# Would you rather have a Legion flight ring or a Starfleet food replicator? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 11, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899 "2012-07-11T15:43:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/81 "2012-07-14T14:21:18Z")
Maximum, shmaximum! Even at near-supersonic speeds, I wouldn’t want to spend all that time over water. Any luggage I’d be carrying would be torn to pieces, too. And I’d have to fly a lot slower to conserve fuel. Do I get a refill when I run out? ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/82 "2012-07-14T23:09:34Z")
I read the poll and instantly voted for the food replicator. Then I read the rest of the OP and slapped my head while saying:“Damn, I should have voted for the ring!” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/83 "2012-07-15T03:27:44Z")
I’ve always thought flight was an overrated superpower. Super speed might be fun, but I don’t want to be off the ground–even if I am protected. A food replicator is a much better option. And I can save the money I normally use for food to get a car, like normal people. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/84 "2012-07-15T16:08:48Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Hmm, without the normal protections of the ring, even going at highways speeds at a hundred feet up is going to be a pretty harrowing experience. I’m not sure what you mean by the normal protections of the ring. I know the Threeboot rings had the transuit functions built in, but the pre-Crisis rings didn’t, and the non-invulnerable Legionnaires never had any trouble. Anyway, I think a motorcycle helmet would do you fine as long as you kept to reasonable speeds. I wouldn’t want to fly at 200 mph for city commutes anyway, and as I wrote upthread, doing a transoceanic flight is probably nuts even with environmental protection. No margin for error. > [@MrDibble](#): > > I could wear a normal spacesuit and still use it, though, right? Maybe offer to test that new space activity skinsuit they’re developing? I don’t know what that is. > [@](#): > > As to where to go, I think “Space” is all the answer I need. > > I _could_ reach the Moon a couple times over, but that would likely require more air than one person could carry, unless I did something _very_ clever with rebreathers and chemicals in my suit. Might be able to make a tidy profit on the deal - moon rocks are worth something like $1 million/half a pound. However, I can think of [other](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Apollo_asteroids)[possibilities](http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_distance_between_Earth_and_the_International_Space_Station) an easier flight away.. It’s going to take you days to get to the moon. You’re going to have to stay conscious all that time. It’s going to be very easy to hurt yourself when you land. Justice League headquarters is 200,000 miles the other way. This seems ill thought. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/85 "2012-07-15T19:13:03Z")
Flight ring, without even a question. Whatever food I might like I can sooner or later learn to cook or pay for someone else to cook, but this here is my one chance in a lifetime to be able to fly like a cartoon character or in my dreams. And to be honest, I’m not that worried about being able to travel trans-continent with it - just the ability to travel anywhere within a fifty-mile radius in a quarter of an hour would have consequences that were life-changing enough. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/86 "2012-07-15T21:33:09Z")
Food is easier to come by than personal flight. I’m no dummy, give me the ring. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/87 "2012-07-15T22:10:14Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I don’t know what that is. The [dreams](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacesuits_in_fiction#Skintight_spacesuits) of every pulp SF illustrator [made flesh](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_activity_suit#Bio-Suit). > [@](#): > > It’s going to take you days to get to the moon. 16 or so, yes. > [@](#): > > You’re going to have to stay conscious all that time. Why? I thought Legion rings only took willpower to _activate_. If not, I’m OK with going in stages and kipping on satellites & NEOs on the way (and I only _need_ the ring to get halfway to the moon, and to land when I get there.). If I’ve got that wrong, I’m also OK with sticking to the nearest 1000km or so of the Earth’s surface. The Moon’s just a nice-to-have. > [@](#): > > It’s going to be very easy to hurt yourself when you land. Sorry, why? I mean, I can fly on the Moon, right? The rings work by antigrav, not any atmospheric effect. Or do you mean because I’d be asleep? Proximity sensors are easy to incorporate in a spacesuit, I’m sure. > [@](#): > > This seems ill thought. How so? The rings allow spaceflight, I’m using them for spaceflight. That you chose to hobble them to reduce their usefulness is unfortunate, but it’s not going to stop me. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/88 "2012-07-16T01:43:30Z")
Skald, many of your “polls” are pretty damn silly, but good job here. Very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/89 "2012-07-16T03:53:59Z")
Replicator. I didn’t even read the full description of the flight ring, I was so sure I wanted the replicator. While it would be nice to cut down on my commuting time, it seems like there are way too many things that could go badly wrong with the flight ring, and I’d be worried about making any long trips with it. The replicator would be safe, easy to use, and would have a big impact on my daily life. I like eating but I hate cooking, so I’ve had plenty of dinners that were basically just a cheese sandwich or even a bowl of cereal and milk. I would much prefer to have a tasty, nutritious meal that I didn’t have to prepare, clean up after, or go out for. I live alone, so it would last me 20 years even if I used it three meals a day every day (which I probably would not do). I could also finally entertain like a grownup without having to either do something I hate first or pay for takeout. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/90 "2012-07-16T12:24:24Z")
I chose the replicator. I don’t need a lot of variety in my food. Hell, I’d take food pills if they were possible. So, I hire a chef to make several meals once, then program the replicator, and I’m good to go. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899/91 "2012-07-16T14:12:31Z")
I voted “ring” way back when; it would save me at least an hour and a half a day of commuting time, and I LIKE cooking. The replicator would be a bigger money-saver, but I’ll take the time. ETA: I’m assuming that since the ring is rated for 600 MPH, it also has some basic safety devices built in to deal with airborne dust and so on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-have-a-legion-flight-ring-or-a-starfleet-food-replicator/627899.md?page=4)