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Western Iowa man killed after potato gun explosion
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier ^ | 9/3/2001

Posted on 09/04/2007 12:42:49 AM PDT by hawkeye101

Western Iowa man killed after potato gun explosion

HULL (AP) --- A potato gun stuffed with explosive powder ignited and erupted, killing a Hull man on Friday night.

The potato gun apparently ruptured when it was fired by Ryan Meerdink, 21, authorities with the Iowa State Fire Marshal's Office said.

Hull authorities discovered Meerdink outside a residence around 8:20 on Friday night. He was then taken to Sioux Center Hospital, where he later died.

Authorities believe the explosion was an accident.

"It's just been real blurry today," said Betty Meerdink, Ryan's grandmother.

Funeral arrangements are pending.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist; darwinaward; gun; holdmuhbeer; iowa; potato; potatogun; spudgun
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To: Husker24
Aqua-Net Blue! (and a barbecue piezoelectric igniter!)

101

This is close to Darwin Award Material.

That said, Prayers up for the family.

21 posted on 09/04/2007 4:48:49 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: hawkeye101
A potato gun stuffed with explosive powder ignited and erupted, killing a Hull man on Friday night.

No word on the potato's condition, however.

22 posted on 09/04/2007 5:07:41 AM PDT by Alex Murphy (As heard on the Amish Radio Network! http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1675029/posts)
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To: Husker24

My brother made a potato gun but IIRC, he powered it with hair spray.


23 posted on 09/04/2007 5:09:39 AM PDT by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: Jonah Hex

LOL


24 posted on 09/04/2007 5:12:22 AM PDT by bmwcyle (BOMB, BOMB, BOMB,.......BOMB, BOMB IRAN)
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To: hawkeye101

No-where in the potatoe-gun manual does it say use gun powder in your potato-gun!


25 posted on 09/04/2007 5:29:52 AM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: hawkeye101

Well, on the plus side, they’ll have plenty of mashed potatoes for dinner.


26 posted on 09/04/2007 5:33:18 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Ron Paul put the cuckoo in my Cocoa Puffs)
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To: hawkeye101

God rest his soul. He didn’t do something evil; he did something stupid.


27 posted on 09/04/2007 6:32:47 AM PDT by doug from upland (Stopping Hillary should be a FreeRepublic Manhattan Project)
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To: hawkeye101

Supposed to use hair spray, not gun powder. What a moron.


28 posted on 09/04/2007 6:36:20 AM PDT by Scotsman will be Free (11C - Indirect fire, infantry - High angle hell - We will bring you, FIRE)
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To: hawkeye101
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
29 posted on 09/04/2007 6:39:46 AM PDT by dragonblustar (Ted " The Head" Kennedy is the reason for global warming.)
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To: glide625; Bacon Man; humblegunner

I cannot believe this headline didn’t have something to do with a member of my family.


30 posted on 09/04/2007 6:42:06 AM PDT by Xenalyte (Can you count, suckas? I say the future is ours . . . if you can count.)
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To: Jeff Chandler
I think it came straight down faster than it flew up!

Nope. Not possible. It would have lost energy to air drag.

31 posted on 09/04/2007 6:43:11 AM PDT by NonZeroSum
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To: Jeff Chandler
The four guys hooted and stared up into the sky, then remembered that elementary school lesson about....gravity!

You mean it wasn't an attemped orbital launch?

I think it came straight down faster than it flew up!

If they don't make it as Rocket Scientist, they can always get a job making perpetual motion machines. Or as Field Artillery officers, having overcome ERB (Earth Rotational Bias).

32 posted on 09/04/2007 6:43:24 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (NYT Headline: Protocols of the Learned Elders of CBS: Fake but Accurate, Experts Say)
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To: gaemes
Aqua-Net is the best.

Aqua-Net to be sure is the best.

It has been the winner of the past four Spud-Golf contests in my annual Fri-endly Foursome outings.

33 posted on 09/04/2007 6:44:21 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't drive, can't fly, can't ski, can't skipper a boat; but they know what's best for us)
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To: hawkeye101
"It's just been real blurry today," said Betty Meerdink, Ryan's grandmother.

Hmmm, maybe in addition to playing with the potato gun, the family was hitting their stock of home-made whisky?

34 posted on 09/04/2007 7:00:23 AM PDT by Sicon
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To: hawkeye101

And his last words were...”Here hold my beer and watch this!”


35 posted on 09/04/2007 7:10:19 AM PDT by Hazcat (We won an immigration BATTLE, the WAR is not over. Be ever vigilant.)
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To: Westlander

That’s the king of all potato guns (otherwise known as the “Potentate-R!”).


36 posted on 09/04/2007 7:17:05 AM PDT by Jagman (I drank Frank Rabelais under the table!)
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To: hawkeye101

Sounds like something Ron Popeil would come up with. Potatomatic.


37 posted on 09/04/2007 7:31:27 AM PDT by vietvet67
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To: Husker24

you don’t put powder into a PVC spud gun. if you use strong enough material (like steel) you can use powder.
my preference was always starter fluid.


38 posted on 09/04/2007 10:46:03 AM PDT by absolootezer0 (stop repeat offenders- don't re-elect them!)
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To: hawkeye101

Just another reason I don’t like plastic guns.


39 posted on 09/04/2007 3:52:53 PM PDT by TexasRepublic (Afghan protest - "Death to Dog Washers!")
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To: doug from upland
God rest his soul. He didn’t do something evil; he did something stupid.

Stupid is more often immediately fatal than evil.

40 posted on 09/04/2007 8:40:29 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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