NEWS! Panel of scientists remove all doubt! Global Warming is REAL! This means there is only one course left open to us, one...if you will, politically correct thing to do. {newsflash: John Travolta provides implicit support for the primary goal of the BCB's MANKIND contest!} We here at BCB not only take GW very seriously, we've envisioned the future. The current crop of famous scientists agree with us. It's to late to change the deadly course we're on. Hundreds of years worth of rising temps are already in the works. We at the BCB have spent many sleepless nights over this knowledge. There is but one course to take, and don't laugh, because this issue is to grave to belittle with bad jokes. We propose an immediate crash program by our government, by all fellow governments on mother earth, by our corporations, and the corporations in foreign lands {except China which is playing catch up}, to enable Interplanetary Exploration and Colonization. You might say "Ah, but this has been done already". We here at BCB would then retort: "Ah yes, but that was in the movies". This is real life we're talking about, where even benign astronuats are capable of attempted murder. Do we want future generations to read back on us hundreds of years from now and shake their heads in sadness and bewilderment that we sat around doing nothing, which resulted in the end of our species? No. Some of us have the courage to make the hard choices NOW. We propose nothing less than a complete change of focus by the entire world {except China}, from our fretterings over genocidal acts, starving masses, tolitarian regimes, who is or isn't up to date on UN dues....to a new concern: Just how in heck are we gonna get out of this place? We're doomed, that's been concluded by scientists. But of course anyone who grew up as a kid remembers being taught this over and over. At some point the sun's going to burn out anyway, so why are we so foolishly trying to make the best of a doomed situation here on earth? We need a space colonization crash program built along the lines of John  Kennedy's moonshot, only Billions of times  more biggerer, huger, and expensive. To do anything less is to admit you are on the side of the Republican/Bush/Oil companies/Haliburton/GM juggernaut, out to destroy the human race for the sake of a few dollars more. We here at BCB realize that our proposal may in fact be the easy first step it sounds like, to be followed of course by harder steps. But really, we've spent quite a bit of time thinking it up, so it wasn't as easy as it may sound, although we're not trying to make it sound harder than it was either! We're not bragging in other words....it's just that compared to the average thinker who thinks about important stuff, we've spent more free time than most on this, our revolutionary idea. Since this is of course just the first step, we realize additional steps are required. We invite all famous {or otherwise important}  scientists to climb aboard. We invite politicians of every caring stripe to enter the 'Space Exporation and Colonization" fray. We would like to go a little further by recommending that all State govts. , and some towns like Berkley create  Space Exploration and Colonization departments, which can coordinate efforts, thereby reducing wastefull duplication, while preparing the populace for this human race-saving measure. Untill governments and politicians climb aboard, we'll be taking the lead. But if we expect to pull this off, we'll need help from everyone. This is where you come in. We all know how slow government can be. We believe much of the red tape, blue ribbon paneling, dedication services, etc. can be left to much later in the process. What we need now, besides educating the masses who are not scientists, are designs. We need YOUR designs! How would YOU design space craft capable of sustaining life untill we find other planets to exploit? Keep in mind these craft would need to be pretty big. It goes without saying that we obviously can't take everyone, but that's where the best minds in the world come in, picking and choosing those with the best health, attitudes, natural good looks, and skills to go forth and colonize. For instance, what point is there in sending more than several folks into space who know how to do a brake job? We'll need transmission experts as well. So, while we need to send out a diverse representation of mankind's best hope for the future, we can't send everyone, at least not yet. So keep this in mind when you're designing your space ship. It needs to be big, but not unecessarily so. Design entry requirements: All designs should be drawn to scale, or barring that, contain refferences to measurements here or there. * All proposed Space Craft are to be Space Intrusion Neutral. This means that as the craft passes through space in time, there should be not the slightest indication that it was ever there. To do otherwise might upset the natural order of the universe. This is akin to preventing tailpipe emissions BEFORE they happen, proving we've learned our lesson. * All craft designs will incorperate the latest OSHA regs, with upgrade potential built in as needed to comply with the changing regs of the future. * All craft designs shall include refrigeration capabilities, or storage areas for freeze dried products, or an explanation of how one can go hungry for an indeterminent period of time, or find, then conquer some new world, thereby growing food.... which ever happens first. _________________ While we can't guarantee that every single idea of every single design entry will be utilized, we want this, above all else, to be fair. Whether a particular design idea is utilzed or not, ALL ideas will be uploaded into a special computer right on board the finished craft just prior to lift off, along with photos of those unfortunates who are going to fail at surving the coming calamity {due to elbow room contraints on the craft}. In this way we all become at one with the survivors of mother earth's demise. Our hopes, our dreams will live on. * All designs shall be constructed on 8.5 by 11 in. maillia 20lb. * All entries become the property of the BCBS Space Exploration and Colonization division of the BCBS, a services company of the BCB. * One more thing, don't think you can just copy some random design out there, change a portal or a landing pedestal and think we won't notice. Be part of the solution. <The head of the panel, Indian climatologist Rajendra Pachauri, called it a "very impressive document that goes several steps beyond previous research.>  So, Rajendra calls his own work IMPRESSIVE! Just wait till he sees what we at the BCB have cooked up! We can almost hear Rajendra's knock on the door "Please sirs, let me in!" Rajendra, we welcome you with open arms, and look forward to your design. _____________________________ UPDATE: design news Well the entries are starting to roll in. From time to time we'll post some examples from entrants all over the country and points beyond. This contest is open to all who inhabit this planet. One of the first designs we received was from Shawn of Linden, Neb. At first glance we were speechless... Shawn misunderstood our rules, and sent a complete 1/10 scaled mockup of his spaceship design. The scaled model, even having been made out of titanium-aluminum alloys over a balsa wood frame, weighed in at 3,828 lbs. and measured nearly 35ft. across. Normally we would have disquallified Shawn's entry, but we admit we may have been a bit loose in describing entry requirements. Shawn's entry not only hangs in our lobby with pride, but is in fact among the top 200 entries up for promotion to the next round. ______ Jerkot, from sunny southern France, sent us this simple, yet functional design.... Folks.....please, and Jerkot, no offense, but please feel free to include things like seats, a propulsion system....windows {see Shawn's entry}, maybe a toilet, etc. Jerkot, you have a wonderfull concept, clean edges, and we like the way you hide nothing. That way our engineers can more easily perform the final tweeking as needed to transfer your data into hard product. The entries we're receiving to date are beyond our fondest imaginations. Keep them coming. _________________ UPDATE: Here are some new sample entries, drawn from the the latest and greatest sent in to the BCB. From Peter Pickett we get this well designed modular unit. We've not yet tested this impact-resistent styrene model in the void of space, but we like the forsight given to easy access to its inards. It also has an appealing color scheme, soothing to the survivors. ______________ This entry was sent by Felix Valdez, of Venezuela. Felix, we know your country is a bit short on 'high tech' materials, but please stop already with the apologies! Your design is straight forward, with separate compartments for citizens and Hugo.  We can just imagine its slender shape breaking through the atmosphere, given the right propulsion system.  In the meantime can we suggest an updating of the hinge work?  And spaceship windows need to be ROUND. It's just one of those "spaceship things". Keep em comin folks. This contest runs for another 11 months. Every idea will be fairly considered. Every entry will be included in the final design, joining together the concepts, desires, and materials of the world. ___________________________ All designs must be submitted no later than the time it takes to refine, build, and launch prior to the last window of opportunity before the weather here on earth becomes unbearable. Check this page frequently for progress updates on the design selection process. Write your congressperson encouraging their support in helping to save mankind from its selfish course of destruction. It should be clear by now, but anyone who scoffs or balks at this plan shows their true colors. Being anti-human-race-survival has been ingrained in to many for to long. Societal predjudices taught many of us growing up to BE anti-human-race-survival. The time has come to educate, not criticize. We here at BCB realize that an informed citizenry is crucial to our own herculian efforts to save mankind. Come visit us frequently, and receive the knowledge. All correspondence from Space Exploration and Colonization contractors should be sent to: bluecollarspecialoffer202contractors@bluecollarbytes.com $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Visiting Barely,Utah soon? Why not swing by BCBS Aerospace? This is where all the hard work and nitty  gritty dirty business of engineering and integrating your designs into one comprehensive co-operative package takes place. While being marveled by our staff's dedication of purpose and seriousness of effort, why not visit  the BCBS Bazaar&Tapestries, located on the lower air-conditioned levels? Our food court offers a culturally diverse menu with everything from Polish Sausages to BurFritosTM, a delectable creation made right here by our own Pelchit Requen, head of BCBS Propulsion Div. At BCBS, we take the view that not only is an omoeba is a maggot is a goldfish is a rat is a parrot is boy. We also believe there is no more room for divisive labling, or class structures, or unecessary divisions of  "required duties" beween the lowliest janitor up to top management. You're just as likely to find Jeremy {a long term fixture here at BCBS} cleaning the public restrooms on the Bazaar level, as you would in his regular duties cleaning up after Oliver, BCB CEO. Free tours are provided Mon-Fri. 7:30am-7:00pm with only a small handling charge. Complaints? contact oliver@bluecollarbytes.com