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shah269

Ueli Gegenschatz

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Hi every one, I'm very sorry to bother you and to bring up the loss of such a great person. But I have an ethical question.
I'm the manager of a student outreach organization. Our mission is to reach out to kids K-12 and educate them regarding the viability of a career in the fields of Science and Engineering.
To do so we send Engineers and Scientists off to local schools and have them discuss their education, their work and their lives.
When I go out, being the manager, I bring along a nice DVD which has various video clips picked up from ted.com demonstrating how engineering and science can help make dreams come true. Be it Aimee Mullins amazing carbon fiber legs
http://www.vianet.org/news/2009/2009-03-03.shtml
to
Ueli Gegenschatz inspiring wing suit flights.
http://live7.ted.com/speakers/ueli_gegenschatz.html
But with Mr. Ueli Gegenschatz untimely death, I'm not so sure what to do?
Should I continue showing the kids how amazing this man was and that maybe one day science and technology will allow us to really fly like birds or to remove this video from my roster as a sign of respect.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Shah
Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

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Hey Shah,
Please do not remove the vid from your presentation. Ueli loved what he did and he knew the risks. He chose to to do it anyways. Uelis passion was Wingsuit flying. He lived for this. He was a ambassador of our sport and he was very good in introducing and explaining this to the "normal" citizens. I don't think with his death he would like this to be stopped. You are showing him respect by not closing the book and keep on showing why we do what we love and what it gives us.
Michi
Michi (#1068)
hsbc/gba/sba
www.swissbaseassociation.ch
www.michibase.ch

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Michi
Thank you! My administrator kind of had developed a crush on him and when she found out that he had lost his life was very upset. And I for one was just not sure on proper antiquate on the subject.
Thank you and I will continue to show his inspiring video.
The kids love it! They are amazed that humans can fly.
And when tell them that the next generation of wing suits and canopies that will revolutionize the world will come from their minds not mine....they are all blown away!
Even the girls get into it!
Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

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Even the girls get into it!



Seriously? :|

YES! Materials engineering.
I ask them, "OK who liked his suit?" and all the kids say yes and I start asking what parts they liked and right off the bat the guys for the structure but the girls go more for the materials and the colors.
(these are kids in 6th grade)
And I tell them that if they wish to make something as beautiful as that wing suit they need to understand the basic laws that govern the natural world. And those laws are written in math and with math you can understand science and with science you can make the world a better place not only to live but to have fun in.
I also show the kids a video of myself in a wind tunnel (skyventure Montreal) and they love that as well.
Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

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Even the girls get into it!



Seriously? :|

YES! Materials engineering.
OK... this is a strange answer for me...

I think her point is that there is/shouldn't be anything abnormal for girls to enjoy science or engineering... and you've made it seem via your statement that not only is it strange for girls to enjoy science but that they only enjoy Materials Engineering... :D

OH, btw... just to stay on topic... I suggest you leave the clip in... there's nothing wrong with having it in your presentation... and fwiw... skydiving isn't the only amazing thing that's possible through the wonders of engineering and science... it's just one thing that's possible...

I just want to make sure you don't limit yourself.
Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

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Materials is just the get go for the girls.
The conversation then evolves into green power and green buildings. Every thing from chemical engineering to electrical and beyond. My only gripe is that I only have 45minutes to talk to the kids, of which 15 of those is videos to get their brains going.
Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

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I think her point is that there is/shouldn't be anything abnormal for girls to enjoy science or engineering.



Or she's enjoying a session of Shah bashing-When I used to interact with kids of that age-I didn't get a lot of interest in the tech or science side of things from the girls. The boys asked the majority of the "how does that work" questions. It's simply a fact. I've never been exposed to an engineering department of any size that was even close to an even gender split. It's cool that he's engaging the girls and sparking an interest for them in engineering. Some McFolks just want to be offended every time Shah says anything.
You are only as strong as the prey you devour

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No.... reread the last couple of sentences before the "girls" statement. In the context of those sentences he makes it sound like "even girls" think the winsuiting portion of the presentation is cool.


YES. :)I show two videos, one of Ms. Amy Mullins which we assumed would interest the girls since it's a woman talking about her overcoming a physical disability and not only becoming a great athlete but also using design and engineering to develop more fissionable and more life like, more usable legs.
The girls liking the wing suit video was a pleasant surprise to me and the people above who fund the organization. Which just goes to show you that classic gender specific interests may be a thing of the past. Which for an organization like the one I work for is a great thing! :)
Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

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Not to me-but I pull more of the design ideas context from the sentence than the pretty wingsuits context.


That's what I'm getting from the girls and that's the big surprise. That they are looking at this as a design issue not a aesthetics issue. Thus the materials science discussion as well as general aeronautics.
Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

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Continuing to show the amazing things he did so that others may find the inspiration to do similar things would be far more "respectful" towards his accomplishments than "removing the video as a sign of respect".

Just my $.02
"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

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Please do not remove the vid from your presentation. Ueli loved what he did and he knew the risks. He chose to to do it anyways. Uelis passion was Wingsuit flying. He lived for this. He was a ambassador of our sport and he was very good in introducing and explaining this to the "normal" citizens. I don't think with his death he would like this to be stopped. You are showing him respect by not closing the book and keep on showing why we do what we love and what it gives us.
Michi

WORTH REPEATING

Thanks Michi
scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

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I used an edited version of this video
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ueli_gegenschatz_extreme_wingsuit_jumping.html
The kids loved it! Simply thought it was the most amazing thing they had ever seen!
I think I'll keep it on there for future classes.
Shah
Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

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