Ewww settle down, Jesus.  Everybody needs to just chill the fugout.

I didn't know that was you, Sampson. Kinda ironic huh? You seem like a cool dude.
Still I gotta stand by my convictions. I don't want to, and it makes me cringe, but I stilll must

tell you what, though,  you can count on me, to the best of my ability, to bag you out  if ever I'm around when you "have your day in court"
...and to bear witness to the
James is right though: I can't speak for the other users of this sight, but as far as I'm concerned, everything I say shouldn't be overly weighted. Just read me like I'm talking shit while we're having beers around a campfire.

I just like to use threads like this as an opportunity to look at things from different angles. I think that the use of video cameras in a this way is actually a TOPIC worthy of our discussion and considerations. This particular incident doesn't make you a bad person, Samson, but it raises the question, at least for me, about ETHICS regarding how media is used. I can't let go of that word. Whatever bullshit was in that post, that word wasn't. It stuck with me, and deserves examination.

It's not the fact that it is footage of someone swimming. Personally, I can't stand it when I'm watching a kayaking video (sound's like you're addicted to "porn", Tobin) and the camera cuts out and you know the paddler got trashed. There's a lot of really valuable common knowledge to be gained by watching case studies: That is to say that specific rapids have specific cause and effect relationships. By documenting swims, wipeouts, pins, and other rescue scenerios, there is a potential to learn at least about those specific rapids, what goes wrong in them, how it goes wrong, and how both succesful and unsuccessful rescue attempts or feats play out. (For example: Lava Dam- swimmer behind the curtain- throw throw bag with medium small rock to penetrate curtain)

Video of a class II swim for the sake of humiliation is imature. it is a negative use of media, and everyone needs to ask themselves how they want media to be used, and what ethical bounderys should perhaps exist on an organic level. It comes back to a basic Golden Rule thing. Isn't that sensible enough? we don't need any laws or rules, just use some basic courtesy.

You made it sound as if you asked his permission or something, but I honestly can't tell how sincere you were. whatever. But I think when you capture footage of someone, it is of their IMAGE, of their PADDLING EXPERIENCE. It's kind of their intellectual property AT LEAST as much as it is of the photographers. All the videographer had to do was have the camera and push a button. These concepts of intellectuall property are upside down, if you ask me. Maybe this is off topic, but...

It pisses me off when people take photos or video of me, and then don't hook me up with ANY OF IT. Or have some weird possessive games about it as if I'm infringing on THEIR copyright. There's been footage of me running some gnarly drops that i never even got to see. It's B.S. There's also footage of me swimming when I wish I wouldn't have. So what. What bothers me is the way people manage their media. It can be inconsiderate. I hardly have ANY photos or video of myself. I guess  I'm The Invisible boater. But that's ok I never was in it for the fame or glory. I just like how it feels when I can paddle smooth. I know that sounds off topic.

Oh yeah, and I've been slandered in print,  too, more than once, and it sucks when you know the facts were'nt even accurate.

Thanks, Samson, for this incident because it's an opportunity to eat some food for thought. I know you're friends with leif, I just want to bring up some other considerations related to media and how it's used on the river.  Ultimately you're free to behave however you want. Just try to look at things from some other perspectives, so you can better decide how you want to behave.

see you out on the water sometime. I don't hold any grudges related to exhanges on this site. I just don't care "if sarcasm doen't translate well over the internet" or whatever. I speak my mind in person as well. I don't mean much by it. Just putting in my 102 cents.