Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Easter Bunny pulled over for riding motorcycle without helmet
A man dressed as the Easter Bunny was pulled over on a motorcycle by highway patrol near San Diego on Saturday.
The man, who was riding a motorcycle with a side car, was getting plenty of attention from other drivers as he sped down the Interstate on his way to a charity event. Unfortunately for him, CHP officer Adam Griffiths spotted him and pulled him over for not wearing a helmet and being a distraction to other drivers.
``Griffiths told him it was a serious situation and that it wasn't a joke,'' CHP spokesman Brian Pennings said. ``He explained to him the safety ramifications of not having a helmet." Pennings said Griffiths radioed in "I'm stopping the Easter Bunny."
Griffiths then told the giant bunny that``his outfit was a visual impairment, he was not able to be aware of his surroundings, and therefore he threatened his own safety, and that of others.'' The rabbit wasn't issued a citation by Griffiths. He was just given a warning. The man then put the rabbit head in the side car and left for his event.
The man, who was riding a motorcycle with a side car, was getting plenty of attention from other drivers as he sped down the Interstate on his way to a charity event. Unfortunately for him, CHP officer Adam Griffiths spotted him and pulled him over for not wearing a helmet and being a distraction to other drivers.
``Griffiths told him it was a serious situation and that it wasn't a joke,'' CHP spokesman Brian Pennings said. ``He explained to him the safety ramifications of not having a helmet." Pennings said Griffiths radioed in "I'm stopping the Easter Bunny."
Griffiths then told the giant bunny that``his outfit was a visual impairment, he was not able to be aware of his surroundings, and therefore he threatened his own safety, and that of others.'' The rabbit wasn't issued a citation by Griffiths. He was just given a warning. The man then put the rabbit head in the side car and left for his event.
Father shot family dog to recover son's finger from stomach
An 11-year-old boy is recovering at Tampa General Hospital, Florida, with his arm covered in bandages. Doctor's weren't able to reattach Fernando Brignoni's finger because of nerve damage, but said he is doing okay and expected to be released from the hospital soon.
His father, Luis Brignoni, says he learned just how far he'd go to help his child on Friday when the family dog, Sassy, bit off his son's little finger and swallowed it. Luis says when it happened he called 911, and while help was on the way he shot and killed Sassy, then cut open her stomach to get the finger out.
"I was petting my dog then she turned around and just started biting my hand," said Fernando. "To me it wasn't only losing my son's finger it was also basically losing a family member. And it was just really tough. But my son comes before any animal, and at that moment it was just like, get it now or it's gone," said Luis.
YouTube link.
The family have had Sassy, a malamute-wolf mix, for seven years. They believe she may have been biting at Fernando’s sleeve, but clamped down on his hand instead. The family has no plans for now on getting a new dog; they already have two other dogs at home.
His father, Luis Brignoni, says he learned just how far he'd go to help his child on Friday when the family dog, Sassy, bit off his son's little finger and swallowed it. Luis says when it happened he called 911, and while help was on the way he shot and killed Sassy, then cut open her stomach to get the finger out.
"I was petting my dog then she turned around and just started biting my hand," said Fernando. "To me it wasn't only losing my son's finger it was also basically losing a family member. And it was just really tough. But my son comes before any animal, and at that moment it was just like, get it now or it's gone," said Luis.
YouTube link.
The family have had Sassy, a malamute-wolf mix, for seven years. They believe she may have been biting at Fernando’s sleeve, but clamped down on his hand instead. The family has no plans for now on getting a new dog; they already have two other dogs at home.
Lingerie to help women fight sexual offences in India
Three automobile engineers from Chennai have come out with what they claim can check sexual offences in India - lingerie laced with modules of GPS and capable of sending alerts to the girl's parents and police. "The lingerie, laced with modules of global positioning system (GPS), global system for mobile communications (GSM) and also pressure sensors, is capable of sending shock waves of 3,800 kV as well as alerts to the girl's parents and police," says Manisha Mohan, co-developer of the innovative product named Society Harnessing Equipment (SHE). (PDF Doc.)
"The shocks can be emitted up to 82 times," she said, adding it's an apt device which could get women "freedom from situations faced in bus, public places", where at times they are reluctant to walk down to lawmakers for help. "A person trying to molest a girl will get the shock of his life the moment pressure sensors are activated, and the GPS and GSM modules would send a SMS on emergency number 100, as well as to parents of the girl," she describes the functioning process.
Mohan, an engineering student of Sri Ramaswamy Memorial University in Chennai, along with her two colleagues Rimpi Tripathi and Niladri Basu Bal, developed the proto-type of SHE and are busy fine-tuning the product for commercial roll out in April. "I have approached a friend of mine in National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to help me find the right kind of fabric for the product so that it can be a washable one," said Mohan.
On being asked what inspired them to design such a product, Mohan says, "After the Delhi gang rape incident, and the rape of a Bangalore BPO worker, I felt women are being tortured in the name of safety. Henceforth, we decided to come up with something innovative which helps women protect themselves besides not being abandoned in the name of safety."
"The shocks can be emitted up to 82 times," she said, adding it's an apt device which could get women "freedom from situations faced in bus, public places", where at times they are reluctant to walk down to lawmakers for help. "A person trying to molest a girl will get the shock of his life the moment pressure sensors are activated, and the GPS and GSM modules would send a SMS on emergency number 100, as well as to parents of the girl," she describes the functioning process.
Mohan, an engineering student of Sri Ramaswamy Memorial University in Chennai, along with her two colleagues Rimpi Tripathi and Niladri Basu Bal, developed the proto-type of SHE and are busy fine-tuning the product for commercial roll out in April. "I have approached a friend of mine in National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to help me find the right kind of fabric for the product so that it can be a washable one," said Mohan.
On being asked what inspired them to design such a product, Mohan says, "After the Delhi gang rape incident, and the rape of a Bangalore BPO worker, I felt women are being tortured in the name of safety. Henceforth, we decided to come up with something innovative which helps women protect themselves besides not being abandoned in the name of safety."
Bag snatcher injured after crashing through shop wndow
A bag snatcher in Western Australia, fleeing from the scene of his crime ran into a shop window, injuring himself, before escaping the clutches of a bystander who apprehended him.
The thief had stolen a 50-year-old woman’s handbag at a newsagency in the Perth suburb of Ballajura at about 10am on Easter Sunday and was running from the centre when he mistook a pane of glass for a door. He ran through the plate of glass, was cut and fell to the ground.
YouTube link.
The dramatic event was captured on The Market Place Shopping Centre's CCTV and shows bystanders going to his aid, unaware of the stealing incident. Another man then appears from the car park, threatens the bystanders to leave the man alone and tries to drag the injured man away.
A heavily-built shopper then appears and puts the offender in a headlock, before he broke free. Both men took off in a stolen green Lexus which had been taken from a home in Mirrabooka. The offenders are described as dark-skinned, about 15 to 25 years of age, between 170cm to 180cm tall, slim build with dark coloured wavy hair.
The thief had stolen a 50-year-old woman’s handbag at a newsagency in the Perth suburb of Ballajura at about 10am on Easter Sunday and was running from the centre when he mistook a pane of glass for a door. He ran through the plate of glass, was cut and fell to the ground.
YouTube link.
The dramatic event was captured on The Market Place Shopping Centre's CCTV and shows bystanders going to his aid, unaware of the stealing incident. Another man then appears from the car park, threatens the bystanders to leave the man alone and tries to drag the injured man away.
A heavily-built shopper then appears and puts the offender in a headlock, before he broke free. Both men took off in a stolen green Lexus which had been taken from a home in Mirrabooka. The offenders are described as dark-skinned, about 15 to 25 years of age, between 170cm to 180cm tall, slim build with dark coloured wavy hair.
Swedish researchers say elderly men should ride women's bicycles
The elderly, both men and women, should use women's bicycles in order to cut the number of accidents when getting in and out of the saddle, according to the conclusions in a report by Swedish researchers. Four out of ten of the people seriously injured or killed in single-vehicle accidents involving a bike is aged over 65-years-old, according to data compiled by the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI).
Hip injuries are one of the most common types of injuries incurred when and these often occur at low speeds or when the elderly are getting on or off their bikes. Researchers at the institute have thus come to the conclusion that it would be preferable if men switched to the traditional low-crossbar design of ladies' bikes when they get older.
"The bike should not be designed as a standard bike, with a pole in the middle, for the men are not able to get over it," VTI researcher Anna Niska said. The study covered the years 2007-2011 and found that there were 125 fatalities and 1,275 serious injuries involving single bicycles. Some 119 of the injuries occurred when mounting or dismounting.
Anna Niska underlined however that despite the risk of injury it is preferable from a health point of view that the elderly continued to get out and about on their bikes. "Some may want to conclude that now we shouldn't let the elderly use bikes, but it is a question of getting around and getting some exercise," she said.
Hip injuries are one of the most common types of injuries incurred when and these often occur at low speeds or when the elderly are getting on or off their bikes. Researchers at the institute have thus come to the conclusion that it would be preferable if men switched to the traditional low-crossbar design of ladies' bikes when they get older.
"The bike should not be designed as a standard bike, with a pole in the middle, for the men are not able to get over it," VTI researcher Anna Niska said. The study covered the years 2007-2011 and found that there were 125 fatalities and 1,275 serious injuries involving single bicycles. Some 119 of the injuries occurred when mounting or dismounting.
Anna Niska underlined however that despite the risk of injury it is preferable from a health point of view that the elderly continued to get out and about on their bikes. "Some may want to conclude that now we shouldn't let the elderly use bikes, but it is a question of getting around and getting some exercise," she said.
Motorist drove with limited visibilty
Footage filmed by a fellow motorist shows the driver of a blue
Jaguar XF travelling along a busy Leicestershire road with the view ahead
completely obscured but for a tiny hole in the thick blanket of snow covering
the car's windscreen. The footage was shot by Mark Saunders in Cambridge Road, between Cosby and Whetstone.
The 31-year-old, from Blaby, captured it on an in-car camera installed for insurance purposes after he was involved in a collision where fault was disputed. He said: "I was amazed by what I saw coming toward me. It was sheer lunacy. The area they had cleared appeared to be the size of a small plate at best. The thick cover of snow around this tiny hole also remained on the roof and covered the entire rear of the car.
"They had no visibility apart from a tiny hole they'd made in the snow or ice on the windscreen. You can only hope he or she got to wherever they were going without hurting someone." Luke Bosdet, spokesman for the AA, said: "There is absolutely no excuse. It is pure laziness and stupidity. It is difficult to even begin to imagine how they thought their car was safe to drive in this condition."
YouTube link.
Ellen Booth, senior campaigns officer, at road safety campaign group Brake, said: "Being able to see the road ahead is one of the most basic requirements of safe driving, so driving with such limited visibility is highly dangerous." A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: "If this is genuine it could amount to dangerous driving – and worse if someone was injured."
The 31-year-old, from Blaby, captured it on an in-car camera installed for insurance purposes after he was involved in a collision where fault was disputed. He said: "I was amazed by what I saw coming toward me. It was sheer lunacy. The area they had cleared appeared to be the size of a small plate at best. The thick cover of snow around this tiny hole also remained on the roof and covered the entire rear of the car.
"They had no visibility apart from a tiny hole they'd made in the snow or ice on the windscreen. You can only hope he or she got to wherever they were going without hurting someone." Luke Bosdet, spokesman for the AA, said: "There is absolutely no excuse. It is pure laziness and stupidity. It is difficult to even begin to imagine how they thought their car was safe to drive in this condition."
YouTube link.
Ellen Booth, senior campaigns officer, at road safety campaign group Brake, said: "Being able to see the road ahead is one of the most basic requirements of safe driving, so driving with such limited visibility is highly dangerous." A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: "If this is genuine it could amount to dangerous driving – and worse if someone was injured."
Plastic surgeon warns that homemade sheep costumes could kill you
A plastic surgeon fears somone will be killed following a spate of people being badly burned while wearing sheep costumes. Researchers have found six such cases in the UK over the past five years.
The team at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, West Lothian, looked into the problem after treating two young men who suffered horrific burns at the hands of drunken jokers.
Surgeon Stephen Goldie said: “It is done as a practical joke to start with and then turns into a disaster. Serious burns can quite easily cause death. There’s no two ways about it – large burns kill people.” He said the problem stemmed from homemade sheep costumes, made from flammable glue and cotton wool.
He added: “Our regional burns unit has dealt with two such sheep costume cases in the past two years. One involved a 24-year-old male who suffered 40 per cent burns, and more recently an 18-year-old male who was admitted with 36 per cent burns. Both required significant reconstructive surgery and prolonged rehabilitation.”
The team at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, West Lothian, looked into the problem after treating two young men who suffered horrific burns at the hands of drunken jokers.
Surgeon Stephen Goldie said: “It is done as a practical joke to start with and then turns into a disaster. Serious burns can quite easily cause death. There’s no two ways about it – large burns kill people.” He said the problem stemmed from homemade sheep costumes, made from flammable glue and cotton wool.
He added: “Our regional burns unit has dealt with two such sheep costume cases in the past two years. One involved a 24-year-old male who suffered 40 per cent burns, and more recently an 18-year-old male who was admitted with 36 per cent burns. Both required significant reconstructive surgery and prolonged rehabilitation.”
Yellow Duckmarine sinks in Liverpool
An amphibious tourist vehicle sank in
the Albert Dock, Liverpool, while on a tour of the city. The Yellow Duckmarine started to sink at about 12:45pm on Saturday.
Passengers were moved on to a pontoon in accordance with safety procedures, said a tour spokesman. The vehicle then sank fully as it was being towed away. The vehicles are a popular tourist attraction and take in city sights from land and water. They are staying on land during investigations.
Photos by Roger O'Doherty.
Paul Furlong, product sales manager for the Yellow Duckmarine, said the "unfortunate" incident happened towards the end of a tour. He said: "We are looking into what happened.
YouTube link.
"Our crew are very experienced and acted quickly and correctly. No one was injured and everyone was disembarked safely." Nobody went into the water during the sinking and the passengers were later refunded. An internal inquiry into the cause of the sinking is under way.
Passengers were moved on to a pontoon in accordance with safety procedures, said a tour spokesman. The vehicle then sank fully as it was being towed away. The vehicles are a popular tourist attraction and take in city sights from land and water. They are staying on land during investigations.
Photos by Roger O'Doherty.
Paul Furlong, product sales manager for the Yellow Duckmarine, said the "unfortunate" incident happened towards the end of a tour. He said: "We are looking into what happened.
YouTube link.
"Our crew are very experienced and acted quickly and correctly. No one was injured and everyone was disembarked safely." Nobody went into the water during the sinking and the passengers were later refunded. An internal inquiry into the cause of the sinking is under way.
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