Grass Roots Red Balloon Challenge Team Formed

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In response the $40,000 DARPA Network Challenge, a new team has been formed to find the elusive red balloons.

Port Charlotte, Florida, Dec. 02, 2009 PressReleasePoint

In response the DARPA Network Challenge that will take place starting on Dec. 5th 2009, a new team has been formed to compete in the DARPA NETWORK CHALLENGE.

Internet entrepeneur Jon Cannell has launched a Red Balloon Challenge website dedicated to building the nationwide team to find DARPA's red balloons.

The website team can also be used to report red balloon sightings. Cannell has also established a Red Balloon Challenge page on Facebook. The Facebook page is open to the public and Cannell optimistically said he hopes that everyone on Facebook will join.

Cannell who is a web developer employed by AgentWebsite Inc. by day stated "Well, I don’t know really how feasible it will be find all of the balloons over the course of just a few days but we are going to try. In any event, this is a great way to focus on social networking and viral media in a time-sensitive scenario. Thanks DARPA." He smiles and notes that while his company is not involved in the challenge, he feels the knowledge he might gain will benefit AgentWebsite customers.

Unlike other teams that have been formed, Cannell's team - should they win - will divide the willings equally and each winning member can decide whether to keep the proceeds or to donate them to a charity of his or her choosing.

About the DARPA NETWORK CHALLENGE:

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Internet, DARPA has announced the DARPA Network Challenge, a competition that will explore the roles the Internet and social networking play in the timely communication, wide-area team-building, and urgent mobilization required to solve broad-scope, time-critical problems.

The challenge is to be the first to submit the locations of 10 moored, 8-foot, red, weather balloons at 10 fixed locations in the continental United States. The balloons will be in readily accessible locations and visible from nearby roads.

A $40,000 cash prize will be awarded to the first entrant to submit the latitude and longitude of all ten balloons.

(courtesy: http://networkchallenge.darpa.mil/)