ISS's Node 3 Might Be Named "Colbert"

Panzor writes "NASA is running a contest to name the new addition to the space station, Node 3. The polls are open until March 20. The selection that is getting the most votes is 'Suggest your own,' and the leading name besides the official four (Earthrise, Legacy, Serenity, and Venture) is 'Colbert.' Comedian Stephen Colbert suggested on the air that fans write in his name. On March 5th, his vote count passed that of Xenu and Colbert pronounced himself Scientology's 'Galactic Overlord.'"

Comments

Where is the count?

[Jethro]

I don't know where people are getting the number of votes from. I see "Colbert" is leading the User Suggestions, but I don't see a vote count anywhere. I see "Serenity" has 85% of the regular votes, but it doesn't say anywhere whether it has more or less votes than Colbert does.

I have no doubt that Colbert can and will (or has!) overtaken everything else, but where are people seeing actual results here?

Re:Where is the count?

[kaiidth]

You're slightly wrong - in fact some rough numbers are available (for those who read space.com, anyway):

http://www.space.com/entertainment/090305-colbert-space-station.html

This marks only the second time that NASA has sought public input for naming a piece of U.S. space station hardware. The Harmony module was named by 2,200 students who entered NASA's naming contest for Node 2. By contrast, 169,000 people have voted online at NASA's naming contest site so far.

The NASA-chosen name Serenity, which shares the name of a spaceship in the cult favorite television series "Firefly", continues to maintain a huge lead with more than 66,000 votes, according to NASA. But a surge of votes has given Colbert 29,000 in just two days, enough for second overall. The trailing vote-getters include Xenu (9,200), Earthrise (4,200), Legacy (3,500) and Venture (3,200).

Re:Where is the count?

[cashman73]

According to this report, published yesterday, Serenity was in the lead with more than 66,000 votes, with Colbert in second overall with 29,000 votes. The trailing vote-getters include Xenu (9,200), Earthrise (4,200), Legacy (3,500) and Venture (3,200). Of course, these numbers are from yesterday when only 169,000 people voted. There's now 249,449 votes, so Colbert could very well be in the lead,... =)

On a more personal note, I could be happy with either Colbert or Serenity -- while I am a huge fan of Stephen Colbert, I am also a huge fan of Firefly,... The Serenity name would go along a bit better with the whole theme of the space station, though. I'd bet money that what happens is Colbert wins, but they decide to stick with the theme and dignity and name it the second place name of Serenity . To recognize Colbert's contribution, they'll name the toilet on board the module after Stephen,... ;-)

Re:Where is the count?

[Locke2005]

I can see you're obviously not a Joss Whedon fan...

Re:weak

[loftwyr]

In fact, the contest rules state that the poll is not binding and they'll choose whatever name they like.

Sucks, really.

Re:weak

[vux984]

he's not even that funny. ah well - they'll toss the results and name it whatever they want.

to each their own, humour is a matter of personal taste.

But he is a truly a nerd. his enthusiasm for comics, sci-fi, lord of the rings... etc, is genuine. And it always cracks me up when he makes a D&D reference.

Re:weak

[Applekid]

Eh, that makes sense for an online poll with write-in. It discourages 4chan et all coming along and flooding the poll suggesting the node should be named something along the lines of "NIGGER COCKS OLOLOL".

The actual *chan hive-mind selection for this contest is "Battletoad"

Re:Why do I need Javascript to vote?

[Lobster Quadrille]

Sure there is- in the past, there have been plenty of exploits that tap into Firefox caches, saved passwords, history, and system settings (where all your personal information is really kept these days)

Then there's all the XSS, CSRF, and clickjacking exploits that can compromise websites and services

Let's not forget the fact that Javascript can just be annoying- preventing loops of popup windows and alert boxes is reason enough to disable javascript

Re:Seriously?

[vux984]

Let me explain it:

The jokes not as funny if you explain it.

Re:weak

[hendrik_v]

Actually, the name "Xenu" was pushed to the top by 4chan...

Re:weak

[Anonymous Coward]

Battletoads is a video game created by Rare Ltd. to rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games.

Two anthropomorphic toads named after skin disorders (Rash and Zitz) have to save their friends Pimple and the Princess Angelica from the Dark Queen, ruler of Planet Ragnarok, with the assistance of Professor T. Bird and his space ship, The Vulture.

It is also the game eBaum's World asks for when they call GameStop because douchy (actually made with vinegar and water!) Eric Bauman thought it was funny about 9000 years ago.

Re:Seriously?

[OpenGLFan]

It is a good joke, if taken in fun. The real joke is that this democratic system, in a slightly more elaborate, slightly more bot-resistant way, is basically how we elect our Presidents.

Re:Not likely...

[frank249]

No it won't. One of the rules of naming such semi-permanent structures is that they're not often named after living people.

So who is to say that the name Colbert refers to a living person? There is a Colbert County in Alabama and of course the famous Jean-Baptiste Colbert who served as the French minister of finance from 1665 to 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. There are also: Charles Colbert, marquis de Croissy (1625-1696), French diplomatist, brother of Jean-Baptiste Colbert; Claudette Colbert (1903-1996), American actress; Conn Colbert (1896-1916), Irish rebel; Edouard Colbert (1774-1853), Napoleonic French Baron and leader of the Red Lancers; Edwin Harris Colbert (1905-2001), American vertebrate paleontologist; Holmes Colbert, developer of the Chickasaw Nation's constitution in the 1850s and Jacques-Nicolas Colbert (1655-1707), French churchman, son of Jean-Baptiste Colbert. No way did I voted 30 - 40 times for Stephen Colbert.

Re:Seriously?

[Locke2005]

Actually, they probably stole the idea of being their own opening act from Hot Rize, who for 30 years changed costumes and instruments and came out as "Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers", parodying themselves as a Country and Western Band.

Re:weak

[bhtooefr]

It's actually an even bigger troll than that.

Lucasfilm isn't suing people who reveal that Emperor Palpatine is the big bad in the Jedi religion, and the various churches aren't suing people who reveal that Satan is the big bad in the various Judeo-Christian religions. (In the latter case, they actually PROMOTE revealing that fact for free.)

The Co$ is suing people who reveal that Xenu is the big bad in Scientology, and requires hundreds of thousands of dollars to get to the point in the "religion" that you find that out.

That is why it's such a troll - if something like that is named after Scientology's big bad...