Close calls with death

[xelasnave]

After thinking about my blow out in the car which lead me to think of the many close calls with death and also the spat earlier today I thought how short life really is.

And yet we seem to get involved in the odd spat I an more guilty of provocation than most ..what with my claims that NASA have dark matter all wrong and that sort of thing.

But in the interests of geting our minds off the unpleasentness of our day let creep in ...lets think and post our close calls with death.

Does anyone have something they will share... a change of plan that saved your life ...a near miss..that sort of thing.

Maybe by thinking about these sorts of iccidences we can all appreciate life just a little more than we sometimes do.

alex

[ballaratdragons]

Geez Alex, which one?

I've been at deaths door so many times!!!

Severe Motorcycle accidents, gun at my head for 5 hours straight, bashed senseless and left to die, death threats in jail, Outlaw motorcyle club war, car accident . . .

It has certainly been eventful :lol:

[casstony]

I think Ken's stolen the show, but my close calls have been numerous, involving cars, motorbikes, hang gliders, alcohol(idiocy), disease, near drowning and others I can't remember. I'm under the impression this is all pretty normal though. What really worries me is how to steer the kids clear of such things.

[ballaratdragons]

Nope, I didn't steal any show, your post proves that. :lol:

Actually people who cross city roads face death every day :eyepop: (I hate trying to cross roads in cities)

[Omaroo]

Jeez Ken - we all had something to add, but after your lot what's the point? ;)

:ship1:


I was taken by aliens and forced to watch I love Lucy re-runs. I was only a boy.

























(no-one ever believes me though.... :( )

[erick]

Rough bunch up at Snake Valley Astronomical Association! :scared:

[xelasnave]

Ok lets start again..the most memorable incident.

I will start.
I had a hot dog once and it was off..

Now seing I started the thread may I suggest some guiide lines.
One incident at a time... so maybe if one mentions a near miss on a bike then someone else call recall these... or something entirely different.

So who has had crook food, or something that springs to mind as a result.

If you dont play along I will share my ideas on gravity

alex

[Campus Dweller]

Can't remember ever having a close brush with death. Obviously I haven't lived.
Perhaps a close encounter of the fatal kind will make my life complete - hopefully without actaully ending it.:rolleyes:

[mcross]

Had a close call weekend before last...
Driving my brother and mum home (after a night of star gazing actually!) when another driver came flying through a stop sign into the intersection in front of us... Had just enough time to brake and swerve before impact. We hit and did a near 360 degree spin! Car written off. We all walked away from it with a few aches and bruises! Feeling quite lucky to be still on the planet. Yes, it does make you think - life really does hang by a thread! .. but the good thing is that we are all human and the occasional spat (myself included!) is all part of the rich smorgasboard of life!!
Cheers,
Mark

[erick]

Interesting you should mention it. Two Mondays ago, I reckon I was going to die - a violent stomach upset - you don't want to know the details. And then the following Friday, almost again, but I fought it off. Lost 3 kg in the week. Still don't know what it was - something I ate or drank or a bug?

However, I wonder about all the close calls that I have unknowingly avoided - eg. all those 240 Volt exposed connections I nearly touched as a kid when I fiddled with electricity over many years. Now have safety switches on everything in the house and garage - light and power! And I "fiddle" a lot more safely than before!


Noooooooooo!:scared:

[ballaratdragons]

RESPONSE


:lol: and all that was just at the last meeting trying to vote for who has to put the rubbish bin out! :rofl:

[anthony2302749]

I suppose being shot at the age of 12 with a 22, having the bullet, a hollow point, passing through the large and small intestines just missing the kiddney by a fraction of an inch and the left hip bone by twice that distants. Taking a three hour ambulance trip from Mouya on the south coast to Canberra, six hours on the operating table and a lenght stay in hospital would be a close call with death.

[xelasnave]

mmm ok I think we can take that one....but only because you were 12 at the time.
Nasty experience.

That was close... how did that happen if you are prepared to confide.

alex

[Ric]

I've just put a post-it note on my computer monitor which reads "Don't pick on Kens Toucam"

I had quite a few motorcycle related brush's both on and off the track that make you sit back and think "what if". But I'll keep riding as it's one of my great loves, after my darling wife Kee of course.

I also think riding on the race track is way way safer than the road.

Cheers :D

[h0ughy]

mmmm let me see, I wonder if buying my first SCT telescope the day of my daughters birth and then her mother telling my wife about it....... no not that one


Umm , well when I was 20 I wrote off my second car I owned, and managed to get out of it after it rolled twice to see that the other vehicle who hit me at speed was worse off. All I can say is lucky I didnt have any passengers

[xelasnave]

Gee I thought I was a bad man... I hope your excuse was one arrived early or late???

alex

[xelasnave]

Aint that the truth ... had some big ones on the track and never broke my body... lost some bark but was always on the line the following week.

alex

[Ric]

My theory is that everyone is going the same way and they know what they are doing. On the road there are just to many drivers that shouldn't be there.

Cheers

[xelasnave]

Again very true... the few times I rode on the rode, and that was after my race days were past, I was nearly cleaned up a few times..never my fault always someone doing something very silly.

I gave it away after a few scares.

alex

[noelo]

Not really a close call but definately proof that someone was looking out for me....

My wife and myself got engaged on a beach in Malaysia a couple of years ago. The same day and roughly the same time that a certain tsunami was making a mess of other parts of south Asia.
The close call was that we had booked flights to Phuket in Thailand for the same period but something came up at work and we had to cancel. The work thing passed and we booked again this time Phuket was full so Malaysia it was....

We went celebrating getting engaged (a beer or two), missing all the calls from relatives and friends trying to figure out if we had been hit.
Only for grace of God we would have been on the beaches of Phuket on that morning.:eyepop:

[leon]

If I may add my near death experience, which happened when i was 13.

My dad asked me to get him some tobacco, now i could have gone to the corner shop which was 100 yards away, but seeing my brothers and me were doing our turn of the evening dishes, i decided to take the bike and go to the furtherest shop, so when i came back the dishes would be done. ;)

Well i didn't come home for 13 months, while riding home a drunk in a car flatten me, tore the leg off below the knee, serious head injuries, plus many cuts and bruises.

The bones in the leg became infected and i spent 13 months in hospital, then two years in plaster and then had to learn how to walk again.

So i you ever meet me and see me limping along you now know why.

I did make a full recovery but now at my age, some of the leg joints don't do as they should, and the strange thing about it i suffer more in summer, the winter cold has no effect on the joints at all :shrug:

My wife tells me lovingly of coarse, that she always thought me strange, and it is probably that I'm a (Dutch, Clog Wog), ment in the nicest way.

Leon :thumbsup:

[dugnsuz]

Geez, I'll have to get you lot to pick my lotto numbers for me...what a lucky bunch of so and so's!! (lucky escapees that is!)

My close call came when rock climbing as a kid on Arthur's Seat (no smart comments please - it's a volcano in the heart of Edinburgh!!)
The rock face below my feet crumbled away as I pushed off. I just managed to cling to grass for a second or two before grabbing on to a more substantial piece of rock and hoping it remained in place!!! Looked down to see a car-sized piece of rock 40 feet below me.

Stay lucky IIS-ers:P
Doug:thumbsup:

[KenGee]

I bit my lip once so bad I bled:eyepop:

[Glenhuon]

I've only had one that sticks in my mind, and it seems like yesterday but was over 30 years ago. I was riding a 350 Norton from work in the the city to home, speed about 80 MPH as I approached a T junction. A black Rover 90 pulled out from the side road, closely followed by a panel truck. Aluminium body, I can see it now. The car driver saw me coming, panicked and stalled the car. The truck driver didn't and kept coming out. The whole world just slowed down and I had time to consider, brake or accelerate. I chose the latter, as the other way told me "you are going through the side of the truck".
I passed between them with about 2" each side of the handlebars. I can still remember the car drivers eyes, like bloody saucers. I went through a set of bends up the road at around 85mph, pulled up at a roundabout on the other side and tried to light a cigarette, couldn't, I was shaking so badly.
BTW, Doug might know the spot, Melville Castle Hotel entrance on the way to Eskbank.

[KenGee]

I've had a few, the one that still sends shivers down my spine is one is which I did get hurt in the end. I was working with a overhead crance I had just dropped a load off and the crane driver was lifting the hooks and tackel away. Anyway I was holding the hooks clear of the load so that they didn't catch on anything when I got distracted. I dropped one of the hooks as I went to pick it up but it got caught on the load we just dropped off. I stepped back and went to signal the crane to stop, just as I did the load was lifted by the hook, it slipped off and knocked my hardhat off. The marks on the brim showed it must have missed my head by mm's.

[jjjnettie]

Brushes with death.
I've had some scarey ones and some very very scarey ones.

The impersonal ones, such as food poisoning or car incidents/accidents are easy enough to get over and either learn from, if they are your fault, or thank your lucky stars, if it wasn't your fault.
Still not pleasant experiences though.

But I think it's the brushes with death, aimed at you personally, that will effect you for the rest of your life. I'm sure Ken would know what I mean.
It changes you, you now live in "The Real World". Once you're in "The Real World" you find it hard to relate to people who haven't had similar experiences.

But I'd like to think that each of these experiences has made me grow as a person. I won't ever take life for granted and I'll make each day count.

[fringe_dweller]

i nearly choked on a sweet once - oh and i stubbed my toe real bad another time

ken - you think thats bad, i once had a hairdryer held to my head so there :) i was at the hairdressers tho

[Glenhuon]

Yep, your right JJJ. I think that was when I realised (I was about 21) that I was not indistructable.

[iceman]

lol a mix of good humour and incredible stories!

I'm fortunate enough to say I've been pretty lucky so far. Tony is right though - how do we protect our kids from it?

[Glenhuon]

Tell them the stories, you might think it doesn't sink in at the time, but they do remember.

[dugnsuz]

That smoking will kill you Glenhuon!!!!;)

Yes, I know that area well - wife's family stayed in Rosewell and Dalkeith, used to pass that way often. Had to pick her and her mum up from the Justinlees hotel a few times.
Cheers
Doug:thumbsup:

[Glenhuon]

Know the Just well, dad and I used to stop there on our way back from a fishing trip to the borders. I was born in Newtongrange and brought up in Gorebridge :) My sisters live in Dalkeith.

[dugnsuz]

This could turn into a "d'ye ken the McMillans, d'ye ken the..." type of affair Glen!!!:lol:
Small world:P
Doug

[Glenhuon]

Aye, it is too
BTW my first girlfriends name was McMillan :lol:

[dugnsuz]

wasn't Christine was it?

[bloodhound31]

Lucky you're not a poisonous snake then huh?.........

Baz.:D

[Glenhuon]

Nope, Margaret

[erick]

And teach them as well as you can. Lesson #1 to my children when teaching them to drive was - "Everyone else on the road is out to kill you!" That seems to have been successful as they keep well aware of what is happening around them. A few months ago eldest reported coming up to stationary traffic on the freeway and glancing in his rear vision as he slowed down, seeing a truck obviously not braking. He was able to plant his foot and take off in the emergency lane avoiding being severely rear-ended. Came home quite shaken but thanking me for hammering home the point during driving lessons.

[taminga16]

It is interesting to note that many of these experiences have come about in the pursuit of reckless endeavour, it brings to mind a quote credited to Winston Churchill,

"There is nothing quite as exhillarating as being shot at and missed."

Greg.

[JohnG]

I didn't find it that exhillarating when a heavy calibre round went through the front screen of the Mini Cooper S I was in, passed between me and the driver and went out through the rear screen. Pure luck it went through the space between our heads. :P, we both got a face full of glass.

One of the many near misses :lol:

Cheers

[Ric]

I'll say one thing guys after reading of your scrapes and near misses, there is no way we can be called astronomy geeks.

I glad to see though that everyone has made it through relatively unscathed.

Cheers

[xelasnave]

I have had a few because I have been around for a while...a few car accident close calls, miscalculating when cutting down trees ... but I remembered the main one just now when I came back to look at the new posts.... I was going to tell you about a tree incidenct...and some of you would have heard me mention it... but Christmas eve a couple of years ago I was covering a car with blanket in a hail storm..came inside dripping wet and the phone rang... I only had shorts on wiped my ear and held the phone away from my head because my hair was still wet...silly I know but I should not have answered it and a short time after..bang.. I remember the noise it sounded as if a truck had dropped on the iron roof.....lightning..I dont know how long I was out for but found myself on the floor some distance from the phone when I came to...I was dry so in may have been a while...I had no burns and no internal organs were fried in retrospect...as I believe can happen... no physical damage even from the fall.. I think about it often and wonder why I survived and can only think it may have been the fact that I was wet such that the current was able to pass more around me than thru me... it was a cement floor ...the phone wires were not burnt as they will I believe... I read about folks geting hit a lot after that.

My life changed after that... over the next week a could not stop writing.. I used up every pen..every pad and every bit of paper and in the end was writing on the floor with charcoal... and read you have no idea everything over and over... I was to meet my wife on the coast for a weeks holiday with some others..she had left before me but I could not leave the house for over a week...I could not leave the bedroom for hours after... I sat on the bed in a state of shock...no pun intended.....with four black dogs all of us trembling ... in the months after I would get 15 books from the library and chew thru them in no time and read them over and over .

I now read so much on the net now but for some reason I like reading encyclopeades ..old ones from garage sales... before it I was not a reader.. I had to do too much when I was doing Law and then I did not like it at all...

The writing still seems obsessional as many probably have guessed.
And somehow the near death experience just changed me...I thing I understand when others say..when it is directed at you ...cause I felt that way.. I felt death was after me and really tried to get me this time....it was different to other things I have had happen ..it all has just come back to me now.

Sorry to ramble on but it got me thinking again about it... I feel I was very lucky even though my character may changed a little or so some around me say... but I will tell you it is very freaky for me when I am up home during a storm... I get to thinking its after me..silly but the fear makes me irrational I guess.

alex

[xelasnave]

Sorry I did not spell check it
alex

[tornado33]

A scary one for me was when I used to hang glide. One afternoon I launched off scenic lookout, Newcastle, only to find the wind had died off too much and there wasnt enough "lift" or rising air in front of the hill to "soar" that is to remain airborne indefinately, or even make it into the landing zone at Empire Park, a nearby sports oval. Rocks with waves breaking over them awaited, except for a little beach at the southern end of the cliff. But I was too high to glide into there so I had to do a tight 360 degree turn over the surf, mistiming that would see me get wet feet indeed. Thankfully I came out of the turn just at the right height and position and glided in to a nice landing on the tiny beach. Heart in the mouth stuff indeed.
Scott

[casstony]

I've been having difficulty picking just one story but tornado33's post has inspired me to choose a hang gliding incident. What would you naturally do if you're twenty-something, cruising 100 feet or so above the cliff and you spot some girls in bikinis standing at the edge of the cliff watching you? Show off of course. So I cranked the wing over, got in 2 or 3 tight 360's heading back towards the girls (and the cliff) - can I fit one more in, I thought to myself......yeah. Well, passing at high speed about 6 feet in front of the cliff might have been impressive had it not been for the look of terror on my face. Talking to the girls later they said they could see the whites of my eyes through my dark sun glasses.

Other memorable (not necessarily life threatening) incidents that come to mind are: flying under power lines, landing in the bull paddock, flying with wedgetails, being attacked and damaged by wedgetails, having a squadron of American jet fighters blast through a couple of hundred feet below me ......... you'd have to be bloody mad to fly hang gliders.

[xelasnave]

You fly boys shout out to death and dare it to get you every time your feet leave the ground.. the idea is so appealing but the reality so scary.
alex

[casstony]

Some scary times and some serene times; circling in smooth lift with a curious wedgetail at my wing tip mimicking my flight - he's looking at me, I'm looking at him - quite surreal.

My philosophy is the older you get the more risks you can afford to take, since there is less of your life to lose.

[Dujon]

Wrong, casstony. The older you get the more precious the remaining minutes become.

I would like to see my granddaughter grow up - perhaps even see her go to university and attend her graduation ceremony.

As far as acceptance of one's mortality goes I suppose that I am not much different to others (although I don't and have not ridden motor bikes). Fortunately I have survived. Motor car accidents, particularly in my rev-head youth; the odd medical problem plus being married for 37 years have all added to the rich fabric of one man's existence.

I am looking forward to my next 63 years of life - risks and all.

[casstony]

Perhaps we could meet half-way Dujon. While I empathise with wanting to see the grandkids grow up, I see too many people being struck down with disease in late middle-age, or living to 90 but with a dysfunctional body or mind. I see a window of opportunity in the 60's or early 70's to get out and do stuff before quality of life declines: hot air ballooning over the Namib desert, astronomy on the Tibetan plateau, boating around the Mediterranean following the footsteps of the Phoenicians; pick something that's not too dangerous and take the kids along.

[xelasnave]

Yes I cab imagine ..I love Eagles but you can not get near them on the ground up home...I am always after a photo but even with a 300mm lens can not get close...they must see a big eye looking at the and think they are my prey...

Have you ever thought what they may be thinking when they are with you up there... a mate or a meal I wonder.

I am the opposite in my philosophy I admit. Once a big risk taker ...absolutely bullet proof now a mere mortal I dont want to die and finally realise that I will die...its not me that I worry about but how will the world manage if I am not here:shrug:.

Great to hear of your experience I must say for a moment you took me there..thanks for giving me the experience.

best wishes enjoy and cherish your life

alex:):):)

[xelasnave]

My goal is to be on the patio of the old folks home being fed mush and having a nurse wipe my chin... most think such is crazy but I feel one will still have a consciousness of life..internaly I feel more lucid as each year passes so I figure I will have my thoughts.

And death is experience in itself ...I dont want to go in a moment but to linger..die of thirst in a life boat over weeks ..they say you only live once well you only die once... so drag it out I say..give me time to think about what I am about to leave, give me time to review my understanding of all I know..give me time to assign a meaning to existence...give me time to prepare a speech when my ancestors welcome me.

alex

[casstony]

Based on their behaviour I suspect they think you're another eagle. At different times they will fly with you, pursue you until you're out of their nesting area or (a friend's experience) attempt to play with you, diving below then rising up and presenting their talons to the pilot (an unsettling experience).

A friend and I managed to outwit a pair of wedgetails for about 15 minutes once. I was in their nesting area which they defend ferociously. They took turns attacking me from above - I couldn't see them but thay'd give themselves away by screeching for the last several seconds of their attack dive. At that point I'd pull on speed then pitch the wing up presenting the eagle with a wall of sail - the bird was forced to flare to avoid crashing into the sail and would literally tumble over the leading edge of the glider. Then it was a race to regain height, for me to have maneuvering space and the eagle to position for another diving attack. They took turns working on the two gliders but eventually I got hit - hell of a crashing sound it was too. I headed down to land leaving my friend alone with the eagles - he didn't last long. My sail got a couple of inch long tears but it was a wonderful experience - just brought me that much closer to the birds.

[ving]

hmm... i bought a heq5 and a camera lens without telling cheryl! :eek:
man did i get a talking to! :D

been a mountain biker most of my adult life and while i havent endangered my life i have had broken bones and ripped cartilidge in my knee, etc... thats about it. I also used to chase snakes around catching them and almost got bitten by a black snake once, but they arent that dangerous i guess. none of the brown snakes i have caught have come close to biting me.

[casstony]

I can understand wanting to explore such an experience in it's entirety, but I think death is overrated. Integrative complexity is good to a certain point. Perhaps you and I can compare deaths once it's all over Alex and reflect on which is the better way to go :)

[casstony]

Iceinspace would be a duller place :)

[xelasnave]

Tony thanks for the detailed account of the eagles... I tell my daughter about the people I meet on the net and their experiences and I know that this will be the best one for her... we have good imaginations hearing about things is like actually doing it.. I saw all you described so vividly.
Thank you
alex

[xelasnave]

Your are young and probably dont realise how close you have come... bike accidents can kill you.. brown snakes can kill you... A ticked off wife can kill you...and the effort of mountain bikes may have caused the odd heart attack I suspect...
When you are bullet proof you dont think really about it as much I guess.
alex

[ving]

not that young alex, im 40 in a few months :) most of my accidents happened in my late 20's and early 30's tho :)

ticked off wife is scarey tho! :eek:

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

What a very interesting thread this is too.

I was a keen scuba diver once, and ran out of air at 120 ft. No air, no breath left either....that was a long swim. Good training got me out of that one.

I remember the time my brakes faded out completely coming down Black Mountain too. Sheer luck got me out of that one.

Glad to be here.

Cheers

[taminga16]

Sorry Alex, given the choice I would like to go quickly,

BETTER TO BE SHOT OUT OF A CANNON THAN SQUEEZED FROM A TUBE.

Regards,

Greg.

And death is experience in itself ...I dont want to go in a moment but to linger..die of thirst in a life boat over weeks ..they say you only live once well you only die once... so drag it out I say..give me time to think about what I am about to leave, give me time to review my understanding of all I know..give me time to assign a meaning to existence...give me time to prepare a speech when my ancestors welcome me.

alex[/QUOTE]

[taminga16]

We should never regret growing old, after all it is a privilege denied to many.

Greg.

[casstony]

Growing old is acceptable to me, provided my health is ok. I wish to depart before dementia sets in or before my body is too crippled. Voluntary euthanasia should be available to people over a certain age who have given legal consent when their mind is still sound.

[taminga16]

Tony, I could not agree more, and realised that the quote could have been read out of context as soon as I touched the submit key. To retain the ability to live out our lives to the fullest is something that I think of often and voluntary euthanasia would allow that. If the economists get a handle on it we may even see it in our time.

Regards,

Greg.
P.S. When I can no longer ride motorcycles I am going to purchase an open topped sportscar.

P.P.S. I went flying in a friends powered trike a few weeks ago and have some appreciation of your sport, wonderful.

[Glenhuon]

Bones : You look busy
Spock : Uhura is busy, I am monitoring.
Bones : Perhaps we could discuss some of the philosophical disciplines. Life, Death, Life that kind of thing.
Spock: While on Vulcan I did not have time to study the philosophical disciplines. In any case, it would require a common frame of reference.
Bones : You mean I have to Die !
Spock: Excuse me doctor, but I am receiving a number of distress calls.
Bones : I don't doubt it :rolleyes:

:)

[jjjnettie]

If my cancer ever came back, there's no way I'd want a long painful drawn out death, I'd like to have a final friend (tablet/ injection) that would let me go with dignity and no pain.
Euthanasia should be every persons right.

Timothy Leary, what a weird dude, when he knew that death was due within hours, dropped some acid and went out tripping. It doesn't appeal to me, but to each their own.

[sheeny]

There's no doubt about it, life is precious!

There are two ways to squander it that I see. One is to throw it away early on recklessness, and the other is to try to avoid risk and not really enjoy and live your life in an effort to make it longer. Both, to me, are equally as sad.

So while I enjoy some risk taking, it's a matter of taking calculated risks not stupid ones.:D

Like most people I've had my share of scrapes and close calls, but for near death... let's see...

I've nearly drowned twice (once pushed underwater in a childhood fight while swimming without any breath in my lungs, the other time skylarking while swimming in a deep hole - I had to crawl out of the hole and put my head on the ground with my bum up in the air to get the water out of my windpipe... I seem to remember it being hilarious to everyone but me!)

When I was little (3 or 4) I remember ending up in the middle of a busy Sydney street with traffic going past on both sides of me... I don't remember how that came about apart from being separated from mum.

I've had a few close calls riding motorbikes, but in every instance it has been instinct developed from years of experience rather than conscious thought that has saved the day. (Things like powering on, on a blind left hand corner in order to sit the rear end of the bike down more to take a tighter line to get past an oncoming truck on my side of the road - which inevitably pushed me wider after the truck - but by then that's OK! Brakes would've pushed me wider into the front of the truck...)

For all the adventures I've had, so far I haven't had a bad strike rate! I'm still here!:D

Al.

PS. I think it was Confucius who said something like: It is better to live one year as a tiger than 50 years as a lamb (roughly to that effect!;) ).

[avandonk]

I have had my share of close moments as you all have had. Flying sans motorbike over four cars, stepping from behind a tram and nearly getting run over by another tram coming the other way. A few more that we don't mention for fear of self incrimination.

We all have to learn by experience. Keeping your children in cotton wool does not work. We were all someones children once!

All you can do is have or teach rational survival skills. If this means putting yourself or your children at a slight risk to advance any skills so in the future you can dodge or minimise any real danger, you are far better off.

Bert

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

It is, so true, and now I'm 60 I have seen many tragic and seemingly unfair deaths. Didn't Woody Allen say:

"It's not that I'm afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens"

He also had a few quotes for us generally:

"I'm astounded by people who want to 'know' the universe when it's hard enough to find your way around Chinatown. "

"Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought-- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things."

Cheers

[tornado33]

Good on u mate, a fellow flyer. Some memorable ones for me . One was when low cloud came in, its base lowering till just above the hill, visibility falling till the ground was visible only through a small circle below me. I thought it a wise idia to head down to the park and land when I saw one of the other gliders dissapear into the gloom, knowing when he reached thge end of the ridge he'd be turning and coming back head on. I didnt want to find out what a mid-air was like.

Another one was watching a nasty rain squall slowly get closer, then see from the air the streamer at the take off suddenly swing 90 degrees when the gust front hit, I turned tail and headed for Dixon Park, where I launched from, by the time I got there the wind had swung 45 degrees, but I landed okay, 5 mins later wind was blowing over the back, a near 180 degree swing.

An astronomy related one was many years ago when there was a viewing site at "Black hill", NW of Newcastle. On my way there with my 22 year old 10 inch scope in the car I thought I saw some white objects above the road. I was past them in seconds, realizing it was the eyes of a pair of jet black cows standing on the road. had I hit them ........ too scary to think about.
Scott

[avandonk]

Woody Allen was attempting to communicate with a group of very thick people. Most of the drivel he espoused was almost self evident even to them.

On hang gliders, when your flying envelope is less than local conditions you are in deep deep trouble. A bit like traction and grip on a motorbike.

Bert

[GeoffW1]

Sooo.......you're not a fan of Woody Allen's? Or his audience? Are we on the alien beam here? :lol:

Cheers

[xelasnave]

How very interesting all your views.

Thank you for sharing.

Timothy was always into the lsd that was his trip...he had wonderful vissions for where we could go and has taken the first step.

I sat with my mother dieing of cancer and they doped her up on Morphine

I was sad to see her go so confused as she was never into drugs..

In retrospect I wished I had taken control and stopped them pumping her with dope... she was confused and fought it.. I will never forget the way she looked at me for help to bring her back to reality.

She would have preferred the pain to the confussion and lose of control of her mind... I could see she was scared..becuase it was lose of control.

I could manage the doped out trip because I am able to control a drunken stupor but for her it was cruel I wish I was the man I am now for I would have forbid it..she could handle pain but she could not handle the loss of control...it was so sad in retrospect..and when I left the room only for a moment she dies..I knew they gave her a final shot ...out of pity so I let it go, they thought they did the right thing I could not hold it against them but it was murder and it was wrong for they made a judgement that was wrong for the person with whom they dealt.

I live with bad pain ..it is as part of me as is my face , my hair, my thoughts..it is no big deal finally you manage it..nothing absolutely nothing when you understand it is part of life..its like an itch really and you just have to over come it...

I relax and it is just something that is there but I am over here... I wont say more I have said too much.. but pain or infirmity is no reason to give up...to give up is easy, to go on is a little hard but we have the gift of life and that gift has good and bad attached to it ..

I accept the gift and all the good it gives me and manage the things that makes others want to quit. So many people think I am superman because I dont share what I share with you now... they need not know.

Pain is nothing ..you simply move away from it..you understand it is in your mind..you understand it is the way your body works.. Pain it the price of being...

I worry about the prospect of sanctioned suicide ...I hope it never is law that one can choose that way out and the system sets itself up that way...for how easy is it for someone who is old and a burden to wish to relieve others of that burden...

Anyone who says to me ...yes but you don't know what pain is..well I disagree I know what pain is ...its a myth..its an excuse not to take everything that life gives you. I have fainted from pain as it over powered me but I got up refreshed and moved on.

I am happy and although it shows sometimes that I am irritated it really is not the pain it is more the annoyance that others give in and want to accept life must be easy.

I think of my ancestors...I don't know them but I know what they did to get me here..I see a great great great grand mother perhaps savaged by a beast dieing but finally dragging herself to a new camp ..where she was beaten, ravaged, mistreated and yet she hang on and gave birth to my other grand mother..thousands of years ago ...to give me all I have today...my pain is nothing to what so many of my ancestors would have endured to sustain existence I feel..so I will never complain or grumble that life is not wonderful.

Day to day I complain about the stupidity, the pettiness, the evil and all those things but within I thank my ancestors for getting me here.

My mother, my grand mother, my great great grand mothers I owe them and to bear what ever and be grateful that I am here and alive.

Life is so so precious, we live in a world that creates an impression that is not in keeping with survival and managing hardship...shallow and meaningless.

Don't wish it away, don't fear the pain don't fear being less than you once expected strive for you and all your mothers.

Sorry but we have developed a society that wants beauty and perfection and that is nice but without the balance of the reality of what it took our ancestors to get us here it is shallow.

It is wonderful to hear you all speak your ideas but please think of what those that went before you suffered to get you here.. don't disappoint them with weakness when they have suffered so much more.

I hate the choices that humans make for convenience ....abortion and suicide it shows no respect for those who went before us.

We are developed where efficiency sees most not really producing food and shelter ..real things I mean... we have sports stars, thinkers, lawyers all sorts of folk who really do not produce zip yet in this world we can contemplate convenience to rid ourselves of those that are a small burden.

I said to my father and I mean it ..If the day comes where you can not wipe your bum I will be there happy to do it for you, happy to wait on you for anything you need there is nothing I will not so for you... I never want him to think he needs to get out of the way because he is a burden... my joy would be to be there for him.

So I share my thoughts with you all... sorry that I can be so open but I am me and I have no complaint with that.

alex

[casstony]

That's pretty funny Scott. Just imagine what the cows were thinking. Good to see you got the word 'astronomy' in there too - someone's got to keep the thread on-topic. :thumbsup: I also had a run in with some black cows but unfortunately I didn't miss them - smashed the windscreen, launched the cow over the top of the car. I checked your profile - I'm also 43 and recently unemployed (freaky). Are apples your favorite food? :)

[astro_nutt]

I've been shot at..(drunken yahoo's shooting at fish and anything on the banks of the Murry river)...electrcouted via a faulty electric drill..near drowning...plus numerious times being cut off riding motorbikes over 20 something years..(which I had give up on account of an inner ear problem which cancels my balance without warning!!)..and the last one nearly choking on some bok-choy!!..so now I do spend extra time with friends over dinner..I will stop and watch the Sun set when I can..take a trip up to the hills to relax...dance with my work colleagues just for fun..and remember the special times in life..
Good food..good company and good memories!
Cheers!!

[h0ughy]

Ohhh boy aint that the truth:help:;):D

[tornado33]

I actually DO eat an apple a day lol.
Actually I get a few hours/week in a cleaning job now, I must change my profile, id forgotten about it lol.
Last year, I ambitously applied for (didnt get) a telescope operator job at the AAT, now wouldnt that have been the ultimate job lol

[ngcles]

Hi All,

My "most interesting" brush with death came just over 10 years ago in my "former life" -- I was in the NSW Police for 22 years until 2004.

11pm, Easter Sunday 1997 I was sitting in my home watching T.V when there were was the unmistakable sound of several gun-shots from outside. As I then lived over the Rd from a 24hr/7day petrol station, it was the immediate suspect.

I raced outside and then a little more cautiously to my front yard. There I could see the attendant (who I knew on a first-name basis -- he knew I what I did for a living) holding a revolver pointing it across the shop. I could see he was on the phone.

I crept across the road (armed to the teeth with a tee-shirt and a pair of shorts) and onto the apron of the station -- luckily there were no cars there and I could see inside the shop. There were two Arabic looking guys lying/sitting propped up against the ice-cream freezer just inside the glass doors. The attendant (also Arabic) was conducting a heated "frank and free exchange of views" with them -- mostly in Arabic.

Hiding partly behind a petrol bowser, I waved and tried to get his attention. Finally he noticed me and he waved me over to the shop. I got to the glass doors, the Arabic guys had both been shot, one was bleeding profusely and already had the death-rattles, the other was still arguing the toss with the attendant partly in Arabic, partly in English and asking repeatedly "But why the f**k did you have to shoot me?".

There was a pistol (actually it turned out to be a convincing non-functioning replica) and a butterfly knife on the floor beside them. The attendant still had the revolver trained on them. After I finally got the argumentative one (he was shot in the thigh) to shut-up and roll on one side and the attendant to lower the gun I started to crouch-creep into the shop to kick away the weapons.

I was exactly between the attendant and them when the argument started again and suddenly the "crook" stirred. The attendant, out of instinct and excitement started screaming at him and raised the weapon. The last thing I saw as I was diving was the hammer going back. Somehow (don't ask me how), he failed to let that shot go. There was one more bullet in the gun. I finally flicked the knife and replica gun away with my hands and just then the cavalry arrived.
I was more than a little surprised that I hadn't defecated myself.

I administered basic first-aid to the one who was real bad (shot twice in the kidneys and liver -- surprisingly he lived as it turned out) and then about 10 minutes later when I was outside and shaking like a leaf, a car drove in and a girl hopped out and started shouting "What happened? Is that my boyfriend, oh my God they shot my boyfriend, oh my God why did you have to shoot him ..." and being closest to her I grabbed her and with the assistance of another threw her in the back of a paddy-wagon.

Yep, it was all on video.

The earlier video of the hold-up gone wrong revealed that these guys just ran into the shop full-tilt, hurdled the counter and stabbed the attendant in the forearm (huge gaping wound) all in one action without even getting to the point of asking for money. However, the attendant pushed one back who fell onto the other and then reached down and grabbed his 5-shot .38 cal Smith & Wesson and tracked 'em around the shop until he had two slugs in one and one in the other. 3 out of 4 shots on target ain't bad in the circumstances.

The wobbers got 2 1/2 years each. The girlfriend got a good behaviour bond for being an accessory before the fact (she drove them to the station).

I was recommended for a bravery award. It was declined. I got a 4-line letter congratulating me on "good police-work"

Was it attitude changing for me? Just a little -- in more than one way.

Les D

[ballaratdragons]

All my life (well as far back as I can remember) I always told people that when I go, I'd rather it was by saving someone else, not just some wierd accident or illness.

I still believe that.

[xelasnave]

That is a wonderful thing Ken:thumbsup:...

I need a new heart so......

I could not imagine you would stand back when a hero is called for mate:thumbsup:... but on second thoughts keep your heart it is probably too big for me..

alex:):):)

[xelasnave]

Lesd that was some account thanks very much for that one... lucky they did not have a mate in a car keeping a lookout to take you out from behind..wow.. thanks for sharing such a frightening experience.

You were lucky to get anything out of the force .. a copper mate of mine chased a bandit when off duty in a patrol car chipped some paint and they near charged him with neg driving... he got the shotgun off him and the cash... I thought that was so strange..noted his record unfavourably he found out years later when he got a secret peek at his personell file.

He went crazy poor devil.

Thanks for taking the time to provide such an exciting account.

alex



alex

[Dujon]

Would that be allowing for an empty chamber, Les? I might well be wrong (I haven't gone a'googling) but I'm sure that we used to have the .38 S&W as our normal armament when I was a bank teller many years ago and I think that they were the proverbial six-shooter (revolver) but that we always kept the 'active' chamber empty in case of accidents.

I found them to be pretty accurate, but only if you cocked the damn things before activation.

We also had those pathetic semi automatic .22s. I didn't get a chance to work with them that often, but I reckon a barn door would have been a challenge.

[xelasnave]

I thought of another real close call.
I was in Tenterfield playing music with friends.
I did not feel well with an ache in my body.
I finally said I am going home and went to the car.
My mate Tui (see my signature line) followed me to the car.

whats wrong mate... I told him ..he insisted I go to the hospital ..he had a way about him and I finally agreed and he took me to the hospital.

They said I was having a heart attack...and later tests confirmed that.

I think I may have died on the road home its a lonely road at 2am... I always think he saved my life.

alex

[ngcles]

Hi Dujon & All,

Re the .38cal S&W's, there were two standard models on issue (to police at least) generally up till about the mid-90s. I think the standard weapon was called a model 10 which was a 6 shot assuming all the chambers were full. It had the standard sized butt and standard length barrel. On single action (cocked with the hammer up) it wasn't too bad accuracy-wise but on double action somewhat harder to shoot accurately.

Back in the 80s, in certain circumstances you could apply for a 6-shot with an extended barrel that was about 20mm longer than the standard model 10 which gave much better accuracy. They didn't like giving these ones out because when holstered on your belt, it used to dig big gouges out of the upholstery in the cars -- True!! Water Police got the 6-shot as well but it was all stainless-steel.

Detectives generally and (back in the 80s female police) were given the model 36 -- a similar looking but somewhat smaller, lighter 5 shot (assuming the chambers were full) with a small butt and a barrel about 30mm shorter than the model 10. It was much easier to conceal wearing plain clothes but even harder again to aim with accuracy than the 6-shot. This was this gun the servo attendant had. A reasonable choice for self-defence at very close range, but in terms of accuracy etc not the weapon of choice by a looooong way.

Police are now armed with the Glock 9mm semi-autos in two different sizes. Light, reliable and they have a choice of small, medium and large magazines. It is slightly larger than the S&W but about the same weight and is exceptionally reliable like the S&W. The Glock is much, much easier to actually aim and shoot than the old S&W. I know my shooting went from bloody awful to nearly passable when I made the conversion. With the old S&W, if I wanted to score a hit, I was better off throwing it than shooting!

Having said that the S&Ws were much better (I'm told) than the old Webbley revolvers police had in the 60s and 70s. The revolving chamber on those was as likely as not to fall out on the ground the moment you drew it from the holster.

I'm no gun freak (never owned one) but the Glock is a brilliant piece of engineering.


Les Dalrymple
Contributing Editor
AS&T

[xelasnave]

Les I found that absolutely fascinating:thumbsup:.
I thought the Glock change over was un necessary up until now...
Thanks for taking the time to share all that.

alex:):):)

[Neil]

In reality we,re all just a heartbeat away from the end. Or ,is that the beginning? I suppose we,ll all find out one day. In the mean time why don,t we just look at what we have to enjoy, and leave the philosophy to the various clergy.

[xelasnave]

Yes indeed I agree that we should appreciate and enjoy life... but I must comment that the clergy do not have a monopoly on philosopy... Bertran Russell to name just one philosoher was not of the clergy...

I sence you are trying to move me from being morbid and I thank you ..that is very decent of you.

alex

[Neil]

Thanks isn,t necessary if that is the result?And you are correct the clergy does,nt have a monopoly on philosophy.We the people that take time to consider our thoughts and share them own shares in thought.

[GeoffW1]

Hi Les,

I don't mean to sound too maudlin and OT, but I'd just like to express a vote of thanks to you and all the men and women who have served in this most stressful job.

Nuff said there

Cheers

[xelasnave]

Never enough said about the stress of the job.. If you knew what my mate went thru it was amazing he did not lose it much earlier.

A hero by the strictest definition..saved lives and paid with everything that was dear to him.

I found out he is ok now after a family break up loss of everything and now lives a nice life similar to mine.
I salute these men and women and think they deserve ten times the money and ten times the recognition...

I grew up living in the residences attached to the court houses in various country towns and my best friend was usually the Sargent's son who lived in the residence at the next door police station... not easy for kids like us in those days.

alex:):):)

[JohnG]

Hi Alex

I can understand what your mate went through, I had 30 years in the NSW cops, 28 of them in Police Rescue. It cost me everything I had as well, personally, I don't talk too much about what I did in the job, I have seen the worst people can do and a couple of threads here have caused me some stress I don't need and brought up some suppressed memories. I was involved in everything from the Granville train disaster through the Newcastle earthquakes to Thredbo, aircraft crashes, should have been dead on a couple of occassions :shrug:.

Anyway, astronomy and being by myself doing astrophotography is my relaxation these days, it kept me going for a lot of years.

Cheers

[casstony]

I have a project for you and your daughter Alex. Given how they respond to hang gliders, you might be able to lure an eagle to you by making yourself look something like an eagle. You could use cardboard and other materials to make wings(attached to your arms) and a head piece with a beak. Your daughter could glue the feathers on. Dress up, invade the eagles territory and see if you get attacked. Even if it didn't work you'd have great video to show us here on IIS :).

[xelasnave]

Yes I really thank astronomy as looking up at what we can see I get this feeling of on the one hand of being important to be here but gain the perspective that I am nothing in all there is...my little set backs are nothing.

Sorry to open old wounds with this thread my intention was to let people realise how lucky they have been and indeed are to be alive.

I have been a little morbid lately but today is a new day.

Have a great day and even better nights.

best wishes
alex:):):)

[xelasnave]

I know you suggest this because you know I am crazy enough to do it.
I dont know how far their territory extends or if the ones I see are the same ones...

But that is right up our alley... I have mentioned before our animal games..she describes mythical animals to me in absolute detail and I am scolded if I forget one small detail... I am also "Mushmellow" the lead dog in her team... I have a better vision of myself as mushmellow than I have of my real face and body.

I dont know about a movie even I have some fear of folk laughing at me..who could tell...and I dont have a movie camera yet..looked at some yesterday actually used that as a reason to go out for a while... and in truth that is the only reason one may not be forthcoming. Sales people how I wish they could just tell me what their product does... I ask can I download straight to a computer and all I get is a stare so far...may go in to the city after I do the lawns.

They come down for road kills but I can never sneak up on them as I said...I keep meaning to build a hide and provide a kill but have not got around to that...like so many things really...but it is one of those on the top of the list.

I have a few photos but nothing like one could be proud of from a technical view point.

alex:):):)

[robagar]

I survived the Cairns tsunami (http://www.cairnsnewspapers.com.au/localnews/detail.asp?aid=505)

[casstony]

True, but a little bit of crazy is a good thing. I feel like I'm done with the dangerous crazy years of youth, now I'm in the silly crazy years afforded by children, next will be the adventurous crazy years (travel and cultural immersion with the kids before they run off).

But to really live on the wild side.........imagine your usually lovely wife is capable of spitting venom under certain circumstances; imagine you've recently suggested she buy less toys for the kids since materialism is no good for them anyway and there has been a reduction in family income...............then a pair of Denkmeier II powerswitch binoviewers turn up at the door. :whistle:

Regarding video camera shopping we haven't used our digital video camera since we purchased a Canon S3 IS compact SLR. It does everything; snapshots, video at decent resolution and 12X optical zoom.

[xelasnave]

Tony mine gave up on me when I bought a 12inch instead of a fridge... they can be unreasonable...

I was thinking to get a finepix..fugi 5500.. and a gig card..I really like them and it would seem to do all I want... what do you think about that approach?

alex

[casstony]

I'm not familiar with the finepix 5500 and don't know how it compares to the canon S3 IS, but I can tell you that we have 5 of these floating around between family and friends and all are happy with them. Two gig cards are about $25 from computer stores, it has short shutter lag, it's compact, video quality is good - no noticeable drawbacks in general use. There will be cameras that perform better in a given area, but it takes about forever to do the research to figure out which is best. This is a good place to search for Australian prices of any particular camera http://www.staticice.com.au/

[xelasnave]

Thank you very much for posting the link Tony...wow cards have dropped...great.


alex

[Dujon]

[Les] Way back up there ^

Thanks for the run-down.

We were using (well, supplied with) the S&W .38 when I joined the bank in '63. I think the conversion to the .22 semi-automatic occurred in about '66/'67. That didn't last long, we reverted to the S&W within a couple of years.

Like you I'm not one who would own a pistol/revolver and never have done so. If I did (and I have been toying with the idea of joining a club) it would be kept secure elsewhere. The only reason I have been pondering on such a membership is that, using the .38 on a range - we were required to undertake such activity every year or so - I apparently did reasonably well (five rounds in a group 2"). If memory serves me correctly the targets were set at 15 yards.

NOTE: How the heck can you 'keep up your skills' (what skills?) when you are allowed 5 rounds each year or two? Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Fortunately I didn't need to use mine in anger.