Daily Inbox, Author at Daily Inbox

18Sep

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World

Povertees Sews Lives Together

The idea is as simple as their name. Povertees is a not-for-profit organization that creates and sells stylish t-shirts, putting their proceeds towards helping Los Angeles' homeless rebuild their lives. Soon, the Povertees team will be taking their mission on the road.“I began to think about starting up during a time when social justice was becoming fashionable, especially among college students, and I happened to be a college student with an idea for T-shirts,” says Tyler Patterson, CEO of Povertees."T-Shirts are a great fundraising opportunity because when designed properly they will provide a huge return on investment," says Eric Uzelac of The Shirt Printer. Back in their college days, Patterson and his friend Hughie Hughes, who'd later go on to become the president of Povertees, wou...

Norristown Went Without a Street Sweeper for 19 Days This Summer

17Sep

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Local

Norristown Went Without a Street Sweeper for 19 Days This Summer

In Norristown, PA, residents may have noticed that the streets were a little less clean this past June. That is because one of the area’s street sweepers was out of commission for 19 days for repairs. The 2007 Elgin Pelican street sweeper had to be in the repair shop from June 9 to June 27. Norriston, located just six miles North of Philadelphia, is home to 25,000 residents. “We had to replace a number of different motors that operate the brooms. One was the main broom motor and some of the other motors run the side brooms,” explained Norrison public works director, Robert Glisson. “Grand Turk in Bridgeport, the manufacturer’s authorized repair facility, did the repairs for $24,000.” While the Pelican was out of commission, the second street sweeper attempted to handle some of its route...

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Strain Lives on Many Household Items, Research Shows

17Sep

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Lifestyle

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Strain Lives on Many Household Items, Research Shows

It isn't exactly surprising anymore when studies are released showing that the most common household items tend to carry the most bacteria -- but new research conducted by medical experts at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, WA shows that the type of bacteria carried on these items is more worrisome than the amount of bacteria. This research, published in JAMA Pediatrics on September 8, shows that the strain MRSA (Staphylococcus aureus), which happens to be resistant to most antibiotics, is very prevalent on common household items. In the past, this bacterial strain seemed to be "caught" by patients who were already in hospital environments; now, however, the latest research shows that this bacteria is often found in homes with children and/or pets. The items mos...

Shop Classes Putting Students on the Path for Comfortable Middle-Class Living

17Sep

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Business

Shop Classes Putting Students on the Path for Comfortable Middle-Class Living

In the U.S. schooling system, shop classes often have a reputation for being the "slacker classes" -- the easy A's that students take to fill up space, rather than for the purpose of truly learning a skill. That perception, though, might not be based in reality as the market for auto mechanics heats up throughout the U.S.Evan Fischbach is one example of a success story. Two years out of high school, he is already making $40,000 a year -- with expected earnings of $60,000 once he gains more industry experience. Fischbach took an automotive class during his junior year of high school, and right away realized he wanted to work on cars.His parents, both college-educated, weren't sure about his career options. But before he even graduated, a local auto dealer with too few mechanics on hand offe...

Apple Denies Claims that Security Breach Led to Leaked Celeb Photos

17Sep

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Lifestyle

Apple Denies Claims that Security Breach Led to Leaked Celeb Photos

Apple claims that the recent celebrity photo leak scandal that affected over 100 celebrities was not the result of a security breach in its systems. Rather, they say, it was a targeted attack on celebrity usernames, passwords and security questions. After being notified of reports of an iCloud breach, Apple spent over 40 hours investigating its systems involved with the attack that led to the leak of compromising photos of celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian and Kate Upton. The photos were stolen early last week and posted to the web forum 4chan. Users offered to exchange the photos for paypal and bitcoin payments. Soon after the photos were leaked, they began to circulate on Twitter, as well. Several Twitter account holders have already faced su...

$1K in Donations for Disabled Veterans Stolen

16Sep

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Local

$1K in Donations for Disabled Veterans Stolen

David Lee, a 76 year old veteran who was collecting disabled veterans donations for other local disabled vets, had nearly $1,000 in donations stolen from right under him in front of a Massachusetts supermarket last week. The suspect is a homeless white male in his late 20s or early 30s. The man was riding a bicycle, when he approached Lee and asked him, "What's that?", while pointing in another direction. When Lee looked where the man was pointing, the suspect proceeded to grab the donation bucket and pedal away on his bike. The man is known by other area homeless people. Police are still investigating. However, Lee was not at all discouraged or deterred. In fact, this event simply fueled his resolve to help other veterans. He was back outside the supermarket where he was robbed the ...

Nine Year Old in Pajamas Hijacks Bus, Just Because He Could

16Sep

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Local

Nine Year Old in Pajamas Hijacks Bus, Just Because He Could

Michael Pritchard saw two things: a running bus with its door open, and a small child riding by on his bike. What happened next might sound like a scene ripped right out of a family comedy."I looked in my mirror and I saw a little head in the driver's seat of the bus," said Pritchard. Yes, a 9 year old boy from Canada stole a bus and then took it out for a joyride while still in his pajamas -- because he could. "He had an opportunity to take it," said police spokesman Sgt. Ryan Smith said. "And he did." The littlest bus thief, who had to stand to operate the vehicle because his legs were too short to reach the pedals, joyrode the bus for about three blocks, turning right at least twice. "My wife looked out her window and saw a city bus and said, 'There's a boy driving that bus,'" ...

Priceless Raphael Painting Damaged by Outdated HVAC Systems

16Sep

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World

Priceless Raphael Painting Damaged by Outdated HVAC Systems

The faulty air conditioning system in the Galleria Borghese isn't just a burden on visitors: now it's damaging the paintings as well, including Raphael's Desposition, a priceless High Renaissance painting from 1507. The masterpiece, which was one of the highlights of the Rome museum's collection, has been severely damaged by the overwhelming heat, possibly past the point of repair. According to reports from the Independent, the extreme heat of the Italian summer warped the wood panel behind the painting. Director Anna Coliva described the air conditioning system as "completely worn out" and said there was little they could do other than open windows and use fans and dehumidifiers to encourage the painting straighten itself out. These efforts weren't enough to restore the painting ...

New Study Shows a Short Walks Can Help Damage From Prolongued Sitting

16Sep

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Lifestyle

New Study Shows a Short Walks Can Help Damage From Prolongued Sitting

If you've had any experience sitting at a desk and staring at a computer screen for eight hours a day, you know that the effects it has on your body are not very good. Slouching, headaches, lower back pain, carpal tunnel, etc. But did you know prolonged periods of sitting have also been associated with higher cholesterol levels and greater waist circumference, which can lead to cardiovascular and metabolic disease? Fortunately, a new study shows that there's a very simple way to combat these negative effects: taking a walk. That's right. According to researchers at Indiana University, just a 5-minute stroll for every one hour of sitting could reduce the damage to leg arteries and reduce the risk for heart disease. Researchers looked at 11 healthy men between the ages of 20 and ...

California HOAs Clash with Residents Over Anti-Drought Measures

15Sep

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Local

California HOAs Clash with Residents Over Anti-Drought Measures

The drought in California is hitting everyone on the east coast hard, but are homeowners associations doing enough to help their residents save water? A resident of the San Ramon neighborhood in Twin Creeks is locked in a battle with her HOA for a surprising reason, given the current situation. The association is objecting to her installation of a drought-resistant yard. Fran Paxton was met with resistance when she replaced her sod lawn with a type of mint that requires much less water to stay green and healthy. She claims she's just trying to be a good citizen. Her HOA claims that she's damaging the appearance of the neighborhood. The local water district was so pleased with the landscaping job that they gave her a rebate on the lawn makeover, but the Twin Creeks Homeowners Assoc...