Scotty Scooped Up

mmarlett writes "Scotty has been found. 'The ashes of late Star Trek actor James Doohan have been found in mountains in the US state of New Mexico, where they landed after a brief flight in space.' And pretty much where they thought they put them, too."

Comments

But..

[PyrotekNX]

Scotty doesn't know, Scotty doesn't know..

Re:But..

[Architect_sasyr]

Seriously did noone catch the Euro Trip reference... that had me laughing immediately...

Still, getting lost in the mountains isn't quite getting cheated on... but getting sent to space for FOUR MINUTES!!! That would make me spin in my creamted grave...

Re:But..

[mkatrina]

Hey I heards there was some other secret stuff on the rocket by a company called Microgravity Enterprises. They're not even talking about it. Does anybody know what's going on? Michelle

what impact did he leave ?

[axonis]

whats the photo of the impact site like ? youtube ?

Re:what impact did he leave ?

[The-Bobmeister]

Apparently his ashes were discovered under a pile of transparent aluminum...

a brief flight in space

[Anonymous Coward]

a brief flight in space

Somehow that is worse than a common burial.

Are we so afraid that space-trash could bring down our satellites that we fuck with space-burials but don't care about climate changes on the other hand?

Re:a brief flight in space

[aussie_a]

Well commercial interests are hurt if our space-trash (beautiful way to talk about Scotty's remains by the way ;)) brings down a satellite so we care about it. Whereas commercial interests are hurt if we do something about the environment, so we don't care about it. Really quite simply.

Cool!

[Jugalator]

That has to be among the most excited ashes in the world.

Re:Cool!

[kestasjk]

More like the most excited ashes in the whole galaxy!

The problem with things like this is that the stuff we're made of isn't who we are. Not in a metaphorical sense, but literally.
If you look at an old photo of yourself what you see is no longer what you are made of (except your teeth, if you're an looking at an adult photo).

Your remains/cremated ashes are just the matter you were made of when you die. No more or less sacred than your skin flakes, sweat, crap, etc, which also contains matter which used to be you.. If Doohan wanted some of the matter that was once him to go into space why not send a lock of hair, or a crap for that matter?

Maybe there are more appropriate ways to pay your respects that actually mean something..

Re:Cool!

[tverbeek]

Maybe there are more appropriate ways to pay your respects that actually mean something..

It's symbolic. To many sentient beings, symbols mean something.

Re:Cool!

[Jugalator]

Yes, but perhaps not to Scotty. I think that's what he meant anyway. And what I meant. ;-)

Re:Cool!

[Jugalator]

One more thing I need to add on... I'd personally think that doing something that actually matters to us beyond on an emotional level would be a nicer thing to do, such as helping fund e.g. Alzheimer research in his honor. While it wouldn't save Scotty, it could help others in his situation in the future, and that would be a real world difference that I'm sure Scotty would appreciate. Sorry if I'm being an insensitive clod, but I think this is rather just a big bunch of money that will end up serving news headlines as offbeat news. :-(

Re:Cool!

[Kjella]

If you take the absoulte view that the body is nothing but a meatbag you used to live in, then no there's no way to "pay your respects". The person you are calling has left this existance and is out of reach. What's left is only your public display to others.

I'd say most people don't work that way. People don't put flowers on graves to show off for others, but for the buried person and themselves. What has meaning and what is sacred is measured in beliefs and intentions, not in results.

Everything about a dead person is a token. The body or the ashes is a token. The gravestone is a token. The flowers are a token. Sending him ashes on a small slingshot into space is a token. Sending them permanently out into space would be a token. If we raise a statue of him it's a token. If we hang up a picture on the family wall it's a token.

In short, if it has meaning to the people willing to do it then STFU and let them pay their respects. The you can pay your respect to the dead the way you want, or not at all. But don't go around claiming to have the answer to "more appropriate ways to pay your respects that actually mean something" unless you want me pissing on your grave (does that have meaning?).

Re:Cool!

[Bloke down the pub]

That's illogical. [Does the eyebrow thing]

Re:Cool!

[WilliamSChips]

I have a feeling my grandparent post's poster would rather donate his body to science than have a grave anyways.

Re:Cool!

[tverbeek]

The cost to Jimmy's family of doing this was only $495. A wee bit of him basically hitched a ride on an test mission that was happening anyways.

Re:Cool!

[Jackmn]

unless you want me pissing on your grave (does that have meaning?).

He wouldn't care - he would be dead.

Re:Cool!

[evilviper]

I'd personally think that doing something that actually matters to us beyond on an emotional level would be a nicer thing to do, such as helping fund e.g. Alzheimer research in his honor.

What you're advocating is the old "Isn't there anything more important?" logical fallacy.

We should, therefore, stop all human activity that doesn't directly involve keeping people alive and basically healthy. Which, incidentally, means artists and specifically actors like Mr. Doohan would be out of work, and a complete unknown.

Doing the "emotional" stuff is actually quite important. What's the point of living 150 years with no art, no entertainment, nothing fun or enjoyable at all?

Re:Cool!

[kestasjk]

If you take the absoulte view that the body is nothing but a meatbag you used to live in, then no there's no way to "pay your respects". Maybe you're paying your respects to the person and not the meatbag? Maybe that was my whole point?

But don't go around claiming to have the answer to "more appropriate ways to pay your respects that actually mean something" unless you want me pissing on your grave (does that have meaning?). If at some point you need a kidney transplant you might end up pissing on my grave using my own kidney. Maybe if you ever need a transplant you'll think twice about a persons legacy and what it has to do with the matter they're made out of.

Re:Cool!

[operagost]

The problem with things like this is that the stuff we're made of isn't who we are. Not in a metaphorical sense, but literally.
If you look at an old photo of yourself what you see is no longer what you are made of (except your teeth, if you're an looking at an adult photo).

Unfortunately for your argument, we are also composed of various important internal organs and structures which do not change or change very little (skeleton, brain, lungs, kidneys, heart...)

Re:Cool!

[Anon99]

>If at some point you need a kidney transplant you might end up pissing on my grave using my own kidney. Maybe if you ever need a transplant you'll think twice about a persons legacy and what it has to do with the matter they're made out of.

I wish I had mod points.

That is the most hilarious reply I have seen for a long while.

how much to chase a pioneer ?

[axonis]

surely a 'titan' will get your corspe somewhere ?

Re:how much to chase a pioneer ?

[Timesprout]

All over the galaxy according to the Legends of Dune

4 Minutes in Space

[Altima(BoB)]

The article says his remains spent only 4 minutes in space (or "at the edge of space")

It seems as though all of these high profile space-related personalities, when they have heir remains famously 'sent into space' neglect to mention the trip is always temporary.

I wonder if there will ever be an option to send one's remains into deep space. Surely there might even be some kind of value in hurling as many human bodies as we can as far out into the abyss of the universe as is possible. The bacteria present on a full corpse could, if it landed on a hospitable planet, thrive and create a new ecosystem. Or, in the exraordinarily unlikely event that billions of year hence, one of these space coffins encountered some intelligent life, we sould have given THEM proof there was was other life in the universe.

Of course these last two assume that bodies would be sent into space uncremated, which isn't all that practical I guess, but even cremated remains ought to be hurled out into deep space in my opinion.

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[J-1000]

Yes, can someone with the knowledge explain to us why they couldn't send this into deep space? How much more costly is it to do such a thing, with such a small cargo?

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[Scratch-O-Matic]

I believe it was also just a few grams of each person's remains.

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[suv4x4]

Of course these last two assume that bodies would be sent into space uncremated, which isn't all that practical I guess, but even cremated remains ought to be hurled out into deep space in my opinion.

It may become practical if the space elevator gets built. And there are some high profile people working hard on it.

It may make space ceremony cheaper than the normal one.

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[Vexler]

That was the whole point of SS Botany Bay. Watch "Space Seed", then Star Trek II.

Except in that case they neglected to kill off Khan and his followers BEFORE sending them on their way.

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[bigstrat2003]

Exactly. The point of the Botany Bay was to get rid of some criminals, not to send people's remains into space. So you're wrong in saying "That was the whole point of SS Botany Bay."

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[Altima(BoB)]

Except in that case they neglected to kill off Khan and his followers BEFORE sending them on their way. So are you saying his plan was to be sent off into space not quite dead, then come back and have William Shatner scream

DOOOOOOOOHHHAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[Megane]

So are you saying his plan was to be sent off into space not quite dead, then come back and have Chekov scream

Fixed it for you.

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[Megane]

Yes, can someone with the knowledge explain to us why they couldn't send this into deep space?

So that they could sell the engraved plaque option at an extra price. I think that's in the Rules of Acquisition somewhere. Oops, wrong Star Trek series.

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[tverbeek]

The rocket was already going (for other reasons), so the trip was already paid for. Doing a special beyond-orbital shot just to send someone's ashes out there would be... well, it would equal the cost of building and launching an entire larger-than-usual rocket.

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[Harmonious Botch]

I seem to recall from an interview with Rutan ( or one of his Spaceship One engineers? I forget ) they mentioned that the energy difference between getting to 'space' ( approx 100 miles ) and getting there with enough speed to stay in orbit differed by a factor of 30. Escape velocity of course would be more than that.

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[Harmonious Botch]

Correction: instead of 100 miles, I meant to say 100K meters, which is about 60 miles.

Re:4 Minutes in Space

[DerekLyons]

The rocket was already going (for other reasons), so the trip was already paid for. Doing a special beyond-orbital shot just to send someone's ashes out there would be... well, it would equal the cost of building and launching an entire larger-than-usual rocket.

A person's cremains weigh only a few pounds, a typical satellite anywhere from half a ton upwards. Why would the rocket have to be 'larger than usual'? (Assuming there is such a thing as 'usual', which there really isn't - [commercial] rockets come in a large variety of sizes.)

Fortunately,

[Anonymous Coward]

the passengers were already dead.

Rocket Scientists...

[evilviper]

Nothing to add, but it just had to be mentioned: http://www.lechatnoirboutique.com/prodimages/Coffe e%20Mug%20-%20Far%20Side%20Rocket%20Scientists-sm. jpg

Always...

[ender-]

Geez, it's always the last place you look!

Well, mission accomplished

[suv4x4]

That is, if mocking an actor's ashes was the mission.

And for some reason everyone keeps calling the guy "Scotty". His name was James Doohan. The people who paid and organized this trip were apparently not the smartest people around.

Re:Well, mission accomplished

[mmarlett]

Actually, James Doohan was fine with being called Scotty. From the Wikipedia: "Doohan was often quoted as saying, 'Scotty is ninety-nine percent James Doohan and one percent accent.'" Doohan was well-loved by Star Trek fans, and if he wasn't then no one would mention this whole thing at all -- he'd just be this supporting actor named James on a silly two-season TV show made 40 years ago. Instead, he's Scotty. And we're happy he's home and mildly amused by his journey, as he probably would've been.

Re:Well, mission accomplished

[suv4x4]

And we're happy he's home and mildly amused by his journey, as he probably would've been.

Right, pathos is stronger than logic, every time. Thanks for proving that.

Re:Well, mission accomplished

[bryan1945]

Cranky much?

Re:Well, mission accomplished

[mazarin5]

I understand; in death, we have a name.
His name was James Doohan.
His name was James Doohan.
His name was James Doohan.

Re:Well, mission accomplished

[Gnostic Ronin]

I just don't get this. The guy was an ACTOR. It isn't like he was really into space, at least I don't think so. So what would be the point of sending his ashes into space (momentarily forgetting about the "losing them" thing). Can't former Trek actors ever get away from the role? Even in death, he's Scotty the space loving Scott drunk on scotch. So they launch the guy into space because launching a Trek actor into space gives space publicity.

Maybe he hated space, maybe he took a stupid acting job to like you know pay bills or something. I know you liked the show, I like it too, but stop trying to turn the corpse of an actor into space promotion.

Besides, the real deal is Helium-3 for fusion.

Re:Well, mission accomplished

[suv4x4]

I just don't get this. The guy was an ACTOR. It isn't like he was really into space, at least I don't think so. So what would be the point of sending his ashes into space (momentarily forgetting about the "losing them" thing).

You know, animals have evolved reasoning adaptively. It's not before primates, that sound logic (with plenty of biases ad flaws still) has evolved into our brains, but we're still susceptible to the ancient ancestor of sound logic: emotions.

Emotions actually is a crude mechanism found in animals such as reptiles and below. Behavior influences by emotions isn't always logical, as in scientifically accurate, but has proven to do well for the survivability rate for those animals who possessed it.

You'll always find people calling emotions the thing that separates us from the animals, and that's hilarious, since again, this conclusion is based on emotion and flawed argument. Emotions are what brings us close to animals still.

So when we're so susceptible to emotions, we do stupid things. Like sending actors into space. Or thinking about how "he enjoyed the trip", as if a bowl with burned ashes could possibly enjoy or do anything at all, except.. well just sit there, and eventually get lost later on, and then found.

Sorry about getting quite OT... but my basic point was: look at every stupid thing people do on a daily basis, small, big and epic, and you'll find that influenced by emotions, flaws we still carry on from organisms quite much simpler than us.

New star trek episode

[bl8n8r]

This whole debacle really needs to live forever in the form of a Star Trek episode somehow.

Ye canna change the laws o'physics, Cap'n!

[Spyrus]

What goes up, must come down.

Flaming zombie corpses attack from space

[Dogtanian]

Of course these last two assume that bodies would be sent into space uncremated, which isn't all that practical I guess, but even cremated remains ought to be hurled out into deep space in my opinion. Couldn't they put uncremated bodies into a very low, unstable orbit and let them re-enter the atmosphere and burn up on their own?

I'm assuming that a human body would burn up long before it hit the ground. I can only imagine that it would be traumatic if this didn't happen and some hillbilly in an isolated part of Kansas looked up and saw someone's flaming corpse flying towards him at 500MPH.

Re:Flaming zombie corpses attack from space

[louisadkins]

Leave Zombie Superman out of this!

Obligatory...

[Anonymous Coward]

He's dead, Jim.

(I can't believe it hasn't been posted yet...)

Genesis Device

[Esion Modnar]

Never one around when you need it most.

the truth

[TombGuard]

Scotty's ashes were found at Mare Tranquilitatis, New Mexico.

What? No movie?

[Opportunist]

How typical! When that pointy-eared Spock was lost on a planet, we got to sit through a whole movie while they tried to find him. But nooooo such luck for the probably best engineer of the galaxy.

Serves them right next time their dilithium crytals are melting.

Not New Mexico...

[calctech]

Scotty was found preserved in a transporter buffer.

Re:Not New Mexico...

[spockrock]

hahahhahaha....... so true.

send him back

[aal]

they should put him in a mars probe

atleast a lagrange point

I need more power Scotty!

[pashdown]

Maybe next time he'll listen.

A Hitchhiker's guide...

[Nurseferatu]

When my father-in-law died we actually looked into Celestis for a space launch. At the time, they were offering several options. Since they basically rent space in whatever launches are going up, it really depends on who is going where and if they can hitch a ride. At that time there was a possibility of a moon landing with some unmanned mission and even a possibility of hitching on one of the Mars exploration missions. Most launches now are satellite orbital or sub orbital so that is the easiest and cheapest. But if you have the bucks and are willing to wait for a ride - just don't forget your towel!

Re:Always...certainly it is

[Bloke down the pub]

Just a wild guess: you're German.

Other stuff that gets thrown back down

[solar_blitz]

So do you think that all those children's letters to God were incinerated while entering the Earth's atmosphere, or what?

Re:Other stuff that gets thrown back down

[ZeroExistenZ]

It was his spamfilter...

The guy is supposedly alknowing, so why do you have to bug him with a rocket filled with letters? He already knew what you were going to write before you wrote the letter, even before you were born. Didn't you read the part you must have blind faith? If he isn't replying, he's tired of your nagging and is trying to ignore you. Leave him alone.

For that alone, it's justified to be sent to hell for spamming god with egocentric and useless requests.

Is the picture from the recovery?

[grumling]

They didn't do a very good job cremating the body.

No additional casualties...

[HullBreachOnline.com]

It sounds like the away team mission was a success!

New Star Trek movie title revealed

[Gax]

... The Search for Scotty.

A leaked script claims Kirk's final words of the film are:

"... Of my friend, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... scottish."

Cue rousing bag pipes and last orders at the bar.

Appearing next week on Ebay...

[mnemotronic]

Yes folks, step right up and get your own personal piece of StarTrek memorabilia - the ashes of James Doohan, sealed into a glass relica of the starship Enterprise NCC1701, suitable for framing, or Christmas tree ornamentation. Due to technical difficulties, your personal piece of "Scotty" may contain (at no extra charge) ashes from the remains of 400 other people, plus bits of pine-cones, dirt, and a family of squirrels. Be the first on your blogspace to latch onto this limited edition decorative keepsake! Included is an original duplicate of Mr. Doohan's last will and testament, indicating his desire to have his remains placed into orbit around "Sector 0-0-0", also known as Earth! Act before midnight tonight and we will include a full color DVD of the launch of the rocket containing Mr. Doohan's final remains, it's failure to achieve orbit, it's wildly out-of-control plunge to terra-firma, and explosive impact in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico! See spell-binding coverage of SpacePort officials sending emergency "CYA" emails! See heart-wrenching shots of hastily assembled teams of "landing zone technicians" deposited onto difficult terrain, armed only with vacuum cleaners, in a valiant attempt to retrieve the capsule, and it's contents, or something (anything!) that might resemble said contents.

Opening bids start at $4000.

A piece of the action

[AndroidCat]

Looks like they put the bag on Scotty...

Re:A more delicate headline, please?

[WannaBeGeekGirl]

/agree and i'm not even a ST fan.

this is about a human being's wishes for his remains. even if he portrayed a beloved sci-fi character with a different name. i don't think its whining to not use these semantics. scoop is often equated with pet output. =(

i'd rather repen the unpoetic alliteration of the OP headline in favor of something respectful for a decent guy next go around.

i'll risk a little karma to brave the thought that /.'ers are mostly civilised.

Respect

[hachete]

James Doohan in his way did a fuck-of-a-lot for the space industry. How much would it cost NASA to put him into space? Absolutely peanuts in relation to the rest of the fucking waste on those programs. And they'd get a fuck load of PUBLICITY into the bargain. Fair burns my dilithium tubes to see Doohan treated in this way.

Logical falacy?

[jotaeleemeese]

We just say it is a logical falacy to quiet our concience in the presence of human tragedy, very often generated by people acting in our own behalf.

Re:Logical falacy?

[evilviper]

We just say it is a logical falacy to quiet our concience in the presence of human tragedy,

No, we say it's a logical fallacy because it's a logical fallacy.

You can't claim that doing one thing precludes doing another.

It's also anything but a foregone conclusion that expending all human effort into research is effective, and will result in more treatments, more quickly.