The 2009 Darwin Award has just been awarded. The second runner-up (i.e. third place) was: (3 June 2009, North Carolina) Greensboro was inundated with four inches of pouring rain in two hours, stranding several cars on flooded roads. Rosanne T., 50, was not deterred. She hopped on her moped and drove to a convenience store… Continue reading It’s time for the annual Darwin Awards!
Tag: Contests
It’s off to the Maldon Mud Races again!
Today, in a freezing-cold England, the annual Maldon Mud Race was held at the Blackwater River estuary in Maldon, Essex. The Guardian reports: Passersby are advised to avoid the pungent sludge of the Blackwater estuary in Essex. “Warning – deep mud,” reads the sign. But yesterday more people than ever ignored the notice and common… Continue reading It’s off to the Maldon Mud Races again!
Are you a versatile shooter?
The Gun Nut blog at Field & Stream magazine tells us of an interesting casting call from Pilgrim Films. Pilgrim … needs to cast 16 shooters. One will eliminated each week in a marksmanship challenge until the last man or woman standing claims the $100,000 prize. Because this is a History Channel show, weekly competitions… Continue reading Are you a versatile shooter?
A novel use for Peeps
It seems Peeps aren’t only for eating. The Washington Post runs a Peeps Diorama Contest, where contestants have to use Peeps as participants in a scene. The third annual competition was held recently. Here’s one of the finalists, “Double Peep Strike” by Brady Gordon, LeElaine Comer and Justin Donnelly of Washington. The editors comment: Memorializing… Continue reading A novel use for Peeps
More on the Internet’s 40th birthday
Yesterday I posted an article about the 40th birthday of the Internet, which was ‘born’ on October 29th, 1969. A couple more interesting items have come to light today. The Daily Mail has published pictures of the computer used to send those first Arpanet messages, and interviewed Prof. Leonard Kleinrock, one of the ‘founding fathers’… Continue reading More on the Internet’s 40th birthday
Ever heard of ‘free running’?
I hadn’t, until I came across the video clips below. According to Wikipedia: Free running is a form of urban acrobatics in which participants, known as free runners, use the city and rural landscape to perform movements through its structures. It incorporates efficient movements from parkour, adds aesthetic vaults and other acrobatics, such as tricking… Continue reading Ever heard of ‘free running’?
Will the 1906 record be broken at last?
One hundred and three years ago, American Fred Marriott set a land speed record of 127.659 miles per hour. What’s more, he did it in the Stanley Steamer, a steam-powered car. Whilst internal combustion and other engines have since increased the land speed record many times over, his record still stands as the highest speed… Continue reading Will the 1906 record be broken at last?
A fun contest!
Author Evan Ratliff has published a very interesting article in Wired magazine, looking at the ways people seek to ‘disappear’ – vanish, and start a new life somewhere else under a new name. It’s a great read. As part of the fun, he’s decided to ‘disappear’ himself for a month. He’s challenging anyone and everyone… Continue reading A fun contest!
Well, what did they expect?
There’s a newspaper called ‘Inside Time‘, published in the UK and distributed free to prisons in that nation. According to their Web site: Inside Time Limited is a ‘not for profit’ publishing company producing Inside Time – the monthly newspaper for prisoners. . . . Each month over 46,000 copies of each issue are distributed… Continue reading Well, what did they expect?
Airline promotion fails to get off the ground – literally!
It seems that over-eager crowds aborted the lift-off of an airline marketing promotion recently. An overeager crowd in the Hungarian capital [Budapest] thwarted low-cost airline Wizz Air’s attempt to release 1,000 balloons for its fifth anniversary celebrations when they caught wind of the freebies attached. Onlookers spied coupons worth 10,000 forints ($49.45) attached to each… Continue reading Airline promotion fails to get off the ground – literally!