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World's Ugliest Dog Dies at 17
Updated: Thursday, 03 Jun 2010, 7:14 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 03 Jun 2010, 7:14 PM EDT
(AFP) - Canine lovers were in mourning Thursday at the news that a bug-eyed Chinese crested hairless pooch, who was officially crowned the "World's Ugliest Dog," has died at age 17.
The lovable Miss Ellie, whose lopsided tongue always stuck out of the side of her mouth, died on Tuesday in her Tennessee home, the local Mountain Press daily newspaper said.
Rescued by owner Dawn Goehring when she was seven years old, Miss Ellie, who drew smiles with the shock of blonde hair above her eyes, had helped raise over $100,000 for the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley.
Despite being blind in her final years, she won Animal Planet's "World's Ugliest Dog" award last year.
She also starred in Animal Planet's "Dog 101" and was featured in numerous commercials and television programs. Miss Ellie had been set to travel to California this month to defend her title.
She was part of a troupe of dogs that Goehring trained and which performed regularly at the Comedy Barn in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Goehring said she is now planning on raising money to open a new animal shelter. "I am going to make that my driven goal to do in her honor," she told the Mountain Press.
Hi Ladies, or anyone who reads this. I am well, just got out of the hospital. New Hip ! healing well. see below for laughs.
Eyes flashing, robot conducts wedding in Tokyo
Sunday, May 16, 2010 1:10 PM EDT
Bride Satoko Inouye, 36, puts a ring on a finger of her groom Tomohiro Shibata 42,... (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)
More Strange News
TOKYO (AP) Almost everyone stood when the bride walked down the aisle in her white gown, but not the wedding conductor, because she was bolted to her chair.
The nuptials at this ceremony were led by "I-Fairy," a 4-foot (1.5-meter) tall seated robot with flashing eyes and plastic pigtails. Sunday's wedding was the first time a marriage had been led by a robot, according to manufacturer Kokoro Co.
"Please lift the bride's veil," the robot said in a tinny voice, waving its arms in the air as the newlyweds kissed in front of about 50 guests.
The wedding took place at a restaurant in Hibiya Park in central Tokyo, where the I-Fairy wore a wreath of flowers and directed a rooftop ceremony. Wires led out from beneath it to a black curtain a few feet (meters) away, where a man crouched and clicked commands into a computer.
Japan has one of the most advanced robotics industries in the world, with the government actively supporting the field for future growth. Industrial models in factories are now standard, but recently Japanese companies are making a push to inject robots into everyday life.
Honda makes a walking child-shaped robot, and other firms have developed them to entertain the elderly or play baseball. Kokoro, whose corporate goal is to "touch the hearts of the people," also makes giant dinosaur robots for exhibitions and lifelike android models that can smile and laugh. The company is a subsidiary of Sanrio Co., which owns the rights to Hello Kitty and other Japanese characters.
"This was a lot of fun. I think that Japanese have a strong sense that robots are our friends. Those in the robot industry mostly understand this, but people mainly want robots near them that serve some purpose," said bride Satoko Inoue, 36, who works at manufacturer Kokoro.
"It would be nice if the robot was a bit more clever, but she is very good at expressing herself," said new husband Tomohiro Shibata, 42, a professor of robotics at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in central Japan.
The I-Fairy sells for about 6.3 million yen ($68,000) and three are in use in Singapore, the U.S. and Japan, according to company spokeswoman Kayako Kido. It has 18 degrees of motion in its arms, and mainly repeats preprogrammed movements and sounds.
World's Ugliest Dog Dies at 17
Updated: Thursday, 03 Jun 2010, 7:14 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 03 Jun 2010, 7:14 PM EDT
(AFP) - Canine lovers were in mourning Thursday at the news that a bug-eyed Chinese crested hairless pooch, who was officially crowned the "World's Ugliest Dog," has died at age 17.
The lovable Miss Ellie, whose lopsided tongue always stuck out of the side of her mouth, died on Tuesday in her Tennessee home, the local Mountain Press daily newspaper said.
Rescued by owner Dawn Goehring when she was seven years old, Miss Ellie, who drew smiles with the shock of blonde hair above her eyes, had helped raise over $100,000 for the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley.
Despite being blind in her final years, she won Animal Planet's "World's Ugliest Dog" award last year.
She also starred in Animal Planet's "Dog 101" and was featured in numerous commercials and television programs. Miss Ellie had been set to travel to California this month to defend her title.
She was part of a troupe of dogs that Goehring trained and which performed regularly at the Comedy Barn in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Goehring said she is now planning on raising money to open a new animal shelter. "I am going to make that my driven goal to do in her honor," she told the Mountain Press.
Hi Ladies, or anyone who reads this. I am well, just got out of the hospital. New Hip ! healing well. see below for laughs.
Eyes flashing, robot conducts wedding in Tokyo
Sunday, May 16, 2010 1:10 PM EDT
Bride Satoko Inouye, 36, puts a ring on a finger of her groom Tomohiro Shibata 42,... (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)
More Strange News
TOKYO (AP) Almost everyone stood when the bride walked down the aisle in her white gown, but not the wedding conductor, because she was bolted to her chair.
The nuptials at this ceremony were led by "I-Fairy," a 4-foot (1.5-meter) tall seated robot with flashing eyes and plastic pigtails. Sunday's wedding was the first time a marriage had been led by a robot, according to manufacturer Kokoro Co.
"Please lift the bride's veil," the robot said in a tinny voice, waving its arms in the air as the newlyweds kissed in front of about 50 guests.
The wedding took place at a restaurant in Hibiya Park in central Tokyo, where the I-Fairy wore a wreath of flowers and directed a rooftop ceremony. Wires led out from beneath it to a black curtain a few feet (meters) away, where a man crouched and clicked commands into a computer.
Japan has one of the most advanced robotics industries in the world, with the government actively supporting the field for future growth. Industrial models in factories are now standard, but recently Japanese companies are making a push to inject robots into everyday life.
Honda makes a walking child-shaped robot, and other firms have developed them to entertain the elderly or play baseball. Kokoro, whose corporate goal is to "touch the hearts of the people," also makes giant dinosaur robots for exhibitions and lifelike android models that can smile and laugh. The company is a subsidiary of Sanrio Co., which owns the rights to Hello Kitty and other Japanese characters.
"This was a lot of fun. I think that Japanese have a strong sense that robots are our friends. Those in the robot industry mostly understand this, but people mainly want robots near them that serve some purpose," said bride Satoko Inoue, 36, who works at manufacturer Kokoro.
"It would be nice if the robot was a bit more clever, but she is very good at expressing herself," said new husband Tomohiro Shibata, 42, a professor of robotics at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in central Japan.
The I-Fairy sells for about 6.3 million yen ($68,000) and three are in use in Singapore, the U.S. and Japan, according to company spokeswoman Kayako Kido. It has 18 degrees of motion in its arms, and mainly repeats preprogrammed movements and sounds.
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Anyway, if / when Peache & I get together, I think the world will know.