Tuesday, April 07, 2015
Crane toppling onto Museum of Art wasn't commissioned installation
For some visitors, a crane near a sculpture outside the Dallas Museum of Art on Friday morning was a work of art.
But the truck-mounted crane resting on the roof of the museum wasn't supposed to be there. The crane had fallen backwards, injuring the crane operator and narrowly missing sculptor Mark di Suvero's red "Ave" steel sculpture in the garden.
The crane was erecting a party tent used for private events that are held on the museum’s south side. The crane needed to hoist heavy metal beams as part of the work, but the weight of those pillars somehow pulled the crane base off of the ground.
YouTube link.
Jill Bernstein, director of communications for the museum, said no works of art were damaged, though the museum's primary concern is for the well-being of the injured crane operator. There is no immediate word on what caused the crane to topple.
But the truck-mounted crane resting on the roof of the museum wasn't supposed to be there. The crane had fallen backwards, injuring the crane operator and narrowly missing sculptor Mark di Suvero's red "Ave" steel sculpture in the garden.
The crane was erecting a party tent used for private events that are held on the museum’s south side. The crane needed to hoist heavy metal beams as part of the work, but the weight of those pillars somehow pulled the crane base off of the ground.
YouTube link.
Jill Bernstein, director of communications for the museum, said no works of art were damaged, though the museum's primary concern is for the well-being of the injured crane operator. There is no immediate word on what caused the crane to topple.
Doorman sacked for being ‘too nice’ to tenants
Ralph Body says he was fired from a luxury New York apartment building for being too accommodating to its well-heeled tenants.
Body, 41, said he “gave his life” to the glimmering Queens tower called 27 on 27th ever since it opened two years ago a few blocks from the East River in Long Island City.
He didn’t just hold the door. He did anything and everything residents asked him to do, check on pets, clean litter boxes, water plants, hold packages, even show $4,200 apartments to new tenants if need be, he said.
“Everything I did, somebody asked me to do, or there was a need for it,” Body said.
But last Sunday, the staffing company that placed him at the posh building told him “upper management” wanted him out, he said. “They said, ‘We know you did it for the right reasons, but unfortunately . . . you’re too nice to the tenants.’” He tried to plead his case: “I told them, ‘When the tenants ask me to do something, I’m going to say yes.’ But they said, ‘You do things for them which you shouldn’t be doing. And unfortunately, in this case, nice guys finish last,’ ” he continued. Body said he was “shocked” at being shown the door and so were tenants who are now rallying to bring him back. “Going above and beyond your work duties shouldn’t be punished - it should be praised,” reads a petition to reinstate Body. “We stand with Ralph.”
It continues: “Most tenants . . . can attest to Ralph’s kindness and eagerness to make people feel safe and welcome. In a transient city where most people are from other states and countries, 27 on 27th was a unique building that truly felt like ‘home’ from the moment you stepped through the front doors.” Residents say that Body was one of the main reasons they chose to live at the 27-storey building, which boasts dazzling views of Manhattan, a yoga room, gym and game and film rooms - but competes with similarly outfitted towers rising in Queens. “Ralph made this different than other luxury buildings,” said the tenant who started the petition, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from building management Heatherwood Communities.
A paper petition that the petition organizer left in the lobby mysteriously disappeared the next day, the tenant noted. “I would definitely have to think twice about my [lease] renewal now,” the resident said. Tenants blamed Heatherwood for Body’s removal, not staffing company PBS Facility Services, which Body said has promised to find him work at a different building. “They said I have to sit tight and wait,” Body said. Heatherwood says there has been “misinformation” about Body’s removal. “It was recently brought to our attention that Ralph did not follow PBS’s policies and procedures and after being spoken to several times, it was their decision to reassign him to another building.” But residents aren’t convinced. “Heatherwood wants impartial professionalism,” said tenant Dr. Michael Dardano. “I don’t want to live in an environment like that - where there are robots at the front desk.”
But last Sunday, the staffing company that placed him at the posh building told him “upper management” wanted him out, he said. “They said, ‘We know you did it for the right reasons, but unfortunately . . . you’re too nice to the tenants.’” He tried to plead his case: “I told them, ‘When the tenants ask me to do something, I’m going to say yes.’ But they said, ‘You do things for them which you shouldn’t be doing. And unfortunately, in this case, nice guys finish last,’ ” he continued. Body said he was “shocked” at being shown the door and so were tenants who are now rallying to bring him back. “Going above and beyond your work duties shouldn’t be punished - it should be praised,” reads a petition to reinstate Body. “We stand with Ralph.”
It continues: “Most tenants . . . can attest to Ralph’s kindness and eagerness to make people feel safe and welcome. In a transient city where most people are from other states and countries, 27 on 27th was a unique building that truly felt like ‘home’ from the moment you stepped through the front doors.” Residents say that Body was one of the main reasons they chose to live at the 27-storey building, which boasts dazzling views of Manhattan, a yoga room, gym and game and film rooms - but competes with similarly outfitted towers rising in Queens. “Ralph made this different than other luxury buildings,” said the tenant who started the petition, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from building management Heatherwood Communities.
A paper petition that the petition organizer left in the lobby mysteriously disappeared the next day, the tenant noted. “I would definitely have to think twice about my [lease] renewal now,” the resident said. Tenants blamed Heatherwood for Body’s removal, not staffing company PBS Facility Services, which Body said has promised to find him work at a different building. “They said I have to sit tight and wait,” Body said. Heatherwood says there has been “misinformation” about Body’s removal. “It was recently brought to our attention that Ralph did not follow PBS’s policies and procedures and after being spoken to several times, it was their decision to reassign him to another building.” But residents aren’t convinced. “Heatherwood wants impartial professionalism,” said tenant Dr. Michael Dardano. “I don’t want to live in an environment like that - where there are robots at the front desk.”
Hungry sea lion pulled man posing for photo with fish off boat
A man posing for a photo while holding his “trophy fish” was attacked by a sea lion which hauled him over the side of a boat into the water on Sunday.
The 62-year-old victim, who was not identified, was holding a fish posing for a picture being taken by a friend near the Hyatt Mission Bay Marina in San Diego, California, at 2:40pm when the marine mammal attacked.
“The man was bitten by a sea lion and pulled into the water,” San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesman Lee Swanson said. “A 300-pound sea lion grabbed the fish and pulled the man over the side into the water and dragged him 20 feet through the water. We estimated that he was in the water for 15 to 20 seconds.
“At that point, the sea lion let go and he was able to jump back into his boat,” said San Diego lifeguard Lt. John Sandmeyer. The man sustained puncture wounds and lacerations to his leg, and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Boaters at the marina said they’ve never heard of such an attack, but have noticed sea lions becoming more aggressive.
With news video.
The 62-year-old victim, who was not identified, was holding a fish posing for a picture being taken by a friend near the Hyatt Mission Bay Marina in San Diego, California, at 2:40pm when the marine mammal attacked.
“The man was bitten by a sea lion and pulled into the water,” San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesman Lee Swanson said. “A 300-pound sea lion grabbed the fish and pulled the man over the side into the water and dragged him 20 feet through the water. We estimated that he was in the water for 15 to 20 seconds.
“At that point, the sea lion let go and he was able to jump back into his boat,” said San Diego lifeguard Lt. John Sandmeyer. The man sustained puncture wounds and lacerations to his leg, and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Boaters at the marina said they’ve never heard of such an attack, but have noticed sea lions becoming more aggressive.
With news video.
Disorderly goat detained by police after headbutting door
Police are looking for the owner of a disorderly goat that had been headbutting a door in Paramus, New Jersey, on Saturday.
Multiple residents reported seeing the goat, Paramus Police said.
Officers Jonathan Henderson, Christian Tsentas and Steve Nepola caught the goat running in the road at about 6pm.
Police turned the goat over to Tyco Animal Control. Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg said police are looking for the owner. Anyone who knows the goat should call the Paramus Police Department.
Multiple residents reported seeing the goat, Paramus Police said.
Officers Jonathan Henderson, Christian Tsentas and Steve Nepola caught the goat running in the road at about 6pm.
Police turned the goat over to Tyco Animal Control. Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg said police are looking for the owner. Anyone who knows the goat should call the Paramus Police Department.
Villagers take part in body piercing ritual to cure chicken pox
Villagers in Madhya Pradesh, India, recently performed an age-old tradition of body piercing to cure chicken pox.
Chicken pox is a highly contagious disease caused by infection with Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) which results in skin blisters. The ritual is performed every year on the occasion of ‘Hanuman Jayanti', which marks the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman.
Villagers in Betul district pierced thread on the “Chaitra Poornima”, observed on the full moon day in the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu almanac that usually falls in the months of late March or early April.
YouTube link.
Villager Roop Rao said that this ritual is performed with pomp by the villagers to prevent their family from diseases. Bare-bodied men danced to mark the ritual in the presence of elderly members of the village.
Chicken pox is a highly contagious disease caused by infection with Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) which results in skin blisters. The ritual is performed every year on the occasion of ‘Hanuman Jayanti', which marks the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman.
Villagers in Betul district pierced thread on the “Chaitra Poornima”, observed on the full moon day in the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu almanac that usually falls in the months of late March or early April.
YouTube link.
Villager Roop Rao said that this ritual is performed with pomp by the villagers to prevent their family from diseases. Bare-bodied men danced to mark the ritual in the presence of elderly members of the village.
Cross-dressing thief armed with 'homemade machine gun' robbed service station
A man disguised as a woman and armed with a "homemade machine gun" has robbed a service station in Melbourne, Australia.
The cross-dressing thief entered the service station in Taylors Hill at about 7:30pm last Monday.
Police said he confronted a staff member with "what appeared to be a homemade machine gun" and demanded money. The employee handed over cash before the thief fled the store.
There were customers in the store at the time but no-one was injured. Police have now released two images of a man that may assist with their enquiries.
The cross-dressing thief entered the service station in Taylors Hill at about 7:30pm last Monday.
Police said he confronted a staff member with "what appeared to be a homemade machine gun" and demanded money. The employee handed over cash before the thief fled the store.
There were customers in the store at the time but no-one was injured. Police have now released two images of a man that may assist with their enquiries.
Mysterious black ring spotted hovering over village in Kazakhstan
A strange black circle was spotted in the sky above a village in northern Kazakhstan.
Baffled residents captured the mysterious spectacle on video as it hovered in the air for fifteen minutes before dissipating.
Villagers living in Shortandy, some 70 kilometres north of the Kazakh capital Astana, witnessed the event on Friday afternoon. “It was like a black cloud. It dissipated like smoke, but it was completely odourless,” Oleg Menshikov, a village resident, said.
YouTube link. Alternative video.
Andrey Solodovnik, associate physics professor at the Northern Kazakhstan State University estimates the ring was about 100 metres in diameter and floated at an altitude of between 200 metres to a kilometre. Solodnovik suggested the giant hoop was most likely a large smoke ring and was the result of combustion.
Baffled residents captured the mysterious spectacle on video as it hovered in the air for fifteen minutes before dissipating.
Villagers living in Shortandy, some 70 kilometres north of the Kazakh capital Astana, witnessed the event on Friday afternoon. “It was like a black cloud. It dissipated like smoke, but it was completely odourless,” Oleg Menshikov, a village resident, said.
YouTube link. Alternative video.
Andrey Solodovnik, associate physics professor at the Northern Kazakhstan State University estimates the ring was about 100 metres in diameter and floated at an altitude of between 200 metres to a kilometre. Solodnovik suggested the giant hoop was most likely a large smoke ring and was the result of combustion.
Man arrested after naked cricket bat-swinging toy shop rampage
A naked man went on the rampage in a toy store on Sunday afternoon.
Witnesses said the man crashed his car outside Toys R Us at the Kingsway West retail park in Dundee at around 3pm.
He then entered the shop and began swinging a cricket bat around as he “ranted and raved” in a foreign language. A police source said he removed his clothes as his violent outburst continued.
Emergency services were summoned and a woman was taken to hospital for treatment. Police confirmed a male had been detained in relation to an incident at the store.
Witnesses said the man crashed his car outside Toys R Us at the Kingsway West retail park in Dundee at around 3pm.
He then entered the shop and began swinging a cricket bat around as he “ranted and raved” in a foreign language. A police source said he removed his clothes as his violent outburst continued.
Emergency services were summoned and a woman was taken to hospital for treatment. Police confirmed a male had been detained in relation to an incident at the store.
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