I can’t believe I forgot the Darwin award for last month! What was I thinking?? Arggg. Okay well here it is *giggle* It’s a goody!! And on a side note has anyone witnessed something along the lines of a Darwin Award – not resulting in death *grin* You know one of those ‘well gee that wasn’t such a bright idea’ moments? Do share!
Absolutely Radiant
1994 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed true by Darwin
(10 December 1968, Russia ) While reading about nuclear accidents, a physicist found this Darwin Award. Mayak is a nuclear fuel processing center in central Russia that was experimenting with plutonium purification techniques. The report states that they were using “an unfavorable geometry vessel in an improvised operation as a temporary vessel for storing plutonium organic solution.” In other words, they were pouring liquid plutonium into unsafe equipment.
Keep an eye on the shift supervisor.
“It was noticed that the solution was a combination of organic and aqueous solution [gunk in the tank.] Two operators [instructed by the shift supervisor] used an improvised setup to decant the dark brown [concentrated plutonium] organic solution. The shift supervisor then left to tend to other duties. During the second filling of the bottle, a mixture of aqueous and organic solution was drawn in. As a result, the operators stopped filling the bottle.”
One asked the shift supervisor for further instructions. He was told to continue decanting the solution. This operator “poured it into the 60 L vessel for a second time. After [most] of the solution had been poured out, the operator saw a flash of light, and felt a pulse of heat. Startled, the operator dropped the bottle, ran down the stairs, and from the room.”
The plutonium was too concentrated, and he had accidentally started a nuclear chain reaction! The alarms sounded, and everyone evacuated. So far, no fatal errors. But a second criticality happens while everyone is safely underground. Here’s where it gets good.
“The shift supervisor insisted that the radiation control supervisor permit him to enter the work area. The radiation control supervisor resisted, but finally accompanied the shift supervisor back into the building. As they approached the basement room where the accident had occurred, the radiation levels continued to rise. The radiation control supervisor prohibited the shift supervisor from proceeding. In spite of the prohibition, the shift supervisor deceived the radiation control supervisor and entered the room.”
So, with things more or less under control, the shift supervisor tricks the radiation control supervisor and goes into the room full of plutonium.
His “subsequent actions were not observed by anyone. However, there was evidence that he attempted to pour [the plutonium] into a floor drain. His actions caused a third excursion, larger than the first two, activating the alarm system in both buildings.”
The shift supervisor proceeded to set off an even bigger nuclear chain reaction!
“The shift supervisor, covered in plutonium organic solution, immediately returned to the underground tunnel. He died about one month after the accident,” having received four times the fatal dose of radiation. Everyone else survived.
Even if the shift supervisor had lived, he would still qualify for a Darwin Award. That much radiation causes sterility.
… and you thought the whole Homer Simpson in a Nuclear Power plant was a joke..
So now that we know not to play with nuclear substances kiddies here is the re-hash of
The 500 followers competition!
I have a secret…. A BIG secret. Only my close friends and partner know (so all of 5 people..) not even my family know. I do have to acknowledge that for some people it might not be that exciting but for me it’s huge. I can’t say much more because it’ll give it away and to help me progress towards my momentous goal I need to know that enough people are listening/observing. Trust me 500 is just the beginning (kind of like my book *sigh*). I’m looking for genuine followers and will gladly follow you back. I don’t expect comments every time I post, I follow a lot of blogs myself and realize it isn’t possible but if you could swing your way past my blog say once a month I’d be totally chuffed (which is what I myself aim for).
The reward for being one of the first 500 is the chance to win an awesome prize pack I’m working on. So far it includes a copy of the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents, Publishers & Editors (all shiny and new!! Weighs a bloody ton!), a T-shirt of my own fantastic design (there will be 3 designs to choose from and several colours), a pretty notebook and pen (if a boy wins I’m sure I can find a ‘manly’ notebook ;p) and I’m considering putting in a piece of jewelry made by moi! It would designed with the winners input. I actually used to make jewelry for a shop *grin*. Here’s a pic of a necklace I keep at work, I call it my treasure chest piece ;p
So anyone who follows me is in the draw, those that pop my button on their blog and link it back (please do this, otherwise it’s just a pretty pic ;p) gets an extra chance. Do remember to tell me if you do this!!
All the first 500 will receive a badge like my first 100 badge – new design though of course! Made so much easier by my developing Photo Shop skills (okay I admit it, paint sucks and photo shop rules..).
