Free Republic

Note: Photo included. "France: Riots over killing of Muslim man Cars burned, police shot at after authorities kill hold-up suspect near Grenoble" News agencies Published: 07.17.10, 17:47 / Israel News SNIPPET: "Rioters burned cars, attacked a tramway and shot at police in the French city of Grenoble overnight in protest at the death of a local Muslim man, identified as 27-year- old Karim Boudouda, fleeing police after allegedly holding up the city's casino." SNIPPET: "Police said they intervened after local residents stopped a tramway by setting a fire on the rails and stoned it. At least 50 cars were burned...

The problem started when the primary electrical system failed. Sixty-eight people were trapped in the air aboard two red-and-white gondolas. Sunset was still three hours off. The tramway's supervisor of operations drove in from Westchester to get it going again. When that proved impossible, he turned on a diesel-powered hydraulic backup with just enough power to pull the gondolas back to shore. For a moment, it worked: the gondolas moved. But then the hydraulic backup failed, too. The supervisor, Armando Cordova, was out of options — beyond talking to the engineers at the European company that built the tramway and...

German tram passengers are having their stops announced by the voice of Gerhard Schroder. The new announcements are only used on the 107 tram line in the city of Essen. The taped voice was provided by impressionist Elmar Brandt who has risen to fame by singing songs and giving radio interviews using the German politician's voice. Brandt has combined the name of the stops with funny comments, like telling people who get off at the hospital to "tell them the chancellor says get well soon". At the end of the line, he shouts out: "Women and chancellors first!" While the...

Tram foes lose out in airspace opinion 06/26/02 JANET CHRIST The Portland city attorney's office says that airspace over a street is part of the right of way and that the city has the right to lease the surface and air. The opinion is the city's position on a petition filed this week by property owners along Southwest Gibbs Street. They don't like that the airspace above their street is a potential alignment for a recommended aerial tramway. The chief deputy city attorney, Linda Meng, said an Oregon statute gives the city the right to lease the right of way,...