NASA Names Space Station Treadmill After Colbert 383
willith writes "The SF Chronicle reports on the results of the International Space Station Node 3 naming contest (which we previously discussed). Comedian and fake-pundit Stephen Colbert conducted a bombastic write-in campaign and repeatedly urged his show's fan base (the 'Colbert Nation') to stuff the ballot box with his name, which resulted in 'Colbert' coming in first in the write-in contest with almost a quarter-million votes. Although the Node 3 component will not be named 'Colbert' — NASA has instead chosen to call it 'Tranquility' — one of the Node 3 components will bear the honor: the second ISS treadmill, which will be installed in Node 3, will be named the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill. The formal announcement was made on the air yesterday at 22:30 EDT on the Colbert Report by astronaut Sunita Williams."
This opens a whole new angle (Score:5, Funny)
Maybe we could get the toilets named RIAA or something?
Your tax dollars at work (Score:5, Funny)
How long did it take them to come up with the acronym "Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill"?
bear the honor (Score:5, Funny)
one of the Node 3 components will bear the honor: the second ISS treadmill, which will be installed in Node 3, will be named the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill.
You better watch your back Article Summary writer. Colbert doesn't take kindly to your type of folk who honor bears.
Re:Stupid (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Your tax dollars at work (Score:5, Funny)
Probably not very long, really. The art of the TLA, and the related art of the backronym, are practiced in highly refined form by government agencies and the aerospace industry. NASA, being formed from the union of those sets, brings those arts very near to perfection. It's almost instinctual for them.
Re:bear the honor (Score:5, Funny)
Re:A better decision than most... (Score:5, Funny)
To be fair, they DID say from the beginning that they reserved the right to pick a name themselves regardless of the poll's outcome.
This is exactly the same idea behind the Electoral College.
Re:Just like the Alliance (Score:4, Funny)
Liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze
Not enough emphasis on the duh, I think. What you just said is "Give me a cheeseburger and assrape me."
Re:Your tax dollars at work (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Which made it first place (Score:5, Funny)
> It's not rocket science
Is too!
Re:Tranquility? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Your tax dollars at work (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Your tax dollars at work (Score:4, Funny)
Indeed. The same sort of people gave us the "USA PATRIOT" acronym, the "Internet SAFETY" acronym, and some day soon, no doubt, the "PIRATES ARE EVIL" acronym.
Re:This opens a whole new angle (Score:4, Funny)
Racketeering Infants Assault Assholes?
Rabid Imbittered Alien Anarchists?
Ragamuffins Inebriated After Angioplasty?
Radishes Interrupt Angry Americans?
Yea, we could totally make this a contest.
Pronounciation (Score:5, Funny)
"Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill"
The "Treadmill" is silent.
Re:Tranquility? (Score:1, Funny)
At least they didn't name the the commode Serenity. The number of brown coats floating in their own anger would be horrible.
Re:Pronounciation (Score:4, Funny)
In space, no one can hear you run.
Re:bear the honor (Score:5, Funny)
PUT HIM ON NOTICE!!!
Done [ploader.net].
Re:Tranquility? (Score:5, Funny)
What was wrong with "Node 3"?
Why do you ask, Child 1?
Re:Tranquility? (Score:5, Funny)
WTF is Myyearbook?
A social networking website that apparently doesn't know how to sanitize its databases.
From Wikipedia:
The results of this poll seem to suggest otherwise. Little Bobby Table's mom would be proud.
Re:Your tax dollars at work (Score:3, Funny)
There should be spoiler alerts :( (Score:2, Funny)
Cause I was just about to watch Colbert
Double :(
Re:Well, hm... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Your tax dollars at work (Score:5, Funny)
When I first saw your post, my reaction was "There's a bar on the new module? Cool." Imagine my disappointment when I found out you were talking about typing instead of alcohol.
Re:Tranquility? (Score:2, Funny)
Fox would though. Where's the fun in cancelling a show if you can't use your IP rights to stop the fans mentioning it/naming things after ships in it later.
So, everytime the astronauts use the ... (Score:3, Funny)
treadmill they will be walking all over Colbert?
Hilarious! I'll wager he gets a kick out of it, too.
Re:Your tax dollars at work (Score:4, Funny)
After a major cyber-terror attack: ICANHAZURINTERNETS Act
Re:Well, hm... (Score:4, Funny)
I'm not sure if it's on a par with the Committee for the Liberation and Integration of Terrifying Organisms and their Rehabilitation Into Society, though admittedly in the universe in which is exists it is not really a backronym.
Re:Well, hm... (Score:1, Funny)
the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001.
Or NAMBLA
Re:Well, hm... (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe it was all a PR stunt.
Ding, ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!
Re:Well, hm... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Awesome (Score:3, Funny)
It's not hard to come up with acronyms.
You mean, a contrived reduction of nomenclature, yielding mnemonics?
Absoslutely (Score:5, Funny)
That's what I say!
It's tacky if people in space have to say, "I'm going to the toilet", into a radio that might be heard by anyone on Earth. Instead, they would be able to say, "I'm going to file a Colbert Report."
Isn't that better?
Re:Well, hm... (Score:5, Funny)
"We don't typically name U.S. space station hardware after living people and this is no exception," Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for space operations, said, adding: "We have invited Stephen to Florida for the launch of COLBERT and to Houston to try out a version of the treadmill that astronauts train on."
Should Stephen be concerned for his safety? /TinfoilHat
Re:Well, hm... (Score:3, Funny)
I prefer a system by which a watery tart distributes swords to establish a leader for the people.