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And this week's Darwin Award goes to...

Started by JongWK, September 18, 2008, 09:13:38 AM

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JongWK

September 18, 2008, 09:13:38 AM
...these folks:


QuoteShoppers accidentally buy nuclear waste

Three residents of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's Aksu city mistakenly purchased and brought home nuclear waste.

In August 2006, the three men - one of whom is surnamed Liu, while the other two are surnamed Wang - purchased a glittering "treasure" for $2,000 in Kyrgyzstan. They brought it back to Xinjiang, hoping to make a fortune by selling it.

Because they knew nothing about the 274-kg stone, they sliced off a piece to bring to Beijing for expert analysis last January.

Last September, geologists at Tsinghua University concluded it was depleted uranium and called police.

Prosecutors in Aksu decided against arresting the men, because they obviously had no idea what they had purchased. The men have undergone medical examinations and appear to be in good health.

(China Daily September 15, 2008)
"I give the gift of endless imagination."
~~Gary Gygax (1938 - 2008)

TonyLB

#1
September 18, 2008, 02:48:21 PM
They can't have a Darwin Award until they've provably removed themselves from the gene pool.  Sorry.  Stupid?  Yes.  Darwinian?  Depends on microcellular damage, I suppose.
Superheroes with heart:  Capes!

CavScout

#2
September 18, 2008, 02:53:28 PM
Sorta of hard to consider them a Darwin Award candidate unless they had some reasonable idea of what they had. Now if they were crawling around a known toxic waste dump and found it, maybe.

In any case, how in the hell are the Chinese storing depleted uranium?
"Who\'s the more foolish: The fool, or the fool who follows him?" -Obi-Wan

Playing: Heavy Gear TRPG, COD: World at War PC, Left4Dead PC, Fable 2 X360

Reading: Fighter Wing Just Read: The Orc King: Transitions, Book I Read Recently: An Army at Dawn

JongWK

#3
September 18, 2008, 03:26:35 PM
Quote from: TonyLB;249051Depends on microcellular damage, I suppose.

I forgot to add that, apparently, one of the guys chewed part of the uranium.
"I give the gift of endless imagination."
~~Gary Gygax (1938 - 2008)

James J Skach

#4
September 18, 2008, 04:10:22 PM
I laughed. Thanks.
The rules are my slave, not my master. - Old Geezer

The RPG Haven - Talking About RPGs

Demonoid

#5
September 18, 2008, 05:15:42 PM
Still no darwin award, they really did nothing that stupid.

BTW, aren't a lot of weapons made from depleted uranium today, so that soldiers load shells tipped with them into tank cannons?

CavScout

#6
September 18, 2008, 05:20:30 PM
Quote from: Demonoid;249110BTW, aren't a lot of weapons made from depleted uranium today, so that soldiers load shells tipped with them into tank cannons?

Yes and yes. Although the rad levels are rather low. But you could tell friendly fire hits from enemy fire by using a rad meter.
"Who\'s the more foolish: The fool, or the fool who follows him?" -Obi-Wan

Playing: Heavy Gear TRPG, COD: World at War PC, Left4Dead PC, Fable 2 X360

Reading: Fighter Wing Just Read: The Orc King: Transitions, Book I Read Recently: An Army at Dawn

Demonoid

#7
September 18, 2008, 05:36:02 PM
Quote from: CavScout;249113Yes and yes. Although the rad levels are rather low. But you could tell friendly fire hits from enemy fire by using a rad meter.

Meh, you can tell an old fashioned "luminous dial" watch from a modern indiglo one with a rad meter too.

Most home smoke detectors would show up on a rad meter too.

Kyle Aaron

#8
September 18, 2008, 06:32:11 PM
Quote from: Demonoid;249110Still no darwin award, they really did nothing that stupid.

BTW, aren't a lot of weapons made from depleted uranium today, so that soldiers load shells tipped with them into tank cannons?
Only the US and Israel use depleted uranium shells.

War is, by definition, a bunch of actions during which there's a fair chance of being killed while you are young and have yet to reproduce. Thus, signing up for the military puts you in contention for a Darwin Award :)
The Viking Hat GM
Conflict, the adventure game of modern warfare
Wastrel Wednesdays, livestream with Dungeondelver

CavScout

#9
September 18, 2008, 06:47:43 PM
Quote from: Demonoid;249119Meh, you can tell an old fashioned "luminous dial" watch from a modern indiglo one with a rad meter too.

Most home smoke detectors would show up on a rad meter too.

Umm.. ok. Didn't say it was highly radioactive... would make storing the ammo in the vehicle a bit dangerous if it was...
"Who\'s the more foolish: The fool, or the fool who follows him?" -Obi-Wan

Playing: Heavy Gear TRPG, COD: World at War PC, Left4Dead PC, Fable 2 X360

Reading: Fighter Wing Just Read: The Orc King: Transitions, Book I Read Recently: An Army at Dawn

CavScout

#10
September 18, 2008, 06:48:43 PM
Quote from: Kyle Aaron;249143Only the US and Israel use depleted uranium shells.

War is, by definition, a bunch of actions during which there's a fair chance of being killed while you are young and have yet to reproduce. Thus, signing up for the military puts you in contention for a Darwin Award :)

That count for Policemen and Firemen too?
"Who\'s the more foolish: The fool, or the fool who follows him?" -Obi-Wan

Playing: Heavy Gear TRPG, COD: World at War PC, Left4Dead PC, Fable 2 X360

Reading: Fighter Wing Just Read: The Orc King: Transitions, Book I Read Recently: An Army at Dawn

Fritzs

#11
September 19, 2008, 01:06:17 AM
I probably wasn't radioactive enought to cause any long lasting harm on them... still, selling some strange matter, that glitters without knowing what it is isn't very bright idea and centrainly is quite amoral.
You ARE the enemy. You are not from "our ranks". You never were. You and the filth that are like you have never had any sincere interest in doing right by this hobby. You\'re here to aggrandize your own undeserved egos, and you don\'t give a fuck if you destroy gaming to do it.
-RPGPundit, ranting about my awesome self

CavScout

#12
September 19, 2008, 09:57:35 AM
Quote from: Fritzs;249244I probably wasn't radioactive enought to cause any long lasting harm on them... still, selling some strange matter, that glitters without knowing what it is isn't very bright idea and centrainly is quite amoral.

Huh?
"Who\'s the more foolish: The fool, or the fool who follows him?" -Obi-Wan

Playing: Heavy Gear TRPG, COD: World at War PC, Left4Dead PC, Fable 2 X360

Reading: Fighter Wing Just Read: The Orc King: Transitions, Book I Read Recently: An Army at Dawn

Fritzs

#13
September 19, 2008, 11:16:08 AM
Cavscout: I haven't noticed the part about bringing piece of it to experts... still planing to sell unknown matter, especialy if it shines isn't quite OK...
You ARE the enemy. You are not from "our ranks". You never were. You and the filth that are like you have never had any sincere interest in doing right by this hobby. You\'re here to aggrandize your own undeserved egos, and you don\'t give a fuck if you destroy gaming to do it.
-RPGPundit, ranting about my awesome self

TonyLB

#14
September 19, 2008, 12:22:32 PM
But ... my D&D character does that all the time.

I refuse to revise my treasure policy.  Therefore you must just be wrong. :)
Superheroes with heart:  Capes!
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