Thursday, March 12, 2009

Let natural selection work

Don't do things like this.

"A man has survived despite plunging 180ft (55m) over Niagara Falls and spending 45 minutes in freezing waters resisting his rescuers.

The unnamed man was seen by tourists to scale a wall and leap into the rapids above the falls.

Shortly afterwards he was spotted in the water near the base of the falls clinging to a log.....

A specially trained falls rescue team had rushed to the man's aid after receiving reports of him going over the Horseshoe Falls, one of Niagara's three waterfalls.

However, the man - who was naked - swam away from them toward the middle of the river, police said.

A private helicopter was called in and used the force of its rotor blades to blow him closer to shore.

Firefighter Todd Brunning and another rescue worker then swam about 60 yards, grabbed the man and pulled him to safety, officials said.....

Local resident Phil Richmond, who witnessed the rescue, told The Toronto Star that the man clearly didn't want to be saved.

"It appeared he didn't want to come into shore. I thought he was an idiot to be honest with you," he said. "


My favorite part has to be the helicopter turning itself sideways and blowing the guy towards shore as he (apparently) tries to swim away from shore.


7 comments:

Paul Gowder said...

Dude, anyone who can survive that kind of fall and exposure must have pretty good genes. I think it's time for some selective breeding to keep the hardy and get rid of the dumb.

Angus said...

LOL, hey Paul, are the facts that he took off all his clothes, climbed over a fence, and then jumped sufficient to convert you to my point of view.

I'll grant you this though; he's hardy!!

Will Welch said...

Swimming naked in that kind of water? He may be out of the gene pool, even if he's still breathing.

Tom said...

From TFA: "A private helicopter ... used the force of its rotor blades to blow him closer to shore." How is this not criminal battery?

Tom said...

The labels for this story were fail and natural selection. A third label should be added: physics. I suggest this because of Angus' comment that the helicopter turned itself sideways. A helicopter in a recent Bond movie did this also -- the movie helicopter then hovered with its rotor at 45° from vertical. Ha, ha. Real helicopters that tip sideways, GO sideways... fast!

Angus said...

LOL, you got it Tom!

Paul Gowder said...

In related news, apparently people with higher IQs live longer because they don't accidentally chop their heads off as often. Yay Darwin!