Saturday, October 31, 2009



Must not mention that young people often enjoy taking risks



We read:
"The possibility of death is what makes the Duke of Edinburgh Award popular, Prince Edward said yesterday while commenting on an Australian schoolboy's agonising death while lost in the bush. Edward's comments have made him a target for the British press who are comparing him to his gaffe-prone father, Prince Philip.

In an interview with The Australian yesterday Prince Edward was asked about Sydney schoolboy David Iredale, who died in December 2006 in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. Iredale was on a bushwalk he undertook without supervision as part of his Duke of Edinburgh Award, a program that rewards young people for doing outdoor challenges.

The Queen's youngest son who is seventh in line to the British throne and chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, said the scheme remains popular because it offers the possibility of deadly danger.

The Prince said he was not aware of the circumstances of the Iredale case, but recounted that when a young man died while participating in a Duke of Edinburgh activity in Britain in the program's early years, interest in the scheme soared. "All the trustees were convinced that (the boy's death) was the end of it, that it would never go any further," Prince Edward said. "And Lord Hunt, the man who masterminded the first successful ascent of Everest and was first director of the award, said: 'No, no, no, do nothing ... Just wait and see."'

The prince recalled that, in the days following the death, the number of inquiries from young people wanting to learn more about the award and how they could get involved skyrocketed. "And he (Lord Hunt) said, 'There you go, that's typical young people'," Prince Edward said.

Source

The same thing happens when a tourist gets eaten by a crocodile in Northern Australia: Tourism enquiries soar.

7 comments:

Stan B said...

Life without risk is BORING!

I guess Pink Floyd got the naysayer's attitudes right....

"And momma's going to keep you safe
under her wing.
She won't let you fly,
but she MIGHT let you sing...."

Anonymous said...

Like i said, it's Britain, who cares! FCUK 'EM!

Anonymous said...

Britain or Australia - I guess it's all the same to little yankee-doodle (aka 2:44 AM)

Anonymous said...

You mean, young people like to climb trees and jump out of them? Like to ride a bike downhill with their hands off the handlebar? Ride a skateboard down a metal handrail and fall on their kiesters? Drive cars fast and show off to their friends and, you know, girls?

Damn! Who knoo?

Anonymous said...

I'm a YANK as you call it and I agree with your " BLOODY PRINCE ".
Speeking out as he did is
" ballsy " , a trait to be admired.

SMTSA

Anonymous said...

that country is in complete bondage to their own laws, perhaps they should change them. The laws should be for the people not against them.

Anonymous said...

So how is "that country" (Britain?, Australia?) different from any other democratic country re abiding by their own laws and the process of changing them?