Not All the Real Estate News is Grim

Naked Carpenter Acquitted!

A Bay area (why does this not surprise me?) carpenter has been found not guilty of indecent exposure for building a client's bookshelves while nude. After a three day trial, the jury determined that even though 51-year-old Percy Honniball of Oakland was working naked, he was not acting lewdly or seeking sexual gratification. Honniball explained that he likes to work unclothed because it "gives him a greater range of motion" and keeps his clothes clean too.  The incident was reported by the client's neighbor who "was disturbed" by seeing Honniball nude while carrying his tool box into the client's house.

Personally, I'll pass - especially when I think of all the 4 fingered carpenters I've met over the years.

Harnessing the Energy of "Crowd Farms"

In the current boom market for alternate energy sources, researchers at M.I.T. are working on a method of harnessing the energy released by pedestrian footsteps. They aim to convert the motion produced by "crowd farms" -- high-traffic urban areas covered with special paving blocks that shift slightly underfoot -- into electricity. Ideal locations would include shopping malls, subway stations and other high traffic areas.

Though not intended for residential use, they have developed a prototype stool that powers four LEDs when sat upon.