An entry fee?!?!

Well, there’s a few reasons, and all of them are related to the payment method.

First, and this the biggie, it will lessen the number of fake entries coming in on the day of the contest. There have already been any number of threats to set up fake balloon locations and there have been a bunch of talk from the unsavory set to dump a bunch of fake data to the various other teams' entry email address. Bottom line is that someone would have to dump a lot of cash to try and bring down our team!

Second, the transactions will be handled by PayPal. This gives us the most tamper resistant method. Because everything you are submitting is going to go through PayPal, including your actual entry, you don’t have to worry about your information being shanghaied.

Third is s fairness thing. If you are a real winner, there will be no contest. Your entry is considered received based on PayPal’s time stamp—not the TBC server’s or the local clock on someone’s personal PC.

All this should serve to mostly lock out the chumps. Other methods of accepting entries I’ve seen open themselves up to a bunch of bogus entries from wanna-be anarchists. The entry fee is meant to prevent multiple false entries, protect your personal info, and make certain that the actual winners are the ones getting paid if the team wins. Having a more locked down entry submission process equals a greater chance of The Balloon Challenge and its members winning!

Hackers? Really?

Look, I’m not a programmer, but I’m savvy. I could build an eBay bot that scans for rare items night and day if I was inclined. And I could do have version 1.0 ready in a couple hours. The I Love You Virus wasn’t ever meant to be productive, just destructive. There are too many people out there not using their power for good and I don’t want them disrupting our chances to win.

What am I looking for again?

DARPA will release 10 red weather balloons, each 8 feet in diameter. The balloons will be anchored at the base and government guys will be standing at the base of each, ready and willing to flash you a smile and their credentials. This all goes down during the daylight hours of December 5th. It may run through the following day if the weather is lousy on the sixth.

Why not offer one bigger prize?

'Cause I think it’s unfair. The Balloons will go up the morning of December 5 at 10:00 am Eastern time. That means it’s going to be 7:00 am on the west coast. Call me overly concerned, but it’s going to be fully light outside for the East coasters and just barely dawn for our friends out West. It doesn’t seem fair. So, if we win, each person to find a Balloon gets an equal chunk.

Am I allowed to enter?

Yes, my friend, chances are you are. As long as you have a residence in the United States and are at least 13 years old (and have your parents permission if you are under 18) you are allowed to enter and win. I don’t care where you were born or where you live. If you fully read, understand, and sign off on the rules, you are eligible.

Do I have to register to enter?

Yep. We don’t take a lot of information. We just need enough to get a hold of you if you win a prize. I'm currently perfecting the membership scripts for the site. Sign up will be available soon.

Can I have my winnings given to charity?

Yes, absolutely. If you win and give us the proper information, we will happily pay your winnings to the charity of your choosing in your name. See the rules for full details.