I wonder, how much money are they spending to find those Mt Hood

[WCGreen]

Extreme Mt. Climbers....

They knowingly went into a situation that was dangerous...

They were apparently of sound mind and body....

They obviously knew the risks...

So why is so much public money being expended on these guys...

Don't get me wrong...

I feel for the family and friends of these guys...

And don't bring up the guy who was lost in the woods a couple of weeks ago...

He wasn't out for a thrill...

He wasn't out to tempt fate...

He probably didn't even drink Mt. Dew...

He was trying to save his family...

I just feel that these guys made a choice and knew the risks going in...

Shouldn't they take some responsibility for the outcome of their actions...

[soothsayer]

1. some responsibility...like death?

[WCGreen]

2. They knew that going in....

People die climbing mountains...

Perhaps they should make Mt. Climbers purchase insurance to defray the cost of searrch and rescue...

[William769]

13. People have car crashes also.

Should I be ranting when I see a fire truck on the way to a auto accident? You know how much money that involves?

Smart people pick the battles they want to fight, dumb people well...

[WCGreen]

38. So I'm dumd....

I guess because I ask a ahrad question and back it up with a thought out position, I am "dumb"...

Curious....

[treestar]

56. Arguably people have to drive to get to places

It is a risk of ordinary life. Usually not thought of as recreation.

[piedmont]

66. No unnecessary activity allowed!!!

It is now verboten!

[TankLV]

75. Car crashes are accidents - these idiots went into this situation seeking a thrill...

Dead of winter - on a mountaintop - NOT smart.

A more apt comparison would be to feel sorry for some idiots playing chicken by racing towards each other doing 100 mph in their cars...

It's just like the STUPID TOURISTS that ignor all the signs on Oahu's North Shore that announces that the BEACH IS CLOSED TO SWIMMING because of the high surf. And yet these idiots STILL insist on going in. People who live in houses on the shore have to move into town during the winter to avoid hearing the crys of help and RISKING THEIR OWN LIVES to rescue these idiots because they know they can't sit idly by and do nothing!

THAT's the apt comparison - not somebody ACCIDENTALLY caught in a situation thru NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.

These idiots CAUSE their own circumstances - sought it out in fact!

That's just plain STUPIDITY.

Same as risking jumping off bridges or buildings - that's why it's ILLEGAL in most places - to protect the idiots from THEMSELVES!

[TankLV]

74. They actually to here in Vegas - too many getting stuck in the mountains ringing the valley...

all for the sake of a "thrill"...

And that's as it should be...

[Kingshakabobo]

3. What a piss poor attempt at flamebait.......

Back to the drawing board with you..

[WCGreen]

9. It's a question that should be asked....

As I stated down in the thread...

I was in a car accident and was life flighted...

My insurance only paid $ 500.00 of the cost...

I had to pay the rest...

$ 4,500.00...

I gladly paid it...

[spoony]

27. Did they ask you for the money up front?

If not, then I'd politely suggest you stfu until they're found one way or another, then you can ask if they should REpay part of the cost.

[WCGreen]

41. So now I should just STFU....

I marvel at the maturity level on DU sometimes....

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. This is a very good question...

However...

I heard on the news today that they left a note in a ranger's station before they started their climb to the effect of how much food and the like they had with them.....

And that was very responsible, IMHO.........

I don't know how much it will cost to find them.......

Or even which agency is out there looking for them......

[scarletwoman]

5. You know, I can remember a time when no one would have even thought of asking that question.

It's weird. For as long as I've been alive (57 years), up until relatively recently, it was always just assumed that we rescued people if they needed it. No one particularily debated whether those in need of rescue deserved it or not, it was always just kind of a reflex thing.

But I suppose if social Darwinism is now the norm, it's appropriate to distinguish between worthy rescuees and unworthy rescuees. I know that's not what you were saying, but your question brought these thoughts to my mind.

sw

[WCGreen]

7. I'm just asking a question....

I was in a car accident several years ago...

I had to be life flighted...

My insurance wold only pay $500.00 for ambulance care...

I had to pay the difference...

$ 4,500.00....

I had no problem paying for them saving my life...

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

64. No, you're NOT "just asking a question" and you know it full well.

I'll give you the benefit of doubt and assume you're just stirring shit up for the hell of it in the most crass, offensive way possible.

Because the alternative is worse.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

90. if i said "are black people inferior to white people" would you buy that i just asking a question?

many things are implied if not explicity stated by questions we choose to ask...and the way we word them...

[Cleita]

14. Yep, welcome to the new "I don't give a shit about anyone

but me" millenium.

[WCGreen]

43. How did you get that out of my post....

I never said don't rescue them...

But it is a choice they made to put themselves in danger...

I asked how much money was being spent on the rescue and shouldn't they be responsible for that cost...

[Cleita]

51. Harumph! I thought I was agreeing with you that there was

a time no one would have questioned rescuing someone from harm.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. You are right, if rescuers don't go rescue

then when they have to rescue they won't know how.

If people need to be rescued, then we rescue them. That's the game. If later, it appears the victims were idiots, then we deal with that. Not while the poor bastards are up there suffering.

Ugly world we seem to have developed.

[AlienAvatar]

65. Well said

I agree completely.

I haven't yet had a chance to read all the responses, so I apologize if I'm being redundant by bring up another point. Some may bemoan the fact thay an all out effort seems to be given for these climbers while the same wasn't done for Katrina victims, homeless, etc. My response is that an all out response should be given to any and all who are in a helpless and life threatening situation. The fact that this is denied in some cases shouldn't mean that we deny all. We have resources to give aid to all. That Katrina was such a disaster was due only to the almost willful incompetence of the leaders we entrusted to be in charge of such emergencies. It had nothing to do with lack of money or resources.

Maybe these climbers took a foolish risk. Maybe they shouldn't have attempted the climb. I don't know. Maybe, if they return, they should be scolded or even punished, but, right now, the first concern should be to try and see that they DO return.

[marions ghost]

29. suvival of the fittest now

callousness parading as "taking personal responsibility"--very Repuglican POV.

[Nay]

33. Yeah, I'm 55 and I can remember that time, too. Now it's every

man for himself, and the hell with anyone else. It's 'they were stupid to go, so let 'em die.' 'They took a wrong turn, let 'em freeze to death.' 'He's overweight, he shouldn't get medical care because he did it to himself.'

I am so sick of this dick-swinging Darwinist bullshit I want to hit somebody. Lots of somebodies.

[treestar]

58. OK, but how far are you willing to go?

How much can other people do that you are willing to be responsible for?

Where do you draw the line?

I see nothing "cruel" or "how dare you even ASK the question" when it comes to recreational activities. Yeah, we should try to rescue them, but what if they die anyway? No lawsuits against the rescuers, OK?

And what if the rescuer dies? That price you seem willing to pay, too. It's not a "game" when it comes to the lives of these individuals. They were trained and they will get plenty of opportunity to rescue people from non-recreational and voluntary activities. Your attitude toward them could be seen as cruel too.

Maybe they just shouldn't be allowed to go mountain climbing.

[piedmont]

67. The rescuers volunteer for the job of rescuing...

"Maybe they just shouldn't be allowed to go mountain climbing. "

maybe no one should be allowed to do anything unnecessary if there's any risk involved at all. The following activities are now on the threat-down:
canoeing
skiing
hiking
riding horses
driving anywhere other than work or the grocery store
surfing
climbing trees

[LostinVA]

105. I'm 42, and completely agree with you

This mentality was definitely not how either my parents nor the Church raised me to think of other people. It's very disconcerting, isn't it?

[HeeBGBz]

36. I've noticed that also

I didn't become aware of it until Katrina, when people started saying stuff about how survivors didn't deserve help because they lived in a coastal area prone to flood/hurricane situations.

[Midlodemocrat]

46. I remember the same. People needed to be rescued, they were

and the rest of us cheered that they survived. We've certainly evolved into a rather callous society.

[treestar]

57. Too many of these cases getting publicity

leads to this, but we can assume you are in favor of licensing of mountain climbers, regulation of mountain climbing and someone in authority to prohibit mountain climbers from going if conditions are deemed too dangerous. And are not going to blame anyone who tries to rescue them from doing it negligently or wrong if it fails and they die anyway. In other words, if anybody gets themselves into any situation whatsoever, even if it is their fault, even if willfully their fault due to ignoring signs they shouldn't have taken the risk, then you're imposing quite a burden on society, so society would be reasonable in prohibiting those activities. Mountain climbing should just be illegal.

And sometimes people die trying to rescue others. That's a big cost of mountain climbing. We lose those people due to the risk-taking behavior of others.

[buddysmellgood]

6. It's an interesting line. If I run back and forth across a highway all day, I will

probably be arrested. If I prepare to jump off a bridge into raging waters below, I will likely be stopped. Afterward, my mental health will likely be evaluated.

[Aviation Pro]

8. An observation.....

...most of these "extreme" athletes are neither extreme nor athletes. They are very bored adrenaline junkies who add little value to anything.

[TahitiNut]

10. Oregon has a law that allows charging people who're rescued for the costs.

http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/News_Rescue_Charges.htm

[WCGreen]

45. That's all I really wanted to know....

[Captain Hilts]

11. You pay the searchers no matter what they're doing. The Army too.

They might as well be working.

[buddysmellgood]

12. By working you mean risking their lives.

[Captain Hilts]

30. The 100th Mountain Division trains this way. It's a good drill for them. nt

[buddysmellgood]

37. Really? They wait for bad weather and high winds to go on training exercises?

[Stardust]

63. It's the 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, NY, north of

Syracuse. They get PLENTY of snow, ice, and sub-zero degree weather to train in.

[vincent_vega_lives]

85. And NO mountains (n/t)

[Captain Hilts]

69. They train to deal with adverse circumstances. They have agreed to risk their lives. nt

[buddysmellgood]

78. In that case, perhaps we should pay climbers to throw additional caution to the wind.

[Bluebear]

16. Well maybe we can wait until they find their frozen carcasses

And then you can pile on...

about their lack of responsibility...

and so forth...

Maybe we can even sue the estates...

of the dead climbers.

[buddysmellgood]

28. I agree, their should be a clause stipulating that the families of dead thrill seekers do not have

to pay.

[Bluebear]

79. Wouldn't be a bad idea. nt

[seaglass]

17. I don't know how much something like that would cost but I say

spend whatever it takes. It's just money.

[Hippo_Tron]

18. The answer to your question is, we should stop wasting money on Iraq

What you're really asking is why are we paying to rescue these thrill seekers when we won't pay to save the lives of the 50 million people who don't have healthcare.

The answer to both questions is that when someone is in danger we should rescue them.

[stevedeshazer]

19. Your post has me steamed

Mt. Hood is in my back yard.

We can spend a trillion or so of your tax dollars for a war our president fucked up, but we can't afford to spend a few thousand trying to find some climbers who fucked up?

[knitter4democracy]

32. This was on NPR yesterday. We're not spending that much.

Almost all the searchers are volunteers, the helicopters and such are military using this as training exercises (which they would've been doing anyway), and there are very few costs to the taxpayers.

Of course, the larger question is whether we should rescue people, I guess. It sounds like you'd rather take a pass if it's going to be difficult or expensive. The lady on NPR (Dian Ream show, one of the searchers) said that the searchers always have the choice to refuse or back out if things look too dangerous, but it sounds like you'd like to put a litmus test into place. If a human does something too stupid, then no one goes looking for them or helps them. What's your definition of too stupid, then? It's easy to say that this is it, but where do you draw the line?

[WCGreen]

40. AS I said in other parts of the thread....

I was in a fairly bad auto accident...

I was life flighted...

Insurance pays for $500.00 for ambulance transport...

I paid the rest, $ 4,500.00.....

[knitter4democracy]

48. Whoa. That's bad.

You shouldn't have to pay for that. The hospitals have life flight teams as the best option sometimes for trama. Heck, here in Michigan, it's the best option not just for car wrecks but for anything out in the boonies--would take too long to get there by ambulance.

That's stupid.

[WCGreen]

49. I didn't mind paying it....

I am alive today...

And I was able to take it as a tax deduction...

[WCGreen]

39. That's not the point...

I don't want to spend money on the war as well..

I just want to open it up for discussion...

I lived near Mt. Hood for a time...

I saw the majestic beauty of it and marvelled...

And yet, I didn't think about climbing up the hard slope with light weight equipment...

[northzax]

54. so if they had good equipment

you'd be ok with them being rescued?

psst. they had good equipment. Better than what I carried last time I climbed mt hood at least. course, that was in May.

[sillyphoenix]

20. I don't know about the Oregon law

but New Hampshire (home of Mt. Washington) has a law that essentially states:

Before you leave, answer the following questions:

1. Are you prepared, both knowledge-wise and gear-wise? Are you prepared for an emergency?
2. Have you left plans with somebody trustworthy?
3. Will you turn back if continuing on would be dangerous?

If you or anybody else in your group answers "no" to any of the questions, or if anybody acts recklessly, you pay for your own rescue. If not, then the state of New Hampshire will gladly send out the Mountain Rescue Service, your local EMS squad, or any number of competent individuals to find your unlucky ass... and you won't pay a dime, because your taxes have already covered it!

on edit: That's not to say that the MRS won't go out and rescue you if you've gone and done something stupid. They will, however, joke about you over drinks if you happen to survive.

[madeline_con]

21. Something is screwed up in Iraq...

otherwise, it wouldn't be the "catastrophe du jour".

Just my cynicism showing...

[valerief]

22. Oh, but the story is soooooo valuable as it takes away from

reporting on Iraq. It's as good as missing blonde story.

[valerief]

23. They guy that got lost in the woods decided to drive at night with his

family along remote snowy roads with an impending storm. Duh. I'm sure he was a sweet guy, but duh duh duh.

[dysfunctional press]

24. did the hikers request the rescue?

i admit that i haven't really been following the story- isaw today something about them finding a note from them...that said that they had started out with PLENTY of food and fuel.

who was it that initiated the search & rescue? do the climbers even know that people are looking for them? they may be hunkered down in a snow cave, waiting for the weather to break.

[KT2000]

25. I think your question is a good one

Besides the money, the rescuers are risking thier lives. A couple years ago a helicopter carrying rescuers crashed on the mountain. Everyone survived but there were injuries.
Have people seen the conditions the rescuers are exposing themselves to? Blizzrd conditions, low visibility.

I am sorry but I don't think that mountain climbers who expose themselves to such risks as winter climbing are heroes and I wish the news would educate people about the real risks involved in this behavior.

That being said, I hope they are rescued soon and are OK.

[sandnsea]

26. Fairly regular occurence, actually

There was a rescue just a few weeks ago of a family that got lost on their Christmas Tree excursion. We have people who get stuck on rocks when the tide comes in. All sorts of thing. I think the outdoors looks deceptive here, people don't think it's as wild as it really is. Weather systems move in pretty fast too. I don't have a problem paying for rescues, our economy is rather dependent on folks coming here to enjoy the outdoors.

[stubtoe]

61. Seems like this year has been especially bad for that kind of thing.

.

[TankLV]

77. Not the same thing at all...

[depakid]

31. Well, there is the possibility that they may be asked to pay

for some of it, in addition to possibly being fined

EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTERS (OPTIONAL): There is a $500 fine if a rescue effort is launched for someone without a cell phone or Mountain Locator Unit (MLU). A MLU allows the county sheriff or rescue groups to pinpoint a climber's exact location which can drastically reduce rescue time and resources.

Two things are required for a MLU to work: (1) the lost climber must have it and activate it; (2) the county sheriff must be notified of the lost climber (call 911) to activate their receiving equipment. MLUs are available for rent at the following locations, with only Mount Hood Inn beling local to the mountain:

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150189/mount-hood.html

(They had a cellphone- but not an MLU. That latter oversight may well cost them their fingers and toes- if not their lives).

I hope I'm wrong, but having climbed that peak- and seen countless Cascade mountain tragedies, I don't expect a good result considering the recent weather and the circumstances.

[The Straight Story]

34. Treat em like we do smokers, jack up their health care costs if they do anything

that someone considers risky.

[SemperEadem]

35. In a lot of search and rescue missions

the family is handed the bill.

They might have a lot of experience and knowledge about climbing, but that doesn't stop accidents from happening. However, after all this time, I seriously doubt that they've survived unless they were overly prepared to survive for over 3 weeks in harsh conditions. Who knows? It would make a heart-warming Christmas story for them to be found alive still, but I don't think that's going to be the outcome.

[malaise]

42. Well if the poor of NOLA were expected to take

responsibility when they had neither the means nor the transportation to leave before the hurricane, then you sure have a point.

Let me prepare in advance :hide: :hide:

[Rosemary2205]

50. exactly

I wonder if the OP "just asked" why aren't NOLA residents who willfully chose to live below sea level in a hurricane zone being left to find their own way out. Or are they asking why smokers and fat people are giving lifesaving treatment when they have those heart attacks that cost us all more for health care. Or why parents who got the news prior to birth that the baby was going to have health issues didn't get abortions and save us all that money in disability payments.........

[treestar]

60. No, a hurricane is not the same thing

Quit pretending it is.

Yes, we know you are superior in your compassion to everyone else. Every last life is of value. Including the people who have to try to make the rescue.

If you were to be treated as you treat others, we might say: gee, I guess the rescuers don't count? They have to risk their lives to make the rescue and you don't care in the least, right? You will go where you please and do what you damn well please and if you run into trouble, other people owe you the risk of their lives, right?

And smoking and being overweight may be somewhat risky but much less so. Over time, the people involved have time to quit smoking or lose weight, or the problem can be managed over time. It's not set all on one day like this.

[Rosemary2205]

62. Superior?

The logic of the OP is that people who take any risk at all should be responsible for getting themselves out of an emergency related to that risk. Risk is risk. The level of risk doesn't change the logic.

[WCGreen]

52. Not the same at all....

These guys went into a situation that they knew was dangerous...

Not the same at all...

[malaise]

53. I'm agreeing with you

Maybe I should have included the sarcasm thingy. Still I think all taxpayers deserve assistance in a crisis, but the most vulnerable among us need the most help.

[area51]

44. How much monetary value can we place on a human life in the U.S.?

Oh, wait, we already do that, thanks to republinazi HMOs and PPOs, since we don't have universal healthcare like civilized countries, and our healthcare is rationed on the individual's ability to pay outrageous prices. This is the anti-life attitude of the U.S. govt. :eyes: </sarcasm>

[flyarm]

47. amazing the lengths we go to save three lives..yet in Iraq..we don't

give a rats ass how many are dying..and i do not say this meaning we should not make the effort..i believe we should do everything in our power to save lives we can and are able to...

i say this, as i have a mother in law, 86 yrs old..and our family is in the fight of our life to keep her alive ..and get her out of hospital and into a rehab to get well..

and yet every day 50+ Iraq's are being killed..their lives snuffed out...

with hardly a mention on the news media..about these people..who are they ...that are dying daily in iraq...presidents of the university..and his wife and daughter..are their lives any less valuable to the world?? or to the people of Iraq..

it so disheartens me to see so little regard for the lives of people in a foreign nation..that we destroyed and now occupy..and so little regard by americans to the loss of life there...

i sit and think..as my family is torn apart right now( hubby on west coast and we on the east coast..we have been doing the red eye express..for 1 1/2 months now..to keep hubby's mom alive)..don't the Iraq's feel the same..when their grandma...and their child, their mom or dad is dying or has been killed for no damn reason..where is our charity of heart..where is our anger..where are our priorities..what do we... as a people.. really give a damn about??

do we care ..i mean really care about our soldiers who are dying at a clip of anywhere between 2 - 10 a day right now??..did they not have the right to live to 86 years old?? and yet now we hear the idiot in chief saying..well.. we will send in 30-50,000 more soldiers in a surge..fuck his surge..the only surge there should be is getting them home in a damn fast surge!

and yet we all sit on our computers and do nothing..when do we take to the streets..and i do not mean in the hundreds ..i mean in the millions..those soldiers are our family..and many won't see their 25th birthday...

but we will fight to save three hikers on Mt Hood...and my family will fight to keep 86 yr old grandma alive..because that is who we are..that is the part of us as Americans i have always loved..

but who really are we???...when we allow children every day in iraq to be murdered in our name..and University professors and their families to be murdered daily in Iraq..and our kids in uniform to die daily in Iraq, so far from home..and no good damn reason for them to be where they are in the first place.....does anyone besides me see the hypocrisy???????

i pray we find those hikers..

I pray my mother- in law survives ( she is a WWII vet)

and damn it, i want our soldiers home now..today..i do not want another to die..not in my name..and not for the ideaology of a fucked up war criminal in our white house!

I want our soldiers to live to the grand old age of 86 ..i want them home now..

we the people voted for that in Nov and we are being ignored..and almost laughed at by the mother fucker in the white house and his cabal of murderers..when do we get mad enough..to say..ENOUGH!!

WHEN DO WE TAKE TO THE STREETS..WHEN THAT ASSHOLE SAYS HE WILL IGNORE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE?? WHEN HE IGNORES OUR NEW DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED CONGRESS??

OK RANT OVER..YES I AM MAD..AND YES I AM FRUSTRATED..BUT I SEE NOTHING CHANGING..I STILL SEE OUR SOLDIERS DYING .. and the gop making insignificant the Lancent report of 655,000 dead iraqi's

and i still see the mother fucker in our white house trying to trump the congress we voted in ..by putting more soldiers in harms way..for his fucking ego and his legacy..so he isn't looked at as a wimp..fuck that..get our soldiers home..now..

cut the funding now!

fly

[Dastard Stepchild]

55. I think there are accidents...

for even the most well-planned trips. If these folks are anything like some of my friends (who climb mountains all the time), they probably had their route, their supplies and their plans laid out very well in advance. Some people do such a trip on a whim, but from what I understand, much preparation goes into it. So, when something goes wrong, even if it is in the pursuit of enjoyment or entertainment, I am willing to chip in my tax dollars for their rescue.

But, again, I have a bias because I have friends that climb mountains for sport and should anything happen to them, I would hope that the response would be similar.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

59. Giving birth is a risky venture and a choice made by people.

Some of whom aren't even aware of the risks involved in childbirth or the multitude of dangers involved in raising kids.

Just sayin'.

[ruiner4u]

68. Reading your opening post im reminded of the movie Airplane!

There is a part in the movie where the news show <Point/Counterpoint?> where an elderly gentleman says "they knew the risks, they got on the plane, let em crash"

I agree with some posters down thread that it seems disturbing this that cost assessment issue is even being brought up at this time. If someone needs help, you help them.

And please, no new red herrings, Ive seen enough in this discussion..

[nadinbrzezinski]

70. You just reminded me of an idiot who asked similar questions

constantly. That is until his darling boy scout got lost in the desert and we had to hump packs an go looking for Junior.

Oh how much we spent?

Let me see, gas for the rig, 20 bucks, caching

Army escort, (don't ask), 3000, caching

Rescue gear on my back

800 bucks Caching


(We were volunteers so there was no pay to us, if there was, well between regular and overtime, you were looking at at least 300 per crewman, we were four)

How much is a human life worth to you?

[B Calm]

71. The climbers (if rescued) should repay the tax payers!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

72. Hopefully As Much As It Takes To Find Them. May God Be With Them.

[TankLV]

73. Yep - I couldn't agree more...

Less likely contributors to the "jean" pool!

Sorry, these idiotic thrill seekers brought it all on by themselves.

They are "adults"

They can pay the consequences of their foolish actions WITHOUT endangering the lives of those who are trying to rescue them.

[QuestionAll...]

76. that's so a bullshit statement at so many levels..

that's been foisted on us all.

$$ .
that's all it's all about.

[cwydro]

80. Why are so many on DU

suddenly against search and rescue? Why do we even have SAR if we should just let people die? How about swordfisherman out in the worst weather" Dangerous job, do they deserve to die? How about construction workers? What if something happens on the space station? Oh well...too bad, let 'em die because that is just ridiculous to take those risks.

No doubt back in Magellan's day, there were people who sat at home and scoffed at adventurers...who figured they got what they deserved.

I am appalled at the callousness I have seen here lately. God forbid any of these men's families are members of DU. Sheesh.

[Bluebear]

81. Everything seems to be a matter of dollars & cents

And people upset that these guys got coverage because they are "rich and white", as though that precludes suffering. I don't get it.

[xultar]

86. No shit. This is crazy. There must be something strange underfoot.

[Marie26]

91. The same progressives

that presumably support Medicaid, Social Security & other gov. programs for people in need? Beats me.

[cwydro]

95. Very interesting take on it.

Had not thought of it in those terms. Very good.

[LanternWaste]

82. Probably quite a bit

Probably quite a bit of money. Expenditures like this almost make me feel as though we're doing a pretty good job sometimes with how we spend it.

Attempting to save lives-- all in all a pretty good use of tax revenue in my opnion.

[moondust]

83. Two Blackhawks, one Chinook, one C-130 and

60 rescuers has gotta add up pretty fast.

[Puglover]

84. Um...

What is...

with all...

the ellipses...?


Just askin.

:shrug:

[sniffa]

87. it makes.....

beautifuL.........

poetry..........

[Bluebear]

88. That's how...

it struck....


me.....


ouch....

[La Lioness Priyanka]

89. you guys....

are so...

funny..

saying we may spend too much money...

on rescuing people however...

is much less funny...

[Pithlet]

92. It is worth every penny

to have trained people that can fish any of us out of life threatening situations, whether they're deemed our fault or not. It's nice to know they're there for me and my family. Hopefully, we won't ever need it, but even if we don't, I don't begrudge a penny of it, ever. It's well worth it to live in a society where we don't just leave people on their own to die. I'm not going to whine and complain about that money just because the people being rescued aren't people I personally know or care about. They could one day be people I care about. I wouldn't want them condemned because some consensus was reached by a hardened society hell bent on saving a few bucks.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

93. excellent post

[Bridget Burke]

94. Money, money, money.....

Just how much is one life worth? Shall we make that judgment before expending your precious tax dollars?

The climbers have probably already taken "responsibility."

[Timmy5835]

96. You ALL seem to be forgetting...........

The Forest Service did not tell them NOT to climb.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

99. you seem to forget...that liberals are supposed to be compassionate

unlike asshole conservatives...just sayin

[Blue Belle]

97. How much do we spend each time Bush takes Air Force One out on a photo op tour?

Everyone is bitching about how much this is costing, but no one blinks an eye when Bush gasses up the jumbo jet and campaigns for his rubberstamping congress croanies on our tax dime... or goes on listening tours/ town hall meetings... or meaningless photo ops.

At least we know that the money being spent in this instance is going to toward trying to save a life.

[mondo joe]

98. Probably less than we spend on healthcare for fat addicts.

And for smokers.

And for people on mototcycles.

Care to go on?

[MazeRat7]

100. Got a lot of "wondering" time on your hands do ya....???

Why do people climb mountains.. because they are there. Why does the MSM make this news, because we live in a society that loves survivor, american idol, and any other sort of "Springer-ish" outrage they can find.

As an ex-climber that was "rescued"... trust me and take this time to learn a few things about this issue...

First, you are surprised to be alive because something "unplanned" went terribly wrong.
Second, you have a lot of bills to pay for those services that you didn't already pay for with your taxes....

Not to mention that most of our clan are far more in-tune with environmental issues than than 99% of the posters here in DU. After all, we live to be in the wilderness free from the human foot print.

So unless you are a climber, back-packer, wilderness-type person, I would suggest keeping your pie-hole shut.

If of the other hand, you have extensive experience in wilderness adventures, then perhaps we can talk about the pros/cons of taking this specific trip.

MZr7

[Raine]

101. A fraction of what is being spent

on the war in Iraq, I can guarantee you that! This kind of post makes me :puke:

[treestar]

102. Freeper thread on this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1754967/posts

Rather interesting.

Looks like various DUers and Freepers may actually agree.

[Rex]

103. I'd rather spend the money on them saving a life

and not taking one.

[Tony_Illinois]

104. You Are Better Than This

And I hope you are just attempting to be provocative in your post.
Hey, people who live near the Gulf Coast know that hurricanes might hit, right, so why should the government do anything to help them when one does?
People know that living in California carries the risk of earthquakes, so why should we do anything to help them when they happen?
People who fly know a plane might go down, right, ...
Climbing the mountain was not illegal.