Basejumper.com - archive

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/69312.html

Make sure and read the "comments" section

CBS's Connie Chung started this crap about taxpayer money going to rescue BASE jumpers back in the early 90s. Come on - swimmers get rescued, climbers get rescued, boaters get rescued, and pilots get rescued, it's a wonderful trait we humans have to push ourselves and sometimes too far. It's something that should be celebrated not bemoaned.

What kind of world would this be without these kinds of people?

But even more so than others, we BASE jumpers get tagged with the "stupid stunt" line. I always thought the reason is most people can somewhat imagine themselves doing those other pursuits but parachuting off objects is beyond the pale for them. But even Skydivers who get carted of DZs and stiff the ambulance company and the hospital don't suffer this kind of publicity.

I guess, even after almost 30 years the world still isn't ready for us . . .

NickD
BASE 194

Apparently it is easy to advocate personal responsibility when they are talking about somebody else.

Meh. Pretty much the same as it is on "here", just the same people (Al Bondiga) running their mouths.

Density altitude.

In the UK there used to be the same attitude about the early climbers in the 20's and 30's. It was seen as foolhardy and an acitivity with no thought over the conseqences. Attitudes changed fortunately.