In Brief – August 2017
With moss-covered seats surrounded by vibrant flowers wrapped around poles, Taiwan’s ‘forest bus’ is now charming passengers with a lush green ride. Florist Alfie Lin has decorated an ordinary single-deck city bus with moss, orchids, ginger lilies and a variety of ferns, converting it into a mobile green house. The bus, that targets tourists, will be driving through Taipei with stops at art galleries, temples and a night market, and can carry 20 passengers.
Shandong Ecoffin International, a coffin making company set up by Chinese businessman Alex Sun, has come up with a green way for burial. Coffers made of paper, wicker and seagrass were on display at an expo held at Hong Kong. European customers are aware of this concept, now Asian clients, especially from Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and China, have expressed great interest, says the company.
Ever fantasised about flying in an Iron Man-style flight suit? Well, British inventor Richard Browning can help your dream come true. He designed a Daedalus-inspired suit and amazed delegates at a recent TED Conference when he lifted off from the Vancouver Harbour. Powered by six gas turbine engines and attached with a helmet and body armour, the suit is capable of flying at 320 kmph at an altitude of a few thousand feet. Browning is eyeing a business opportunity and sees potential for its use in the military, search and rescue work, and theme parks. The suit could cost around $250,000.
Manchester Trailblazers Rotary Club in the UK is now led by Martin Judd. At 22, he is probably the youngest serving president in the world. Judd, son of a racehorse trainer, was born in Tokoroa, New Zealand. He shifted to UK in 2012, joined the newly formed Manchester Trailblazers in 2014, and was elected President Nominee within a year. He works in customer services at Manchester Piccadilly’s Waitrose branch. The average age of a UK Rotarian is 72. The youngest Rotary president in Rotary’s 112-year history is Tony Mendez, who was 21 when he became President of RC Roaring Fork, Colorado, US in 2015
Chapati, a stray dog from Kochi, Kerala, once starved and dying on the roadside, now has a passport and is touring the world. Chapati was adopted by a Ukranian couple, and has visited Thailand, Philippines and Nepal till now, apart from covering 5,500 km, touring 10 cities, staying in 13 hotels and travelling in 16 trains within the country. Chapati has been on every mode of transport — buses, trains, planes, cars, rickshaws, ferries, catamarans, and even a motorbike. She has an Instagram account too where she shares photographs of her travel adventures.
