December 7, 2014

Top News Stories –

Foggy wins down under –
Former motorbike rider Carl Fogarty, four time winner of the World Superbike Championship, has won the British “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here” in Australia. The 49-year-old known as Foggy beat former X Factor contestant Jake Quickenden and TV presenter Melanie Sykes in the final of the ITV show.
Carl-FogartyCarl Fogarty

LA Galaxy win MLS again –
Californian soccer team LA Galaxy have won a fifth Major League Soccer (MLS) title with a 2-1 victory over the New England Revolution in the championship-deciding MLS Cup. LA have won three of the last four league titles and Irish striker Robbie Keane grabbed an extra-time winner to give the Galaxy the victory after New England’s Chris Tierney had cancelled out Gyasi Zardes’ opener for LA. (See List of The Day)
Robbie_KeaneRobbie Keane

Royal US visit starts –
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in New York for a tour of the east coast of the United States during which Prince William will meet President Barack Obama. The Royal couple previously met the Obama’s after their wedding in 2011.
Obama_and_Duke_Duchess_of_CambridgeThe Royals meeting the President and Mrs Obama in London in 2011

Not out of the woods yet –
Tiger Woods return to competition golf ends badly as he finishes last in the 18 player Hero World Challenge tournament in Florida and is physically sick on the fairway. He has not played competitively for four months due to back pain.
Tiger_WoodsTiger Woods

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SYNC from Hasraf HaZ Dulull on Vimeo.

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January 2, 2015

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Broken Bono –
U2 lead singer Bono says that a crash on his bicycle last November resulted in multiple left arm fractures, a broken should and hand and a fractured eye socket. He now has a titanium elbow and fears that he may never play guitar but his band-mates have reminded him “that neither they nor western civilization are depending on this.”
Bono U2 360 Tour 2011

Cancer due to bad luck –
A new piece of research by a team at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US has found that most types of cancer can be put down to bad luck rather than risk factors such as smoking. The research printed in the journal “Science”, showed 66% of the cancer types analysed were caused just by chance mutations rather than lifestyle.
Pink ribbon

Taking a bite out of Apple –
Miami residents Paul Orshan and Christopher Endara are suing Apple over the amount of storage space the Apple iOS 8 uses on mobile devices.They claim it uses up such a large amount that it forces owners to pay for iCloud storage. They are suing in California for millions of dollars.

Prince Andrew named in court papers –
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has been named in Florida court papers by a woman who says she was forced to have sexual relations with the prince in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by his fried Jeffrey Epstein when she was a minor. A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: “This relates to long-standing and ongoing civil proceedings in the United States, to which the Duke of York is not a party. As such we would not comment on the detail. However, for the avoidance of doubt, any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue”.
Prince Andrew August 2014 (cropped)

Video of the Day –

This is my product from Matthijs_Vlot on Vimeo.

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January 9, 2015

Top News Stories –

Paris gunmen killed after 2 sieges –
The 2 gunmen who carried out the Charlie Hebdo massacre on January 7th 2015 have been killed by French police after a brief siege at a warehouse in Dammartin-en-Goele, 35km (22 miles) north of Paris. Brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi were shot dead as they came out of a warehouse building firing at police. Two officers were injured. Simultaneously, Amedy Coulibaly, the man who killed a policewoman on 7th January, was shot dead at a kosher supermarket in Paris after he had killed 4 hostages – 15 hostages were rescued. Coulibaly knew one of the brothers and their respective partners had spoken on the phone more than 500 times. A total of 17 people plus the 3 gunmen have died in the 3 days.

Brand and Rascal to be studied –
The exam board Oxford, Cambridge and Royal Society of Arts (OCR) plan to include evidence given by Russell Brand to a Commons select committee inquiring into drugs and an interview between Dizzee Rascal and Newsnight’s Jeremy Paxman as part of the English A-level syllabus as from this September. The plans have been approved by exams regulator Ofqual amongst 37 new specifications for GCSEs and A-levels put forward by the exam board.
13-06-09 RaR Dizzee Rascal 10Dizzee Rascal

AirAsia tail section recovered –
The tail section of AirAsia flight QZ8501 that crashed while flying from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore has been recovered from the seabed using inflatable devices. Although the flight recorders are positioned in the tail it appears that the “black boxes” have been separated from it and the search continues.
The Indonesian navy has retrieved from the seabed the tail of the AirAsia plane that crashed two weeks ago.

Lucky he was a Dolphin –
Former Miami Dolphins running back Rob Konrad swam nine miles to shore after falling off his boat while fishing and his boat, which was on auto pilot, drifted away from him off the South Florida coast. Konrad, who played 82 games for the Dolphins between 1999-2004, was treated for hypothermia after it took 12 hours to swim to shore.

Saturn centre pinpointed –
Scientists have located the centre of the planet Saturn to within just 2 miles using ten antennae, known as the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), spread over an area from Hawaii to the Virgin Islands. The antenna assembly uses signals sent by the Cassini probe to monitor the position of the gas giant. Previously estimates of the positions of Saturn and its satellites used data received by tracking Cassini’s radio signal during its communications with Earth but the new calculations are about 20 times more accurate.
Saturn PIA06077

Video of the Day –

Horsepower –

Horsepower | Brett Rheeder from Mind Spark Cinema on Vimeo.

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January 16, 2015

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Beagle 2 probe found on Mars –
Pictures taken by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have spotted the missing Mars robot Beagle2, identified its landing location and it looks to be in one piece. The probe designed an promoted by the late Professor Colin Pillinger landed on Mars on 25th December 2003, but no radio contact was ever made with the probe. It was assumed to have crashed but it now seems that for some reason two of the solar panels did not deploy and the radio signal was consequently blocked.
Beagle 2 replicaReplica of Beagle 2 at the London Science Museum

Britain’s oldest person dies age 114 –
Ethel Lang has died at the age of 114. She was believed to be the last person living in the UK who was born in the reign of Queen Victoria. The oldest person in the world is thought to be Misao Okawa, a Japanese woman who celebrated her 116th birthday in March 2014.

Elon Musk proposes 700 mph test track in Texas –
Elon Musk (@elonmusk) the billionaire founder of PayPal tweets that he will build a test track for his “Hyperloop” transport system that could theoretically travel at speeds of up to 700 miles per hour. He tweets the most likely location for the test track that works in a partial vacuum using magnets is in Texas, USA.
Elon Musk tweet 16 01 2015Elon Musk - The Summit 2013Elon Musk in 2013

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CNN explains Elon Musk’s Hyperloop

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January 28 2015

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Luis Figo enters FIFA presidential race –
Luís Figo the former Portuguese football who famously played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona has entered himself to stand for the FIFA presidential election and claims to have the required five nominations from among FIFA’s 209 members. He joins Prince Ali of Jordan, the Dutch FA president Michael van Praag, Jérôme Champagne and David Ginola facing up to current president Sepp Blatter.UEFA TT 7209Luis Figo

Apple now have enough money to own the largest navy in the world –
Apple the tech company reports the biggest quarterly profit of any company in the world ever with revenues of $74.6bn and a net profit of $18bn. It’s cash holdings are now $178bn which according to The Guardian newspaper “is enough to commission 40 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, giving Apple more force capability than every other navy in the world – combined”.USS Nimitz in Victoria Canada 036USS Nimitz (planes not included in price)

Cat survives car crash and burial –
A cat in Florida that was buried in a shallow grave after being apparently killed by a car has managed not only to survive but to dig its way out of the grave. Bart the zombie cat as he is now known was found by a neighbour and is now recovering after surgery on a broken jaw and damaged eye.

Video of the Day –

Sommersby Cider – The Somersby Store

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March 8, 2015

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Crufts dog dies after suspected poisoning –
A dog has died after competing at Crufts, amid claims he was poisoned. Three-year-old Thendara Satisfaction, known as Jagger, is understood to have collapsed and died after returning home to Belgium on Friday. Police in Belgium are investigating and a full toxicology report is expected next week. The husband of Jagger’s co-owner said: “I can only hope it wasn’t an act of jealousy by another competitor, but just a lunatic.” Jagger, who came second in his class at Birmingham’s NEC on Thursday, is owned by Belgian Aleksandra Lauwers and Leicester-based breeder Dee Milligan-Bott. [BBC] See List of the Day.

Solar plane takes of to fly round the world –
A record-breaking attempt to fly around the world in a solar-powered plane has got under way from Abu Dhabi. The aircraft – called Solar Impulse-2 – took off from the Emirate, heading east to Muscat in Oman. Over the next five months, it will skip from continent to continent, crossing both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the process. Andre Borschberg was at the controls of the single-seater vehicle as it took off at 07:12 local time (03:12 GMT). He will share the pilot duties in due course with fellow Swiss, Bertrand Piccard. See Video of the Day.

Wheels come off epic plan –
Producers working on the remake of the Oscar-winning Ben Hur have been barred from shooting the epic chariot scene at the Circus Maximus. Filmmakers already on location in Rome and the southern city of Matera reportedly made a request to use the ancient stadium immortalised by the film in December. But it was feared the decision to bring hundreds of extras and heavy vehicles into a fragile archaeological site would lead to public outcry. [Daily Mail]

Video of the Day –

Launch of Solar Impulse

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April 7, 2015

Top News Stories –

American Pie lyrics sell for $1.2m –
The original manuscript of Don McLean’s American Pie has sold for $1.2m (£806,000) at a New York auction. The 16-page draft had been expected to fetch as much as $1.5m (£1m) at the Christie’s sale. McLean had hinted in February the original manuscript would reveal the song’s lyrical meaning – which had always been kept a mystery. “The writing and the lyrics will divulge everything there is to divulge,” he said. The 69-year-old previously acknowledged the beginning of the song is about the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper – Jiles P Richardson – in a plane crash, but has remained elusive about the rest of the track. (See List of the Day) [BBC]

Lindsay Lohan Attempts to “Break the Internet” With Her Clothes On in Racy Jumpsuit –
Step aside, Kim Kardashian, there’s another former Hollywood party girl looking to effectively “break the Internet.” On Saturday, March 7, Lindsay Lohan posted a shot of herself in Paris on Twitter, wearing a revealing black lace jumpsuit and hat. [US Magazine]
Lindsay Lohan Tweet - Break The Internet Lindsay Lohan Tweet – copyright @LindsayLohan Twitter

US judge strikes out Prince Andrew sex claims –
Claims that a woman was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 are to be struck from the record of a civil case in the US, a judge has said. The Duke of York was named in court papers in Florida by a woman alleging financier Jeffrey Epstein forced her to have sex with the duke three times. But Judge Kenneth Marra said the “lurid” claims were “unnecessary” to decide the civil case. Buckingham Palace has previously “emphatically” denied the allegations. [BBC]
Prince Andrew August 2014 (cropped)

Rand Paul announces 2016 White House bid –
Senator Rand Paul has announced he is launching a 2016 presidential election campaign on the Republican ticket. “Today begins the journey to take America back,” he said in a campaign event in Kentucky. Mr Paul, a Kentucky senator, stands out from the Republican pack because of his comparatively libertarian views. He becomes the second Republican to enter the contest that concludes in November 2016.
Rand-Paul

Apple wants to stop fans queuing outside stores for its watch –
Internal memo urges staff to tell customers to order Apple Watch online instead of waiting outside stores. Apple wants to stop hundreds of people queuing outside stores when its smartwatch goes on sale later this month. The technology giant has adopted a “significant change in mindset” and urged staff to tell customers to order the Apple Watch online, an internal memo stated. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Dark Horse: An all-electric ’68 Mustang’s quest to shatter records from The Verge on Vimeo.

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June 28, 2015

Top News Stories –

Sam Smith best new artist at BET Awards as Nicki Minaj wins rap prize –
Sam Smith has won best new artist at this year’s BET Awards in LA. He wasn’t at the Black Entertainment Television ceremony, so the prize was picked up for him by actor Anthony Anderson. Nicki Minaj, who won her sixth best female hip-hop artist award in a row, brought her mum onstage. Rapping on top of a police car with a large American flag waving behind him, hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar kicked off the BET Awards. He later won best male hip-hop artist. Janet Jackson was honoured with the ultimate icon award as she made a rare public appearance. [BBC Newsbeat] See List of the Day below
Nicki_MinajNicki Minaj

SpaceX Rocket Falls Apart on Way to Space Station –
An unmanned cargo ship destined for the International Space Station disintegrated minutes after being launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Sunday morning, NASA said, raising questions about how the agency and its partners will continue keeping the station supplied. It was the third loss of a cargo ship headed to the space station in the past eight months. However, NASA officials said they had prepared for such a mishap, and do not anticipate any major disruptions to the operations of the space station. The countdown had proceeded without a hitch or worries about weather, and the 208-foot-tall Falcon 9 rocket, built by Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX, lifted off at 10:21 a.m. But 2 minutes, 19 seconds later, just as George Diller, the commentator during a NASA television broadcast said, “Data coming back shows vehicle on course, on track,” a white cloud emerged from the rocket’s midsection. Moments later, a rain of debris started falling toward the Atlantic Ocean more than 20 miles below. [NY Times] See Video of the Day

Greek debt crisis: Banks to remain shut all week –
The Greek government has confirmed that banks will be closed all week, after a decision by the European Central Bank not to extend emergency funding. In a decree, it cited the “extremely urgent” need to protect the financial system due to the lack of liquidity. Cash withdrawals will be limited to €60 (£42; $66) a day for this period, the decree says. Talks between Greece and the eurozone countries over bailout terms ended without an agreement on Saturday, and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras then called a surprise referendum on the issue to be held on 5 July. Greece risks default and moving closer to a possible exit from the 19-member eurozone. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

SpaceX Falcon 9 Explosion – June 28th 2015

List of the Day –

Black Entertainment Television Awards 2015 winners

Ultimate Icon, Music Dance Visual Award: Janet Jackson
Humanitarian Award: Tom Joyner
Best New Artist: Sam Smith
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Nicki Minaj
Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist: Beyoncé
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist: Chris Brown
Best International Act UK: Stormzy
Best International Act Africa: Stonebwoy
Best Group: Rae Sremmurd
Best Collaboration: Common & John Legend, “Glory”
Best Actress: Taraji P. Henson
Best Actor: Terrence Howard
Youngstars Award: Mo’ne Davis
Best Movie: Selma
Best Gospel Artist: Lecrae
Video of the Year: Beyoncé, “7/11”
Video Director of the Year: Beyoncé, Ed Burke & Todd Tourso
Sportswoman of the Year: Serena Williams
Sportsman of the Year: Stephen Curry
Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award: Nicki Minaj f/ Drake, Lil’ Wayne & Chris Brown, “Only”
Centric Award: The Weeknd, “Earned It”
Fandemonium Award: Chris Brown
Lifetime Achievement Award: Smokey Robinson

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July 20, 2015

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Grooveshark co-founder Josh Greenberg, 28, found dead –
The co-founder of a recently-shut down music streaming website has been found dead in his Florida home, local police have said. Josh Greenberg, who was aged 28, created Grooveshark in 2006. There was “no evidence of foul play or suicide,” police in Gainesville said via Twitter. Grooveshark closed in April this year following years of legal action from several record labels. A US court had determined that the site could be liable for $736m (£472m) in damages after it was judged to have wilfully breached copyright when building the service’s music library. [BBC]

Open 2015: Zach Johnson triumphs in Open play-off –
American Zach Johnson claimed his second major title with victory in a three-man play-off on a thrilling final day in the 144th Open Championship. The 2007 Masters winner finished a shot ahead of South African Louis Oosthuizen and three ahead of Australian Marc Leishman over four extra holes. Earlier, the three ended on 15 under to lead a competitive field at St Andrews. Jordan Spieth’s hopes of a Grand Slam were ended as he finished on 14 under along with Australia’s Jason Day. [BBC] See List of the Day
Zach-JohnsonZach Johnson

Lee Nelson showers Fifa president Sepp Blatter with dollar bills –
Fifa president Sepp Blatter was showered with fake banknotes by a notorious prankster at a press conference in his Zurich headquarters. The comedian Lee Nelson – real name Simon Brodkin – managed to infiltrate the press conference, which was being held to announce reforms planned to world football’s governing body, and a date for the presidential election. The press conference was delayed by around 10 minutes as organisers cleaned up the notes. [Daily Telegraph] See Video of the Day

Canadian-Owned Infidelity Dating Site Suffers Cyber Attack –
A Canadian-owned dating website for married people seeking affairs says it has suffered a cyberattack after hackers claimed to have stolen confidential customer information, threatening to publish it unless the company is shut down. Avid Life Media, which owns Toronto-based site AshleyMadison.com, said Monday that it had taken steps to secure its sites. Ashley Madison, whose slogan is “Life is short. Have an affair,” claims it has more than 37 million anonymous worldwide members. Online security blog KrebsOnSecurity.com posted what appeared to be a screenshot of the site’s home page on Sunday bearing a message from the hackers, who said they acted to expose alleged lies Ashley Madison told customers about a service that allows members to erase profile information. [NY Times]

 

Video of the Day –

Comedian throws money at Blatter during press conference

List of the Day –

Zach Johnson PGA Tour wins (from Wikipedia)

No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1 Apr 4, 2004 BellSouth Classic 69-66-68-72=275 −13 1 stroke Australia Mark Hensby
2 Apr 8, 2007 Masters Tournament 71-73-76-69=289 +1 2 strokes South Africa Retief Goosen, South Africa Rory Sabbatini,
United States Tiger Woods
3 May 20, 2007 AT&T Classic (2) 71-66-69-67=273 −15 Playoff Japan Ryuji Imada
4 Oct 12, 2008 Valero Texas Open 69-66-62-64=261 −19 2 strokes South Korea Charlie Wi, New Zealand Tim Wilkinson,
United States Mark Wilson
5 Jan 18, 2009 Sony Open in Hawaii 69-65-66-65=265 −15 2 strokes Australia Adam Scott, United States David Toms
6 May 17, 2009 Valero Texas Open (2) 68-67-60-70=265 −15 Playoff United States James Driscoll
7 May 30, 2010 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial 65-66-64-64=259 −21 3 strokes England Brian Davis
8 May 27, 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial (2) 64-67-65-72=268 −12 1 stroke United States Jason Dufner
9 Jul 15, 2012 John Deere Classic 68-65-66-65=264 −20 Playoff United States Troy Matteson
10 Sep 16, 2013 BMW Championship 64-69-70-65=268 −16 2 strokes United States Nick Watney
11 Jan 6, 2014 Hyundai Tournament of Champions 67-66-74-66=273 −19 1 stroke United States Jordan Spieth
12 Jul 20, 2015 The Open Championship 66-71-70-66=273 −15 Playoff Australia Marc Leishman, South Africa Louis Oosthuizen

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November 27, 2015

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‘Li-fi 100 times faster than wi-fi’ –
A new method of delivering data, which uses the visible spectrum rather than radio waves, has been tested in a working office. Li-fi can deliver internet access 100 times faster than traditional wi-fi, offering speeds of up to 1Gbps (gigabit per second). It requires a light source, such as a standard LED bulb, an internet connection and a photo detector. It was tested this week by Estonian start-up Velmenni, in Tallinn. Velmenni used a li-fi-enabled light bulb to transmit data at speeds of 1Gbps. Laboratory tests have shown theoretical speeds of up to 224Gbps. It was tested in an office, to allow workers to access the internet and in an industrial space, where it provided a smart lighting solution. [BBC]

US space rocket debris found in sea off Scilly –
A large chunk of an American space rocket has been found in the sea off the Isles of Scilly. The section of the spacecraft, measuring about 10m (32ft) by 4m (13ft), was spotted on the surface between Bryher and Tresco. Coastguards believe it is from the unmanned SpaceX Falcon 9 which exploded after take-off in Florida in June. However many astronomers believe it is from a different mission due to the size and markings. Local boatmen towed the section to Tresco where it has now been removed from the beach. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Wild Scotland from John Duncan on Vimeo.

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Politics
  • Detroit, a city in which neighborhoods are disappearing, banks aren’t lending, and property values are among the lowest in the nation, is looking to reverse these trends. The Detroit Land Bank Authority is moving aggressively to demolish structures that are beyond repair and auction (bids start at $1,000) ones that are salvageable. Some community banks are helping new buyers. (Washington Post)
  • Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a major overhaul of China’s military to make the world’s largest army more combat ready and better equipped to project force beyond the country’s borders. Under the reorganization, all branches of the armed forces would come under a joint military command, Xi told a meeting of military officials in Beijing, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Bloomberg in September reported details of the plan, which may also seek to consolidate the country’s seven military regions to as few as four. The Chinese president said the reform aimed to “build an elite combat force” and called on the officials to make “breakthroughs” on establishing the joint command by 2020, Xinhua said. (Bloomberg)

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December 22, 2015

Top News Stories –

Actor Nicolas Cage returns stolen dinosaur skull he bought –
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage has agreed to turn over a rare stolen dinosaur skull he bought for $276,000 to U.S. authorities so it can be returned to the Mongolian government. The office of Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, filed a civil forfeiture complaint last week to take possession of the Tyrannosaurus bataar skull, which will be repatriated to Mongolia. The lawsuit did not specifically name Cage as the owner, but Cage’s publicist confirmed that the actor bought the skull in March 2007 from a Beverly Hills gallery, I.M. Chait. The “National Treasure” actor is not accused of wrongdoing, and authorities said he voluntarily agreed to turn over the skull after learning of the circumstances. Cage outbid fellow movie star Leonardo DiCaprio for the skull, according to prior news reports. [Reuters]
Nicolas_CageNicolas_Cage

SpaceX succeeds in historic rocket launch and landing –
SpaceX successfully landed its powerful Falcon 9 rocket late on Monday night for the first time, a major milestone in the drive to cut costs and waste by making rockets as reusable as planes. Its engines burning bright orange against the dark night sky, the Falcon 9 made a graceful arc back to Earth and touched down upright at Cape Canaveral, Florida, minutes after launching a payload of satellites to orbit, video images showed. “I still can’t quite believe it,” Musk said in a teleconference after the landing. “I think this is a revolutionary moment. No one has ever brought an orbital class booster back intact.” Previous attempts to land the Falcon 9’s first stage on a floating ocean platform have failed – with the rocket either colliding with the autonomous drone ship or tipping over. [Daily Telegraph] In June 2015 a SpaceX rocket carrying cargo to the International Space Station exploded minutes after take-off. See Video of the Day
Elon Musk - The Summit 2013Elon Musk

Video of the Day –

Historic Landing of Falcon 9 First Stage at Landing Zone 1

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January 13, 2016

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Winning tickets in the nearly $1.6-billion Powerball lottery were sold in California, Florida and Tennessee, officials said on Thursday, leaving at least three people to split the record-setting jackpot. California Lottery officials confirmed that the winning six numbers had been purchased at a convenience store outside Los Angeles, as well as at locations in Florida and Tennessee. The identity of the winners was not yet known. Lottery officials said it could be several hours before it is known whether there are other winners in the 44 states, Washington, D.C. and two U.S. territories where Powerball is played. In Chino Hills, a suburb east of Los Angeles, crowds descended on a 7-Eleven store where the winning ticket had been bought, snapping pictures and congratulating staff. The store will receive a $1-million bonus for selling the ticket. The odds of picking a winning combination were 1 in 292 million. [Daily Mail]

Video of the Day –

Prison Da Vinci No. 1 Painting With Skittles from TCOLondon on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

The final 100 Sexiest Women List from FHM Magazine (closing after 30 years)

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  • Three winning Powerball lottery tickets are sold in the U.S. states of California, Florida, and Tennessee. Each will share the estimated jackpot of US $1.6 billion dollars, the largest lottery jackpot in world history. (ABC News)
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February 7, 2016

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Super Bowl 50: Denver Broncos beat Carolina Panthers –
The Denver Broncos produced a defensive masterclass to upset the Carolina Panthers 24-10 and win Super Bowl 50. Carolina were heavy favourites, having lost only once all season and with the league’s Most Valuable Player of the season Cam Newton at quarterback. But Newton was smothered by the Broncos defence and gave up three turnovers, including one that led to a touchdown. That helped Denver, quarterbacked by veteran Peyton Manning, open a 10-0 lead early on and they never lost it. It had been rumoured the game would be 39-year-old Manning’s last, but he said afterwards he would “take time to reflect”. [BBC]

Coldplay and Beyonce star in half-time show –
British group Coldplay were the main performers at the half-time and they were joined by Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson. Coldplay opened the show by singing ‘Yellow’ and ‘Viva La Vida’ as children carrying multi-coloured umbrellas and violins streamed onto the pitch. Mars and Ronson performed their hit ‘Uptown Funk’, before Beyonce sang her new song ‘Formation’. The artists closed the show by performing a mash-up of Coldplay’s hit ‘Fix You’ and Beyonce’s ‘Crazy In Love’. [BBC]

Twitter suspends 125,000 ‘terrorism’ accounts –
Twitter says it has suspended more than 125,000 accounts since mid-2015 “for threatening or promoting terrorist acts”. In a blog, the US-based firm said the accounts “primarily related to ISIS” (the so-called Islamic State group). “We condemn the use of Twitter to promote terrorism,” it said, adding that it had increased its report reviewing teams to react faster. Twitter has more than 500 million users around the world. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

“NFL 2016: PART TWO” — A Bad Lip Reading of the NFL

Part One available here

List of the Day –

List of Superbowl Champions [from Wikipedia]

Game Date Winning team Score Losing team Venue City Attendance
50 February 7, 2016 Denver Broncos† 24–10 Carolina Panthers* Levi’s Stadium Santa Clara, California (2)[note 1] 71,088
(8, 3–5) (2, 0–2)
XLIX February 1, 2015 New England Patriots† 28–24 Seattle Seahawks* University of Phoenix Stadium (2) Glendale, Arizona (3)[note 1] 70,288
(8, 4–4) (3, 1–2)
XLVIII February 2, 2014 Seattle Seahawks* 43–8 Denver Broncos† MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey 82,529
(2, 1–1) (7, 2–5)
XLVII February 3, 2013 Baltimore Ravens† 34–31 San Francisco 49ers* Mercedes-Benz Superdome (7) New Orleans, Louisiana (10) 71,024
(2, 2–0) (6, 5–1)
XLVI February 5, 2012 New York Giants* 21–17 New England Patriots† Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, Indiana 68,658
(5, 4–1) (7, 3–4)
XLV February 6, 2011 Green Bay Packers* 31–25 Pittsburgh Steelers† Cowboys Stadium Arlington, Texas 103,219
(5, 4–1) (8, 6–2)
XLIV February 7, 2010 New Orleans Saints* 31–17 Indianapolis Colts† Sun Life Stadium (5)[note 3] Miami Gardens, Florida (10)[note 2] 74,059
(1, 1–0) (4, 2–2)
XLIII February 1, 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers† 27–23 Arizona Cardinals* Raymond James Stadium (2) Tampa, Florida (4) 70,774
(7, 6–1) (1, 0–1)
XLII February 3, 2008 New York Giants* 17–14 New England Patriots† University of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, Arizona (2)[note 1] 71,101
(4, 3–1) (6, 3–3)
XLI February 4, 2007 Indianapolis Colts† 29–17 Chicago Bears* Dolphin Stadium (4)[note 3] Miami Gardens, Florida (9)[note 2] 74,512
(3, 2–1) (2, 1–1)
XL February 5, 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers† 21–10 Seattle Seahawks* Ford Field Detroit, Michigan (2)[note 1] 68,206
(6, 5–1) (1, 0–1)
XXXIX February 6, 2005 New England Patriots† 24–21 Philadelphia Eagles* ALLTEL Stadium Jacksonville, Florida 78,125
(5, 3–2) (2, 0–2)
XXXVIII February 1, 2004 New England Patriots† 32–29 Carolina Panthers* Reliant Stadium[note 3] Houston, Texas (2) 71,525
(4, 2–2) (1, 0–1)
XXXVII January 26, 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers* 48–21 Oakland Raiders† Qualcomm Stadium (3)[note 3] San Diego, California (3) 67,603
(1, 1–0) (5, 3–2)
XXXVI February 3, 2002 New England Patriots† 20–17 St. Louis Rams* Louisiana Superdome (6) New Orleans, Louisiana (9) 72,922
(3, 1–2) (3, 1–2)
XXXV January 28, 2001 Baltimore Ravens† 34–7 New York Giants* Raymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida (3) 71,921
(1, 1–0) (3, 2–1)
XXXIV January 30, 2000 St. Louis Rams* 23–16 Tennessee Titans† Georgia Dome (2) Atlanta, Georgia (2) 72,625
(2, 1–1) (1, 0–1)
XXXIII January 31, 1999 Denver Broncos† 34–19 Atlanta Falcons* Pro Player Stadium (3)[note 3] Miami Gardens, Florida (8)[note 2] 74,803
(6, 2–4) (1, 0–1)
XXXII January 25, 1998 Denver Broncos† 31–24 Green Bay Packers* Qualcomm Stadium (2)[note 3] San Diego, California (2) 68,912
(5, 1–4) (4, 3–1)
XXXI January 26, 1997 Green Bay Packers* 35–21 New England Patriots† Louisiana Superdome (5) New Orleans, Louisiana (8) 72,301
(3, 3–0) (2, 0–2)
XXX January 28, 1996 Dallas Cowboys* 27–17 Pittsburgh Steelers† Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, Arizona[note 1] 76,347
(8, 5–3) (5, 4–1)
XXIX January 29, 1995 San Francisco 49ers* 49–26 San Diego Chargers† Joe Robbie Stadium (2)[note 3] Miami Gardens, Florida (7)[note 2] 74,107
(5, 5–0) (1, 0–1)
XXVIII January 30, 1994 Dallas Cowboys* 30–13 Buffalo Bills† Georgia Dome Atlanta, Georgia 72,817
(7, 4–3) (4, 0–4)
XXVII January 31, 1993 Dallas Cowboys* 52–17 Buffalo Bills† Rose Bowl (5) Pasadena, California (7)[note 1] 98,374
(6, 3–3) (3, 0–3)
XXVI January 26, 1992 Washington Redskins* 37–24 Buffalo Bills† Metrodome Minneapolis, Minnesota 63,130
(5, 3–2) (2, 0–2)
XXV January 27, 1991 New York Giants* 20–19 Buffalo Bills† Tampa Stadium (2) Tampa, Florida (2) 73,813
(2, 2–0) (1, 0–1)
XXIV January 28, 1990 San Francisco 49ers* 55–10 Denver Broncos† Louisiana Superdome (4) New Orleans, Louisiana (7) 72,919
(4, 4–0) (4, 0–4)
XXIII January 22, 1989 San Francisco 49ers* 20–16 Cincinnati Bengals† Joe Robbie Stadium[note 3] Miami Gardens, Florida (6)[note 2] 75,129
(3, 3–0) (2, 0–2)
XXII January 31, 1988 Washington Redskins* 42–10 Denver Broncos† Jack Murphy Stadium[note 3] San Diego, California 73,302
(4, 2–2) (3, 0–3)
XXI January 25, 1987 New York Giants* 39–20 Denver Broncos† Rose Bowl (4) Pasadena, California (6)[note 1] 101,063
(1, 1–0) (2, 0–2)
XX January 26, 1986 Chicago Bears* 46–10 New England Patriots† Louisiana Superdome (3) New Orleans, Louisiana (6) 73,818
(1, 1–0) (1, 0–1)
XIX January 20, 1985 San Francisco 49ers* 38–16 Miami Dolphins† Stanford Stadium Stanford, California[note 1] 84,059
(2, 2–0) (5, 2–3)
XVIII January 22, 1984 Los Angeles Raiders† 38–9 Washington Redskins* Tampa Stadium Tampa, Florida 72,920
(4, 3–1) (3, 1–2)
XVII January 30, 1983 Washington Redskins* 27–17 Miami Dolphins† Rose Bowl (3) Pasadena, California (5)[note 1] 103,667
(2, 1–1) (4, 2–2)
XVI January 24, 1982 San Francisco 49ers* 26–21 Cincinnati Bengals† Pontiac Silverdome Pontiac, Michigan[note 1] 81,270
(1, 1–0) (1, 0–1)
XV January 25, 1981 Oakland Raiders† 27–10 Philadelphia Eagles* Louisiana Superdome (2) New Orleans, Louisiana (5) 76,135
(3, 2–1) (1, 0–1)
XIV January 20, 1980 Pittsburgh Steelers† 31–19 Los Angeles Rams* Rose Bowl (2) Pasadena, California (4)[note 1] 103,985
(4, 4–0) (1, 0–1)
XIII January 21, 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers† 35–31 Dallas Cowboys* Miami Orange Bowl (5) Miami, Florida (5)[note 2] 79,484
(3, 3–0) (5, 2–3)
XII January 15, 1978 Dallas Cowboys* 27–10 Denver Broncos† Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana (4) 76,400
(4, 2–2) (1, 0–1)
XI January 9, 1977 Oakland Raiders† 32–14 Minnesota Vikings* Rose Bowl Pasadena, California (3)[note 1] 103,438
(2, 1–1) (4, 0–4)
X January 18, 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers† 21–17 Dallas Cowboys* Miami Orange Bowl (4) Miami, Florida (4)[note 2] 80,187
(2, 2–0) (3, 1–2)
IX January 12, 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers† 16–6 Minnesota Vikings* Tulane Stadium (3) New Orleans, Louisiana (3) 80,997
(1, 1–0) (3, 0–3)
VIII January 13, 1974 Miami Dolphins† 24–7 Minnesota Vikings* Rice Stadium Houston, Texas 71,882
(3, 2–1) (2, 0–2)
VII January 14, 1973 Miami Dolphins† 14–7 Washington Redskins* Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2) Los Angeles, California (2)[note 1] 90,182
(2, 1–1) (1, 0–1)
VI January 16, 1972 Dallas Cowboys* 24–3 Miami Dolphins† Tulane Stadium (2) New Orleans, Louisiana (2) 81,023
(2, 1–1) (1, 0–1)
V January 17, 1971 Baltimore Colts† 16–13 Dallas Cowboys* Miami Orange Bowl (3) Miami, Florida (3)[note 2] 79,204
(2, 1–1) (1, 0–1)
IV January 11, 1970 Kansas City Chiefs^ 23–7 Minnesota Vikings‡ Tulane Stadium New Orleans, Louisiana 80,562
(2, 1–1) (1, 0–1)
III January 12, 1969 New York Jets^ 16–7 Baltimore Colts‡ Miami Orange Bowl (2) Miami, Florida (2)[note 2] 75,389
(1, 1–0) (1, 0–1)
II January 14, 1968 Green Bay Packers‡ 33–14 Oakland Raiders^ Miami Orange Bowl Miami, Florida[note 2] 75,546
(2, 2–0) (1, 0–1)
I January 15, 1967 Green Bay Packers‡ 35–10 Kansas City Chiefs^ Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, California[note 1] 61,946
(1, 1–0) (1, 0–1)

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March 15, 2016

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Mother Teresa to be made a saint in September –
Pope Francis has announced that Mother Teresa will be elevated to sainthood on 4 September, months after he approved a second miracle for the late nun and Nobel prize winner who was known as the “Saint of the Gutters”. The canonisation of Mother Teresa, who was hailed for her work with impoverished and dying people living in the slums of Kolkata, India, has been highly anticipated by supporters, and will be a highlight of the church’s jubilee year of mercy. More than 300,000 pilgrims went to Rome in 2003 for Teresa’s beatification – the first step towards sainthood. The Vatican said in a short statement on Friday that the Argentinian pontiff had approved the second miracle – the final hurdle to make her a saint – in which a Brazilian man was said to have been cured of multiple brain tumours in 2008 following the nun’s intercession. [Guardian]
Mother_Teresa Mother Teresa in 1986

California homeless man receives $100,000 for spotting fugitives –
A homeless man from San Francisco is to be given a reward of $100,000 (£71,000) for helping police recapture two prison inmates who had escaped. Matthew Hay-Chapman had seen photographs of the two fugitives on the news and spotted them in a stolen van. They had broken out of Orange County Jail six days earlier, sparking a state-wide manhunt. The full $150,000 (£106,000) reward was split between four people, with Mr Hay Chapman getting the largest share. Mr Hay-Chapman spotted the fugitives in the stolen van next to a market in San Francisco and alerted officers in the area. [BBC]

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After Hours from Todd Martin on Vimeo.

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March 19, 2016

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Bruce Springsteen signs late note for schoolboy –
As excuse notes go, it is a step up from the “dog ate my homework”. But not all teachers would be impressed with a letter explaining a nine-year-old’s late arrival in class was down to being at a rock concert the night before. So Xabi Glovsky had it signed by Bruce Springsteen. He went to the concert in Los Angeles with his father, Scott, a life-long fan of the Boss. They went armed with a homemade sign. “Bruce, I will be late to school tomorrow. Please sign my note :-)” it said. At the end of the three-and-a-half-hour show, and well after Xabi’s bedtime, Springsteen sent a security guard into the crowd at the Los Angeles Sports Centre to invite father and son backstage. He asked Xabi for the name and spelling of his teacher, before whipping out pen and paper for the note. It read: “Dear Ms. Jackson, Xabi has been out very late rocking & rolling. Please excuse him if he is tardy.” [Daily Telegraph]
Bruce_SpringsteenBruce Springsteen

Six Nations 2016: England win Grand Slam with France victory –
England have their first Grand Slam in 13 years after holding out to secure a historic victory in Paris. First-half tries from Danny Care and Dan Cole had given them a five-point half-time lead, only for the relentless penalty precision of Maxime Machenaud to keep France within touching distance. But a third try in three matches from Anthony Watson calmed rising nerves before a brace of late penalties from Owen Farrell allowed the travelling support to sing their heroes home. It marks a remarkable turnaround for new head coach Eddie Jones, coming just six months after the humiliation of a home World Cup exit at the group stages before he took control. [BBC] See List of the Day

Video of the Day –

2084 from Taz Goldstein on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Winners of Grand Slams in the Five Nations (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France) and Six Nations (Italy added in 2000) Championship

Nation Grand Slams Grand Slam winning seasons
 England 13 1913, 1914, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1957, 1980, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2003, 2016
 Wales 11 1908*, 1909*, 1911, 1950, 1952, 1971, 1976, 1978, 2005, 2008, 2012
 France 9 1968, 1977, 1981, 1987, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2010
 Scotland 3 1925, 1984, 1990
 Ireland 2 1948, 2009
 Italy 0

 

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April 8, 2016

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Springsteen cancels North Carolina concert over bathroom bill –
Rock star Bruce Springsteen on Friday canceled a concert scheduled for this weekend in North Carolina to protest a new state law restricting bathroom use by transgender individuals, as country music stars decried similar legislation proposed in Tennessee. Springsteen said in an online statement that the North Carolina law was “an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress.” Tickets for the concert that was to be presented on Sunday in Greensboro, North Carolina, would be refunded, according to Springsteen’s website. PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL.O) cited the discriminatory nature of the law when it canceled on Tuesday a new operations center that was to employ 400 workers in Charlotte. [Reuters] In March Springsteen signed a late note for a schoolboy who came to one of his concerts
Bruce_SpringsteenBruce Springsteen

SpaceX reusable rocket lands on ocean platform –
The US aerospace company SpaceX has successfully landed a resusable rocket on an ocean platform, after four previous attempts failed. Mission controllers cheered as the Falcon 9 rocket remained upright on the platform off Florida. It was returning from delivering an inflatable habitat into space for Nasa. The inflatable room will attach to the International Space Station (ISS) for a two-year test and become the first such habitat to for humans in orbit. It is due to reach the ISS around 09:00 GMT on Sunday along with other freight aboard the Dragon capsule. Built by Nevada company Bigelow Aerospace, the habitat is intended to pave the way towards the use of such rooms for long space trips, including to Mars. [BBC] See Video of the Day

Video of the Day –

SpaceX lands rocket at sea, makes history –

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May 5, 2016

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Tunisian mobile gamers win a cow –
A couple in Tunisia have walked away with an unusual prize – a cow – after they recorded the top score in a locally developed mobile phone game, it’s reported.
Pamela the cow spent two weeks at the game developer’s headquarters in Tunis before being awarded to the unnamed couple at the beginning of May, the Tuniscope news website says.
The pair triumphed in a strategy game called Bagra – literally “cow” – which consists of keeping a herd of cows and preventing other players from stealing them, while trying to pinch as many as possible from other herds. [BBC]

Canadian wildfire edges south, leaves thousands stranded –
The 88,000 residents who fled a wildfire that has ravaged the Canadian oil town of Fort McMurray in Alberta will not be able to return home anytime soon, officials warned on Thursday, even as the inferno edged slowly south. The out-of-control blaze has consumed entire neighborhoods of Fort McMurray in Canada’s energy heartland and officials warn its spread now threatens two oil sands sites south of the city. The wildfire has already forced precautionary production cuts or shutdowns at about a dozen major facilities, eating into a global crude surplus and supporting oil prices this week. [Reuters] See Video of the Day

Facebook Live tab is now on the Android app –
It’s taken a month, but the Live tab on Facebook has now started appearing for Android app users. Back in April, the social network announced that video was going to be even more of priority for the company, with users being offered a dedicated page to find live streams. Android users are starting to see the Live tab in the centre of the screen, pushing out Messenger from its spot. Clicking on the Live option brings up a scrolling stream of video.Anyone watching the feed can then react and comment in real time. [BBC Newsbeat]

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Fire ‘rains’ down in Fort McMurray neighbourhood during escape

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June 11, 2016

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Bicycle thief suspect lassoed by rancher in Oregon –
A rancher in the US state of Oregon has used his lassoing skills to nab a would-be thief, police say. Robert Borba told local media he reacted when he heard a woman scream that someone was trying to steal her bicycle from a bike rack outside a Walmart store in Eagle Point. Mr Borba said he got his horse out of its trailer and cornered the suspect before lassoing him around the legs. He said he got on his horse and rode over to the man who was apparently struggling with the bike gears and then decided to flee on foot. “I just roped him and the rope went down around his feet and I just rode off like I would if I’d roped a cow or something by myself”. The rancher said the would-be thief then tried to grab a tree and escape, but he managed to keep the rope tight until police arrived and arrested the suspect. [BBC]

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Aberdeen : A Montage of Kurt Cobain's Artwork & Journals from Tourist Pictures on Vimeo.

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June 12, 2016

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Orlando shooting: At least 50 killed in Pulse nightclub mass shooting –
A heavily armed gunman has killed at least 50 people, with another 53 injured, at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The mass shooting is the worst in US history and US President Barack Obama has branded it “an act of terror and an act of hate”.

  • At least 50 people killed, 53 injured in mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida
  • Gunman Omar Mateen took hostages, killed when police stormed building
  • Mateen was armed with an assault rifle and handgun, police say
  • US President Barack Obama brands shooting an act of terror and hate
  • Armed man arrested in LA had assault rifles in car, said he was going to the LA Pride festival, police said

[ABC Australia]

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August 19, 2016

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Zika in Florida: Pregnant women warned to avoid Miami Beach –
Pregnant women have been warned to avoid the international tourist destination Miami Beach, amid cases of the Zika virus. Authorities had previously thought the virus was limited to Wynwood, a small area west of Miami Beach. Health officials now say five people in Miami Beach have been infected. Florida health officials have been aggressively spraying pesticides there. Zika, often spread by mosquitoes, can cause life-threatening birth defects. [BBC]

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October 6, 2016

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Recruitment agency criticised for job ads specifying bra size –
A recruitment agency has been criticised for advertising jobs only for “attractive women”, as well as specifying bra size. Matching Models in London describes itself as “an international temp agency for beautiful and talented people”. It advertised for a personal assistant with “a classic look, brown long hair with b-c cup”. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) called it “appalling, unlawful and demeaning to women”. The agency’s founder Nathalie Jansen said: “Our clients are important to us – and looks are important.” Another job advert on the agency’s website asks a “sexy female driver” to drive a Porsche Cayenne two days a week for between £40,000 and £50,000-a-year for a Knightsbridge-based businessman and polo team owner. [BBC]

Hurricane Matthew: At least 100 people killed in Haiti devastation –
Hurricane Matthew has left at least 108 people dead in Haiti, the country’s interior minister says. Some 50 people were reported to have died in the southern town of Roche-a-Bateau alone. New images from remote and cut off areas in the south-west of the country show scenes of devastation. The hurricane has again been upgraded to a Category Four storm, the second highest hurricane classification, as it heads for the US state of Florida. [BBC]

hurricane-matthew-nasa-image Hurricane Matthew image by NASA

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Underwater Explosions at 120,000fps – The Slow Mo Guys

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  • Pakistan‘s government removes a loophole allowing those behind so-called honor killings to go free with the new legislation instead requiring a mandatory life sentence. (BBC)
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November 9, 2016

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US election 2016 result: Trump beats Clinton to take White House –
Donald Trump will become the 45th US president after a stunning victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. The Republican nominee’s victory came down to a handful of key swing states, despite months of polling that favoured Mrs Clinton. The battlegrounds of Florida, Ohio and North Carolina cleared the way for his Brexit-style upset. Global markets plummeted, with the US dollar diving and gold prices surging. Mr Trump’s shock victory in Wisconsin put him over the 270 out of 538 electoral college votes needed to win the White House, after a gruelling and rancorous campaign. The US president-elect took to the stage with his family at his victory rally in a New York hotel ballroom and said: “I just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us on our victory.” [BBC]
Donald_Trump President elect Donald Trump

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Donald Trumps acceptance speech

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Popular vote results in US election

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January 6, 2017

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Intel report says Putin ordered campaign to influence US election –
A declassified U.S. intelligence report released Friday directly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering a campaign to influence the U.S. election and hurt Hillary Clinton’s candidacy – findings made public after officials briefed President-elect Donald Trump. The report said: “We assess with high confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election, the consistent goals of which were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency. We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump.” [Fox News]
Vladimir-PutinVladimir Putin

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Assassins Creed hand drawn animation

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