Peter Diamandis: Brew Master of the Kool-Aid

Michael Laine -- president of the LiftPort Group -- recently set aside his space elevator-building duties to attend International Space University (ISU). The rest of his adventures in Barcelona, Spain are chronicled here.

I like and professionally admire Peter Diamandis. I think his body of work warrants serious applause. (Never heard of Diamandis before? Here's a decent place to start.)

Diamandis came to talk "formally" at the opening ceremonies of the International Space University, but we got to see a more personal side of him.

He said the kinds of things you would expect the founder of a 20-year-old school to say to students that he thinks of as his legacy. He said things intended to inspire and provide hope in the dark economic times we presently live in. He said things about believing in your dreams, and working toward them. He said work together -- interpersonally and internationally.

But he also said things about American toga parties, Canadians with canoes full of beer, and French cross-dressing "cultural nights"... of years past.

So Diamandis gets up there on his soapbox and talks. We ask questions about him, ISU, X PRIZE, and some "failures" he's had along the way.

Now when I hear Peter talk, I get a little serious. I react to it. His message resonates with me. I have heard him talk many times, and his "Space "Kool-Aid Speech" is great.

However, what made this one different: