Is it a change in the wind asks I?

Moonliner · 07-11-2007, 05:19 AM

Last weekend, Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some snacks -- and a parachute. Attached to his lawn chair were 105 large helium balloons.

He managed to fly 193 miles in his lawn chair.

Totally reckless, not very well planned, a very large lack of respect for his own safety and arguably the safety of others.

Kent Couch is my hero.

However he's not really what I'm posting about.

What caught my attention was the coverage he received from Good Morning America today. Diane was positively gushing over this guy. Asking what made him do it, how it went etc. Not once did she ask any oh so typical fear mongering questions like "What if you caused a plane to crash" or "Did you clear this wtih the FAA" etc..

I was amazed. Even George's question was "What's next for you? How do you top this?"

Have we reached a tipping point in this country? Is it once again safe for Americans to live out their dreams no matter how patently stupid they are? Is risk taking once again being seen as a virtue and not a delusion? I sure hope so!

Now if you excuse me, I have to go clean out the garage and get started on that scram jet engine for my lawn mower.....

scaeagles · 07-11-2007, 05:56 AM

I hope so, Moonliner.

In an age of lawsuits and regulation and negative media coverage for failure and a desire for safety above all else, risk taking is something that seems in the past.

I believe it was only 7 years from the time JFK called for a moon landing until we were there. Now decades of planning seem to be the requirement. After the Apollo accident where the astronauts were burned to death, it wasn't long until the next mission was off the ground, but today, a tragic shuttle accident stops shuttle missions for years.

The spirit of discovery and adventure have been quashed by the fear of liability or a negative review by some oversight committee.

Alex · 07-11-2007, 06:34 AM

Cool that he did it, but he loses points for simply copying something he saw in a movie.

Stan4dSteph · 07-11-2007, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Cool that he did it, but he loses points for simply copying something he saw in a movie.

Plus he lost his rig and video camera. Hopefully if someone finds it, they will return it, or at least return the footage.

Moonliner · 07-11-2007, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan4dSteph

Plus he lost his rig and video camera. Hopefully if someone finds it, they will return it, or at least return the footage.

My window (here on the east coast) faces west. I'll be keeping an eye out...

But my point is not so much about the guy, it's more about stupid being back in style with the mainstream press.

RStar · 07-11-2007, 08:25 AM

I'm amazed that he could have filled 105 large helium balloons. Do you know how hard it is to keep that many balloons under control? I swear they get a life of their own at some point......

Cadaverous Pallor · 07-11-2007, 09:09 AM

Did he get in trouble with the FAA like the last guy did?

Morrigoon · 07-11-2007, 09:25 AM

I thought mythbusters disproved this?

JWBear · 07-11-2007, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

I thought mythbusters disproved this?

Nope. Not only is it possible, it happened... twice now!

Ghoulish Delight · 07-11-2007, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

I thought mythbusters disproved this?

Quite the opposite, they recreated it (though tethered so as not to reach law-breaking heights).

Of course, it always bugs me when they set out to bust "myths" that are not myths but rather are actual occurrences easily verified by a trip to your local library and a search through their newspaper holdings.

Larry Walters, was truly a visionary. What those visions were, we may never know.

07-11-2007, 05:19 AM	#1
Moonliner 8/30/14 - Disneyland -10k or Bust. Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 9,022	Is it a change in the wind asks I? Last weekend, Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some snacks -- and a parachute. Attached to his lawn chair were 105 large helium balloons. He managed to fly 193 miles in his lawn chair. Totally reckless, not very well planned, a very large lack of respect for his own safety and arguably the safety of others. Kent Couch is my hero. However he's not really what I'm posting about. What caught my attention was the coverage he received from Good Morning America today. Diane was positively gushing over this guy. Asking what made him do it, how it went etc. Not once did she ask any oh so typical fear mongering questions like "What if you caused a plane to crash" or "Did you clear this wtih the FAA" etc.. I was amazed. Even George's question was "What's next for you? How do you top this?" Have we reached a tipping point in this country? Is it once again safe for Americans to live out their dreams no matter how patently stupid they are? Is risk taking once again being seen as a virtue and not a delusion? I sure hope so! Now if you excuse me, I have to go clean out the garage and get started on that scram jet engine for my lawn mower.....
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07-11-2007, 05:56 AM	#2
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	I hope so, Moonliner. In an age of lawsuits and regulation and negative media coverage for failure and a desire for safety above all else, risk taking is something that seems in the past. I believe it was only 7 years from the time JFK called for a moon landing until we were there. Now decades of planning seem to be the requirement. After the Apollo accident where the astronauts were burned to death, it wasn't long until the next mission was off the ground, but today, a tragic shuttle accident stops shuttle missions for years. The spirit of discovery and adventure have been quashed by the fear of liability or a negative review by some oversight committee.
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07-11-2007, 06:34 AM	#3
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Cool that he did it, but he loses points for simply copying something he saw in a movie.
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07-11-2007, 08:25 AM	#6
RStar Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Me & Manyard hangin out! Posts: 5,433	I'm amazed that he could have filled 105 large helium balloons. Do you know how hard it is to keep that many balloons under control? I swear they get a life of their own at some point...... __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup! www.StarTownGifts.com
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07-11-2007, 09:09 AM	#7
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	Did he get in trouble with the FAA like the last guy did? __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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07-11-2007, 09:25 AM	#8
Morrigoon I throw stones at houses Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Location: Location Posts: 9,534	I thought mythbusters disproved this? __________________ http://bash.org/?top "It is useless for sheep to pass a resolution in favor of vegetarianism while wolves remain of a different opinion." -- William Randolph Inge
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