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2009 Darwin Awards
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Named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, the Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it. |
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Trifecta Electra
"It is an unfortunate set of circumstances that led to the most tragic result," said the Palm Bay Fire Marshal. "It happened in an instant." However, it can hardly be called an accident. All three were voluntary particpants and old enough to know better. Readers beware, power lines lurk overhead waiting for the unwary. Our thanks to 55-year-old Melville, 49-year-old Anna and 15-year-old Anthony for reminding us not to stick a pole in the power grid. Just say no to premature cremation.
DarwinAwards.com © 1994 - 2009
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Wendy says, "The Slush Pile mods say fifteen years is too young. They disqualified the submission, but I lean the other way. A family of three, all too clueless to look up before raising a metal pole? Although age sixteen is the usual cutoff, the rules also state that "a few [younger] nominees have been included when their actions can be considered foolhardy even by their peers." All three were voluntary particpants and old enough to know better. It was a popular story too, submitted thirteen times. Readers, do you agree? IS THIS A DARWIN AWARD?" |
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What Do You Think? |
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What Readers Think Reader comment: "Broiled Ham." Reports differ on whether any of the victims were licensed amateur radio opserators. Reader dannysdog stated, "Searching the FCC database, I may have found this ham, newly licensed in March. Even if the ham didn't pay attention to warnings on (what looked like) a pushup pole, the person must have recently passed a test on safety issues." Reader comment: "Not only did they take themselves out of the gene pool, they took their progeny with them." |
Working around the arbitrary 16-year age limit by emphasizing the GESTATIONAL age, we might rewrite the story thus:
After gestating for sixteen years, the youth's genetic characteristics, dominant in both parents, asserted themselves in full force. Wielding his mighty intellect, and a push-up antenna pole, the spawn conspired with his parents to fulfill the universe's grand plan. Further continuation of this genetic line was eliminated as the three plunged the pole into a 13,000 volt overhead electric service.
This represents the purest sense of the Darwin Awards' motto of "Chlorinating the Gene Pool". The particular brand of chlorine should be expected to eliminate all specimens with a particular disposition, regardless of age.
It also demonstrates that instances of retroactive birth control CAN cross generational boundaries.
Brian McMillin - Tuesday, October 20 at 07:09:24 PDT 
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15 year old may have been unfortunate bystander. How do we know kid didn't try and warn parents but was told to 'shut up and help'? 15 year old on his own - old enough. 15 year old with stupid parents involved directing activities - questionable. Steve T - Tuesday, October 20 at 13:27:47 PDT
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I love that idea, Brian McMillin! "After gestating for sixteen years..." Thanks for the submission BTW. --Wendy Wendy Northcutt - Tuesday, October 20 at 19:33:56 PDT
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Doesn't count. They had a daughter too, and she survived. The gene pool still needs a bit more chlorine. Josef Geobels - Tuesday, October 20 at 20:25:52 PDT
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It's mitigated somewhat by the fact that his parents were up there and probably ordered him to be up there with him. - Wednesday, October 21 at 09:54:43 PDT
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I Think 2 awards should be enough here. The parents deserve one for killing their kid along withe themselves. (I'm presuming he was an only child) But a 15 yo should be able to trust his parents when engaging in nocturnal construction activities. Peter - Thursday, October 22 at 05:00:42 PDT
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> Peter said, "(I'm presuming he was an only child)' -- turns out there was a sister. > Peter said, "A 15 yo should be able to trust his parents when engaging in activities. -- Good point. At first I thought, "Yeah that makes the son not his own decision-maker," but then I thought, wait, if my mother told me to oh, use scissors to cut an electric line...would I do it? Come on, a 15-uyear-old is used to questioning the wisdom of adults, and should have looked up! Wendy Northcutt - Thursday, October 22 at 07:10:00 PDT
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Unless my research failed, the 3 persons killed were not Amateur Radio operators. The mother of the gentleman killed, however, was. It is believed, although not proven, that the oldest gentleman killed was attempting to raise the antenna for his mother "quickly" before leaving for another trucking run. Hence the "night move". How the other two potential award winners became involved is speculation, as is the "in a a hurry truck driver" scenario. We may never know. ABS Advocate - Thursday, October 22 at 08:49:43 PDT
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Affirmative! This qualifies! Patrick - Thursday, October 22 at 11:22:59 PDT
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If I remember correctly a HAM Radio operator is required to take a test to verify that they understand how to operate a radio. This includes very specific instruction on how and where to set up your antenna. If the 15 year old was a licensed operator then he should be included as it was required he was knowledgeable about the very thing that killed him. Steve S. - Thursday, October 22 at 12:45:33 PDT
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One would dare to beleive that at least one of these three fools would have enough intellect to perceive a need to look before doing.! I feel it should be a triple award ! John r. Dedeian - Saturday, October 24 at 14:44:31 PDT
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Technically, the 15-year-old was likely of sufficient sexual maturity to reproduce and therefore deserves his own award. Pour on the chlorine! Ted G. - Saturday, October 24 at 17:16:04 PDT
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Definitely a DA.
At 15 he would be mature enough to at least stay out of the way or call it off when it was obvious that the action was going to be bad.
Nils H - Sunday, October 25 at 06:47:07 PST
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This is not a Darwin Award! Where is the amazing stupidity? Noah - Sunday, October 25 at 11:54:32 PST
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Let the Wookie win. ;-) In one sense it is a tough issue, if the boy was killed but not the parents, it should definitely not qualify. Similarly, if the boy was a passenger in an auto accident, that would be disqualifying. But to get killed like this, you need to have a good grip on the pole, the slightest doubt may reduce the shock enough for a person to survive.
(I should also note that, while gloves, sneakers, rubber soled shoes, or even a carpet, might have saved members of the family, you should not play you bet your life with gear not designed for the purpose. Robert I. Eachus - Sunday, October 25 at 18:18:08 PST
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i agree it should be a darwin award, they were close to the age limit, and were to stupid to look up, when puting up a radio antenni donald - Monday, October 26 at 05:19:52 PST
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If you know not to french kiss a light socket youd think youd be wise enough NOT to tease live powerlines with a metal object. You do not stick forks in electrical outlets either. Another pack of sub standard DNA bites the dust. Hooray for natural selection! JohnC - Monday, October 26 at 13:48:34 PST
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Nope. 15 year old was probably just obeying the parents in helping. The parents get the award, though. Ed - Monday, October 26 at 17:40:49 PST
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I agree this is Darwin material. Were they be animals, they won't stand a night in the jungle without being eaten. No survival instinct what so ever. Caroline - Tuesday, October 27 at 12:02:38 PST
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Yes. McMillin has the right of it. JM - Tuesday, October 27 at 16:39:21 PST
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For the parents at least. I think the kid should be included. He was definatly old enough to know better. Joe - Tuesday, October 27 at 18:14:44 PST
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Yep Stewart - Wednesday, October 28 at 12:47:50 PST
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Yes it is Anish, India - Thursday, October 29 at 00:56:53 PST
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Since the parents are clear Darwin winners, it stands to reason that their offspring might also. And since he was a willing participant in the foolhardy activity, I say he is a winner too. Hank in Pensacola, Fl - Thursday, October 29 at 04:56:31 PST
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Yes allow it Ken - Thursday, October 29 at 15:40:40 PST
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Absolutely. As Wendy says, the age limit is a guideline, not an absolute, and 15 is certainly old enough to know that metals conduct electricity, and about power lines! Ken O - Friday, October 30 at 02:32:07 PST
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Darwin Awards all around!. The shocking stupidity here is almost beyond conception. 15 seconds of effort and a tiny bit of thought could have reduced this Award to two Honorable Mentions. Even the "kids should be able to trust their parents" argument holds no water with me. That kind of blind fool obediance should be removed as well. Independant of safty classes there is no way that the boy did not understand conductivity, and the fact that he was throwing the dice. Snake eyes came up for all three and each one gets a prize. Johnny D. - Friday, October 30 at 07:00:29 PST
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I'm 16 and that kid is a damn moron...he gets the award in my book...maybe I should "accidently" try to outdo this kid Hektic - Friday, October 30 at 07:44:56 PST
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Absolutely, given that the 15 year old was the progeny of the other two - thus eliminating the gene pool contribution at one fell swoop. Jim Bickford - Friday, October 30 at 11:03:27 PST
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I'm 13 and THAT is stupid. J - Friday, October 30 at 15:59:01 PST
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yes - absolutely Snoozegirl - Saturday, October 31 at 23:25:28 PST
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Absolutely not. The parents? You betcha - completely clueless. The kid? Sorry - he didn't have a choice. Don't you people remember what it was like when you were 15? He may have died just trying to shut them up so he could go back to doing what was important to him! No sale. Parents, yes. Fifteen year old, no. Sixteen's the cutoff for a reason. davidlparker19 - Sunday, November 01 at 00:35:18 PST
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Yup. Squealing Weasel - Sunday, November 01 at 12:11:08 PST
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A very bad case of negligence, yes. But don't we have enough awards where people knew everything that was relevant and still did the wrong thing? And yes, following other's negligence is too little to be DA-worthy. So actually 0.5 DA, never 3. Michael - Sunday, November 01 at 22:34:12 PST
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Most definately, especially considering that the 15 year olds genes are well and truly out of circulation. Olly - Monday, November 02 at 13:49:22 PST
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Five-year-olds learn in kindergarten, to stay away from power lines. I vote yes, keep the darwin award for a fifteen-year-old that apparently missed the lesson. Wendi T. - Tuesday, November 03 at 08:41:15 PST
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How can it not be? Cameron-James - Wednesday, November 04 at 09:37:26 PST
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This is also sort of a retroactive Darwin -- the couple HAD reproduced, but then corrected their mistake. Justin - Wednesday, November 04 at 10:34:49 PST
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Yes, for the kid - removed from the gene pool.
No, for the parents - they have a daughter that survived, not removed from the gene pool.
How long have they lived at that address? They had to have known there were powerlines above the area. Randy - Wednesday, November 04 at 11:05:27 PST
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Key words to me would be that they were raising the pole "IN THE DARK".
If you combine this with the kid's actions being influenced by his elders you have a high possibility of those elders using their position of authority to cause the death of the 15yo.
Verdict - innocent bystander killed and no DA Dart - Wednesday, November 04 at 13:39:21 PST
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The Orlando paper reported "Authorities say the family was attempting to raise the antenna when they LOST CONTROL of the pole and it struck an overhead power line.(emphasis added)"
The reason this was known was because the local paper reported "A 17-year-old male was also on the roof helping the Braham family but was not hurt." and "Several power lines could be seen behind the fenced-off home, not far from where the Braham family worked on the antenna."
IMO, it's not as obvious as originally painted. I vote NO. abba - Wednesday, November 04 at 15:20:10 PST
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Award material for sure! Ed - Wednesday, November 04 at 21:03:18 PST
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Absolutely yes..
Why is there an age limit on stupidity? Terence Le Duc - Thursday, November 05 at 23:09:24 PST
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thats notright 15 is still a child
- Friday, November 06 at 06:34:29 PST
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Oh yeah ! At least we got the entire gene history on this one!! Paul Dufresne - Friday, November 06 at 06:45:58 PST
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Technically the parents had already reproduced and were therefore unqualified for the award. Were there other siblings? If not then I can see waiving this rule due to the offspring suffering the same qualifying demise as the parents. Pat Payne - Friday, November 06 at 12:38:57 PST
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the daughter was probably bellow yelling "higher, a bit higher..." baron Luiz - Monday, November 09 at 10:31:56 PST
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Yes - the 15 yr old was supervised by 2 adults..... Matt - Monday, November 09 at 17:35:06 PST
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I thought of the Darwin Awards when I first heard this story on the news. If these guys don't deserve a Darwin Award then nobody does. 'nough said. Mitch Archer - Monday, November 09 at 17:41:20 PST
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it qualifies Jeanne Starr - Tuesday, November 10 at 15:14:46 PST
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I think this sould be confermed as a darwin award, becuse there were victims over 18 in age in the "acident." cordell baker - Tuesday, November 10 at 17:51:44 PST
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Fifteen is certainly not too young to win a Darwin Award! Quite the contrary: the kid clearly removed himself from the gene pool before he had an opportunity to contribute to it. Brava to this youngster for seeing to it that he keeps the human race pure. Mrs. S - Tuesday, November 10 at 18:24:33 PST
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If the minor was simply assisting his parents in the endeaver, I think the parents deserve double awards for taking their progeny out of the gene pool at the same time as removing themselves. Todd - Wednesday, November 11 at 09:59:12 PST
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By all means, if you are too stupid to look for something even elementary school age children know to do then you should be cooked. Robyn Smith - Wednesday, November 11 at 18:16:25 PST
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Well of course if the parents qualify then the son does, genetics an all thart. Hayley - Thursday, November 12 at 14:15:36 PST
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This should be a Darwin Award. There were 2 adults involved Verihune Zylldoe - Thursday, November 12 at 16:55:16 PST
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This subject is being discussed on the DA Forum here:
http://forum.darwinawards.com/index.php?showtopic=9213&pid=485185&st=0&#entry485185 abba - Friday, November 13 at 06:26:33 PST
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having put up a couple of antennas, and bing aware of the hazards, i'd say it qualifies "gunner" - Friday, November 13 at 23:12:21 PST
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I agree with the Slush Pile that says 15 is just too young to win the Darwin. The unfortunate Anthony had every reason to believe that, while engaged in an activity with BOTH of his parents, he would be safe. Daivd Martin - Saturday, November 14 at 08:30:16 PST
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This is a Darwin Award. At least two of the participants were over sixteen, and the third was close. As a cautionary tale, it should be included. Jan Hopkins - Sunday, November 15 at 20:28:50 PST
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At 15 he should be MORE entitled to win an award. Not only is he old enough to know better, but he almost certainly has not yet passed on his defective genetic material. Steve - Monday, November 16 at 16:27:22 PST
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I agree, if not for the kid, then for his parents, both of which over the age. ninja commentor - Monday, November 16 at 17:16:43 PST
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Whether he gets award is a minor point. His sister is still breathing & of breeding age. More chlorine, quick! Eric Elliott - Monday, November 16 at 22:23:38 PST
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Ham tests are greatly over rated here and IIRC antenna safety is a very minor part of it. The trio ignored signage on the push-up mast.
Id give'em the darwin.
Amature Extra licensee Lloyd - Tuesday, November 17 at 12:18:25 PST
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hell yes, im 15 and not THAT stupid Michael Niehoff - Tuesday, November 17 at 14:33:25 PST
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Very tough call to make. Granted even at the age of nine, I knew to never mess with power lines. But with some people offering insight that he was probably told to "shut up and help", it does make it all the more questionable as to whether the youngster gets the award. Parents, yes; son, not sure.
Without more to go on, I'm leaving it as thus. Eric DiDomenico - Thursday, November 19 at 15:07:44 PST
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now thinking about this subject there should be no darwin award for under 16 for they reliy on the opion of the supervisers. however the parents DEFENETLY diserv one.
the problem with the world to day is all the stupidity. well I say lets just remove the warning labels off every thing and let the problem solve its self. cordell baker - Thursday, November 19 at 18:40:35 PST
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in response to McMillian: Although the "arbitrarily aged youth" may or may not have been genetically predisposed to stupidity, I theorize (as the mother of 5 kids, 2 being 16 year old boys)the young man had no more choice in helping his idiot parents put up that pole than he would have in not attending Thanksgiving dinner at "smelly grandma's" . The boy "couldn't" refuse or protect himself without causing a problem. He's helping his folks in the first place, musta been a good kid.
Without a doubt in my mind...Parents...DEFINITELY! Son...tragedy. tk - Friday, November 20 at 10:00:55 PST
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A 49-year-old woman (the mom in this story) is possibly still young enough to bear another child. Not common but it happens...I know a couple of people who got surprise younger sibling when they were in secondary school! So she at least should qualify, and certainly the father as well. megabigBLUR - Friday, November 20 at 20:44:30 PST
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While the 15 year old was presumably a willing participant, thus not an innocent bystander, I cannot imagine that he would have been involved in this particular endeavor except under influence of presumably responsible adults. Sorry, no Darwin for him. Better luck next time... Um, yeah... Anyway, The parents are unquestionable Darwin winners. (Not too hard to judge that part) I'll even grant them extra credit for not only eliminating BOTH of themselves but for including offspring (Who by 15 should have darn well known better) in the fun.
Chris - Friday, November 20 at 22:45:06 PST
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