Which would you choose? Lottery officials say most people would pick cash, turning down a proposal to offer a trip to space as a prize.

__________________
Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

How much cash? Man, that sounds greedy of me... It would probably depend on the amount though. A trip to space would be great, but... I've got bills to pay and dreams to accomplish, and cold hard cash would do a lot mor ein that respect than a trip to space. I think I would treat it like any other 'vacation' (heh). I think taking the money does more towards securing my future than a short jaunt into space...

__________________
Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.

I am all about the cash. Give me money. Besides, within a decade or so, I can probably "slip the surly bonds of earth" for about the price of a plane ticket.

__________________
"The oxen are slow, but the earth is patient."

Anybody have a rough estimate of the price/pound to put something in space today compared to, say 1973?

It is a tough choice for me though. A lifelong dream (recently conceded as unattainable) vs. Some measure of financial security for my family. Sheesh, do people think up these questions just to make my head hurt? ](*,)


(edit to add last paragraph)

Cash. But if it was between $100 million or colonizing mars, it would be mars all the way.

I have to go with the cash. At least, until they come up with some way to keep me from horking all over the inside of the spaceship. ops:

I voted for the trip to space, although now that I think about it with a bunch of money you could probably buy a trip into space like that Dennis Tito guy.

Might be a what do you need the most right now. Other options listed there have some benefits. It would be cool to go into space but with the holidays upon us the cash is more useful right now.

This was written by a pilot who flew Mustangs. So you can "Slip the surly bonds of earth.." for the price of a plane ticket.

For the complete poem: http://www.deltaweb.co.uk/spitfire/hiflight.htm

__________________
Gimme fuel, gimme fire,
Gimme that which I desire

For some reason flying coach class to O'Hare doesn't inspire that sort of rapture in me. But maybe it's just a character flaw.

__________________
Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

How about a date with Catherine Zeta-Jones IN space?
Or am I just a dirty minded pervert?

(Who cares.... it sounds fun to me!)

How about being paid to have a date with Zeta-Jones in space? Yeah, that's the ticket. And my wife, Morgan Fairchild (whom I've seen naked) could come along too! :^o

__________________
At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009
All moderation in purple

Anyone who's been in space would have no problem making a living by speaking and doing product endorsements. If you choose to go into space you could have the experience and as much money as your sense of ethics will allow you to accept.

__________________
Life is like a box of chocolates. All of your choices are bad for you.

With enough cash, you can finance your own trip into space. And probably date Cathy zeta jones too.

__________________
"Most editorials are written by people that love to argue but got kicked off debate team for not making any sense." -Seanbaby

I'd take the ride.
Ofcourse, as soon as I got back my wife would probably knock me back into a low orbit. :P

Yep, the Lottery officials have got me pegged. I'd take the cash everyday of the week, although it would depend on the payout. $20K, $100K, $1m, $5m, $50m, $100m?

Out of those, I'd probably only take the trip in preference to the $20K, I think even a spare $100K would be enough to really get the ball rolling on a few space-related ideas that would one day have me rocketing through the atmosphere - I hope.

People often say the root of all evil is money - but they're wrong, it is the love of money that is the root of all evil - supposedly. As long as you have something to do with the money then the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

__________________
BugMeNot A portal to bypass free-site registration.

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third, it is accepted as self-evident." Arthur Schopenhauer - renowned 19th Century German philosopher.

jkmccrann?

__________________
If this writing is blue you're going too fast!

Back to your old tricks, are you mccrann? Meh.

__________________
And you, to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling [faces] lyin' to ye' everywhere ye' go
Turn to, and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

Yes, apparently he is, but this is a good poll, even if old.

I would take the cash given my present situation. If I was living comfortably in a nice little house on Tasmania or somewhere, and not wont for more money, I'd take the space trip. But for now I'd want the cash, because although a space trip would be mind-blowing, I need to make it through the days here.

I think SciFi Chick had the right idea two years ago given that extremely wealthy people are currently buying their way into space.

__________________
Sunset

Die Sonne scheidet hinter dem Gebirge. In alle Täler steigt der Abend nieder
mit seinen Schatten, die voll Kühlung sind.

That's a wise point, too. I could go to space, then make my money writing books and talking at events, then buy the house in Tasmania or somewhere. But that could be tricky, because as more people go into space people will begin to think those stories are no big deal unless there's something really unusual that happens--like near-death disaster or going to a planet.

Actually, I like your idea better, though that assumes I have to work for it and become "celebrity-like" and I'm not sure I want that.

__________________
Sunset

Die Sonne scheidet hinter dem Gebirge. In alle Täler steigt der Abend nieder
mit seinen Schatten, die voll Kühlung sind.

That's the way I'd go. There's no guarantee that you'd make any money on books, tours, etc. But with enough cash, You'd could still go into space, and after write your books and tours.

Actually, you'd probably have a better chance of selling your books if you did win the lottery and then bought passage into space.

__________________
"The universe is driven by the complex interaction between three ingredients: matter, energy, and enlightened self-interest." - G'Kar

It appears this thread has been jkmccranned.

In any event, show me the money!!

Cash, I would invest it, let it grow, and by the time I am old I can just buy my way into a ride and have everything I always wanted.

__________________

The Catherine Zeta deal stumped me for a second, if it weren't for the wedding band...

Other than that, to heck with the cash, get me off this rock.

__________________
The last time I felt a warm fuzzy feeling, I was informed by my doctor that it was just gas.

Yeah, I was kinda looking for something, which spat out this thread! A timeless question I would have thought............


Just watching a crazy cricket match today, INCREDIBLE!

Any cricket fans out there?

872 Runs in 100 Overs, and we lost! Doh!

__________________
BugMeNot A portal to bypass free-site registration.

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third, it is accepted as self-evident." Arthur Schopenhauer - renowned 19th Century German philosopher.

To bring the thread back on topic: I chose the third answer, but I'd rather leave out the touching the face of God part. I'd like to touch the face of Earth again afterwards (and at a comfortable speed)!

__________________
Non sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem.

I'd take space flight, get all that media attention for being first Lithuanian in space, make some money out of it, become a celebrity and get to meet CZJ someday

Shortly speaking, I picked space flight.

__________________
Tyranids might be unpleasant to look, but believe me, you don't want to let them out of your sight