# $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:** 2
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/21 "2008-05-09T22:36:38Z")
I would totally “do” it. I could finally finish my book on slacking, and be NASA certified for it as well. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/22 "2008-05-09T22:41:39Z")
Well, I filled out the application, so I guess there’s my answer. 😉 Not that I’ll get picked, though…I mean, how many thousands upon thousands of people are applying for what is basically a random shot? I’m lucky that I have a job I can quit for three months and come back to easily enough, or something similar (yay restaurant industry!) Of course, I am still waiting to hear back from grad school, but I have a suspicion I won’t get in anyway. ☹ ETA: Something I didn’t see mention in the main article or the WIRED interview…how, exactly, do participants use the bathroom? Some sort of “chamber pot,” catheter and colostomy combo, diapers? ---
**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, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/23 "2008-05-09T22:57:12Z")
[QUOTE=JSexton] if I wasn’t married with two kids, I’d do it. If this had come up ten years ago, absolutely. [/QUOTE] Most people I know with kids would see it as a postive advantage. Ninety days without “Daaaaad…” ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/24 "2008-05-09T23:16:05Z")
Will there be wine, a laptop and an unlimited source of cheap trashy novels? If yes, sign me up. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/25 "2008-05-09T23:35:56Z")
$17K is more than I made last year, of course, I’ve signed up. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/26 "2008-05-10T00:26:04Z")
[There’s a Q&A up on the site now](http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/05/qa-nasa-scienti.html). You can have TV and Internet, but no sex. ---
**Author:** ![Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/27 "2008-05-10T00:43:05Z")
I’d do it in a heartbeat if it was available to people outside the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/28 "2008-05-10T00:46:44Z")
I would definitely do it, if I were 30 years younger and in better physical shape. Even today, I could deal with it if I were accepted. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/29 "2008-05-10T00:47:25Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] ETA: Something I didn’t see mention in the main article or the WIRED interview…how, exactly, do participants use the bathroom? Some sort of “chamber pot,” catheter and colostomy combo, diapers? [/QUOTE] I’m surprised this wasn’t addressed in the subsequent Q&A either… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/30 "2008-05-10T02:42:11Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] I’m surprised this wasn’t addressed in the subsequent Q&A either… [/QUOTE] That’s the tough part. You have to HOLD it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/31 "2008-05-10T03:09:53Z")
Absolutely not. Having had just a few days of bedriddenness after surgery, I am not eager to repeat that experience for 90 days. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/32 "2008-05-10T06:53:40Z")
Application is in, although I don’t know how much they want fat guys with acid reflux. I barely made 17k in the last two years put together, so sign me up! ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/33 "2008-05-10T07:14:40Z")
Well, I applied. Heh. [QUOTE=Zebra] 90 days without jerking off? 17 grand is too little. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=The Q&A] Wired: Anyone ever been kicked out? Cromwell: Subjects have violated protocol. They are monitored. You give up a lot of your privacy when you enter the study. There is a camera aimed at the bed. We also have people subject monitors who sit out in the hallway outside the room. [/QUOTE] I have no idea if jerking off is considered a violation of protocol. If it’s not, then that shall be my 90 day goal. To break the world record. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/34 "2008-05-10T12:13:58Z")
[QUOTE=atomicbadgerrace] …I have no idea if jerking off is considered a violation of protocol. If it’s not, then that shall be my 90 day goal. To break the world record. [/QUOTE] Do you mean most, or fewest, jerkoffs in a 90 day period? ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/35 "2008-05-10T16:22:42Z")
Hey, I’m more than halfway there! I’ve been on pregnancy bedrest in the hospital for 52 days now (but who’s counting?) It’s not really the same thing, because I have bathroom and shower privileges, and even an occasional wheelchair trip outside, and I’m still going stir crazy. I really feel for the women who don’t even have those privileges, not to mention continuous monitoring. I wouldn’t do it for the money they’re offering - I’d rather have a life. Not that I meet the physical requirements anyway. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/36 "2008-05-10T20:03:11Z")
[QUOTE=Queen Tonya] 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! [/QUOTE] What she said. In fact, thanks for telling me about this. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/37 "2008-05-10T23:25:46Z")
Hell, I dreamed about this back when I was addicted to Everquest (1999-2000.) I don’t object to doing it now - I think it’d be a fun David Blaine style endurance challenge - except for the fact that I have a lot going on in my life that I don’t want to drop right now, and I enjoy frequent exercise. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/38 "2008-05-11T03:39:37Z")
[QUOTE=atomicbadgerrace] Well, I applied. Heh. I have no idea if jerking off is considered a violation of protocol. If it’s not, then that shall be my 90 day goal. To break the world record. [/QUOTE] With a camera on me, I just couldn’t. Well, not without a certain amount of ‘grandstanding’ so, yeah, it was 20 years ago… (sigh) I gues staying in bed is a game for the young. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/39 "2008-05-11T03:43:57Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] With a camera on me, I just couldn’t. Well, not without a certain amount of ‘grandstanding’ so, yeah, it was 20 years ago… (sigh) I gues staying in bed is a game for the young. [/QUOTE] [Lt Uhura]Now, what is _that_ supposed to mean? [/Lt Uhura] ---
**Author:** ![The\_Them](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Them](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Them)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718/40 "2008-05-11T07:19:55Z")
YES YES YES!! 17k?! that is literally LIFE CHANGING money for me! And I have to lie down a lot anyway and NOT get paid. 90 days vs. a WHOLE DIFFERENT BETTER LIFE? Guess who wins. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17k-for-doing-nothing-would-you/448718.md?page=3)