Skydiver falls to his death, was part of fireworks display
September 3, 2002 1:18 PM Subscribe
Wow. A not-terribly-interesting post and a lame joke. I think that's bonus points....
(though I'll admit I cracked a smile at vito90)
posted by jalexei at 1:28 PM on September 3, 2002
(though I'll admit I cracked a smile at vito90)
posted by jalexei at 1:28 PM on September 3, 2002
A sad story, and yes, a lame joke. On an unrelated note, did anyone else find the full page pop up ad blocking the text completely annoying?
Also, does anyone have any syrup for these pancakes?
posted by monju_bosatsu at 1:35 PM on September 3, 2002
Also, does anyone have any syrup for these pancakes?
posted by monju_bosatsu at 1:35 PM on September 3, 2002
Bad sitcom flashback. As I recall, there was a very special episode of Gilligan's Island that addressed this topic. As Gilligan was falling from a make shift hot-air balloon:
Mrs. Howell: 'I do hope the dear boy lands on his feet.'
Mr. Howell: 'If he does, he'll have flat feet all the way
up to his neck.'
posted by beatnik808 at 1:43 PM on September 3, 2002
Mrs. Howell: 'I do hope the dear boy lands on his feet.'
Mr. Howell: 'If he does, he'll have flat feet all the way
up to his neck.'
posted by beatnik808 at 1:43 PM on September 3, 2002
Am I the only one who is surprised that cutting away your parachute 30 feet above the water would cause you to hit the water hard enough to die? I don't get it. Lots of people jump off 70 foot platforms into water without dying.
posted by alms at 2:02 PM on September 3, 2002
posted by alms at 2:02 PM on September 3, 2002
Lots of people jump off 70 foot platforms into water without dying.
Yes, but those people start accelerating downward at 9.8 m/s2 from an initial speed of 0 mph. This guy was already in motion when he cut the chute.
posted by Shadowkeeper at 2:06 PM on September 3, 2002
Yes, but those people start accelerating downward at 9.8 m/s2 from an initial speed of 0 mph. This guy was already in motion when he cut the chute.
posted by Shadowkeeper at 2:06 PM on September 3, 2002
Some may be able to dive from 70ft+, but people have died diving from a 10m platform. The biggest factor is probably the angle at which your body hits the water, e.g. nice hands / heads first vs. a good old belly flop (ouch!).
posted by daveg at 2:09 PM on September 3, 2002
posted by daveg at 2:09 PM on September 3, 2002
Anyone else think it was rather tasteless that the show went on as planned?
posted by psychotic_venom at 2:11 PM on September 3, 2002
posted by psychotic_venom at 2:11 PM on September 3, 2002
I usually don't root for posts to be deleted, but this is different.
posted by djacobs at 2:16 PM on September 3, 2002
posted by djacobs at 2:16 PM on September 3, 2002
If humans were meant to fly, God would have given them pot. Oh wait ...
posted by Wulfgar! at 2:37 PM on September 3, 2002
posted by Wulfgar! at 2:37 PM on September 3, 2002
Most likely the show went on as planned because nobody had realized what happened until after (somewhere closer to the end?)
posted by f00b4r at 3:58 PM on September 3, 2002
posted by f00b4r at 3:58 PM on September 3, 2002
Wow. A not-terribly-interesting post and a lame joke.
Yeah- but what a great record label!
posted by puddsharp at 4:47 PM on September 3, 2002
Yeah- but what a great record label!
posted by puddsharp at 4:47 PM on September 3, 2002
tasteless? this is knoxville, tn we are talking about. v.surprised this made mefi... they prolly didnt know he was dead till the show was over (dont know how long it took him to get to baptist).
posted by y0bhgu0d at 4:49 PM on September 3, 2002
posted by y0bhgu0d at 4:49 PM on September 3, 2002
Watch out. The Humor Police are about. Unless your joke meets some lefty-liberal definition of 'funny', you are going to get slated as an intellectual dullard who finds fart jokes funny.
posted by wackybrit at 8:58 PM on September 3, 2002
posted by wackybrit at 8:58 PM on September 3, 2002
Why is not finding "he went out with a bang" funny a lefty-liberal thing? Only social conservatives enjoy fart jokes?
posted by BT at 9:03 PM on September 3, 2002
posted by BT at 9:03 PM on September 3, 2002
As a skydiver, i find that joke to be offensive! Actually, not really.. A common phrase among skydivers is "Skydivers! Good to their last drop!" hehehe.
Anyway, it is a bit surprising that he died from a 30ft drop into water, but not inconceivable. He was only going about 30ishMPH when he cut the chute, so he wouldn't be going ridiculously fast at the bottom of that 30 ft fall. But if you hit wrong, and have a hard time righting yourself perhaps due to the jumpsuit and pack, it could definitely happen. Too bad. :(
posted by phidauex at 11:54 PM on September 3, 2002
Anyway, it is a bit surprising that he died from a 30ft drop into water, but not inconceivable. He was only going about 30ishMPH when he cut the chute, so he wouldn't be going ridiculously fast at the bottom of that 30 ft fall. But if you hit wrong, and have a hard time righting yourself perhaps due to the jumpsuit and pack, it could definitely happen. Too bad. :(
posted by phidauex at 11:54 PM on September 3, 2002
monju_bosatsu, will maple syrup be OK for your pancakes?
posted by dg at 3:32 AM on September 4, 2002
posted by dg at 3:32 AM on September 4, 2002
Watch out. The Humor Police are about. Unless your joke meets some lefty-liberal definition of 'funny'...
Are you serious? There's no bottom to the level of tasteless I find funny. That joke didn't meet any definition of funny. An overly-obvious "groaner" at best, though I realize there's a place for those too. For a FPP, I want to spit coffee all over my monitor. All I'm sayin': you post a weak news article, you'd better kill.
posted by jalexei at 7:01 AM on September 4, 2002
Are you serious? There's no bottom to the level of tasteless I find funny. That joke didn't meet any definition of funny. An overly-obvious "groaner" at best, though I realize there's a place for those too. For a FPP, I want to spit coffee all over my monitor. All I'm sayin': you post a weak news article, you'd better kill.
posted by jalexei at 7:01 AM on September 4, 2002
Fart jokes are much funnier. Please, more fart jokes.
posted by adampsyche at 7:07 AM on September 4, 2002
posted by adampsyche at 7:07 AM on September 4, 2002
from the Skydive Smokey Mountains 'site
http://www.skydivesmokymountains.com/news.html
==begin==
9.8.01
"Boomsday" was great this year!!
The skies cleared just in time for a beautiful late afternoon sky. The fireworks get better year after year, and this year was no exception. This year marks our 10th year providing skydivers for the event. Skydive Smoky Mountains would like to give a special thanks to all the skydivers and staff members who made this year special!
David O'Dell
Donna Edwards
Brad Flowers
Tanya Kanczuzewski
Bob Laxson
Mike Patrick
>>John Seymour
Ronnie Smith
Gary Speer
and our pilots:
Kipp Burnett
Richard Wright
==end==
[>> is mine] one year later he was dead, doing the same thing. I have about 800 skydives and I'm always sorry to read something like this. Landing in water, especially at twilight, is a tricky thing. I hope his family's getting support. And I hope none of them come to Mefi for awhile
posted by Elvis at 4:13 PM on September 4, 2002
http://www.skydivesmokymountains.com/news.html
==begin==
9.8.01
"Boomsday" was great this year!!
The skies cleared just in time for a beautiful late afternoon sky. The fireworks get better year after year, and this year was no exception. This year marks our 10th year providing skydivers for the event. Skydive Smoky Mountains would like to give a special thanks to all the skydivers and staff members who made this year special!
David O'Dell
Donna Edwards
Brad Flowers
Tanya Kanczuzewski
Bob Laxson
Mike Patrick
>>John Seymour
Ronnie Smith
Gary Speer
and our pilots:
Kipp Burnett
Richard Wright
==end==
[>> is mine] one year later he was dead, doing the same thing. I have about 800 skydives and I'm always sorry to read something like this. Landing in water, especially at twilight, is a tricky thing. I hope his family's getting support. And I hope none of them come to Mefi for awhile
posted by Elvis at 4:13 PM on September 4, 2002
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posted by brand-gnu at 1:20 PM on September 3, 2002