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Flat Earther's Homemade Rocket Launcher Breaks Down in His Driveway (desertsun.com)

The Desert Sun has an update on the progress of 61-year-old self-taught rocket scientist 'Mad' Mike Hughes: A man who believes Earth is flat, and was ready to launch himself from a rocket in California on Saturday afternoon to prove it, has canceled his plans. At least for now. Not having the required federal permits plus mechanical problems with his "motorhome/rocket launcher" forced self-taught rocket scientist "Mad" Mike Hughes to put his experiment on hold. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management "told me they would not allow me to do the event ... at least not at that location," Hughes said in a YouTube announcement, amid international attention over his plans to launch into the "atmosflat."

"It's been very disappointing," he said... "My feeling is that one of the top executives at the Bureau of Land Management called Needles, California, saying... 'What's going on? Who permitted this?'" Hughes said. Plus, as he and his team were preparing to leave Wednesday, the motorhome/rocket launcher broke down in his driveway, he said... His plan is to try again next week.

5 of 246 comments (clear)

  1. It looks like by DaMattster · · Score: 5, Funny

    Both Mad Mike and the Coyote have been shopping at ACME.

  2. Re:permit by denzacar · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's what the globe producing lobby wants you to think.

    There's a reason they call it a global conspiracy.

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  3. Re:encouragement by sdinfoserv · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you read the article, he states he does he does NOT believe in science. "There’s no difference between science and science fiction.”, he continues. So, in the name of "Non-Science", lets encourage this asshat to an expedient joining of the Darwin Awards club.

  4. Just to be clear... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm not convinced this guy is really a "flat earther." Apparently, he only started "believing" in it within the last year or so, and after his first failed Kickstarted didn't generate enough backers. Suddenly, he starts advertising his Flat Earth chops and his follow up Kickstarter gets the attention needed for proper funding.

    Sounds more like a marketing tactic to me...

    Anyway, I'm not trying to call the guy out as some kind of Flat Earth Wannabe or anything, but the media seems really committed to playing right into his hand.

  5. Re:encouragement by ClickOnThis · · Score: 5, Interesting

    There is no reason to level disdain and malice toward this man.
    He has his own sort of courage and intellect, let him be.

    Alas, no. His "courage and intellect" are not helpful. His motivation is not the kind of good-faith naïveté that seeks to discover new things. It is the kind of stubborn blindness that seeks to affirm rigid beliefs that are not supported by evidence.

    Let him be? Perhaps. But let's not celebrate his ignorance.

    --
    If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.