Pedro's Weblog
Boy Donates One Million Pennies
Andrew Niemi of Carleton, Mich., began collecting pennies the day after Christmas in 2006. Using fundraisers, his goal was to gather one million of the copper coins, and he finally reached that mark in March.
The fourth grader presented his school, St. Patrick Catholic, with a $10,000 check. It accounted for each of the one million pennies.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 2 commentsChildren’s Book Week
Today begins the longest running literary event in the country—Children’s Book Week.
From May 12 to 18, schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs and families will celebrate with storytelling, parties, author and illustrator appearances and other book related events.
Click here to read more and see how to get involved.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 1 commentBlind Man Bowls 300
Seeing the pins isn’t an issue for Dale Davis, 78. The visually impaired Iowan relies on his hearing and his friends to tell him how well he’s doing on the lanes.
The cheers he heard Saturday at Century Lanes told him he had bowled a perfect score of 300, achieved by bowling 12 consecutive strikes.
Davis went blind years ago, and he gave up on bowling. His sister encouraged him to give it another try, and he now plays six games a week. This was his first perfect game, and the first bowled at Century Lanes.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsInternational Migratory Bird Day
Celebrating the animal kingdom’s frequent fliers, the annual International Migratory Bird Day will be held this Saturday, May 10.
More than 700 bird species journey to different climates each summer and winter. Hundreds of national wildlife refuges have been established to safeguard habitats for these traveling birds. This Saturday, many of those same refuges will host festivals, demonstrations, watches and other events to celebrate this special occasion.
Click here to find an event near you.
Boy Finally Removes Favre Jersey
David Witthoft took off his beloved Brett Favre Green Bay Packers jersey last month, more than four years after he started wearing it.
The Connecticut 12-year-old received the green Favre jersey as a gift for Christmas in 2003. He wore the No. 4 jersey every day for 1,581 consecutive days until finally giving in April 23. His mother washed the jersey every other day and mended it when needed. David became concerned about his appearance when the jersey barely reached his belt line.
Though the jersey is gone, David plans to attend the Packers’ game Sept. 8, the date on which Green Bay will retire Favre’s No. 4.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 6 commentsScouting Mother Wins Cookout
A mother inspired by her Scout children has been named the Southwest’s Best Campfire Chef. Lisa Williams of Plano, Tex., won the award this past Saturday at the Redwood Creek Wines Campfire Classic.
Williams is the mother of three Boy Scouts. She wanted to create recipes even her “picky” boys could enjoy. Her winning recipe was entitled Swordfish a Roux Turtle Packs.
After winning the Southwest title, Williams now advances to compete in New York City for the national grand prize of $10,000 and a donation of $5,000 to the national park of her choice.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Add a commentElectric Sports Car
Owning a sports car doesn’t have to mean you’re guzzling gas anymore. New car company Tesla has made its all-electric Roadster available to the public.
The Roadster performs much like any top-of-the-line sports car. For instance, it goes 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. The only difference is you don’t have to fill it up. The 100 percent electric engine gets an equivalent of 135 miles per gallon. You can drive 220 miles per charge, and it should cost less than 2¢ per mile to power the vehicle. That’s a relief with gas prices skyrocketing.
Of course, the Roadster won’t come without cost. The sticker price is $109,000. Celebrities such as Arnold Schwartzenegger, George Clooney and Will.i.am have already ordered the new Tesla.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsBreath-Holding World Record
David Blaine set a world record by holding his breath for 17 minutes, 4.4 seconds, on Wednesday. He performed the feat live on Oprah Winfrey’s television show.
A sphere full of water became Blaine’s home, as he broke the record previously set on Feb. 10 by Switzerland’s Peter Colat.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 7 commentsShipwreck Treasure Found
A 15th-century ship has been found off the coast of South Africa. It’s filled with gold coins, copper ingots, elephant tusks and cannons to fend of pirates.
The mysterious ship was not found intact. Beaten by the surf, the wreckage was strewn about a coastal area. The discoverers are trying to piece together the story of this ship, which probably went down in stormy weather about the same time Columbus was reaching the Americas.
Judging by the Spanish and Portuguese coins, as well as signs that worms were working on the ships hull, indications are that it was an older vessel sent by a European ruler to trade for ivory. The artifacts will be studied further, as experts try to uncover the ships identity.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 4 commentsScout Returns Wallet, $800
J.R. Bouterse had lost his own wallet only weeks before when he came across a billfold with $800 inside. He knew what the unfortunate owner was going through.
The 11-year old from Dorr, Mich., immediately turned over the wallet and money to an adult, who in turn gave it to law-enforcement officials. It was quickly returned to its rightful owner.
As a reward, the Michigan State Police threw a pizza party for J.R. and the rest of Troop 90. The owner of the wallet made an appearance at the party to personally thank J.R.
His own wallet, which contained $45, has not been returned.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 7 commentsColossal Squid Thawing
The biggest squid ever captured has begun thawing. This “colossal squid” — or Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni — was caught near Antarctica in Feb. 2007. It weighed 1,091 pounds, and has been frozen in a New Zealand lab since its discovery.
Only six colossal squids have ever been caught. Once this specimen is slowly thawed in a saltwater bath, it will be studied to learn more about the mysterious creature. Scientists want to learn more about the creature’s habits and if even bigger squids are lurking in our oceans’ darkest depths.
Click here for a Web cam of the thawing squid.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 7 commentsTwo Holes-In-One
Iowan Ted Kemp sank two holes-in-one during his round Monday at Muscatine Municipal Golf Course. The 36-year old from Letts, Iowa, aced back-to-back par 3s, holes No. 3 and 8.
Kemp claimed it was “more luck than skill,” and the numbers back that up. A Golf Digest feature from 2000 put the odds of making two holes-in-one in the same round at 67 million to one.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 4 commentsHeroes Needed - Enter And Win
Field & Stream magazine, with the help of the Boy Scouts of America, the Hudson Valley Council and Boys’ Life magazine, is looking to honor the conservation efforts of Boy Scouts across the country. Through their Heroes of Conservation program, Field & Stream profiles the grassroots efforts of everyday outdoorsmen and women to preserve our natural resources.
If you or your Troop has performed any conservation work this past year, please fill out the nomination form and send it in. The editors of Field & Stream will select three Scouts and feature them in the magazine and one Boy Scout will win the Boy Scout of the Year Award, presented at the Heroes of Conservation Awards Gala in New York City this September.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Add a comment41 Hours In Elevator
Video has surfaced of a man stuck in an elevator for 41 hours. It was Oct. 15, 1999, when the incident occurred, but the recently released video has become an Internet sensation.
Nicholas White was working on a Friday night at New York’s McGraw-Hill building when he left to take a break. Since it was the weekend, no one noticed that the elevator was not moving.
The time elapsed video shows White climbing the walls, prying open the doors and curled up in the fetal position.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 7 commentsSnack-Pack Attack
A semi truck full of Jell-O snack packs overturned Wednesday in St. Johns County, Fla., covering I-95 with pudding.
Wading through congested traffic, the truck overturned after the driver slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting a truck in front of him. While the driver was taken to the hospital, his injuries are not life threatening. No one else was injured.
Click here to see photos of the pudding-covered highway.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 7 commentsAlligator Stumbles Into Kitchen
A woman in Pinellas County, Fla., had an uninvited guest for dinner this week.
Sandra Frosti, 69, was in her kitchen when an eight-foot long alligator wandered into the room. She immediately called 911.
Frosti believes the alligator came in through a screen door on the back porch. A plate that fell during the incident cut the gator, but no one was seriously hurt. A trapper captured and removed the alligator.
Click here to see a picture of the intruding alligator.
Dog Treks Home
A Siberian husky traveled 77 miles through Nevada’s high desert and mountain ranges to return home a week after getting lost.
Doug Dashiell last saw his dog, Moon, while at a rest stop near Railroad Valley, Nev. He had taken three dogs on a weekend trip. After searching for several hours, Dashiell returned home to Ely, Nev.
Eight days later, the owner received a call from the White Pine Veterinary Clinic saying that Moon had returned to Ely and was wandering around town. The two-year-old husky was no worse for wear.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 7 commentsTire Rack Street Survival
Coming to a city near you, Tire Rack Street Survival is a driver’s safety course geared toward teenagers behind the wheel.
While traditional novice-driver education programs are based on classroom theory and simple maneuvers, Tire Rack Street Survival improves driver competence trough hands-on experiences in real-world driving situations. Teenagers learn from experienced and knowledgeable driving instructors how their actions govern a car’s responses, what their vehicle’s limitations are and how to avoid accidents entirely. Unlike other advanced driving schools, students learn using the vehicle they will drive most, so skills can be directly translated to their own daily driving experiences.
Click here to see if TRSS is coming to your town.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 4 commentsSoft-Shell Turtle Found
A giant soft-shell turtle has been discovered in northern Vietnam. Once thought to be extinct, researchers from Cleveland Metroparks Zoo made the find.
The Swinhoe’s soft-shell turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in the world. The reptile, which can weigh up to 300 pounds and measure up to three feet, has been known to live more than 100 years.
Three other Swinhoe’s live in captivity, but the species remains on the brink of extinction.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 1 comment213 Balloons, One Nose
A Washington boy, 13, is claiming a world record after he blew up 213 balloons in one hour … using only his nose.
Andrew Dahl performed the feat Friday in the Blaine, Wash., public library, and his feat has been submitted for review by Guinness World Records. His father made sure that each balloon reached 20 centimeters in diameter, and his mother kept the tally.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsJackie Robinson Anniversary
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson slipped into a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform and broke the Major League Baseball “color line.” Robinson batted second, played first base and scored the go-ahead run, as the Dodgers beat the Boston Braves 5-3.
Robinson would go on to win Rookie of the Year in 1947. He also won the National League Most Valuable Player trophy in 1949 and led Brooklyn to a World Series title in 1955.
Today, many players and coaches around baseball will wear No. 42 in honor of Robinson.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Add a commentRecord-Breaking Swimsuit
New technology in swimwear could lead to many world records falling at the Beijing Olympics in Aug.
The Speedo LZR was unveiled in Feb. Since then, the setter of all but one of 23 world records to be broken has worn the new suit. The governing body of international swimming has not banned the suit, but it does provide buoyancy and less drag to those wearing it, thereby making competitive swimmers faster.
United States swimming coach Mark Schulbert is recommending that each of his swimmers wear the Speedo LZR.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 5 commentsGreat Moonbuggy Race
High school and college students representing 20 states and a number of different countries participated in the 2008 Great Moonbuggy Race last weekend. Competing at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., entrants had to traverse a 0.7-mile course faster than any other team.
Team II from Erie High (Kans.) won the high school division, while a team from Evansville University won the college division. Teams had to navigate through and around craters, rocks, hardened lava ridges, inclines and lunar soil.
Click here to read more about this adventure.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Add a commentHamburger-Making Machine
A team from Purdue University won the annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest with its hamburger-making machine.
The students used a 156-step recipe to win Saturday’s competition. After winning the regional competition in February, the Purdue team added 55 steps to its process.
Click here to see pictures and read more.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsLungless Frog Found
The first known species of frog that breathes without lungs has been found on the Indonesian island of Borneo. The frog receives oxygen through its skin.
Named the Barbourula kalimantanensis, this rare species was first described in 1978 and again 15 years later. Those specimens were deemed to valuable to dissect. Biologist David Bickford performed partial dissections when he encountered the species on a recent trip to Borneo.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 5 commentsCrescent Moon Alongside Pleiades
Look to the sky Tuesday, and see the crescent Moon move side-by-side with Pleiades—also known as the Seven Sisters constellation.
The crescent Moon lit by “Earthshine,” as Leonardo Da Vinci called the light of our planet illuminating the Moon’s dark region, has been called one of the most beautiful sites in the heavens. Tuesday marks an especially momentous occasion. This Earthshine will gently illuminate the dark area opposite a 12 percent crescent, and the Seven Sisters will align with the Moon.
For best viewing, look west shortly after sunset, and use binoculars to see the show. The crescent Moon, Earthshine and Pleiades should all be visible in the same field.
Click here to read more, see star maps and pictures.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsGet The Driver’s Edge
Let racecar drivers teach you behind-the-wheel safety. Auto accidents are the leading cause of teen fatalities, and Driver’s Edge is working to make a difference. This free driver’s education program will visit 19 cities in 2008 and is open to drivers 15 to 21. Even if you can’t make it to one of the sessions, contact Driver’s Edge for a free DVD about their program.
Click here to get cities and dates.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 1 commentTrash To Treasure Contest
PBS and Design Squad invite you to enter the Trash To Treasure contest. Kids of all ages are challenged to take an everyday item that is discarded or recycled and turn it into something useful.
The winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000, as well as a trip to an award-winning innovation lab to build a prototype of the winning design. The deadline to enter is June 30.
Click here to read more and enter the contest.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 2 commentsAncient Gold Found
A 4,000-year old piece of gold jewelry has been found near Peru’s Lake Titicaca. Researchers report that it is the oldest piece of gold jewelry ever found in the Americas.
The item was found while excavating a site with human remains. It is 600 years older than any other gold jewelry discovered in the Western Hemisphere.
Click here to see a picture of the artifact.
» Permalink | E-mail this to a friend | Read 3 commentsLet Mom Know You Care
May 11th is Mother’s Day, and to honor the special occasion, children ages 7 to 13 can participate in “7 Reasons Why I Love My Mom.” This contest runs is open through April 30.
To enter, send your list, plus a photo with your mother, to: 7 Reasons Why I Love My Mom Contest, 1710 First Ave., PO Box 283, New York, NY 10128.
Click here for more information.
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