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Jun 30th, 2021, 1:34 am
Woman becomes bat girl for the Yankees, 60 years after she was turned down over her gender

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Gwen Goldman exchanged fist bumps with the New York Yankees she had been admiring for decades from afar, walked onto the field and waved to the crowd.

She got to be a Yankees’ bat girl on Monday night at age 70 — a full 60 years after she was turned down because of her gender.

Shaking with excitement, she beamed while recounting how it felt to be at Yankee Stadium on this day for the game against the Los Angeles Angels.

“I don’t know where to start, of which was the best, what did I enjoy the most?” she said during a news conference in the fourth inning.

“The whole piece, from walking in the front door of the stadium at Gate 2, to coming up to a locker with my name on it that said Gwen Goldman, and suiting up, then walking out onto the field. It took my breath away. It’s obviously taking my words away also.

“It was a thrill of a lifetime — times a million. And I actually got to be out in the dugout, too. I threw out a ball, I met the players. Yeah, it goes on and on. They had set up a day for me that is something that I never would have expected.”

Goldman retired in 2017 as a social worker at Stepping Stones Preschool, a public school in Westport, Connecticut.

She used the Hebrew word “dayenu” — which translates to “it would have been enough” — to describe the different parts of her experience.

“It just kept coming and coming,” he said.

Goldman had been rejected by then-Yankees general manager Roy Hamey, who wrote her in a letter on June 23, 1961: “While we agree with you that girls are certainly as capable as boys, and no doubt would be an attractive addition on the playing field, I am sure you can understand that it is a game dominated by men a young lady such as yourself would feel out of place in a dugout.”

Current Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he had been forwarded an email written by Goldman’s daughter, Abby. In a letter dated this June 23, Cashman wrote “it is not too late to reward and recognize the ambition you showed in writing that letter to us as a 10-year-old girl.”

“Some dreams take longer than they should to be realized, but a goal attained should not dim with the passage of time,” Cashman added. “I have a daughter myself, and it is my sincere hope that every little girl will be given the opportunity to follow her aspirations into the future.”

Wearing a full Yankees uniform, Goldman threw out a ceremonial first pitch to New York player Tyler Wade, then stood alongside manager Aaron Boone for the national anthem.

“I think it’s really cool,” Boone said after meeting her. “I think you’re going to see her probably take balls out at some point to home plate. … Hopefully it’s an experience of a lifetime for her and a long one in coming.”

New York extended the invitation as part of the Yankees’ annual HOPE week, which stands for Helping Others Persevere & Excel.

She posed with the umpires when the lineup cards were brought out. After the third inning, the Yankees played a video that included the letters and a Zoom session in which Cashman, assistant general manager Jean Afterman and pitcher Gerrit Cole were among those informing her of the invitation.

She then was introduced to the crowd, walked up the Yankees dugout steps onto the field and waved her cap as fans applauded.

“I didn’t hold it against them. I loved the Yankees,” she said. “I never in my wildest dreams — never thought that 60 years later, Brian Cashman would make this become a reality.”

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Jun 30th, 2021, 1:34 am

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Jun 30th, 2021, 9:14 am
British engineer stacks just 5 M&Ms, claims Guinness World record :o

A British civil engineer who loves chocolate is daring anyone who scoffs at his new Guinness World record to try beating him.

Will Cutbill, who lives in the England town of Solihull, took the title for the tallest stack of M&M's, Guinness World Records reported earlier this month. How many? Just five.

"When I tell 'em it's a whopping 5, they're shocked," Cutbill told CNN. "They want to give it a go, try and beat me."

Cutbill said he came up with the idea to break the record while munching on the chocolates during UK's third COVID-19 lockdown.

"At first it wasn’t very many until one day I thought right let’s crack this, so I sat down very determined to complete it." he said.

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Cutbill told CNN it took hundreds of failed attempts before stacking the five M&M's a couple of hours later.

When the task was completed, Cutbill said he had achieved his lifelong dream of breaking a Guinness World Records title.

"I’ve always wanted one. I’ve bought the books every year and have always dreamed of one day reading my name in it," Cutbill said.

He also celebrated the feat by eating his record breaking stack.

The last record of four stacked M&M's was held by Silvio Sabba, of Italy, and Brendan Kelbi, of Australia.

source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/wor ... 371006001/
Jun 30th, 2021, 9:14 am

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Jun 30th, 2021, 11:13 am
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I sometimes get REALLY DEPRESSED reviewing the news these days.
It's always about a global pandemic threatening life as we know it,
protests around the world, stupid politicians, natural disasters,
or some other really bad story.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Welcome to The mobi weekly news magazine
IN OTHER NEWS
WEDNESDAY JUNE 30

What is it?
Here is your chance to become an "ACE REPORTER" for our weekly news magazine.
It is your job to fine weird, funny or "good feel" stories from around the world and share them with our readers in our weekly magazine

How do you play?
Just post a story that you have come across that made you smile, laugh, feel good...
BUT NOTHING DEPRESSING :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

EXAMPLE POST
Naked sunbather chases wild boar through park after it steals his laptop bag
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A naked sunbather was seen chasing wild boar through a park after it stole his laptop bag.
Amusing photographs from Germany show the man running after the animal to try and claim the plastic bag back.
But the cheeky boar and its two piglets appear to be too quick for the sunbather, who can't keep up with their speedy little trotters.
As the incident unfolds, groups of friends and family sat on the grass watch on and laugh.
Heads are seen turning in surprise and amusement in the hilarious photographs.
The incident happened at Teufelssee Lake - a bathing spot in the Grunwell Forest in Berlin, Germany.

Rules:
Each Edition of IN OTHER NEWS will be open for 7 days...
You can post as many stories as you like, but you will only get paid for One Story in any 24 hour period
So in other words, you can only earn WRZ$ once a day.
Each news day will start when I post announcing it
OR at:
9:00 AM CHICAGO TIME (UTC -5)
2:00 PM GMT (UTC -0)

on those days I space out and forget to post or can't due to Real Life :lol:
Stories may be accompanied with images - but No big images, please! 800x800 pixels wide maximum
Videos are allowed, but please keep them short, and post a short summary for those that don't like to click on videos
No Duplicate stories - Where a post has been edited resulting in duplicates, then the last one in time gets disallowed.
And please limit this to reasonably family friendly stories :lol: :lol: :lol:

Reward:
Each news story posted that I feel is acceptable (must be a real story, too few words or simply a headline are not considered acceptable) will earn you 50 WRZ$
If you post multiple stories on any given day, you will only earn 50 WRZ$ for the first story of the Day
All payments will be made at THE END of the weekly news cycle.
Special Bonus - Each week I will award "The Pulitzer Prize" for the best story of the week
The weekly winner of the "The Pulitzer Prize" will receive a 100 WRZ$ bonus
It's just my personal opinion, so my judgement is final

So help bring GOOD news to the members of mobi, and join our reporting team...

IN OTHER NEWS


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Jun 30th, 2021, 11:13 am

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Jun 30th, 2021, 11:23 am
Fred Flintstone fought the law – and he won.

California town settles lawsuit over controversial Flintstones-themed house

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The fanciful home in a posh San Francisco suburb modeled after the house in the cartoon "The Flintstones" has been embroiled in a lawsuit.

Technically, the owner of the fanciful Flintstones house in a posh San Francisco suburb settled a lawsuit with the town of Hillsborough. But the agreement will allow Fred and his friends to remain.

In a yabba dabba dispute that pitted property rights against government rules that played out in international media, retired publishing mogul Florence Fang defended her colorful, bulbous-shaped house and its elaborate homage to the family of “The Flintstones,” featuring Stone Age sculptures inspired by the 1960s cartoon, along with aliens and other oddities.

The town, however, called the towering dinosaurs and life-size sculptures “a highly visible eyesore” and sued Fang, saying she violated local codes when she put dinosaur sculptures in the backyard and made other landscaping changes that caused local officials to declare it a public nuisance.

An attorney for the town had said residents were required to get a permit before installing such sculptures, regardless of the theme.

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Retired publishing mogul Florence Fang has defended her elaborate and colorful homage to the family of “The Flintstones.”

Hillsborough went to court in 2019 after Fang failed to comply with multiple stop-work orders, as well as an order to remove the features around the multimillion-dollar property with its 2,730-square-foot home. Fang countersued. The Daily Post in Palo Alto first reported news of the settlement on Thursday.

Mark Hudak, an attorney for Hillsborough, had said the town prides itself on its rural, woodsy feel, and rules are in place “so neighbors don’t have to look at your version of what you would like to have, and you don’t have to look at theirs.”

According to records, the settlement stipulates that the town will review and approve a survey of the landscaping improvements. In turn, Fang will apply for building permits. The town will pay Fang $125,000, and she will drop the lawsuit – which was dismissed in state court on April 27.

No news on Barney Rubble's role in the matter.

[url=[url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/06/28/california-town-settles-lawsuit-over-florence-fang-flintstones-house/5369692001/]Source[/url]]Source[/url]
Jun 30th, 2021, 11:23 am

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Jun 30th, 2021, 11:40 am
Cranes chase baby alligator across street
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Alligators and cranes are synonymous with Florida and so it shouldn’t surprise you to see what happens in this viral video.

In a video that has gone viral on Facebook, you can see three cranes ushering a baby alligator across a Central Florida road.

The video was posted to Facebook by Mallery Neptune with the caption, “Just a Monday drive to Hobby Lobby. Wait for the end.”

The video starts with the cranes walking closely behind the tiny gator as it makes its way into the St. Cloud roadway. It almost gets to the other side when it decides it wants to go back.

The cranes start spreading their wings to likely show their size as they seem unhappy with this change in direction.

But wait till the end. Once that baby gator gets across the road, it takes off running through the grass. And as the cranes get closer, it bolts back into the water.

Even the witnesses weren’t fazed by what was taking place in front of them. Yep, just another day in the Sunshine State.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local ... ss-street/
Jun 30th, 2021, 11:40 am
Jun 30th, 2021, 11:55 am
Two Men Appear In Court For Stealing Massive Big Bird Costume

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Two men have appeared in court for allegedly stealing a pricey Big Bird costume in South Australia.

The $160,000 bird disappeared from the Sesame Street Circus Spectacular at Bonython Park in Adelaide back in April this year.

Authorities launched a massive search and rescue operation for it and bizarrely found it the next day with a strange and pun-riddled note attached to it.

Police saw two men take off into the distance and they were later tracked down.

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Tasman Binder and Cody Milne were subsequently charged with theft and unlawfully being on premises and they had their first court appearance today (June 30). Boy it was something.
A magistrate had the men's bail conditions changed to remove a curfew and a ban on them contacting each other. They still have a ban on visiting the circus area where Big Bird went missing.

When the court appearance was finished, Biner and Milne walked out and were greeted to a bunch of reporters.

They were dressed in similar turtlenecks that were tucked into their pants, funky sunglasses and very schnazzy blazers.

The journalists asked them the usual questions post-appearance-in-court, however they then quickly changed their tune to quiz them on some hard-hitting areas.

One woman asked 'Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?' and then 'who's your favourite Sesame Street character?' was thrown at them next.

The blokes didn't answer any questions and simply got in a vehicle to leave. The beat up car struggled to leave outside the courthouse and the driver was also dressed pretty spiffy. It's unclear if his lack of skill in driving a manual car was real or all part of the gimmick.

We'd expect nothing less from people accused of writing a letter that said they were sorry for being 'such a birden'.

When authorities found the Big Bird costume, there was a note attached that said: "We had no idea what we were doing, or what our actions would cause.

"We were just having a rough time and were trying to cheer ourselves up. We had a great time with Mr Bird, he's a great guy and no harm came to our friend."

Mr Milne and Mr Binder will next appear in court in November.
Jun 30th, 2021, 11:55 am
Jun 30th, 2021, 12:12 pm
Film-lover created his own Ghostbuster's car - and now he uses it as a hearse

Paul Harbourne, 57, from Dudley, West Midlands, bought a rare 1960 Cadillac Miller-Meteor and turned it into a real-life Ecto-1 - the famous vehicle from the Ghostbusters films

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A film-lover has created his own Ghostbuster's car out of a 1960s Cadillac - and now he uses it as a hearse.

Paul Harbourne, 57, bought a rare Miller-Meteor and turned it into a perfect replica of Ecto-1 - the famous vehicle from the Ghostbusters films.

The father-of-five from Dudley, West Midlands, spent two years and £50,000 renovating the rare vehicle he found on eBay and started using it for weddings, parties and events.

But recently the classic car fanatic has found himself using the popular car - that comes complete with costumes, music and lights - as a funeral car.

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Paul, who also works in security, said: "We had someone ring up about a funeral and I was quite surprised. By pure chance, we had made the seats in the rear of the car capable of folding down meaning we had a platform for the coffin to lay on.

"We were sceptical about doing it at first because we didn't know if it would be appropriate but a lot of people would rather have a celebration of life rather than a traditional funeral with a black car.

"A lot of the time, the person who's funeral it is was a fan of ghostbusters and their family want them to have something they would have loved."

The car, which seats six people and was originally used as an ambulance in America, can be hired for £360 an hour to transport the coffin to and from the service.

Paul continued: "We had actually been booked to attend a couple's wedding but he passed away before the wedding could take place so we took him to the funeral instead.

"After doing the first one, it just led on to more and it seems more and more people are stepping away from the traditional funeral. We wear our Ghostbusters costumes, play the music and transport the coffin to and from the service".

Paul, and his business partner Tim Jordan, renovated the rare hearse by covering the car in white emulsion, adding on the famous Ghostbusters logo and even fitting mock ghost-capturing equipment onto the vehicle.

Only 2,000 Cadillac Miller-Meteors were produced during a four-year period in the late 1950s and early 1960s, meaning they are hard to come by.

Paul added: "I was an engineer so I had the skill base to restore the car. The Ghostbusters car has its own special house made for it on the grounds of my home.
Jun 30th, 2021, 12:12 pm

Twitter: Fatima99@fatima99_mobi
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Jun 30th, 2021, 1:38 pm
2 Boy Scouts rescue drowning woman from Missouri floodwaters

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Joseph Diener, 16, and Dominic Viet, 15, were exploring their hometown of Columbia, Missouri, on Friday to survey the damage after a massive rainfall flooded parts of the city.

The two, along with a few other friends, were biking when all of a sudden, they heard someone calling for help.

“We didn’t know if they were serious or not,” Joseph explained. “She said it twice before we got over there.”

The group of teens saw a woman in a bathing suit, clinging to a basketball hoop that was nearly entirely submerged in the floodwaters.

The two took “about 30 seconds” to realize they had to take action, Joseph said.

“My friend Dom was like, ‘I’ll get in if she actually needs help,’ and I was like, ‘OK, because I’m going in,’” Joseph said.

There was a small group of people gathered near the woman already, Dominic said.

“We were like, ‘We can swim, we’re trained for this,’” he told TODAY. “Then we were just like, ‘Let's go.’ And then we just ran right in.”

The two said they had the woman grab onto their shoulders because her legs were cramping and they were able to doggy-paddle back to the shore.

“There were some currents trying to pull us down too, because — I don't know —it's not normal water,” Dominic said.

The two were able to make it to solid ground with the drowning victim, they said, who started throwing up water.

Assistant Fire Chief Jerry Jenkins confirmed the teens’ account to TODAY and added that the woman was expected to be OK, though he did not know her current status.

“The person had entered the water to swim, to the best of our knowledge,” Jenkins said, adding that there is no swimming access in that park. “These two young boy scouts come by and heard the distress calls….for two 15- and 16-year-olds to react that way, it was very heroic.”

Both teens are Life Scouts, which is the last level before Eagle Scout. Neither are working on any lifeguarding skills as part of their upcoming projects, but their scoutmaster, Morgan Dailey, told local NBC station KOMU that they might get badges for their honorary action.
Jun 30th, 2021, 1:38 pm
Jun 30th, 2021, 1:41 pm
Teenager organizes blood drive to help sister diagnosed with leukemia

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She's an energetic and fun-loving 6-year-old, but beneath Violet Jackson's vibrant smile, she's battling B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She was diagnosed just last month.

Violet is undergoing treatment at Omaha's Children's Hospital, where she's received pints of blood and platelets.

"I was thankful the blood was available for Violet when she needed it," said Violet's mother, Wendy Jackson. "And I wanted to pay that gift forward, so I scheduled my blood donation."

Then, big sister Eden got really inspired.

She organized a community blood drive, and at a critical time when the nation is facing a blood shortage amid the pandemic. With the 16-year-year old's efforts, this blood drive hit capacity.

"It was great to see it all fill up so fast and know that we brought awareness to the need for blood and that it can help people," said Eden Jackson.

A sense of community, helping to save lives one pint at a time.

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Jun 30th, 2021, 1:41 pm

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Jun 30th, 2021, 2:02 pm
Louisiana man accused of impersonating a cop is arrested after pulling over an actual deputy

A man pretending to be a cop pulled over an actual cop in Assumption Parish, officials say.

Vincent Vinny Marks, 27, of Plaquemine, was arrested Monday on a felony count of impersonating a peace officer.

The incident happened on June 10, when an off-duty Assumption Parish deputy was driving on La. 70 near Bayou Corne, resuming travel after a collision up ahead had stopped traffic briefly.

When a vehicle traveling behind the deputy began flashing his headlights, the off-duty deputy turned into a convenience store parking lot, officials said. The vehicle behind him also turned into the lot and then blocked the deputy in, Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon said in a statement.

When the driver of the second car presented a badge to the deputy and represented himself as being a police officer, the deputy recognized him as someone who had been involved in a domestic incident in Pierre Part earlier this year.

After a weeks-long investigation, Marks was booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center; he posted a commercial bond in the amount of $10,000.

source: https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge ... 3955d.html
Jun 30th, 2021, 2:02 pm

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Jun 30th, 2021, 2:28 pm
Mouse thought extinct for 150 years found living on island

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A mouse thought to have become extinct more than 150 years ago has been found alive on an island off the coast of Western Australia, researchers have discovered.

Scientists compared DNA samples from eight extinct Australian rodents and 42 of their living relatives, and discovered that the extinct Gould's mouse was "indistinguishable" from the Shark Bay mouse.
Researchers were studying the decline of the country's native species since the arrival of Europeans in Australia in 1788.
The mouse -- which will still be known by the common name "djoongari," or "Shark Bay mouse" -- was once found across the country, from south-west Western Australia to New South Wales, but was last seen in 1857. The introduction of invasive species, agricultural land clearing and new diseases destroyed the native species, researchers said, adding that climate change and poor fire management also affected population sizes.

The remaining populations of the djoongari were located on a single 42 square-kilometer (16.2 square-mile) island in Shark Bay, Bernier Island. One small population is not enough for a species to survive, researchers said, so the mice have been taken to two other islands to establish new populations.
"The resurrection of this species brings good news in the face of the disproportionally high rate of native rodent extinction, making up 41 per cent of Australian mammal extinction since European colonisation in 1788," lead author Emily Roycroft, an evolutionary biologist from the Australian National University (ANU), said in a statement.
"It is exciting that Gould's mouse is still around, but its disappearance from the mainland highlights how quickly this species went from being distributed across most of Australia, to only surviving on offshore islands in Western Australia. It's a huge population collapse," she added.
The team also studied seven other extinct native species, which were found to have high genetic diversity immediately before extinction, showing that their populations were widespread before Europeans arrived.
"This shows genetic diversity does not provide guaranteed insurance against extinction," Roycroft warned.

More than 80% of Australia's mammals are endemic, as result of Australia's long period of isolation from other continents. But the country has what researchers described in a 2015 paper as an "extraordinary rate of extinction." Meanwhile, a study published in 2019 found that Australia was home to 6-10% of the world's post-1500 recognized extinctions.
Roycroft said the extinction of the seven native species happened "very quickly."
"They were likely common, with large populations prior to the arrival of Europeans. But the introduction of feral cats, foxes, and other invasive species, agricultural land clearing and new diseases have absolutely decimated native species," she said.
Humans have already wiped out hundreds of species and pushed many more to the brink of extinction through wildlife trade, pollution, habitat loss and the use of toxic substances. The Earth's sixth mass extinction is happening now, much faster than previously expected -- and the rate at which species are dying out has accelerated in recent decades, scientists have warned.
The research will be published in the journal PNAS next month.
CNN's Ivana Kottasová contributed reporting.
Jun 30th, 2021, 2:28 pm

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Believe me, you are someone's crush. Yes, you are!
Jun 30th, 2021, 3:37 pm
Tiny Crab Fends Off Pride Of Lions In South Africa

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A tiny crab managed to fend off a pride of lions as it tried to cross a river at a game reserve in South Africa - at one point even putting up its pincers as if to show it was prepared for a fight.

The unlikely encounter was captured on camera at the MalaMala Game Reserve by rangers Ruggiero Barreto, 30, and Robyn Sewell, 27, who watched the drama as it unfolded.

Unusually, the freshwater crab had come out of its burrow during daylight, and was hoping to cross a river.

However, as it went about its day, the small crustacean was spotted by the Kambula pride of lions and lionesses - who came over to take a look.

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At first, one of the sub-adults moseyed over to examine the crab, which went up on its back legs and raised its pincers to intimate the predator.

Moments later, four other curious young lions joined, tentatively peering down at the crab as it kept them at bay with its snapping pincers.

The 275lb lions proved wary of the crab and did little else than observe it as it moved across the sand, eventually making it back to its burrow.

Barreto and Sewell, who recorded the clip, told LatestSightings.com: "We left the camp at sun rise with the hope of finding lions and were lucky enough to find a pride at a riverbank.

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"They were sheltering from the wind in the Mlowathi Riverbed and were sleeping so we thought we would drive on and look back a little later.

"But suddenly we noticed one of the sub-adults get up and start staring at something and at first we thought it was a scorpion but it was a crab.

"They normally only come out after dark but this one was crossing the river in daylight and it aroused the curiosity of the young lions in the pride.

"The lions were surprised by the appearance of perhaps something they had not seen before and the first lion went over to investigate what it was."

The rangers continued: "The crab went up on its back legs and had its claws at the ready.

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"The poor little fella was trying to make it to the riverbank where its burrow was when more lions came over to check it out until there were five of them.

"The crab kept its claws up at the lions as it backed up, until it made the bank and disappeared into a burrow, and then the young lions lost interest.

"Not many betting people would have given the crab good odds on making it across the river past a pride of lions but this little fella was up for it."

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The only crab in the world that has enough force in its claws to match a lion bite is the coconut crab, known for its super-strength pincers - which can not only smash open coconuts, but could also lift a 10-year-old child.

The crabs, which can grow up to 18 inches, are found on the islands in the Indian and Pacific Ocean.

Marine biologist Shinichiro Oka said: "The pinching force of the largest coconut crab is almost equal to the bite force of an adult lion, it is so strong.

"They can generate a force of about 90 times their body weight, allowing them to crush something with about six tons of force - so close to a lion."

https://www.ladbible.com/news/animals-d ... a-20201129
Jun 30th, 2021, 3:37 pm

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https://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=5556807
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Jun 30th, 2021, 3:46 pm
Former Walmart becomes one of Canada’s largest murals

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TORONTO -- A former Toronto Walmart is turning into one of Canada’s largest mural projects.

The retail giant recently closed the doors of their Edgeley Boulevard location in Vaughan, Ont. Instead of leaving the property vacant, an alliance of artists and real estate developers created an expansive series of murals.

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In total, four works of art cover each side of the building, spanning 30,000 square feet.

“We’re converting a Walmart into a giant piece of art,” said Arman Afkhami, director of sales and strategy at LDNMRK, an art agency. For the next three years, the murals will become a fixture in the neighbourhood.

“I think the community is feeling our intention,” said Toronto-based artist, birdO. His work primarily captures birds and animals, which is why he painted a massive kingfisher bird with a long beak that wraps around the building.

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The project’s artistic coordinator, Ricardo Cavalo, is based in Spain. He hasn’t been on site due to pandemic travel restrictions, but has managed to direct a team of four artists virtually from Barcelona.
Jun 30th, 2021, 3:46 pm

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Buzz is the best doggo ever.
Jun 30th, 2021, 4:59 pm
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'Turning science fiction into reality': Futuristic flying 'AirCar' that can transform from a road vehicle into a plane in under THREE MINUTES completes its first ever inter-city flight, reaching heights of 8,200ft and speeds of 105mph

AirCar reached 8,200ft as it completed its first ever inter-city flight in Slovakia
After landing the vehicle transformed into sports car in less than three minutes
Developers say the AirCar would be great for leisure and self-driving journeys
No price details have been revealed but it could go on sale in the next 12 months

By Sam Tonkin

Published: 19:01 EDT, 29 June 2021 | Updated: 04:11 EDT, 30 June 2021

It's the stuff of science fiction – a futuristic flying car able to reach heights of more than 8,000ft and speeds over 100mph.

But the dream of its inventor has now become a reality after the 'AirCar' completed its first ever inter-city flight in Slovakia.

After landing the vehicle then transformed into a sports car in less than three minutes before being driven to the centre of Bratislava on Monday.

Stuff of science fiction: A futuristic flying car able to reach heights of more than 8,000ft and speeds over 100mph has completed its first ever inter-city flight in Slovakia (pictured)
Taking flight: Footage shows it driving down a runway before soaring into the air (pictured)
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The AirCar Prototype 1, which has a 160 horsepower fixed-propeller engine, is the brain child of Professor Stefan Klein and was developed by Slovakian firm KleinVision
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The 35-minute flight from Nitra to Bratislava was a key development milestone and moves it closer to going into production, KleinVision said
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Engine: Prototype 1 has a 160 horsepower fixed-propeller engine but Prototype 2 will be equipped with a 300 horsepower engine.

Top speed: 300km/h (186mph)

Range: 1,000km (621 miles)

Price: Not yet revealed

Available to buy: Within 12 months
Advertisement

The AirCar Prototype 1, which has a 160 horsepower fixed-propeller engine, is the brain child of Professor Stefan Klein and was developed by Slovakian firm KleinVision.

Amazing footage shows it driving down a runway before soaring into the air. It then lands, folds away its wings and is driven along a motorway before arriving in the heart of the Slovakian capital.

The 35-minute flight from Nitra to Bratislava was a key development milestone and moves it closer to going into production, KleinVision said.

Developers say the AirCar – which has now completed more than 40 hours of test flights – would be great for leisure and self-driving journeys, or as a commercial taxi service.

It is equipped with a BMW engine, runs on regular petrol-pump fuel and can carry two people.

No price details have been revealed for the futuristic vehicle, but it could be seen in the air and on the roads by next year at the latest.

'This flight starts a new era of dual transportation vehicles,' said Professor Klein after getting out of the AirCar cockpit.

'It opens a new category of transportation and returns the freedom originally attributed to cars back to the individual.'
Developers say the AirCar – which has now completed more than 40 hours of test flights – would be great for leisure and self-driving journeys, or as a commercial taxi service
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No price details have been revealed for the futuristic vehicle, but it could be seen in the air and on the roads by next year at the latest
AirCar has wings that unfurl and a single propeller at the rear. The wings fold up when the vehicle is on the road and it takes up the space of a normal parking spot
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The developers say it has been designed so that the stability and control of the AirCar is accessible to any pilot, with no specialist training required
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Anton Zajac, the co-founder of Klein Vision, added: 'AirCar is no longer just a proof of concept; flying at 8,200ft at a speed of 100mph, it has turned science fiction into a reality.'

AirCar has wings that unfurl and a single propeller at the rear. The wings fold up when the vehicle is on the road and it takes up the space of a normal parking spot.

'The automated transition from road vehicle into an air vehicle and vice versa, deploying/retracting wings and tail is not only the result of pioneering enthusiasm, innovative spirit and courage; it is an outcome of excellent engineering and professional knowledge,' said Dr Branko Sarh, a former Boeing expert.
AirCar Prototype 2, the pre-production model, will be equipped with a 300 horsepower engine
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It is expected to have a cruise speed of 300km/h (186mph) and range of 1,000km (621 miles)
When all of the legally required flight tests are completed the AirCar developers plan to fit the craft with a more powerful engine and hope to have it ready for sale within the next 12 months
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When all of the legally required flight tests are completed the AirCar developers plan to fit the craft with a more powerful engine and hope to have it ready for sale within the next 12 months
After landing the vehicle then transformed into a sports car in less than three minutes before being driven to the centre of Bratislava on Monday (pictured)
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The developers say it has been designed so that the stability and control of the AirCar is accessible to any pilot, with no specialist training required.

When all of the legally required flight tests are completed they plan to fit the craft with a more powerful engine and hope to have it ready for sale within the next 12 months.

AirCar Prototype 2, the pre-production model, will be equipped with a 300 horsepower engine and is expected to have a cruise speed of 300km/h (186mph) and range of 1,000km (621 miles).
WHAT TYPE OF FLYING TAXIS COULD WE EXPECT TO SEE IN THE FUTURE?

Advances in electric motors, battery technology and autonomous software has triggered an explosion in the field of electric air taxis.

Larry Page, CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, has poured millions into aviation start-ups Zee Aero and Kitty Hawk, which are both striving to create all-electric flying cabs.

Kitty Hawk is believed to be developing a flying car and has already filed more than a dozen different aircraft registrations with the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA.

Page, who co-founded Google with Sergey Brin back in 1998, has personally invested $100 million (£70 million) into the two companies, which have yet to publicly acknowledge or demonstrate their technology.

AirSpaceX unveiled its latest prototype, Mobi-One, at the North American International Auto Show in early 2018. Like its closest rivals, the electric aircraft is designed to carry two to four passengers and is capable of vertical take-off and landing
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Airbus is also hard at work on an all-electric, vertical-take-off-and-landing craft, with its latest Project Vahana prototype, branded Alpha One, successfully completing its maiden test flight in February 2018.

The self-piloted helicopter reached a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground. In total, the test flight lasted 53 seconds.

Airbus previously shared a well-produced concept video, showcasing its vision for Project Vahana.

The footage reveals a sleek self-flying aircraft that seats one passenger under a canopy that retracts in similar way to a motorcycle helmet visor.
Airbus Project Vahana prototype, branded Alpha One, successfully completed its maiden test flight in February 2018. The self-piloted helicopter reached a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground. In total, the test flight lasted 53 seconds
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AirSpaceX is another company with ambitions to take commuters to the skies.

The Detroit-based start-up has promised to deploy 2,500 aircrafts in the 50 largest cities in the United States by 2026.

AirSpaceX unveiled its latest prototype, Mobi-One, at the North American International Auto Show in early 2018.

Like its closest rivals, the electric aircraft is designed to carry two to four passengers and is capable of vertical take-off and landing.

AirSpaceX has even included broadband connectivity for high speed internet access so you can check your Facebook News Feed as you fly to work.

Aside from passenger and cargo services, AirSpaceX says the craft can also be used for medical and casualty evacuation, as well as tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).

Even Uber is working on making its ride-hailing service airborne.

Dubbed Uber Elevate, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tentatively discussed the company’s plans during a technology conference in January 2018.

‘I think it’s going to happen within the next 10 years,’ he said.
Jun 30th, 2021, 4:59 pm
Jun 30th, 2021, 7:01 pm
Scientists develop wireless pacemaker that dissolves in body

Technology could be used for patients who need only temporary help to regulate their heartbeat

Image

A wireless pacemaker that can dissolve in the body has been created for patients who need only temporary help to regulate their heartbeat.

Since the first pacemaker was implanted in 1958, millions of people have benefited from the devices. According to the national audit for cardiac rhythm management, 32,902 pacemakers were implanted for the first time in the UK in the year 2018-19 alone.

But while some people require permanent pacemakers, others need them for days or weeks – for example after open-heart surgery.

“After a critical risk period, the pacing functionality is no longer needed,” said Prof John A Rogers of Northwestern University in Illinois, US, a co-author of the study revealing the new model.

While pacemakers can already be used for temporary periods, experts say there are problems, including that leads placed through the skin can pose an infection risk. The external power supply and control system can become accidentally dislodged, and heart tissue can be damaged when the device is removed.

Now researchers say they have developed a battery-free pacemaker that can be implanted directly on to the surface of the heart and absorbed by the body when no longer needed. The device – which Rogers said would cost about $100 (£70) – is free of leads and can be controlled and programmed from outside the body.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/202 ... olves-body
Jun 30th, 2021, 7:01 pm