Faces
Saturday, July 29, 2006
George Foreman USB iGrill
The low-fat, high-bandwidth solution to your networked cooking needs is finally here. The George Foreman USB iGrill conveniently connects to your home or office PC using USB 2.0 technology, and provides a sophisticated web-based cooking interface.
Download recipes, enter in the type of food, weight and desired degree of doneness, and the iGrill handles the rest. Did you know that a medium rare 1/4 lb. hamburger made from 80% lean beef takes 1 minute and 45 seconds less cook time than an identical patty made from 95% lean prime Black Angus? The iGrill does. As your meal cooks, the subtle glow from under the unit increases brightness and pulses faster until your meal is perfectly done.
Running late at work? Need to get dinner on the table? It is easy to warm up the iGrill from any internet connection. With a little advance planning, your meal can be ready when you get home!
Using the USB current to directly charge high voltage capacitors, the iGrill does not require any additional power supply, making it perfect for dorm or office cooking.
Download recipes, enter in the type of food, weight and desired degree of doneness, and the iGrill handles the rest. Did you know that a medium rare 1/4 lb. hamburger made from 80% lean beef takes 1 minute and 45 seconds less cook time than an identical patty made from 95% lean prime Black Angus? The iGrill does. As your meal cooks, the subtle glow from under the unit increases brightness and pulses faster until your meal is perfectly done.
Running late at work? Need to get dinner on the table? It is easy to warm up the iGrill from any internet connection. With a little advance planning, your meal can be ready when you get home!
Using the USB current to directly charge high voltage capacitors, the iGrill does not require any additional power supply, making it perfect for dorm or office cooking.
Scientists Write on Water
A new technology allows researchers to write on water.
The AMOEBA (Advanced Multiple Organized Experimental Basin), a circular tank created by Mitsui Engineering at their Akishima laboratory, is able to form letters with standing waves.
This remarkable display device consists of fifty water-wave generators surrounding a cylindrical tank 5 feet wide and a foot deep. The wave generators move vertically to produce cylindrical waves. These "pixels" are about 4 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches in height; these form lines and shapes.
The AMOEBA device can form all of the roman alphabet, as well as some kanji characters.
Each letter takes about fifteen seconds to produce; Akishima Labs expects to sell the device to amusement parks in a package that combines acoustics, lighting and fountain technology.
The AMOEBA (Advanced Multiple Organized Experimental Basin), a circular tank created by Mitsui Engineering at their Akishima laboratory, is able to form letters with standing waves.
This remarkable display device consists of fifty water-wave generators surrounding a cylindrical tank 5 feet wide and a foot deep. The wave generators move vertically to produce cylindrical waves. These "pixels" are about 4 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches in height; these form lines and shapes.
The AMOEBA device can form all of the roman alphabet, as well as some kanji characters.
Each letter takes about fifteen seconds to produce; Akishima Labs expects to sell the device to amusement parks in a package that combines acoustics, lighting and fountain technology.
Children Found In Home With 68 Pit Bulls
Two Kansas children are in protective custody after authorities found 68 pit bulls living in their home.
Police said the children -- an 11-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl -- were found living in deplorable conditions.
The dogs were living inside and in the back yard. Many of the dogs have scars and were probably used for fighting, authorities said.
The children's father was arrested on various charges, including resisting arrest and child endangerment.
In other multiple dog related news, Authorities remove 129 dogs from Fairfield home.
Police said the children -- an 11-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl -- were found living in deplorable conditions.
The dogs were living inside and in the back yard. Many of the dogs have scars and were probably used for fighting, authorities said.
The children's father was arrested on various charges, including resisting arrest and child endangerment.
In other multiple dog related news, Authorities remove 129 dogs from Fairfield home.
Mute dog's month in gully
A dog that never barks spent a month stuck down a tiny gully — and survived.
Holly the collie fell into the 10ft deep gap after being spooked by a thunderstorm.
Despite her terror Holly never yapped once as her frantic owners Dennis and Irene Stephenson and their friends searched for her around Stoke Climsland, Cornwall.
They had almost given up hope when churchgoer Will Sommerville heard her quietly whimpering and fetched a ladder to haul her out.
The 12-year-old dog had lost nearly half her weight but survived by licking rainwater.
Holly the collie fell into the 10ft deep gap after being spooked by a thunderstorm.
Despite her terror Holly never yapped once as her frantic owners Dennis and Irene Stephenson and their friends searched for her around Stoke Climsland, Cornwall.
They had almost given up hope when churchgoer Will Sommerville heard her quietly whimpering and fetched a ladder to haul her out.
The 12-year-old dog had lost nearly half her weight but survived by licking rainwater.
First Chinese face transplant patient
A combination photograph shows a man before and after his operation when he received a face transplant, in Xian, Shaanzi province.
The man, surnamed Li, suffered severe injuries from a bear attack in 2004. Li underwent the operation at a Xi'an hospital with help from a voluntary organization. The operation, which was successful, started on April 13 and lasted 13 hours, the hospital said. Li will continue his restoration operation after returning from home. It is the first successful face transplant operation in China, China Daily reported. The picture on the left is taken on April 13, 2006 and the picture on the right is taken on July 28, 2006.
The man, surnamed Li, suffered severe injuries from a bear attack in 2004. Li underwent the operation at a Xi'an hospital with help from a voluntary organization. The operation, which was successful, started on April 13 and lasted 13 hours, the hospital said. Li will continue his restoration operation after returning from home. It is the first successful face transplant operation in China, China Daily reported. The picture on the left is taken on April 13, 2006 and the picture on the right is taken on July 28, 2006.
Man Accused of Biting Off Rooster's Head
A man accused of biting the head off his pet rooster was arrested Friday and faces up to a year in prison if convicted.
A neighbour had complained about a dead rooster near his Manhattan apartment and agents found the body of the beheaded rooster on a fire escape, said Joe Pentangelo, spokesman for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The rooster's head was not located.
Humberto Rodriguez, 52, told agents that he bit the rooster's head off because he blamed it injuring a pet pigeon that he also kept in the apartment.
Rodriguez is charged with animal cruelty and could face up to a year in prison if convicted. It is also illegal to possess a live rooster in New York City, Pentangelo said.
A neighbour had complained about a dead rooster near his Manhattan apartment and agents found the body of the beheaded rooster on a fire escape, said Joe Pentangelo, spokesman for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The rooster's head was not located.
Humberto Rodriguez, 52, told agents that he bit the rooster's head off because he blamed it injuring a pet pigeon that he also kept in the apartment.
Rodriguez is charged with animal cruelty and could face up to a year in prison if convicted. It is also illegal to possess a live rooster in New York City, Pentangelo said.
Firemen demolish wall to take 52st man to hospital
A house had to be partly demolished to enable the emergency services to take a 52-stone (728 pounds) man to hospital.
A fire service crane was used to bring out Nicholas Sturley, 40, after the window and exterior wall of the upstairs bedroom at his home had been knocked out.
Mr Sturley, who was suffering from severe stomach pains and vomiting, was then found to exceed the maximum weight a stretcher could take by 17 stone.
As he was also too large to be transported in an ambulance, a fire engine was used to take him from his home in Lowestoft, Suffolk, to hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk.
His mother, Joan Sturley, now faces a battle to rebuild the family's rented home - which suffered damage estimated at up to £5,000 - after the landlord had an insurance claim rejected.
A fire service crane was used to bring out Nicholas Sturley, 40, after the window and exterior wall of the upstairs bedroom at his home had been knocked out.
Mr Sturley, who was suffering from severe stomach pains and vomiting, was then found to exceed the maximum weight a stretcher could take by 17 stone.
As he was also too large to be transported in an ambulance, a fire engine was used to take him from his home in Lowestoft, Suffolk, to hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk.
His mother, Joan Sturley, now faces a battle to rebuild the family's rented home - which suffered damage estimated at up to £5,000 - after the landlord had an insurance claim rejected.
Friday, July 28, 2006
University of Leicester produces the first-ever 'world map of happiness'
Happiness is found to be most closely associated with health, followed by wealth and then education.
The 20 happiest nations in the World are:
1. Denmark
2. Switzerland
3. Austria
4. Iceland
5. The Bahamas
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Bhutan
9. Brunei
10. Canada
11. Ireland
12. Luxembourg
13. Costa Rica
14. Malta
15. The Netherlands
16. Antigua and Barbuda
17. Malaysia
18. New Zealand
19. Norway
20. The Seychelles
Other notable results include:
23. USA
35. Germany
41. UK
62. France
82. China
90. Japan
125. India
167. Russia
The three least happy countries were:
176. Democratic Republic of the Congo
177. Zimbabwe
178. Burundi
You can view the maps in various formats here.
The 20 happiest nations in the World are:
1. Denmark
2. Switzerland
3. Austria
4. Iceland
5. The Bahamas
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Bhutan
9. Brunei
10. Canada
11. Ireland
12. Luxembourg
13. Costa Rica
14. Malta
15. The Netherlands
16. Antigua and Barbuda
17. Malaysia
18. New Zealand
19. Norway
20. The Seychelles
Other notable results include:
23. USA
35. Germany
41. UK
62. France
82. China
90. Japan
125. India
167. Russia
The three least happy countries were:
176. Democratic Republic of the Congo
177. Zimbabwe
178. Burundi
You can view the maps in various formats here.
Coughing Ashtray
This ashtray is designed to look like a real pair of lungs. As you place your cigarette on the trough, it starts coughing and screaming as if a real cigarette is being lighted up inside real lungs.
House burns in 'bizarre' accident
It was a freak weed trimming accident that led to a fire which destroyed a house.
The owner of the home, a man in his 50s, got off work after midnight and went home. At about 12:30 a.m. Monday, he decided to trim some weeds near his house in the neighbourhood near Canton Center and Sheldon.
In the process of trimming the weeds, the trimmer ran out of gas, and he stopped to refuel it.
Some gas got on the weed whacker and the gas can caught fire, for whatever reason he dropped the can on the porch and took the trimmer into the garage and hung it on the wall.
When he returned to the porch, he saw it was covered in flames.
The front porch eaves were burned off. The attic area above the eaves is gone. There was ceiling collapse inside and the trusses were eaten through by fire.
The house is being considered a total loss, as is the man's car and other contents of the garage.
The owner of the home, a man in his 50s, got off work after midnight and went home. At about 12:30 a.m. Monday, he decided to trim some weeds near his house in the neighbourhood near Canton Center and Sheldon.
In the process of trimming the weeds, the trimmer ran out of gas, and he stopped to refuel it.
Some gas got on the weed whacker and the gas can caught fire, for whatever reason he dropped the can on the porch and took the trimmer into the garage and hung it on the wall.
When he returned to the porch, he saw it was covered in flames.
The front porch eaves were burned off. The attic area above the eaves is gone. There was ceiling collapse inside and the trusses were eaten through by fire.
The house is being considered a total loss, as is the man's car and other contents of the garage.
Dead chickens save drivers on car registration in New Zealand
A dead supermarket chicken could save you up to $200 on your car registration according to a Christchurch woman who has revealed an apparent loophole in vehicle rules.
It would normally cost her more than $260 to register her diesel vehicle.
But if a driver goes to the Post Shop and asks them to change the vehicle's registration to a code 06, which is for a non-commercial hearse, then the cost drops dramatically - to just $58.
Her friends told her the scam had been going on for years, so she went to a Post Shop to try it.
She told the man behind the counter her car was a non-commercial hearse because she carried dead chickens home from the supermarket.
He said that was fine, stamped her $58 registration - and she says he told her there are many of non-commercial hearses driving around the affluent Christchurch suburb of Merivale.
It would normally cost her more than $260 to register her diesel vehicle.
But if a driver goes to the Post Shop and asks them to change the vehicle's registration to a code 06, which is for a non-commercial hearse, then the cost drops dramatically - to just $58.
Her friends told her the scam had been going on for years, so she went to a Post Shop to try it.
She told the man behind the counter her car was a non-commercial hearse because she carried dead chickens home from the supermarket.
He said that was fine, stamped her $58 registration - and she says he told her there are many of non-commercial hearses driving around the affluent Christchurch suburb of Merivale.
Newborn Panda
A newborn panda gasps for air while resting on its mother's back. The panda cub, which weighs in at just 160 grams, is the first to be born at the Wolong Giant Panda Protection Centre in southwest China's Sichuan province this year.
Spellchecker firm corrects typo
A company that sells software to stop spelling mistakes on the internet has had to reissue its latest press release after letting through a typing mistake.
Canadian company TextTrust, which sells software to eliminate "the negative text impressions on Web sites", had to send out its own statement again.
The release listed "the 16 million we (sic) pages it has spellchecked over the past year".
"It's very embarrassing," said the company's PR representative.
The press release listed words including "independent", "accommodation" and "definitely", which were spelled "independant", "accomodation" and "definately".
Canadian company TextTrust, which sells software to eliminate "the negative text impressions on Web sites", had to send out its own statement again.
The release listed "the 16 million we (sic) pages it has spellchecked over the past year".
"It's very embarrassing," said the company's PR representative.
The press release listed words including "independent", "accommodation" and "definitely", which were spelled "independant", "accomodation" and "definately".
Man fined for forcing woman to pluck beard
A Japanese man has been found guilty of sexual harassment for forcing a female work colleague to pluck his beard.
"Asking a female colleague to pluck your beard is totally inappropriate and illegal," media reports quoted the judge as saying as he ordered the man and the government, as his employer, to pay a total of almost $5,000 (2,700 pounds) in compensation.
According to the lawsuit filed by the woman, the man -- an employee in his 30s in an office affiliated with the Labour Ministry -- had repeatedly asked her to pluck his beard.
The woman, also in her 30s, told him he should do it himself but finally was forced to give in.
"Asking a female colleague to pluck your beard is totally inappropriate and illegal," media reports quoted the judge as saying as he ordered the man and the government, as his employer, to pay a total of almost $5,000 (2,700 pounds) in compensation.
According to the lawsuit filed by the woman, the man -- an employee in his 30s in an office affiliated with the Labour Ministry -- had repeatedly asked her to pluck his beard.
The woman, also in her 30s, told him he should do it himself but finally was forced to give in.
Our dogs are fed on Jehovah’s Witnesses
Amazed widow Jean Groves was told by police to remove a notice on her fence which reads: "Our dogs are fed on Jehovah’s Witnesses."
The sign hung there for thirty-one years without complaint.
Even Jehovah’s Witnesses treated it as a laugh. And as soon as the politically correct PCs left, pensioner Jean put the sign back up again.
The only dog at her home is a three-month-old Jack Russell named Rabbit.
Mum-of-two Jean, 77, who has lived in the same house in Bursledon, Hants, for 48 years, said: “My husband Gordon hung it up and it’s been there ever since. No one has said anything in all that time.” Jean, a retired nurse, added: “The police said it was ‘distressing and offensive and inappropriate’.”
Mrs Grove’s son Richard, 53, said: “We never had a visit from Jehovah’s Witnesses for years, so I suppose the sign did the job.
A Jehovah’s Witness said: “If we see signs like that we just walk away.”
The sign hung there for thirty-one years without complaint.
Even Jehovah’s Witnesses treated it as a laugh. And as soon as the politically correct PCs left, pensioner Jean put the sign back up again.
The only dog at her home is a three-month-old Jack Russell named Rabbit.
Mum-of-two Jean, 77, who has lived in the same house in Bursledon, Hants, for 48 years, said: “My husband Gordon hung it up and it’s been there ever since. No one has said anything in all that time.” Jean, a retired nurse, added: “The police said it was ‘distressing and offensive and inappropriate’.”
Mrs Grove’s son Richard, 53, said: “We never had a visit from Jehovah’s Witnesses for years, so I suppose the sign did the job.
A Jehovah’s Witness said: “If we see signs like that we just walk away.”
Ant 'cloud' stops cricket match
A cricket match had to be abandoned after ants stopped play.
The Thames Valley Police side had just started batting against the Lamb Inn when a cloud of flying ants descended on an unsuspecting batsman.
Players fled the ground in Newbury, Berkshire, and the game was abandoned after attempts to get rid of the insects failed.
Investigations later found nests at both ends of the pitch at St Bartholemew's School.
Adrian Edwards, 67, of the Lamb Inn team, said it was the first time he had ever seen a game abandoned due to ants.
The Thames Valley Police side had just started batting against the Lamb Inn when a cloud of flying ants descended on an unsuspecting batsman.
Players fled the ground in Newbury, Berkshire, and the game was abandoned after attempts to get rid of the insects failed.
Investigations later found nests at both ends of the pitch at St Bartholemew's School.
Adrian Edwards, 67, of the Lamb Inn team, said it was the first time he had ever seen a game abandoned due to ants.
Beach hut sold for £216,000
A wooden beach chalet has been bought for £216,000 — by someone who hasn’t even seen it.
The 20ft by 25ft hut fetched almost £100,000 more than expected at auction, a record for that type of property.
Nine people bid fiercely for the 73-year-old building, in a prime location at West Bexington on the Dorset coast.
The hut has two bedrooms, a kitchen, lounge and bathroom plus panoramic views of the Channel.
Its new owner — a businessman in his 40s who wanted to remain anonymous — had been at the auction to buy another place before hearing how beautiful it was. He admitted: “I’ve paid too much for it.”
The selling price is £36,000 more than the average house price in Britain.
The 20ft by 25ft hut fetched almost £100,000 more than expected at auction, a record for that type of property.
Nine people bid fiercely for the 73-year-old building, in a prime location at West Bexington on the Dorset coast.
The hut has two bedrooms, a kitchen, lounge and bathroom plus panoramic views of the Channel.
Its new owner — a businessman in his 40s who wanted to remain anonymous — had been at the auction to buy another place before hearing how beautiful it was. He admitted: “I’ve paid too much for it.”
The selling price is £36,000 more than the average house price in Britain.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Merry-Go-Round Mishap
Sit two teenage girls in the centre of a children's merry-go-round.
Use a scooter to propel it round quickly.
What could possibly go wrong?
Edit: The original YouTube link has been removed after repeated requests by the police. I have replaced it with a working link.
I also found some video stills of the girls flying off.
Use a scooter to propel it round quickly.
What could possibly go wrong?
Edit: The original YouTube link has been removed after repeated requests by the police. I have replaced it with a working link.
I also found some video stills of the girls flying off.
Walit Illuminating Wallet
A wallet which glows when you open it, so gone are the days of blindly fishing through old receipts looking for that fiver in the back of a taxi.
Lorry stuck in a hole gets parking ticket
It was already a bad day for the lorry driver.
Firstly, he had found himself travelling along a road weakened by water from a burst main below.
Then the front wheel of his truck had got stuck axle-deep in a hole after the road collapsed beneath the vehicle.
As the driver tried to shift his trapped truck, things went from bad to worse.
A traffic warden turned up. And rather than offer sympathy, she issued him with a parking ticket.
Firstly, he had found himself travelling along a road weakened by water from a burst main below.
Then the front wheel of his truck had got stuck axle-deep in a hole after the road collapsed beneath the vehicle.
As the driver tried to shift his trapped truck, things went from bad to worse.
A traffic warden turned up. And rather than offer sympathy, she issued him with a parking ticket.
Woman Testifies About Cell Phone in Throat
Prosecutors say a man shoved a cell phone down his girlfriend's throat because he was angry and jealous. But defense attorneys insisted as a trial got underway that the woman swallowed the phone intentionally to keep the defendant from seeing whom she had been calling.
Marlon Brando Gill, 24, is charged with first-degree assault in the December incident involving 25-year-old Melinda Abell. Abell has given inconsistent accounts of what happened before she was taken to a hospital, where an emergency room doctor removed the phone.
She testified Tuesday on the first day of Gill's trial that she couldn't remember how the phone got in her throat, saying she had too much to drink that night.
Marlon Brando Gill, 24, is charged with first-degree assault in the December incident involving 25-year-old Melinda Abell. Abell has given inconsistent accounts of what happened before she was taken to a hospital, where an emergency room doctor removed the phone.
She testified Tuesday on the first day of Gill's trial that she couldn't remember how the phone got in her throat, saying she had too much to drink that night.
Squirrels force couple to flee home
An elderly German couple were forced out of their home when a family of squirrels moved in and chased them off.
Heinz Steinhaeuser and his wife Brunhilde, from Verden in Lower Saxony, were kept out of their house for almost two hours.
They eventually had to call the fire brigade to reclaim their home from the squirrel pair and their three offsrping.
Steinhaeuser said the family of squirrels had slipped into the house when he went outside to pick up his newspaper and had chased his wife out.
When firemen arrived the squirrels hid in the bed and other furniture before the five officers were able to catch them one-by-one, often by dismantling much of the furniture to corner the animals individually.
Heinz Steinhaeuser and his wife Brunhilde, from Verden in Lower Saxony, were kept out of their house for almost two hours.
They eventually had to call the fire brigade to reclaim their home from the squirrel pair and their three offsrping.
Steinhaeuser said the family of squirrels had slipped into the house when he went outside to pick up his newspaper and had chased his wife out.
When firemen arrived the squirrels hid in the bed and other furniture before the five officers were able to catch them one-by-one, often by dismantling much of the furniture to corner the animals individually.
Unscheduled stop prevents train hitting drunk
This was the dramatic moment when a drunken man escaped certain death after falling on to a railway track.
In an extremely lucky twist, the express train was slowing down to make an unscheduled stop at Olton and the driver was able to stop just in time - 20 yards from where the man was lying.
The man was spotted on the track as the Birmingham to London train, operated by Chiltern Railways, approached Olton station, in Solihull, at around 6pm on Saturday.
The driver and the platform guard were unsure how badly injured the man was so called an ambulance and British Transport Police, rather than attempting to move him themselves.
As they waited for an ambulance and British Transport Police to arrive, the man got up himself and stumbled away from the scene.
In an extremely lucky twist, the express train was slowing down to make an unscheduled stop at Olton and the driver was able to stop just in time - 20 yards from where the man was lying.
The man was spotted on the track as the Birmingham to London train, operated by Chiltern Railways, approached Olton station, in Solihull, at around 6pm on Saturday.
The driver and the platform guard were unsure how badly injured the man was so called an ambulance and British Transport Police, rather than attempting to move him themselves.
As they waited for an ambulance and British Transport Police to arrive, the man got up himself and stumbled away from the scene.
Man survives run-in with falling dog in Poland
A man was bruised but alive on Wednesday after a Saint Bernard dog thrown out a two-story window landed on him as he was walking down the street in the southern-Polish city of Sosnowiec.
The 50-kg (110-pound) dog was pushed out of the window by its drunken owner on Monday, police said.
"The dog had a soft landing because it fell on a man," said police spokesman Grzegorz Wierzbicki. "The dog escaped with just a few scratches."
"The man was also more in a psychological state of shock than physically hurt," Wierzbicki added.
The one-year-old dog, named Oskar, was placed in an animal shelter while police investigate its owners for animal abuse.
The 50-kg (110-pound) dog was pushed out of the window by its drunken owner on Monday, police said.
"The dog had a soft landing because it fell on a man," said police spokesman Grzegorz Wierzbicki. "The dog escaped with just a few scratches."
"The man was also more in a psychological state of shock than physically hurt," Wierzbicki added.
The one-year-old dog, named Oskar, was placed in an animal shelter while police investigate its owners for animal abuse.
Bail for the bandit dog who went straight
A dog which belonged to India's best-known bandit has been released on £24 bail after nearly 11 years in custody.
The 13-year-old mongrel Itappa was not only a mascot for his master, Veerappan, but was skilled in sniffing out sandalwood trees in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which his owner then cut down and sold.
Veerappan, wanted for 120 murders, kidnappings and killing hundreds of elephants for ivory, died in a police ambush in Oct 2004. Itappa was arrested nine years earlier with some of his master's gang.
He is seeing out his days in an animal care centre in Bangalore, where he is described as "a reformed character".
The 13-year-old mongrel Itappa was not only a mascot for his master, Veerappan, but was skilled in sniffing out sandalwood trees in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which his owner then cut down and sold.
Veerappan, wanted for 120 murders, kidnappings and killing hundreds of elephants for ivory, died in a police ambush in Oct 2004. Itappa was arrested nine years earlier with some of his master's gang.
He is seeing out his days in an animal care centre in Bangalore, where he is described as "a reformed character".
My inflatable hero
If reclaiming the night wasn't a big enough task for women to take on, female drivers are now being encouraged to reclaim that dog-eat-dog battleground that is our raging roads. But put the brakes on, ladies. Before undertaking any such campaign, it's recommended that you employ the services of a man - and more specifically, an instantly inflatable man named Buddy.
Specialist women's insurer Sheilas' Wheels has news today for solo female motorists, with the unveiling of its "Buddy on Demand" prototype. Buddy is a guy who's ready to protect you whenever you need him. He is content to live in the glovebox and if you feel threatened, he leaps into action, transforming himself into a heroic passenger at the touch of a button, and allowing you to breathe a sigh of relief.
As a bonus, he refrains from backseat driving at all times. An ideal driving companion, it would seem but does a blow-up doll really do much for personal security? Perhaps not, although the insurer says the concept is all about making female drivers feel more confident.
A Sheilas' Wheels press release sums up Buddy's function: "It is designed to help women deter road-rage attacks, carjacking and intimidating behaviour by other motorists - especially at night - by giving the appearance of two silhouettes in the front of the car, instead of a single, female figure behind the wheel".
Specialist women's insurer Sheilas' Wheels has news today for solo female motorists, with the unveiling of its "Buddy on Demand" prototype. Buddy is a guy who's ready to protect you whenever you need him. He is content to live in the glovebox and if you feel threatened, he leaps into action, transforming himself into a heroic passenger at the touch of a button, and allowing you to breathe a sigh of relief.
As a bonus, he refrains from backseat driving at all times. An ideal driving companion, it would seem but does a blow-up doll really do much for personal security? Perhaps not, although the insurer says the concept is all about making female drivers feel more confident.
A Sheilas' Wheels press release sums up Buddy's function: "It is designed to help women deter road-rage attacks, carjacking and intimidating behaviour by other motorists - especially at night - by giving the appearance of two silhouettes in the front of the car, instead of a single, female figure behind the wheel".
UK's most convicted driver jailed
Britain's most convicted motorist has been jailed for driving while banned for the 48th time.
Jamie Manderson, 33, from Swindon, has been disqualified from driving each year since 1988,when he was 15.
The club bouncer's solicitor, Rob Ross, said that, in addition to being hooked on drugs, Manderson had a "serious addiction to cars".
Manderson was jailed for five months by Swindon magistrates on Wednesday after admitting driving while disqualified.
Outside court his lawyer Mr Ross said: "Jamie is a likeable idiot, really. Jamie suffers from a very serious addiction to cars. He just can't leave them alone."
Jamie Manderson, 33, from Swindon, has been disqualified from driving each year since 1988,when he was 15.
The club bouncer's solicitor, Rob Ross, said that, in addition to being hooked on drugs, Manderson had a "serious addiction to cars".
Manderson was jailed for five months by Swindon magistrates on Wednesday after admitting driving while disqualified.
Outside court his lawyer Mr Ross said: "Jamie is a likeable idiot, really. Jamie suffers from a very serious addiction to cars. He just can't leave them alone."
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
N.Z. lawyer wears skirt and blouse to court to protest male-dominated judiciary
A bald, mustachioed lawyer turned up at court wearing a skirt and blouse and toting a purse to protest a lack of care and sensitivity among New Zealand's male-dominated judiciary.
Rob Moodie, 67, arrived at Wellington's High Court on Monday in a navy blue woman's suit with diamond brooch and lace-topped stockings over his hairy legs.
"I will now, as a lawyer, be wearing women's clothing," Moodie said. He said he wants the court to address him as "Ms. Alice" — and that his wife and three children support his protest.
His attire, he insisted, is to highlight the insensitive "old boys' network" of New Zealand's judiciary.
Rob Moodie, 67, arrived at Wellington's High Court on Monday in a navy blue woman's suit with diamond brooch and lace-topped stockings over his hairy legs.
"I will now, as a lawyer, be wearing women's clothing," Moodie said. He said he wants the court to address him as "Ms. Alice" — and that his wife and three children support his protest.
His attire, he insisted, is to highlight the insensitive "old boys' network" of New Zealand's judiciary.
'Zombies' arrested in downtown Minneapolis
Six friends spruced up in fake blood and tattered clothing were arrested in downtown Minneapolis on suspicion of toting "simulated weapons of mass destruction."
Police said the group were allegedly carrying bags with wires sticking out, making it look like a bomb, while meandering and dancing to music as part of a "zombie dance party".
"They were arrested for behavior that was suspicious and disturbing," said Lt. Gregory Reinhardt, a police spokesman. Police also said the group was uncooperative and intimidated people with their "ghoulish" makeup.
One group member said the "weapons" were actually backpacks modified to carry a homemade stereos and were jailed without reason. None of the six adults and one juvenile arrested have been charged.
With great mugshots.
Police said the group were allegedly carrying bags with wires sticking out, making it look like a bomb, while meandering and dancing to music as part of a "zombie dance party".
"They were arrested for behavior that was suspicious and disturbing," said Lt. Gregory Reinhardt, a police spokesman. Police also said the group was uncooperative and intimidated people with their "ghoulish" makeup.
One group member said the "weapons" were actually backpacks modified to carry a homemade stereos and were jailed without reason. None of the six adults and one juvenile arrested have been charged.
With great mugshots.
Police Called To Home Find Human Hand
An exotic dancer who decorated her home with skulls and a severed hand was to be arraigned for improper disposition of human remains, authorities said.
Police responding to a report Friday of a suicidal person at the home of 31-year-old Linda Kay discovered a large, crudely severed human hand in a mason jar of formaldehyde on the dresser of Kay's basement bedroom, according to the police report.
While the subject of the initial phone call was not located in the home, authorities found six skulls in an upstairs room. The Middlesex County medical examiner has determined all are human.
Two people who knew Kay, including one who stayed at her house for about two months earlier this year, said that the hand, which Kay nicknamed "Freddy," was a gift from a medical student who frequented the Union strip club where she dances.
Police responding to a report Friday of a suicidal person at the home of 31-year-old Linda Kay discovered a large, crudely severed human hand in a mason jar of formaldehyde on the dresser of Kay's basement bedroom, according to the police report.
While the subject of the initial phone call was not located in the home, authorities found six skulls in an upstairs room. The Middlesex County medical examiner has determined all are human.
Two people who knew Kay, including one who stayed at her house for about two months earlier this year, said that the hand, which Kay nicknamed "Freddy," was a gift from a medical student who frequented the Union strip club where she dances.
Doll Collection Evicted From Apartment
Emily Gibbons has been collecting dolls for 15 years, amassing about 200 of them in her small apartment.
They've brought her a lot of joy, at times reminding the 73-year-old woman what it's like to hold a baby in her arms again. Most recently, though, they've gotten her in trouble with the Greenwich Housing Authority.
Housing officials said the doll collection cluttered the public housing apartment and is a fire hazard. Housing Authority threatened to evict her if she didn't clear the clutter.
Most of the dolls have had to go. Gibbons packed away all but about 20 and is temporarily storing the rest at her daughter's home.
They've brought her a lot of joy, at times reminding the 73-year-old woman what it's like to hold a baby in her arms again. Most recently, though, they've gotten her in trouble with the Greenwich Housing Authority.
Housing officials said the doll collection cluttered the public housing apartment and is a fire hazard. Housing Authority threatened to evict her if she didn't clear the clutter.
Most of the dolls have had to go. Gibbons packed away all but about 20 and is temporarily storing the rest at her daughter's home.
Bilbo, the doggy-paddling lifeguard
Bilbo, a five-year-old Newfoundland, has become Britain's only fully-qualified canine lifeguard.
He has passed fitness and swimming tests to join the team that patrols the busy beach at Sennen Cove in Cornwall. He even has his own lifeguard's vest with safety messages written across to warn holidaymakers not to go beyond the designated swimming and surfing areas.
Bilbo is being taught to manoeuvre himself next to casualties in the water so they can grab on to him.
"If an alert comes in, his ears start twitching and he knows something is on."
He has passed fitness and swimming tests to join the team that patrols the busy beach at Sennen Cove in Cornwall. He even has his own lifeguard's vest with safety messages written across to warn holidaymakers not to go beyond the designated swimming and surfing areas.
Bilbo is being taught to manoeuvre himself next to casualties in the water so they can grab on to him.
"If an alert comes in, his ears start twitching and he knows something is on."
Restaurant Owner Shaken by Koi Seizure
Armed game wardens seized 10 exotic fish from the tank of a popular Chinese restaurant, leaving its owner shaken and outraged.
"They treated me like a criminal," said Cuong Ly, who escaped from Vietnam 25 years ago. "I lived under communism and I felt like I'm back there again."
After obtaining a search warrant, two uniformed wardens and a biologist, accompanied by Freeport police, visited China Rose on Wednesday, taking away the 10 fish that ranged in size from 12 to 14 inches (30.5 to 35.5 centimeters).
The koi had been on display since Ly opened the restaurant nearly 15 years ago and he credited them for bringing good luck to the business in a way akin to the arrangement of articles in the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui.
A few years ago, however, Maine outlawed the importation and possession of koi, and Ly was charged with importing freshwater fish without a permit.
"They treated me like a criminal," said Cuong Ly, who escaped from Vietnam 25 years ago. "I lived under communism and I felt like I'm back there again."
After obtaining a search warrant, two uniformed wardens and a biologist, accompanied by Freeport police, visited China Rose on Wednesday, taking away the 10 fish that ranged in size from 12 to 14 inches (30.5 to 35.5 centimeters).
The koi had been on display since Ly opened the restaurant nearly 15 years ago and he credited them for bringing good luck to the business in a way akin to the arrangement of articles in the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui.
A few years ago, however, Maine outlawed the importation and possession of koi, and Ly was charged with importing freshwater fish without a permit.
Woman faces charges after pet cockatoo dies in hot car
A woman whose pet cockatoo died after it was left in a sweltering car while she went to a movie has been charged with animal cruelty.
Moviegoers told police they saw the bird, which appeared distressed, in the back of the car Saturday afternoon, police spokesman Jim Shelhorse said. They alerted theatre staff who called the police.
By the time police opened the car, the bird was dead in its case.
Donia Monique Brooks, 25, was charged with cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor that can bring up to a year in prison.
Moviegoers told police they saw the bird, which appeared distressed, in the back of the car Saturday afternoon, police spokesman Jim Shelhorse said. They alerted theatre staff who called the police.
By the time police opened the car, the bird was dead in its case.
Donia Monique Brooks, 25, was charged with cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor that can bring up to a year in prison.
Handcuffed man takes police car
A suspected burglar put in handcuffs after his arrest attacked a woman police officer and then escaped by driving off in her car.
The female officer was driving the man to Slough police station when he forcibly took control of the car.
The man, one of three arrested on suspicion of burglary, dumped the car in Keel Drive about six minutes away.
The suspect is described as Asian, in his mid 20s and about 5ft 8in tall. He may still be wearing handcuffs.
The female officer was driving the man to Slough police station when he forcibly took control of the car.
The man, one of three arrested on suspicion of burglary, dumped the car in Keel Drive about six minutes away.
The suspect is described as Asian, in his mid 20s and about 5ft 8in tall. He may still be wearing handcuffs.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Photo Opportunity
Blogger is really broken this morning. It's taken well over an hour just to post this crap, what with posts disappearing or posting multiple times. Then I can't get into delete them. And the clock keeps going backwards. Etc.
Sorry for the rant, but I only have limited time to do this.
Americans interviewed about World Affairs
I don't know if this is real or not.
See also Americans questioned about who to invade next. NSFW language.
See also Americans questioned about who to invade next. NSFW language.
The History of the Earth in a Toilet Paper Roll
The earth is over 5 billion years old. Life first originated in the oceans 3.4 billion years ago. The dinosaurs died out 65 million years in the past. Human recorded history stretches back 10,000 years in time.
These numbers are too large to visualize, and difficult to compare. Here's an easy way to put time in perspective, and actually visualize different eras in the earth's history. You'll need a roll of toilet paper, a long hallway, and some sticky notes.
Unroll the full roll of toilet paper down the hallway. We found that our roll contained 400 squares, and each square was slightly over 11 cm long.
The earth is about 5 billion years old. That makes each toilet paper square equivalent to 12.5 million years; each billion years of earth's history takes up 80 squares of toilet paper.
On this scale, one year is represented by 0.00000088 cm ... a width too tiny to see. But we can certainly visualize the past 10,000 years of recorded history on this scale, and compare it to the other events in earth's history.
These numbers are too large to visualize, and difficult to compare. Here's an easy way to put time in perspective, and actually visualize different eras in the earth's history. You'll need a roll of toilet paper, a long hallway, and some sticky notes.
Unroll the full roll of toilet paper down the hallway. We found that our roll contained 400 squares, and each square was slightly over 11 cm long.
The earth is about 5 billion years old. That makes each toilet paper square equivalent to 12.5 million years; each billion years of earth's history takes up 80 squares of toilet paper.
On this scale, one year is represented by 0.00000088 cm ... a width too tiny to see. But we can certainly visualize the past 10,000 years of recorded history on this scale, and compare it to the other events in earth's history.
JOBY Gorillapod
The JOBY gorillapod firmly secures your camera to just about anything... anywhere and everywhere.
Unlike traditional tripods, the gorillapod doesn't require an elevated surface for you to take the perfect shot.
Unlike traditional tripods, the gorillapod doesn't require an elevated surface for you to take the perfect shot.
Man Steals Puppy By Putting It In His Pants
Authorities are investigating a canine caper in Plantation, Florida - a crime that was all caught on tape.
Security cameras caught a man walking around a pet store when he spotted a Maltese puppy he liked.
The man picked up the dog, stuffed it in his pants and walked out.
Store employees realized the puppy was missing soon after the dog-napper exited the store.
With CCTV video.
Security cameras caught a man walking around a pet store when he spotted a Maltese puppy he liked.
The man picked up the dog, stuffed it in his pants and walked out.
Store employees realized the puppy was missing soon after the dog-napper exited the store.
With CCTV video.
Man Cuts Off Hand At Butcher Shop
Police said a man apparently cut off his own hand this weekend at a butcher shop in northern Virginia.
Authorities said the incident happened at a butcher shop on Spring Garden Drive in the Springfield area of Fairfax County.
Workers said the man, who was not a regular customer, came into the store with his teenaged son Saturday evening to buy some goat meat.
However, the workers said the man became so upset when he was given chicken that he slipped behind the counter and cut off his own hand.
When police arrived, they said, the man was holding his severed hand screaming, "I'm not a terrorist. I did this for my family."
Authorities said the incident happened at a butcher shop on Spring Garden Drive in the Springfield area of Fairfax County.
Workers said the man, who was not a regular customer, came into the store with his teenaged son Saturday evening to buy some goat meat.
However, the workers said the man became so upset when he was given chicken that he slipped behind the counter and cut off his own hand.
When police arrived, they said, the man was holding his severed hand screaming, "I'm not a terrorist. I did this for my family."
3 NYC Cops Shot in Friendly Fire Incident
Three police officers were accidentally shot Sunday as one or more officers took aim at a pit bull attacking a member of their crew, police said. All were in stable condition.
The three officers suffered minor graze wounds and a fourth was bitten.
The men had been responding to a dispute between a landlord and tenant in a Bronx building when the animal ran from another floor and attacked one of the officers, police said. The dog was killed by the gunfire.
The three officers suffered minor graze wounds and a fourth was bitten.
The men had been responding to a dispute between a landlord and tenant in a Bronx building when the animal ran from another floor and attacked one of the officers, police said. The dog was killed by the gunfire.
Crop Circles
It is so hot in southern England right now that the London Zoo is feeding blood-flavoured ice blocks to the lions to help keep them cooler. The hottest day ever recorded in a British summer was on July 19th. London’s Underground subway system has no air conditioning and temperatures have reportedly reached 117 degrees Fahrenheit, while road surfaces south of London have been melting.
Paradoxically, the U. K.’s spring was one of the coldest and wettest on record, slowing down the growth of cereal crops to as much as eight weeks behind schedule. Until recently. Now all the heat has been making the wheat and barley and other crops grow so rapidly that some farmers near Barbury Castle in Wiltshire County have already started harvesting some fields.
Simultaneously, there has been a rash of crop formations in six English counties between July 4th and 19th. Two of the most outstanding were in Oxfordshire on July 8 – both near Wayland’s Smithy, which a year ago was the focus of extraordinary Mayan formations. Some people analyzed the 2005 Wayland’s Smithy patterns and concluded the crop formations contained clocks or calendars counting down to mid-August 2007. One scientist hypothesizes that an astronomical event might be coming in August 2007, which could impact the Earth. That idea makes the recent 2006 Wayland’s Smithy pattern even more significant because it looks like an explosion that erupts 3-dimensionally from the wheat. Even the British media has been calling it the “first 3-D crop formation in English history.”
With more photos.
Paradoxically, the U. K.’s spring was one of the coldest and wettest on record, slowing down the growth of cereal crops to as much as eight weeks behind schedule. Until recently. Now all the heat has been making the wheat and barley and other crops grow so rapidly that some farmers near Barbury Castle in Wiltshire County have already started harvesting some fields.
Simultaneously, there has been a rash of crop formations in six English counties between July 4th and 19th. Two of the most outstanding were in Oxfordshire on July 8 – both near Wayland’s Smithy, which a year ago was the focus of extraordinary Mayan formations. Some people analyzed the 2005 Wayland’s Smithy patterns and concluded the crop formations contained clocks or calendars counting down to mid-August 2007. One scientist hypothesizes that an astronomical event might be coming in August 2007, which could impact the Earth. That idea makes the recent 2006 Wayland’s Smithy pattern even more significant because it looks like an explosion that erupts 3-dimensionally from the wheat. Even the British media has been calling it the “first 3-D crop formation in English history.”
With more photos.
Vero man wearing dress arrested for allegedly exposing himself
The skimpy dress a 53-year-old man reportedly was wearing while bicycling early Sunday morning was a little too short for the sheriff's deputy who stopped him.
Especially when the deputy noticed Stephen Barfield wasn't wearing any undergarments.
Barfield, of the 200 block of 28th Avenue Southwest, was arrested and charged with exposing himself, disorderly intoxication and loitering and prowling.
Indian River County sheriff's Deputy Daniel Hatch was patrolling the area about 3 a.m. Sunday when he noticed a man, later identified as Barfield, in the 300 block of 27th Avenue riding a bicycle without any lights.
Hatch stopped Barfield and saw he was wearing a woman's dress that "only went to his hips and his genitals were completely exposed," the affidavit stated. Barfield's speech was slurred, he was stumbling and had a strong odor of alcohol on him, the affidavit stated.
Barfield denied drinking any alcohol and cussed out Hatch for stopping him.
With mugshot.
Especially when the deputy noticed Stephen Barfield wasn't wearing any undergarments.
Barfield, of the 200 block of 28th Avenue Southwest, was arrested and charged with exposing himself, disorderly intoxication and loitering and prowling.
Indian River County sheriff's Deputy Daniel Hatch was patrolling the area about 3 a.m. Sunday when he noticed a man, later identified as Barfield, in the 300 block of 27th Avenue riding a bicycle without any lights.
Hatch stopped Barfield and saw he was wearing a woman's dress that "only went to his hips and his genitals were completely exposed," the affidavit stated. Barfield's speech was slurred, he was stumbling and had a strong odor of alcohol on him, the affidavit stated.
Barfield denied drinking any alcohol and cussed out Hatch for stopping him.
With mugshot.