netballer players rescue update...

[Duncan Edwards]

If it weren't for drunk, drugged, or stupid people, police and emergency services anywhere wouldn't have much to do. You can't fix stupid so there are times when it just has to be part of the cost of doing business. At some point you reach criminally stupid and that's another matter. As long as people come by it honest and don't repeat their stupidity then maybe you just let it go.

I think one of the points that Billie was making is that we are fortunate to have such professional, well paid and equipped, and dedicated services that respond first and think about it later. On my trips to Central America I've seen people left lying in the road because nobody even responded to traffic accidents. I asked what the local fire department did during fires and was told "they watch things burn."

You want to even try to think about what it cost recently in Boston just for the first response to the bombing? How about what it cost to have 9,000 cops, FBI, and National Guard on duty to lock down the area and chase the assholes that did it?

What about the guys who want to play mountain climber every year and get their frozen asses stuck on Mt. Rainier and have to get rescued with multiple helicopters and climbers? To say nothing of the danger to the rescuers.

Anyhow maybe a few muddy dopes aren't so bad.

[Billie Bonce]

You are right, Duncan, one of the points I was making is that it is great to have professional, trained, and well equipped emergency services.

However, I believe that in many cases their response seems inadequately large. I remember a story when a woman working in a zoo spotted a seagull that stuck in mud in a middle of a drained pond. (My guess, by the way, is that if a seagull got stuck in mud then it was some sick seagull that anyway had to die.) The silly woman went to save a seagull and got stuck too. What I have seen on the photos were two dozens of giggling firefighters, two of them helping the lady out, others just watching. Several fire engines, paramedics with their vehicle... I guess, there would be a helicopter or two, if they wouldn't threaten to scare the animals in the zoo. There obviously were no need in more than two men and one ladder. I would suggest, however, that one co-worker of that clumsy woman with a rope would be sufficient, too.

I seriously believe that if a stupid goes into the mud and then can't go back, it's not the case when firefighters should arrive for free. Also, I think that keeping the stupid trapped in the mud for half a day would be a good educational method.

Yes, I understand that a tidal mudflat is a different thing.

[Mynock]

Agreed with both of you somewhat. There is a line between stupidity and criminal stupidity (usually it's pretty visible). Once that line is crossed the tab should go to the "victim" instead of the taxpayers.