Comments on: Up, Up And Away http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/ The official blog of the Skeptologists Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:42:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jack Mender http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-15172 Jack Mender Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:59:58 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-15172 It seems like business is still getting hit hard. Is anybody seeing an upswing in their respective niches? Health reform seems like a mess. I generate long term care insurance leads and annuity leads for the insurance industry, but volume has been terrible in the last two months. I am afraid the worst is yet to come, but maybe it is just my attitude. It seems like business is still getting hit hard. Is anybody seeing an upswing in their respective niches? Health reform seems like a mess. I generate long term care insurance leads and annuity leads for the insurance industry, but volume has been terrible in the last two months. I am afraid the worst is yet to come, but maybe it is just my attitude.

]]> By: Devil's Advocate http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-2592 Devil's Advocate Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:07:44 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-2592 "Just attach a large hydrogen balloon to your boat trailer." Well... Ok, but this thing is getting so combersome that instead of buying a flying car, I might as well buy a helicopter and adapt it to freeway driving. “Just attach a large hydrogen balloon to your boat trailer.”

Well… Ok, but this thing is getting so combersome that instead of buying a flying car, I might as well buy a helicopter and adapt it to freeway driving.

]]> By: llewelly http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-2568 llewelly Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:17:06 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-2568 <blockquote> I’ve figured out how I’d pull a flying car trailer with my boat, but how would I pull my boat trailer with a flying car? </blockquote> Just attach a large hydrogen balloon to your boat trailer.

I’ve figured out how I’d pull a flying car trailer with my boat, but how would I pull my boat trailer with a flying car?

Just attach a large hydrogen balloon to your boat trailer.

]]> By: Wrysmile http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-2567 Wrysmile Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:01:15 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-2567 This is brilliant, a simple and effective flying car http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/video/2009/jan/14/parajet-skycar This is brilliant, a simple and effective flying car

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/video/2009/jan/14/parajet-skycar

]]> By: Devil's Advocate http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-2541 Devil's Advocate Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:01:59 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-2541 I've figured out how I'd pull a flying car trailer with my boat, but how would I pull my boat trailer with a flying car? I’ve figured out how I’d pull a flying car trailer with my boat, but how would I pull my boat trailer with a flying car?

]]> By: James Severin http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-2536 James Severin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:08:38 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-2536 @ Scoops I love the Arrested Development reference and I can never see a Segway again without thinking of Gob Bluth!!! As for flying cars, I'm against them. I mean if we had cars that could fly then how special would Superman be then? @ Scoops
I love the Arrested Development reference and I can never see a Segway again without thinking of Gob Bluth!!!

As for flying cars, I’m against them. I mean if we had cars that could fly then how special would Superman be then?

]]> By: Mastriani http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-2524 Mastriani Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:55:19 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-2524 Ludicrous. Cost prohibitive, energy inefficient, and hominids have a rather nasty habit of insisting upon less than logical/rational actions. Considering the fact that all of our energy processes are modes of extraction, this fanciful idea is nothing more than fantasy and fiction. I agree with the author, except on the issue of "hope". There is no reason to believe our species is smart enough to overcome energy inefficiency, gravity, and friction. Ludicrous.

Cost prohibitive, energy inefficient, and hominids have a rather nasty habit of insisting upon less than logical/rational actions.

Considering the fact that all of our energy processes are modes of extraction, this fanciful idea is nothing more than fantasy and fiction.

I agree with the author, except on the issue of “hope”. There is no reason to believe our species is smart enough to overcome energy inefficiency, gravity, and friction.

]]> By: ejdalise http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-2519 ejdalise Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:10:15 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-2519 I don't think a flying car will meet automotive crashworthiness requirements. If it did, I don't think it would be able to fly (too much mass). Now, you can get waivers for specialty automobiles, but then it will not be a mass-market item. Also, I don't want flying cars over my house just as I don't like planes or helicopters over my house (unless very high up, and heading somewhere else fast - but definitively not commuters). And last but not least . . . transfer booths! Much nicer than flying-anything, nearly instantaneous (at least here on Earth), and has the potential to be turned into a Xerox(TM) machine. I could use another me to go to work while I surf the net. I don’t think a flying car will meet automotive crashworthiness requirements. If it did, I don’t think it would be able to fly (too much mass). Now, you can get waivers for specialty automobiles, but then it will not be a mass-market item.

Also, I don’t want flying cars over my house just as I don’t like planes or helicopters over my house (unless very high up, and heading somewhere else fast – but definitively not commuters).

And last but not least . . . transfer booths! Much nicer than flying-anything, nearly instantaneous (at least here on Earth), and has the potential to be turned into a Xerox(TM) machine. I could use another me to go to work while I surf the net.

]]> By: MadScientist http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-2476 MadScientist Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:01:10 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-2476 Check this out: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7821979.stm @Jose: There only ever was one 'Cannonball Run' in Australia but during that run one car (I think it was a Mazda) hit a dip, got airborne, and hit a race marshall. Check this out:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7821979.stm

@Jose:

There only ever was one ‘Cannonball Run’ in Australia but during that run one car (I think it was a Mazda) hit a dip, got airborne, and hit a race marshall.

]]> By: Jose the Paranormal Skeptic http://skepticblog.org/2009/01/12/up-up-and-away/#comment-2475 Jose the Paranormal Skeptic Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:47:17 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=878#comment-2475 Flying car? Bah! Obviously none of you were present when I drove my 71 Valiant Pacer (Dodge Dart) at top speed without seeing the dip in the road. I can tick "flying car" off of my TO-DO list. Flying car? Bah! Obviously none of you were present when I drove my 71 Valiant Pacer (Dodge Dart) at top speed without seeing the dip in the road. I can tick “flying car” off of my TO-DO list.

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