The Morning According To Us: The Record Waterfall Drop

Pedro Olivia isn't a household name, but he might encapsulate our times.

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Wow. Just, honestly, wow.

Extreme kayaker extraordinaire Pedro Olivia is far from what one might deem a household name, but this incredible image of him at his workplace encapsulates the nagging fears of many homes all across America.

Cue the Tom Petty music.

Today, many Americans feel like they're Pedro sans paddle and his crack guide team, bracing themselves for an historic crash not seen in generations. Don't talk to the folks in Fargo about waterfalls and watercrafts; they're up to their necks with the redoubtable Red River Rising. President Obama is revealing chinks in his once seemingly invincible armor, vacillating over economic policy, stimulus bills, and ending a most unpopular war. Consumer confidence has taken the steep plunge too.

So, what do many of us do to combat this deepening feeling of malaise? We turn to sports as the perfect form of escapism from the relentless recession. We have Cinderellas (if you can call Arizona tha), "One Shining Moment", Opening Day and the eventual Boys of Summer. A healthy Tiger is back on the prowl, readying to dominate; ditto for Jimmie Johnson, who's eyeing a Quad-Cup. LeBron, Kobe and Superman will entertain the masses until early June.

This Brazilian adventurer set a world record with a 127-foot waterfall plunge into the rivers of the Amazon. 70mph in 2.9 seconds. A true Ferrari-like freefall. Eat your heart out, Bear Grylls; this is a "Madman vs. Wild." Olivia and his crew were able to scout out the location, pinpointing the softest water pockets needed to complete a safe landing.

Here's hoping America can locate the very same soft spot. In the meantime, cue the CBS "March Madness" theme song.

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