The Monday Poll - Sampler

[pjthompson]

Last week was largely spent semi-comatose in front of the tube due to a terrible cold, so my head is just crammed with interesting factoids. I'm going to allow you to participate in a random sampling of some of them.

Here's an interesting factoid: an average of five people a year die in Death Valley due to the heat—most of them European tourists. One man who passed out while hiking alone in the Valley died and became mummified in three days due to the combination of heat, aridity, and salt deposits. (My thanks to the Apocalypse Channel—I mean, the Weather Channel--for these interesting factoids.)

I'd say the Death Valley Chamber of Commerce needs to choose a new tag line for the tourist brochures to better reflect these dangers, wouldn't you?

[Poll #771785]

What should the new Death Valley tag line be?

View Answers
Death Valley: If you can't stand the heat, get out of the Valley.
0(0.0%)
Death Valley. We're serious.
6(37.5%)
Death Valley: Like King Tut without the gold and precious jewels.
2(12.5%)
Death Valley: Almost Margaritaville. At least we've got the salt.
0(0.0%)
Death Valley: You will believe a man can fry.
0(0.0%)
Death Valley: God damn it's hot.
3(18.8%)
Death Valley: One hot Mother Ticky.
0(0.0%)
Other (add your idea in comments)
1(6.2%)
What's your favorite humanoid fossil?

View Answers
Gigantopithecus, aka "Bigfoot"
1(7.1%)
Australopithecus afarensis, aka "Lucy"
3(21.4%)
Homo floresiensis, aka "The Hobbit"
3(21.4%)
Homo sapiens sapiens, aka Cro-Magnon or near-modern man
0(0.0%)
Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, aka Neanderthal
0(0.0%)
Tickypithecus, aka The Tickster
6(42.9%)
Other (comments?)
0(0.0%)
What's your favorite human mummy?

View Answers
Tut
1(6.2%)
Ramses
4(25.0%)
Seti
0(0.0%)
Ützi
0(0.0%)
That guy in Death Valley
5(31.2%)
Dick Cheney
3(18.8%)
Tickyses
1(6.2%)
Other (comments?)
1(6.2%)
Brak, Zorak, Moltar, or Space Ghost?

View Answers
Brak!
3(18.8%)
Zorak!
0(0.0%)
Moltar!
0(0.0%)
Space Ghost!
4(25.0%)
Harvey Birdman, Attorney-at-Law
4(25.0%)
Ticky!
3(18.8%)
Other!
1(6.2%)

Comments

[cathemery.livejournal.com]

The Apocalypse Channel.

hee.

[pjthompson]

Watch enough of it and it starts to seem that way.

[iagor.livejournal.com]

Biiiiirdman!!!

[pjthompson]

Loves me some Birdman.

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

This makes me miss the signs they had at the various semi-dangerous natural sites in Ireland. At the Ciffs of Moher they have no real impediment to you walking right up to the cliff edge and falling over. The sign says you're not supposed to go down to the shelf that everyone goes down to, and other signs warn that the cliff edge is not stable and may possibly collapse right out from under you.

At the Giant's Causeway, the signs are on about how the rocks are slippery when wet, and the waves can surprise you and suck you off the rocks and smash you to pieces on them.

In summary, the signs say the equivalent of: "For god's sake, don't be a dumbass. It's dangerous. If you get killed, it's your own fault."

I loved it. I kept thinking how in the US there would be fences and railings and a million guards to tell us to get back, and I wouldn't have seen a damn thing or experienced near so much fun. (Yes, I risked death. But as safely as I could. Though maybe dangling my ass over an 800 foot cliff wasn't so smart.)

[pjthompson]

I think that's a much more sensible attitude. In the US, National Monuments practically have forms attached promising you won't sue anyone.

DV marketing

[thursdayhaiku.livejournal.com]

"Death Valley: Because it's a dry heat."

Re: DV marketing

[pjthompson]

LOL. Good one.

[merebrillante.livejournal.com]

Brak's feelings are hurt. Look everybody, you made Brak cry!!!

[pjthompson]

If I voted in these things, I would have voted from Brak. Brak's the coolest. Hand him one of my hankies.

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

Death Valley: All fair-skinned White Supremists welcome.

[pjthompson]

::spits out soda:: ::wipes screen:: ::reads again and soda goes up nose:: ::wipes nose:: ::puts down soda::

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

Death Valley: "Why?"

[pjthompson]

lol--there is that.