Dead Bird Overshadows Domino World Record

[tocqueville]

Fri Nov 18, 9:59 PM ET

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - A Dutch television show claimed to have knocked down a chain of more than 4.1 million dominoes Friday in a new world record, but organizers conceded the event was overshadowed by the earlier shooting of an errant sparrow.

The sparrow was killed by an exterminator with an air rifle on Monday after it knocked down 23,000 dominoes. The killing was seen by many as an overreaction, and angered animal rights and bird protection groups.

It later emerged that the house sparrow, though common, is classified as an endangered species in the Netherlands. Its population has halved in the past 20 years to less than 1 million breeding pairs, due to human encroachment on its territory.

Domino Day organizers claimed that 4,155,476 dominoes successfully fell on Friday, bettering their own record of 3.9 million set last year and approved by Guinness World Records.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051119/ap_on_re_eu/netherlands_dominoes

[Stepup2]

1. While this might sound small

howerver, it seems a very telling example of the arrogance humans demonstrate towards "lesser" creatures. It was after all a game, and imo games are supposed to include unforseen events which test the mettle of the players.

Yet another situation resolved at the barrel of a gun... :cry:

[Missy M]

2. Shoot and kill an endangered little sparrow so you can accomplish...

some silly little world record that means nothing. Sounds like the Domino Day people have too much time on their hands that could be put to other good uses.

[xchrom]

3. you KILL something so

you can have a domino record?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

4. The guy who shot the bird received death threats.

:wtf:

[Benhurst]

5. God and the Dutch take note of a fallen sparrow.

The BushAmerikan government kills thousands of children with abandon.

[question everything]

6. Yes, this was my initial reaction

why shoot a bird, even if not endangered, for not knowing any better?

I would not have expected this from the Dutch..

[enki23]

8. "the dutch" didn't do it. i don't recall them holding a vote

.

[flvegan]

7. Yeah, and fuck them.

Bitch and moan about your toppled plastic. Want retribution? Don't shoot the sparrow, sue the folks that guaranteed your sealed-off forum.

That's right. They said it was sealed, and your precious little dominos would be safe. So, sue them to pay for your extra time and effort.

But no, it's easier to resort to violence and hatred. Fuck you.