[ILUG-Social] Darwin Awards

[cybersean3000 at yahoo.com]

Darwin Awards ...

May 2001, Croatia - A college student dropped the ball when a hand
grenade exploded while he was juggling it at a party in Vidovci. The
six injured onlookers earn Honorable Mentions for their disregard of
common sense, and the juggler wins a Darwin for his lethal stupidity.
- (The Sun Newspaper, ananova.com)

30 May 2001, Oregon -

Ishmael drove his truck into a mailbox, bringing down 7500-volt power
lines on top of the vehicle. He surveyed the situation, then pulled
out a pair of pruning shears and clipped the cable lying across his
truck.

The current took the path of least resistance, across his heart and
out his left foot.  Ishmael was found lying motionless on the power
line with a pair of pruning shears in his hands.  - (The Oregonian)

1 March 2000, New Zealand - Two university students climbed to the 
top
ofBaldwin Street, the steepest in the world according to The Guinness
Book of World Records. The women attempted to pilot a rubbish bin 
down
the 38-degree incline, but missed a crucial turn and hurtled into a
trailer parked legally aside the road. One woman was instantly killed,
and her co-pilot suffered serious head injuries--though one wonders
how they noticed.

2001, Scotland - A Glasgow electric train proved the undoing of one
enterprising thief, who thought he'd steal the copper from the rails,
between trains, when they are not electrified. His plan might have
worked ... but for one small detail. He had consulted an out-of-date
timetable and the train arrived ten minutes early, putting an
electrifying end to his ignoble career.

16 July, 2001, United States - An assistant plant manager made a
permanent exit after using an acetylene torch to cut a hole in an
asphalt emulsion tank.

His plan was to determine the amount remaining in the tank, but his
chosen method was in complete disregard of safety procedures and
warning signs.

When the torch reached the level of the emulsion, the resulting
explosion blew him 93 feet away.  - (CCH Employment Safety & 
Health
Guide No. 1573)

21 July 2001, Idaho - When the brakes failed while driving down a
steep mountain road, Marco bailed out on his eight passengers and
threw himself from the Dodge van. Too bad he didn't alert the others
to the problem before he hit the pavement. Another passenger was 
able
to bring the vehicle to a stop a short distance away. Marco died of a
head wound, but no one else was injured.

- - - -

------- End of forwarded message -------

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