If you can see your name here, it is no good sign

June 30, 2025

R I P of the day

Overton Joseph Paul (b. 1960-01-04 / d. 2003-06-30)

He was a senior vice president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. He held a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Michigan Technological University and a Juris Doctor degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Overton is known for conceiving of the idea now known as the Overton window, the range of policies politically acceptable to the mainstream at a given time. He died at age 43 from injuries suffered in a crash while piloting an ultralight aircraft, soon after taking off from the Tuscola Area Airport near Caro, Michigan. Overton had just married a few weeks before the accident.

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Heselden
James William. 2010-09-26

62

Born 1948-03-27. Domain:Business. Cause of death:Accident

He was a British entrepreneur. A former coal miner, Heselden made his fortune manufacturing the Hesco bastion barrier system. In 2010, he bought Segway Inc., maker of the Segway personal transport system. Heselden died in 2010 from injuries apparently sustained falling from a cliff whilst riding a Segway. At 11:40 a.m. on 26 September 2010, West Yorkshire Police received reports of a man falling 213 feet (65 m) into the River Wharfe, at the village of Thorp Arch near Boston Spa, apparently having fallen from the cliffs above. The fall from a narrow footpath was witnessed by a man walking his dog nearby. A Segway vehicle was recovered and Heselden was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Investigators said, "At this time we do not believe the death to be suspicious" and were investigating as to "whether there was a fault with his particular machine or it was driver error". On 4 October 2010, at an inquest at Leeds Coroner's Court, coroner David Hinchliff reported that a post-mortem examination had concluded that Heselden had suffered "multiple blunt force injuries of the chest and spine consistent with a fall whilst riding a gyrobike". Recording a verdict of accidental death, West Yorkshire Coroner David Hinchliff told Heselden's family: "I think it's probable — I think typical of Jimi and the type of man he was — he held back and waited as an act of courtesy to allow Mr Christie (a dog walker) more room. In so doing, he's attempted to reverse the Segway back. As a result of that he's got into difficulty."

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