NYPD officer tries to help cat in tree, gets stuck

Published May 13, 2013

Associated Press

NEW YORK –  Authorities say a New York police officer who went after a cat stuck in a tree got caught himself and needed a little help getting back down to the ground.

The Fire Department of New York says it happened Monday afternoon in Queens.

A call came in that a man attempting to get a cat out of a tree had gotten stuck. Fire department personnel used a bucket ladder to get the man and the cat down.

The fire department says the man is a police officer.

The New York Police Department has no comment.

View the original article here

Disabled man awarded $8,000 after being stuck on Disney's 'Small World' ride for hours

Published March 26, 2013

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES –  An attorney says a disabled man was awarded $8,000 by Disneyland after the "It's A Small World" ride broke, stranding him for three hours while the theme song played continuously.

Lawyer David Geffen says Jose Martinez was the only passenger not evacuated when the ride broke down in 2009, and staffers failed to call the fire department to free him.

The ride's familiar song couldn't be turned off the entire three hours Martinez was stuck.

Geffen says Martinez uses a wheelchair, suffers from panic attacks and high blood pressure, and needed to urinate for much of the time he was stranded.

Geffen says half the award ordered Friday is for pain and suffering, and the other half for disability law violations.

Disney did not immediately reply to messages seeking comment.

View the original article here