Rap fan pays fine rather than listen to classical music
URBANA, Ohio (AP) -- A defendant had a hard time facing the music.
Andrew Vactor was facing a $150 fine for playing rap music too loudly on his car stereo in July. But a judge offered to reduce that to $35 if Vactor spent 20 hours listening to classical music by the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.
Vactor, 24, lasted only about 15 minutes, a probation officer said.
It wasn't the music, Vactor said, he just needed to be at practice with the rest of the Urbana University basketball team.
"I didn't have the time to deal with that," he said. "I just decided to pay the fine."
In October 2008 a Japanese company will become the first in the world to begin mass-producing a robot that assists humans in moving their limbs.
A research team led by University of Tsukuba Professor Sankai Yoshiyuki has developed the device, which is called Robot Suit HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) TM. Sankai is the CEO of Cyberdyne Inc., the company that plans to begin making this robot suit available for rental through sales outlets.
Manufacturing robots and realistic humanoid robots are just two of the numerous kinds of robots that are already in use. A robot suit is a wearable device that dramatically increases the strength of the wearer. Robot Suit HAL is worn over the arms and legs and assists body movement through eight electric motors attached to shoulders, elbows, knees, and the waist.
As it supports the wearer's own limb movements, the robot suit must detect how the wearer is trying to move his or her arms and legs and quickly respond. Most of the robots that have been developed so far in this field rely on sensors to detect motion and then activate motors.
When you want to move your body, your brain sends out an electric signal that is received by your muscles, which then contract, thus producing motion. This electric signal travels to the muscles via the body's nerves, generating a slight voltage of electricity on the surface of the skin. This is known as a bioelectric signal, and Robot Suit HAL detects them using the sensors placed around the wearer's body. Depending on the voltage running the surface of the skin, the computer inside Robot Suit HAL analyzes the signal and sets the appropriate motors in motion.
This unique method of operation means that a person can control Robot Suit HAL by his or her own will, even if he or she is unable to actually move. And as the suit detects the signal sent from the brain even before it gets to the muscle, it can move an instant before the muscle does.
When a person wearing Robot Suit HAL picks up an object that weighs 40 kg, he/she feels as if it weighed only a few kilograms. Robot Suit HAL is therefore expected to have a wide range of applications, such as assisting carers, helping people with physical disabilities to move, and assisting people performing jobs that require a great deal of physical strength. In order to facilitate the commercialization process, Professor Sankai and others formed Cyberdyne Inc. in 2004. In October 2008, the company plans to move into a factory currently under construction that will allow them to manufacture up to 500 suits a year.
It is possible the best funniest news broadcasting station. Check out these highlights from the presidential campaign thus far. By the way this is only the tip of the iceberg of "amazing balanced and fair news broadcasting".
This takes the cake...
Just look at the poll on the bottom of the screen...
Kanye West's new music video for 'LoveLockdown' premiered on the Ellen Show. Now I am a huge fan of his- I have his albums, went to the Glow In The Dark Tour [which was amazing], take material from his blog - but this new music video was a slight disappointment. And it bothers me that other fans are calling him a genius for it. It is a perfect example of the statement "art for art's sake", nothing more. He did all the cliche artsy things you could possibly do- minimalism (with color and subject), contrast between old and new, as well as realism and fantasy. Basically, it is a big yawner. Sorry Yeezy, but I expect better!
I am not a huge fan of her previous work, but you should expect to hear her name a bunch in the coming months. She will be debuting her first US single "Eat You Up" (Produced by Bloodshy & Avant!!!) featuring Flo Rida on October 14th. Here is some back ground info on her and a teaser clip of her first single's music video "Eat You Up":
Boa Kwon (born November 5, 1986),commonly known by her stage name BoA, is a Korean singer, active in both South Koreaand Japan. Born and raised in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, BoA was discovered by SM Entertainment talent agents when she accompanied her older brother to a talent search. In 2000, after two years of training, she released ID; Peace B, her debut Korean album, under SM Entertainment. Two years later, she released her debut Japanese album, Listen to My Heart, under the Avexlabel.
BoA's multilingual skills (she speaks Japanese and conversational English along with her native Korean and has recorded songs in Mandarin Chinese)have contributed to her commercial success in South Korea and Japan and her popularity throughout Asia. She is one of only two non-Japanese Asians who have had million-selling albums in Japan and is one of only two artists to have six consecutive number-one albums on the Oricon charts.
I found this story at BBC.com:
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