A Little Friday File Fun (10/12)

Well, here’s a couple of thousand worth:

INCIDENT “TELL.”   If you travel a lot – or if you are simply fixated/fascinated on trouble spots in the world – there’s a new Web site for you.   Globalincidentmap.com lives up to its name, detailing events worldwide (admittedly, it employs a fairly broad definition of “incidents”) with icons spread across the globe.   Clicking on an icon brings up a screen with details of the report, including a brief summary as well as the source of the information.   The default setting is the past seven days, but you can narrow that window to the past two to three days – and you can expand it out to the “last 12 months” for a really scary perspective.  MORE at http://www.globalincidentmap.com/home.php

– – – In Largo, Maryland , 911 operators got an unexpected call for assistance recently – – – from French McGee – – – who was calling from Six Flags, Great Adventure here – – – more specifically from several stories up in the air where the Two Face, The Flip Side rollercoaster ride had gotten stuck – – – two hours later, when workers finally brought the ride down manually – – – the car raced to the bottom and braked violently enough to leave a dozen people injured – – – MORE at http://wjz.com/video/?id=31979@wjz.dayport.com

– – – Near Damariscotta, Maine , pumpkin and rafting enthusiasts recently joined efforts in the Giant Pumpkin Regatta – – – where those giant pumpkins wind up floating down the Damariscotta River – – – this year the race had a pair of 900 pound pumpkins – – – and one that topped 1,200 pounds – – – MORE at http://www.wlbz2.com/video/news/player.aspx?aid=26372&bw =

  – – – In Half Moon Bay, California , Thad Starr, of Pleasant Hill, Oregon set a new record at the annual pumpkin weigh-off here – – – 1,524 pounds (last year’s winner was a mere 1,223 pounds) – – – he’ll get $6 a pound, bringing his winnings to $9,144 – – – pumpkins were lowered by forklift onto a 5-ton capacity digital scale monitored by officials from the San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office – – – MORE at http://news.yahoo.com/photo/071008/480/293305f54a06404bb49b1613eab4fb64&g=events/lf/100907pumpkinfest;_ylt=Ak8lodGFSxVEs6pdxbrVehsuQE4F

– – – In Orlando, Florida , a group of engineering students at the University of Central Florida have created a vehicle that can drive itself around town without remote assistance from humans.   A 1996 Subaru Outback has been computerized to back out of a parking space, navigate a roadway and stop at an obstruction — without human assistance.  MORE at http://www.local6.com/news/14318122/detail.html