Darwin Awards nominee

You've all heard of the Darwin Awards, no? Awarded posthumously, the Darwin Awards salute deserving individuals for their contributions to the betterment of the human gene-pool, by removing themselves from it. Although the events are tragic, the methods by which these people accidentally killed themselves are so STUPID, you find yourself chuckling inside, saying "you know what, they are better off dead, for all of our sakes".

I heard this story on a local news station this morning. I'd like to nominate the following candidate for the next instalment of the awards: A 12 y/o dies after playing a version of a game called "black-out". This is apparently a popular game for teens here. You choke yourself until you pass-out or almost pass-out, which gives you some sort of a cheap high. In this case, our young nominee tied a belt around his neck to restrict airflow, but did it too well, and died in the process. He's poor mother has now started a crusade, teaching school-children everywhere about the dangers of playing such a game.

It is important to note that Darwin Award winners and candidates are not suicidal or lagally insane. These people were all considered "sane" and in no way intended to kill themselves, it just sort of happened...call it bad luck I guess. Past nominees include:

2005: USA. 19 y/o plots revenge on neighbor he believes stole a bottle of liquor from him. He decides to frame his neighbor by stabbing himself (with witnesses around), and calling 911 implicating the neighbor. His accusations fail. He dies, having stabbed himself in the heart.

2004: Italy. 28 y/o spy wannabe shows off his new gadgets at a bar. Pulls out a pen he claims is actually a pistol. To demonstrate, he points to his head and pulls the trigger. The spy pen-pistol works like a charm.

2003: Australia. Living Darwin Award. 26 y/o lit a firecracker he was holding between the cheeks of his buttocks. He stumbled as it went off, blowing away his gonads and lower insides. He lived to tell his story, but was left incontinent as well as sexually dysfunctional.

2002: USA. A man was killed by a train after his car broke down. Now, his car didn't stop dead on the tracks...no, the car was on the road. The man stepped away from the car and walked onto the tracks to make a call on his cell phone. The engineers on the train later recalled seeing the man on the tracks, talking on the cell phone and cupping his other ear to block off the sound of the approaching train, the noise of which was clearly interfering with his conversation.