US students doing 'amazingly' well after 9-day wilderness ordeal in New Zealand

Two American students survived nine nights in the freezing New Zealand wilderness after rationing their supplies and warming themselves on natural hot pools.

Alec Brown and Erica Klintworth, both 21, were not found until Sunday after having braved heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures in the area for several days despite not being equipped for extreme conditions, New Zealand's Dominion Post reported.


 Search and rescue leader Sean Judd said he "didn't have a good feeling" when he heard the two students were missing, the newspaper reported. "Given the weather and the time delay, (I) was quite relieved when they turned up alive." 

Friends raised the alarm after the Wisconsin couple did not return from a trek as expected between June 4 and June 6, the newspaper added. 

Hiker beats hypothermia to survive 3 nights in desert

Brown and Klintworth rationed their food of peanut butter, rice, fruit, and nuts, took dips in hot pools, and slept in a hammock tent strung between trees, the newspaper reported. They were both in "amazingly" good spirits and condition, it added. 

Judd told the newspaper that while the couple, both students at Canterbury University, had made some good decisions, such as not crossing a rain-swollen river, their preparedness and attention to the weather forecast was not so good. In addition, the two did not leave their hiking plans with anyone before going out, which meant that rescue officials did not know where to look for them after friends raised the alarm on Saturday, he reportedly said.

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Comment author avatarweareinbettershapeExpand Comment Comment collapsed by the community

These facts and figures say quite the contrary to what Willard has been touting as his economic triumphs.

Since Willard refuses to tell us what his grand plan is to restore economic prosperity to all
citizens of this country, not just the 1% bank-rolling his campaign, every American with a functioning brain cell should take a long hard look at what Willard accomplished during his tenure as Governor of MA;

1. Ranked 47th in job growth:
Despite Romney’s professed expertise in creating jobs, Massachusetts ranked 47th in job growth during his time as governor. The state’s total job growth was just 0.9 percent, well behind other high-wage, high-skill economies in New York (2.7), California (4.7), and North
Carolina (7.6). The national average, meanwhile, was better than 5 percent.

2. Suffered the second-largest labor force
decline in the nation
: Only Louisiana, which was ravaged by
Hurricane Katrina in 2005, saw a bigger decline in its labor force than
Massachusetts during Romney’s tenure as governor. The US Census Bureau
estimated that between July 2002 and July 2006, 222,000 more residents left
Massachusetts for other states than came to it. That decline largely explains
the state’s decreasing unemployment rate (from 5.6 to 4.7 percent) while Romney
was in office, according to Northeastern University economics professor Andrew
Sum. At the same time, the nation as a whole added 8 million people to the labor force.

3. Lost 14 percent of its manufacturing
jobs
: Massachusetts lost 14 percent of its manufacturing jobs during
Romney’s time in office, according to Sum. The loss was double the rate that
the nation as a whole lost manufacturing jobs. In 2004, Romney vetoed legislation
that would have banned companies doing business with the state from outsourcing
jobs to other countries.

4. Experienced “below average” economic
growth and was “often near the bottom”
: “There was not one measure where the state did well under his term in office. We were below average and often near the bottom,” Sum
told the Washington Post in February. As a result, the state was more comparable to Rust Belt states like Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio than it was to other high-tech economies it typically competes with.

5. Piled on more debt than any other state: Romney left Massachusetts residents with $10,504 in per capita bond debt, the highest of any state in the nation when he left office in 2007. The state ranked second in debt as a percentage of personal income. Romney regularly omits those statistics from his Massachusetts record, instead touting the fact that he balanced the state’s budget (he was constitutionally required to do so). He wouldn’t be much different as president: his proposed tax plan adds more than $10 trillion to the national debt.

If this is considered success – I would hate to see what the RWNJ’s consider failure…

Willard is a dog-hating, store bought cookie snob, serial flip-flopper, draft dodger!

When did it become acceptable in this country to support someone with no core, moral
compass or integrity?

30+ years of the disastrous trickle policies led us to the brink; do we really want to take the plunge to finish the job, if given the choice?

Figures don't lie, but liars sure figure...

  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:03 AM EDT

Wrong story.

  • 1 vote
#1.1 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:58 AM EDT

Wrong story and old agenda speech that will bore anyone, even those who may agree.

    #1.2 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:24 PM EDT

    Dude what the hell does this have to do with a wilderness story???????????????

    • 1 vote
    #1.3 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:34 PM EDT

    I picked the listed story headline which was the most removed from any possible political spin, then checked these comments to see if some idiot had already hijacked the comments for a political diatribe. Wow, the very first comment is a manifesto!

    Something is seriously wrong in our society when no subject, none, nada, can escape the hyperbolic, hyper-partisan nonsense of politics and negativity. Please make it stop!

    • 2 votes
    #1.4 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:16 PM EDT

    Another 140-odd days, Robert in Oregon, and we'll get a couple of month's respite before the mid-term election campaigning begins.

      #1.5 - Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:18 PM EDT
      Reply

      Fruity and delicious. Many of these windows exact revenge with greenish sardines. I do love to check the wood on such a measure. The cloudy intensities of the running grinder can be thoughtful.

        Reply#2 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:29 AM EDT

        I guess watching all of those "SurvivorMan" shows has finally paid off for these 2 big time! I'm guessing they could start a fire without a lighter or matches too!

          Reply#3 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:54 AM EDT

          You can't fix stupid.

          • 3 votes
          Reply#4 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:59 AM EDT

          Who let these 2 loose in the woods?!!

          • 1 vote
          Reply#5 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:08 PM EDT

          When you're 21, you're immortal and nothing can harm you. If you're going to be stupid, you better be lucky.

          • 2 votes
          Reply#6 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:16 PM EDT

          At least the wilderness had the good sense to spit them back out.

          • 4 votes
          Reply#7 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:48 PM EDT

          Good break with the hot springs. I wonder if they stay together and tell their story at parties for years to come or break up and tell their stories at parties for years to come?

          • 1 vote
          Reply#8 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:50 PM EDT

          They didn't resort to cannibalism - so there will be no major motion picture of their ordeal. Just a Lifetime Movie...

          • 2 votes
          Reply#9 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:53 PM EDT

          It's sad the way our lives have become second to nature to some. The facts are ever before us, the filthy music,the murdersome movies the lack of principles and the lack of care and emotions for others' right to stay alive. The Gvernment's war progrmes do little to help. Get ready for the future is murder, and it's already here.

            Reply#10 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:42 PM EDT

            Of course it is, for it is our past and present as well.

              #10.1 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:04 PM EDT
              Reply
              Comment author avatarNative Americ 132Expand Comment Comment collapsed by the community

              changing the subject a little bit to mexico

              You all fuc @@$% ing talking military intervention ,military intervention!!! came on let you brain work for the love of god , US has supplied in the last 6 years with arms and money to the cartels in mexico ,after the idiot of Vicente fox !!!(same party is on power right now ) but this so called military intervention ,equipment , guns and arms (fast & furious program ) Did you all ready forget!!it didn1t work. stop sending stupid military intervention it doesn`t work here is something cheap and simply and it doesn't use any American tax dollars : just get you F$%%&*hands from the next Mexican election ,let the TRUTH and Democracy run like a river and Mexicans will stay in Mexico ,they will work in Mexico let them choose their own f#%%^& leaders Manuel Obrador is the candidate for the alternative that his party never has occupy the presidency of Mexico before ,since you all biching ,so much about Illegals and drugs well here your stupid solution and is cheap ,Mexico it does not need big brother to intervene and putting puppets as president anymore we all know the fu##%$% result in the last 30 years !!!

              first to all msn article is lying as always,the suppose front runner " Pena nieto" is not even close to be the front runner anymore just last night Sunday/ 10th of June, lost the second presidential debate the Barbie doll Pena nieto was out his mind ,he seem very nervous and very concerned.(possibly cheating by using auricular) due to rules of the debate, he also was not allow to use a teleprompter his pretty behind was in trouble. And what msn has not told you guys is a lot more of the suppose front runner :

              when he was governor of his state he sent his local police to arrest and abuse sexually over 40 females y little girls.

              he is not able to prove the dead of his first wife yet

              His camping has received money from the drug cartels

              The msn article mention his name more than 4 times with a nice picture ,and reality the other candidates are up head on the polls it seems to me the MSN has a very high interest to help this Brainless candidate just like the Mexican media and television in Mexico and I wonder why? muhhhh!!!

              The msn article did not mention to you anything about the # 132 Mexican student movement(Mexican spring) that is supporting Lopez Obrador (the real front runner who is not corrupt and he his for the real people of Mexico he doesn't any contracts with any monopoly ,drug cartel or exploiter Business in Mexico)and he is only mentioned once in the whole article, so either msn needs to hire a better Spanish translators to help them for a better and accurate information or MSN is lying already by received drug money just like Enrique pena "the msn `s front runner" that has bought all the media in Mexico.

              second of all , Americans you have not idea what is to come right next door in Mexico ,that is going to affect you and everybody. The msn front runner can become some kind gadafi or one those drug lords, and violence and drugs are not just going to stopping ther are going to be moving freely and increase more on you "American cities and towns" this phenomenon is not the same back in the 70 ,80 and 90 this drug problem is way different and for the ignorants of msn and all the red necks that want to pound on the undocumented immigration , well for last 50 years the US has support and help puppets to be presidents of Mexico and what you have : people living Mexico and coming to states without proper papers ,well seems to me that you guys want to continue the same practice again ,again and again to helping a puppet and drug dealer to be the president of Mexico "enrique Pena" than wait for the consequences to be paid

              ps is funny when Mubarak was fulling all the msn behinds were right there!! what about Mexico ,the people of Mexico and the students are is working really hard to stop the comeback of a oppressor regime and msn just pretend like that nothing is happening in Mexico

              • 1 vote
              Reply#11 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:01 PM EDT

              I was reading about the two young adults that luckily survived being stranded in the New Zealand wilderness. Why are people talking about politics ??

              Wassup??

              • 3 votes
              Reply#12 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:13 PM EDT

              I wonder if there is a technical problem and people think they are discussing a different story. Kudos to the two for good decisions made after the fact; and, a warning to all of us to be better prepared in advance!

              • 3 votes
              Reply#13 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:43 PM EDT

              In other news (9 months later) .. Alec Brown and Erica Klintworth of Wisconsin announce the birth of a daughter. She weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 20 1/2 inches long.

              • 3 votes
              Reply#14 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:18 PM EDT

              Darn, that's what i was gonna say. :p

                #14.1 - Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:41 AM EDT
                Reply

                Dang...the campaigner-in-chief needs to hang it up, go back home and reorganize the community! That s##thole is more dangerous than Afghanistan!

                  Reply#15 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:55 PM EDT

                  People who embark on foolhardy ventures like this should be held responsible for their own search & rescue costs.

                  • 2 votes
                  Reply#16 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:16 PM EDT

                  What a great way to score, I wonder if Alec is sorry they were found? a week of hot tub action with a 21 year old. That's what dreams are made of....

                  • 2 votes
                  Reply#17 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:25 PM EDT

                  there are curfews in most cites ....big cities run 24/7 people come and go 24/7 ...can't change that...besides if you had a curfew ONLY THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS WOULD FOLLOW IT.......thugs don't...........much like gun laws....TURN IN YOUR GUNS ....who turns them in ? NOT THE THUGS........The people in these ghetto's need to turn in these THUGS . Or live only to DIE YOUNG and while waiting to die LIVE IN FEAR OF YOUR LIFE every wakin' moment and in your dreams

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#18 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:37 PM EDT

                  Something to tell the Grand Kids....perfect story........

                    Reply#19 - Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:24 PM EDT

                    Good that these two hikers had a happy ending.

                      Reply#20 - Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:01 AM EDT

                      THIS HAPPENED TO ME ! ! !

                      I had a "Wilderness Ordeal" back in 1984. It all started when my Boy Scout Troop Leader (Trapper Dave) took me on a two day Wilderness Adventure. All was ok until after Trapper made dinner. He also served this great lemonade, but every time a drank it, I went to sleep real some after.

                      I thought my legs would hurt from walking, but actually my 'lower rear torso' hurt much more, fo some reason....

                      Anyways, I'm now a normal 39 year old guy, living in my parents attic here in Des Moins Iowa. My part time job as a Tape Return Engineer at Arturo's Video Emporium allows me ample time for my hobby of hanging out near the Boys Fitting Room at K-Mart and managing the Des Moins Chapter of the Justin Beiber Fan Club.

                        Reply#21 - Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:00 AM EDT

                        They had a little food and hot tubs to warm up yet they supposedly barely survived this ordeal? That is ridiculous. They merely thinned up their fat layer a little.

                          Reply#22 - Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:18 PM EDT

                          THIS HAPPENED TO ME ! ! !

                          I had a "Wilderness Ordeal" back in 1984. It all started when my Boy Scout Troop Leader (Trapper Dave) took me on a two day Wilderness Adventure. All was ok until after Trapper made dinner. He also served this great lemonade, but every time a drank it, I went to sleep real some after.

                          I thought my legs would hurt from walking, but actually my 'lower rear torso' hurt much more, fo some reason....

                          Anyways, I'm now a normal 39 year old guy, living in my parents attic here in Des Moins Iowa. My part time job as a Tape Return Engineer at Arturo's Video Emporium allows me ample time for my hobby of hanging out near the Boys Fitting Room at K-Mart and managing the Des Moins Chapter of the Justin Beiber Fan Club.

                            Reply#23 - Fri Jun 15, 2012 1:13 AM EDT
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