The report of any such a loss isn't, of course, funny. To the parents, partners, friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors...etc., these two were not, in the parlance, eedjits. So I apologize at the knee-jerk reaction on my part to post something that was, admittedly, a cheap shot at the expense of two missing, likely dead boaters. I thought I was replying only to to the sender and not to the general list. My inattentive mistake. The recent rise and attraction of outdoor endeavors has created a great deal of pressure on landscape, sensitive environments, human resources (just ask an SAR person how many 'trash runs' they did last 'season'), and, well, the collective patience of people who DO know better. I am angered when these events takes place because: 1) they don't seem to work well enough as a Darwin-esque warning to those who might, and eventually do follow; 2) they seem to have a paradoxical effect upon the attraction of certain types to the activity, much the same way an amusement park ride crash nearly always results in longer lines at the same ride the next day; 3) and all of those patient, smart, hard working, and well-trained people who work for low, modest or no wages to teach the necessary skills and basic rules of self- and group-preservation, have their labors put in check by careless mistakes and self-absorbed inattention...not to mention the SAR professionals and volunteers who must often risk their own lives and well-being in an attempt to locate, rescue, or recover these folks. And, last but not least, all of those aforementioned friends, family, etc. are left behind to worry, grieve, and grasp for some form of resolution and redemption. The Yellowstone EMT T-shirt I mentioned is meant to be a joke. But I wear it knowing that the stupidities it implores find fresh logic in the actions of another self-made victim, each day of the week, every week of the year. -Will Jennings *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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