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2004-11-18 -Short Attention Span Theater-

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Posted by Steve 2004-11-18 11:17:46 AM|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Well, the current world record for highest survived fall is over 33,000 feet. I guess once you fall far enough to reach terminal velocity it doesn't matter if you fell from 3,000 or 30,000, however I would expect the cold and lack of oxygen once you get much above 10,000 ft could be nearly as dangerous as the fall itself?

Posted by Dar 2004-11-18 12:36:34 PM|| 2004-11-18 12:36:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 More info on free-fallers who survived from great heights here:
http://www.greenharbor.com/fffolder/ffallers.html

Posted by Dar 2004-11-18 12:42:13 PM|| 2004-11-18 12:42:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 I believe it was Ernie Pyle who coined the phrase "fugitive from the law of averages."

This guy just lived it.

Posted by Mike 2004-11-18 12:43:19 PM|| 2004-11-18 12:43:19 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 "I was very frightened and I was panicking. My body position meant it was impossible to deploy my reserve parachute."

By "body position" I assume he means "curled up, screaming, crying like a baby".

'Cuz, that's how I'd be in that situation.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2004-11-18 12:43:59 PM|| [http://www.kloognome.com/] 2004-11-18 12:43:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Mike--Don't know if he coined it, but I've seen that line in a Bill Mauldin "Willie and Joe" cartoon before.

Posted by Dar 2004-11-18 12:50:33 PM|| 2004-11-18 12:50:33 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Yup, it was Willie and Joe. The two of them are sitting in a foxhole with ordinance flying back and forth over their heads, and Willie says to Joe: "I feel like a refugee from th' law of averages." Classic quote.

Posted by Weird Al 2004-11-18 4:08:13 PM|| 2004-11-18 4:08:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 I guess once you fall far enough to reach terminal velocity it doesn't matter if you fell from 3,000 or 30,000,..

Apparently, Mr. Williams' velocity wasn't actually "terminal"..... :)

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2004-11-18 4:23:56 PM|| 2004-11-18 4:23:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Hyuk, hyuk...

Posted by mojo 2004-11-18 4:25:29 PM|| 2004-11-18 4:25:29 PM|| Front Page Top

00:00 BigEd
23:58 Sock Puppet of Doom
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