Humor Random Comments Thread

[Andy44]

That second sentence implies a very interesting story involving asphyxiation, third degree burns, or both, and, presumably, a chemist whose cojones comfortably outmassed his brain.

There are videos of people playing with hypergolic reactions in test tubes that are crazy to my eyes. I'm not a chemist, but I was told that stuff will burn your lungs and to stay away from it.

It's not like I've never done stupid dangerous things in my life; anyone who hasn't, hasn't really lived IMO, but messing with poison gas is on the other side of my particular line.

 

[Artlav]

Well, i'd expect chemists to know what they are doing, and so being more tolerant to corrosive gasses. You also don't really need to sniff it hard to determine the odour, a safe-ish trace amount can be more than enough.

 

[Linguofreak]

It's not that Silane is poisonous or corrosive, it's that it's pyrophoric.

When a chemical ignites spontaneously at room temperature in breathable air, how on Earth do you find out what it smells like?

 

[Artlav]

Stoichiometric ratio to the rescue, perhaps? It igniting spontaneously shouldn't negate the need to have a certain concentration of it to make the bulk reaction possible.

 

[Fabri91]

It's not that Silane is poisonous or corrosive, it's that it's pyrophoric.

When a chemical ignites spontaneously at room temperature in breathable air, how on Earth do you find out what it smells like?

Extremely carefully. :hide:

 

[Urwumpe]

Clocks are going forward here, anyone else?

N.

Travelled back from a business trip to Baden-Würtemberg today, was a pretty long trip, which almost started late because of this....

Now back home after about 6.5 hours of travel. And 12 hours without something to eat. :facepalm:

 

[Andy44]

Well now, looks like we have another player in the "private rocketry" business LOL:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/flat-earther-blasts-off-homemade-095314764.html

This guy is destined for bigger and better things for sure! :yes:

 

[kuddel]

Usually I would never give a "thumbs up" to any flat-earther, but I must admit: He's got balls!

 

[Urwumpe]

Just read on Twitter, that John Fisher, british crew member of the Volvo Ocean Race sailing yacht of Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag went overboard near Point Nemo, 1400 SM west of Cape Horn.

There are 35 knot winds and the other yachts are further west, which means its impossible to divert any other VOR yacht to rescue him. A ship 400 SM away from the scene has been diverted, but giving the physics, it will take it about 15-20 hours to reach the sailor.

 

[Andy44]

Usually I would never give a "thumbs up" to any flat-earther, but I must admit: He's got balls!

Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between courage and stupidity.

In this case, I'm not finding it so hard.

Had he built his vehicle just to fly for thrills, like other dangerous sports, he'd be a little less dumb in my mind. Especially since, given his stated goal of flying high enough to see the Frisbee-shaped Earth, he could just go to the nearest airport and pay somebody to take him far higher for far longer with a far bigger safety margin using a plane old airplane.

 

[jedidia]

Had he built his vehicle just to fly for thrills, like other dangerous sports, he'd be a little less dumb in my mind.

I wouldn't say so. That's some genuine scientific curiosity he's displaying there, which is good.
The thing I don't get is how he is smart enough to build a rocket that actually works without killing him instantly, but still can't get his head around all the evidence that the earth is indeed not flat.

 

[steph]

I wonder if the nozzle was actually designed, or just there for looks. Anyway, at slightly over 1000 feet max elevation, it's more like he built an aerodynamic manned steam boiler with a release valve :rofl:
Perhaps the low apogee was intended...at that altitude, it sure looks flat.

 

[Urwumpe]

Perhaps the low apogee was intended...at that altitude, it sure looks flat.

Well, to his defense, he aims higher - he wants to launch a larger rocket from a balloon to see Earth from above. And that without somebody else being responsible for that view.

 

[Notebook]

I'll have to remember this one:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43507949

N.

 

[jedidia]

If a german was as inflexible as this guy they'd never find employment anywhere outside germany :lol:

 

[Urwumpe]

If a german was as inflexible as this guy they'd never find employment anywhere outside germany :lol:

I doubt you would even find employment inside Germany that way... we are horrible in our manners, but not evil. :lol:

But yes, being a flexible German is something odd, but it happens.

(And a pretty harsh atmosphere between coworkers is not unusual. But a bad sign.)

 

[steph]

Oh well....I guess this had to happen someday

[ame="http://youtu.be/QGYn2Y_t5-Q"]LICKING A SPACE ROCKET!!! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[statickid]

I wouldn't say so. That's some genuine scientific curiosity he's displaying there, which is good.
The thing I don't get is how he is smart enough to build a rocket that actually works without killing him instantly, but still can't get his head around all the evidence that the earth is indeed not flat.

Last year when this guy was leading his funding campaign some folks found evidence that he "became" a flat-earther to finish his project. The story was that he was a daredevil and always wanted to do this as a stunt but no one was interested in funding it as a daredevil project. Probably working from the saying that "a fool and his money are soon parted," he decided to advertise his funding campaign as "flat-earth research" instead of a daredevil project. Is it true? maybe! Considering he could just drive up a medium hill and get the same view...

 

[alberts56]

The story was that he was a daredevil and always wanted to do this as a stunt but no one was interested in funding it as a daredevil project..

Who would in his/her right mind? Some daredevil, maybe more correctly so most daredevil stuff has only one outcome.

 

[Andy44]

Who would in his/her right mind? Some daredevil, maybe more correctly so most daredevil stuff has only one outcome.

Evel Knievel never had much of a problem getting sponsors and publicity.