A Japanese company is selling a pedometer that calculates how much money you save on taxi fares by walking as well as the calories you burn.
(READ the story at Reuters)
Japan Pedometer Gives Incentive to Skip the Taxi
Thousands of New Jobs in 4 States Put Unemployed Back to Work
This week we featured the report that Houston-area employers added 10,300 jobs from January to February. This piece of good news is not limited to one city. In Vermont, Alabama and New York, unemployment rates are dropping and thousands of new jobs are popping up.
There is encouraging news for Vermont in the state’s department of labor report showing the unemployment rate dropping to just over 6.5 percent. The state says Vermont added about 2,200 jobs in January and February. (WTEN.com)
Encouraging signs may uplift Alabama’s jobless ranks: February employment ended a three month slide in the state and its work force grew by 11,300. The State Department of Industrial Relations says those jobs came from across the board in areas such as professional and business services, manufacturing, hospitality, government and educational and health services. (MyFoxAL.com)
Thousands of New Jobs in 4 States Put Unemployed Back to Work
This week we featured the report that Houston-area employers added 10,300 jobs from January to February. Well, it turns out this good news is not limited to one city. In Vermont, Alabama and New York, unemployment rates are dropping and thousands of new jobs are popping up thanks to businesses keeping themselves organized. For those businesses who need new strategies, then consider using order fulfillment solutions.
There is encouraging news for Vermont in the state’s department of labor report showing the unemployment rate dropping to just over 6.5 percent. The state says Vermont added about 2,200 jobs in January and February. (WTEN.com)
Encouraging signs may uplift Alabama’s jobless ranks: February employment ended a three month slide in the state and its work force grew by 11,300. The State Department of Industrial Relations says those jobs came from across the board in areas such as professional and business services, manufacturing, hospitality, government and educational and health services. (MyFoxAL.com)
New Bee Sniffing Technology Helps Defend Against Biological Weapons
While bees are extremely important to our ecology, they are becoming important to our defense against biological and other weapons, as the bee’s discreet sense of smell, equivalent to a dog’s, is being exploited as a much cheaper way to detect various odors in the environment.
(READ the report at PhysOrg.com)
Photo courtesy of Sun Star
Pakistan Officials Seize Drug-Making Chemicals Worth $6 Million
The largest-ever amount of acetic anhydride, which is used to produce heroin from opium, was seized in Pakistan by authorities.
The chemicals, worth $5.5 million and weighing nearly 16 tons, were found in barrels labeled as paint destined for the city of Karachi by authorities at Port Qasim.
Officials from Pakistan’s anti-narcotic force, the Port Control Unit, made the seizure using profiling and intelligence-sharing techniques they had learned from the United Nations anti-drug agency’s Container Control Program.
New US-Russia Arms Treaty Cuts Nukes by a Third
A new arms control agreement between the United States and Russia was reached yesterday that would reduce the number of nuclear weapons deployed by about one-third.
U.S. President Barack Obama called the treaty the most comprehensive arms control agreement in nearly two decades. “It significantly reduces missiles and launchers and puts in place a strong and effective verification regime. And it maintains the flexibility that we need to protect and advance our national security, and to guarantee our unwavering commitment to the security of our allies.”
The two leaders are to sign the treaty April 8 in Prague, but the agreement must be ratified by the U.S. Senate and the Russian Parliament before it takes effect.
New US-Russia Arms Treaty Cuts Nukes by a Third
A new arms control agreement between the United States and Russia was reached yesterday that would reduce the number of nuclear weapons deployed by about one-third.
U.S. President Barack Obama called the treaty the most comprehensive arms control agreement in nearly two decades. “It significantly reduces missiles and launchers and puts in place a strong and effective verification regime. And it maintains the flexibility that we need to protect and advance our national security, and to guarantee our unwavering commitment to the security of our allies.”
The two leaders are to sign the treaty April 8 in Prague, but the agreement must be ratified by the U.S. Senate and the Russian Parliament before it takes effect.
Oregon Truck Driver Named Highway Hero of the Year
An Oregon truck driver who helped save the lives of three people involved in a fiery traffic accident, including a driver who was trapped in his burning vehicle, was awarded the 2009 Goodyear North America Highway Hero.
The 27th annual Highway Hero award honors Junichi Shimizu, who accepted the award and a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond during the Mid-America Trucking Show yesterday. Shimizu, of Gladstone, OR, also has been recognized by the California Highway Patrol with a certificate of commendation for his role in the lifesaving effort. (photo, right).
On February 20, 2009, Shimizu, a driver for Chipman Relocations, was driving westbound on Highway 12 near Fairfield, CA, and witnessed a vehicle cross the centerline of the road and strike an automobile in front of his truck. The auto spun into the ditch, and the other vehicle then hit his tractor twice before bursting into flames. Upon coming to a stop, Shimizu called for assistance and then headed to the vehicle that was in flames. Unable to open the driver’s side door due to the damage, he told the driver to protect his face and he punched out the glass in order to pull the driver free of the car. Gaining help from another motorist, he was able to free the driver’s foot, which was wedged under the dashboard, then carry the driver to safety. Running to the other car, he quickly assessed that the driver was deceased, but there were two injured passengers inside. The passengers were removed, and Shimizu retrieved his fire extinguisher to keep the blaze under control until the local fire department arrived.
“In this terrible accident, one driver perished, and our thoughts and prayers go out to this family,” said Joseph Copeland, Goodyear’s vice president of commercial tire systems.
“But we also honor the quick actions and selflessness of Junichi Shimizu. Although his own rig was struck in this accident, he remained calm and immediately pulled his vehicle to a stop and called for help. He then reacted quickly and put himself in harm’s way, in order to help rescue strangers who were in peril. Because of that decision, three lives were saved. For this, Junichi has earned the right to be called a hero.”
Shimizu was selected along with three other truck drivers as finalists for the 2009 award. Other finalists included:
- George Lantzy, of Turtle Creek, PA, a driver for Fubar Trucking. As Lantzy drove his tractor-trailer on Route 22 outside of Weirton, WV, on March 12, 2009, he noticed a car along the highway’s shoulder that was slowly drifting into traffic. As he drove closer, he saw an elderly woman slumped over the steering wheel, and realized something was drastically wrong. The car was headed toward a potential accident on the busy highway, so Lantzy made a snap decision to get involved. He maneuvered his rig alongside the car, and drove in front to allow the impromptu roadblock and easing the woman’s car away from danger. Once he was able to force the out-of-control car to a standstill, police and paramedics arrived. The driver, who had suffered a heart attack, was transported to a nearby hospital where she made a full recovery following surgery.
- Stephen Page, of Gloucester, MA, a driver for Pit Bull Trucking. On July 14, 2009, Page was driving along I-80 near Clearfield, PA, when he spotted a fire in the woods alongside the roadway. He and another driver ran into the woods to find the burning wreckage of a double-unit rig that gone nearly 1,500 feet off the highway. Upon reaching the driver of the truck, he first believed the driver had not survived, but then realized he had lost consciousness. The cab was getting hotter by the second, and Page and the other driver struggled to remove the victim. Finally, with the help of two more truckers who had stopped, the injured driver was removed before the tractor and trailer were completely destroyed by fire. Page stayed with the injured driver, talking with him as he drifted in and out of consciousness. With severe burns, the man was eventually flown to a hospital. He has a long road to recovery, but is alive, thanks to the lifesaving efforts of Page and others.
- Jesse Lee Seal, of Alma, AR, a driver for PDP Unlimited. Early in the morning of October 7, 2009, Seal was driving his 18-wheeler southbound on I-530 near Little Rock, AR, when another truck ahead of him abruptly swerved left, went across the median and the northbound lanes, eventually coming to rest on an opposite embankment. As this happened, the truck lost a fuel tank, which caught fire. Seal quickly stopped his truck, grabbed his fire extinguisher and ran across the lanes to provide assistance. As he passed by, he extinguished the burning fuel tank and hurried to the disabled truck. Once there, he was able to open the hot door, put out the fire that was burning the driver’s legs, and cut the seat belt to remove the injured driver.
Founded by Goodyear in 1983, the Highway Hero program recognizes professional truck drivers and the often unnoticed, life-saving rescues and roadside assistance they provide as their jobs take them across North America.
View the past winners and Nominate a professional truck driver for the 2016 on the Goodyear Highway Hero Award website.
Tweets Lead to Record Number of Potholes Filled in DC
Washington, DC commuters are experiencing a smoother ride to work these days. Since the year began, almost 12,000 potholes have been filled, thanks to the district’s new Twitter program that allows citizens to ‘tweet a pothole’.
Last year only 2,912 potholes were filled during the first 78 days.
The “Potholepalooza” campaign continues through the month of March.
(Twitter info at FamousDC.com)
Wheelchair Adventurer Travels Where No Chair has Ever Been (w/ Video)
At the age of 29, Andrew Shelley sat stuck in the same predictable 9 to 5 job as his father. Looking back on his life he realized that over the years he had been watching the man he wanted to be drift away.
His diagnosis at birth of a muscular degenerative disease predetermined a large portion of his life, including the need for a wheelchair before the age of 25. His career also was inherited. Coming from a family of engineers (both grandfathers, all uncles, his father, and brother) he naturally fell into the trade with no consideration of personal happiness.
Life in a cubicle meant exchanging the extreme adventurous life he had pictured as a child, for settling with fleeting weekend getaways. It appeared that his life was whittling away day by day, along with his now-90 lb body.
Every person reaches a crossroad of whether to continue down the path on which they finding themselves or discover the courage to start down a new path that leads to somewhere better. For Andrew that time was last year when he decided to set out on a backpacking journey around the world — to New Zealand, Cambodia, India, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates — places where a wheelchair had never been before.
The new feature length documentary, Beyond the Chair, follows Andrew and his 260-pound power chair specially equipped for off-road use.
WATCH the inspiring film trailer below… (Thanks to Jesse Gros for submitting the link!)
Wheelchair Adventurer Travels Where No Chair has Ever Been (w/ Video)
At the age of 29, Andrew Shelley sat stuck in the same predictable 9 to 5 job as his father. Looking back on his life he realized that over the years he had been watching the man he wanted to be drift away.
His diagnosis at birth of a muscular degenerative disease predetermined a large portion of his life, including the need for a wheelchair before the age of 25. His career also was inherited. Coming from a family of engineers (both grandfathers, all uncles, his father, and brother) he naturally fell into the trade with no consideration of personal happiness.
Life in a cubicle meant exchanging the extreme adventurous life he had pictured as a child, for settling with fleeting weekend getaways. It appeared that his life was whittling away day by day, along with his now-90 lb body.
Eco-Friendly Cemetery Allows Burial Without Casket
A West Virginia county board of supervisors has approved the development of an ecologically friendly cemetery.
A special-use permit approved this week allows for a funeral home to establish the 8-acre Duck Run Natural Cemetery on a former dairy farm in Penn Laird.
Bodies will be buried without embalming fluid, concrete vaults or gravestones. Bodies could be placed in a biodegradable casket but people may choose to be wrapped and buried without one.
A New Strategy For Getting Veterans Jobs
The U.S. Department of Labor is trying some new strategies to fight the 20 percent unemployment rate for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. One strategy made its national debut in Washington D.C. yesterday.
A jobs summit for female veterans was organized with employers who were matched with the veterans who registered and their particular skill sets.
Seventy-five women registered for the event — and the Department of Labor says the summit will be duplicated around the country if more than half the women here find jobs.
Obama Orders Lenders To Cut Mortgage Payments For Unemployed
The Obama administration launches another program to attack the foreclosure crisis, by spending TARP funds from the emergency bailout program for the financial system, and requiring lenders to slash or eliminate monthly mortgage payments for the unemployed for between 3-6 months..
Economist Mark Zandi estimates it would be a significant boost to the US economy.
Banks and other lenders would have to reduce the payments to no more than 31 percent of a borrower’s income, which would typically be the amount of unemployment insurance, for three to six months. In some cases, administration officials said, a lender could allow a borrower to skip payments altogether.
(READ the good news for unemployed homeowners in the Washington Post)
10,000 New Jobs Added in Houston in One Month
Local unemployment is down and job creation is better than usual for this time of year in Houston, Texas.
Houston-area employers added 10,300 jobs from January to February, above the average 8,000 to 8,500 jobs added during the same one-month period.
Chef Sets Out to Heal the Unhealthiest City in America
Jamie Oliver is not a doctor, but tomorrow he will launch a public revolution to heal the “Most Unhealthy City in America”. Jamie is a reknown chef who transformed the British school food system. Now, he takes his Food Revolution to Huntington, W.Va., where half of residents are obese, and local elementary school lunches are mostly fat, with breakfasts consisting of pizza.
Friday night, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, a new television reality show premiers on ABC. His aim is to use information and education to reduce the epidemic of obesity in Huntingon, and across America. The show, a 2-hour premiere, airs at 7:00 PM Eastern and 8 o’clock Central time. Find full episodes, recipes and more at the website. Check out Jamie’s biograpy on ABC.
Chef Sets Out to Heal the Unhealthiest City in America
Jamie Oliver is not a doctor, yet he is launching a revolution to heal the “Most Unheathy City in America”. Jamie is a reknown British chef who transformed the British school food system. Recently, he took his Food Revolution on the road to Huntington, West Virginia, where half of residents are obese, and local elementary school lunches are mostly fat, with breakfasts consisting of pizza.
His uphill fight is the subject of a new weekly ABC-TV show airing Friday nights. The aim is to use information and education to reduce the epidemic of obesity in Huntingon — and across America. The show airs at 7:00 PM Eastern and 8 o’clock Central time. Find full episodes, recipes and more at the website. Check out Jamie’s biograpy on ABC.
Amazon Tour Guide Turned Medical Angel for Poor
Nearly 21 years ago, Patty Webster landed her dream job as an adventure tour guide in the Amazon jungles of Peru. But as she shared the area’s beauty and culture with tourists, she realized there was no medical service to native people in this rainforest paradise.
Since 1993, Webster has been bringing medical relief to some of Peru’s poorest and most remote areas through her nonprofit, now known as Amazon Promise.
WATCH the video below, or read at CNN Heroes…
Stangers Become Blood Brother and Blood Sister (w/ Video)
Courtney joined the bone marrow registry as an undergrad at Georgia Tech. It was a quick process, a swab to her cheek. Two years later, she found out she was the only match out of 13 million donors on the registry for a father in his 50’s who would otherwise die of leukemia.
Courtney underwent the simple two-hour procedure, which she described as easy as giving blood. The hardest part for Scott, was finding the words to say thank you to a stranger who saved his life..
The bone marrow donor system is the only way to beat the horrific disease of leukemia. The story of a dying man and a grad student half a world away, who gave ten minutes of her time as a donor, illustrates how easy it would be to successfully treat leukemia and other blood diseases if everyone registered as a bone marrow donor.
Go to www.marrow.org to sign-up to be a marrow donor.
Watch the video below, or read the story at 11-Alive Atlanta…
Formal Mens Choir Delights Audience with HOT Number (Video)
Even a staid men’s choir can step out once in a while.
Watch as the Cottontown Chorus surprises their audience by belting out ‘Fat-Bottomed Girls” by Queen.
The chorus was formed in 1979 and has been the British Barbershop Champions three times in the last five years.
(Thanks to Nic DePalma for the link!)