Keith, I blame "Jackass" for the trend toward thrill-seeking behaviors/activities. Kids are too impressionable to be given such visual impetus, IMO.
On Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 8:30 PM, Keith Johnson <[email protected]>wrote: > > > Following up on the story of the missing teen sailor, a blogger's take on > letting kids attempt dangerous goals... > > > > ************************** > > http://outofbounds.nbcsports.com/2010/06/post-582.html.php > What's with kids and all these death-defying stunts? > Thu Jun 10,2010 12:00 PM ET By Rick > Chandler<http://outofbounds.nbcsports.com/rick-chandler> > > It's the Year of Living Dangerously for kids, for sure. Every time I look > up it seems some youngster is attempting a death-defying feat of some sort, > with mom and dad's permission. In the past couple of weeks we've told you > about Jordan > Romero<http://outofbounds.nbcsports.com/2010/05/post-531.html.php>, > who at 13 became the youngest person ever to summit Mt. Everest. Then > there's 12-year-old Mexican bullfighter Michelito Lagravere, who has > already been gored > twice<http://outofbounds.nbcsports.com/2010/06/post-578.html.php>; > the latest on Sunday. > > Now, Abby Sunderland, who at 16 was attempting to become the youngest > sailor to circumnavigate the globe, may be lost at sea. Her crew has lost > contact with her, and two emergency beacons have been activated on her boat. > > Abby's mother, MaryAnne Sunderland, told ABC News that Abby manually > activated two beacons around 6 a.m. Pacific Time Thursday. > > Abby was in 20-25 foot waves at the time of last contact, with 35-knot > winds, said MaryAnne Sunderland, who is due to give birth at the end of the > month. She was shaken but focused on trying to get a rescue effort together. > > > The closest land to Abby's boat was Reunion Island, which is east of > Madagascar. The nearest ship was 400 miles away. Rescuers were trying to > contact the ship. > > I don't pretend to understand the mindset that these parents have to allow > their children to so blatantly court disaster. The common thread here seems > to be that the adults want their children to "live their dreams," but > besides the obvious danger involved, there's such a thing as peaking too > early. So you've sailed the globe solo, or just climbed Mr. Everest, all > before your high school prom. What do you do for an encore? > > "Today, my eight-year-old son will strap himself to a rocket, which is > pointed at the moon. I see no way this can and badly." Live your dream, > young man. And bring a warm coat. > > At least the Balloon Boy dad had enough sense to fake the whole thing; his > son rode out his adventure safely, in a box in the attic. And yet *he's*is > the parent who did jail time. > > And now this January post from the blog > Californality<http://www.californiality.com/2010/01/california-girl-sailing-world-alone.html>has > a real tinge of sadness: > > Living in the same community as Abby does, I first heard of her plan to > sail around the world a while back. My first reaction to her plan was > surprise and concern. She's such a young girl. I know that probably sounds > gender-biased, but sorry. The rest of the world is not sunny Southern > California. What about bandits, the cartel and pirates? > > I heard Abby saying that she knows God will totally protect her. She was > very serious and meant it. Her family shares her conviction. > > Abby was approximately 500 miles north of the Antarctic Islands when her > crew lost contact with her. She began the trip from Marina del Rey in > southern California on Feb. 19, with the latest leg completed this past > Tuesday (South Africa to North of the Kerguelen Islands -- 2,100 miles). She's > been blogging about the journey on her web > site<http://soloround.blogspot.com/2010/06/rough-few-days.html>, > with the latest entry put up this morning. > > Her older brother, Zac Sunderland, completed the trip in 2009. > > -- "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
