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Baby survives after stroller hit by train in Melbourne, Australia

Saturday, October 17, 2009

A 6-month-old child is alive, having only received minor injuries, after the stroller it was riding in was run over by a commuter train in Melbourne, Australia. The entire incident was recorded by security cameras at Ashburton railway station, where the incident occurred.

Security video footage shows the mother tending to her baby who was in a stroller. She then moves the stroller a safer distance from the tracks. After letting go of the stroller for a second, it rolled towards the tracks and fell off the platform, being struck and dragged nearly 30 meters by the arriving train. Police say the brakes on the stroller were not applied.

The baby only received a minor cut to the head, and had already been rescued before authorities arrived on scene. Mother and baby were taken to Royal Children’s Hospital and released shortly thereafter. At a press conference following the incident, Michael Ferweda, a police spokesperson called it a “miracle” that no one was injured and that the mother was not at fault. No charges are going to be filed. “It was a lucky escape and a chance for commuters to think about heeding warnings to be more careful around platforms,” he added. The name of the baby and mother have not been released.

Jon Wright, one of the responding paramedics who treated the baby said, “Fortunately the train was slowing as it pulled into the station. The baby received a bump to his head and was distressed when we arrived. Luckily he was strapped into his pram at the time, which probably saved his life.”

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Solar sail craft may have made orbit

Thursday, June 23, 2005

The Planetary Society have stated that their experimental solar sail craft Cosmos 1 is probably lost, but intermittent signals have given them some hope the mission has made orbit.

The 100kg vehicle was launched atop a converted ICBM from a Russian nuclear submarine, however it is believed the first stage of the Volna booster rocket failed 83 seconds into the flight. The team behind the $4m craft have a slim hope that it managed to reach a low orbit, and efforts to pick up the tracking beacon are continuing.

Signals have apparently been received by at least two tracking stations around the globe – in the Czech Republic, and in the Marshall Islands. The Planetary Society are being assisted by the US Strategic Command in an effort to find the spacecraft, if it did make orbit.

However a scientist from the Czech station has said they have received only noise.

If Cosmos-1 is in orbit, the onboard computer may still be functioning and could begin to unfurl the 30 meter diameter sail in three days time.

A solar sail harnesses pressure exerted upon the sail by photons from the sun to push the craft along. Although its acceleration is very slow, it can go on nearly indefinitely (as long as the Sun exists). It was hoped Cosmos-1 would use a 30 m diameter sail to reach an orbit 800km above the Earth, as a demonstration of the potential of the technology.

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Hollywood sign modified to read ‘Hollyweed’

 Correction — January 22, 2016 The vote on November 9 was of California voters, not the California legislature. 

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

The Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, California was modified to read “Hollyweed” on Sunday. Security camera footage shows the perpetrator was dressed all in black, said Sergeant Robert Payan.

Christopher Garcia, a spokesperson of the Los Angeles Police Department, said the suspected male offender is being investigated for trespassing rather than vandalism. The sign was not physically damaged; the modification was done using black tarpaulins decorated with signs of peace and heart to alter the “O” to read lowercase “e”.

Betsy Isroelit, a Hollywood Sign Trust spokesperson said, “There was obviously recent legislation in California that may have inspired people. But to me, it looks more like a New Year’s Eve prank.” On November 9, legislators voted in favor of a ballot for legalising recreational use of marijuana in California for the age group of 21 and above.

Previously, on January 1, 1976, Daniel Finegood had vandalised the sign using curtains in a similar manner to read “Hollyweed”. As a college student, Finegood had modified the sign for an assignment in art class. Finegood, in 1990, had modified the sign again, signifying a political issue, modifying the sign to read “Oil War” to protest the Persian Gulf War.

The sign was vandalised in 1992 before the US presidential election. Supporters of presidential election candidate Ross Perot altered the sign to read “Perotwood”.

The law legalising recreational marijuana is due to come into effect in 2018.

 This story has updates See Artist who changed Hollywood sign to ‘Hollyweed’ surrenders to authorities, January 12, 2017 
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Methane gas explosion at Ulyanovskaya Mine kills at least 108

Monday, March 19, 2007

A methane gas explosion occurred at the Ulyanovskaya Mine near the city of Novokuznetsk in the Kemerovo region of Siberia. At least 106 people have been reported to be killed in the blast. Conflicting reports say that at least thirteen to forty-three miners are still trapped underground or missing, as well as 75 to 93 have been reported to have survived the blast.

The mine disaster is the deadliest accident in Russia’s mining industry in over a decade. The mine, which was opened in 2002, had around 200 miners inside at the time of the methane gas explosion.

The Kemerovo governor Aman Tuleyev said that when the blast occurred, the mine’s management was underground inspecting a newly installed safety system made by a British company. British experts and representatives of a management of the mine have gone down under the ground shortly before explosion. Tuleyev stated that on mine start-up, “the newest English system on a safety of conducting mountain works under the ground” should take place.

The operator of the mine is Yuzhkuzbassugol, Russia’s biggest producer of deep-mined coal. The spokeswoman of the Emergencies Ministry stated that the blast occurred at 08:00 GMT, and that eighty-three miners had been safely evacuated from the mine shaft.

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How To Choose The Best Yogurt Maker

How to Choose the Best Yogurt Maker By Atica Brewton

Many people who are seeking a more healthy diet and lifestyle are contemplating what is the best yogurt maker for their budget. There are many different brands to choose from with a plethora of options and price ranges. Although there are many to choose from, the difference between competing yogurt makers is minimal. All you need is a device that will maintain the yogurt mixture at the required temperature for a set amount of time. Honestly, the best yogurt maker is the least expensive and most reliable appliance that fits your budget.

Many consumers choose the least expensive option and just won’t buy a yogurt maker. I don’t think these people are cheap, but I do think they should explore their options. Instead, they will use their oven for heat. This is a viable option but it will end up costing you in the long run because of how much electricity is required to keep an oven heated for at least 6 to 8 hours. I recommend they purchase a yogurt maker instead because it is more energy efficient and won’t use nearly as much electricity as their oven. I must repeat that they best yogurt maker is the most inexpensive option.

Another option I’ve heard from several people is to use a microwave convection oven. Once again, this is a large appliance that draws tons of electricity so your power bill will be affected from leaving the microwave on for several hours. Also your microwave is tied up and can’t be used while your yogurt is heating. Some people would be annoyed by the constant noise of the microwave. It just seems easier and more hassle-free to invest in an inexpensive yogurt maker.

There are several ways to make yogurt using alternative heat sources. All of these options are legitimate and can yield a wonderful tasting snack. I recommend that you follow whatever method works best for you. I like to keep things simple and worry-free. The less utensils I dirty during the process, the better. Since I make yogurt several times per week, this works best for me. In my opinion, the best yogurt maker is the most user-friendly and inexpensive device available.

The author’s website Yogurt Maker Enthusiast features tips on finding the best yogurt maker, how to use yogurt makers, yogurt starters and homemade yogurt recipes.

Hotel development proposal could displace Buffalo, NY business owners

Buffalo, N.Y. Hotel Proposal Controversy
Recent Developments
  • “Old deeds threaten Buffalo, NY hotel development” — Wikinews, November 21, 2006
  • “Proposal for Buffalo, N.Y. hotel reportedly dead: parcels for sale “by owner”” — Wikinews, November 16, 2006
  • “Contract to buy properties on site of Buffalo, N.Y. hotel proposal extended” — Wikinews, October 2, 2006
  • “Court date “as needed” for lawsuit against Buffalo, N.Y. hotel proposal” — Wikinews, August 14, 2006
  • “Preliminary hearing for lawsuit against Buffalo, N.Y. hotel proposal rescheduled” — Wikinews, July 26, 2006
  • “Elmwood Village Hotel proposal in Buffalo, N.Y. withdrawn” — Wikinews, July 13, 2006
  • “Preliminary hearing against Buffalo, N.Y. hotel proposal delayed” — Wikinews, June 2, 2006
Original Story
  • “Hotel development proposal could displace Buffalo, NY business owners” — Wikinews, February 17, 2006

Friday, February 17, 2006

Buffalo, New York —Savarino Construction Services Corp. has proposed a $7 million hotel project at the Forest and Elmwood Avenue intersection, according to The Buffalo News. The proposal calls for a 5-story, 45,000 square-foot 80-room hotel with underground parking for at least 50 vehicles, and 4,500 square-feet of retail space on the lower level.

Hans Mobius, the owner of the five properties to be purchased in the plan (1109 to 1121 Elmwood), reportedly signed a contract with Savarino to assemble the development.

“We saw a huge opportunity to bring something to the Elmwood Village that will make sense and bring a service that’s currently not available,” said Eva Hassett, vice president of Savarino. “Elmwood is such a wonderful place to eat, shop, walk and spend time. We believe this project will add to that vibrant environment.”

Some business owners in the area see it differently. Wikinews interviewed 2 of the 4 owners whose business’s would be demolished if the development goes through.

Nancy Pollina, of Don Apparel at 1119 Elmwood, who found out about the development only yesterday, said she is “utterly” against the proposal. Her apparel shop has stood at the same location for nearly 14 years. She has volunteered in the community, and helped create several gardens around bus shelters in the city, and served on Forever Elmwood Board for six years as head of Beautification. Patty Morris co-owns Don Apparel with Pollina.

“To say this is a good looking project, I want to say the emperor has no clothes. This [project] does not take into consideration the needs of the college students. I have been told by college students, these shops here, are the reason they leave the campus,” said Mrs. Pollina.

Buffalo State College is 500-feet from the intersection.

Michael Faust, the owner of Mondo Video said, “Well, I do not really want to get kicked out of here. The landlord was very open, and the deal he made with me when I moved in here was ‘the rent is cheap and I [the landlord] will not fix anything and that will not change.'” Faust said he first learned of the development plan, “about 48 hours ago. I found out on Tuesday when the Buffalo News called and asked for my opinion on this.” Faust has not said if he will make plans to relocate. “We have to see if this [house] is going to get knocked down first,” said Faust.

An “informational” meeting, where citizens can voice opinions and learn about the proposal, will be held on Tuesday February 21, 2006 at 5:00pm (eastern), at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center Gallery at Buffalo State College, Rockwell Hall.

Executive director of Forever Elmwood Corporation, Justin P. Azzarella would not comment on whether or not the organization supports the development, saying, “you will just have to come to the meeting.”

Forever Elmwood Corp. is designed to preserve and protect the unique and historic nature of Elmwood Avenue and its surrounding neighborhoods and encourage neighborhood commercial revitalization. The organization was founded in 1994.

Nearly two years ago, the Forever Elmwood Corp. assisted in the blocking of the demolition of the Edward Atwater house at 1089 Elmwood next to Pano’s Restaurant which is at 1081 Elmwood. Owner Pano Georgiadis wanted to expand his restaurant onto the property where the house now stands, but the Common Council denied his permit to demolish saying the house is a historical landmark and needs to be protected. Georgiadis, who has a bleeding ulcer, said that all the court cases landed him in the hospital. “I got a bleeding ulcer, and since then, I don’t care about this house anymore, or this city. I just go to work every day. I think [preservationists] are parasites,” said Georgiadis.

Georgiadis will not be attending Tuesday’s meeting saying, “I will be out of town.”

In 1995 Hans Mobius proposed a plan to develop a Walgreens, that was to be placed in the same location, but residents and business owners shot down the proposal. Walgreens eventually withdrew its request for a variance after pressure from the community.

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Toxic air from Ukraine train derailment continues to make people sick

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

A freight train in Lviv, Ukraine derailed, caught fire, and spilled a toxic chemical, releasing dangerous fumes into the air early Tuesday morning (local time), and people who live near the site of the crash are still becoming sick. Officials say that the toxic cloud, surrounding at least 14 villages near the scene, is at least 23% above benign levels.

So far 70 people, including 19 children, have been hospitalized after being poisoned by the fumes from train cars filled with yellow phosphorous. That number is up from the 15 seeking medical attention on Tuesday.

“I can say we have resolved the situation by extinguishing those tankers. Now we need to talk about dealing with the aftermath of this breakdown,” said Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s Prime Minister.

“This is a dangerous substance … It is highly flammable and causes burns and choking,” said Greenpeace Russia toxic gas expert, Alexei Kiselev.

The European Union has stated that they will continue to monitor the gas cloud because toxic gas clouds do not “respect borders” of countries and will travel.

The train was shipping cargo from Kazakhstan to Poland when it derailed. Authorities have ruled out sabotage and terrorism from playing a role in the crash and are still investigating the accident. At least 15 cars, of the 58 the train was pulling, derailed or were overturned.

Water and local crops are said to not be affected by the chemical spill.

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University of Southern California spit test predicts cavities

Monday, February 21, 2005

Los Angeles, California —A simple saliva test can predict whether children will get cavities, how many cavities they will get and which teeth are most vulnerable.

Developed by researchers at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, the test quantifies the genetic component of tooth decay, spotting the risk when something can be done about it.

“When we apply this to young children, it allows us to predict what might be their future caries history—the number of cavities that they’ll get by, say, their late 20s or early 30s,” says researcher Paul Denny.

Called the Caries Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE) test, the test measures the relative proportions in saliva of different types of sugar chains called oligosaccharides. The same sugar chains are present on tooth surfaces.

The effect of sugar chains on teeth’s resistance to disease is analogous to the effect of “good” and “bad” cholesterol on blood vessels. “Good” sugar chains tend to repel bacteria that cause cavities while “bad” allow bacteria to bond to teeth and start the decay process. Unlike cholesterol, however, sugar chain makeup in humans is 100% genetically determined.

Denny and colleagues have found that the sugar chain makeup in saliva can predict a child’s future cavity history to plus or minus one cavity with greater than 98% confidence.

The findings suggest that in developed areas of the modern era genes play a more significant role in tooth decay than in former times or third world nations where gross malnutrition and negligent oral hygiene held the greatest impact on dental health.

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Edmund White on writing, incest, life and Larry Kramer

Thursday, November 8, 2007

What you are about to read is an American life as lived by renowned author Edmund White. His life has been a crossroads, the fulcrum of high-brow Classicism and low-brow Brett Easton Ellisism. It is not for the faint. He has been the toast of the literary elite in New York, London and Paris, befriending artistic luminaries such as Salman Rushdie and Sir Ian McKellen while writing about a family where he was jealous his sister was having sex with his father as he fought off his mother’s amorous pursuit.

The fact is, Edmund White exists. His life exists. To the casual reader, they may find it disquieting that someone like his father existed in 1950’s America and that White’s work is the progeny of his intimate effort to understand his own experience.

Wikinews reporter David Shankbone understood that an interview with Edmund White, who is professor of creative writing at Princeton University, who wrote the seminal biography of Jean Genet, and who no longer can keep track of how many sex partners he has encountered, meant nothing would be off limits. Nothing was. Late in the interview they were joined by his partner Michael Caroll, who discussed White’s enduring feud with influential writer and activist Larry Kramer.

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Selecting The Right Commercial Garage Door In Boston Ma

byAlma Abell

Any type of Commercial Garage Door in Boston MA will get an excessive amount of use. Deliveries will be made all hours of the day and night. Repairs trucks will be coming and going several times during business hours. Customers will be driving their cars and trucks through express oil change lanes. Forklifts and dock equipment will be going back and forth through warehouse doors and dock entrances. Selecting the right commercial door for the purpose is essential for functionality, durability, and longevity. It has to withstand opening and closing numerous times each day the business is opened. Depending on the business, a high-speed door may be the best choice.

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A Commercial Garage Door in Boston MA also has to provide the proper level of security to protect the building, the vehicles, and any inventory stored inside. Once the day is over, the door has to be able to hold strong against vandalism, break in attempts, and inclement weather. Steel reinforced doors, heavy-duty aluminum, and high security doors may be ideal for large garages. Timed locking mechanisms, doors that lock into bolts on the floor, and doors with sliding deadbolts can be fitted to any entrance width. A warehouse door that is designed for forklifts, for example, will be narrow to increase energy-efficiency in the building. In that case, a roll-up door make be the perfect solution.

Appearance is also a factor, depending on where the door is located. A garage door at the side of the building, as opposed to the back, will be seen by customers, passers-by, and the customers and staff of the neighboring commercial building. Selecting a door that matches the exterior of the building, suits the style of the business, and looks welcoming is important. Those in the back should blend in with the rest of the structure, but can focus on function more than appearance. A wide variety of choices from top manufacturers, knowledgeable staff, and custom solutions for unique situations makes selecting the right door easier. An experienced company, like Collins Overhead Door Inc, for example, will provide selection assistance to customers, as well as a warranty on any door installations.

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