The powers that be here at Industrial Equipment News have chosen to embody the ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness by providing our staff with an entire week to enjoy the upcoming holiday. Unfortunately, that means this will be the last IEN Now of the first half of 2019.
On the bright side, we’re able take this opportunity to provide a look at the top five episodes of the year so far.
Starting off is a recent story about inventor turned inmate Douglas Brendle. After inventing Fitwall, which serves as a stainless steel mini gym that can accommodate varying types of workouts, he sold the rights for $1.5 million. The problem is that he didn’t bother with the $400,000 in taxes that were part of the sale. Hopefully he can get his invention moved into this prison cell, as he’ll have plenty of free time over the next 18 months.
At number four, was a story about China trying to outdo the U.S. military’s railgun. The Chinese version would leverage magnetized plasma technology to develop artillery guns capable of firing hypervelocity rounds at about 4600 mph. Unlike the railgun, which is driven by electricity, a magnetized coating is placed on the exterior of the barrel. This magnetic field combines with the heat and pressure generated by launching the round to decrease friction enough to be effective from just over 60 miles away.
At number three is one of the craziest stores of the year. A 57-year-old man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after lacing his co-workers sandwiches with lead, mercury and cadmium. These acts put one man in a coma with permanent brain damage, while two others suffered serious kidney damage and now face a higher risk of cancer. According to prosecutors, the man just wanted to watch his colleagues physically deteriorate.
At number two was a common topic of our coverage in 2019 – Tesla. We covered a growing trend where drivers of large trucks are intentionally parking in spaces reserved for Tesla charging stations. It’s a practice referred to as ICEing – borrowing the acronym from their Internal Combustion Engine-powered vehicles. Other EV drivers are being exposed to “rolling coal” displays by drivers of diesel trucks. These vehicles are modified to supply the engine with excess fuel, leading to emissions in the form of a thick cloud of black exhaust when accelerating.
At the top of the list is the tragic story of 2,000 Porche and Audi vehicles being lost off the French Atlantic coast in late March. Fortunately, all crewmembers of the Grande America were able to get to safety as the ship burned and sank. The casualties included four custom-made 911 GT2 RS models that carry a price tag of $300,000 each.
Thanks for watching and we’ll be back with more of the latest news and insight after the Fourth.
