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1 October 2010, ARIZONA | The Grand Canyon, one of the seven wonders of the
world, recently welcomed home the soul of one of the witless wonders of the
world. The death of a 42-year-old California man named Andrew, who was
leaping from outcropping to outcropping on the South Rim near Pipe Creek
Vista, reminds me of an incident in March 2000 involving a "financial
entrepreneur" visiting the famous National Park.
Because of the tiresome problem of tourists farting their way into
disaster, the more treacherous overlooks in the Grand Canyon are protected
by fences and signs. All of these overlooks are spectacular. Some have
towering columns, some have small plateaus that tourists toss coins onto,
like dry wishing wells.
Make a wish!
One entrepreneur wished for financial success. And there in front of him
was a means to an end. He had a brilliant, an obvious, idea. No stranger to
danger, the man climbed over the fence with a bag, leapt to one of the
precarious, coin-covered perches, and filled the bag with booty. Harvest
time!
But. When he tried to leap back to the safe side, he went head to head
with physics. Specifically, F = mg. Our entrepreneur had increased his
mass, and the force required to lift himself against the pull of gravity
was now greater.
The heavy bag of coins arrested his jump, and the birds were treated to a view
of his long plunge to the valley floor below, followed by a shower of
coins. Brilliant idea with a fatal flaw in the execution.
[IMAGE] Gravity. More than a good idea, it's The Law.
"Jumping Jack Flash, it's a gas, Jumping Jack Cash..."
And THAT reminds me of a joke. A man was taking a picture of an attractive
woman at the Grand Canyon. He was lined up to take the shot, when he
suddenly found himself plummeting toward the ground at 30mph. What
happened? The woman had said, "Yes, I'm a nude model."
(2000 incident is, sadly, unconfirmed so email Darwin with eyewitness or news.)
ORIGINAL SUBMISSION
DarwinAwards.com © 1994 - 2012
Submitted by: Scott Brandt, Will C., Nancy Book, Bill Claxton
Reference: (2010) San Francisco Examiner. (2000 incident is, sadly, unconfirmed so email Darwin with eyewitness or news.)
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