Certain satellite navigation systems in England are sending drivers dangerously close to the edge of a 100ft cliff. Apparently when people enter the destination of a small village named "Crackpot" into their cars' GPS systems, they are directed to take a winding cliffside road that is usually reserved for hikers and 4x4s. I can't say that I'm surprised to see GPS systems attempting to murder their feeble human "owners," and I guess this explains why my car keeps telling me to go to that one abandoned meat packing plant that always seems to have its lights on.
NASA rocket scientist Charles Bienz has designed an ultra aerodynamic backpack that will allow downhill skier Henry Egger to reach speeds of around 120mph. The backpack, affectionately referred to as "Emma", is an "optimized shell" made from Kevlar and carbon fiber that keeps Henry in an "aerodynamically ideal position." Emma was tailor-made for Henry Egger after mapping out his body with lasers, and it weighs around 26 pounds. When not on the ski slopes, Emma transforms into a red 18 wheeler, allowing Henry to easily "roll out."
A Japanese quadriplegic is planning on ascending a Swiss mountain the way most people do, strapped to the back of a mountaineer wearing a specialized robotic suit. Seji Uchida has always dreamed of climbing the alps, but a traffic accident in 1983 left him completely paralyzed from the neck down. Thanks to the development of HAL, a robotic suit which amplifies the strength of its wearer, Seji finally has an opportunity to completely ascend Breithorn mountain. Seji will be attached to the back of experienced alpinist Ken Noguchi, who will use HAL to carry Seji up the final ascent to the 13,741ft peak. After the mountain trek is successful, scientists plan on using the HAL suit to unlock the mystic powers of the slam dunk, and finally crack the sacred code of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Five teenage girls ages 16-17 may face criminal charges for hanging seventeen Super Mario Bros. "question blocks" around their small town. When residents spotted the cardboard boxes, they rightly assumed that Batman's arch-nemesis the Riddler was attacking their small Ohio town, and they immediately called the Sheriff's Department, Fire Department, HAZMAT crew, and Bomb Detection Unit. After the fiasco, the five girls claimed responsibility, and probably vowed to use a more recognizable game for their next prank. Like Burger Time.
A man in Nova Scotia has been banned from hunting for 20 years after he shot a robot moose decoy. The Natural Resources Department started using the robot decoy to help track down poachers of mainland moose, which has been on the endangered species list since 2003. "After eleven or so shots, when the moose started beeping and spraying sparks wildly, that's when I guessed that something was wrong," is what I assume the hunter said after getting arrested for shooting a giant plastic robot.
Navman has launched a new series of GPS units that include a hard drive and digital camera. When you find a place that you really like, you can use the camera to take its picture, and use that picture as the place mark for the location on the GPS. Navman has eventual plans for sharing picture albums and locations online, allowing other people to visit the exact KFC where you had that amazing BBQ Chicken Sandwich or that Dairy Queen where you go to wrestle those three hobos.