Biggest backpeddle

Members of backcountry.com's list serve received an email that began like this last evening:

We messed up. Yesterday, as the people of Alabama dealt with the devastating aftermath of an intensely damaging and life-taking tornado, we neglected to put a stop to the distribution of an email with the header: "Mother Nature hates you. Deal with it." This was extremely insensitive and offensive, and we are so sorry.

The tornadoes that ravaged the South are absolutely no laughing matter, but atrocious timing and a complete lack of control of email marketing on the behalf of a respected online retailer is. Write that down.

British Coastguard Prevents Darwin Award

Which I guess is good.

From BBC News - 'A lost sailor has had to be rescued after running out of fuel circling a small island when he thought he was sailing around the UK coast.'

A lifeboat had to be deployed after this guy ran aground off of the Elmley Marshes on the Isle of Sheppey on April 19th. He was using a roadmap for directions, had no navigational equipment or safety gear (in the literal sense). I wonder how many laps he did around this island, if any? Apparently he continued his journey after rescue and refuel. Maybe he'll win that Darwin Award after all. Full story here.

PETA Exploits a Tiger!

Sort of. PETA thought they’d be clever in getting a message across by using “a fun, tongue-in-cheek approach.” Please see this fun approach here. Classy. PETA representative Virginia Fort states that, “The world has been transfixed on Tiger’s life after Thanksgiving. We’re putting the focus where it needs to be.” Uhhh…Cat contraception? Further, Ms. Fort says, “We’re sure Tiger will appreciate our attempt – from a story that’s distracted the world and followed Tiger – to turn it into something for little tigers.” Welp, that’s a quick way to lose any remaining credibility/perception of sanity your organization once had. Who wants to get a steak tonight?

*Thanks to Tom Reed for sending this along.