Comments on: DIY Halowe'en: Laika come home http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 18:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: jacques45 http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924732 jacques45 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924732 I've been mostly ignoring the stuff about the costumes, but that one just commandeers my attention. Nice job. I’ve been mostly ignoring the stuff about the costumes, but that one just commandeers my attention. Nice job.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924733 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924733 Thanks! Thanks!

]]> By: jaytkay http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924996 jaytkay Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924996 I cry whenever I hear her story. No kidding, no irony. Here's to you, Laika, unwitting hero of the space age. Sorry we did that to you, girl. I cry whenever I hear her story. No kidding, no irony. Here’s to you, Laika, unwitting hero of the space age. Sorry we did that to you, girl.

]]> By: AnneH http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924741 AnneH Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924741 Given the rather sad story that inspired this costume - Laika was the first living thing sent into space, and the Soviets sent her to die in orbit, because they had no plan to recover her alive - I find the concept very sweet and touching. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laika Given the rather sad story that inspired this costume – Laika was the first living thing sent into space, and the Soviets sent her to die in orbit, because they had no plan to recover her alive – I find the concept very sweet and touching.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laika

]]> By: technogeek http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924997 technogeek Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924997 Folks, dogs have been used in medical research for a very long time. They're a good model for some aspects of human biology, and they're relatively easy to work with. I'm afraid you're just going to have to get used to the idea that some animals are pets, some are food, some are workers, some are research subjects... and a single species may be used for more than one of those categories. (Heck, a single individual sometimes migrates from one category to the other; ask someone who grew up on a farm...) Remember the state of rocketry at the time. The purpose of this trip was to find out whether they could get a living thing larger than a mouse into orbit without killing it on the way up or having it die rapidly when removed from gravity and atmosphere. Bringing it back alive would be a subsequent step. And before you get too bent out of shape about us doing things to animals that we wouldn't do to ourselves, remember that we did put humans into space before it was clear that this was survivable. Folks, dogs have been used in medical research for a very long time. They’re a good model for some aspects of human biology, and they’re relatively easy to work with. I’m afraid you’re just going to have to get used to the idea that some animals are pets, some are food, some are workers, some are research subjects… and a single species may be used for more than one of those categories. (Heck, a single individual sometimes migrates from one category to the other; ask someone who grew up on a farm…)

Remember the state of rocketry at the time. The purpose of this trip was to find out whether they could get a living thing larger than a mouse into orbit without killing it on the way up or having it die rapidly when removed from gravity and atmosphere. Bringing it back alive would be a subsequent step.

And before you get too bent out of shape about us doing things to animals that we wouldn’t do to ourselves, remember that we did put humans into space before it was clear that this was survivable.

]]> By: AnneH http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-925271 AnneH Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-925271 It is possible to recognize the necessity of Laika's death, and be saddened by it at the same time. She was of little importance, as a stray dog, before the Soviets used her. Her death made her life valuable. Such is life. It is possible to recognize the necessity of Laika’s death, and be saddened by it at the same time. She was of little importance, as a stray dog, before the Soviets used her. Her death made her life valuable. Such is life.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-982119 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-982119 Laika, I will never forget you. Laika, I will never forget you.

]]> By: Kosmoid http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924805 Kosmoid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924805 ITA. This is such a downer that they sent the dog up there to die. Why? I have to give props for originality, though. But, hey, you got the dog there, it'll attract chicks, then you have your head hidden in a nose cone? And howya gonna hold a drink? ITA. This is such a downer that they sent the dog up there to die. Why?

I have to give props for originality, though.

But, hey, you got the dog there, it’ll attract chicks, then you have your head hidden in a nose cone? And howya gonna hold a drink?

]]> By: jonathan levy http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924807 jonathan levy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924807 awesome! awesome!

]]> By: Kosmoid http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-925064 Kosmoid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-925064 If Wikipedia is accurate about this, the US started launching rhesus monkeys in 1948. The first one died in flight due to suffocation. While animation experimentation for space programs might have been justifiable, it's not wrong to feel some compassion. If Wikipedia is accurate about this, the US started launching rhesus monkeys in 1948. The first one died in flight due to suffocation.

While animation experimentation for space programs might have been justifiable, it’s not wrong to feel some compassion.

]]> By: Kosmoid http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-925065 Kosmoid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-925065 animation = animal animation = animal

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924818 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924818 I'm married. There's a lot of room in there for drinks. I could probably even balance the drink on top of the container my dog goes in. We will see. I’m married. There’s a lot of room in there for drinks. I could probably even balance the drink on top of the container my dog goes in.

We will see.

]]> By: vietnamted http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924826 vietnamted Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924826 I'm married. There is however a lot of room in there for me to hold a drink. I’m married. There is however a lot of room in there for me to hold a drink.

]]> By: rotundo http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924834 rotundo Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924834 This one made me really sad... Great that she's still being remembered. Rest in peace, little space dog. This one made me really sad… Great that she’s still being remembered. Rest in peace, little space dog.

]]> By: Hagrid http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924867 Hagrid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924867 Poor Laika, sent to die in orbit... Poor Laika, sent to die in orbit…

]]> By: Dragonflye http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-925674 Dragonflye Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-925674 Controversial or not, this costume made me laugh really hard. Controversial or not, this costume made me laugh really hard.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924911 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924911 Is that a Laika in your rocket, or are you just happy to see me? Is that a Laika in your rocket, or are you just happy to see me?

]]> By: Kosmoid http://boingboing.net/2010/10/30/diy-haloween-laika-c.html#comment-924912 Kosmoid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-924912 I'm still miffed about this dog dying. But really, traditionally All Hallows Eve was about a festival for the dead. Why couldn't the Soviets send up a creature that people wouldn't care if it didn't survive re-entry? Like maybe a lobster. This would have had the added benefit of thoroughly confusing the American intelligence community, not to mention the person who found this capsule if it went off course. Worldwide headline: "Crustacean-like Creature from Outer Space Crash Lands in Kansas Cornfield." I’m still miffed about this dog dying. But really, traditionally All Hallows Eve was about a festival for the dead.

Why couldn’t the Soviets send up a creature that people wouldn’t care if it didn’t survive re-entry? Like maybe a lobster.

This would have had the added benefit of thoroughly confusing the American intelligence community, not to mention the person who found this capsule if it went off course. Worldwide headline: “Crustacean-like Creature from Outer Space Crash Lands in Kansas Cornfield.”

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