Latest news with #DarwinAward
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Yahoo
Another genius just discovered Yellowstone is dangerous and accidentally burned himself
Park fans, here's your schadenfreude. Folks, we've got our first nominee for 2025's "Darwin Award Runner-Up" courtesy of Yellowstone National Park. On Monday morning, a 17-year-old male managed to achieve what millions of visitors somehow avoid every year: accidentally turning his foot into a lobster thermidor near Lone Star Geyser. Our arrogant Einstein was hiking in the thermal area — you know, the part where there are boardwalks and trails — when his foot decided to play peek-a-boo with the ground, breaking through what park officials diplomatically call "thin, breakable crust." Spoiler alert: It broke. The result? Significant thermal burns to his foot and ankle, a helicopter ride to the hospital, and the distinction of being Yellowstone's first thermal injury victim of 2025. Congratulations, kid. You've made it into the record books faster than your foot made it into that scalding water. How not to become tomorrow's cautionary tale Apparently, some people missed the memo that Yellowstone's thermal features aren't nature's version of a hot tub. Those wooden boardwalks snaking through the park aren't just rustic decoration – they're literally the difference between enjoying your vacation and becoming a human soup dumpling. The boardwalks serve a dual purpose that even a caffeinated squirrel could understand. First, they protect the delicate thermal formations that took thousands of years to develop; they can be destroyed faster than your dignity when you explain to the ER doctor how you got burned. Second, and more importantly for your continued existence, they keep you from discovering that the ground beneath Yellowstone is basically a geological game of "The Floor is Lava." Except the lava is real, it's scalding water, and you can't respawn. Here's your crash course in not being an idiot: Stay on the boardwalks. Yes, all of them. No, you're not special. No, that Instagram shot isn't worth permanent scarring. Yes, I will pop out from behind a bush and yell at you. The thin crust around hot springs is nature's cruelest practical joke — it looks solid enough to support your weight right up until it isn't. What lies beneath? Water hot enough to cook you like a Christmas ham, which is exactly what has happened to more than 20 people who thought they knew better than the National Park Service. Don't touch thermal features, don't let your kids run wild on boardwalks (unless you enjoy explaining to your insurance company how little Timmy became a thermal casualty), and definitely don't bring Fido (pets are banned from thermal areas for reasons that should be obvious). The moral of this story? Those warning signs exist because people like our teenage protagonist prove that common sense isn't actually that common. Don't be the subject of next year's "another moron burns himself" article. Your skin will thank you, your wallet will thank you, and the rest of us won't have to read about your poor life choices in the morning news. Stay on the boardwalks, people. It's really not that complicated. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Yahoo
Another genius just discovered Yellowstone is dangerous and accidentally burned himself
Park fans, here's your schadenfreude. Folks, we've got our first nominee for 2025's "Darwin Award Runner-Up" courtesy of Yellowstone National Park. On Monday morning, a 17-year-old male managed to achieve what millions of visitors somehow avoid every year: accidentally turning his foot into a lobster thermidor near Lone Star Geyser. Our arrogant Einstein was hiking in the thermal area — you know, the part where there are boardwalks and trails — when his foot decided to play peek-a-boo with the ground, breaking through what park officials diplomatically call "thin, breakable crust." Spoiler alert: It broke. The result? Significant thermal burns to his foot and ankle, a helicopter ride to the hospital, and the distinction of being Yellowstone's first thermal injury victim of 2025. Congratulations, kid. You've made it into the record books faster than your foot made it into that scalding water. How not to become tomorrow's cautionary tale Apparently, some people missed the memo that Yellowstone's thermal features aren't nature's version of a hot tub. Those wooden boardwalks snaking through the park aren't just rustic decoration – they're literally the difference between enjoying your vacation and becoming a human soup dumpling. The boardwalks serve a dual purpose that even a caffeinated squirrel could understand. First, they protect the delicate thermal formations that took thousands of years to develop; they can be destroyed faster than your dignity when you explain to the ER doctor how you got burned. Second, and more importantly for your continued existence, they keep you from discovering that the ground beneath Yellowstone is basically a geological game of "The Floor is Lava." Except the lava is real, it's scalding water, and you can't respawn. Here's your crash course in not being an idiot: Stay on the boardwalks. Yes, all of them. No, you're not special. No, that Instagram shot isn't worth permanent scarring. Yes, I will pop out from behind a bush and yell at you. The thin crust around hot springs is nature's cruelest practical joke — it looks solid enough to support your weight right up until it isn't. What lies beneath? Water hot enough to cook you like a Christmas ham, which is exactly what has happened to more than 20 people who thought they knew better than the National Park Service. Don't touch thermal features, don't let your kids run wild on boardwalks (unless you enjoy explaining to your insurance company how little Timmy became a thermal casualty), and definitely don't bring Fido (pets are banned from thermal areas for reasons that should be obvious). The moral of this story? Those warning signs exist because people like our teenage protagonist prove that common sense isn't actually that common. Don't be the subject of next year's "another moron burns himself" article. Your skin will thank you, your wallet will thank you, and the rest of us won't have to read about your poor life choices in the morning news. Stay on the boardwalks, people. It's really not that complicated. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Rocks in their heads! 'Oblivious' campers pitch their tents under dangerous cliff - right next to where rockfall plunged 150ft onto the beach
Reckless campers risked their lives by pitching their tents under a dangerous cliff and right next to where rockfall had plunged onto the beach. The huge pile of boulders failed to act as a deterrent to the party as they set up camp for two nights. Large cracks are visible in the 150ft sandstone cliffs suggesting that the next landslip at the at Burton Bradstock in Dorset is only a matter of time. It is the same stretch of coastline where 22-year-old tourist Charlotte Blackman was crushed to death by a huge rockfall as she walked under the cliffs in 2012. Simon Lewins, who took the photos, said he had seen young men exiting the tents, with one of them using the cliff face as a toilet. He said they were 'totally oblivious to the danger' having ignored safety warning signs stating that beach camping is illegal and subject to £100 fines. Mr Lewins, 66, a retired teacher, said: 'There were young males in and around the tents. One of the occupants was using a small cave area in the cliff face as a toilet. 'They seemed totally oblivious to the danger. 'At the entrance to the beach area there are warnings of the dangers along with a camping prohibition notice with a £100 fine for beach campers.' Locals took to social media to slam the campers' behaviour with some suggesting they merited the Darwin award for stupidity. John Hardwick said: 'Right next to an obvious fall as well! The next candidates for the Darwin award.' Helen Margrate Lowe added: 'Do they not understand they (the cliffs) collapse and people have died before.' The public have been urged to stay away from the cliffs to avoid future tragedies. A Dorset Council spokesperson said: 'The Jurassic Coast looks the way it does because of erosion - meaning it is always on the move. 'It is a wonderful place to visit, but it's important to use common sense and caution - stay away from the edge and base of cliffs and always pay attention to warning signs and safety messages.' It comes after a woman was found dead at Durdle Door beach on the Jurassic Coast last week. Tourist Petya Rabrova was found in an unresponsive state at the far end of the Dorset beauty spot and below a 300ft cliff. Despite efforts by paramedics Miss Rabrova, 36, was pronounced dead on the beach. She was formally identified at the scene by her father, and her death is not being treated as suspicious. Ms Rabrova was from Bulgaria but was living in Greenfield Gardens, Golders Green, north London, at the time of her death. She worked as a receptionist and had visited Durdle Door on June 19, which was one of the hottest days of the year so far. An inquest into her death was opened this week in Bournemouth.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Guts, glory and opportunity on the outside
The annual Angola Prison Rodeo, marking its 60th anniversary this year, offers more than the chance for glory for its participants. Proceeds from the event fund educational programs that offer a chance for a better life. (Piper Hutchinson/Louisiana Illuminator) ANGOLA – The annual Angola Prison Rodeo, marking its 60th anniversary this year, offers more than the chance for glory for its participants. Proceeds from the event fund educational programs that offer a chance for a better life. Held every Sunday in October and one weekend in April, the infamous prison rodeo is one of the highlights of the year for the hundreds of men incarcerated at the Louisiana State Penitentiary who participate in the events. Despite its controversies, the rodeo's most ardent supporters are its participants, for whom the event is a rare bridge to the world outside Angola's thousands of acres and an opportunity to financially support themselves and their education. Andrew Hundley, executive director of the Louisiana Parole Project, which assists formerly incarcerated people as they reenter society, likened Angola to a college campus. It's an apt metaphor for Hundley, who completed correspondence courses at LSU while he was incarcerated at Angola. 'There are a lot of opportunities there to use your time wisely, or use your time not so wisely,' Hundley said. 'For the people who want to use their time wisely, they're more than a dozen vocational programs that are there, from automotive repair to collision repair, carpentry, welding, plumbing, small engine repair, you name it.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The rodeo is unlike any professional rodeo. For starters, the 75 or so men who compete don't receive any training. For many of them, the first time they mount a bull is just seconds before the gates open. While the men do receive safety vests and helmets, the lack of training makes it more dangerous than a traditional rodeo. After one event at the April 26 rodeo, one incarcerated person was seen falling multiple times trying to get out of the arena after his event, eventually having to be helped out of the mud. This rodeo — nicknamed 'the Wildest Show in the South' — is also different because it offers unique events that add to the spectacle — like bull pinball. It works like this: a rodeo clown sets down hula hoops in the arena, and an incarcerated person stands in each one. A bull is released and the last man remaining in his hoop wins. A clown identified only as Rudy exchanged banter with the rodeo emcee over the arena's public address system. 'Now what would make a human being get in one of them hoops?' Rudy asked during the show. 'It's kind of like trying to sign up for the Darwin Award,' the emcee replied, referencing the rhetorical honor given to people who contribute to evolution by removing themselves from the gene pool, usually through a foolish and dangerous act. The prison has held its rodeo since 1965 and has been the subject of frequent criticism. Operating as a farm on the site of a former slave plantation, Louisiana State Penitentiary has a brutal history. For much of its time, it has been known for indiscriminate violence. Even after significant reforms throughout the late 20th century, it is still the subject of controversy. Workers on the prison's 'farm line,' who pick the vegetables that help feed the prisoners, are currently suing the state, alleging dangerous working conditions. Inmates at Angola can earn a maximum of $8 a week, regardless of the type of work they do. Despite the danger and outside criticism, none of the dozen incarcerated men or formerly incarcerated men the Illuminator interviewed at the rodeo had a negative thing to say about the event. Assistant Warden Anne Easley sat in on all interviews the lluminator conducted at the rodeo. Only incarcerated people with trusty status, meaning they have served at least 10 years of their sentence and have good disciplinary records, were participating in the event and therefore available for interviews. In addition to rodeo participants, interviewees included inmate-instructors and incarcerated people selling crafts they made using skills learned at the prison. The craft fair, held outside the rodeo arena, has an atmosphere not unlike a flea market. It offers handmade goods including furniture, art and jewelry. Merchandise sales support the incarcerated people financially or finance prison organizations such as sobriety groups. 'Y'all come to this rodeo to find out how people feel about it. If all of your views on a rodeo are negative, and you're not getting all negative answers, then something's off, right?,' Jeffrey Hilburn, editor of The Angolite, the prison's news magazine, said in an interview. 'But if you come here and you find out that an inmate who's making a hobby craft … he's going to get a good percentage of that money.' 'His family doesn't have to send him that money. His family can pay their taxes, gas bill, save enough and buy a dozen eggs for $10,' added Hilburn, who serving time for the 1991 second-degree murder of Mark Jones in Richland Parish. He was recently denied parole. But support for the rodeo, while widespread among incarcerated people and formerly incarcerated people, is not universal. Norris Henderson, now executive director of Voice of the Experienced, an organization that advocates for incarcerated people, was once held at Angola. Henderson was exonerated after 27 years of incarceration. As a volunteer in the prison infirmary, he saw first-hand the injuries of the rodeo participants. 'To me, the rodeo was just this form of exploitation,' Henderson said. 'This is kind of like the Roman Coliseum, where people come to cheer, not the humans in the arena, they come to cheer the animals? SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The career training programs the rodeo finances are run by inmate-instructors, who are required to have the same certifications as those who teach the same courses at a community or technical college. There are 17 different career and technical education programs at the prison. According to a fact-sheet included in a souvenir rodeo program, the inmate-led reentry training and mentoring program saves the state $4 million a year. Among the instructors is Luther McFarland, the only incarcerated person with teaching certification from the American Welding Society. He is also certified by the National Center for Construction Education and Research. Like most other instructors at Angola, McFarland is a 'lifer,' meaning he's serving a life sentence. McFarland, who does not have the possibility of parole, was convicted of the 2004 second-degree murder of Coulton Lyell Jr. in Metairie. McFarland has a welding certification from Baton Rouge Community College, which he received before the school ended its program at Angola due to budget constraints. McFarland said he has taught welding at Angola since 2010. 'It really helped me build character … when you're coming from the streets and you got guys from New Orleans … coming with some mindset, it was really a challenge, but we got through it,' McFarland said of his time as an instructor. 'It wasn't easy, but we got through it.' The instruction has to start with basics, as many of his students have never handled basic tools. But eventually they get trained up enough to do serious work, McFarland said. Several of the barbeque grills he and his students had welded were on sale that Saturday. 'We learn how to just get the guys up to a par so when they go home, they have the mindset to be able to work in this type of environment and know what to expect from them because it's the same way,' McFarland said. McFarland said his work training his students to be welders when they're released was the start of his legacy. Though not eligible for parole, he hopes he will receive clemency. In order to receive a sentence commutation, an individual must receive a favorable vote of the Pardon Board as well as approval from the governor. Two of McFarland's former students came to visit their former instructor at the rodeo, including Austin McCraine, father to a newborn. McCraine served time for theft. He said he came back to the rodeo to pay homage to his friends and mentors. McCraine worked in welding for a year before moving up to a pipefitter's job, which typically calls for more skills and experience – and pays better. 'I've been working there for almost a year now,' McCraine said. 'This whole place has made me a different person.' Drew Hawkins of Gulf States Newsroom contributed to this report. Reporting for this story was supported by the The Institute for Citizens & Scholars' Higher Education Media Fellowship. An accompanying episode of The Light Switch, the Louisiana Illuminator podcast, can be found below.
