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[Gina]

21 burned in walk over hot coals at Robbins event



SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Fire officials said 21 people at an event hosted by motivational speaker Tony Robbins suffered burns while walking across hot coals and three of the injured were treated at hospitals.

The injuries took place during the first day Thursday of a four-day event at the San Jose Convention Center hosted by Robbins called "Unleash the Power Within." Most of those hurt had second and third degree burns, said San Jose Fire Department Capt. Reggie Williams.

Walking across hot coals on lanes measuring 10 feet long and heated to between 1,200 to 2,000 degrees provides attendees an opportunity to "understand that there is absolutely nothing you can't overcome," according to the motivational speaker's website.

Robbins Research International said in a written statement that 6,000 attendees of the event walked across the coals Thursday.

Requests for additional information from The Associated Press were not immediately returned.

Organizers had an "open burn permit" and medical staff at the event, and there was also a fire inspector on the scene, Williams said.

"Once they (the medical staff) became overwhelmed, our inspector called for us," Williams said.

Witness Jonathan Correll was not attending the event, but when he saw a large crowd gathered on a closed-off surface street near the convention center, he got off the light rail he was riding to see what was going on.

"I just heard these screams of agony," he told The Associated Press. People were in pain. It sounded like people were being tortured."

Correll, 25, of San Jose, said he saw three ambulances, about 10 to 15 people on the ground being treated by paramedics and some people being wheeled away on stretchers.

"It was really just chaos," he said.
(http://news.yahoo.com/21-burned-walk-over-hot-coals-robbins-event-202003508.html)

_______________________________________________

Never liked that guy and now I know why.

[Rene]

It really makes me sad when I hear of things like this.  People are so gullible and easily deceived into doing foolish stuff. 

René

[Dennis Vogel]

But it does make a point about the power of the mind over the body.

Some or most of the people did not get burned.

Some people cannot be hypnotized - I suspect they were the ones that got burned

[Gina]

The mind is a powerful thing and so is the power of suggestion.  I wonder why some people can't be hypnotized?

Apparently Robbins can't be hypnotized either because if he could, seems to me he would have used his mind to detect and overcome the skepticism of those who couldn't be be hypnotized? ha! 

He will likely be sued and lose millions of dollars but it will not put him out of business.

He reminds from of an evil preacher not only promoted, but protected by big government.

[Gina]

I'm praying to GOD that He will cause those same people who got burned to STAND (on their scarred feet) and overthrow Robbins.

[ez2u]

can't fix stupid?  real stupid

[Akira329]

Walking on fire doesn't impress me!LOL I'd like to see Tony Robbins walk across 10 feet of Legos without breaking composure!!!LOL
Also the mythbuster did an episode on this.
Antaiwan

[Gina]

Thank you!  If you can provide a link to that please do!  Not that I don't believe you, just curious.

And yeah, the man's quite composed -- a little too composed.  Seems to me that if the people looked and saw the firemen and paramedics and ambulances awaiting the prospective injured, they'd see even he doesn't believe his own jibber jabber.  haha!  What a joke! lol

[Dave in Tenn]

I looked for that mythbusters episode yesterday, but just found a snippet on youtube.  From what I 'remember', it was a matter as much of physics as 'mind over matter'.  The three who DID it without being burned (the junior mythbusters) didn't do it under 'hypnosis' but because they had tested the science and knew they would not be burned.  When Adam did it, he did NOT know the sience (and the correct way to proceed without being burned) and wound up getting burned.  That's just my memory of it, which may not be accurate, and certainly isn't complete.

There have been other events with other self-help gurus where people wind up dying.   

[Akira329]

Dave that sounds about right!
Here are some notes from wiki:
The Build Team first tested how much heat could be transferred into a bare foot by walking over coals with heat-resistant silicone. They then theorized that feet do not get burned due to three factors: the foot does not stay in contact with the coals long enough to get burned, and both the coals and the resulting ash form an insulating layer to lock in the majority of the heat. They then tried coal walking, and easily crossed them. The team noted that they felt confident because of their faith in physics. For a more complete result, the Build Team had Adam, who was not aware of the physics involved, cross the coals. When Adam tried, he had his feet burned, though this was attributed to Adam using the incorrect technique. Adam walked too fast and had hot coals stuck under his toes, meaning they stayed in contact with his skin longer than normal.
All these rites or rituals build false confidences in people.
Very sad.
Antaiwan

[Gina]

Thanks guys.

All these rites or rituals build false confidences in people.

I agree with that.  It's akin to faith healing -- it says to those people who weren't able to do what the others did that they're failures or something because they weren't focused enough to not get burned.

I would tell them, Guess what?  It's not your mind, or Mr. Robbins you need to be putting your faith in.

haha -- When I was a kid my dad would go to light  his cigarette with a match and look at one us kids and wink -- "Wanna see a match burn twice? "  No lie -- it took me the better part of my childhood and all through my teenage years to realize what he was saying!!  (haha! -- that was so mean!! lol!  Geez!  My own father!)  But till then I'd just cock my head and go, I have to see that dad -- lemme see that match burn twice!!  lol  haha  Guess I never got why he'd find something like that even remotely funny -- burning anyone, especially my own children, with a match (or anything for that matter) would've never crossed my mind in a gazillion years.  Maybe he was trying to tell us to not play with matches?  Who knowssss....  My dad -- he was very weeeeeird.