extreme stunt - it was all about science and progression”
The container truck set up to look like nasa mission control was a dead giveaway.
I stand corrected.
The lawnchair guy, that was so hilarious, and fantastic, and really crazy. I’m stunned that was so long ago, seems like only a handful of years ago but it’s been almost 40. [Once again reminded of how effing old I am, I have to go lie down and cry for awhile.] So, lawnchairs are better than rockets as vehicles piloted by the crazy.
My hometown is already sitting at about 3400 feet above sea level.
You can be 70% of the way to his goal of 5000ft while sitting in a Starbucks drinking a latte.
So he set the record for both height and depth mere moments apart? Must be proud.
I have that same thought when I look at the original space capsules at the Smithsonian. And yet…
I don’t suppose he got high enough to see the curvature of the Earth and go, “Oh, right, now I get it.”
might be
And all this science I don’t understand
It’s just my job five days a week
A rocket man, a rocket man
I’m sure his death sets all kinds of records.
He seems to have picked this because steam rockets are a pretty small scene and very few people have been dumb enough to make manned ones.
Basically it’s a dangerous attention grabbing thing where practically anything you do sets a record of some sort.
His whole schtick seems to have been dangerously low hanging fruit.
How does that earth look from up there?
That reminds me. Forty years ago this July I was in South Dakota. It rained at least once at nght, and even lightening that was beyond the horizon lit up the sky, no buildings to block the view.
I realize that for a long time many/most people never movee far from where they were born,but surely this effectively at least got people curious.
You mean he saw the light, but it was too late?
