Topic: Cannonball man flies over border  (Read 1029 times)

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Offline Grim

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Cannonball man flies over border
« on: August 28, 2005, 12:43:25 pm »
Cannonball man flies over border

David Smith has an unusual way of crossing the Mexican border into the US - as a human cannonball.

Mr Smith, a professional cannonball, was launched head first across the border between Tijuana, in Mexico, and the US city of San Diego.

His son, also a human cannonball, says Mr Smith is the first person to be fired across an international border.

Mr Smith waved his passport in the air as he sat on the lip of the cannon, before leaving on the brief journey.

'Spatial borders'

The event is the first of a series of public art projects in the two border cities run by the Insite network.

Mr Smith was fired into the sky on Saturday, flying across a rusty border fence from the Mexican beach and landing in a huge net the other side.

 Mr Smith said he was inspired by circus performers to explore "the notion of spatial and mental borders".

The US border chief granted Mr Smith special dispensation for crossing into the US in such an unconventional manner.

"I had to make sure to have some kind of official 'OK' high enough up to make sure he doesn't land in the US and go to a federal penitentiary," his son said.

Mr Smith has spawned a family of professional human cannonballs - his son, two daughters and a cousin are all regularly fired from one of five cannons they own.



Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4192448.stm

Offline Jack Morris

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Re: Cannonball man flies over border
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2005, 01:26:37 pm »
Did they fire him into the water or how do they land?

Offline Grim

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Re: Cannonball man flies over border
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2005, 01:32:58 pm »
Did they fire him into the water or how do they land?

They had a net on the other side, quite a dangerous thrill seeking act really, i am sure plenty have died by missing the safety nets.





Offline Dracho

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Re: Cannonball man flies over border
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2005, 01:50:43 pm »
I saw some um... geniuses in Great Briton Britian (sorry, been reading a history of the Church of England between 558 and 1066 and have been discussing Britons as opposed to Britians) who were flinging themselves into a net using a trebuchet.  They hit the net.. then bounced 30' into the air and missed it on the second fall.  Broke several bones..
The worst enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan.  - Karl von Clausewitz

Offline KBF-Angel Slayer

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Re: Cannonball man flies over border
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2005, 01:57:02 pm »
Can we shoot him back?  How is this art?


NPR is a lot like NASCAR.  Two hundred miles an hour in a circle, and you end up right back where you started with nothing but lost time for the effort.


Offline Jack Morris

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Re: Cannonball man flies over border
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2005, 02:11:14 pm »
Hehehehehehehe, we could experiment with illegal aliens?  ;) Give them a ride back they will never forget and also save taxpayers the 28,000 dollar INS flights.

Offline KBF-Angel Slayer

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Re: Cannonball man flies over border
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2005, 02:18:08 pm »
28K per illegal?  You're kidding, right?  Damn!!  Where do I put my bid in at?  I can do it for a damn site less. 


NPR is a lot like NASCAR.  Two hundred miles an hour in a circle, and you end up right back where you started with nothing but lost time for the effort.


Offline Jack Morris

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Re: Cannonball man flies over border
« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2005, 02:51:51 pm »
Ask and ye shall receive...

http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=84813&SecID=2

Maybe we should buy an older C-130 and contract out?  ;D No snacks or peanuts on OUR flights...