The Bee has an interesting report today, “Yosemite deaths: Americans may have lost respect for nature’s risks” about recent deaths at Yosemite as evidence of a growing trend in deaths caused by Americans being too stupid/ignorant/tech-obsessed to know when nature is dangerous.
On Wednesday, children waded in a small eddy just 50 yards from the edge. Some playfully teetered on a log that separated the eddy from the river’s torrent. Upstream, a man swam across Emerald Pool and back, crossing the Merced River current and ignoring warnings and prohibitions posted nearby.
Horrifying, right? Read on…
The children playing so close to the edge of Vernal Fall were among a group of 15 Parisians visiting the park.
What. The. French?
But it’s actually a great read with some interesting discussion of a very plausible trend that seems to be affecting people everywhere. Maybe the Bee can research whether Americans are more likely to be literally eating a Big Mac while falling over Vernal Fall.
The Sac Rag 
Wow! Who knew? I worry for the future generation. Interesting read.
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The paper version of the Bee (I know, I know) prominently featured the graph linked below.
The data shows that death rate from cliff falls and drowning is relatively flat for the last 12 years, disputing their own claim that tech distraction etc is making people less alert in the wilderness. It may still be true, but the data the Bee provided doesn’t support it.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/13/3835136_a3835207/yosemite-deaths-americans-may.html
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With a population change from 331m in 1999 to 383m in 2009, the death rate from outdoor activities may even be in decline. I also wonder how many of these deaths are non-Californian tourists.
But why should math get in the way of a perfectly fun and judgmental idea that techno-obsession is leading to an increase in outdoor deaths. Go, Bee!
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Trend journalism is totally hot right now. I read three separate blog posts that indicated this trend.
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You can always count on the Bee to transform a simple news article into a looming crisis.
I wish I could figure out what flaw in my psyche makes me pay good money to have that to have that damn thing delivered every morning.
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