The PITS (Pie in the sky) awards are run by Australia's corporate administrator ASIC. It's proof that bureacracies are far less funnier than people. here is the PITSS award winner for 2007. Below is the 2007 Darwin awards winner.PITS
The 2007 winner is the Ponzi scheme operated by Guiseppe Mercorella that offered people between three and six per cent per month. Mr Mercorella’s illegal scheme received $216.9 million from investors who ultimately lost $76 million. Mr Mercorella is now serving a five year jail term on ASIC charges.
Many of the investors were from South Australia, and many from the local Italian community who became aware of the scheme through family and friends. This is typical of how many people become involved in ‘Ponzi’ schemes. Some investors mortgaged their homes to invest with Mr Mercorella. Read more about it
Many of the investors were from South Australia, and many from the local Italian community who became aware of the scheme through family and friends. This is typical of how many people become involved in ‘Ponzi’ schemes. Some investors mortgaged their homes to invest with Mr Mercorella. Read more about it
Darwin
9 October 2001, Switzerland
An 85-year-old pilot answering an insistent call to urinate, was killed by his own helicopter after he landed on a mountainous clearance near Steckborn. He had stepped away from the Ecureuil AS350B3 Helicopter and was "in the act" when the craft took off, knocking the pilot from the promontory.
What happened?
The pilot had left the autopilot engaged! He overrode it manually, and temporarily, before he stepped out, but after twenty seconds, the autopilot took control of the helicopter again. It was not equipped with devices to determine the location of the pilot, and whether the aircraft was, in fact, on the ground. To maintain course and airspeed, it moved the stick to the front and right. As luck would have it, to the front and right was where the ex-pilot choose to do his business.
The pilot had left the autopilot engaged! He overrode it manually, and temporarily, before he stepped out, but after twenty seconds, the autopilot took control of the helicopter again. It was not equipped with devices to determine the location of the pilot, and whether the aircraft was, in fact, on the ground. To maintain course and airspeed, it moved the stick to the front and right. As luck would have it, to the front and right was where the ex-pilot choose to do his business.
The passenger managed to call help, and land safely. The pilot died from his injuries about a year later.
