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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDarwin test coming up -This man is about to launch himself in his homemade rocket to prove the Earth
is flat
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/11/21/this-man-is-about-to-launch-himself-in-his-homemade-rocket-to-prove-the-earth-is-flat/?utm_term=.15def82781ba
<snip>
Seeking to prove that a conspiracy of astronauts fabricated the shape of the Earth, a California man intends to launch himself 1,800 feet high on Saturday in a rocket he built from scrap metal.
Assuming the 500-mph, mile-long flight through the Mojave Desert does not kill him, Mike Hughes told the Associated Press, his journey into the atmosflat will mark the first phase of his ambitious flat-Earth space program.
Hughess ultimate goal is a subsequent launch that puts him miles above the Earth, where the 61-year-old limousine driver hopes to photograph proof of the disc we all live on.
Itll shut the door on this ball earth, Hughes said in a fundraising interview with a flat-Earth group for Saturdays flight. Theories discussed during the interview included NASA being controlled by round-Earth Freemasons and Elon Musk making fake rockets from blimps.
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lame54
(35,294 posts)That's the first thing I thought of too.
quickesst
(6,280 posts)Although it was not successful, mainly because the parachute deployed way too early, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't get in that rocket sled and launch myself into a canyon trying to get to the other side. Punking out to me means that someone got scared to do something and backed out. If your definition of punking out is different than mine then I would be appreciative of an explanation. Evel Knievel's attempt was based on solid theory. The flat-earth goofball is doomed to fail because of the lack of any credible evidence at all that he can prove his claim that the Earth is flat. Thanks
From the Urban Dictionary:
punked out (synonym: herbed)
to quit, esp. from fear; to chicken out or back down as from intimidation;
scared or frightened to act; back down from a confrontational situation because you are too afraid to act.
After being challenged, he punked out.
You just got punked out! (=You walked away or retreated after being challenged, or verbally abused or disrespected.
Not Ruth
(3,613 posts)But for no reason, they thought that theirs was flat
unblock
(52,253 posts)I mean, the other planets look like flat discs too, right?
icymist
(15,888 posts)unblock
(52,253 posts)icymist
(15,888 posts)Just for laughs the gods made it so that one of the elephants have to raise it's leg so the sun can set. It's can get boring, being a god.
Concept from the brilliant mind of the late Sir Terry Prachett.
LonePirate
(13,426 posts)malaise
(269,054 posts)I'm freaking laughing
lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)I hope he has a GoPro camera and livestreams it, personally.
unblock
(52,253 posts)MineralMan
(146,317 posts)What a moron. He's going to go up a whole 1800 feet? He could take a flight from Las Vegas to Minneapolis and go up about 36,000 feet. And even then, he couldn't see the curvature of the Earth. But, he could take some pictures out the window of the plane to document his "flat earth" theory. He'd still be a moron, but there's a much better chance of remaining a live moron.
Hey! Hold muh beer and watch this, everyone!
PJMcK
(22,037 posts)Just sayin'.
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)Actually, the curvature could be measured at that altitude, but I've looked many times and haven't been able to see it, given the narrow angle of vision out of most airliner windows.
It's easy to see at 70,000 feet, though, as shown in photos taken from the U-2. At 100,000 feet, it's very obvious.
PJMcK
(22,037 posts)You and I both know the world is a cube.
Happy Thanksgiving, MineralMan!
csziggy
(34,136 posts)Canoe52
(2,948 posts)eppur_se_muova
(36,269 posts)SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)Bangs head - how are people this stupid?
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)Truly.
PJMcK
(22,037 posts)They don't want the truth out there because it would end all of the money NASA gets from the federal government.
(sarcasm)
struggle4progress
(118,295 posts)Takket
(21,577 posts)The FAA doesn't want you to know the truth!!!
Why is he flying in a rocket when all he needs is a boat?
struggle4progress
(118,295 posts)and the few who aren't don't have much of a following
But launching passenger-bearing vessels into the air poses various public health and safety issues which are almost-certainly addressed by federal regulation. And there may be state statutes also governing how to handle those who pose a danger to self or others
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)What are they getting out of it?
struggle4progress
(118,295 posts)This man is about to launch himself in his homemade rocket
... He set a Guinness World Record in 2002 for a limousine jump ...
http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2017/11/this_man_is_about_to_launch_hi.html
njhoneybadger
(3,910 posts)librechik
(30,674 posts)BoneyardDem
(1,202 posts)dumbass
3catwoman3
(24,007 posts)Oh, wait. Yes it is - or it should be.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,182 posts)malaise
(269,054 posts)This is the Con's real Rocket man!
ffr
(22,670 posts)His does, supposedly.
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)* republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief
NotASurfer
(2,151 posts)You get a much clearer view of the sun when you stare at it from high altitude and we know from the eclipse that sitting Presidents are immune from sun blindness
N_E_1 for Tennis
(9,734 posts)DesertRat
(27,995 posts)was named Donald J. Trump.
malaise
(269,054 posts)Lego rocket!
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)that there are people with access to technology (not an isolated tribe somewhere) who actually think that the Earth is flat.
I'm completely dumbfounded by this and think that someone who actually believes this needs to be institutionalized.
malaise
(269,054 posts)Seriously.
panader0
(25,816 posts)Please explain.
malaise
(269,054 posts)over the boundary like a home run in baseball. You have to hit it hard.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hit%20for%20Six
Hit for Six
Similar to knocked for six, mainly a cricketing term where the ball is knocked beyond the boundary without bouncing.
Can also mean to completely devastate.
He's been hit for six from that ball.
I was hit for six when my wife left me.
#hit for 6#hit 4 6#hitt for six#hit for sixx#hit 4 sixx
panader0
(25,816 posts)Ilsa
(61,695 posts)They also have a website with forums where there is plenty of debate, if you could call it that. FE-ers have nonscientific comments followed by logical arguments from normal people.
Vinca
(50,278 posts)Initech
(100,081 posts)The Trumphumper 9000 - perfect for catching that pesky road runner or proving the earth is flat!
Vinca
(50,278 posts)pangaia
(24,324 posts)😂😁🤣
VMA131Marine
(4,140 posts)malaise
(269,054 posts)I cannot believe this one
MrScorpio
(73,631 posts)Mr. Ected
(9,670 posts)It would likely save this guy's life and 50 million people would immediately jump on the bandwagon.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)malaise
(269,054 posts)flattened
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)kysrsoze
(6,022 posts)I predict hes the Darwin Award winner of the week, perhaps the month.
malaise
(269,054 posts)Takket
(21,577 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)AllaN01Bear
(18,261 posts)malaise
(269,054 posts)Hope Mike is so lucky!
sarisataka
(18,663 posts)lapfog_1
(29,205 posts)is not likely to prove much
sdfernando
(4,935 posts)from Andy Griffith but since he is dead......
fantase56
(444 posts)Initech
(100,081 posts)malaise
(269,054 posts)Wounded Bear
(58,670 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)Initech
(100,081 posts)malaise
(269,054 posts)Initech
(100,081 posts)malaise
(269,054 posts)Initech
(100,081 posts)lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)I'll return to this after a day in the kitchen with my senile mother.....
spanone
(135,844 posts)Initech
(100,081 posts)spanone
(135,844 posts)Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)You have to improve the gene pool, right? If this guy manages to kill himself, yes, he's removing some Flat-Earth nutjob genes, but he's also removing some technological skill. I wouldn't be capable of building a rocket that reached 1800 feet, or even one that got high enough to kill me on the landing.
malaise
(269,054 posts)He really needs mental health treatment. Something is wrong here.
lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)Seriously. Anyone know where these dunces think it is? and, why does it get dark at night??????
krispos42
(49,445 posts)This one should be epically painful.
Solly Mack
(90,773 posts)Generic Brad
(14,275 posts)This does not make me chuckle at all. I am very sad for this man's family and the death they will soon be mourning.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)A few miles away are some mountains that are 14,000' above sea level. So I can get in my car and drive half an hour, hike a couple miles, and be 8,600' above where I started. I can look out over the expanse of the plains and try to spot my house 8,600' below. I will have beaten this idiot's height by 6,800' and remained safe doing it.
By all means, please proceed.
dembotoz
(16,808 posts)sl8
(13,787 posts)"Hughes only recently converted to flat-Eartherism, after struggling for months to raise funds for his follow-up flight over the Mojave."
What a lucky coincidence for Mad Mike that his recent conversion has resulted not only in a new sponsor, but also massive, world-wide publicity and on-line buzz. Gosh, I hadn't even heard of him and his previous, pre-conversion stunts until now.
I wouldn't mind a slice of those pay-per-view sales.