[ExI] trust the fake science?

[efc at swisscows.email]

On Sat, 8 Jun 2024, Adrian Tymes via extropy-chat wrote:

> If it works, it would be a far less expensive and better performing
> alternative to helium balloons, so it would make airships less costly
> - both to build and to operate - and give advantages, such as ability
> to repair in the air without carrying spare lifting gas (since one can
> manufacture vacuum on the spot) and better tying down in the face of
> windstorms (they can dismiss the vacuum and be in no danger of
> floating away, then remanufacture the vacuum afterward). 
> Commercialization is straightforward if I can get an airship
> manufacturer interested...which is the step I've not been able to do
> yet.  I'm more of an engineer than a salesperson.

Interesting! How many airship companies are there and how many have you
spoken with? Seems to me that if you could show them that you have a
reasonable chance of success, they would sponsor you. An acquaintance
did his Ph.D. sponsored by Bombardier since he was working on fluid
dynamics and making their train more efficient.

Synchronicity is a strange thing. Only last week was I discussing with
some business partners how nice it would be to start an airline company
based on airships, trading speed for space, convenience and being able
to appreciate good food during the trip.

Imagine... instead of sitting in a sardine can with crappy food,
enormous amount of noise, next to a man that stinks of alcohol, being
probed by security, interrogated by customs, hauling your bags through
endless corridors in airports... what if...

The trip took 2 or 3 days, you have a nice Michelin star level
restaurant on board, a bar, an individual cabin. Your bags are of course
screened and checked in before the flight, transported from/to your home
and destination without you having to carry them. You land close to
the city, security and immigration would be done en route.

On the other hand... I think this is such a common dream that the fact
thta it does not already exist shows that there is a catch somewhere,
financially or technologically.

> Indeed.  Start by reading what the university and department you are
> looking at, publish online about their requirements.  Then, talk to
> some faculty and staff there.

Yes, maybe I should start to have a look at if there are any libertarian
philosophy departments out there. Around me, they are mostly focusing on
gender "science" and postmodernism, and that I find completely
uninteresting.