Taking Unnecessary Risk

I was reading CNN this morning and I came across this article: Climbers survive Everest avalanche. This is the part that interested me the most....

Twenty-three expeditions have attempted to scale Everest this spring amid treacherous conditions.

Michael O'Brien, 39, of Seattle fell to his death May 1 at the Khumbu Icefall as he and his brother Chris, 32, were returning to base camp. Sean Egan, 63, a Canadian, died on the mountain April 29 after an apparent heart attack.

Since New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay first conquered Everest on May 29, 1953, more than 1,400 people have scaled the mountain. About 180 have died on its unpredictable slopes.

When it comes taking unnecessary risks, if I can die.... count me out. I'm sure the people that died climbing Everest all had their reasons for being there. The thing about life and death situations that I don't like - is the death part.

I remember in my pre-live life right days - I took my 300zx out for a late night drive on the freeway. It was about 4 am, so there were hardly an cars on the freeway driving on this particular stretch. I opened up my Z and got up to 146 mph when the thought occurred to me.... "If I have a tire blow out at this speed, it's game over." I slowed down immediately, and have never driven at those high speeds again.

Why die a useless death if I don't have to - is my motto.