*The Great Fall*

[AGBF]

"The New York Times" has an article on the man who just broke the record for the length of a descent (Felix Baumgartner), also breaking the sound barrier according to most people (although not all) who have commented on his feat. I really highly recommend this particular article because the comments by readers that follow are so absolutely wonderful. You have to love, "The New York Times". At least you have to if you are bright. The people who read it can argue about anything with each other at such an advanced level that it makes one feel he is at the theatre when he reads the paper (or, in this case, the computer screen).

One of my comments is one in which a disgruntled reader takes exception to the claim by the newspaper that Mr. Baumgartner had become, "the first human to break the sound barrier under his own power with some help from gravity." "Utter nonsense," he writes. "The only power he used was to step out. Gravity and only gravity drove him to supersonic speed on his descent."

Another reader claims that "'The Times' seems somewhat confused about how he reached 128100 feet. While it's not strictly incorrect to say the balloon lifted him 'part of the way'the same balloon also lifted him the rest of the way. He didn't switch to a rocket or flapping his arms 4000 feet".

I am putting a link here for your enjoyment:


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/15/us/felix-baumgartner-skydiving.html?src=me&ref=general

Deb/AGBF

 

[kenny]

Thanks for the link.
I've been enthralled by this event.

Gravity does not get all the credit.
He DID use his skill and vast experience to get himself out of a dangerous spinning movement.

If he didn't know how to correct that he could have died from blood rushing to his head.
Plus he used his unmatched experience to make an important decision.
If he stopped the spinning by deploying his emergency parachute early he would have not broken the sound barrier, which was one of his goals.

 

[zoebartlett]

This man amazes me. I can't imagine having the courage (or desire!) to do this. The images are so cool and I love watching him land. It looked flawless. Amazing!

ETA: It's as if the disgruntled reader though it was so easy. I'd like to see him do it if all he'd have to do is "step out" and let gravity do the rest.