[Pippoles]

You could take that same viewpoint on absolutely anything.

"It's my kid. If I want to pimp him, that's my business".
"It's my kid. If I want to lock him in a closet until he's 18, that's my business."

See how it doesn't work?

[celddiskend]

Solo sailing around the world is, amazingly, much less dangerous than attempting to climb Everest.

Everest news website has counters for the number of summits and the number of deaths! So you can keep track. I guess no-one climbs it in winter for obvious reasons!

http://www.everestnews.com/Default.htm

[Kt-viagra]

Progress is made when calculated risks are taken.

What progress?

The only progress this will bring is more record attempts, with increasingly younger kids being hauled into the death zone. And I'm just not sociopathic enough to hang out the bunting for that.

[Allbrunette]

Oh, that's just so ****ing American. "A child! An innocent child! Conquering the world! Live your dreams! Be yourselves! You can be anything you want to be!"

[Master_B]

That would work. Just tell him "Get well soon, and you might be able to kick the teeth out of this inspirational little **** and his horrific parents."

[provigil]

You could take that same viewpoint on absolutely anything.

"It's my kid. If I want to pimp him, that's my business".
"It's my kid. If I want to lock him in a closet until he's 18, that's my business."

See how it doesn't work?

Too many people bothered with other peoples children.

Too many busybodies on this site.

At least they're not doing it for charity...those people really annoy me. Raising loads of money to blow it climbing a mountain instead of just donating their own money.

[TXmjLW9b]

I refuse.

[Attaniuri]

Did those colonial years teach you lot nothing about good, honest black-hearted cynicism?

[SashaLionx]

Incidentally, the current youngest summiter is Temba Tsheri, who summited at 16. Temba's first attempt was at 14, and he lost five fingers on that go.

And I was thinking parents shouldn't let kids do such things.

[pE71J5Sw]

That we choose our colonial slaves and beasts of burden very carefully.

[jgztw2es]

[seodiary]

Enjoy-

http://www.theknightshop.co.uk/catal...al-p-1609.html

[doolarsva]

Gurkhas

Love the reluctant paratroopers story, officers trying to get 100 Ghurkas to volunteer for jump training and only get 70 volunteers... they are surprised and a bit shocked to get so few volunteers. Then they explain about the parachutes...

See "The reluctant paratroopers" here:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=7303,6422044

[SallyIsNice5]

At 13? 13 year olds used to be considered old enough to make important decisions about their future. Marco Polo himself went on the expedition with his father at the age of 15. Drake was an apprentice seaman at the age of 13.

I really don't see why a 13 year old would not be capable of persuing the climb provided that he's under the supervision of adults. Any younger and I would have to say no.

[DailyRingtone]

As long as they are priests?

[Thigmaswams]

Also, Drake's career was one of the few activities more dangerous than climbing Everest. I imagine the Polo expedition was pretty risky too. The distinction being that both were immensely useful as well as profitable...this kid might get money and brief flavor-of-the-month fame if he doesn't die, and will probably get even more fame (but no money) if he does. But that's about it. It's a stupid, dangerous stunt.

[Stengapsept]

Ben is in favour of 13-year-olds getting married to middle-aged men . You heard it here.