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A memoriam

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by DaveinOlyWA, Oct 13, 2007.

  1. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    Saying with any conviction what someone would do or say is presumptuous at best. No matter how predictable one may seem, the human psyche is an unendingly complicated result of a lifelong thoughts and experiences, all of which contributes to the decisions that control our lives.

    But some people are honest and straightforward to the point that to predict that John Denver would be an outspoken proponent to combat the human contribution to global warming, to me would be a no-brainer.

    He spent a lifetime writing about the wonders of nature and did it with a success that had more to do with transparent honesty, approachability, identifiable emotions, and true commitment to his beliefs than making money and was immensely popular because that is exactly what came across to his audience.

    He then used his influence to battle water and air pollution, world hunger, and preservation of the seas. His song Calypso, written during a television special he filmed while on board with Jacques Cousteau, a famous underwater documentary maker and conservationist, played a huge role in bringing new minds to the problems that faced our oceans.

    The song reached #1 and every penny of the proceeds was donated to the Jacques Cousteau Society but more importantly it made many aware of the vulnerabilities the oceans suffered at the hands of man. Prior to that, many felt that the oceans were too big to be affected by anything we did. pollution, overfishing, etc didnt make a dent in them. Scientists knew for years that that was not the case but nobody listened to them. But a lot of people did listen to Denver.

    October 12th marks the 10th anniversary of his untimely and premature death. His death was a very sad event for me as I had seen him once live and he is responsible for creating my interest in music so many years ago. Without a doubt, had he not come along, someone else would have done it i suppose. But would they have opened my and others eyes to plights of the Earth?

    I often wonder if my interests in GW, ecology and our world is a result of my admiration for the man. if so, i have no regrets. i guess what we all do individually is really so insignificant in this world that to have a person who can help put out the word is so vitally important. The fight to slow Global Warming lost a big advantage the day John Denver died.
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Nicely stated Dave.
     
  3. PA Prius

    PA Prius Active Member

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    Thanks, Dave, although it was ten years ago yesterday.

    PA P
     
  4. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    Yes, nicely written, but . . .

    Let's not be so quick to elevate the man to the ecologist sainthood level.

    Yes, John Denver was an ecologically minded person . . . but he also had a penchant for flying private planes and jets - over 2700 hours worth :eek: . Just how much environmental damage did that do? <_<

    And although sad and untimely, he did, after all, end up crashing his private plane into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary . . . thereby contaminating it with oil, gas, and other substances hazardous to the ecosystem - and not to mention the damage also done during the search, recovery, and investigations.
    John Denver was purportedly on a mission that day to buzz the nearby ranch of his friend, Clint Eastwood. <_<

    Like many of the rich and famous, I tend to place him more on the 'do as I say, not as I do' ecologist level.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...amp;expand=true

    P.S. It was October 13, 1997 . . . ten years ago. I know, because I was scuba diving in Monterrey the day before. :mellow:
    I'm just glad it wasn't the day after. :blink:
     
  5. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    So, SPE, just what is it someone has to do to gain your respect? You seem to insult everyone who's made an effort and talked about it. If Al Gore had ridden his bicycle across the country, you'd probably still find reason to complain. If those of us with concerns about the environment had stayed in our unheated salvaged-wood tree forts, we'd never have heard of them or their ideas. Where's the balance?
     
  6. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I defended you earlier SPE, but I agree, there's was no reason at all to rain on this particular parade. We all have our little vices and things that make our lives complete and better.

    I don't complain about people who love their 4WDs and do rock crawls...it's a hobby and a pleasure. Flying planes is a particularly fantastic hobby and pleasure and enjoying that one thing does not make the rest of one's efforts at environmental awareness null and void. What a sterile boring world we'd live in if we all lived a 'perfect green life'.
     
  7. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    i am going by what TV said on a special aired about him.

    the plane he crashed was an experimental ultralight on its maiden voyage. he was interested in it because of his love of flying (his father was an air force pilot and he himself was not accepted for pilot training because of poor eyesite which eventually led to him dropping out of college) and that its energy to lift ratio that promised to make flight less of an impact on the environment.

    his desire to explore new aircraft technology reinforces my belief that he would have been instrumental in the Prius and EV tech as well.

    as far as the 10 years ago... i dont know why i said 9 years. meant to say 10 but was feeding Ry ... but... ok... lame excuse.i will edit it.
     
  8. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    Thanks, Dave. John Denver was a good man and had a fine singing voice. Life is not fair and the world is not just. Ten years later, he is still missed.
     
  9. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 13 2007, 02:22 PM) [snapback]525222[/snapback]</div>
    I agree, John Denver was a good guy.
    And yes, if alive today, would undoubtedly still be a voice for the environment.

    The only part of Dave's OP I have issues with was the line where he said, "But some people are honest and straightforward to the point that to predict that John Denver would be an outspoken proponent to combat the human contribution to global warming, to me would be a no-brainer."

    I'm just saying that to be an "outspoken proponent to combat the human contribution to global warming" he needed to personally live up to those ideals. In words he was, but in deeds . . . he had a long way to go before qualifying for a "no-brainer" of a pass for the "honest and straightforward" moniker.

    Don't preach to me about saving the environment. Show me, and let me emulate those actions . . . otherwise we're all just spouting a bunch of hot air.

    Just how many thousands cheered for Madonna and her message during the Live Earth Concert at Wembley Stadium - yet were utterly clueless that one of the worlds biggest energy and pollution pigs was on stage oinking at them to, "do as I say, not as I do."
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...amp;expand=true

    And don't even mention Carbon Offset Credits. If she really cared to change her tune and help save the world, she would have flown commercial and donated the money saved to environmental causes . . . without the need for offset credits. <_<
     
  10. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    John Denver prepared the ground for the seeds that would come later.

    He grew into his environmentalism. I have no doubt that had he lived, during the course of the last decade he would have grown into a lifestyle to rival Ed Begley Jr. We could be watching 'Living with John' HGTV.
     
  11. PriuStorm

    PriuStorm Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Oct 13 2007, 03:22 PM) [snapback]525211[/snapback]</div>
    It would appear that to some people's standards, anyone who has done anything for pleasure that consumes fuel and creates emissions would be as ecologically irresponsible as the worst intentional polluter. :rolleyes:


    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Oct 13 2007, 06:57 PM) [snapback]525272[/snapback]</div>
    Absolutely and kudos to him for that. Not only a lifetime of environmental interest and concern, but a legacy foundation that lives on. Thank you, Dave, for posting the nice tribute.

    Ecology Hall of Fame
    John Denver's Windstar Foundation