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    Default Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    This story from Washington Post has it all


    Quote Originally Posted by Washington Post
    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.

    Hughes’s 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.

    “It’ll shut the door on this ball earth,” Hughes said in a fundraising interview with a flat-Earth group for Saturday’s flight. Theories discussed during the interview included NASA being controlled by round-Earth Freemasons and Elon Musk making fake rockets from blimps.

    Hughes promised the flat-Earth community that he would expose the conspiracy with his steam-powered rocket, which will launch from a heavily modified mobile home — though he acknowledged that he still had much to learn about rocket science.
    Behold the power of kickstarter and a crazy idea. I'm not sure what to say about his brains, but I gotta admire his cojones of steel and ability to make his dreams come true. Here's hoping he doesn't kill himself in the launch.

    ...

    y'know, if I tried to sell this script in Hollywood it would be rejected as implausible. But hey, THIS IS A-MERICA!

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    Brian P.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    1,800 feet? He does realise he could quite easily see the Earth from 30,000 feet plus if he just booked an airline flight with a window seat? Or from 14,115 feet if he just took a trip to the top of Pikes Peak...

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    There was an article online about a few engineers discussing the specifics of the rocket he's building, based monstly on a few interviews he gave and the pictures. I think their consensus was "there's about four ways for him to die before launch and about 20 afterwards."

    Steam boilers explode. At much lower pressures than he intends to put his rocket under. They compared it to early locomotives, where the boilers were apparently capable of launching several tons of locomotive through the air considerable distances.

    Then, the internal structure. If the motor is badly secured, it will launch forward through the rocket and crush him.

    Then, the shape. Apparently, pointy rockets work badly at that speed, which may cause it to tumble. The fins are too small too, as the shape of the nose cone will create a vacuum near the fins.

    Then, it may just disintegrate from air resistance.

    Then, of course, the acceleration. It will likely knock him unconscious, so he can't deploy the parachutes.

    Really, this is not a curiosity anymore, as much as a creative case of suicide.


    Edit: part of the conspiracy is of course that airlines are in on it. Whatever you see through their windows is not real. I've read enough Flat Earther posts.

    OF course, he could quite easily climb a mountain higher than 1800 feet.
    Last edited by Eldan; 2017-11-24 at 07:10 AM.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Why did I read "California" as "Florida"?
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike_G View Post
    So please, by Anthony Bourdain's left nut, do not call gravy blood.
    Quote Originally Posted by Trekkin View Post
    the only way to get it into space was to build the atmospheric stages on top of it like a 400-ton hat made of fire and structural inadequacy.

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Because this has all the hallmarks of a "Florida Man" story.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    I'm genuinely curious as to what would happen in this man's mind if he somehow managed to climb high enough to see the Earth's roundness with his own eyes (and survive). I'd put about fifty-fifty on tacking on a conspiratorial excuse ("freemasons rigged my goggles!") or having a breakdown as he realizes his entire belief system is built around a lie.

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by SirKazum View Post
    I'm genuinely curious as to what would happen in this man's mind if he somehow managed to climb high enough to see the Earth's roundness with his own eyes (and survive). I'd put about fifty-fifty on tacking on a conspiratorial excuse ("freemasons rigged my goggles!") or having a breakdown as he realizes his entire belief system is built around a lie.
    The problem is if any of this was evidence based and not faith based they not have these beliefs in the first place. Ergo he would see confirmation of what he already thinks. See how things appear to curve? Obviously the roundness of the disc I'm seeing!
    Last edited by snowblizz; 2017-11-24 at 07:55 AM.

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    I've seen quite a few people argue that he's not actually genuine and just making money of a kickstarter, with no intention to go through. But who knows.

    In my experience, flat earthers are just about the most stubborn conspiracy theorists - which is not a small field - and they absolutely refuse to listen to any argument. They can probably talk their way out. Doesn't matter if your argument is about ships going behind the horizon, the sun's relative position in the sky showing that it's not a small tiny ball just above our heads, about how it is impossible to see northern hemisphere stars in the south, how the southern hemisphere is clearly not that much bigger than the northern one, they will ignore it. Or wiggle their fingers and say "refraction" a lot.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    I note that he had this project up and running already and was getting very little funding for it -- then he "converted" to flat eartherism and made the rocket launch about proving their claims, and suddenly the funding floodgates opened.

    Perhaps I'm naive, but I think he's a lot more serious about rocketry than flat-eartherism ; that looks more like a convenient marketing ploy to get flat-earther conspiracists to pay his bills. Which worked. PT Barnum, wherever he is, would be proud .

    I believe he really is serious about launching in this rocket -- the flat earther bit , by contrast, looks to me more like a conversion of convenience to get more funding.

    That said, Eldan's point is extremely well taken that there are several ways for him to die -- but the reason I believe he's serious is because he did something similar in 2014 . And yes, it nearly killed him then.

    Respectfully,

    Brian P.
    "Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid."

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldan View Post
    Because this has all the hallmarks of a "Florida Man" story.
    Pretty much.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike_G View Post
    So please, by Anthony Bourdain's left nut, do not call gravy blood.
    Quote Originally Posted by Trekkin View Post
    the only way to get it into space was to build the atmospheric stages on top of it like a 400-ton hat made of fire and structural inadequacy.

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldan View Post
    Edit: part of the conspiracy is of course that airlines are in on it. Whatever you see through their windows is not real. I've read enough Flat Earther posts.

    OF course, he could quite easily climb a mountain higher than 1800 feet.
    Which is why I mentioned Pikes Peak, since you can literally drive up to the top of it!

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Personally, I want him to go through with it.
    I mean, he shouldn't, obviously. And if I should ever meet him, I'll say that right to his face; "DON'T DO THIS!". But deep down, in my heart of hearts, I want him to. Not because I think stupid people like this deserve to die for their stupidity, as I rather hope he survives. Not even because I want someone to prove to the flat-earthers that they're morons, because the moment he admits seeing a curve, he'll be one of the elusive "Them".
    No, I just want him to do it because I want it to happen. I want to live in a world where people go to space on steam-powered rocket ships they built in their garage, launched from modified RVs ("space" here being defined as "slightly above sea level, geographically speaking").

    You go, crackpot steampunk rocketman. I believe in you. Please seek psychiatric assistance immediately.
    Last edited by Strigon; 2017-11-24 at 09:39 AM.
    That's all I can think of, at any rate.

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Strigon View Post
    Personally, I want him to go through with it.
    I mean, he shouldn't, obviously. And if I should ever meet him, I'll say that right to his face; "DON'T DO THIS!". But deep down, in my heart of hearts, I want him to. Not because I think stupid people like this deserve to die for their stupidity, as I rather hope he survives. Not even because I want someone to prove to the flat-earthers that they're morons, because the moment he admits seeing a curve, he'll be one of the elusive "Them".
    No, I just want him to do it because I want it to happen. I want to live in a world where people go to space on steam-powered rocket ships they built in their garage, launched from modified RVs ("space" here being defined as "slightly above sea level, geographically speaking").

    You go, crackpot steampunk rocketman. I believe in you. Please seek psychiatric assistance immediately.
    What he said.

    Respectfully,

    Brian P.
    "Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid."

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Strigon View Post
    Personally, I want him to go through with it.
    I mean, he shouldn't, obviously. And if I should ever meet him, I'll say that right to his face; "DON'T DO THIS!". But deep down, in my heart of hearts, I want him to. Not because I think stupid people like this deserve to die for their stupidity, as I rather hope he survives. Not even because I want someone to prove to the flat-earthers that they're morons, because the moment he admits seeing a curve, he'll be one of the elusive "Them".
    No, I just want him to do it because I want it to happen. I want to live in a world where people go to space on steam-powered rocket ships they built in their garage, launched from modified RVs ("space" here being defined as "slightly above sea level, geographically speaking").

    You go, crackpot steampunk rocketman. I believe in you. Please seek psychiatric assistance immediately.
    That's why I always digged the "Danish Rocketman" he was living out Kerbal Space Program for reals. I won't type out his name because he almost certainly turned out to be a murderer (it's in trial atm), a recent turn that but still. And no it doens't have a lot to do with his space program per se, but dreamers are often crackpots, lovable crackpots until something psuhes them off the edge.

    The reason I mention this is mainly because I'm deeply personally disappointed in a guy I actually met once and thought was pretty awesome.
    Last edited by snowblizz; 2017-11-24 at 09:57 AM.

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Except, of course, 1800 is like 500 meters and a bit. He won't see ****.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by factotum View Post
    1,800 feet? He does realise he could quite easily see the Earth from 30,000 feet plus if he just booked an airline flight with a window seat? Or from 14,115 feet if he just took a trip to the top of Pikes Peak...
    What part of "Flat Earther" did you miss?

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldan View Post
    In my experience, flat earthers are just about the most stubborn conspiracy theorists - which is not a small field - and they absolutely refuse to listen to any argument. They can probably talk their way out. Doesn't matter if your argument is about ships going behind the horizon, the sun's relative position in the sky showing that it's not a small tiny ball just above our heads, about how it is impossible to see northern hemisphere stars in the south, how the southern hemisphere is clearly not that much bigger than the northern one, they will ignore it. Or wiggle their fingers and say "refraction" a lot.
    The problem isn't necessarily that they don't listen. The problem is that they are convinced "Ball Earth" is a lie and all of the evidence that says otherwise is fabricated. Thus it doesn't really matter what you tell them to convince them otherwise. The "evidence" that you provide simply doesn't exist as you believe it to and you've been convinced by a lie.

    Many "Flat-Earthers" don't even believe in gravity.

    If anyone is willing to see a Flat Earther in action. Here's a video of one of them "debunking" the Vsauce video on the subject.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    A lot of them don't listen, too. There's experiments you can do with stuff lying around at home. If you have a phone and a friend who lives in another country, it's even easier. If you show them any proof, they will just put their fingers in their ears and tell you you're lying.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    I'm a Darwinist. I have no problem when stupid kill themselves doing stupid things. Better that than procreate and spread stupidity.

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldan View Post
    OF course, he could quite easily climb a mountain higher than 1800 feet.
    You could take an elevator to a higher altitude than that.

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    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    You could take an elevator to a higher altitude than that.

    GW
    The thing is...Many Most Basically all of them don't actually want to go prove their theory. They don't want to travel anywhere or go do some science to prove that they're right. They would rather believe that the rest of the world is believing in a lie and that they're in on the Real(!) Truth and those that do don't go nearly far enough with their "Research"


    Afterall, the UN would kill them if they tried.
    Last edited by Leecros; 2017-11-24 at 12:04 PM.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Ah, yes. Also, NASA. As we called them on another forum, the Nefarious Antarctic Sea Army. The entire space thing is just a distraction. THey actually operate a fleet of warships to stop people from climbing over the ice wall.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Leecros View Post
    The thing is...Many Most Basically all of them don't actually want to go prove their theory. They don't want to travel anywhere or go do some science to prove that they're right. They would rather believe that the rest of the world is believing in a lie and that they're in on the Real(!) Truth and those that do don't go nearly far enough with their "Research"
    Yeah, I'm aware of all that. I was more trying to add to the sense of scale. When Eldan said "you can climb a mountain taller than that", I thought "well, that's not that bad, there are mountains that peak at cruise altitude". But the highest observation deck of our tallest building gives me a better sense of how not that high he expects to go when he straps himself to a water boiler.



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    Last edited by Grey_Wolf_c; 2017-11-24 at 12:48 PM.
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    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
    Ceterum autem censeo Hilgya malefica est

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by factotum View Post
    1,800 feet? He does realise he could quite easily see the Earth from 30,000 feet plus if he just booked an airline flight with a window seat? Or from 14,115 feet if he just took a trip to the top of Pikes Peak...
    This guy has done a previous rocket flight, which just about killed him, and then tried to kickstarter this one. He got no money. So, he converted to the flat earthers, and relaunched accordingly. Flat earther money poured in.

    I suspect he's a guy who really likes steam powered rockets, and sees this as a useful way to get airborne.

    Fair enough, I say.

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    I can see a new Award given to this steampunk wacko in a few days/weeks.

    A safer project for him (other than climbing a natural/man-made structure taller than 1800 feet) would be sailing around Antartica on an inflatable boat. Steam-powered, of course (how else will he prevent his toes from freezing). Also, the wall also makes me think of the Ice Age movies. Anyone knows what do they expect to find on the other side of the "wall"? Space sharks? Vikings? Frost giants?
    Last edited by Lord Joeltion; 2017-11-24 at 01:58 PM.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldan View Post
    T

    Edit: part of the conspiracy is of course that airlines are in on it. Whatever you see through their windows is not real. I've read enough Flat Earther posts.

    OF course, he could quite easily climb a mountain higher than 1800 feet.
    I am genuinely curious about the airline bit... For one thing the screens in the windows would almost have to be more expensive then the rest of the plane, for another you can feel the plane going higher and lower and finally you can.... you know... see planes flying in the air with your eyes and their apparent size gives you a rough idea of how high they are. Those guys are a trip....
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by joeltion View Post
    I can see a new Award given to this steampunk wacko in a few days/weeks.

    A safer project for him (other than climbing a natural/man-made structure taller than 1800 feet) would be sailing around Antartica on an inflatable boat. Steam-powered, of course (how else will he prevent his toes from freezing). Also, the wall also makes me think of the Ice Age movies. Anyone knows what do they expect to find on the other side of the "wall"? Space sharks? Vikings? Frost giants?
    Nazis . As seen, Who else ?



    Tongue-in-cheek,

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    Last edited by pendell; 2017-11-24 at 02:11 PM.
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by joeltion View Post
    Anyone knows what do they expect to find on the other side of the "wall"? Space sharks? Vikings? Frost giants?
    It varies. Some believe that there's some kind of barrier(think like a snow globe). Others believe that the wall goes on forever. Potentially linking multiple "earths" together.
    Quote Originally Posted by BRC View Post
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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by joeltion View Post
    Anyone knows what do they expect to find on the other side of the "wall"? Space sharks? Vikings? Frost giants?
    A frozen alien city populated entirely by shoggoths?

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    Default Re: Of Freemasons, Flat Earth and Steampunk

    Quote Originally Posted by Leecros View Post
    The problem isn't necessarily that they don't listen. The problem is that they are convinced "Ball Earth" is a lie and all of the evidence that says otherwise is fabricated. Thus it doesn't really matter what you tell them to convince them otherwise. The "evidence" that you provide simply doesn't exist as you believe it to and you've been convinced by a lie.

    Many "Flat-Earthers" don't even believe in gravity.

    If anyone is willing to see a Flat Earther in action. Here's a video of one of them "debunking" the Vsauce video on the subject.
    2 minutes into the video I felt my IQ (or was it sanity?) silently slipping away... It just boggles the mind the logic behind this "movement" (is it a number 2?)... Needles to say, as soon as he got to 'Curvizon', for the sake of my mental well being, I had to slip back into this side of reality and close that link.

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