[Eug]

Lightening strikes iPod jogger

If you believe in that stuff... maybe your chosen diety is just getting sick of all that religious music.

Wearing the device that is said to put “1,000 songs in your pocket” during a thunderstorm may have sent millions of volts surging through the head of an unlucky Vancouver jogger.

The man, who played in a church orchestra and was listening to religious music on an iPod while he ran, was injured when lightning struck a nearby tree, then snaked out to zap him as well.

His eardrums were ruptured, his jaw fractured and he suffered first- and second-degree burns from his chest — where the device was strapped — up into his ear channels, along the trail of the iPod's trademark white earphones. He also had burns down his left leg and foot, where the electricity exited his body, blowing his sneaker to smithereens in the process.

The freak accident has all the hallmarks of a biblical smiting, but the man at the centre of the bizarre case doesn't see it that way, according to the lead author of a report on the incident to be published Thursday in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine.

P.S. It seems He doesn't like Metallica either:

Mr. Bunch, 18, was listening to Metallica on his iPod while mowing the grass at his home in Castle Rock, Colo., last July when lightning struck a nearby tree and knocked him unconscious. Bunch sustained similar burns and ruptured eardrums. He still suffers some hearing loss, but it is mild.

[CollinG3G4]

That just goes to show you that bad stuff can happen to anyone. Forget all the religious implications. Religious music can be pretty bad ass though.

[- - e r i k - -]

[Cipher13]

Smitten for listening to Metallica and church music?

Maybe this god fella isn't so bad after all...

[Eriamjh]

You know, lightning NEVER strikes people who aren't wearing iPods.

[Eug]

Like the Colorado teen, the Canadian patient, who declined to be interviewed or identified, has no memory of the lightning strike.

[Dakarʒ]

god god god scream argue

[ghporter]

I saw a piece on this on The Weather Channel this morning. He was running outdoors in a thunderstorm and was actually close to a tree that was struck by lightning. What's the first thing they teach you about being outdoors in a thunderstorm? "Don't stand under a tree because it could be struck by lightning and pass the bolt on to you." It could have zapped a metal zipper on a jacket or jeans. Instead, the guy was wearing an iPod and that device was a convenient conductor for the lightning.

RUNNING IN A THUNDERSTORM IS A BAD IDEA AND CAN GET YOU HURT A LOT MORE THAN THIS. It was NOT the iPod that caused the injuries, but being outside and under a tree in a thunderstorm. It's sad that the guy got hurt, but if he'd thought a bit, he may not have even gotten wet, let alone burned and his eardrums ruptured.

[- - e r i k - -]

I think the real moral in this story is;

Don't run in a thunderstorm next to trees with your iPod playing music that God hates.

[Oisín]

I like the fact that, combined with the religious music, the guy was apparently hit by (en)lightening, rather than just a regular lightning.

[olePigeon]

I think the Metallica orchestrated a hit on the guy cuz he stole their music. They covered it up as a lightening strike.

[Dakarʒ]

Sounds like a plot of Metalocalypse.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

I think the Metallica orchestrated a hit on the guy cuz he stole their music. They covered it up as a lightening strike.

[Rumor]

It was Bill Gates. He smited him for not using a Zune.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

God hates iPods more than fags apparently.

[::maroma::]

This is on CNN.com front page under the title "Lightning + iPods = ZZZZZTTTTTT!". The press is riding this story, and making sure to tie the iPod specifically. Most people will take from this that the iPod caused it. Oh well. Bad press is better than no press I guess.

[Eug]

No, God does not hate iPods. He hates church music and Metallica.

If you had been paying attention, you'd already know that, because - - e r i k - - already mentioned it in this thread.

P.S. We already knew that He hates church music, because that fact is documented in in-depth research from the last century.

[NobleMatt]

he actually broke his Jaw in 4 places according to engadget... OUCH! the feact hehad church music on gives it a funny edge, but the quiestion has to be asked, who runs to Church Music? i dont even god would run to church music, will do bugger all for getting u pumped.

matt

[Dakarʒ]

At least the buds didn't melt into his ears or anything.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

God hates iPods more than fags apparently.

Nah, he just hates Canadians

-t

[Eug]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Nah, he just hates Canadians

And apparently Americans who listen to Metallica.

[TheoCryst]

Simple answer: God hates us all. Duh!

[Eriamjh]

God hates his sideburns (no pun intended).

[Jawbone54]

[Kevin]

I've heard people on the radio making fun of believers saying things like "Hah, if their God existed that would have never happened!1"

When people say this, it makes them look ignorant to anyone that actually knows what the deal is. And I am not talking just about the religious.

The Bible is FULL of Holy men that bad things happen to them.

It's one of the many arguments the Roman soldiers gave to Jesus while he was on the Cross. "If you or so powerful, why don't you come down from there" or some
such.

Simply not how it works. It's also a reminder to any of use that we can be gone from this rock floating in the sky in an instant.

Everyone believes and plans that they will live a long life. Not everyone gets to.

I was happy when I made it past 32.

PS. Sorry for the bummer post. Just found out mom has cancer.