# $17K for doing nothing. Would you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 9, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718 "2008-05-09T16:44:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/1 "2008-05-09T16:44:50Z")
[NASA’s making the offer](http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/05/nasa-offers-500.html). Of course, it doesn’t answer some important questions: Will they mount a flatscreen on the ceiling? Hook that up to a computer/internet, etc.? Can you still hold a job as long as you comply with the rules (programmer, telemarketer, etc.)? Does it have to be on the back the whole time, or is shifting allowed? What about conjugal visits (as long as the other partner does all the work)? I don’t know whether the bedroom photo is accurate or not–if it is, I’d have to have second thoughts since it looks like I’d be a character out of _Misery_ holed up like that. Still, I think I might forward the article to my wife–her clients are driving her nuts and she might invite any opportunity to really, really not do anything for a while (though it would constitute a severe paycut). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/2 "2008-05-09T16:47:58Z")
Sounds interesting, but I couldn’t do it because of my GI issues. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/3 "2008-05-09T16:53:13Z")
90 days without jerking off? 17 grand is too little. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/4 "2008-05-09T16:57:46Z")
If I had access to the internet/tv/books/video games then probably. If not, no freaking way. Wow would that be boring. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/5 "2008-05-09T16:58:39Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] I don’t know whether the bedroom photo is accurate or not [/QUOTE] It’s clearly a stock shot of a bed - lazy picture researcher’s dream, this story. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/6 "2008-05-09T17:18:46Z")
No flippin’ way. No exercise for 90 days? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/7 "2008-05-09T17:20:28Z")
“$17K for doing nothing. Would you?” Hell yes! $17K for laying in a bed 16 hours a day for 3 months, not a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/8 "2008-05-09T17:21:06Z")
I could do it. I’m pretty darned inertial that way. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/9 "2008-05-09T18:34:28Z")
No way. 90 days of bed-rest isn’t healthy for anyone. I’m actually sort of curious how they got this study past an IRB. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/10 "2008-05-09T18:36:56Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] 90 days without jerking off? 17 grand is too little. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s what it boiled down to for me, too. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/11 "2008-05-09T18:45:03Z")
I don’t know when it was originally broadcast because it was one of a bunch of podcasts on my iPod, but Ira Flatow on Talk of the Nation/Science Friday interviewed a woman who had done this very thing. (The show was about weird experiments, if you want to try to find the podcast.) I believe she said she would think long and hard before she ever did it again. ETA: They could wheel her around to different locations for a change of scenery, so to speak, and they could tip the bed to change her position so she didn’t develop circulatory problems. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/12 "2008-05-09T19:06:25Z")
I get a stiff neck/back if I lie in bed to many HOURS, much less DAYS! ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/13 "2008-05-09T19:37:47Z")
How bout 4500 for three weeks? That’s all the vacation I have available, and I’d be thrilled to catch up on my sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/14 "2008-05-09T19:45:32Z")
Well, why the hell not? Now that ski season is over, that pretty much describes how I spend my days anyway. ‘Cept nobodys givin’ me any money! ---
**Author:** ![Crescend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Crescend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crescend)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/15 "2008-05-09T19:55:07Z")
Hell no. Ever seen someone who’s been bedridden for prolonged periods of time? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/16 "2008-05-09T20:17:29Z")
Jesus, no. I wouldn’t do it for $100K. I mean, I’m fairly practiced at lazing around, but to lie in bed for three months straight? I think I’d only be able to last a few days before going absolutely batty. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/17 "2008-05-09T20:21:34Z")
I get reading material and net access, am magically exempted from all my real life responsibilities **and** it’s for Science? I’ll take one for the team, sign me up! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/18 "2008-05-09T21:27:12Z")
I would totally, totally do it. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/19 "2008-05-09T22:08:49Z")
Hey, I did this when I was pregnant, only I never ogt up. I’d do it! Seriously, many of my patients do this for 3 or 4 months with complicated pregnancies. they are debilitated when they finally deliver, but bounce back quickly as they are generally young and healthy at the start. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/20 "2008-05-09T22:08:59Z")
if I wasn’t married with two kids, I’d do it. If this had come up ten years ago, absolutely. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718.md?page=2)