Quote:
Originally posted by grego
on a side note i'd like to say i loved chuck yeager's speech! best in the history of first(thousand times better than any disney exec.). it really is a shame we cant strap some bombs to our robots an blow the other guy up!
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Quote:
Originally posted by M. Krass
Are you on crack?
Seriously, that's probably the most disturbing thing I've ever read on these boards.
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Would you like to know if Chuck Yeager is on crack?
Instead of grego's aggressive viewpoint, I believe Chuck was looking at this from the standpoint that American lives would be saved if such technology were employed.
He's a career military man. As such, war and conflict have become permanently embedded into his life. He's seen a lot of his friends die on the battlefield. If he believed the use of robotic weaponry could save the lives of thousands of American soldiers, I can understand why he would advocate the use of such technology in battle.
I am sure his comments in Houston made many of the people in attendance cringe, however, especially Dean, who wants us to use our talents to build up the world's infrastructure, not destroy it.
I personally think Chuck's comments were out of line with the spirit of FIRST, but I can understand where he was coming from.
To make this post on-topic, here's my opinions on both Houston and EPCOT:
Houston:
Great weather! Low humidity - EPCOT is unbearable.
The area around the Galleria mall provided lots of entertainment and eating opportunities for the team
Great venue - good sightlines, comfortable seating. AIR CONDITIONING.
Spacious, well-lit pit area
Better indoor lighting overall - great for picture takers
The ramps were tedious, but the distance between pit and arena never interfered with our pre-match preparations in the pit, although we never had to make any major time consuming repairs to the robot.
Six Flags was dirty and showed its age, but most people on our team enjoyed their time there.
I didn't get the feeling that I was at an international competition. It felt more like a "super regional". I guess I'm just used to the Disney experience.
EPCOT:
The Disney venue had that true "Championship Event" feel that made it stand out above all regional competitions.
Safe - More freedom for kids - We stayed at a Disney hotel, and the adults normally turned the kids loose to experience Disney without chaperones. The great transportation system and safety of the park made this possible. It was difficult to do that in Houston.
Better pit/arena logistics
Einstein Field had its own stadium and spectator area built around it which gave it an aura of mystique and importance. It wasn't just another field in the middle of four identical divisional fields like it was in Houston. Plus the final light show/audiovisual extravaganza on Einstein at EPCOT was always a sight to behold (except for that Mandy Moore thing.....). I missed that in Houston.
Overall, I'd prefer to bear the heat and go back to EPCOT, but only if FIRST provides more and improved lighting/spectator seating/cooling at the playing fields.