We're officially throwing our hat into the ring for the DARPA Network Challenge and organizing a team in hopes of using the power of Fark for good. There are more details on the site, but the gist is this: on Saturday, Dec. 5, DARPA will be deploying 10 red weather balloons in different locations in the lower 48 states. They'll be tethered to the ground, within view of a roadway and accessible by pedestrians. As soon as you find one you report it with the geographical coordinates. The balloons will only be up for 6-9 hours (depending on location and time zone), and any "sightings" afterwards will need to come from social networking and internet searches. The contest will be open until Dec. 14.

The prize for the winning team is $40,000. If we manage to pull this off, Fark will donate the full amount to Toys for Tots. With so many Farkers spread across the country, we might actually stand a chance at winning this.

I will be the overall point person, entering any findings to the site on TeamFark's behalf, so all finders need to report the coordinates to me. If you're interested in joining a regional/state searching team, please email me and I'll try to get you in touch with others in your area.

Worst case, it's a good excuse for a Sunday drive on a Saturday, or for searching/surfing the internet all day. Best case, lots of needy kids will get a visit from Santa this year.

Sounds fun--consider this a bookmark.

darpa darpa darpa!

netweavr: Wouldn't it be easier to look for the US Gov't vehicles now? I mean they have to already be moving to the locations for the balloons to be placed. So if you live in a small town and notice a Fed car, it's a pretty big hint.

There's been one parked outside my house for about three days now, so I bet they will be launching a balloon near me!

PainInTheASP: netweavr: Wouldn't it be easier to look for the US Gov't vehicles now? I mean they have to already be moving to the locations for the balloons to be placed. So if you live in a small town and notice a Fed car, it's a pretty big hint.

There's been one parked outside my house for about three days now, so I bet they will be launching a balloon near me!

Do black helicopters count as Fed vehicles?

/Count me in. I go Geocaching on the weekends, anyway, so will be out & about.

I'm in. I'll keep an eye open in the Bridgeport metro area. I'll round up some friends and hopefully they'll help cover New Haven and Hartford.

In the odd case that one is deployed in Madison sure

I dont totally get it but Im in.
I like being part of the cool crowd. this is a cool crowd activity, right?

I will be on the lookout also

I'll keep an eye out in the Boston area...

I'll help. What do I have to do?




Climb a light post?

netweavr: Wouldn't it be easier to look for the US Gov't vehicles now? I mean they have to already be moving to the locations for the balloons to be placed. So if you live in a small town and notice a Fed car, it's a pretty big hint.

I live beside PAX River NavAir. I don't even notice them anymore.

Well I'll look around though. I suppose I'll have to figure out the GPS on my phone though. I know it does coordinates because I had them come up once when I was looking for a high school.

I'll keep a lookout in SE WY.

/no, wait, that's a silver balloon

I'm in, but only if this guy can be our team captain:

Limp_Bisquick: I would but I heard Toys for Tots gives toys to illegals

Do me a favor- go find one of the guys manning the Toys for Tots boxes and get into a big argument about it. That should end well.

Will it look like a streetlight?