Steve Fossets Vanishing Act

[spyguy]

Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Well comrades, it appears another fellow adventurer has gone the way of Richard Haliburton, "The Thai Silk King" Jim Thompson and Amelia Earhart.... For those who haven't heard the news the world record holder of several plane, boat and balloon escapades got into a small plane Monday morning in NV and hasn't been seen or heard from since.
What's really odd is he didn't file a flight plan w/ the FAA nor did the transponder on his plane automatically activate to help locate a crash. It almost seems like Old Steve wanted to make his last exit and perhaps start a new life...?
Anyway, whether he's alive and well somewhere or no longer w/ us, the world needs more dreamers just like him! Can you imagine if he had turned his tenacity to break all kinds of flying, boating and ballooning records (he's the only one to ever cirumnavigate the globe in a balloon) to treasure hunting He'd probably have more big buck$ finds than Mel Fisher's group and Odyssey Marine Exploration combined!!!
So here's to a legend, who if he's no longer w/ us has perhaps become a star in the sky somewhere over Nevada.... Cheers Steve!
HH
-spyguy

 

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[Ima Swinger]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Maybe he's after Jimmy Hoffa's record.

Ima

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

big buck$ Fosset.

Cannot say I will miss him and his
appetite for setting records

 

[Casull]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Gotta say I agree with Sherman. Never was impressed with the balloonatic.

 

[joya_dorado]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Well my hat's off to him. The world needs more Steve Fossets, Burt Rutans, Mel Fishers and others like them. Guys like this never give up against impossible odds and setbacks. They're the closet thing we have to heroes. I admire anyone cut from this rare cloth. I went all the way to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to see first hand Spaceship One, right there next to the Spirit of St Louis and as luck would have it, right above Steve Fosset's balloon capsule that he sailed around this planet.

Godspeed Steve.

 

[Casull]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

I don't see Fosset in the same category as Mel Fisher. Fisher was a man who accomplished something through a lot of hard work, hard times and luck. Fosset was a billionaire who bought a balloon and went for a ride. Granted, I give him credit for his financial sense and work that brought him financial success, but the balloon rides were a joke.

 

[joya_dorado]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Bought a balloon and went for a ride? Right. Lindbergh got in a plane and flew east. Magellan got in a boat and went sailing... Nuthin' to it right? LOL

 

[Ima Swinger]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Hey, I'm no Fossit fan. In fact, the only record that I've heard of him breaking is the "Balloon Ride" (maybe I don't watch enough tv ). But I think the balloon record was quite a feat. I don't even like driving out of town.

Ima

 

[desertfox]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Amen, Ima.

Desertfox

 

[MD Dog]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Steve Fossett has spent millions and for what ? Has he fed the hungry or provided for the poor. His only true interest seems to have been to get his name recorded for posterities sake. Well now we'll all know him as the rich guy who went around the world in a balloon, big deal that's not on par with curing cancer which his millions might have just as easily accommplished. Me, I have no pity for the idle rich.

 

[joya_dorado]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Good Lord I seem to be defending Steve Fosset Have I stumbled into a nest of Liberal Democrats here or what?

I have no pity for someone who casts stones at the "idle rich". Idle by whose standards

Since when did it become Fosset's responsibilty or anyone else's responsibility, who happens to be wealthy, to "feed the poor"? Are you talking about here in the US where milk is cheaper than gasoline and a dozen eggs can be bought for a couple of bucks? Who the heck goes hungry in this country unless it's a child who is being neglected by their alcoholic or drug abusing parents? Feed the poor?? That's patently ludicrous in this country. Now in other countries like say North F***ing Korea... yeah people are starving because their corrupt leadership has ruined the country. How about Mexico? Same scenario. India? same scenario... It's corruption, and fundamentally flawed ideologies of every stripe that pave the roads to Hell with good intentions while leaders line their pockets with $$$.
No amount of money spent by Fosset or any other wealthy individual will help feed the poor in these impoverished and corrupt regions of the world.

Then you expect Fosset to spend his millions curing cancer Isn't that what the biomedical and pharmaceutical companies are trying to do? Would you be happier if Fosset had invested in Geron or Pfizer of some other big Pharma? Maybe he did... who knows?

Point is, Fosset was a man I admired because he dared to do something nobody else had succeeded in doing.

I don't have any patience with somebody bashing a wealthy person because they are wealthy. If you're NOT wealthy or on the road to wealth and you want to be, all it takes is effort, perseverence and a little luck. Blaming or disrespecting somebody who DOES have wealth but who has not spent their money in a way agreeable to your standards is pretty sad.

 

[Casull]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Good Lord I seem to be defending Steve Fosset Have I stumbled into a nest of Liberal Democrats here or what?

I have no pity for someone who casts stones at the "idle rich". Idle by whose standards

Since when did it become Fosset's responsibilty or anyone else's responsibility, who happens to be wealthy, to "feed the poor"? Are you talking about here in the US where milk is cheaper than gasoline and a dozen eggs can be bought for a couple of bucks? Who the heck goes hungry in this country unless it's a child who is being neglected by their alcoholic or drug abusing parents? Feed the poor?? That's patently ludicrous in this country. Now in other countries like say North F***ing Korea... yeah people are starving because their corrupt leadership has ruined the country. How about Mexico? Same scenario. India? same scenario... It's corruption, and fundamentally flawed ideologies of every stripe that pave the roads to Hell with good intentions while leaders line their pockets with $$$.
No amount of money spent by Fosset or any other wealthy individual will help feed the poor in these impoverished and corrupt regions of the world.

Then you expect Fosset to spend his millions curing cancer Isn't that what the biomedical and pharmaceutical companies are trying to do? Would you be happier if Fosset had invested in Geron or Pfizer of some other big Pharma? Maybe he did... who knows?

Point is, Fosset was a man I admired because he dared to do something nobody else had succeeded in doing.

I don't have any patience with somebody bashing a wealthy person because they are wealthy. If you're NOT wealthy or on the road to wealth and you want to be, all it takes is effort, perseverence and a little luck. Blaming or disrespecting somebody who DOES have wealth but who has not spent their money in a way agreeable to your standards is pretty sad.

Joya, I wholeheartedly agree with this post. But, I am still not impressed with Fosset's balloon ride. I admire the man for his financial abilities, but his "stunts" just do not impress me. Someone with billions who buys a balloon and goes for a ride is just not that impressive to me. It's not even comparable to someone setting a land, air or water speed record because there is no real skill involved (you don't drive or fly a balloon, you simply go). Yes, yes, it was never done before. But, that does not necessarily make it a special accomplishment. And, again I have no problem with someone of wealth using their money in any manner they want, just don't expect me to be impressed by someone "buying" a record.

 

[MD Dog]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

I do happen as a matter of fact to be wealthy. But I choose to use the majority of my wealth to do good rather than take part in some self grandizing fashion with no benefit for my fellow man. And as a side bar, anyone of substantial means does have a moral obligation to use their good fortune for the benefit of others.

 

[joya_dorado]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Casull- Apparently there IS some degree of skill involved in flying a balloon, according to the FAA... "In the United States, a pilot of a hot air balloon must have a pilot certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and it must carry the rating of "Lighter-than-air free balloon", and unless the pilot is also qualified to fly gas balloons, will also carry this limitation: "Limited to hot air balloons with airborne heater".

In order to carry paying passengers for hire (and attend some balloon festivals), a pilot must have a commercial pilot certificate. Commercial hot air balloon pilots may also act as hot air balloon flight instructors."

But whatever... if you guys think there was nothing admirable about being the first person to circumnavigate the globe in a balloon then that's your perogitive.

 

[joya_dorado]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

I do happen as a matter of fact to be wealthy. But I choose to use the majority of my wealth to do good rather than take part in some self grandizing fashion with no benefit for my fellow man. And as a side bar, anyone of substantial means does have a moral obligation to use their good fortune for the benefit if others.

I feel the same moral obligation as you. I use the majority of my modest wealth to support impoverished Texas wineries who might otherwise sell fewer bottles of wine each year, the County Tax Assessor who graciously grants me the right to continue living on my land year after year, White's Metal Detector's, to whom we're all indebted, and of course the largest charity of all... Exxon Corporation, without whom my weekend forays into the hills would not be possible, unless I were to ride my bicycle with my MXT slung across my back.

 

[{Sentinel}]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Rich people should NOT have to give their money to others. Most got that way by hard work. That is the problem with the U.S., we have become pretty much a Socialist State with all the taxing and welfare administered by the Big Federal Government. This country was founded by people who abhorred Taxes. And now look what has become of it...We tax peoples hard earned money and redistribute it to "others." I was always taught that taking someone elses money without their consent was stealing. TOO many people expect the Federal Government to provide for them. That is not what was envisioned when this great nation was conceived.

IN THE WORDS OF THE GREAT THOMAS JEFFERSON: "To COMPEL a Man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas that he DISBELIEVES, and abhors, is sinful and TYRANNICAL."

Its pretty self-explanatory: Spend your money the way that YOU want to, not the way someone else wants you to.

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Well my hat's off to him. The world needs more Steve Fossets, Burt Rutans, Mel Fishers and others like them. Guys like this never give up against impossible odds and setbacks. They're the closet thing we have to heroes. I admire anyone cut from this rare cloth. I went all the way to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to see first hand Spaceship One, right there next to the Spirit of St Louis and as luck would have it, right above Steve Fosset's balloon capsule that he sailed around this planet.

Godspeed Steve.

"the closet thing we have to heroes"


How sad.

 

[diggummup]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Some of you people on here are ruthless. So the guy is rich and he is an adventurer and likes to spend his money doing adventurous things, so what? Who the he!! are you all to judge anybody for what they do with their own money? What are you a bunch of communists? Socialists? What? Just plain jealous or what? I'm no fan of the guy but i'm sure he has family who love and miss him and hope he turns up alive. Have a little compassion for your fellow human beings would you?

 

[joya_dorado]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Ain't nuthin sad about it. These men who dared great things like Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and all the other astronauts before them and after are heroes. So are the Rutan brothers for being the first to circumnavigate the globe non-stop in a private airplane AND the first to launch a private vehicle to outer space. Fosset's there too with his successful circumnavigation of the earth by balloon. So is Charles Lindbergh with his transatlantic flight. But there are others too who are heroic in my book... Louis Pastuer for inventing the vaccine and pastuerization process for food and Nikola Tesla for introducing the AC electrical systems and dozens of other devices we use today.
Formost among my heroes is Willis Haviland Carrier, the inventor of the air conditioner. We refer to him as the Patron Saint of the Civilized South. Without Carrier's blessed invention this land be be virtually uninhabitable. :P

 

[joya_dorado]

Re: Steve Fosset's Vanishing Act

Some of you people on here are ruthless. So the guy is rich and he is an adventurer and likes to spend his money doing adventurous things, so what? Who the he!! are you all to judge anybody for what they do with their own money? What are you a bunch of communists? Socialists? What? Just plain jealous or what? I'm no fan of the guy but i'm sure he has family who love and miss him and hope he turns up alive. Have a little compassion for your fellow human beings would you?

Well put. I gotta wonder about some of the disturbingly mean spirited and socialistic posts on this thread. I thought we were mostly heat-packin Libertarian don't-tread-on-me desert rats. Guess i was wrong