GOTTA SEE THIS!! (VIDEO) PEOPLE JUMPING W/PARACHUTES FROM WORLD'S TALLEST BLDG. FOR 'NEW YEARS'

NNN TV, Japan (Video Stream) in Japanese ^ | 8 January 2004 | AmericaninTokyo (using NNN Video News)

[AmericanInTokyo]

Video Stream from Japanese TV (NNN Tokyo) showing "New Years Jumping" off of the highest building in the world, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Watch these idiots fly!

You can view by hitting the link, (above) for 300 k. Or, try this for 56k viewing. All Windows Media.

http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20040108-00000020-jnn-int-movie-000&media=wm56k

[AmericanInTokyo]

Wow. Looks fun yet crazy at the same time.

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[sopwith]

that would be a rush.

[AmericanInTokyo]

just watching it by this video, is a bit of a rush

[MadelineZapeezda]

Reminds me of hearing that people who work in tall skyscrapers in NY now want parachute packs just in case. Can't blame them, I'd certainly buy one to keep in my desk.

[AmericanInTokyo]

It isnt a pleasant thought, but knowing human nature, can you imagine a brutal fight over one of them between work colleagues, if there weren't enough to go around, in the event of an attack on a skyscraper?

[international american]

The last 4 seconds gives a good view of my condo(white building).

[Imal]

Hey cool. I was just there a few weeks ago, and had some freshly made juice in the mall underneath the towers.

Fortunately or unfortunately, as the case may be, no one jumped while I was there. ;^)

P.S. I thought Seattle was a hard city to drive in, until I went to Kuala Lumpur. I mean, wow. They could do with a few more overpasses, more U-turn opportunities (we had to go INTO the grounds of Parliament, past the armed guards who questioned us at length as to why we were there [answer: couldn't turn around], to turn around) and more consistent signage (perhaps even some English or at least international glyphs), IMO. On the other hand, it is an incredibly beautiful city, with plantings and sculptured topiaries everywhere, so I guess I can cut them some slack.

[international american]

They have a great food court in the basement, as well as the 4th floor!

I live in KL about 4 months a year. Why drive?? The taxi's are damn near free compared to ours. Just watch out crossing the street as those motorbikers are treachorous:)

Best, IA

[LaraCroft]

"It isnt a pleasant thought, but knowing human nature, can you imagine a brutal fight over one of them between work colleagues, if there weren't enough to go around, in the event of an attack on a skyscraper?"

Thats why CCW is such a good thing. It's rule of law, not rule of thug.

[Slings and Arrows]

the highest building in the world, the Petronas Towers

My asterisk it is - that's the Sears Tower in Chicago. The only way to make the Petronas Towers the tallest buliding in the world is to include the antennas of the Petronas in the height measurement, and not include the antennas on the Sears Tower.
< /rant >

[AmericanInTokyo]

You'll have to sue the Malaysian government then. Sorry, I'm just carrying the water here, so flame those guys, please. Thanks!

[Slings and Arrows]

My flame was aimed at the author of the article, not you. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

[Imal]

"Why drive??"

We drove in from Singapore so we could stop off in Malaka on the way in (the historic district is very picturesque, although we came at a time when there was quite a lot of construction).

Also, the palm plantations stretching for miles and miles along the way are just incredible.

But yes, it was ultimately the consensus of all present that next time, we might want to consider alternative forms of transportation in K.L.

[international american]

"Also, the palm plantations stretching for miles and miles along the way are just incredible."

Yeah, they are; millions and millions of them.

If you ever return let me know in advance. I might be there and give you a tour. Or I can lead you to the best hotel deals, etc.

Best, IA

[Imal]

I'm hoping to head back to Singapore in about a year, God willing, but am not sure if that trip will include Malaysia, because we'll be using it as a springboard for a tour of Vietnam (I am dying to visit all those places whose names resonate in the American mind, and be able to use such semi-comical throwaway lines like "Back when I was in Da Nang...").

However, I was so impressed with my short visit to Malaysia that I would very much like to return when/if my schedule allows, and it's never a bad thing to have a local contact when visiting faraway lands.

[tet68]

When you get to Vietnam, go to Chu Lai, stand on the beach and think to yourself, "My whole world lies across the sea." Do that everyday for a year and soon you'll know.

A short poem by Jim McClean of Stubenville Ohio.
(birthplace of Dean Martin) Thats for you Jimmy.

I know, she said.
I know, He said.
Together they said, "WE KNOW!".
And I said,"Don't tell me! I'm not here!
I'm in VIET NAM BABY!

[Imal]

"'Nam? 'NAM? Don't tell ME about 'Nam! I spent FOUR YEARS thinking about what it would have been like to be in 'Nam!"

:^D

But seriously, it's thrilling to consider being able to tour a place that evokes such strong emotions for all Americans, and actually see where it all went down, albeit in much greater safety than my fellow Americans of years past.

I'm a vet, and chops like 'Nam I can never earn, but seeing it for real may help me connect maybe just a bit more with those who were there back in the bad old days before the shooting stopped.

[aruanan]

My asterisk it is - that's the Sears Tower in Chicago. The only way to make the Petronas Towers the tallest buliding in the world is to include the antennas of the Petronas in the height measurement, and not include the antennas on the Sears Tower. < /rant >

The story behind this is that according to international rules for determining building height, the height is figured to the top of the superstructure to which antennas are attached. The Sears Tower had published as its height only the top of the building not including the superstructure to which its antennas were attached. Apparently the guys designing the Petronas Towers didn't verify this and assumed otherwise. They designed their buildings to beat a Sears Tower height figured as the top of its superstructure. After the PTs were built and they claimed tallest building, the Sears Tower people said, "Hey, according to international rules, the Sears Tower is still the world's tallest building if you measure to the top of the superstructure." The Petronas Towers people appealed to some board who apparently believed that it wasn't fair for them to have spent all that time and money trying for world's tallest building and then have something like actual building height according to internationally accepted rules get in its way. The board ruled against the Sears Tower. Still, even if that decision were accepted, the Petronas Towers still would have been the tallest buildings in only one of the three categories. The Sears Tower still claims the other two. Well, all three, actually.

[Slings and Arrows]

That's an interesting story - thanks much! Sheesh, why have rules anyway if you're not going to follow them?