December 12, 2014

Top News Stories –

Star Wars character names posted by director –
The names of characters in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to be released in December 2015 have been revealed in a mocked-up set of trading cards. John Boyega will be Finn, Oscar Isaac is Poe Dameron and Daisy Ridley’s character is called Rey. Director JJ Abrams confirmed the names via some old school trading cards, in reference to when the Star Wars films were first released in the 1970s.
Oscar_IsaacOscar Issac

World’s longest ship launched –
Shanghai-based marine-shipping company China Shipping Container Lines has launched the world’s largest container ship, the “CSCL Globe”. The ship is more than 400m (1,312ft or a quarter of a mile) long, 56.8m (186ft) wide, 73m (240ft) high and 186,000 tonnes gross. The ship, which is longer than four football pitches, is making its maiden voyage from Shanghai to Europe.
CSCL_GlobeThe CSCL Globe

Marriage proposal fail –
A Dutchman’s attempt at a romantic wedding proposal using a mobile crane has resulted in the crane falling over and smashing into a neighbour’s roof. The man had rented a crane in the central town of Ijsselstein to descend in front of his girlfriend’s bedroom window, play her a song and ask her to marry him. Despite the disaster in which no-one was hurt, his girlfriend agreed to marry him.

Pope avoids Dalai Lama meeting –
Pope Francis will not meet the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama because of the “delicate situation” with China, according to the Vatican. The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 after Chinese troops crushed an attempted uprising in Tibet and China describes him as a separatist. The Vatican does not want to jeopardise improving relations between itself and China.
Pope_Francis Pope Francis

Video of the Day –

Star Wars – The Force Awakens Official Trailer –

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December 13, 2014

Ben Haenow wins X Factor 2014 –
Ben Haenow has been named this year’s UK X Factor winner after going head-to-head with Fleur East in the 2014 final at Wembley Arena. The singer from Croydon, south London, was chosen by a public vote with over 10 million votes cast. Mel B the former Spice Girl and one of the four judges, missed the final due to illness. Tulisa Contostavlos stood in as her replacement.
Melanie_BMel B

FIFA dismiss complaints over report –
A complaint by US lawyer Michael Garcia who spent two years investigating World Cup corruption claims for Fifa has been dismissed by football’s governing body. Garcia’s findings were released as a 42-page summary by FIFA-appointed independent judge Hans-Joachim Eckert. Garcia said his summary was “incomplete and erroneous”. There have been calls to release the full report in the wake of Garcia’s complaint, but FIFA president Sepp Blater has said it cannot do so for legal reasons.
2014_FIFA_Announcement_(Joseph_Blatter)_Sepp Blatter at the 2014 FIFA Tournament Announcement in 2007

Indecent proposal –
A Dutchman’s attempt at a romantic wedding proposal using a mobile crane has resulted in the crane falling over and smashing into a neighbour’s roof. The man had rented a crane in the central town of Ijsselstein to descend in front of his girlfriend’s bedroom window, play her a song and ask her to marry him. Despite the disaster, in which no-one was hurt, his girlfriend accepted his offer.

Video of the Day –

Our Streets –

OUR STREETS from Jared Rosenthal on Vimeo.

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September 11, 2015

Top News Stories –

Mecca crane collapse: Saudi inquiry into Grand Mosque disaster –
Saudi Arabia has begun an investigation after a crane collapsed in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, killing at least 107 people. The huge red crane crashed into a part of the Grand Mosque [also known as Masjid al-Haram] – which was filled with worshippers at the time. The inquiry is taking place as criticism grows over safety standards at the holy site. It is unclear how many of the victims were killed by the collapse or the stampede that followed it. At least 230 people were injured in the incident.The collapse happened at 17:23 local time. [BBC]
Masjid al-Haram in 2014Masjid al-Haram in 2014

Video of the Day –

Taser Impacts on Bare Skin at 28,000fps – The Slow Mo Guys

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #VenezuelaConLeopoldo #NeverForget #fridayfeeling
2 #onedirectionimsorryfor #NeverForget911 #NeverForget911
3 ちんぽ10連ガチャ Aldon Smith #AssistedDying
4 #سقوط_رافعه_في_… World Trade Center Pete Doherty
5 #NeverForget Rick Perry #onedirectionimsorryfor
6 #NeverForget911 Pentagon Sadiq Khan
7 Hayırlı Cumalar #WhereWereYou #afterseptember11
8 Gronk #onedirectionimsorryfor Gronk
9 #CONGRATSLOUIS Joe Biden Yorkshire
10 高校生クイズ #NewNFLScandals David Cassidy

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February 5, 2016

Top News Stories –

X Games biker and BMX star Dave Mirra dies –
Police in the US say X Games biker Dave Mirra has died aged 41. Officers in North Carolina say his body was found early on Thursday with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dave Mirra was a former BMX champion and one of the most decorated athletes in X Games history. He won a medal every year from 1995 to 2008, picking up 14 golds. His one-time record of 24 career medals was only broken in 2013 by Bob Burnquist. Only Shaun White has won more X Games gold medals than him. [BBC Newsbeat] See Top Twitter Trends (UK)
Dave_Mirra_2010Dave Mirra in 2010

New York crane collapse kills at least one person –
A large construction crane has collapsed in lower Manhattan in New York City, killing one person and injuring at least two others. The Fire Department of New York confirmed the fatality and is on the scene responding to the accident. The collapse happened along West Broadway early on Friday morning in the Tribeca neighbourhood. The downed crane, which filled the street, fell onto numerous parked cars. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the victim was sitting in a parked car at the time of the accident, and that it was caused by high winds. Workers were in the process of lowering the crane due to the high winds when it collapsed. No workers were injured. [BBC] See Video of the Day

1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti breaks auction sale for racing car at $32 million –
A 1957 Ferrari driven by the great British motor racers of the 1950s broke the record for the world’s most expensive racing car sold at auction after fetching just over €32 million (£24.7 million) on Friday. Despite the stratospheric price at the Artcurial auction in Paris, the buyer cannot use the vehicle on the roads as it was designed purely for racing. Only four Ferrari 335 S Spider Scagliettis were ever produced, and this one had been in the hands of a private French collector for more than 40 years – hence the feverish excitement at the Rétromobile classic car show in Paris, where the auction took place. The 335S is purely a racing car, unlike the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, which was a dual purpose vehicle also homologated for road use.[Daily Telegraph] See List of the Day

Video of the Day –

Crane collapse in New York – original footage by Glenn Zito

Copyright Glenn Zito.

List of the Day –

Cars sold at auction for over $10 million (source Wikipedia]

Date MY Car s/n Auctioneer Locale Original price Adjusted
August 14, 2014 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO 3851GT Bonhams Carmel, California, United States US$38,115,000 $38,098,927
February 5, 2016 1957 Ferrari 335S 674 Artcurial Paris, France US$35,711,359 $35,711,359
July 12, 2013 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 196 010 00006/54 Bonhams Goodwood, West Sussex, United Kingdom US$29,600,000 $30,069,371
December 10, 2015 1956 Ferrari 290 MM 626 RM Sotheby’s New York City, New York, United States US$28,050,000 $28,050,000
August 17, 2013 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider 10709 RM Auctions Monterey, California, United States US$27,500,000 $27,936,071
August 16, 2014 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale 6701 RM Auctions Monterrey, California, United States US$26,400,000 $26,388,867
February 6, 2015 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider 2935GT Artcurial Paris, France US$18,500,000 $18,500,000
June 27, 2014 1954 Ferrari 375-Plus Spider Competizione 384 Bonhams Goodwood, West Sussex, United Kingdom US$18,400,177 $18,392,418
August 13, 2015 1964 Ferrari 250 LM 6105 RM Auctions Monterey, California, United States US$17,600,000 $17,600,000
August 17, 2015 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider 3095GT Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California, United States US$16,830,000 $16,830,000
August 17, 2015 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale 3269GT Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California, United States US$16,500,000 $16,500,000
August 21, 2011 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 0666TR Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California, United States US$16,390,000 $17,241,019
August 16, 2014 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider 2903 GT Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California, United States US$15,180,000 $15,173,599
November 21, 2013 1964 Ferrari 250 LM 6107 RM Auctions New York City, New York, United States US$14,300,000 $14,526,757
December 10, 2015 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato DB4GT/0186/R RM Auctions New York City, New York, United States US$14,300,000 $14,300,000
August 13, 2015 1998 McLaren F1 ‘LM-Specification’ SA9AB5AC4W1048073 RM Auctions Monterey, California, United States US$13,750,000 $13,750,000
August 13, 2015 1956 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’ 0557GT RM Auctions Monterey, California, United States US$13,200,000 $13,200,000
August 14, 2015 1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight XKC 052 RM Auctions Monterey, California, United States US$13,200,000 $13,200,000
May 25, 2013 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM Berlinetta ‘Competizione’ 0320AM RM Auctions Tivoli, Lazio, Italy US$12,812,800 $13,015,974
May 17, 2009 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 0714TR RM Auctions Maranello, Emilia-Romagna, Italy US$12,402,500 $13,679,879
August 19, 2012 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster 130949 Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California, United States US$11,770,000 $12,131,681
August 15, 2014 1964 Ferrari 250 LM 6045 RM Auctions Monterrey, California, United States US$11,550,000 $11,545,129
October 14, 2015 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB 1995GT H&H Classics Duxford, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom US$11,440,968 $11,440,968
August 19, 2012 1960 Ferrari 250 GT California LWB Competizione Spyder 1639 GT Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California, United States US$11,275,000 $11,621,471
August 17, 2012 1968 Ford GT40 P/1074 RM Auctions Monterey, California, United States US$11,000,000 $11,338,020
May 18, 2008 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider 2377GT RM Auctions Maranello, Emilia-Romagna, Italy US$10,894,900 $11,974,287
Sotheby’s
August 21, 2011 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe 2478 Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California, United States US$10,340,000 $10,876,885
August 17, 2015 1982 Porsche 956 956-003 Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California, United States US$10,120,000 $10,120,000
August 16, 2014 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 10621 RM Auctions Monterrey, California, United States US$10,175,000 $10,170,709

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #UnaMujerNuncaPeroNunca #FlashbackFriday Dave Mirra
2 #VemSextaChegouClubeSDV #WorldNutellaDay #FridayFeeling
3 #WorldNutellaDay #GoRedForWomen Harry Harpham
4 #NoHayNadaPeorQue #nationalweatherpersonsday Maurice White
5 #BuenViernes #NewMusicFriday #WorldNutellaDay
6 #CarnavalChegouEeu #FromTheGroundUp #totp
7 #A35MesesDeTuSiembraComand… #ImUp #ImGoingTheVampsBIRMINGHAM
8 #ALDUBPangalawangPagsubok #PTOGW #CBBFinal
9 #ConfissoesDeIgreja Ryan Leaf #FlashbackFriday
10 #CizredeKatliamVar #MakeAFilmHip #AesopRFH

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