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macfantn · Dec 7, 2006, 05:28 PM

I remember him from Fresh Grear, great show I used to enjoy on Tech TV.

goMac · Dec 7, 2006, 06:14 PM

It's really tragic. I donated some money to the fund that the family put together to pay for the rescue helicopter and such.

That said, James did some things wrong. First, when in these situations it's best to stay by the largest landmark in the area. There were two landmarks where James was lost, the road and the car. He left both of them strangely. Also, he wore jeans. Jeans are one of the worst things you can wear (and he had other clothes in the car). Jeans get wet, and the freeze again, so you're essentially wearing ice. In that situation, jeans are just slightly better than wearing no pants at all.

Again, it's tragic, but I hope people can learn from the mistakes that were made.

Velocity211 · Dec 7, 2006, 06:41 PM

even though i never met him, feels like i lost a friend.

Zeeb · Dec 7, 2006, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

It's really tragic. I donated some money to the fund that the family put together to pay for the rescue helicopter and such.

That said, James did some things wrong. First, when in these situations it's best to stay by the largest landmark in the area. There were two landmarks where James was lost, the road and the car. He left both of them strangely. Also, he wore jeans. Jeans are one of the worst things you can wear (and he had other clothes in the car). Jeans get wet, and the freeze again, so you're essentially wearing ice. In that situation, jeans are just slightly better than wearing no pants at all.

Again, it's tragic, but I hope people can learn from the mistakes that were made.

True, but I believe they had already been sitting for a few days with very little food before he even set out. By then they were probably more desparate and not even certain anyone was looking for them. He may not have able to make sound judgements and may have been weak from not eating--not ideal for trudging through snow. The tragic part is he died alone in a cold wilderness not knowing about the fate of his family. I feel bad for him but at least his family made it.

starman · Dec 7, 2006, 07:07 PM

I wasn't going to be the first to post about this. JK was really good at his job. He was one of the few reviewers I really trusted. No bullshit. I bought a printer because of his review and I still have it. He always used to use pics of his kids on TechTV. It's so sad.

Jawbone54 · Dec 7, 2006, 07:19 PM

I wasn't aware of the situation, so I just looked up the story. That's a horrifically tragic set of circumstances. I can't imagine how his family feels right now.

goMac · Dec 7, 2006, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by Zeeb

True, but I believe they had already been sitting for a few days with very little food before he even set out. By then they were probably more desparate and not even certain anyone was looking for them. He may not have able to make sound judgements and may have been weak from not eating--not ideal for trudging through snow. The tragic part is he died alone in a cold wilderness not knowing about the fate of his family. I feel bad for him but at least his family made it.

Well, I read two reports on his death. One was that he slipped and fell, and the other one was that he froze to death. Both say it was only a few hours before he was found.

Either way, if he stayed with the car, he would have been found.

fhoubi · Dec 7, 2006, 07:29 PM

Wo wouldn't take faith in his own hand after one week waiting? Never knew the rule of three, now I know... So sad...

moonmonkey · Dec 7, 2006, 08:03 PM

Its easy to say wait with the car, but he was watching his family starve over a week.
I can't say what I would have done.

goMac · Dec 7, 2006, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by moonmonkey

Its easy to say wait with the car, but he was watching his family starve over a week.
I can't say what I would have done.

I can understand it, but this is why search and rescue people tell people not to move around ever. When you're in the situation, it seems like trying to find help right thing to do. No one likes sitting helpless. But it's best not to go with that urge, as this situation shows.

IceEnclosure · Dec 7, 2006, 08:45 PM

James Kim was cool. I enjoyed watching him on TechTV as well.

Survivorman though, he was not.

: \

The Godfather · Dec 7, 2006, 08:55 PM

Matt Parker and Trey Stone: if you make fun of this tragedy in any form, I'll stop watching South Park altogether.

Andy8 · Dec 7, 2006, 08:58 PM

The path James Kim took

Mrjinglesusa · Dec 7, 2006, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by The Godfather

Matt Parker and Trey Stone: if you make fun of this tragedy in any form, I'll stop watching South Park altogether.

If they did it to Steve Irwin, you can bet they will do it with this.

It truly is a tragedy because his act of leaving his family to seek help was noble. That said, I don't really understand why news outlets, rescue workers, etc. are calling him a "hero". His family was saved through no act of his - they were saved because of the rescue workers and because they stayed with/near the car. Unfortunately, he too would have been rescued had he stayed with his family.

macroy · Dec 7, 2006, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

Either way, if he stayed with the car, he would have been found.

That's a little bit of 20/20 hindsight there. While everything you've touched on is correct - I would say that his decision (how ever wrong it was) was simply human nature. Sitting in a confined space watching your wife and two young kids starve.... no matter how smart or intelligent a person is, your emotions will take over. IMO at least.

Its funny how kids really change you. I feel things now that I'd never thought I would 16 months ago.

goMac · Dec 7, 2006, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by macroy

That's a little bit of 20/20 hindsight there. While everything you've touched on is correct - I would say that his decision (how ever wrong it was) was simply human nature.

Right, I'm not saying it's an unreasonable urge to have. My point is this is why search and rescue people really urge people to stay put when they are lost. They know that you will feel like you should be moving around doing something, but it just hampers their search.

BlueSky · Dec 7, 2006, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by Mrjinglesusa

If they did it to Steve Irwin, you can bet they will do it with this.

It truly is a tragedy because his act of leaving his family to seek help was noble. That said, I don't really understand why news outlets, rescue workers, etc. are calling him a "hero". His family was saved through no act of his - they were saved because of the rescue workers and because they stayed with/near the car. Unfortunately, he too would have been rescued had he stayed with his family.

I heard they found the wife/kids when they saw his footprints and followed them back to the car.

Mrjinglesusa · Dec 7, 2006, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by BlueSky

I heard they found the wife/kids when they saw his footprints and followed them back to the car.

You may be right - I didn't understand it that way. I thought they found him by following his footsteps and clothes.

Kati Kim and the couple's daughters were found Monday when searchers saw her waving an umbrella. She had just set out on foot when they were found, authorities said.

--- CNN

Using a map, authorities showed that Kim had headed south and west before entering the drainage area and following it eastward -- back in the direction of the family's car.

Authorities tracked him by following his footprints in the snow.

Before locating his body, rescue workers said they had found what they believed was a trail of clues from James Kim, including three shirts, a wool sock, a blue girl's skirt and pieces of an Oregon state map.

--- CNN

goMac · Dec 7, 2006, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by BlueSky

I heard they found the wife/kids when they saw his footprints and followed them back to the car.

They found the car when the wife started waving her umbrella at a helicopter that was hired by the family.

BlueSky · Dec 7, 2006, 10:24 PM

Whatever, I know what I heard.

As for leaving the car, what was it, a week they were sitting there? I'd sure as **** start walking after that long, I don't care what the experts say.

goMac · Dec 7, 2006, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by BlueSky

Whatever, I know what I heard.

As for leaving the car, what was it, a week they were sitting there? I'd sure as **** start walking after that long, I don't care what the experts say.

http://e.a.cnn.net/2006/US/12/04/mis....ap/index.html

They were found by helicopter, which means they weren't tracking the footprints. Footprints would be impossible to see in the area by the air.

In fact, they weren't even checking the general area where the car was. The reason they moved where they were searching is they got a hunch based off a cell phone signal:

http://www.ktvu.com/news/10471407/detail.html

goMac · Dec 7, 2006, 10:38 PM

This blog entry pretty well sums it up:
CNN.com - Anderson Cooper 360° Blog

Despite what you're feeling, don't leave the area, especially if you have shelter.

BlueSky · Dec 7, 2006, 10:42 PM

Yeah, I'm not ignoring the helicopter/umbrella, I remember that now. But I heard on one of the many news reports I listened to last night about the footprint thing. Possibly after they were located, the ground team saw the footprints and followed them back. Either I misunderstood, or the significance of it was ~~exxagerated~~ ~~exagerated~~ blown out of proportion in my mind or the news agency's reporting.

©öñFü$íóÑ · Dec 7, 2006, 10:45 PM

with all the technology we have these days, it surprises me that our cellular networks don't cover remote areas like these.

Forests, mountains, ravines, deserts, isolated islands in the middle of the ocean......... the way it should be is that if there's nothing between you and the sky, you should be able to make or receive a call no matter where you go. Heck, it'd be great of phones would work underwater too... (at least the text messaging and other E-M transmission protocols).

Zeeb · Dec 7, 2006, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

They found the car when the wife started waving her umbrella at a helicopter that was hired by the family.

I didn't know the helicopter was hired by the family. Aren't there publicly funded choppers that search for people in these circumstances? What if they hadn't been able to afford it?

goMac · Dec 7, 2006, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by Zeeb

I didn't know the helicopter was hired by the family. Aren't there publicly funded choppers that search for people in these circumstances? What if they hadn't been able to afford it?

I read the James' father was a vice president of some aerospace company, so they were able to afford to hire private choppers.

Regardless I donated some money here:
http://www.jamesandkati.com/

Mrjinglesusa · Dec 7, 2006, 10:59 PM

The way I understand it is they found the wife and kids by helicopter (saw wife waving umbrella). They then continued the search for the husband. Found the footprints and clothes and followed them to find his body.

mitchell_pgh · Dec 7, 2006, 11:08 PM

Why did he take his clothes off?

macfantn · Dec 7, 2006, 11:18 PM

pants prolly got wet and froze

Mrjinglesusa · Dec 7, 2006, 11:51 PM

Originally Posted by mitchell_pgh

Why did he take his clothes off?

I think he took extras with him when he left the car and used them to make a "crumb" trail to get back to the car. At least that is what it looks like.

idyll · Dec 7, 2006, 11:59 PM

hypothermia makes you so cold that you start to feel hot in some of the last stages and have to take your clothes off

IceEnclosure · Dec 8, 2006, 02:23 AM

ooof, dassa no goo.

Oversoul · Dec 8, 2006, 04:19 PM

R.I.P.

I didn't know the guy other than from his reviews, but my girlfriend interviewed with him at CNet when she was still doing journalism. She said he was a fun and cool guy and they had Seattle in common. This story has really hit San Francisco and the Bay Area hard. And even though I've never met James Kim, I also feel a sense of loss.

True, if he stayed at the car he would have been rescued. But that's speaking with a 20/20 hindsight.

From his position, the family had been stuck for a week before he set out. The gas in their car had been spent, they had already slashed and burned their tires for warmth, any other food supplies had run out. The Chronicle interviewed a woman at the Inn where they were supposed to have stayed at the day they went missing, and she said Bear Camp Road (iirc the name of the road they were marooned on) is hazardous and isolated. Apparently, a family of 6 in a motorhome had been stuck up there for 17 days before two people trekked out in the snow to get help. Similar story could have happened with James Kim -- except he trekked out alone.

Originally Posted by Zeeb

I didn't know the helicopter was hired by the family. Aren't there publicly funded choppers that search for people in these circumstances? What if they hadn't been able to afford it?

There were something like 3 rescue helicopters combing the area, but the family hired a private helicopter as well.

Originally Posted by mitchell_pgh

Why did he take his clothes off?

Could've been to create a trail. Could've been because they froze. We'll never know.

nredman · Dec 8, 2006, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by macfantn

I remember him from Fresh Grear, great show I used to enjoy on Tech TV.

i saw that on the news last night but i couldnt figure out where i have seen him - bummer

TheIceMan · Dec 8, 2006, 07:42 PM

I've never met James Kim, only saw him on CNET doing reviews. I can't imagine losing a loved one around the holiday season when everyone else (or almost everyone else) is celebrating life and family. Though the wife and 2 kids survived, how sad it must be to have Thanksgiving be the sad reminder of their husband and father's passing. Very tragic accident.