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Great Acts Of Stupidity

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davidplankton said:
In the future when we're all wearing google glass, will people on bikes do it? Might be harder to have a wank on a bike, but check ebay I mean.
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was having this exact conversation with a mate about 3 days ago on what folk would be doing in driver-less cars... Synchronicity or just two dirty-minded individuals?
 
GNC said:
It could be both. Seriously, though, why has the internet become so irresistible to drivers? You don't see people reading books while driving.
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It's because of the thrill of the chase. Irrespective of whether the internal brain chemistry is getting it's dopamine rush from clinching that auction on ebay, receiving that additional all-important.'Like' from the Book of Face, or validating your existence more meaningfully courtesy of your millionth Twitter follower. Or gabble-chatting with your remote friends, that essential life-affirming digital familiar, precariously balanced upon your shoulder, as your plough your chariot through battalions of bloody kids that keep clogging up your roads.

I mean, godamit, you pay a lot for road tax, insurance and an unlimited data package. Nothing can ever be allowed to get in the way of the chase.

Over-simplified/protected activities such as driving have become relegated to being of secondary/tertiary importance. Clarkson annoyingly had it nearly right, with his hyperbolic suggestion that spring-loaded titanium spikes be built into steering wheels, rather than airbags. Sadly, that would solve so many problems.
 
I guess they proved they weren't chicken. Pity they're too dead to care now.

A body found on a beach in Sussex is believed to be that of a second man who was swept out to sea after standing by the water's edge for a dare.

It was found by a member of the public at Rottingdean, about three and a half miles east of Brighton's Palace Pier, where the men were last seen.

It is believed to be that of missing Dan Nicholls, 23, from Brighton.

The body of Freddie Reynolds, 24, a dispensary technician from Brighton, was found at Saltdean on Saturday.

The pair got into difficulty near Palace Pier at 01:00 GMT on Saturday, police believe.

They had been on the beach with three other men, who raised the alarm.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-30767469
 
22 January 2015 Last updated at 13:23
Ray Mears dropped from caravan show after TV show jibes

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Ray Mears made the comments on the show Room 101

Survival expert Ray Mears has been axed as a speaker at a caravan show, after calling motorhomes "hideous" and "ghastly" on television.
The star was due to make at least £10,000 as a speaker at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show next month.
But he angered organisers by choosing caravans as one of his pet hates on TV show Room 101. :eek:
They sacked him, calling the comments "elitist" and "insulting". He has "lost a five figure sum," they added.

Mears recorded his appearance on Room 101 last year, but the show was only broadcast on BBC One on 17 January.
Inspired by George Orwell's 1984, the show asks guests to discuss the things that drive them mad - with the most despicable examples consigned to Room 101 forever.

Mears chose caravans in the show's wildcard round, describing them as "mobile breadbins".
"I get stuck behind them, and I think they're hideous," he complained.
"Swathes of our coastline are just covered in these things. I wouldn't mind so much if they could be painted green, but they have to be painted white. Gleaming white.
"You go down to Devon and all you can see are cities of these displaced urban people in their ghastly white caravans."

Emma Entwistle of Pelican Communications, which is promoting the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show at Birmingham's NEC, confirmed he had been dropped from the line-up.
"There was no way we can now have him come along to speak at our event," she said. "He has slagged off the community we are in charge of promoting and protecting. He has insulted the people who come to the show.
"He shouldn't have taken the job if he has fundamental issues with caravans."

A statement from Pelican Communications added Mears had recorded Room 101 before entering negotiations to appear at the caravan show.
"We feel his agent should have made us aware of this pre-recording the moment we began communicating," it continued.
The BBC has contacted Mears' agent for a comment, but is yet to hear back.

More than 80,000 people attended last year's show Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show.
This year's event is set to feature Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell and TV presenter Matt Baker, amongst others.
Despite their anger, organisers said they were keen for Mears to see the show.
"We're sure that if Ray spent a weekend away in a caravan or motorhome, he would very much enjoy himself.
"We have extended an invitation to him to attend the show in a personal capacity to meet, and speak to, visitors about the benefits of this... much-loved leisure option. ;)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30932747
 
I'm not sure if this is an act of stupidity or merely a tragic accident.

5 February 2015 Last updated at 13:18 GMT
Japanese child star in coma after helium stunt goes wrong

A Japanese broadcaster has apologised to the family of a 12-year-old singer, who was left in a coma after inhaling helium for a TV show.


The girl, a member of the pop group 3B Junior, was taking part in a game that involved changing her voice when she fell unconscious on 28 January.

It is thought she suffered an air embolism, restricting the blood supply to her brain. She has not been named.

As of Thursday, the girl has regained consciousness, Japan Today reported.

However, she only has limited movement and cannot yet speak clearly.

3B Junior comprises more than 20 singers, all aged between 10 and 16.

A statement on their official website, said the band were "praying for a quick recovery" for their co-star.


"Our heart hurts," it continued. "We are very sorry about the accident."


Speaking to the press on Wednesday, executives from TV Asahi apologised to the girl and her family.

They said the canister from which she had inhaled the gas was marked "for adult use only", but producers had overlooked the warning.

He only revealed the information after doctors saw signs of improvement, and he sought the blessing of the girl's parents first.
Managing director Toru Takeda said he had delayed announcing the accident to the public because he expected the singer to make an earlier recovery.


TV Asahi added that an internal investigation would be conducted into the case. Local media have reported that police will also look into it.

Mr Takeda said the TV show, entitled 3B Junior Stardust Shoji, was originally scheduled for broadcast on 24 February but may now be discontinued.
Suffocation risk
Although inhaling helium from balloons is a common parlour trick, it can prove fatal.

"Apart from a high-pitched voice, potential health effects of helium are dizziness, headache and suffocation," says advice published by the UK's Public Health Agency.
''Should anyone experience ill effects from inhaling helium, the advice is to get the person to breathe in fresh air immediately.
"If symptoms persist oxygen may need to be administered, so get medical help urgently."
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''3B Junior is described as an "idol training unit" and has generated several spin-off groups''
 
Oh 'ell. I used to entertain my kids and their friends by showing them how to talk like Mickey Mouse with a whiff of helium from a balloon. Found out how dangerous it was only after I'd been doing it for years. Terrifies me now to think how stupid I was! :oops:
 
What a mess that looks. Must've been carnage.

I'm wondering how anyone knows what was going through the driver's mind if she and everyone else were killed at the scene?

The problem with the barriers vexes British rail operators too. Barriers stop vehicles going onto the tracks but if one gets on when it shouldn't, they stop it getting off too. In Russia, as I noticed from the Trans-Mongolian Railway a few years ago, not only do barriers go down, you also get a spiky bar going up, which would pierce a car's tyres if it drove over it. You don't get barrier-dodgers there!

Here in the UK they're called level crossings and they cause 'nearly half of the catastrophic train accident risk on Britain's railways', according to the Office of Rail Regulation. (Here's their interesting page on the subject.)

The train operators would like to solve the problem of level crossings by closing them down. They won't build us new bridges or tunnels instead though so we're stuck with them for now.

I live practically on top of a major rail junction. You can't travel far without crossing a railway line. Some nearby areas'd be cut off without level crossings.

Can you tell I'm a railway nerd? :p
 
OneWingedBird said:
I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often, particularly for the amount that I see motorists checking their phones on my commute...
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When I worked at the local Magistrates' courts I saw hundreds of people done over for using phones while driving. It's not worf it, Pal - there's no defence. If the police say they saw you with a phone the Mags believe them and you might just as well pay the fine and suck up the points.
 
Audience Member Tries to Use Stage Outlet (plug) to Charge Phone
It's nice that people feel at home at Broadway theatres — but perhaps they shouldn't feel this at home.

Twitter and Facebook lit up Sunday evening and Monday morning after several cast members and audience members posted their speechlessness at a report that an audience member had clambered onto the stage of the Booth Theatre and tried to plug a cell phone charger into an outlet on the set of Hand to God.

Set designer Beowulf Boritt should feel flattered that the outlet looked real enough to be used for that, but, of course, it was a prop outlet.
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http://playbill.com/news/article/au...-outlet-to-charge-phone-at-hand-to-god-352658
 
Man arrested after Up impression left him floating high in the sky on a garden chair
  • 12:10, 7 July 2015
  • By Record Reporter
THE man tied 100 balloons to a garden chair and floated high above the city of Calgary but was arrested by police on his landing.
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  • hit movie Up , but resulted in Daniel Boria being charged with mischief.
    The stunt, carried out to promote his cleaning products company, is likely to leave the 26-year-old out of pocket according to local police who say the charges are related to the chair that could have caused someone injury if it fell.
    He told local broadcaster CBC: “It was incredible. It was the most surreal experience you can ever imagine.
    “I knew I would get arrested but I didn’t think they would pursue it as heavily as they did.”
    Boria had intended to parachute into the city’s annual rodeo festival but landed in a nearby industrial field and sprained his ankle.
    And while the parachute was confiscated by police, the chair and balloons are yet to be found.
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http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/man-arrested-after-up-impression-6018105
 
Xanatic* said:
In his defence, it was clearly caused by bad punctuation. The sign says "No swimming alligators" when it should have been saying "No swimming, alligators".
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Excellent example of the importance of correct punctuation.
 
Did he commit suicide in some spectacular fashion involving more balloons or did he just shoot himself?
 
Just shot himself, as far as I recall. Couldn't take the notoriety.
 
I was hoping he'd have put a noose around his neck and tied the noose to a bunch of balloons.
I have to say people do stupid things sometime. The thing with the balloons though, I want to do that too. Just with more steerage.
 
Just go up up and away for a beautiful balloon ride, the hot air variety. Less dangerous with a pro than the amateur method (unless you've read a certain Ian McEwan novel).
 
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/21/experience-i-got-stuck-hanging-naked-in-tree]Naked in a tree![/url]


It was hopeless. Righting myself, I put my free foot back on the ground to rest for a moment, then tried again, pulling myself up and fighting, puppet-like, against my bonds. My left foot, taking my weight in the lowest noose, started to spasm and I knew my strength wouldn’t hold out. But my pride was still uppermost – the idea of having to draw the attention of others to my humiliating plight still seemed unthinkable. I was losing strength, but full of adrenaline, my face dragging along the woodland floor, leaving me spitting twigs.
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I would love to find more background on this, but I couldn't find the right search terms:
Looks Russian to me ... and this one is much more innocent:
 
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