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Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders ID'd in WA plane crash

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Re: Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders ID'd in WA plane crash

#151
post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hate this reasoning. Why is this a fitting way to die? What would be a fitting way to go for a cook or an athlete then?

> What would be a fitting way to go for a cook or an athlete then? Whatever they liked doing? Being an astronaut at that time implied that he was an aviator. Keeping his licence to fly into the old age of 90 means he most likely loved flying. That is why it is a “fitting way to die”. I don’t know the cook you mention. Maybe they loved cooking for loved ones. In that case a fitting way to die would be while they are d…

"Dying in an accident doing something you always hated is worse than dying in an accident doing something you loved."

Dead is dead, though. I do not think the final moments matter as much as all the years before them. So even if I will one day die on the toilet being old, that would be way better, than me dying soon in an climbing accident, even though that sounds more dramatic and I am way more into climbing than toilets.

Re: Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders ID'd in WA plane crash

#152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dying in a last scream of fear, angst and struggle regretting a thousand things that may have gone wrong or maybe were just your fault, without having the chance to tell your loved ones how much you love them, and being remembered not only by the incredible flights where no one had gone before, but finally and uttermost by the one that ended your life which will be replayed endlessly in the internets. Not sure what w…

I'm going to visit someone who is having it worse, in my opinion. He's slowly deteriorating from Alzheimers. He won't acknowledge it and has become seriously grumpy. He used to know everyone in his town. He was a good guy. Now, everyone thinks he's an asshole. Everyone who didn't meet him before he started this decline has had a terrible time with him. He curses all the time. Last week, he forgot to shut off the gas…

Dying from Alzheimer's is truly terrible. From what I understand, in your final moments the neurons that move your lungs and beat your heart will give up, which is usually the end. And it's not the kind of opioidic kind of forgetting that you have to breathe either. It's pure struggle 'til the final moment.

Back in school I had an art teacher whose father went that way, and it was clear that he was extremely traumatized by witnessing that.

My condolences.

Re: Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders ID'd in WA plane crash

#154
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be surprised to see a pilot endorse that

Developers are such on-the-spectrum nitpickers. I guess that is what makes them good at their jobs and such unenjoyable cocktail party companions.

so many fails in such a short response. Assuming someone's profession based on almost nothing, general stereotyping, armchair mental diagnosis, insult based on 'diagnosis' that's needless and honestly irrelevant. Reminds me of the common backhanded insult on reddit, "you must be a blast at parties"

What kind of pilot would be taken seriously if they mix up such a basic aspect of professional knowledge? Jets and prop planes are very different beasts.

I can't think of any job where you can just casually mix up different classes of objects and not eventually have it result in some significant failure.

"Why did you feed the mules and not the horses?" "Don't be so autistic. I bet you're a blast a parties"

"Why did you give me cheeseburgers? The customer ordered plain burgers." "Don't be so autistic. I bet you're a blast at parties"

Yes, being specific about the things you work with is generally a sign that someone is good at their job, but it generally doesn't have much to do with autism. But I guess being condescending is what makes a good cocktail party companion?

Re: Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders ID'd in WA plane crash

#156
post #5

I saw the headline earlier, and my first thought was "I hope he was the pilot, because that would be a fitting way to go for a legend." Not only was he the pilot, but he was flying solo at 90 years old.

[flagged]

The guy was a legend - flew fighter jets, was a test pilot, and then an astronaut. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt - I'm sure he knew exactly what he was doing.

Re: Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders ID'd in WA plane crash

#157
post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because an unfitting way to die is to be stuffed with tubes, half conscious in a bed, shitting your pants uncontrollably. The perspective of dying lying helpless in a hospital or care house is not very appealing to people who had an active life.

Dying in a last scream of fear, angst and struggle regretting a thousand things that may have gone wrong or maybe were just your fault, without having the chance to tell your loved ones how much you love them, and being remembered not only by the incredible flights where no one had gone before, but finally and uttermost by the one that ended your life which will be replayed endlessly in the internets. Not sure what w…

There is zero risk of this astronaut being primarily remembered for how he died.

Re: Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders ID'd in WA plane crash

#158
post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He went out on his own terms subject to the rules of the way he lived. No excuses. It may not have been his intent to die but he was willing to take the risk. That is the price of true agency.

When you are prepared to die in a plane crash because of your decrepitude, how much risk to others is entailed in a case like this? If the plausible answer is “not that much” I am with you. But nonagenarian self-actualization at the cost of other people’s lives and limbs is a different story.

The risk of dying while flying in a light plane is reasonably high.

The risk of dying from a light plane crashing into you while you are on the ground is negligible.

Re: Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders ID'd in WA plane crash

#159
post #141
post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Choke on chalk, nerd! Or maybe have an aneurysm trying to remember some latex command.

Oh hell that last one got me. Now how do I do that equals with two bars and a squiggle ... ERK ... THUD.

Probably would have been better if I had instead suggested figure formatting and page layout… I think I’ve come close to stroking out over that…
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