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Tesla to Triple Supercharger Network to Allow LA to NY Roadtrips

Tesla S road photo
Tesla S

Tesla S road photoTesla plans a massive expansion of its supercharger network, making a coast-to-coast trip in a Tesla all-electric plug-in luxury car possible in the near future.

Tesla will be tripling the number of its supercharger stations by the end of June, and by the end of the year, its expansion program will allow Tesla drivers to go from Los Angeles to New York, with each free charge requiring only an hour, with stations located in most major metropolitan areas in the US and Southern Canada. (See the map at CNN.)

The Tesla Model S, which comes standard with the capability of extra fast charges — and won Motor Trend’s Car of the Year honors — can seat seven with a pair of rear-facing children’s seats in the hatchback cargo area.

Motor Trend admired the speediness of the $63,000 car, calling it “as effortless as a Rolls-Royce”, but also its cargo and passenger capacity which it likened to an SUV.

(READ the story in CNN Money)

Jockey’s New Bra Sizing System Claims to End Ill-fitting Worries

bra sizing kit by Jockey

bra sizing kit by JockeyInstead of relying on an antiquated notion of A, B, C and D cups, Jockey has invested years of research in creating a better system.

Its new Volumetric Fit kits measure the volume and shape of a woman’s breast plus an under-bust measurement, with the volumetric sizes running from 1 through to 10. The new system has 55 size combinations, and promises to address the long-bemoaned problem of ill-fitting bras.

Claiming it to be the closest thing to made-to-measure bras, Jockey is offering the self-measuring kits for $19.95 online, which can be used to order any of the five different styles, including wire-free models.

Paraplegic Mum Duct-taped to a Friend Gets to Go Surfing (WATCH)

surfer duct-taped mom-video

surfer duct-taped mom-video50 year-old Pascal Honore became paraplegic after a car accident 18 years ago but has recently experienced surfing for the first time by being taped to the back of a young Australian surfer, Ty Swan.

It all starts on the beach and a backpack – “just a Kmart special”, she says – with leg holes cut into the bottom. She’s then lifted on to Ty’s back before duct tape is wound around the pair’s shoulders, waists and legs.

Dream Comes True After Coded Message Sent 60 Years Later

married at 90 after sending code

married at 90 after sending codeIt starts with intrigue and ends with a dream coming true.

The story began on Martha’s Vineyard where an 81-year-old mystery writer received a coded message in the mail.

There was no key for breaking the code — and no return address.

Cynthia wondered if it wasn’t from the same man who sixty years earlier passed coded notes to her in a biology lab.

Join Wall Street. Save the World.

businessman photo by Melenchon via Morguefile

businessman photo by Melenchon via MorguefileWhile some of his peers have shunned Wall Street as the land of the morally bankrupt, Jason Trigg’s moral code steered him there. He is after money — as much as he can earn.

And he’s not alone. To an emerging class of young professionals in America and Britain, making gobs of money is the surest way to save the world.

(READ the article from the Washington Post)

Photo by Melenchon via Morguefile

 

 

Elderly Dad With Dementia All Smiles When Re-Taught to Ride a Bike

bicycle riding senior with runner on sidewalk-RatRodBikes

bicycle riding senior with runner on sidewalk-RatRodBikesOn a cycling website, a man from Minneapolis and his wife told the story of her father, a 79-year-old man with some dementia and how they taught him to ride a bike after 50 years.

“He still shovels snow and mows the grass…” but he didn’t remember what childhood bikes were for, began the post on RatRodBikes.com.

They practiced awhile with someone running along on each side — stopping, standing, and launching the rotation of the pedals.

“Soon he was riding faster than me running.”

All-Star Nascar Driver Distributes Supplies, Donates Winnings for Tornado Victims

NASCARs Jimmie Johnson-FBcharityphoto

NASCARs Jimmie Johnson-FBcharityphotoAfter the devastating tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma, four-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and his wife Chandra, who grew up in that state, wanted to help. In addition to donating his Charlotte All-Star race winnings, reported to be $1 million, they visited the town on Thursday, along with other NASCAR officials, to help bring some relief to families.

At the Lowe’s Home Improvement store there, the group passed out supplies including buckets, gloves, disinfectant wipes and oatmeal. The company, which is also a sponsor of Jimmie’s, has already donated $1 million to tornado relief.

Apple Taps Former EPA Head Lisa Jackson to Boost its Green Profile

Lisa Jackson EPA portrait

Lisa Jackson EPA portraitAs part of its effort to position itself as a clean-energy leader, Apple is hiring former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson as its vice president for environmental initiatives. Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the high-profile hire Tuesday at a technology conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.

“Apple has shown how innovation can drive real progress by removing toxics from its products, incorporating renewable energy in its data center plans, and continually raising the bar for energy efficiency in the electronics industry,” Ms. Jackson told Politico in an e-mail.

Community Adopts 45 Orphans From War-torn Country

orphans Liberia NC family photo

orphans Liberia NC family photoTen years ago, 12 boys from a Liberian choir visited the United States to raise money for their orphanage, and touched the hearts of a North Carolina town. Forty-five boys from that orphanage have since been adopted and are now living what they only dreamed a decade ago.

The young boys had traveled to the U.S. from the West African country of Liberia to raise awareness of the needs of children whose parents had died during the country’s years-long civil war.

Lysa Terkeurst, a mom of three girls who lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, was so moved by the boys’ performance at a local church that she was inspired to do the extraordinary.

(WATCH the video from TODAY below, or READ the article here)

Gardeners Team Up to Grow 60,000 Pounds of Produce for New Mexico Food Pantries

love helping teeshirt-Seed2NeedPhoto

love helping teeshirt-Seed2NeedPhotoIn 2008 Leslie Davis suggested to her mother, a Master Gardener in New Mexico, that in addition to cultivating flowers for worthy causes, she might try growing fresh produce for the community, especially since the recent recession had left so many people unemployed and so many food pantries overburdened.

That discussion five years ago grew like a seed into a thriving bounty of volunteers who harvest thousands of pounds of produce, sometimes in a singe weekend, for people in need.

Led by Penny Davis and dozens of Sandoval County Master Gardeners, the happy band of do-gooders labor to feed their neighbors under the non-profit banner Seed2Need. (Watch a video at the bottom)

80 of them recently gave up their Saturday in the town of Corrales, near Albuquerque, to sit in the dirt planting the seedlings that would grow to fill two lush acres with tomatoes, green chiles, cucumbers, melons, green beans, carrots and zucchini. The project originally started with a small plot of land donated in the nieghbor’s horse corral but now the group works in a large irrigated field where boy scouts, families and retired folks together can plant and cover 2000 tomato plants in just over two hours. Two weeks later 3500 green chile plants were also dug in.

“It was a demonstration of the power of teamwork,” said Penny, who last year saw their labor of love generate a whopping 65,200 pounds of fruit and vegetables, with an estimated market value of $82,000. All of it was was donated fresh off the vine to fifteen food assistance programs in Sandoval and Bernalillo Counties.

gardening structures Seed2Need“It’s so fresh that dirt is still clinging to the tomatoes,” says Leslie Davis who moved back to the state after leaving her old job. The social camaraderie and sense of helping others has sparked a passion in the younger Davis.

She recounted with pride the story of a local man who owned an orchard. Last fall he offered 80 pristine trees to Seed2Need for the picking. A group of high school students had to go back three times to finish collecting the 11,000 pounds of flawless apples. Participating food pantries were overwhelmed with apples in the first week. There were so many that the central food bank of New Mexico was called in to distribute to other regional pantries.

“Two to three hours and all of a sudden you have 4000 pounds,” Leslie Davis told the Good News Network. “They had to send a huge truck.”

To keep down the costs and control quality the Master Gardeners grow their own seedlings in a greenhouse that, of course, was built and assembled by volunteers. With the tending of their skilled hands, the healthy organic plants thrive.

Farm tractor little Boy - Seed2Need photo“Little cub scouts are hidden by these bushes picking from tomato plants that are 5-and-a-half-feet tall,” recalls Leslie, who has noticed over the years of volunteering, the little boys growing up, too.

Seed2Need also provides an easy drop point for residents and farmers in late summer looking to unload their excess harvest. Tons of produce were collected this way last year both at the Corrales farmers market and from individual donations.

With the ongoing drought in the Southwest, the cost of produce is likely to climb, making projects like these crucial to those facing food insecurity.

If you would like more information, or would like to help, please visit their website at www.Seed2Need.us or visit the Seed2Need Facebook page.

Photo credits: Seed2Need

Woman Reunites With Abandoned Baby She Found in 1951

women reunited w abandoned baby she found-NBCvid

women reunited w abandoned baby she found-NBCvidA 62-year-old woman’s desire to find her birth mother led her back to California and into the arms of the resident who found the abandoned infant, in the front seat of her car.

“There was a little blue bundle on the passenger side front seat of the car, powder blue blanket, wrapped papoose style,” said Jan Hungerford. “Lifted the lid, and these two little eyes were staring at me.”

Now Jan is looking at those little eyes six decades later with gratitude for the new friendship between her and Kira Derhgawen.

(WATCH the video below – hit replay button- or READ the story from KGO-TV San Francisco)

Boy Wins National Spelling Bee, First Male Champ Since 2008

spelling champ 2013 boy

spelling champ 2013 boyArvind V. Mahankali, a 13-year-old boy from Queens, was showered with confetti as he became the champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee yesterday after correctly spelling “knaidel,” a Yiddish term meaning “dumpling.”

It was Mahankali’s fourth trip to the annual spelling bee, and his last because contestants must be under 14 years old. This time he earned $30,000 in prize money.

After Pranav Sivakumar misspelled “cyanophycean” in Round 15, Arvind correctly spelled “tokonoma” and “knaidel”, smiling and nodding as he did. His parents and brother joined him on stage as Arvind hoisted the trophy over his head.

EU’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sink to Lowest Since 1990

Greenhouse gases fell by 3.3 % in the European Union in 2011 to the lowest reported level of emissions since 1990 — even while the economy gained 1.6 % in GDP. The total EU emissions that year were 18.4 % below 1990 levels, according to data compiled by the European Environment Agency.

Best Wedding Photo Ever?

Wedding dinosaur photoshopped-QuinnMillerPhotog

Wedding dinosaur photoshopped-QuinnMillerPhotog

The photographer, a friend of the groom who knew that he loved dinosaurs, proposed an official wedding photo package that included a Jurassic surprise.

So, with a little help from Photoshop, and one shot at getting the photo, photographer Quinn Miller told everyone in the wedding party to run toward him looking scared.

With the addition of a T-rex and his magical editing skills, this photo is burning up the Web as “Best Wedding Photo Ever”.

Especially great this one, because he got the shot in one take.

(See a hi-resolution larger version of the photo here.)

The Barber in the Park: Man Called Joe Helps the Homeless and Inspires a Community

barber for homeless

barber for homelessFor the last 25 years, the man known as Joe the Barber has been offering homeless people in Hartford, Connecticut free haircuts in the park. They walk away sporting a new look, but also with new pride.

For payment? He’ll take a hug.

In 1988 he began offering his services to those in need after he had just retired. Inspiring words from a church sermon gave him the idea that if he could change the appearance of those less fortunate, maybe they could experience the world a little kinder.

He began in shelters and nursing homes, moved to the YMCA, but eventually the 82-year-old settled on an outdoor location near Bushnell Park.

Every Wednesday, unless he is on holiday in Florida, the nearby wooden benches are packed with homeless people — and any other people — waiting for a relaxing haircut and a shave.

(WATCH the video from Fox-CT, or READ the story from Good Morning America)

Thanks to Jaime Sotis for submitting the link!

Rockefeller Charity Pumps $97 Million into Digital Jobs for Unemployed African Youth

African youth digital jobs program-RockFound

African youth digital jobs program-RockFoundThe Rockefeller Foundation is spending $97 million on the digital scene in Africa as part of its ongoing initiative to create jobs for young Africans in the rapidly growing information and communications technology sector.

The plan intends to use a technology bridge as a pathway out of poverty for 1 million unemployed youth (15-35) in six countries, according to the Rockefeller Foundation website.

Woman Who Found Dog in Rubble Receives Outpouring of Donations to Replace Home

Lady finds dog in tornado

Lady finds dog in tornadoThe video of an elderly woman finding her dog beneath the rubble of her home in Moore, Oklahoma after it had been leveled by a tornado so moved people that they began emailing the CBS news team with offers of support.

Erin DeRuggiero, of Minneapolis, Minn., went a step further when she learned that Barbara Garcia’s home had not been insured. She set up a fundraising page on GoFundMe with a simple plea, “Let’s show her what love and community is all about.”

Since the page was launched nine days ago, $50,000 has been raised for the widow and her dog to buy a new home.

Barbara says she feels more blessed every day. “All you have to do is drive down the street and see the people that… there is just an outpouring of caring and love.

(WATCH the video from May 24, or READ the transcript at CBS News)

Firefighters Use Crane to Rescue Horse Trapped in Well

horse well rescue charity photo

horse well rescue charity photoFirefighters successfully hoisted a horse out of a well in California Monday after it had fallen in and struggled to swim in the 20-feet of water, a fire battalion chief said.

“I actually thought he wasn’t going to make it, then somebody came up with the idea to raise the water level up,” he said.

NYC Launches its Bike Sharing Program, the Nation’s Largest

bike-share-boston

bike-share-bostonThe nation’s biggest bicycle-sharing program got rolling Monday, as thousands of New Yorkers got their first chance to ride a network billed as a new form of public transit in a city known for it.

The privately financed program—called Citi Bike, after lead sponsor Citigroup Inc.—kicked off with 6,000 bikes at more than 300 stations. Plans call for expanding it to 10,000 bikes docked at 600 places in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

Clicking Like a Dolphin Lets Sightless People ‘See’ With Sound

blind man in mall-CC

blind man in mall-CCDaniel Kish, blind since he was an infant, can easily dodge the pedestrians, signposts and mailboxes that line the city sidewalk.

He’s taught himself the skills of a dolphin. By clicking his tongue and paying close attention to the echo, he can identify surrounding objects and their location — even their textures.

Now he is teaching young people to become independent using the echolocation.

(WATCH the video below or READ the story from NBC News)