The Cellar could win $40,000

On December 5th, if you see an 8 foot red weather balloon tethered to the ground, come here and report that you have seen it. DON'T say where it is. That is information you can PM to Undertoad.

Oh, and somebody needs to register our Cellar team on Dec. 1st.

DARPA challenge.

and what exactly would we do with the money if we won?

Tony keeps it!

Neato. I will be looking for one luftballoon. Please, someone, post a reminder.

I'll keep an eye out, but I will be very surprised if they put one in my out of the way corner of the world. $40,000 for Tony and the Cellar. Right on!

That is so cool!!! Count me in!

Cloud;605396 wrote:

and what exactly would we do with the money if we won?

let's spend it on bacon

Oh oh oh oh...no, I got it!

We'll put it all on Whup's betting tips. All of it!

We might win $10.500!

You know, it's not really fair. Darpa always got all the attention. Greg, sure, he's on one of the best crime shows on TV today, but it's still "Darpa, Darpa, Darpa." Damn hippie.

SCHEDULE
Announcement October 29, 2009
Registration Opens December 1, 2009
Balloons Launched December 5, 2009
Submission Deadline December 14, 2009

Just so we know when to actually be looking.

Shawnee123;605507 wrote:

You know, it's not really fair. Darpa always got all the attention. Greg, sure, he's on one of the best crime shows on TV today, but it's still "Darpa, Darpa, Darpa." Damn hippie.

er, what? Dharma! and Greg was better when he was in a comedy. he's so stern now.

I thought we were going to buy an island with that money. Damn! :)

Hahahaha...did you ever see the Family Guy episode where they did Dharma and Greg? Funny.

I know...it took me a while to buy him on Criminal Minds, after seeing him as Greg!

I think UT should use the money to provide a retirement home for Dwellers who have gotten to old to post anymore. Staff could read aloud the latest threads and they're be plenty of Haggis for everyone. ;)

Now that is the best idea I've heard in a long time! Bravo, Sam!

Cloud;605509 wrote:

er, what? Dharma! and Greg was better when he was in a comedy. he's so stern now.

It's just a role - he's an actah! He can Stretch. Like Olivier.;)

A rack of servers at a major data center with unlimited bandwidth

...and every year we give away one used car to a needy and deserving Dwellar.

The challenge is to locate ten moored red weather balloons located at ten fixed locations in the continental United States. Balloons will be in readily accessible locations, visible from nearby roadways and accompanied by DARPA representatives. All balloons are scheduled to go on display at all locations at 10:00AM (ET) until approximately 4:00 PM (local time) on Saturday, December 5, 2009. Should weather or technical difficulties arise with the launch, the display will be delayed until Sunday, December 6 or later, depending on conditions. If, for any reason, the balloon is displayed in one location then moved to a second location, either location will be accepted. Entrants are required to register and submit entries on the event website. Latitudes and longitudes are entered in degree-minute-second (DDD-MM-SS) format as explained on the website Coordinates must be entered with an error of less than one arc-minute to be accepted. In the event that one or more balloons is never displayed, this fact will be noted on the event website and the rules adjusted accordingly.

In the event that no entry containing ten correct locations is received during the contest period, DARPA will determine the entry with the largest number of correct entries. If the largest number is five or greater, the first entrant who submitted this number will be awarded the prize. No prize will be awarded for submission of fewer than five correct sets of locations.

DARPA will issue one check only, and only to the one individual registered on the event website.

http://networkchallenge.darpa.mil/Rules.pdf

I've already seen some:

Spexxvet;605522 wrote:

It's just a role - he's an actah! He can Stretch. Like Olivier.;)

He's a Master Thespian.

Remember: A single $40,000 cash prize will be awarded to the first participant to submit the correct latitude and longitude of all ten weather balloons within the contest period. Entries are accepted until noon, 12:00 PM (ET) December 14, 2009. No prize for second place will be awarded.


Do we have any New York people?!?

You people do know who DARPA is, don't you?

Why are they doing this? What crazy mind-control scheme are the industrial-military complex up to now?

:tinfoil: tin hats all 'round. Pass 'em out.

One of you brainiacs should figure out how much it is after taxes, and how much work we will miss after we are rounded up. Collectively. Where's glatt?

Cicero;605578 wrote:

Where's glatt?

Clinging to a red weather balloon in a state near you!

Cicero;605574 wrote:

Remember: A single $40,000 cash prize will be awarded to the first participant to submit the correct latitude and longitude of all ten weather balloons within the contest period. Entries are accepted until noon, 12:00 PM (ET) December 14, 2009. No prize for second place will be awarded.


Do we have any New York people?!?

In the event no one finds all 10, they will award the prize to the highest number correct, as long as it's over 5.

Dang, we got beat already.

DARPA said in a written statement that the MIT team discovered the locations of the 8-foot-wide balloons less than nine hours after they launched, around 10 a.m. ET.