Darwin Awards Newsletter -- February 2001 DARWIN AWARDS HONOR THE REMAINS of those who ensure the long-term Survival of our species by removing themselves from the gene pool. Here are the first 2001 Nominees: DARWIN AWARD: SKELETON KEY Another would-be thief has been discovered languishing as a pile of bones, this one by an artisan brick mason. The protruding foot and leg bones found during building renovations belonged to a thief who tried to rob a gift shop by way of the second-floor chimney fifteen years before, speculated bemused authorities. Maybe he should have tried a skeleton key. - Natchez (Mississippi) Democrat DARWIN AWARD: SHORT SHARP SHOCK Yet another safari tourist met with an early demise when she left the safety of the tour bus in order to frame a better picture. The woman, a volunteer with the US Peace Corps, and her camera were fatally trampled by an enraged elephant in Ruaha National Park. Let her fate remind you to "keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times." -Associated Press - - - - - - - - - - VOTE ON THESE 2001 DARWIN AWARDS NOMINEES! http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2001-01.html?0102 http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2001-02.html?0102 - - - - - - - - - - HONORABLE MENTION: BOOMERANG EFFECT A man found himself paralyzed when his drunken prank led to disaster. Wilbur, 43, was driving with his son when he made the fatal decision to swerve and hit a dog. He missed the dog, and the truck careened out of control on the gravel road and tipped over an embankment. His son and a passenger were rescued. No one was wearing a seat belt. Police found a cooler of beer in the back, and empty cans in the cab of the overturned vehicle. An officer stated, "They were out joy riding, bought lottery tickets, and just cut through that gravel road." And to think, this happened scant miles from the idyllic Walton's Mountain of television fame. -The Lynchburg News & Advance - - - - - - - - - - VISIT THE DARWIN AWARDS WEBSITE for more stories. URBAN LEGEND: MAD TROMBONIST http://darwinawards.com/legends/legends1998-17.html?0102 MEDICAL MISADVENTURES http://darwinawards.com/personal/personal2001-04.html?0102 WILD MUSHROOMS http://darwinawards.com/personal/personal2001-05.html?0102 Etc. - - - - - - - - - -