That second one reminds me of "working cruises", where you pay to crew aboard an old tall ship. Though, often the cruise is simply free passage in exchange for labor - usually on cargo ships serving whatever islands. I can definitely see some humans being quite willing to pay for the experience to crew aboard an alien craft. I myself can't stand the idea of your standard leisure cruise, and my Science obsessed, ADHD powered, would-rather-read-a-science-textbook-than-a-novel mind would find it maddening to be in a tech-packed alien ship and not go poking around. You bet your boots I'd pay 300 cred a month to crew aboard. Hell, I would pull a "Technical Bob", if the situation called for it; though, naturally, I'd try and find a non-suicidal option first. If word got out that that rent-a-room site was mistaken for a recruitment site by aliens, every super-nerd, Scientist, Engineer, Eco-tourist, etc, etc, would flood that site like a DOSA. Scientists and Engineers would probably even get their trip paid for by government/university grants and/or whatever company they're working for. "Hey, boss. Can I get an early paid vacation? for, like three months?" "You won't be up for a vacation for another six months, and you've only built up three weeks." "I found a Dahsjjann ship that's recruiting five people with no species restrictions, provided you bring your own EVA suit and supplies. And, being part of the AI team, I figured I could check out their AI... They do have the best AI tech in the Galaxy." "Awesome! I'll send Tom and Jenn with you. They're actually due vacation time... Hello, HR? Yeah, this is Amy over in Programming... Can you send someone over with three E.T. Passage Requisition Packets?... 37-D... No, D, as in 'dog'... Yes. Thank you... I'll bring the forms to your desk in a few minutes. I'll have Mai Shen take over your assignment while you're gone." "I don't care if he takes credit, or just breaks it, this trip will be worth it."
Technical Bob is up there in the pantheon of all the kerbals who got stranded on another planet and got there with the mos haphazard R.C.S. systems around. He has reached the farther shores. For the algorithm, For the Squirrel, and For Technical Bob.
I think Four Loko is one of the most human things out there. It's had numerous safety advisories put out on it, it's been banned several times, and it's been responsible for numerous deaths, but it's still available in stores.
