DARWIN AWARDS NEWSLETTER - October 2006 --------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+ The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who, uh, remove themselves from it... Like two men, 17 and 21, who imitated Darth Vader, and made light sabres from fluorescent light tubes. That's right, they opened them up, poured gasoline inside, and lit them. As one can imagine, a Star Wars sized explosion was not far behind. Darth Vader died, while his opponent survived to 'fess up to their creative, but stupid, reenactment. Some moderators said 17 was too young, but I disagree. This one passes the "no minors" rule, because 17 is legal driving age, and old enough to pump gas is old enough to know better. Reference: news.bbc.co.uk Speaking of pumping gas, this is unconfirmed, but a Pittsburg woman told a gas station attendant that she had spilled some gasoline, and wouldn't pay for it. He indicated disbelief, whereupon she said, "Look I'll prove it," and tossed her cigarette into the puddle. The gas ignited -- proving her point, but landing her in court in 1993 for inciting a catastrophe. When you hear the words, "Look, I'll prove it," run away! --------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+ NEW BOOK! Order DARWIN AWARDS 4: INTELLIGENT DESIGN from your local bookseller! I'll gladly inscribe a bookplate for you. Send your name and address to: Wendy "Darwin" Northcutt, c/o Dutton 3rd Floor, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014 USA. My great thanks to volunteer moderators, guest writer Chris Kelly, five scientists for ten essays, and the artist for 25 illustrations! WENDY's BOOK TOUR: OCTOBER 24, 25: NEW YORK (radio) (New York booksellers -- anyone have time for a talk?) OCTOBER 26: CHICAGO 7-9pm Borders Books NOVEMBER 7: ANCHORAGE 7-10pm Tidal Wave Books NOVEMBER 8: SPOKANE (TBD) NOVEMBER 9: SEATTLE 7-9pm Third Place Books More appearances coming -- ask your bookseller to invite me! Read More: http://DarwinAwards.com/book --------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+ FREEWAY DANGLER -- Darwin Award -- Confirmed (31 May 2005, Seattle, Washington) Strength and endurance are two of the most important characteristics that can be passed on to improve the species, so physical challenges between males are frequent. In this case, two drinking buddies found themselves on an overpass 40 feet above a busy freeway in downtown Seattle at 2:45 a.m. It turned out to be the perfect place to determine who had more strength and endurance. Whoever could dangle from the overpass the longest would win! Unfortunately, the winner was too tired from his victory to climb back up, despite help from his friend. The unidentified champion fell smack into traffic below. Cartoon Art: http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2005-13.html --------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+ HAMMER OF DOOM -- Darwin Award -- Confirmed August brings us a winner from Brazil, who tried to disassemble a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) by driving back and forth over it with a car. This technique was ineffective, so he escalated to pounding the RPG with a sledgehammer. The second try worked--in a sense. The explosion proved fatal to one man, six cars, and the repair shop wherein the efforts took place. 14 more RPG grenades were found in a car parked nearby. Police believe the ammunition was being scavenged to sell as scrap metal. If it wasn't scrap then, it certainly is now! Reference: Odia (Brazil), msnbc.com, UK Daily Mail. --------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+ HELMET HEAD -- Honorable Mention -- Confirmed 12 August 2006 | An Indiana man grabbed a roll of duct tape, fastened a large mortar-style firework to his football helmet, and lit the fuse. Astoundingly, the 21-year-old survived this party stunt with a concussion and burns. His helmet, however, was destroyed. Reference: wsbt.com, AP. --------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+ SNAKE IN THE GRASS -- Honorable Mention -- Confirmed This Honorable Mention goes to the hiker in Scotland who picked up a grass snake so his brother could take a picture. Just as he reached for it, a black serpent slithered into view, so he grabbed that too. It was a black adder, Britain's only venomous snake. Both reptiles sank their fangs into the 44-year-old, who went into anaphylactic shock. He recovered in the hospital. His excuse for his rash act? He didn't think venomous snakes inhabited Scotland. Reference: The Scotsman. --------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+ STEVE IRWIN, Crocodile Hunter February 1962 -- September 2006 "Crikey!" Steve's dangerous animal antics bordered on insane, yet Man's spirit to achieve greatness is linked to risk taking, and Steve excelled at taking risks to further his passion for wildlife. We regret his passing. He made a difference. Words from a California Naturalist and Aquarium Collector: http://DarwinAwards.com/media/SteveIrwin.html --------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+ WENDY RANT on Freedom The world is a frightening place. Terrorism is bad, but eliminating freedom after freedom will not eliminate it. Warrantless tapping of phones, torture called non-torture, imprisonment without rights. Lies. Fear. The world is a frightening place. Pedophilia is bad, but recording and examining all Internet traffic is overkill. Is Internet pedophilia widespread? Who knows? To search for those words is to risk imprisonment. Spies. Fear. Please read this essay, only 2400 words: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/511928.html Just doing my part. --------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+ Copyright 2006 DarwinAwards.com Forward this newsletter to friends! ---