DARWIN AWARDS NEWSLETTER & PRESS RELEASE - December 2006
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WENDY'S CORNER:  I'm giving away free bookmarks and postcards.
Just send a self-addressed envelope, or drop me an email request!
Author Wendy Northcutt, 375 Hudson Street 34d Floor, NY NY 10014
http://DarwinAwards.com/misc/email.html
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COPPER KITE
Confirmed Darwin Award

March 2006, Belize | Benjamin Franklin reputedly flew his kite
in a lightning storm, going on to discover that lightning equals
(==) electricity.  However, certain precautions must be taken 
to avoid, as Ben Franklin did, sudden electrocution.

Kennon, 26, replicated the conditions of Ben Franklin's
experiment--sans safety precautions.  He was flying a kite,
with a short string that he had extended with a length of thin
copper wire.

The copper made contact with a high tension line, sending a bolt
of artificial lightning down the wire.  As Kennon was an electrician,
Kennon's father told listeners, his son "should have known better."
Kennon is survived by his parents, six sisters, and five brothers.
http://www.darwinawards.com/rules/rules.children.html

Reference: http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2006-08.html
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Darwin-Wendy loves you, so be safe this Cold Christmas Season.
Don't cough on others when you're sick, don't defeat the safety
device "because you can," think twice before lighting a match,
and never, Never, NEVER talk on the cell phone while driving!
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FAITH AS A FLOTATION DEVICE
Confirmed Darwin Award

(August 2006, Libreville, Gabon) In August, a congregation's
35-year old pastor insisted one could literally walk on water,
if only one had enough faith. Big and bold was his speech. He
extolled the heavenly power possessed by a faithful man with
such force that he may well have convinced himself.

Whether or not he believed in his heart, his sermons left room
for only shame should he leave his own faith untested. Thus, the
pastor set out to walk across a major estuary, the path of a
20-minute ferry ride. But the man could not swim.

Lacking the miraculous powers of David Copperfield, let alone
holy Jesus Christ, this ill-fated cleric found only a Darwin
Award at the end of his final path.

Reference: http://www.darwinawards.com/stupid/stupid2006-04.html
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Check out the new book, 3 years in the making. 129 Darwin Awards,
11 science essays, many illustrations, only $13.57 at Amazon!
 http://DarwinAwards.com/book  or  http://DarwinAwards.com/buy
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THE FLYSWATTER
Confirmed Honorable Mention (no one dies)

April 2004, California | An adult education teacher gave 25
students an impromptu lesson in safety during safety class.
Using opaque reasoning, he figured (a 40-mm shell) he found on a
hunting trip must be inert.  He kept the round, and even used it
as a desk paperweight. Ordinance is such a unique conversation
piece; and more notably, the teacher's ticking ticket to fame.

One spring morning, a bug crawled across his desk.  Should he
squash it with a tissue? Sweep it out the door? Leave it to
pursue its happy existence, and continue with the lesson? No,
the teacher picked another alternative. He took up the "inert"
shell and slammed it onto the insect.

The impact set off the primer, and the resulting explosion
caused burns and shrapnel lacerations to his hand, forearms and
torso. No one in the classroom was hurt. To the teach's further
consolation, his actions did succeed in one respect: the bug was
eliminated.

Reference: CNN, San Mateo Daily News. Sumbitted over 50 times.
Darwin asks, What class was he teaching?
http://www.darwinawards.com/stupid/stupid2006-04.html
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My publishers say, buy the book!  http://DarwinAwards.com/buy
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Hey there's a BONUS for those who read this far:  A QUIZ on
the main website; survey questions are updated regularly!
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Copyright 2006 DarwinAwards.com
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