Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
mechrist
Gym climber
South of Heaven
|
|
Weren't people pretty skeptical of the incident Tommy Caldwell had years ago? Tommy seems like a good guy and I don't doubt his story. I'm just a little weary of people accusing others of false trip reports.
Most likely, they were not careful travelers and got themselves fuked and now they are begging for help. I'm certainly not helping them replace their iPhun.
|
|
John M
climber
|
|
Thats pretty much how I see it too Wes. Who knows what the real story is.
but this is really funny..
Here is an intercepted private message from face book - which reads much different from the blog
"""For now I would be happy to go back to the village and do some killing with soe oof my green beray buddys but I don’t think that will happen. Any ho carefull where you camp and I will fill you in on all the gory details latter. jed """"
Ah.. to live in times with instant access to bullsh#t.
|
|
Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
|
|
Three Cups Of Puf?
|
|
Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
|
|
Mechrist, I was thinking the same thing. But did Tommy, Beth et al go on the Today Show?
What does a guest appearance pay? My google search says anywhere from $0-$700. But the added benefits of free publicity and crying on America's shoulder should be worth considerably more, especially if there are future film/book rights involved. (and of course expenses, transportation and accommodation are also paid for by the network).
If their story is true, then it sounds like monumental ignorance and stupidity on their part (and bad luck? that they may have caused themselves). Why should they profit from it?
If their story is not true (or at the very least embellished to their benefit, ,at the cost of donors), there must be some law against chancers.
EDIT
And I will find those leprechauns that roughed me up and took my savings.
|
|
John M
climber
|
|
remember, this is the writing of someone who has just experienced something highly traumatic. i'd take that writing with a grain of salt.
I would take it with a grain of salt that its even him writing this.
|
|
mechrist
Gym climber
South of Heaven
|
|
If they do go on some stupid show, I hope they have the balls to call into question their apparently arrogant attitude while traveling abroad.
|
|
TYeary
Social climber
State of decay
|
|
I was talking to Chris Benway in Huaraz about this situation. He said,
"Yeah, the whole situation sounds not exactly easy to comprehend. What you might also find interesting is that - as of now - there is a 100% news blackout in Peru on this story. Coincidence? "
I think there is a lot more here than meets the eye, or reaches the ear as it were.
I try not to get suckered into these things, but I have to say, JLP, your fear and ignorance is astounding.
TY
|
|
wbw
Trad climber
'cross the great divide
|
|
This is a culture with a really low IQ. It's been tested and compared to the rest of the world, with Africa at the bottom by a long way. This is the reason for thier economic and living conditions. It's certianly not a lack of natural resources.
JLP, you don't think colonialism and its legacy has anything to do with it? Your above statement leads me to conclusions about your IQ.
You're right about the natural resources. Peru has had an economic growth rate for the last 10 years that Americans can only dream of, due to its natural resources. Still, due to government corruption and other factors, none of that trickles down to folks outside of Lima (very few in Lima actually benefit from it either) which is why people out of the capital are perpetually skeptical toward outsiders.
I guess this is where you and I part ways in our world view. And by the way, I have never felt more threatened than in the Gare de Lyon in Paris, nor I have stepped in more sh#t than poodle crap on the sidewalks in Chamonix.
|
|
Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
|
|
Here is a short story that I wrote sometime ago. Though the following is just a summary.
Todd and Jim along with their girlfriends Nancy and Val, wanted to make a roadtrip. But not just any roadtrip, but a magnificent one.
Central and South America, yeah they agreed, that is it.
So for funding they went to their respective parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles… anybody that would give money.
As Todd’s father put it: “Of course son, we will help finance your dream, I can understand what dreams are about since I never had the chance in order to work my tail off to get you through university. Go with my blessings.”
And the other three adventurers received the same response from their loved ones. “We will support you, come hell or high water.”
So off the quartet went. They had a great time hiking, swimming in tropical waters, and even getting high
“Man, Jim, that stuff is better than Acapulco Gold.”
“Yeah dude, let’s see what South America has to offer,” replies Todd.
So the roadtrip continues, but by the time Peru is reached, funds are running low, and they only have enough for some snort.
“Let’s fill the tank and look for the cheap stuff,” Val bleats in.
But they soon realize that they do not even have enough to buy a couple of beers between them.
Then Nancy comes up with a brilliant idea. “What about the internet, maybe we can get people to support our roadtrip if we tell them what an adventure we are having.”
The other three nod in approval.
However, the quartet did not count on the vagaries of roadtrips, even with their travels so far behind them. And they then found themselves knee-deep in llama manure.
They forgot about a golden rule that explorers and adventurers had learned over the years, much of the time by the hard way.
“Don’t mess with the natives.”
Alas, they did and rued the day for it.
But wait a minute they thought, there is money in our misfortune. We were stupid, but let’s be smart.
And they thought of Quatermain and H. Rider Haggard, Indiana Jones, Kipling (well the quartet were university graduates, they knew Kipling), and all the other adventure stories that made money.
“Why not,” said Todd. “Let’s make up our own adventure story, I mean, we have been through a lot.”
The others concurred.
But how to make such a story believable in an age where there are so many unbelievable stories being told in print and screen.
The four thought long and hard. And bingo. Of course. The internet.
“Andy Warhol, here we come.”
Now Taco Standers, I never had the story published, not because it was plausible or implausible, I just did not think there was a market for it.
Boy does it appear that I was wrong.
|
|
Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
|
|
Patrick - I think you're right, Sangay Park is probably a jaguar preserve, it's been a while since I thought about it.
I'm definitely motivated to send these gringos a ton of money so they can continue their adventures. Can't think of a more worthy cause.
|
|
bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
|
|
But did Tommy, Beth et al go on the Today Show?
Sort of. I think it was 60 minutes.
|
|
Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
|
|
t*r
I could easily write a friend and ask them to set up a fund-raising account for me, or ask relatives to set up a PayPal account.
Such requests, to make their story all the more valid, are just a phone call or email click away. Am I being cynical? Probably.
But I would rather be cynical than naive. Especially if somebody is asking me for money on a (perhaps) fatuous basis.
To hell I am going to send money that I do not have to these people. If their story is true (and I truly wonder), they got themselves in this mess, not I.
If I had money there are better causes. For example, the only gift I could afford for Jen this Christmas was a €40 contribution to the WWF for snow leopards. I framed the certificate because that is all I could give her for Christmas.
Up until November, Jennie and I were contributing a total of €220/month to eight charities/causes over the past five years (Concern, VSO, Barnados, Lifeboats (RNLI), Dublin-Wicklow Mountain Recuse, Alzheimer's Ireland, Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). My oldest brother Casey who knows my financial situation, said: "Stop it, charity begins at home."
Think about it, we have given over the past five years over €13,000 to good causes, because at the time we could afford it, not that we are or were rich, by any means. But Jen and I believe in good causes, and these three arseholes (in my opinion) are soliciting money for their own good.
They across across as selfish idiots who either were not intelligent to read the situation or are chancing it with other people's money. Confidence trick comes to mind.
To be honest, even if these three person's story is true, there are far better things I can contribute to (like my rent and bills) than to some middle-class adventurers who got themselves in a jam.
I do not weep for them. I weep for the undernourished and abused children in the world.
These three apparently have other family/friends that can help them. Why should we? IMO t*r, contribute to the starving children in the world, some who do not have drinking water.
And if it is true (and I do not know) that the State department will pick up some of the costs of these three people, then think about the tax dollars these three costs the US. IMO they are as bad as the greedy politicians in our country.
|
|
Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
|
|
let's wait for time to shake down more details before we jump into judgement.
My gut instinct is...
You are correct, let's wait for the facts to come out, if indeed they will.
But it is still a matter of some middle-class buffoons messing up in one way or another, be it their fault or others, one has to think they could have handled it better. Perhaps I am wrong. I have never been to Peru. I have never been in the situation they allege to.
I have very little sympathy for them, regardless of the 'facts'.
Like I wrote earlier, there are two side to every story. We have only been hearing one side.
EDIT
I still think that the three will benefit in the long run from their story. It is the kind of story that Americans love to hear, how fellow Yanks are mis-treated or ill-treated in another country. It will sell, I'll bet my house on that. Wait a minute, I don't own a house. Still...
... stay tuned, the networks and Fox will lap it up.
|
|
bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
|
|
Even if the story is 100% true, I'm not gonna send 'em money. If they are for real, they certainly have the resources to replace all their goodies -- lord knows I'd like a spendy digital camera and an Iphone, but I can't afford them.
If they ARE for real, I doubt they'd be spamming for dollars on the internet. I'm maybe 60K in debt with medical bills. It would never occur to me to try to get total strangers to pay 'em.
|
|
abrams
Sport climber
|
|
Peru has never been a boring place. Its history reads like a non stop head stomping termination movie where those who could be the most brutal and do it first survived to the present day.
And that dropping rocks thing on your enemy is like apple pie and baseball.
Out in rural bumf*ck Peru the only reason for strangers to be in your little valley at night is theft of your potato crop and guinea pigs.
|
|
landcruiserbob
Trad climber
BIG ISLAND or Vail ; just following the sun.......
|
|
Sad but there 's always a trigger ...
They could have parked on top of el presidente's ancestors.
The whistles tell me that they were victims of something in the past...
That was an epic for sure.
Aloha and be well
Rg
|
|
Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
|
|
What $19,000 so far?
There's a sucker born every minute.
Werner, I never really do like your "Americans are stupid" sayings, because I am a very proud American with a family dating back to 1640 in America. Even though I have lived abroad for years.
And while fools are easily parted with their money, I have to agree with you Werner, it seems that Americans will part with their money more stupidly than most nationalities.
And Patrick says: "I want you to know, that if you send me $10 I will ensure the Lord hears your prayer. Just $10 can send you on a righteous path."
|
|
abrams
Sport climber
|
|
Is it logical to conclude that the more money donated the less likely the story is to be true?
|
|
Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
|
|
Abrams, not sure.
But what I would guess and speculate is that the story is more designed to play on the heart strings of Americans and get them to contribute to these people's adventures.
I have to repeat (ad nauseam) something doesn't seem right with this story.
If indeed it is a case of 'fraud', of misleading people to contribute money, and the State department deems it such, will they seek the prosecution of fraudsters, or will they try and cover up just to save American faces. And rush them home to the safety of America, and the Today Show.
Something makes me think there is something fishy here. Ooops, it could be the salmon I just ate.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!