| Mechanic transforms car parts into artwork
Old Brooklyn auto mechanic and muffler artist Todd Seeds can transform the rusty exhaust pipes from your Taurus into a springy, smiling Chihuahua. He can craft an elephant's trunk out of your Bronco's tailpipe. Perhaps if you're lucky, leftover pieces of your Mustang will be born again as an ominous red dragon. Or parts from your Cougar could someday become a wobbling penguin. Situated on a grassy patch behind the Mufflers For Less auto shop on Pearl Road, Seeds' display of muffler art includes a bald eagle clutching an American flag, a zebra and a wiener dog. You might say he's a sort of drive-through Doctor Dolittle. Or the auto mechanic's answer to St. Francis of Assisi. While lately Hollywood has seen Transformers change car parts into robots from another planet, Seeds has been crafting new additions for his auto parts animal park for seven years.
COLLIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT
The following incidents were reported to the Collin County dispatch office between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16.Aug. 1012:24 a.m., 1300 block of SH 78 South - Major accident; reporting person said they saw a car crash through a fence and flip over.1:13 a.m., 2200 block of Songbird - Vandalism; reporting person said a male beat his front door with a baseball bat.5:53 a.m., 1300 block of FM 8 West - Major accident; vehicle crashed into a ditch.6:05 a.m., 13000 block of CR 426 - Theft; reporting person reported stolen copper. 2:20 p.m., 4300 block of Community - Fraud; reporting person said someone wrote some bad checks in their name.2:54 p.m., 4700 block of Community - Vandalism; inmate damaged county property.3:06 p.m., 5500 block of SH 78 South - Theft; reporting person said someone stole his wallet at a store.8:38 p.m., 4300 block of Community - Fraud; person used personal identification fraudulently.Aug.
Skype products to be distributed through Musicway
Skype had taken on Musicway as a local distributor for its hardware produtcs. Australian Skype subscribers will soon be able to purchase Skype-certified hardware such as Skype starter kits, webcams, headsets and other products, through its distribution agreement with Melbourne-based Musicway Corporation. Musicway specialises in distributing accessory products to the audio, audio-visual, home DVD, in-car entertainment, MP3/MP4, television and video accessories markets. It distributes to bricks and mortar stockists across Australia and has been in business for over 30 years. The new partnership represents a dedicated push from Skype into the Australian retail hardware products market, said Chris Lewis, head of marketing and business development, Asia Pacific at Skype. “With the huge growth in subscriptions comes a burgeoning demand for the widespread availability of hardware peripherals and our partnership with Musicway will see products approved by Skype in numerous retail chains across the country." Many of the products under Musicway's remit were specifically designed for use with Skype, said Lewis.
Sony and Sky announce details of Go!Video for PSP
The Go! branded Video Download Service will launch in early 2008, and will be the first official PSP video download service anywhere in Europe.
It will allow millions of PSP owners to turn their device into a personalised library of programmes to enjoy whenever and wherever they choose.
The choice of programmes available will include a diverse mix of Sky content, spanning sports, entertainment, movies, music and animation.
In addition to a selection of some of the best content from its own channels, Sky plans to work with third-party channel brands and content owners to create an even more comprehensive service. This is the first time Sky will offer video content through a non-Sky branded service.
The movies and high profile sporting events, normally only available to Sky subscribers will be available on a pay per view basis, allowing users to choose their preferred way of using the download service.
Washington, local utility fight over firefighting costs
OKANOGAN, Wash. -- The state has filed suit against the Okanogan County Public Utility District in an attempt to recoup $161,000 in firefighting costs for a 2005 wildfire in north-central Washington. The Squaw Creek Fire was ignited Sept. 8, 2005, when a dead tree fell on a power line near Methow, about 50 miles north of Wenatchee. The fire burned an abandoned sawmill and 1,100 acres and forced the evacuation of six homes. According to the lawsuit, filed Aug. 7 in Okanogan County Superior Court by the state Department of Natural Resources, the public utility failed to remove the dead tree near its power line despite "repeated warnings of hazard trees in that vicinity." "It's standard procedure for us, when someone is clearly liable for starting a fire, to recover costs from them if possible," said DNR spokeswoman Patty Henson.
2007 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited Review
Times change, and the radical becomes mainstream. The Subaru Outback seemed so different when it debuted as one of the first crossover vehicles in 1995. Its raised ride height, permanent all-wheel drive, and by its second year, body cladding and other styling cues cashed in on the then-hot SUV style, but with superior fuel economy and vehicle dynamics. "The World's First Sport-Utility Wagon" brought Subaru from near-obscurity to fame and fortune, and provided inspiration for products from many another manufacturer. The Outback pretty much was the Subaru franchise from its inception until the arrival of WRX performance, and it's still a mainstay. But it's been a while since there was merely one variety of Outback. Today, there are Outback wagons and sedans for all sorts of needs and desires, from the low-budget functionality of the 2.5i Basic to the near luxury appointment of the 3.0R L.L.
European First Drive: 2005 Smart Forfour Brabus
Asking an American to convert kilometers to miles per hour on the fly is like asking a dairy cow to do trigonometry. Thus, it was not until late in the evening that yours truly calculated exactly that I had hit 145 mph in the Brabus-tuned 2005 Smart Forfour on German autobahnen. Now I understood the surprised expressions from Audi, BMW and Mercedes drivers. No one expects a Smart car to pass them going 145 mph. Blame Brabus Had the famed German tuning company tweaked Smart's otherwise humble Forfour sedan with anything less than its exceptional level of quality, I might not have been so brave. For those unfamiliar with Brabus, the Bottrop-based company has been making Mercedes-Benzes go a lot faster for over 20 years. Every vehicle associated with the three-pointed star — from G-wagens to the SLR supercar and even the mighty Maybach — has received some degree of Brabus modification.
Gasoline-electric Hybrid Technology Gains Momentum At Fords
Gasoline-electric hybrid technology continues to gain momentum and Ford Motor Company researchers are working hard to advance innovative hybrid solutions to address consumer interest. Ford unveiled a hydrogen-fueled, battery-powered plug-in Ford Edge at the 2007 Washington (D.C.) Auto Show in January. Unveiling the hybrid Edge in Washington helped Ford showcase the vehicle and its technology in front of leading government officials and legislators, an important audience as Congress begins working under new leadership. "Besides the public, the audience in Washington includes the people in charge of energy and clean air policy so this is very much a showplace for exhibiting what Ford technology can do in the future," said Scott Staley, Ford's chief engineer for Hybrid and Fuel Cell Technology Development.
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