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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!hplabs!hp-pcd!kas
From: kas@hp-pcd.UUCP (kas)
Newsgroups: net.rec.skydive
Subject: Re: Skydive into the Rain Forest
Message-ID: <41800066@hpcvlo.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 17-Mar-86 16:43:00 EST
Article-I.D.: hpcvlo.41800066
Posted: Mon Mar 17 16:43:00 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 21-Mar-86 05:05:32 EST
References: <1420@poseidon.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard - Corvallis, OR
Lines: 45
Nf-ID: #R:poseidon:-142000:hpcvlo:41800066:000:2252
Nf-From: hpcvlo!kas    Mar 17 13:43:00 1986



>My thoughts exactly...additionally, they seemed pre-occupied with convincing
>the viewer that "there once was a river here, 3000' above the jungle floor",
>the only message they could provide...personally, I get the impression that
>a bunch of skydivers wanted to make a jump onto the mountain, decided that
>they could get PBS to fund it if they made it into something "scientifical",
>and once there they all chickened out of the jump to the forest below, so they
>called the cavalry (i.e. pistoleros in a helicopter) to come and rescue them.
>
>What a joke.
>
>-- 
>       Michael J. Hartsough
>	hartsoug@oberon.UUCP

     Whoa there, pardner...lighten up a little.
In the first place, you're right about one thing -- the skydivers WANTED to
jump onto the mountain, "because it was there."  There was no particular
reason why they HAD to jump.  In fact, an earlier expedition DID arrive by
helicopter about 10 years ago.  But the earlier group did not get down to 
the caves, which was one of the primary goals of this group.  These people
jumped onto the mountain for the same reason people keep climbing Mt. Everest
at PBS expense -- because they want to.  Besides, I'm not sure PBS funded this
little venture anyway.
My second point is that they did not "chicken out" of the jump to the jungle
below.  The government "forcefully" removed them, and even confiscated some of
their audio and video tapes in the process.  What you saw on the program was
not by any means all that was taken.  Something like nine hours of video tape
was shot (or maybe it was film, I don't know).  The group was removed with 
the helicopter literally at gunpoint (not shown or mentioned in the show).
See the article written by one of the expedition members in the March '86 issue
of "PARACHUTIST" for more details.
Lastly, feel free to read and respond to this net group as you see fit, but
keep your obvious prejudice against skydivers to yourself, OK?  We don't 
consider our chosen form of recreation and relaxation a joke, any more than 
you do yours.

             *
            / \
       |---/---\---|            Ken Scofield    C-9355
       |   Gone    |       
       |  Jumpin'  |     
       |-----------|
			{ucbvax!hplabs, harpo, ogcvax}!hp-pcd!kas