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Australian Pilot Stranded In Antarctica
mirio writes "Australian Jon Johanson is currently stranded in Antarctica at the US McMurdo outpost. He was attempting a flight from New Zealand to Argentina via the South Pole when he encountered a headwind that caused him to burn more fuel and divert to the base. Now both the Americans and the New Zealanders there are refusing to sell him fuel. Jon's story is amazing. He has flown his homebuilt RV-4 around the world three times and to the North Pole. You can read about his trips around the world here."
Why should the U.S. or New Zealand taxpayers have to front the bill for this guy's foolish lack of foresight? Send him home freight class... or make him wash dishes.
Your paranoia is about as subtle as the alien probe in your neck.
At least they can't re-try him for pirating DVD's if he's stranded somewhere. Maybe this is a good thing for him.
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/About_Antarctica/tour
I guess some people already have tourism packages there.
Rosco: "If brains were gunpowder, Enos couldn't blow his nose."
...he was smuggling pirated DVDs to Norway! It's right out of a Scooby Doo episode!
<deliverance>
Yew shore got a pretty mouth, boy.
</deliverance>
Sacred cows make the best burgers.
A pilot that hits a penguin is in serious trouble.
And why do we have military bases there? They said they want to discourage tourism. This makes me want to go there and check it out.
Antarctica is where the second stargate was discovered. Who knows what other alien technology is frozen in the ice, just waiting to be discovered...
Darth --
Nil Mortifi, Sine Lucre
All that base belong to US.
paintball
"The US McMurdo exploration base in Antarctica is one of the most remote outposts in the world. Located on a scenic ice plain with an astounding view of iceberg-laden ocean, McMurdo is the ultimate destination for those seeking an escape from civilization or just a visit with an Emperor Penguin. But if you plan on a minimally-planned long-distance Antarctic flyover into a strong headwind with no invitation and no feul reserve, make sure you bring your Visa card, because Ross Island's McMurdo Station doesn't take American Express."
paintball
My question is, between hacking DeCSS and ITunes, how does he find the time to tour Antarctica??
-Copyright law #69:Whenever Mickey Mouse is about to enter the public domain,copyrights get extended by 25 years.
They won't sell him fuel, but they make him sleep in the fuel shed. That's just cruel :P
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
That's a joke about frostbite, right?
Using HTML in email is like putting sound effects on your phone calls. Just say <strong>no</strong>.
Okay. Either the cold has gotten to these scientists minds, or they are the type of scientists who understand physics really well, but can't tie their shoes and misplace things all the time. You want to reduce tourism? Okay - And your method for achieving this goal is to not sell this individual some fuel for his plane, thereby creating a political situation between a few nations, and getting the story posted any number of places. More of the wonderful logic of my country.
Then you've got all the people posting that 'yeh - this guy is dumb! Screw him!' If there was a nice house at the top of the rockies and the Donner party got there, but the inhabitants said, no food or water, but we'll give you some straw to sleep on, we don't want to encourage visitors you know! w . t . f?
I know I know, they gave him room/board. But no fuel. Fine - but in my opinion they just got themselves more press than they would have had just selling this guy some fuel and letting him be on his way. I mean really- who wants to go to antartica? Santa is all about the North pole, so I'd think people would want to visit there first. S-Pole offers a pretty unique environment to do research in I imagine, so I see how it would have scientific appeal.
If the station is strapped for fuel and can't spare any, I understand that too! But I haven't seen any indication of that. Because of this fact, the fact he was 100% willing to pay for the fuel, and the fact that these scientists have now created a free commercial for themselves, leads to my decision that this just doesn't seem right, and that they should have sold him the fuel. Anyway.
The story headline is slightly misleading..he's not really stranded; the natives have brought him to their village, given him food and water and a cot. They just hope that he doesn't fall in love with the beautiful daughter of the chief and make her leave the tribe with him for the new world.
And instead they are eating McDonalds. Improvement, eh?
Johanson has no reasonable expectation to be able to purchase fuel there.
So, he landed at an American base and had "no reasonable expectation" of being able to do business?
Since when were Americans shy of doing a little business?
In all seriousness, I can so see both sides of this. I hope sense prevails.
A pilot that hits a penguin is in serious trouble.
Especially since the Linux community can be so hostile!
Bored with karma, be a fan/freak
A pilot that hits a penguin is in serious trouble.
You're supposed to thaw the penguin first.
if i were in a place as inhospitable as the antartic i would make sure i have enough fuel to last without receiving the next several shipments just in case they don't ever arrive. and i would make this a priority even at the expense of some science if i had to. so at least if i were running the place there would indeed be extra fuel, at least enough to get them through to the next shipment even if they did sell it to him. so i don't see why they can't sell him fuel.
why don't they charge him for the fuel what it would cost them to replace the fuel, and then possibly even a bit more so they can buy new earmuffs and steamy penguin posters or something. heck while you are at it charge him for all of his lodging and food, because that must be costing them valuable resources as well!
if they charge him enough but still gave him the option of buying fuel. hopefully if you charged enough it would not encourage him to return, would possibly get you some cool new toys from the money, and as a bonus would get rid of him as he will be merrily on his way flying out.
You never saw the Simpsons that let out the truth about penguins? That whole not flying thing is just a scam to make them seem cute and harmless while they plot to take over the world. Their supreme leader is Linus Torvalds. Think about it - have you ever seen him in a Tuxedo?
From the Web page Your Stay at McMurdo Station Antarctica
FUELS
Fuel conservation is of primary importance. Scarcity of this product and increased costs have a major impact on the operational program. Your compliance with published antarctic energy conservation measures is required. Keep room and building temperatures at a comfortable level (65 degrees F or lower) and turn off all unecessary lights.
EMERGENCIES
FIRE: The danger of fire is always present and always great. Be careful about smoking, and do not smoke in bed! Check ashtrays and waste baskets before leaving common-use areas for the night. Most buildings are equipped with automatic fire alarm systems. In the event of FIRE call 911, wait outside for the fire-fighting party to arrive, and direct them to the blaze. Call even if the alarm is sounding.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY: If someone is injured and requires immediate transportation to the dispensary, call the ambulance at extension 911. This is an emergency-only number. Please wait for the ambulance and direct it to the injured person.
FACILITIES PROBLEMS: If you discover heat off in a building, a leaky water faucet, or any maintainence problem that will result in damage to a building or might cause a safety hazard, call the ASA trouble desk at 2444/2555.
VEHICLE PROBLEMS: If your vehicle will not start, or you encounter a vehicle maintainence problem or an accident, call the Vehicle Maintainence Facility at 2500 or the Trouble Desk @2555.
His vehicle will not start, all he has to do is call the Vehicle Maintainence Facility at 2500 or the Trouble Desk @2555.
Last I checked, Australia was owned by nobody, by international agreement.
I think the Australians might disagree with you.
Si vis pacem, para bellum
The only thing more annoying than a Libertarian is an (un|mis)informed Libertarian
This just goes to show that 'Glonoinha's Theorum of Kindness' needs more support and belief in the world.
:
:
It goes something like this
1. You are more likely to get whant you want if you ask very nicely (and have a gun,) than if you are rude (and unarmed.)
Corollaries
2. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission (if you have a gun.)
3. He who has the gold, makes the rules (but is careful to include the guy with the gun in the decision making process.)
4. Their superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons.
A lot of people are baggin' on the guy for not enough forethought - I am tempted to do the same : not about bringing enough gasoline or making prior arrangements, but for not including a few MP5A3s and thermite grenades in his emergency pack. Hard to argue with a man holding a willy-pete (white phosphorous) grenade when he is standing less than 100 feet from your entire fuel supply.
Glonoinha the MebiByte Slayer
If somebody steals something out of a US Army Jeep parked next to the leaning tower of Pisa, have they broken a US law?
I don't know, but I imagine the US Army have probably broken Italian parking law.