December 29, 2005

Early attempt at flight. Darwin wins. Video: Franz Reichelt attempted to paraglide off the Eiffel Tower in 1912, using a flying suit he designed. As this video demonstrates, it was less than effective.
posted by Paranoia Agent 18 years ago
  • Also.
  • How has that not found its way into a Nine Inch Nails video yet? Posted by: Tony | December 28, 2005 at 05:20 PM Chuckle.
  • Ouch. You can see (with the benefit of hindsight) that he's standing there realizing, apparently for the first time, that maybe he hadn't quite thought this thing through completely. It's wierdly riveting watching him prepare to jump, knowing that he is going to die. MeFi had a recent thread with numerous links to other clips of an similarly idiotic nature.
  • He couldn't have tested it on a sack of potatoes?
  • Measuring the crater made by his body was a bit morbid.
  • Letting the guy jump off of the Eiffel tower without testing his suit on a sack of potatoes first was a bit morbid, too. Not to harp on the whole sack of potatoes thing. No, but about the measuring: I think they were planning to carry his body back up there and drop it again, WITHOUT the suit, to see if it would make a deeper depression. If the hole it made WITH the suit was shallower, then the suit was a *partial* success. In conclusion: potatoes.
  • What actual amount of time does it take for the footage of a person's death plunge to turn from horrific to amusing? Cos I'm thinking of putting the WTC jumper footage to 'yackety sax' and posting it on a blog.
  • i'd give it another, say, forty years.
  • sad.
  • I wouldn't really compare one guy making a wrongheaded decision that results in his demise, to the intentional slaughter of thousands. That's like comparing the Holocaust to any winner of the Darwin Awards. The Holocaust is not funny, but The Darwin Awards are. Yakity Sax is always funny(it's my ringtone). Having said that, I had a chuckle at the video. Further background about this is that he was originally supposed to throw a dummy over the edge, which is what they were there to tape. He decided to try it himself out of a sense of bravado, and confidence, misplaced it turns out.
  • I have this strange craving for some British pate. Gonna go root around in the fridge...
  • On a serious note, this shot shows the view from beneath... I was suspicious that it was a hoax because I don't remember any curved bannisters, but yes, there apparently are. Based on an old blueprint it looks like the drop was 57 m (189 ft).
  • No more of a misguided shot at fame and fortune than Annie Taylor going over the Falls in a barrel. (Taylor's injuries came mostly from her cat, which she decided to take along for the ride. Which proved to be not as stupid as when Charles Stephens tied himself to his ballast anvil. Which then punched out the bottom of the barrel.) In summary, then: (search for fame and fortune) + (injury/death) + (time) = Komedy Gold!
  • MonkeyFilter: In conclusion: potatoes! I know it doesn't make any sense, but for some strange reason, I likes it.
  • potatoes = small potatoes
  • beer
  • change
  • step for man
  • Hey! How come my small isn't as small as your small?!
  • think
  • vanishingly
  • Pssst! Com'er, Stan the Bat, and I'll let you in on a little secret. double up on your html codes.
  • god of things
  • yellow polka dot bikini
  • Right! This is all very silly! except the bit about the guy, which I didn't watch and should be stopped right now! Don't let me catch you again! *waves riding crop*
  • petebest's manhood