Friday, August 7, 2009

In the News....

Man nears 50 jobs in 50 states goal
A Brockton, California man on a mission to work a different job in each of the 50 states said he has reached the 45-state marker in Massachusetts as a first base coach.
Daniel Seddiqui, 27, who set off on his 50-state quest after graduating with a degree in economics and failing to gain a job from 40 interviews, said he is working this week as first base coach for the Brockton Rox baseball team and next week he'll be working for the Democratic Party in New Hampshire, WCVB-TV, Boston, reported Wednesday.
"I just left my driveway with no money. I was negative $65,000 from school loans and I bought my car right before I left. And, just made it all work. I had no other options," Seddiqui said. "I've probably made from $50,000 to $60,000 this year. And I have saved all of it. Three thousand dollars in one week when I was in Minnesota medical device manufacturing. And the lowest is probably $100, but I was working with Amish people building furniture."
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Woman buys the complete business class for her pooch
Unwilling to fly without her pooch by her side, an Israeli woman purchased the entire business section of an El Al flight from Paris to Israel.
The woman identified as Rivka, told the Channel 10 television network Wednesday afternoon, she could not bear the thought of her eight-year-old boxer dog being placed in a cage in the cargo hold of the plane for the duration of the flight.
"He is my baby, and I asked El Al to rent out the business section and paid $32,000 to ensure my dog, Or (light in Hebrew), would be able to sit next to me for the entire flight," she told the television.
Rivka said it is the first time the two have flown since 2006. In the past her pet suffered from severe anxiety after flying alone in the cargo section, she said. This time she decided to purchase the entire business section of the jetliner and enjoy the dog's company for the four-hour flight from Paris to Israel.
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Bark at a dog and it might bite you back. Or get you arrested.
That's what happened to a 26-year-old man who was arrested by Three Rivers police for allegedly barking at a police dog.
The incident occurred Monday evening while a police officer was investigating a suspicious situation at an apartment complex, according to a Three Rivers Police Department press release. The officer left his canine companion, Anija, in his patrol car, police said.
The man, who was outside the building, approached the vehicle. He began ``to torment the police dog by barking and shouting at the animal,'' causing the dog to become ``excited and very aggressive,'' police said.
The man was arrested for harassing a police animal and was released on bond. He is facing charges of disorderly conduct.
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Man cleans up river and gets £480 bill

A man who hauled 120 tires out of a polluted river has been told to pay £480 to get rid of them.
Both council and environmental officers have refused to accept responsibility for the rubbish. And Roy Hart, 63, was told it will cost him £4 for each one to be legally disposed off.
Farmer Roy, a keen angler, and three volunteers acted after seeing dead fish in the polluted River Crouch at a park in Wickford, Essex. He got permission to act from the Environment Agency and Basildon Council.
But afterwards Agency officials said the tires were the responsibility of the land owner - the council.
But the council argued it was a "pollution control" matter for the Agency. Mr Hart, a parish councillor, now has a mountain of tires outside his home in Battlesbridge. He said: "I'm being punished for showing community spirit."
Agency chief Peter Rickett claimed Mr Hart did not ensure the council would take the rubbish. He added: "We are only responsible for clearing rivers if there is a flood risk.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Daddy you can’t ride without your helmet

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CLUNKERS


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Japanese 'robot suit' to help disabled


A Japanese company has unveiled a robotic suit that is designed to help people with weak limbs or limited physical range to walk and move like an able-bodied person.
 
The suit, called HAL – or Hybrid Assistive Limb – is the work of Cyberdyne Corporation in Japan, and has been created to "upgrade the existing physical capabilities of the human body".
HAL, which weighs 23kg, is comprised of robotic 'limbs', and a backpack containing the suit's battery and computer system. It is strapped to the body and controlled by thought. When a person attempts to move, nerve signals are sent from the brain to the muscles, and very weak traces of these signals can be detected on the surface of the skin. The HAL suit identifies these signals using a sensor attached the skin of the wearer, and a signal is sent to the suit's power unit telling the suit to move in unison with the wearer's own limbs.
 
People with physical disabilities, such as stroke-induced paralysis or spinal cord injuries, can hire the suit at a cost of Y220,000 (£1,370) per month, and Cyberdyne Corporation believes the technology can have a variety of applications, including in physical training and rehabilitation, adding extra "muscle" to heavy labour jobs, and even in rescue and recovery operations.
HAL can help the wearer to carry out a variety of every day tasks, including standing up from a chair, walking, climbing up and down stairs, and lifting heavy objects. The suit can operate for almost five hours before it needs recharging, and Cyberdyne Corporation says that it does not feel heavy to wear, because the robotic exoskeleton supports its own weight.
Researchers at the corporation said HAL had been designed for use both indoors and outdoors. Professor Yoshiyuki Sankai, the company's founder and chief executive, originally created the suit for climbing mountains.
"HAL can even work in the snow at a height of 4,000m above sea level," claims the company.
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Tuesday, August 4, 2009